Interview with Josefina Alvarez Toledo, PMO

To observe #internationalwomensday, we're introducing Josefina Alvarez Toledo , our project management officer and all-purpose engineer. Josefina shares her story with the company in the latest installment of our #SatellogicPOV series, which gathers unique viewpoints from groups all throughout the organization.

What is your primary mission at the company and your day-to-day responsibilities?

Today I'm working in the COO office— Aviv Cohen ’s office—in bridging strategy and execution in the organization. We are mainly focused on fixing alignment issues, reducing operational inefficiency, and engaging teams with data-driven decision-making.?

Before taking on my current role, I worked as PMO for seven years I was primarily focused on bringing together the engineering and manufacturing worlds to improve the execution of projects and satellite production.?

When did you join Satellogic, and what compelled you to apply for the job?

I joined back in 2014. My sister knew our CEO and Co-Founder, Emiliano Kargieman , and she connected me with him. I was already a pretty fan of #satellites and the #space industry, so I wanted to know about #Satellogic and what the company was doing.?

Once I met with Emi, I was utterly blown away by the vision and completely fell in love with Satellogic. That was June 2014. Two months later, I moved to Buenos Aires and was already working for Satellogic.?

Please describe (briefly) your career journey thus far and what you love about your field of work.

I studied Industrial Engineering, and what I loved most about this career was its variety of subjects. As a student, you may have an idea of what you want to do or what you don't want to do, as was in my case. I knew I wouldn't work in a typical industrial? “enlatadora de tomate,” or “tomato canning company,” as I used to call it. I knew I wanted to work in a company that wanted to make a big difference and considerably impact everyone's lives.

As a child, I always imagined myself as a scientist making great discoveries. I didn't receive a Nobel Prize as I envisioned as a kid, haha; the good thing about kids is that dreams don't have limits. But I feel very proud to be part of the team and do my part of the job that contributes to a bigger goal.

What skills or experience have helped you advance your career?

Mostly I would say hard-working. I think that to achieve anything in life, you need to be dedicated, go to work every day, and give your best; that is how you move forward: you learn and grow as an individual and as part of a team too. On top of that, being responsible and respectful, and caring about people first.??

When faced with stressful and conflict situations, I always intended to reduce hostility and be a conciliator. Having a problem-solving mind is critical, and not thinking is the end of the world because we don't see the easy way out of problems. By keeping an open mind and thinking there is always a way out, you put your energy and effort into finding creative solutions, and you don't stagnate. Acknowledging that difficulties and failure are part of the process is the healthier thing to do.?

What do you hope will change about your field in the next 5–10 years? What are you most excited about?

By field, I'm going to elaborate on the space industry because it drives much more excitement to me than, for example, the field of PMO.?

I’d say I really like to see how the democratization of satellite imagery really helps people to make better decisions on a daily basis and not only for big companies. When the impact gets to real people and helps solve problems and improve the quality of living, I feel delighted with our work.?

How have you grown here at Satellogic? Please share any relevant stories about your work opportunities, professional development, or our culture that have helped you grow.

Sure I did. Back when I joined, I hardly had any experience managing projects and knowing how to deal with people in the workplace. I can say that the journey never ends, we can always strengthen our soft skills and our knowledge about things, but I can acknowledge that Satellogic has given me the opportunity to grow, by letting me make big decisions every day. Autonomy and ownership are two values that are essential for our culture, and I can say that I’ve been given the space to freely implement them, fail and learn from them, and never blame anyone else for any mistake.?

What would you say to prospective employees interested in joining Satellogic??

It is an incredible company with an immense vision. The ambition is such that you can never get bored, and you will always have new challenges, new problems to solve, and new ideas to bring into.?

What are some insights you would like to share?

Working at Satellogic as a woman has always been a very fulfilling thing. I have always been included and respected. My points of view have been treated with high regard, but because of genuine interest and not just to create a facade that they were listening to me for being a woman. I consider I’ve been treated as a valuable person and that everyone has acknowledged my worth from day one. At Satellogic, my opinion has always been considered, including during strategic meetings.

On International Women’s Day, I would like to send a message to young girls and women that don't think they can do or apply for jobs that men are seen in. We still need the confidence and courage to understand that we are not less intelligent or prepared. We don't grow up with the necessary role models to understand we are totally capable of doing anything. We are seeing a significant change these days, and women are achieving spectacular things; we hear a lot in the newspaper about the first woman to achieve this or that.

I would love to read that thousands of women achieved things and not just one, so let's get out of our comfort zone and start doing and creating the future we want future generations to live in.?

To wrap up, I would like to share a personal story.

I will never forget the day I said to my dad that I wanted to study Industrial Engineering, but felt afraid of not being able to achieve it. We were in his car, going back home, and he said, “You can do whatever you want — you just need to work hard to achieve your goals.” It may sound cliché, but his support at that time was all I needed to apply to the career and start the long journey. I hope more dads support young girls this way. I'm confident this change is already happening. However, we still need more minds to change and respect and value not only women but other minorities as well, embrace diversity and listen to other people's opinions.?

Inspired by Jose? Find your next Career opportunity at Satellogic #womeninstem #IWD