Women & Business April 2018: Mamar Gelaye
Mamar Gelaye has only lived in Pittsburgh since 2013 and already sees the city’s potential. To her, Pittsburgh has the opportunity to showcase inclusion and diversity in a way that other places, such as Silicon Valley, have not yet done. “Pittsburgh is an important city. We are creating the future of healthcare and software,” she says. “But we have to ensure that we achieve diversity and close the divide between African American and Hispanic talent and opportunity in a high-tech new world. We certainly can do it here.” Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Gelaye moved to the United States when she was 3 years old and grew up in Fort Valley, Ga., a rural area south of Atlanta. She’s had a rich and colorful career, working all over the world and in positions such as CEO, COO and CIO of various companies. She started her current job, working with high-potential leaders to develop them as executives and leaders at General Electric, in 2016. “The talent development role draws on all my experiences and various business responsibilities,” she says.