For this episode, I revisit the topic of layoffs. Many individuals globally are affected by decisions made by corporations and governments to reduce their workforce. While layoffs can be challenging, they may also lead to new opportunities. It can be traumatic and uncomfortable, but it can be positive and liberating, opening new opportunities never imagined.
In a previous episode, I discussed my own experience with an involuntary separation from Intel Corporation. Today, I am joined by Brian Gonzalez, Jessica Lewis, and Richard Hogg, three former Intel colleagues, as we discuss their experiences at Intel, the layoffs last year, and the career paths each one is pursuing since then.
Intel’s founder Robert Noyce encouraged employees not to be “encumbered by history, just go out and do something wonderful.” Each one spent 24+ years at Intel producing “wonderful” in so many amazing ways. Today, you will be encouraged as you listen to how each one continues to do something “wonderful” again!
Richard Hogg leads Global Trade Compliance at Nextracker, navigating tariffs, import rules, and supply chains across 40 countries. He draws on 24 years at Intel in Germany, China, and the U.S., where he worked across market research, corporate strategy, and international trade. At his core, he helps firms find resilience and growth in a world of shifting borders.
Brian Gonzalez is a global leader in technology and workforce development with more than 35 years of experience advancing applied AI, digital inclusion, and education innovation. During his 24 years at Intel, he held senior leadership roles and launched the AI for Workforce program, now serving over 120 community colleges in 43 states, while also building digital readiness initiatives across the globe. He now serves as Executive in Residence at Jobs for the Future.
Jessica Lewis is a legal operations leader and consultant whose career bridges engineering, design, and enterprise transformation. She began as a CAD applications engineer, focused on making technical teams more efficient and effective. Her drive to enhance user experience led her into web design, where she founded and led Intel Legal’s first web team, an initiative that laid the foundation for her transition into legal operations.
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