Alexis Braddy is the Human Resources Manager at GE.
Alexis is an outstanding HR Manager who has a superpower is in building and developing meaningful and impactful relationships that are genuine and authentic. She is naturally empathetic and an advocate for people in regards to their professional and personal lives.
Especially for the WomenTech Network, Alexis agreed to give an interview and share her story.
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Congratulations on winning a WomenTech Network HR & Program Manager of the Year Award! How did it feel when you found out you had won?
It was very humbling! I was a bit more excited to be nominated if I'm honest, lol. Maybe because it all came as a surprise.
Just to know that someone sees and knows the work that you've put into creating opportunities around diversity and inclusiveness within the technology space was a nice personal and team achievement. However, there is still tons of work to do, and I think WomenTech has done a phenomenal job in closing the opportunity divide for women in technology through mentorship and other programs, so just to be included was amazing.
Tell us about your background, journey in tech, and what inspired you to develop your career in this direction.
Tech was something I never wanted to do or had an interest in. Growing up, I was encouraged to just find a "good job" and stay there for 30 years. And by "good job", meaning any company that had a great pension or 401K plan. So, because of this, anything technology-related wasn't in my line of sight for a career. It wasn't until a few years ago, that that thought process changed for me. Technology has changed the world around us and does so every day, from medical care to travel to be able to have my groceries delivered to my home. I saw these changes and joined my first tech organization as a recruiter and later grew into an HRBP role. It was fast-paced and high-energy. In this organization, I partnered with our senior leadership team to identify and create a robust talent pipeline in tech starting with specifically diversity and to ensure a culture of inclusivity within our working environment.
It was exciting to partner with local boot camps and national organizations such as YearUp, Colleges, and Universities. Whatever needed to be done we did it and we achieved some awesome things!
After doing quite a bit of work in my first tech company, I had the opportunity to duplicate that success for a specific market within GE. This was a bit of a challenge, instead of helping build and create something from the ground up, I had to elevate something that was without a doubt really good (within the specific market). This too has been a great experience, Covid altered our path, but I'm proud to say we are still hitting the mark.
I worked for 2 really great companies that trusted me and gave me the room and opportunity to own and lead some amazing things, so I share this award with them.
Any advice you would like to give to girls in STEM on pursuing their dreams?
Know that there is a place for girls and women in STEM. Companies recognize the profound impact that women and girls have on technology. Success is comprised of teeny tiny steps over time, so don't underestimate what you can do if you show and put in the work. There is room for you.
