About Sylvia

Sylvia Acevedo: A Trailblazer in Leadership, Innovation, and Impact

Sylvia Acevedo is a transformative leader, entrepreneur, and visionary strategist whose career has been defined by breaking barriers and driving impact at scale. From working in space exploration at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to reshaping industries through bold leadership at Apple, Autodesk, Dell, and IBM, Sylvia has mastered the art of navigating change, seizing opportunities, and leading with conviction.

Her ability to identify untapped markets, expand global reach, and drive high-margin growth has made her a force in the technology sector. As a Board Director for Qualcomm and Lead Independent Board Director at Credo Technologies, she is at the forefront of shaping the future of AI, connectivity, and innovation. She also advises early-stage tech company CEO’s.

A champion of transformational leadership, Sylvia served as CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, where she spearheaded the organization’s largest programmatic expansion in over a century. Under her leadership, 146 new badges and programs were introduced in STEM, Entrepreneurship, Civics, and the Outdoors—fueling over one million STEM badge earned by Girl Scouts in rural, urban and suburban communities and equipping young women with the skills to lead in an evolving world.

Committed to education and economic mobility, she launched grassroots initiatives that reached millions of students and families, directly influencing federal early childhood education policy as a White House Education Commissioner under President Obama. Her contributions to education earned her Mexico’s Ohtli Award, one of the country’s highest honors.

Sylvia’s impact has been recognized globally, with accolades including Forbes’ Top 50 Women in Tech, InStyle’s “Badass 50: Women Changing the World,” Bloomberg’s Top 100 Influential Latinos, and Cybersecurity Person of the Year. She has received the Captain of Industry Leadership Award from the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineering and continues to be a sought-after thought leader on resilience, leadership, and innovation.

A commanding speaker and bestselling author, Sylvia has inspired audiences worldwide with her memoir, Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist. Her second book, The Trailblazer’s Playbook, delivers a powerful blueprint for ambitious leaders, offering actionable strategies to navigate uncertainty, make decisive moves, and unlock their full potential.

Sylvia earned her Bachelor’s degree with Honors in Industrial Engineering from New Mexico State University and a Master’s degree in Engineering from Stanford University. She has been honored with an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Duke University and Saint Mary’s College and an Honorary Doctorate from Washington College.