Lean Blog — 485: Erica Lee Garcia on Navigating Change, Suggestion Programs, and More

Episode page with transcript and more

Erica Lee Garcia is an entrepreneur, engineer and leader who has managed to create a positive impact in the engineering profession.

Topics in this episode include:

  • Her lean origin story
  • Lessons from running a suggestion program for 2.5 years
  • Shifting to mining, not just a new company but a new industry
  • Engineers Without Borders participation

For close to a decade now, Erica has been working to tell better stories about engineering so that kids can make better decisions about this little known career path and make them feel welcome in the profession. Her deliberate method of mixing empathy and compassion with real-world experience enables her to tell authentic and relevant stories in a way that is relate-able to everyone listening.

Working as the Chair of her local PEO Chapter, she empowers fellow professionals and impacts change from within.

She also has a unique perspective, having spent years working in the automotive and mining industries as an engineer, and the moving on to become an entreprenuer – starting three companies of her own.

  • Erica Lee Consulting – supporting businesses implement Lean Six Sigma
  • Engineer Your Life – coaching new grads through the often stressful and confusing time as they enter the engineering profession
  • Engineers of Tomorrow – a nationally incorporated not-for-profit which takes a grass-roots approach at delivering engineering outreach to kids

Erica also contributes her insights as a 30 by 30 Champion – an initiative to increase the percentage of licensed female engineers is Canada to 30% by 2030.