Jacqueline Van Dao:
Our Behind-the-Screen series highlights the talented individuals that make up team Leidos DSI. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I *virtually* sat down with Anne Geisinger, Customer Assurance Manager and Lori Zeoli, Knowledge and Training Manager, to discuss their careers and what International Women’s Day means to them.
Q: Describe your role at Leidos Digital Solutions Inc.
Anne: I lead the Leidos DSI Customer Assurance Management group overseeing the areas of Software Quality Assurance, Customer Support, Technical Training, Knowledge Management and Internal Engineering and Operations project management.
Lori: The official title of my role is Knowledge/Training Manager. Both the team and my role are fairly new to Leidos DSI. In this role, I am primarily responsible for the preparation, development, and execution of the IQ Training Program and for leading the effort to foster knowledge transfer (i.e., IQ features, processes, operations) within the Leidos DSI organization.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your role?
Anne: I enjoy having the opportunity to shape the effectiveness of Leidos DSI’s overall operations as well as being a mentor to other managers and team members.
Lori: Since I was young, I’ve always had a fascination with processes (why is something working/not working?) By incorporating this personal attribute into my current role, I enjoy finding creative solutions that make our IQ training processes better (i.e., workshops, team building exercises). Since my role allows me to engage with other teams, I also enjoy learning about their processes and generating ideas on how our training activities may help streamline them. Last, I enjoy seeing the ‘aha’ moments of folks who have learned something new.
Q: How has your experience been leading a team of individuals and how has Leidos DSI supported you?
Anne: I have vastly enjoyed working with and supporting the members of the teams I lead and getting to know them on a personal level. From the time I joined Leidos DSI, the culture has been one of encouragement, coaching, and friendship. Many colleagues have provided guidance, advice and are always willing to listen to my ideas.
Lori: In this role, I lead a staff of two talented instructors. As with any team dynamics, there are ups and downs as each member brings an array of different attributes. I’ve learned, however, to see these ups & downs as opportunities to learn and grow as a manager, a team player, and as an individual. Since the start, Leidos DSI management has ‘got my back’.  In general, they provided me with a positive working environment where my voice is heard, where I can be challenged, and where I can be a positive contributor to the organization.
Q: What has been the proudest moment of your career thus far?
Anne: I am immensely proud to see the growth of the people I have coached towards management or other developing roles within the organization. The latest project I’ve been leading is the development of our internal customer tracking system which uses our IQ product, and I am very proud of all of all of the team members as well as the outcomes to date.
Lori: I have been in the workforce for over 25 years so picking one proud moment is tough to do. Looking back, I would say that after I took a break from the corporate world to raise my 2 children at home and I came back to work as an independent consultant and become my own boss is one of my proudest moments. This period of time allowed me to work with my own schedule so I can juggle raising young children while contributing to society.
Q: Why is International Women’s Day important to you?
Anne: It is a day to shed light on the challenges, unique issues, and biases that woman face both in career and personally. While equal pay and opportunity are important and have come a long way, they do not negate the day-to-day bias that many women face, whether blatant or unconscious.
Lori: International Women’s Day resonates with me because this day encourages me to pause and celebrate the work that hard-working women like my mom, aunts, and grandmothers have achieved, all which helped paved the way for the opportunities that I have today.  As a mother of 2 teen daughters, this holiday encourages me to pave an even bigger path for them and for other young ladies who will be celebrating this day in the near future.
Q: What advice would you give to women considering pursuing a career in your field?
Anne: Don’t be afraid to learn and do the basics first in your career as that will give you a foundation of understanding those for whom you may be responsible in management later. When rising up in management, continue to show kindness and empathy for others while also being honest with them about performance. Flexibility, open-mindedness, continual learning and a vision for excellence are key to success!
Lori: My first advice is to ask themselves why they want a career in the Training and Development industry. Is it job satisfaction, money, convenience, etc.? Hopefully, the answer to this question helps them to know if they are climbing the right ladder and if it is for the right reason. The second advice is to talk to women who are successful in this career path and to women who have not been as successful and learn from their insights. My last advice is to have both passion and compassion in helping people learn new information.
To learn more about our team, you can check out our About page on our website.
Related Blog – Behind-the-Screen: Jeremy Weeks
