Supply Chain Powerhouse, Erica Patterson on Finding Her Voice, Mentoring, and Supplier Diversity

With a decade hallmarked by disruption, consumers are more aware of supply chain and how industry shortages, talent gaps, and climate events impact their daily lives and local communities. The headlines are keeping a steady stream of supply chain dialogues popping into Twitter and news feeds—there’s even a recent indie-rock album by Jack White named Supply Chain Issues. A term that once only resonated with industry insiders is everywhere. Supply chain once a shadow operation consumers weren’t aware of that was looked at as a basic operational function is now recognized as a strategic business arm responsible for driving resilience and innovation. Geographic tensions, a move to ESG, and the ongoing labor shortage are major factors that continue fueling the ongoing waves of delays, shortages, and price hikes. One dialogue that is still catching fire is how closing the gender gap in supply chain can help the industry build its ranks and agility. Because having more Women In Supply Chain™ leadership and operations teams isn’t just the right thing to do, it can help move the industry forward. There are hard facts showing women bring more curiosity and agility to their organizations to empower standout performance. At Let’s Talk Supply Chain, we’re dedicated to closing the gender gap in supply chain by highlighting women making leaps and bounds in their careers to support smart new approaches. Every month our Women In Supply Chain™ blog series brings you the female thought leaders who are making bold moves and shaking up the industry as we know it. Let’s Talk Supply Chain gives them a platform to share what drives them and how they are igniting real progress at their organizations. Let’s Talk Supply Chain™ explores challenges women supply chain leaders face that all too often go unnoticed. We celebrate their breakout achievements and the beginnings that positioned them for their recent success stories, ushering change at businesses across the global supply chain. In our Women In Supply Chain™ blog series, readers hear from female trailblazers across the global industry about their experiences, the challenges they’ve faced and overcome, and the career advice they have for other women working their way up the chain. This month we’re proud to feature Erica Patterson, Director of Contracts Management & Supplier Diversity at Philadelphia Gas Works. Erica is an accomplished contracts specialist with education experience at the University of Phoenix where she earned a Doctorate in Management and Organizational Leadership.