Daily Inspiration: Meet Angela Lewis

I’m a proud graduate of the Ferguson-Florissant School District in St. Louis, MO. Having a career in STEM has given me the opportunity to orchestrate research in healthcare technology and expand my footprint in the community. I enjoy mentoring local youth and showing them the importance of STEM careers for minorities.

One of the biggest obstacles that I encountered surrounded learning the importance of risk-taking and betting on myself. Getting to the next level of success requires the courage to take risks, the willingness to think outside the box and exceed expectations.

Having a creative and analytical side is what sets me apart from my peers. It has been an amazing journey cultivating both my professional career and business venture. I have a B.S. in Biology and an MBA.  I work full time as an IT professional and I’m also an entrepreneur.  This is no easy task, but I enjoy every minute of it.  Whether I’m in my professional role or as a business owner, I pride myself on always being honest with my stakeholders and clients. It’s so important to set clear expectations because I never want to overpromise and underdeliver.

In my role as a UX Research Ops Manager, I get to help orchestrate UX research in healthcare technology. I pride myself on making sure the recruitment process for research is inclusive and reflects all demographics and accessibility needs. I currently sit on the CX Advisory Board for Minnesota State University and provide feedback to help better their customer experience (CX) and user experience (UX) program. I am able to provide insight on the CX and UX challenges that I encounter in healthcare technology and how they can incorporate those lived experiences into their curriculum.

I like to call myself a “STEM Creative” because I am able to balance the serious side of healthcare technology with the creativity I’m allowed to express through my business. My business, Carol’s Creation, started with homemade baked goods which included cupcakes and cookies. As the needs of my clientele expanded, I increased my offerings to include cake pops, balloon decor, floral arrangements, custom apparel, and full scale event planning.

Finding a mentor who understands you and your needs is so important. When looking for a mentor, make sure that you’re all in and that they’re all in. Make sure you do your research. It’s up to you to make the partnership work. I actually stumbled upon my mentor, and she changed my life and career trajectory. I’ve been with my current employer almost 11 years, and I owe my success to Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge. She forced me to sit down, sit back, hold myself accountable, and reflect on my personal goals and where I wanted to see myself in 5, 10, and 15 years. She helped make those connections that were needed and spoke my name in rooms that I had no access to. Pamela helped me find my voice and helped me erase those “imposter syndrome” feelings that can sometimes creep up unexpectedly. She looked like me, talked like me, and understood what I was going through because she had already seen it and experienced it.