Tracy Barry
Director, Ground Software and Solutions
Teledyne Controls
West Drayton, United Kingdom
Length of Service
25 years
Tell us a little about your current role and what you enjoy most about it?
I head up the product portfolio and long-range business plans for all aspects of our ground software and solutions in Flight Data Delivery and Analysis. My job is varied and no two days are the same - I’m responsible for defining and delivering our product strategy, roadmaps, resource requirements, product development, and managing key customer programs, whilst leading a remarkable, high-performing team.
Products, projects and people are at the heart of my every day. I love my job – that’s not only due to the interesting and critical work surrounding flight data, but the family of clever, inspiring, and helpful folk I work with, in all corners of the world. We may be separated by time zones and miles, but we work hard to build our collective success and enjoy the highs – and face the challenges – as a team, along the way. I am proud of the part we play in our customers’ ongoing pursuit of airworthiness, and our commitment to aviation safety and operations.
What are you most proud of in your life – career, accomplishments, etc. ?
I am extremely proud of working my way up the ladder of our organisation and grateful for Teledyne seeing my potential and providing opportunities to grow. There has been a lot of hard work along the way, including working full time whilst completing my MBA and submitting my dissertation just days before giving birth to my daughter.
What are some of the biggest challenges that women face today? How will these change in the next 20 years?
I think we are breaking new ground and closing the gender gap in STEM+, and there is a growing number of organizations and groups available to support women on their journey and navigate roadblocks, such as Lean In Circles and Gotara.com and these do much to provide inspiration, networking and mentorship. However, there is still a way to go with the challenge of equality, be that in women’s pay, holding senior roles and a seat on boards, and fighting for career growth – especially in what are traditionally thought of as ‘male industries.’ Women face the challenge that their gender is even a topic and a recent trend in society is to add labels such as ‘girl boss’ or ‘SHEO’ to somehow make the idea of women in high-level positions more digestible. We don’t use equivalent words like ‘boss bro’ or ‘HEO’ for men – my hope is that when my seven year old daughter embarks on her career, she is seen as equal in every sense to her male counterparts and gender doesn’t come anywhere into it; rather she’s simply given the credit and respect she deserves for her achievements.
