The Steminist Spotlight Series: Elisha Herrmann, Senior Director of Digital Transformation
Empowered by science and technology, women are transforming the way we live and work—and they’re changing the world for the better along the way. Our blog series, The Steminist Spotlight, celebrates these women.
The Steminist Spotlight amplifies the voices of the amazing and inspiring women in tech who are making history here at Navisite. As Steminists, these women have the power to inspire the next generation of female leaders to choose a career in STEM, where they can co-create the future and help build a diverse, inclusive workforce.
Catch up on previous Steminist Spotlights and read on to learn about our latest featured Steminist!
Meet Our Steminist:
Elisha Herrmann
Our Steminist Spotlight features Elisha Herrmann, Navisite’s senior director of digital transformation. Elisha shares her tech beginnings, role models and advice for the next generation of female leaders.
How did you get started in tech?
It’s funny to look back on now, but I actually entered into the world of tech by accident. I was in the process of transferring to the University of Cincinnati, and while filling out my application, I made the mistake of selecting “information systems” instead of “international business” as my major. It was a total accident—and ultimately one I’m glad I made, because I loved learning everything about technology and the impact it has on the world.
From that moment on, I spent my time as an undergrad trying to absorb as much as I could about business and technology. That eventually led me to working with SAP software, which pointed me to the career path I’m on today. As fate would have it, my work eventually came back to international business.
Can you share a little bit about what you do at Navisite and what a typical day looks like?
Before joining Navisite, I was fortunate to have worked in a wide range of environments—from smaller businesses to large corporations, in a variety of consulting and in-house roles as well as in multiple industries. These experiences were incredibly valuable in that I was able to learn all facets of their operations and apply that knowledge to support them in various capacities as I grew in my career. When I joined Navisite as the senior director of digital transformation, I had an exciting opportunity to bring my mixed background and experiences together to help organizations of all sizes, across all industries, solve some of their most complex problems.
Right now, I’m focused on helping Navisite zero-in on its mission to help companies overcome their current roadblocks and realize value through transformation supported in part by technology. A big part of this is understanding and championing the intelligent minds, robust solutions and incredible technology and capabilities we have here at Navisite. I enjoy collaborating and working in partnership with teams across Navisite to bring all of those pieces together to deliver solutions that solve our customers’ problems and enable them to compete and grow.
Zooming out from my day-to-day, I like to tell people that Navisite feels like home. I get to work for a company that deeply appreciates my past experiences—and they’ve given me the opportunity to leverage that knowledge to really dig into the root of a problem and find the right solutions. Most importantly, I like to tell people how incredibly smart my colleagues are—and how grateful I am to have the opportunity to learn from them every day.
What do you like most about your tech career?
I enjoy that no day is the same. The world of technology is constantly evolving—even if you solve a problem today, there will be a new problem or a new way to solve tomorrow.
My dad tells a story from when I was younger, and I think it really gets to the core of why I love technology. Growing up, I was always pointing at different things—machines, devices, equipment, etc.—and I always had to know what it was. I needed to not only see how things worked, but also understand why it mattered. Today, that curiosity hasn’t changed. I’m fascinated with how the world operates, and technology has helped me find answers and solutions to some really big questions and problems.
Technology has also opened up my world to new people, new cultures, new places and different ways of life. The world of tech is so vast and diverse, and I’ve been fortunate to meet so many cool people that come from many different backgrounds—from writers to comedians.
Who are your women in tech role models?
I have been lucky enough to have a few mentors throughout my career. The past CIO of ZF (a car part manufacturing company) is an important role model that I’m fortunate to still talk to today.
I’ve also always admired Brené Brown and Sheryl Sandberg. Their stories resonate with me, and they have always spoken in a relatable way. That’s such an important quality in the tech field. There are so many different paths, with so many different nuances, that you can take within your tech career. For many, that can seem overwhelming—or even discouraging. To see these and other women not only find their paths but own them, made my career in tech seem tangible—if they could do it, I could see myself doing it, too.
What has been one of the proudest moments of your career so far?
One of my proudest moments actually happened recently. Throughout my career, I’ve always worked in a global environment for multi-national companies and consulting firms. But when I was recently recognized locally in Cincinnati for an Entrepreneur Vision Award, it really hit home for me. This award was a nod to the work I’ve done in the innovation space for enterprise businesses, and I was honored to be recognized. But more than that, being surrounded by so many leaders and innovators was such a strong testament to Cincinnati’s entrepreneurial spirit and talent. It made me proud to be a part of this community.
I’m also proud of a global project I completed that spanned five different countries. I had the opportunity to be a part of a new medical drug rollout to consumers on a large scale. When I eventually saw that same drug being advertised on TV, it was rewarding on many levels. I enjoyed having been a part of the process and, most importantly, seeing the impact the drug is having in providing help and relief to patients.
What do you think is one of the biggest obstacles today for women pursuing a career in tech?
I think the world of technology is often perceived as highly complex, requiring deep technical and specialized knowledge—which might have been considered a barrier in the past. But when you take a step back, you realize that tech is all around us—from the watches we wear to the apps we use. In fact, for many younger generations, tech is just innate. Anyone who is considering a career in tech should ditch the perception that you need a lot of technical skills to succeed—if you understand a problem and want a solution, you will do well in this field.
I also think that it’s easier to see ourselves in a role if we see other people like us doing the same thing. But for a long time, there weren’t a lot of female role models in tech for young women to look up to—or we didn’t have a lot of visibility into who these women are. Fortunately, the number of women in STEM roles is increasing, and it’s ushering in a new wave of role models and mentors. Technology and social media platforms have the potential to highlight this new wave and the opportunities.
What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in STEM?
The best thing you can do is keep your eyes open and always remain optimistic. What brings you joy? What supports your belief system and core values? Your answer to that question should always be your fuel and guide in everything you do. Use it to help you find a role that’s the right match for you—you should never have to settle for anything less. The incredible thing about tech is that it’s resilient and always changing. That means you can take your career wherever you want to go and morph it into whatever you want to do.
What’s a fun fact about you that many people might not know?
I am a total live music junkie! I have been to so many concerts—there’s really no better feeling than the energy that comes from hearing your favorite band live. If I were to rank my most-attended concerts, I’d have to say Dave Matthews Band wins by the sheer volume of times I’ve seen them. And if we’re looking at the most over the longest time span? It’s definitely New Kids on the Block. I’ve even seen a concert in Alkmaar, Netherlands.