Last week, the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) hosted its 2025 Women in Semiconductor Hardware (WISH) Conference in San Jose, bringing together trailblazers from across the industry to share lessons on leadership, resilience and the urgent need to expand the talent pipeline. I had the privilege to attend this event alongside a distinguished group of AMD women engineers. I felt fortunate to be included among such inspiring peers.
The main sessions underscored three clear themes: the power of mindset in overcoming adversity, authentic leadership in times of change and collective action to address the workforce challenges shaping the future of semiconductors.
Fireside Chat: The Trailblazer’s Mindset
Sylvia Acevedo, former NASA rocket scientist, CEO and current board member at Qualcomm and Credo, shared insights from her book The Trailblazer’s Playbook. In a conversation with GSA CEO Jodi Shelton, Acevedo described how clarity, courage and conviction helped her turn barriers into stepping stones throughout her career.
From being told “girls like you don’t go to college” to becoming one of the first Hispanic women to earn an engineering graduate degree at Stanford, Acevedo emphasized the importance of resilience, persistence and authenticity. Her stories from NASA and corporate leadership illustrated how setbacks can fuel growth if approached with curiosity rather than frustration. She also reminded attendees that strong leaders can be both competitive and compassionate, and that opening doors for others is an essential part of building a legacy.
Leadership Lessons: Authenticity and Advocacy
A panel of senior executives, including leaders from Broadcom, Arm, Cirrus Logic, Cerebras and more, explored what it takes to lead in times of rapid change. The discussion highlighted that kindness should not be mistaken for weakness, and that leaders must balance being approachable with delivering results.
Panelists stressed that authenticity is a powerful differentiator: leaders who retain their identity and use their natural strengths, whether humor or empathy, are more approachable and effective. They also spoke candidly about visibility and advocacy, reminding the audience that career advancement is not only about what you know, but also who knows you.
Key advice included:
- Speak the language of leadership by framing contributions in terms of strategy and value.
- Understand how your work fits into the bigger picture of an organization.
- Be proactive in sponsoring unseen talent, especially women and underrepresented voices.
- Teach people how to treat you by setting boundaries and articulating your vision.
The conversation underscored that building a legacy means lifting others as you climb, creating opportunities that only leaders on the inside can unlock.
Talent and Workforce: Inspiring the Next Generation
The semiconductor industry plays a critical role in modern life, from powering smartphones to enabling AI, and this theme was at the center of the final main session on talent. Leaders from TSMC, GlobalFoundries, Micron Technology, Marvell and San Jose State University discussed the workforce challenges and opportunities shaping the industry.
Panelists emphasized that careers in semiconductors provide high impact, intellectual challenge, long-term stability and a strong sense of societal purpose. To address the talent gap, companies are investing in university partnerships, K–12 educational programs, apprenticeships and collaborations with groups like the Girl Scouts and First Robotics. They also emphasized broadening recruitment beyond elite universities, valuing potential and diverse backgrounds over pedigree.
The collective message was clear: building a skilled, diverse and inspired workforce is both a challenge and an opportunity that the industry must meet together.
AMD Contributions
AMD was strongly represented throughout the event. Liya Liu, senior member of AMD technical staff, spoke in the AI breakout session on accelerating formal verification workflows. Sharon Zhou, AMD vice president of AI, joined a panel discussion on AI and the future of hardware engineering. Isabelita Camaclang, MTS silicon design engineer, and Manvitha Pannala, technical program manager, from AMD delivered test and validation track presentations on using AI for DFT optimization and improving SERDES margin analysis with Power BI and Snowflake. Sangeeta Raste, AMD senior manager of PMTS silicon design, spoke in the design technology breakout session on innovative approaches to low-power design. In addition, the 2025 Female Up and Comer Award was presented to Yanfang Le, AMD principal network architect.
I am proud that AMD was a sponsor of this year’s WISH conference and plays an active role in the GSA Women’s Leadership Initiative, reinforcing its commitment to supporting women leaders across the semiconductor industry.
Looking Ahead
The 2025 WISH Conference showcased the leadership, grit and collaboration driving the semiconductor industry forward. From personal stories of resilience to candid conversations on authenticity and talent, the sessions highlighted the responsibility and the opportunity to create pathways for future generations.
As Sylvia Acevedo put it, trailblazing is not just about creating a path but building a highway for others to follow. Last week’s conversations made it clear: the future of semiconductors will be shaped not only by technology, but by leaders committed to unlocking opportunity for all.
