Episode 140: Women in STEM: The Power of Belonging with Andrea Mohamed

Guest Bio

Andrea Mohamed is a courageous leader with over 20 years of experience building high-performing teams and driving organizational growth. As COO and Co-founder of QuantumBloom, she helps develop and retain diverse technical talent through pioneering early-career leadership programs combining curriculum, coaching, and community.

Previously at RTI International, Andrea served as VP of Strategy, Innovation, Marketing and Communications, where she executed ambitious growth strategies that increased revenue from $400M to $750M while building and leading exceptional teams. She architected a 3,000-person organizational transformation and managed a $10M innovation portfolio, earning multiple President’s Awards for her results-driven leadership approach.

Andrea is known for creating cultures of authenticity, accountability, and adaptability that drive engagement and performance. She applies methods of psychological safety, equity, and purpose-driven goal setting to build elite, high-functioning teams. Her leadership philosophy centers on unlocking latent potential through strategic vision combined with people-centric execution.

A recognized thought leader in workforce development and leadership, Andrea serves on the Semiconductor Research Corporation’s Workforce Advisory Board and frequently speaks at prestigious venues including the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Her insights on women in STEM have been featured in Newsweek, and she recently delivered the keynote at NC Tech’s Annual Leadership Summit.

Andrea was honored as a Business Journal Women in Business awardee in 2021 and is a member of CHIEF, a private network of executive women. Andrea is a first-generation college graduate with degrees from Northern Michigan University (BS, Psychology, Magna Cum Laude) and Duke University (MBA, top 10%).

Andrea lives in Cary, NC with her husband, two t(w)een children, and their two tuxedo cats. In her free time, Andrea enjoys skiing in the winter and boating in the summer.

Key Takeaways

00:00 Introduction to The Future of Teamwork Podcast

01:50 Meet Andrea Mohamed: A Leader in STEM

02:19 Andrea’s Journey and Insights

04:41 The Generational Shift in Workplace Dynamics

09:01 The Power of the Next Generation

16:47 Entrepreneurial Spirit and Innovation

21:37 Rethinking Capitalism and Business Models

26:10 Human-Centric Corporate Culture

26:51 The Role of Technology and Media in Values Alignment

27:31 Challenges and Opportunities in DE&I Programming

29:10 Supporting Underrepresented Groups in the Workplace

30:08 QuantumBloom’s Mission and Approach

30:24 Empowering Women in STEM

37:01 The Importance of Ambition and Courage

40:16 QuantumBloom’s Ecosystem Approach

45:07 The Paradigm Shift in Talent Investment

47:31 Conclusion and Contact Information

Resources

Blog: https://lead3r.com/enspira_podcast/the-future-of-teamwork-women-in-stem-the-power-of-belonging/