Like a lot of women I have reinvented myself many times, gaining valuable life and career experience.
- Javiera Soto
Meet Javiera
Javiera embodies the experience of many women around the world who have had to overcome adversity through resilience, determination and a steadfast belief that anything is possible.
She has reinvented herself time again, gaining valuable experience in the health industry before pivoting to a successful career in the male-dominated technology sector. Javiera attests her resilience to the challenges she overcame as an immigrant and a 20+ year military spouse.
Javiera now works for Microsoft as a Senior Partner Development Manager.
Javiera's journey
Armed with a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology, Javiera began her career in the early 2000’s running her own rehabilitation business for individuals who sustained traumatic injuries at work. From there she returned to university to study nursing, specialising in paediatrics and secured a role at Sydney’s Children’s Hospital.
After years spent juggling nursing, a family of three and her husband’s frequent military deployments, Javiera resigned from her duties at the hospital to join an occupational health organisation.
Bolstering her learning with a graduate diploma in business administration, Javiera worked her way into a leadership position, heading up a national team of multidisciplinary health specialists who provided support to the Australian Defence Force. It was through this role she met the founder of WYWM.
WYWM shared Javiera’s passion for social impact and supporting individuals to realise their full potential.
A new career in tech
In true start-up style, Javiera’s career at WYWM spanned several positions, but she found her passion in becoming the company’s first female – and most successful – Sales Executive. Following this accomplishment, she became the Regional Vice President for Oceania and lead the customer teams at WYWM.
Despite not having a background in tech, Javiera was able to adapt her prior experience to the sector and was committed to learning the skills necessary to succeed.
After developing her knowledge and passion for technology at WYWM, Javiera moved on to a new role at Microsoft, working as a Senior Partner Development Manager and supporting other smaller businesses to leverage their partnerships with Microsoft to drive growth.
Javiera developed WYWM's first program to allow all military spouses free access to upskill in tech and gain work remotely through WYWM’s partners.
Giving back
Behind-the-scenes, Javiera seeks out connections with women who are new to tech and takes time every week to provide them with business coaching and career support, including mentoring a young, neurodivergent woman through achieving her dream of landing a tech job in New York.
She has also joined the Regimental Trust Fund Committee (RTF) as their Military Family Representative and uses her lived experience to empower military spouses through their connection to the community.
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