In this episode of Lead to Soar, Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher are joined by Erika Jefferson, President and Founder of Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE), for a direct conversation about leadership, power, and systemic barriers facing Black women in STEM.
Erika brings both lived experience and executive-level insight to the discussion, drawing on her background as a chemical engineer and MBA graduate from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Together, the conversation focuses on why Black women remain critically underrepresented in senior STEM leadership roles and why pipeline narratives fail without structural accountability.
Rather than centring individual resilience, this episode examines how organisational systems, leadership judgement, and cultural norms shape who is seen as credible, promotable, and “leadership material” in science and engineering environments.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why the leadership gap for Black women in STEM persists despite talent and qualifications
How STEM cultures define “fit” and credibility in ways that exclude
The limits of diversity initiatives that stop at entry-level representation
What leaders must change if they are serious about equity, retention, and progression
How organisations shift from performative inclusion to structural action
Erika also shares the mission and work of BWISE, which focuses on leadership development, systems change, and long-term career sustainability for Black women in STEM.
Learn more:
Black Women in Science and Engineering (BWISE): https://www.bwiseusa.org
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