Sylvia Acevedo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sylvia Acevedo
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 1956/1957 (age 68–69) South Dakota, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | New Mexico State University (B.S.) Stanford University (M.S.) |
| Title | Former CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA |
| Predecessor | Anna Maria Chávez |
| Successor | Judith Batty (interim) |
Sylvia Acevedo (born 1956 or 1957) is an American engineer and businesswoman who once worked on a NASA space mission and later became the head of the Girl Scouts of the USA. As an engineer, she helped with NASA's famous Voyager 2 space probe. She also held important jobs at big technology companies like Apple and Dell.
From 2016 to 2020, she was the chief executive officer (CEO), or top leader, of the Girl Scouts. During her time as CEO, she helped create over 100 new badges for Girl Scouts to earn. These badges focused on science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), and outdoor activities. In 2018, Forbes magazine named her one of "America's Top 50 Women In Tech."
Contents
From Stargazer to Scientist
Sylvia Acevedo was born on an Air Force base in South Dakota. Her family later moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico. When she was seven years old, she joined the Girl Scouts.
As a young Girl Scout, she was encouraged to explore her love for science. She would collect newspaper articles about space travel and build model rockets. In her book, Path to the Stars, Acevedo shared that a Girl Scout camping trip where she looked at the stars made her want to study science.
Going to College
Acevedo went to New Mexico State University and earned a degree in industrial engineering in 1979. She then received a special scholarship to attend the famous Stanford University. There, she became one of the first Hispanic students to earn a master's degree in systems engineering. This type of engineering focuses on how to manage large and complex projects.
A Career in Science and Business
While studying at Stanford, Acevedo began working as an engineer at IBM. She soon joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. There, she was part of the team working on the Voyager 2 spacecraft, which flew by distant planets like Uranus and Neptune.
Working in Technology
After her time at NASA, Acevedo worked for several major tech companies. In 1988, she joined Apple, where she managed business in the Asia-Pacific region. She also had leadership roles at companies like Dell and Autodesk.
Acevedo also started her own companies. She founded a company called CommuniCard in Austin, Texas. For her success as a business owner, she received The Aguila Awards Foundation's Business Award in 2005.
Leading the Girl Scouts
Acevedo's connection to the Girl Scouts continued into her adult life. She joined the national board of directors for the Girl Scouts of the USA in 2009. In 2016, she became the temporary CEO and was named the permanent CEO in May 2017.
As the leader, she focused on bringing more science and technology to the Girl Scouts. She helped launch new badges in subjects like robotics, coding, and cybersecurity.
"Girl Scouts has always been an important part of my life, helping me as a young girl to develop the skills to become a leader," Acevedo said in an interview.
She stepped down as CEO on August 10, 2020.
Recent Work
After leaving the Girl Scouts, Acevedo has continued to be a leader in the tech world. In 2020, she joined the board of directors for Qualcomm, a major technology company. In 2022, she also joined the board of Credo, a company that works on high-speed internet technology. In 2023, she joined the board of Quark.ai, a company that works with generative AI.
Books by Sylvia Acevedo
- Path To the Stars, My journey from Girl Scouts to Rocket Scientist (2018): A book for middle schoolers about her life.
- Critical Growth Needs for English Learner Preschoolers (2016)
- Realizing the Economic Advantages of a Multilingual Workforce (2016): A paper she co-wrote for UCLA.
