Leadership Expert on Leveraging Change to Accelerate Innovation; Corporate Trailblazer, C-Suite Executive & Board Member; Former Rocket Scientist at NASA, Former CEO of Girl Scouts USA

Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Sylvia Acevedo Biography

Sylvia Acevedo, a distinguished leader, has left an indelible mark across diverse industries, excelling in corporate and public sectors as a trailblazer. Beginning her career as a rocket scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Acevedo's journey took her through executive roles at renowned companies such as Apple, Autodesk, Dell, and IBM. Her tenure at NASA fulfilled her lifelong dream of contributing to the space program through her work on the Voyager 2 mission. Internationally, Acevedo pioneered some of first fiber technology network installations outside the USA and played a pivotal role in enhancing the software distribution business across Latin America.

Today, Acevedo serves on the Board of Directors for two public companies, Qualcomm and Credo Technologies, and two early stage companies, Quark.ai and Ambri Battery.

Beyond her corporate achievements, Acevedo's unwavering commitment to public service is unmistakable. During her tenure as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA from 2016 to 2020, Acevedo's transformative leadership left an indelible mark. She spearheaded the organization's most significant program expansion in over a century, introducing 146 new badges and programs in STEM, Outdoors, Entrepreneurship, and Civics. This initiative resulted in the earning of over one million STEM badges by girls in rural, urban and suburban communities.

Before assuming her leadership position at the Girl Scouts, Acevedo was a co-founder of a software startup, REBA Technologies, which was acquired. Subsequently, she directed her efforts towards enhancing educational outcomes through grassroots educational initiatives. Beginning in Austin, Texas, these campaigns expanded nationally, delivering vital resources to millions of parents and students. President Obama selected Acevedo as a White House Education Commissioner where she led a change in Federal Policy in early childhood education. Her leadership as a White House Education Commissioner and her receipt of the Ohtli Award from the Government of Mexico in 2010 for her work in parental engagement in education in the USA underscore her monumental contributions to the field of education.

Acevedo’s leadership and impact have garnered prestigious accolades such as the Captain of Industry Leadership Award from the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineering and the esteemed title of "Cybersecurity Person of the Year" by Cybersecurity Ventures in 2019. Forbes has honored her as one of America's Top 50 Women in Tech, while InStyle magazine recognized her as "Number 7 on the Badass 50: Women Who are Changing the World." In December 2022, Bloomberg featured her as one of the top 100 Influential Latinos.

To inspire the rising generation, Acevedo authored the bestselling middle school memoir, "Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist," imparting the values of perseverance and ambition in the pursuit of excellence to live your life potential.

Acevedo is a graduate of New Mexico State University, holding a Bachelor's degree with Honors in Industrial Engineering. Notably, she stands as one of the first Hispanics, male or female, to earn a graduate degree in Engineering from Stanford University. Her commitment to education and STEM leadership has been further acknowledged through an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Duke University in 2022 and an Honorary Doctorate from Washington College in 2020.

BOOK Sylvia Acevedo

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 09/17/2025.

Sylvia Acevedo Speaking Topics

  • Trailblazing Leadership: Igniting the Path to Success

    In today's dynamic business landscape, we need leaders who break barriers and drive transformational change. Acevedo's impactful fireside chat, "Trailblazing Leadership: Igniting the Path to Success," dives into the heart of audacious leadership, showcasing how it sparks innovation and resilience.

    Through personal anecdotes and captivating storytelling, she challenges conventional perspectives, inspiring new ways to imagine opportunities for career advancement and explore new ideas.

    This session isn't just about leadership

    • it's about the courage to maximize you and your organization’s potential to make a lasting impact. It will be an inspirational charge to your leadership ethos, instilling a trailblazer's spirit into your corporate DNA. Come prepared to be inspired, enlightened, and empowered to blaze your own trail in leadership and beyond.

  • Innovation Unleashed: Accelerating Your Competitive Advantage

    Join us for a vital session, ""Innovation Unleashed"", led by Sylvia Acevedo, highly awarded leader known for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. In an ever-changing business environment, staying competitive demands relentless innovation. Sylvia will demystify how to leverage this power to drive growth and stay ahead of the curve even in the most challenging environments. This talk isn't just about innovation—it's about boldness to transcend boundaries, creativity to envision the unimaginable, and tenacity to bring visions to life. It's about redefining the way you see and create value through captivating storytelling of hard learned lessons. Embark on this journey with Sylvia, and you'll leave not just inspired, but equipped with actionable insights to foster innovation and secure your competitive edge in today's dynamic world.

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Sylvia Acevedo Videos

Sylvia Acevedo - STEM Advocate, Rocket Scientist, Hispanic Heritage Speaker

Sylvia Acevedo - STEM Advocate, Rocket Scientist, Hispanic Heritage Speaker

Sylvia Acevedo is a nationally recognized and highly awarded trailblazer in a variety of industries and fields. Acevedo held executive roles at...

Sylvia Acevedo on How She Became a Rocket Scientist

Sylvia Acevedo on How She Became a Rocket Scientist

For more on cybersecurity, visit us at https://cybersecurityventures.com/ For all of our podcasts, visit us at https://cybercrime.radio Follow...

Sylvia Acevedo Keynote | Entrepreneur, Investor, Business Leader & Rocket Scientist

Sylvia Acevedo Keynote | Entrepreneur, Investor, Business Leader & Rocket Scientist

Entrepreneur, investor, business leader, rocket scientist, and founding board chair of E3 Alliance, Sylvia Acevedo is a devout believer in the power...

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  • What topics does Sylvia Acevedo speak about?

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Sylvia Acevedo is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Trailblazing Leadership: Igniting the Path to Success, Innovation Unleashed: Accelerating Your Competitive Advantage, Igniting Change: The Unstoppable Journey of Hispanic Leadership with Sylvia Acevedo, Radiant Rise: Sylvia Acevedo's Inspiring Journey of Female Empowerment and Leadership and Career Acceleration. The estimated speaking fee range to book Sylvia Acevedo for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Sylvia Acevedo generally travels from Santa Barbara, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Erica Dhawan, Carey Lohrenz, Linda Alvarado, Shayla Rivera and Erin Brockovich. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Sylvia Acevedo for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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