Aviatrix Blog 
This Sunday, June 23rd is International Women in Engineering Day! Aviatrix is proud to celebrate the women in engineering at our company and across the industry. As a company that was founded by a woman engineer, Sherry Wei, this day further exemplifies the incredible contributions that women have made in engineering and the promise of attracting and supporting talented women in the future.
Renowned global cloud influencer David Linthicum recently shared in an Infoworld article how organizations can attract more women in cloud computing. He highlights three obstacles cloud computing companies need to overcome, including the “PR problem” of the industry’s culture – these workplaces are perceived as not being “female-friendly.”
One of Aviatrix’s goals is building a culture and work environment that is friendly, collaborative, and inspiring for everyone. We asked several of our talented female leaders from our engineering team to share some of their experiences and advice about promoting this supportive ecosystem.
Building Trust
One of the cornerstones of a collaborative culture is trust between leaders and coworkers. Shanshan Xu, Principal Architect TL/M, Software Development, who joined Aviatrix in 2017 about the influence of healthy leadership:
“The engineering leadership team has consistently been supportive of me and the extended engineering group. Knowing that they fully trust my judgment and allow me to take charge of many core areas, makes it even more rewarding.”
Li Yan, Senior Principal Engineer TL/M, Software Development, who is nearing the celebration of her 10-year work Anniversary at the company, also talked about her people-centered management strategy:
“I have always believed that the heart of any successful company lies in the people—their passion, their skills, and their shared purpose. My approach to management centers around empowering engineering teams to focus on customers while collaborating as one team.”
Building Support Networks
“Support” quickly revealed itself as a keyword in conversations about building a healthy, collaborative culture that welcomes everyone.
Madhuri Kaniganti, Director of Product Management shared some of her methods for building support networks within a company–finding mentors who address specific challenges in her area of work, and then expanding to include mentors from other business groups. She also spoke about the culture of growth and support at Aviatrix:
“Our team comprises some of the brightest minds in the industry, and the collaborative environment fosters innovation and personal growth. I feel fortunate to be part of a company that is genuinely committed to supporting women in technology.”
Building Alliances
Another aspect of creating a work environment where every contributor thrives is building alliances across teams. Shawn McKay, the Head of Technical Program Management, described some of her strategies for building alliances across cross-functional teams:
“Uncover Shared Benefits: I thrive on discovering shared values and goals that unite us with purpose and unity—it’s like finding hidden treasures that rally us together.
Embrace Diversity: I cherish building personal connections and respecting our team’s diversity. Each member brings unique strengths and perspectives, making our collective power greater than the sum of its parts.”
Building a Team
Cultivating a welcoming and supportive work environment is an ongoing effort, one that includes using good hiring practices. Louise de Jong, Senior Principal Talent Advisor at Aviatrix, shared what she looks for when hiring engineering talent for Aviatrix.
Individuals who stand out have “an entrepreneurial spirit, are passionate and enthusiastic about working in a startup environment, can adapt easily to change, and thrive in a fast-paced, unstructured work environment. They should be transparent and want to collaborate, love to learn innovative Open-Source technologies, and look for ways to continue to iterate and improve.”
Thank you to all our female engineers who make a difference day in and day out here at Aviatrix and beyond! Happy International Women in Engineering Day!
Shameless plug: we’re hiring at Aviatrix!
