Rockwell Automation’s Shari Briggs and Jai Aja Named STEP Ahead Award Winners

The Manufacturing Institute announced its 2021 STEP Ahead Award Honorees and Emerging Leaders, recognizing 130 women for their leadership in the manufacturing industry. This year’s honorees include Rockwell Automation’s Shari Briggs and Jai Aja.

Briggs, Rockwell’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion project manager, was selected as a 2021 STEP Ahead Award honoree. She was recognized for helping to build  the company’s connected services division and her contributions to a virtual hackathon that helps to improve the company’s talent pipeline while illustrating tech positions are available in the manufacturing industry. Briggs volunteers at numerous organizations focused on growing women and individuals from underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering and math careers. She serves on an advisory committee for Beyond STEM, which aims to engage and inspire youth to pursue STEM careers.

As enterprise customer success manager, Aja has helped to shape the direction and vision for a new customer success organization. She co-leads Rockwell’s Women in the Field employee resource group where she serves as a champion for inclusion and diversity. Aja serves as chair of her local Women in Manufacturing chapter and has mentored dozens of employees in addition to supporting local STEM outreach efforts. Aja was recognized by The Manufacturing Institute as a 2021 Emerging Leader.

Learn more about the honorees by visiting the 2021 STEP Ahead Awards profile book.  Congratulations to this year’s honorees!