Jackie Birdsall
Senior Engineer, Toyota
When Jackie Birdsall met her first fuel-cell vehicle, she knew that she had found her career. As a woman devoted to the automotive industry and the environment, she forced herself under the hood and into the alternative vehicle industry.
Years later, Jackie is still under the hood, but the vehicle has evolved. As a senior engineer on Toyota’s hydrogen fuel-cell team, Jackie helped launch the Toyota Mirai, one of the first zero-emission, hydrogen-fuel-cell electric vehicles sold in the United States.
Driving her success
“It’s important to put myself out there so younger girls can see that engineering is an option,” said Birdsall. “You can’t be what you can’t see.”
Jackie’s passion continues to drive her success. From convincing the Pep Boys manager to give her a part-time job in high school to leading a team of engineers developing cutting-edge technologies, Jackie is a role model for women in the traditionally male-dominated fields of engineering and the automotive industry.
“I think it’s a blessing and a curse being a minority in any industry, because it forces you to be the best you can be and prove you deserve to be there.” Point proven, Jackie.
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