In celebration of International Women’s Month, meet Yazmin Montoya, who turned her passion for education into a thriving career at Intel.
Yazmin's academic journey is not short on achievements: a bachelor's degree in engineering, followed by a master's in business and another master's in systems engineering. This solid foundation helped propel her into a successful career as an industrial engineer at Intel, where she has made significant contributions. In 2023, SEMI—a global industry association—placed her on their prestigious 20 under 30 list, which recognizes young leaders in the tech field.
Driven by a strong curiosity and a competitive spirit, Yazmin approaches challenges with a problem-solving mindset.
"When people are complaining about something, I'm really curious about how can I fix it or why is it so hard?" she says. “I’m very competitive with myself. I feel like if I’m going to do anything, I’m going to be the best at it.”
This attitude fuels her professional success and her desire to inspire others, particularly as a minority woman in engineering. "It's my duty to be a role model that I wanted to see," she says.
Teaching has always been on Yazmin's bucket list, a way to honor the teachers and professors who played pivotal roles in her life. In the spring of 2023, she fulfilled this dream by teaching a programming course at a historically Black college and university in Maryland, sharing her knowledge and experiences with the next generation of engineers.
"It was one of the most rewarding things that I've ever done," she says.
Yazmin believes in the importance of sharing the challenges and struggles behind success stories.
"As a kid, you just see somebody who's a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer and you're like, that's so unattainable, right?" she says.
By humanizing these journeys, she hopes to inspire students to see their potential and realize that if she could overcome obstacles, they can too.
"Hearing how people have struggled and have overcome those struggles just humanizes that," she explains.
In her dual roles as an engineer and educator, Yazmin embodies a cycle of learning and leading. Her story is one of resilience, mentorship and the relentless pursuit of excellence, making her an inspiration in both her professional and community engagements.