Women’s History Month Featuring Heidi Sevilla

Q&A with Legal Assistant & Workflow Coordinator, Heidi Sevilla

1. Who or what has inspired you the most in your career, especially as a woman in your field?

I have the best dad in the world, but I think my mom gets some kudos here too. She retired three weeks ago, and prior to she was a patent searcher. She is not only smart (with a chemistry background), but she is one of the most computer savvy people I know! She didn’t really tell me I should do what I am doing now, but I definitely watched how she worked and the work ethic she held as a mom and as a person. I actually think at times she overworked herself, because even during the week leading to her last official day of work, she was still working on her search projects late at night. So I feel like her diligence and dedication to always wanting to do well at her job was something I watched and observed over time. I will add that during COVID, she did give me tips on adjusting to the work from home life, since she had already been working remotely for 25 years. I don’t know how she did it without going crazy, but really my parents are the epitome of work/life balance. It’s really nice to see both of them enjoying their retirement now, and I aspire to be where they are someday.

2. How do you think being a woman has shaped your leadership style or approach to your work?

I think being a woman, and really more importantly a mother, has amplified my multitasking skills over the years. Women are masters of multitasking and this is demonstrated here in the workplace (particularly with patent prosecution because of the nature of the job) every single day! It is no exaggeration that the attention to detail that we must have within the job itself – on top of the tasks we need to complete – in a fast paced environment. Having nearly grown women in my house, I have so much empathy toward my female colleagues (particularly the moms) and great love for the workplace environment I am afforded here. It’s tough managing your personal life with lives outside of work to care for. You can be in the thick of your workday, and anything can happen like a phone call from the school saying someone is ill, or someone got injured, or forgot their charger for their laptop and they need it or they can’t take the exam………and we have to stop, drop, and roll, and leave our job behind. We have to take off the work hat and put on the mom hat to go save the day! And I have personally saved a lot of days. That switch in gears and the ability to pick back up from where you left off to finish the work not completed is no easy feat!

Being a woman/mother has made me a “don’t sweat the small stuff” kind of person over the years (unless I’m the one making the mistake!), and I’ve been able to put into perspective what really matters. Hard work is important, so I always to strive to do my best, but it’s also okay if things get interrupted every now and then.

3. If you had a billboard to share one message with the world, what would it say?

Be your authentic self!

4. What advice would you give to the next generation of women entering your field?

Be good communicators! With social media and devices today, I feel like we have lost a part of actual in-person socialization. Teams or call someone if you need to speak to them because sometimes emails or texts are just noise.

Be responsive! I make my girls acknowledge my text messages because for some reason teens nowadays will get a text and not respond for days, but it drives me nuts!

Never be afraid to ask questions and share the knowledge! It’s the only way to learn and it just feels good to help others.

Lastly, support others without expecting anything in return. You’ll be surprised what comes back to you down the road.