For Women's History Month, three Boston Scientific employees share how they’ve grown and progressed at the company, and the people and experiences that helped them get to where they are today.
Finding her voice
Emma Haverty was always drawn to math and science. It’s why she studied electronic engineering and eventually became a quality manager at Boston Scientific.
Haverty joined the company in Galway, Ireland through a co-op program. She learned how medical devices were made, the steps that go into product development and the language of manufacturing. Haverty then accepted a position as a quality technician supporting products that prevent stroke, and it wasn’t long before she was promoted to quality engineer.
One day, an opportunity came along to shift from a hands-on manufacturing support role to one that exposed her to the bigger picture. “I was part of a large clean room optimization project where I could stand back and say, ‘How do we want this to run? How can we set our lines up for success?’ There was a real emphasis on involving the product builders, and us all working together to create a solution,” says Haverty.
Haverty found the experience rewarding but aspired to lead a team. After applying for a few senior engineer roles and not being successful, she leaned on her colleagues, many of whom she’d met as part of the Empowering the Advancement of Women (EmpowHER) employee resource group, for advice.
“I needed to be more vocal about my goals and deliberate in working with my manager to develop the skills to get to where I wanted to be. I had fallen into some of the traps many women do. Joining EmpowHER opened my eyes to that.”
Haverty volunteered to lead the Galway EmpowHER chapter, which gave her experience leading large-scale communications, setting a strategy and influencing others to embrace that vision — all of which strengthened her leadership skills.
Today, Haverty manages a team of 33 quality engineers and technicians and continues to lead EmpowHER in Galway. She hopes her story inspires others, especially her daughter, Ellie. “I want her to see my example and know that she can be whatever she wants to be if she makes a plan and works hard. Whatever career she chooses, I hope she feels empowered to go for it.”
Saying yes to opportunity
Like Haverty, Tamara Perceval was interested in science as a child. She considered being a pediatrician but pursued marketing communications in college before finding her calling in medical device manufacturing.
“I was very shy as a young adult and attending communications classes helped me find my voice,” Perceval recalls. “My first job was at a radio station, so that also helped me be more outgoing.”
She decided, though, that she wanted to find a role where she could help people, and ultimately joined Boston Scientific as a medical device quality inspector at the Quincy, Massachusetts site. In time, she was promoted to positions in quality assurance and quality control.
Perceval also joined the global EmpowHER ERG. As Quincy chapter lead, she and her co-leads coordinate events for causes like breast cancer and heart disease awareness, host self-defense classes, gather employees for book clubs and many other activities.
The visibility she gained through her leadership position opened the door to other opportunities: “We’re transitioning to a new quality system and I was selected to represent my team at a workshop,” says Perceval. “I don’t think I would’ve been chosen had I not raised my hand to lead EmpowHER.”
Perceval is now a quality assurance supervisor. Like Haverty, she’s learned to make her aspirations known: “I’m always looking to do more, to grow and take on that next project — and I’ve been vocal about that,” she says. Perceval wants to inspire others to do the same: “When I talk to other women earlier in their careers I say, ‘If that shy girl in the back corner of the classroom can become a leader, so can you. It just takes drive and determination.’”
The difference mentors make
Maisharah Che Morad started her career in the electronics industry. As a logistics supervisor, she leads a team of employees who specialize in material handling at the Global Distribution Center in Penang, Malaysia. Che Morad spent several years in production before being promoted to a supervisory role, an opportunity she believes would not have been possible without her company mentors.
“I was once part of a team supporting a new product at the Penang site,” recalls Che Morad. “There was an operations manager who traveled from Ireland to educate the team on the product, and she took the time to teach me how to become a good supervisor. Many cultural differences existed between us, in the languages we spoke and in how we interacted with others, but she saw something in me, and that has made all the difference.”
Che Morad has also learned a great deal from the managers she’s had. Before taking her supervisory position, “I didn’t have any experience in distribution,” she explains. “They saw my strengths and wanted to invest in my development. They spent the time to guide me as I took on the new role to help me be successful.”
Like Haverty and Perceval, Che Morad is motivated daily by the company’s mission. “When I worked in manufacturing, it was all about building quality products for patients. Now, my job is to ensure our products are delivered to the hospital in time to potentially save lives.”
Want to work at a company that values growth and development? Explore career opportunities at Boston Scientific.