Stephanie Vera, Supplier Diversity Operational Lead at BMW Manufacturing for BMW, develops relationships that serve as strong advocates for both the work within the organization and externally in the community. She cites those relationships with community partners and development councils as keys to a strong supplier diversity program, and whom she works closely with to attract and identify diverse suppliers. Stephanie considers top-down support critical to diversity program success, because it ensures an allocation of resources for program growth and the optimization of processes.
Striving to elevate the supplier diversity program to the next level, Stephanie plays an important role in the success of the extraordinary Supplier Diversity Conference held annually. She works closely with diverse suppliers to stay at the forefront of tech and social changes, identifying industry leaders to remain innovative and competitive. Stephanie began her journey at BMW as an intern in Risk Management after earning a Bachelor’s degree in international business from Hochschule Landshut in Germany. Working her way up, she is passionate about having the opportunity to lead the Supplier Diversity program into the next generation.