Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the tech industry. In this Q&A, we are featuring Cristina Hernandez, Chief Diversity Officer at Synopsys.
Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?
I was born in Phoenix, AZ, but grew up in Colorado where my family moved when I was a year old. I remember being a happy child (lots of smiling pictures!), yet it’s probably being driven and organized that would stand out to others. I spent a lot of time performing – I played piano for over 10 years and sang in the choir. My mom ran a center for senior citizens, so my siblings and I all volunteered a lot. I really loved helping other people.
What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?
I studied US history and went directly to law school after college, so my first job out of school was as a lawyer in Boston. I was a litigation associate and jumped right in the field to learn as much as I could.
Can you share the details of your career path and what were the critical moments that got you where you are today?
For the first few years of my career, I just put my head down and worked as hard as I could learning about and practicing law. Mentors and colleagues played a very important role early in my career. I learned many valuable lessons from them -- including the importance of relationships to professional growth and success and why it’s critical to value each person you work with no matter their role. The people around me really cared about me, encouraged me, and gave honest feedback that helped me grow. I try now to pay it forward!
These relationships really helped me when I decided to change careers after over 15 years practicing law. I was a successful lawyer and decided to move to California for personal reasons. I started calling people for advice on what my next career step should be. One of those people was the inclusion and diversity author and speaker Vernā Myers, who is my mentor and friend. She encouraged me to start doing work to support organizations that prioritize diversity and strive to be more inclusive. One thing led to another, and now I have been doing this work for over 10 years. I was first a consultant with Vernā, then a founding member of the Inclusion Strategy team at Netflix, and now Chief Diversity Officer at Synopsys.
What is your current role and responsibilities?
I am the Chief Diversity Officer at Synopsys, a silicon to systems design solutions company. I have the great privilege of partnering with our leaders and employees around the world to create an inclusive culture that supports an incredibly diverse workplace – a key to advance our innovation and remain an industry leader. I started in this role in February 2023 and really enjoy working here.
For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?
Everyone I know who wants to work in diversity, equity, and inclusion cares deeply about people – that is so important, as is digging in and learning about what it really takes to create a diverse and inclusive workplace. It is not easy, particularly because you will make mistakes (we all do!). Having the courage to acknowledge when we make mistakes, work to learn and change from them, and move forward is critical. There is a reason we call this a journey: we are always learning and growing.
What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?
Listening. Being open to being wrong. Humility. Courage. Caring. Tenacity. And I think for those who work in larger organizations, we must be organizational masterminds (or have one on your team!), so we can figure out where we can change things to make things better for more people.
What do you find most interesting about your work? What is the most challenging?
The most interesting part of my work is learning about other people – their culture, stories, backgrounds, what makes them unique.
The most challenging part of my work is that change at larger organizations can take time – which calls for persistence and flexibility.
Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work?
I am a member of several organizations of professionals who work in diversity, equity, and inclusion and learn so much from these brilliant people. I also love the arts – I sing in a choir and am a member of the board of The Pasadena Playhouse (the State Theater of California).
