Ready to Rise: Neeta Jayaraman Talks Being a Woman in the Aerospace Industry and Coaching Young Women in Sports
“The customary female approach is to work as hard as possible and trust you’ll get noticed instead, but we need to claim our achievements and stop expecting others to notice. Speaking up about what you contribute and why you’re capable does not make you selfish, it signals that you are READY to RISE.” Meet today’s woman dreamer Neeta Jayaraman, the Director of F-15 International Programs at Bae Systems. A dynamic, multi-faceted woman, she also coaches local sports teams (basketball, softball and more) Neeta shares her career journey as a woman in the aerospace industry, growing up as an Indian-American, and why she believes it is important for young girls to pursue athletics. She reminds us to learn from failure, be authentic, and not worry about what other people think! Enjoy her story!
1) Tell us your story. You are the Director of F-15 International Programs at BAE Systems and have an academic background in chemical engineering and Operations. Tell us more about your journey.
“Log kya sochenge?” What will people think? This has been the resounding theme of my personal, academic and professional journey. I was born as an American citizen to an immigrant parents. As a young Indian girl, my childhood was challenging as I maneuvered living two different lifestyles: that of an Indian daughter and an American student. However, as I entered high school, I realized that I had to define my own path and adopted the below principals.
Failure – grow from failure, don’t fear it
Authentic – being authentic is more important than being perfect
Resilience – don’t let someone else decide your future
With these as my pillars, I pursued a degree in Chemical Engineering at WPI, where the male to female ratio was 10:1. Rather than fear it, I savored the opportunity to be set apart as one of a handful of women to graduate with such a prestigious degree.
2) BAE Systems is one of the world's largest defense and aerospace companies. Tell us more about your journey as a woman in the aerospace industry.
My journey with BAE Systems has been inspirational and empowering. In an industry historically dominated by men and coming from a culture that favors humility and subservience, I have been fortunate to have both male and female mentors that have shifted my thinking from “I can’t do that” to “I want to do that.” They have taught me to not shy away from the hard stuff and more importantly take a SEAT AT the table. The customary female approach is to work as hard as possible and trust you’ll get noticed instead, we need to claim our achievements and stop expecting others to notice. Speaking up about what you contribute and why you’re capable does not make you selfish, it signals that you are READY to RISE.
3) You have also coached flag football, basketball, and softball for your town - Westford. That is awesome! What inspired you to coach athletics?
As the only girl on my mom’s side, I became very active in sports (baseball, basketball, and football) to keep pace with my brothers and cousins. I still remember that day very vividly, when during one school day, a group of boys decided to play football and needed one more player. I decided to participate. Within the first few minutes, I heard the other side say, “we don’t need to cover her, she’s a girl and won’t be able to catch the ball anyway.” Not only did I catch the football, but I also scored a touchdown. That one comment resonated with me and instilled within me the desire to coach. Today, I leverage that position to mentor and teach my team that everyone counts and just because someone is “different” they shouldn’t be underestimated. The bottom line is to always keep your eyes and ears open to help others. Encourage more women and minorities to think bigger and encourage more men to support them. A quick fun fact: my daughter plays basketball, flag football, and softball and as our flag football team’s quarterback, she has the led the team to a 6-1 record this season!
4) Why do you think it is important for young girls/kids to play sports? And what have been some of your most interesting experiences as a coach?
The community of sports has always been my escape from the struggles of striking the balance between my Hindu culture and American environment. The instant I step in a dugout, on a basketball court or a football field, my skin color and culture drip away with the adrenaline rush that infiltrates me. Coaching my daughter’s teams represents my opportunity to share this community’s peace and acceptance.
My role in this community, as a coach, was a new challenge. I aimed to amicable assert authority, while teaching the girls the importance of teamwork and maintaining a winning mindset. Initially, every player lacked self-confidence, but with a positive attitude and constructive criticism, I watched my group of girls / kids blossom into absolute studs on the court / field.
However, in each season of each sport I have coached over the years, there is always a player or two that present a unique struggle. In one particular case, one of the girls refused to participate right from the first practice, indicating that I was going to be tested as a leader and coach. By the end of that practice her mom knew I was at a loss. She said, “don’t blame yourself, she doesn’t listen to anyone.”
From that moment, I was determined to find a solution. This child’s struggles differed from mine; I knew that sports could release her as it had me. I taught her the importance of collaboration and watched her smile grow to match her teammates. It was then that I realized, my role as a coach was not only a mechanism for me to give back, as it’s never too early to mentor others, but also my opportunity to inspire others and to pay it forward: none of us get to our positions independently.
5) As the platform for women dreamers, what is your next big dream?
My next big dream is to purse a degree in psychology because I never want to stop learning. I also plan to one day write a book that clearly depicts the significance of time. Time, like each breath we take, is something that one can never get back or know how much they have. Therefore, invest your time to pursue what you love and to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Thank you Neeta for sharing your story with us, and details on your upcoming concert! We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!
Bio: I am the Program Director for the F-15 International Product Line at BAE Systems and responsible for overseeing all aspects of the F-15 suite of programs including hardware and software development, systems integration and production. I manage several employees which affords me the opportunity to mentor and grow others as well as promote diversity and inclusion amongst my team. I hold a B.S in Chemical Engineering from WPI and an MBA. I reside in Westford, MA with my husband and two wonderful children. I coach basketball, softball, and flag football and sing at local religious events.
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