Women of Distinction Awards

Leslie Sibert

As the first female vice president of transmission for Georgia Power, Leslie Sibert is one of the highest-ranking women at the company. But Leslie is used to being first. She was one of the first females to graduate with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech, during which time she was also among the only female co-op students at Georgia Power. Her first job at Georgia Power was designing and maintaining lower-voltage distribution systems – and again – she was the first woman to work in this area.

As a female leader in a male-dominated industry, Leslie is committed to creating opportunities for young women to succeed. As a board member of the YWCA, Leslie helped develop a pilot program in three Atlanta area middle schools for 12-, 13-, and 14- year-old girls to learn about communication and leadership in technology. Her hope is that this unique program, which allows girls to see the value of science and math skills, will one day be launched broadly throughout Georgia and possibly the nation. Leslie is also working with the Georgia Tech College of Engineering to pilot a mentoring program for female GT students. These volunteer activities have required successful collaboration with other professionals and young women, and Leslie's tireless efforts have inspired all who have been involved. Leslie balances her demanding career and volunteer activities with a busy home life. She and her husband enjoy attending their two children's softball and baseball games.

Long-term, Leslie is concerned about the low percentages of American women in engineering, at a time when there is considerable attrition due to retirement of qualified workers in her industry. In addition to her volunteer efforts in this regard, Leslie has also been the catalyst behind a focus group from Georgia Power which will be working with the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering to enhance education and recruitment opportunities for the power industry at Georgia Tech.

Leslie and her achievements have been recognized in several different ways. In 2005, she was inducted into the College of Engineering 's Academy of Distinguished Alumni . Earlier this year, she was featured in a business executive spotlight in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution and included on the list of “25 Power Women in Atlanta ” by Atlanta Woman Magazine.