Pioneering the Future
How Alicia Abella set the standard for women in technology at AT&T.
INNOVATION IS THE driving force of the future. Alicia Abella knows this well.
As the Vice President of Integrated Planning & Program Management at AT&T Labs, she’s responsible for planning and developing initiatives to propel the company into the future. These initiatives include software-defined networking, 5G and edge computing. AT&T’s innovative approach to leading change has allowed them to soar above their competition; and Abella has been at the heart of many of these initiatives.
But before she assumed her senior management position, she had to work her way up in a male-dominated industry. She first began her illustrious career interning for AT&T Bell Labs as an undergraduate at New York University. There, she realized the potential for innovation that lie within the world of computer science. After earning her PhD in Computer Science at Columbia University, she began working on a spoken-dialogue system nearly 25 years before the birth of Siri.
“When I began my career, the idea of a personal computer started to manifest itself. I knew that job security and innovation existed within the field of computer science, and that I’d regret it forever if I didn’t at least try it,” Abella said.
ALICIA ABELLA
Education: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, New York University. PHD in Computer Science, Columbia University.
Current Position: Vice President of Integrated Planning & Program Management, AT&T Labs
Background: A daughter of two Cuban immigrants, Abella grew up in Queens, New York, surrounded by the ever-changing world of tech during the rise of the personal computer. Watching the world change with technology sparked a fire in Abella; one that would never extinguish.
Abella believes there’s a wide role for the Latina community in tech. Diversity in thought is what allows companies like AT&T to succeed. It gives businesses a wide range of backgrounds to tap into as they approach a problem while providing a chance for often-overlooked voices to speak up and speak out. Additionally, the large gender gap in most tech industries provides a key opening for young Latina leaders to seize the moment and engage in their respective fields. Leading a legacy helps to promote diversity of thought; and diversity of thought can only start when those already in the field pay it forward.
“A LOT OF [INITIATIVES] ARE THROUGH GRASS ROOTS MOVEMENTS. EVERY MOMENT STARTS SMALL. PAYING IT FORWARD CAN PAVE THE WAY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO REAP THEBENEFITS.”
Companies like AT&T are already starting to take action in order to promote diversity of thought. AT&T prides itself as a pioneer of corporate diversity with its Employee Resource Groups. These organizations allow people of similar backgrounds to network and tap into resources that the company can provide them. The Employee Resource Groups often perform public outreach by assisting with nonprofits, engaging with their community, and stopping by classrooms to teach students about their careers.
When it comes to young professionals looking to make a name for themselves, Abella stresses the importance of finding your community. “While I wasn’t able to find many female mentors in this industry, I was able to find strong male mentors and advocates and I would encourage anyone and everyone to find a mentor to coach you and root you on in your career and personal aspirations. ” Despite the harrowing competition in a male-dominated field, Alicia Abella paved the way for future women in tech to follow their dreams.