Shawn Purvis’ Transformational Leadership Relies on Lifelong Values: ‘Family, Faith, Hard Work & Doing Good to Others’

In this episode of “Humble Beginnings,” we sit down with Shawn Purvis, president and CEO of QinetiQ US, as she shares her upbringing in Northern Virginia under the values of “family, faith, hard work and doing good to others.”

Purvis’ parents worked for IBM, sparking her interest in computers and technology at age 7. Academics came easily to her, but she pushed herself out of her comfort zone as an introvert by joining the cheerleading squad and eventually becoming captain. The experience opened a “whole new world” and taught her a lesson she carried throughout her career: being “comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Seeing the lack of women of color in technology and encouraged by her parents and her talent for math and science, Purvis earned a computer science degree on scholarship at Hampton University. After graduation, she began her career at Lockheed Martin and later earned a master’s degree in information systems. She reflects on her achievements and the challenges she faced as a leader, including overcoming perfectionism and navigating her role as an introverted communicator.

Tune in to hear how her early beginnings, career turning points, foundational values and learnings, and a love of teaching ultimately led Purvis’ career journey straight to the C-suite.