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3 minute read
In honor of International Women's Day, we are spotlighting Zencore's exceptional VP of Operations, Lesley Young. As a leader in tech operations with over 15 years of experience, Lesley brings invaluable expertise to delivering successful client engagements.
Leading with Compassion and Results
Lesley leads Zencore's global operations with a blend of empathy, pragmatism and tenacity. She excels at navigating complexity to find creative solutions that enable teams to perform at their best. Whether pulling together cross-functional players or resolving vendor challenges, Lesley approaches each situation with compassion towards all stakeholders while driving towards results.
Guiding Teams Through Complexity
"Lesley is our VP of Operations and has been instrumental in scaling tech operations, business operations and financial operations for the company. She has allowed us to service more than 120 customers and grow the organization from 7 employees to 40+ employees in three short years by implementing processes across all areas of the business." says John Forstrom, CEO at Zencore. "Lesley balances intense client demands and tough deadlines and always displays a high level of ownership to drive issues to resolution."
Lesley's vision, perseverance and creativity have led initiatives winning industry awards for technical innovation and business impact. But most of all, Lesley measures success in how well her teams develop through challenging projects.
Approach
Lesley joined Zencore as employee #4 and and played a pivotal role in propelling the company from a small group to a global team with over 40 employees. She successfully implemented scalable programs and operational frameworks, ensuring that as Zencore experienced exponential growth, its foundation remains robust. She’s harnessed innovative technologies, streamlined workflows, and fostered a culture of adaptability to meet the demands of company growth.
By the Numbers: Women in Tech
While progress has been made, women remain underrepresented in tech leadership:
- Only 24% of computing roles are held by women
- Just 5% of leadership positions at large tech firms are held by women
- Teams with greater diversity deliver 19% higher revenue
There is still work needed to encourage inclusion and promote diverse perspectives.
"As a leader, I believe in empowering individuals to succeed within a culture of collaboration and innovation. In the realm of operations, efficiency is my compass, and adaptability is my strength. Embracing diversity in technology isn't just a goal; it's a necessity—women in tech bring unique perspectives, resilience, and brilliance that fuel our collective journey towards a more inclusive and groundbreaking future.”
An Unconventional Path
Lesley brings over 16 years of experience in operations and program management in the digital marketing industry. Her career has traversed the globe, leading complex initiatives across countries from Shanghai to Dubai. She credits some of her grit and comfort with ambiguity from her early work fighting wildland fires with the US Forest Service. While an unconventional starting point, this risk-taking and dedication seeds so much of how Lesley drives results with care today.
Bringing Her Whole Self
Outside of her leadership at Zencore, Lesley enjoys an adventurous life filled with activities like snowboarding, mountain biking, and keeping up with her two rescue dogs, Luna and Nora.
She also loves baking up a storm in the kitchen - finding joy and relaxation through one of her longtime hobbies.
This drive to nurture and inspire shines through in how Lesley leads with compassion.
Celebrating Lesley
This International Women's Day, we celebrate Lesley for her empathy-driven leadership and operational excellence. Her experience and approach exemplifies the value of diversity of thought in driving solutions. We are proud to have her leading operations at Zencore.
Paying It Forward
As Lesley reflects, "Having an advocate earlier on to provide guidance and feedback made all the difference for me in seeing opportunities and believing in my potential in tech."
While progress has occurred, women filling only 24% of computing roles reveals a long path still ahead. Sponsorship plays a meaningful role in developing talent. Extending support as allies and advisers fuels women's advancement, confidence, and vision of what's possible.
This International Women's Day, we encourage those in leadership positions to become sponsors, opening doors for emerging women in tech through mentorship. If you benefited from someone's investment in you, pay it forward. Let's work collectively to help strong, diverse leadership thrive.
Please join us in recognizing all the phenomenal women in technology!
Connect with Lesley and Zencore, on LinkedIn.
