In this episode, I have a chat with Kelley Francis, Executive Director of the HITEC Foundation and a passionate advocate for increasing educational and professional opportunities for underrepresented groups in engineering, technology, and business. Kelley shares her journey from growing up in the southwest suburbs of Chicago to her work in the nonprofit sector, where she focuses on empowering Hispanic communities and women in tech. Highlights of the episode include:

• Kelley's upbringing and how her family’s emphasis on education shaped her values.
• Her decision to pursue Spanish and Business Administration despite external pressures to follow more lucrative career paths.
• Her transition into the nonprofit industry, where she discovered her passion for serving underrepresented groups, particularly through her internship at the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
• Kelley’s current role as Executive Director of the HITEC Foundation, where she leads efforts to provide scholarships, mentorship, and career development support to Hispanic students pursuing technology-related fields.
• Kelley’s emphasis on the importance of mentorship, overcoming self-doubt, and the value of mindfulness and routines in her professional life.

Listeners will also hear about HITEC’s initiatives, including how career coaches and other professionals can support these efforts through mentorship or sponsorship.

Book Recommendation:

Uwavering: Rejecting Bias, Igniting Change, Celebrating Inclusion by Nellie Borrero 

Connect with Kelley:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelley-sheehan-francis/
• https://www.hitecglobal.org/foundation

Connect with me!

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizherrera1/
• Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/lizcareercoaching/
• Website:  https://www.lizcareercoaching.net/
• Email: [email protected]

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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
Sound from Zapsplat.com
Artwork: Joseph Valenzuela Design

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