The Women Intuitive Network (WIN) Employee Resource Group (ERG) is dedicated to creating spaces for mentorship, connection, and career growth, ensuring that the next generation of women at Intuitive feels empowered to lead.
We spoke with three WIN leaders—Jacki Engstrom, Faiza Ahmed, and Brigitta Fenton—about their experiences at Intuitive, the power of community, and how WIN is shaping a more inclusive workplace for everyone.
What do you do at Intuitive, and what makes you proud to work here?
Jacki, WIN co-chair and senior director, IT Support Services: I run the global IT support organization, and I tell my team all the time: our work enables the people of this company to do the amazing work they do—to get them quickly back up and running so they can deliver the products that affect people’s lives. My friends, neighbors, and family members have all been affected by da Vinci surgery. That changes the way you feel every morning going to work. You may not be the one building that robot or designing that accessory, but you’re still making a difference.
Faiza, WIN board member and manager, Global Distribution, Regulatory Affairs: My background is in law, and I work in the regulatory organization. My team supports the business by facilitating approval of the da Vinci products in the Middle East, Africa, and Russian regions. I’ve worked in other med device companies, and I can honestly say that my experience has never been as powerful or positive as it’s been with Intuitive. It’s amazing that my team’s work opens new markets for our products, and that we’re expanding Intuitive’s impact on patients around the world.
Brigitta, WIN communications and senior director, Enterprise Services Project Management Office: I lead our enterprise services PMO, which includes IT, Infra/Securities, Data, M&A Integrations, EMEA, and other cross-functional programs—all within the enabling services. My work runs the gamut, but it all involves the several different pillars that cut across Intuitive.
Intuitive is one of the greatest companies in the world, to play even a small part of that within the PMO, to know that our work shepherds programs across the finish line, so that we can support the people who are saving lives—it’s beyond words.
Why is it important to you to be part of WIN?
Jacki: I was fortunate to co-found Women in Technology, one of WIN’s predecessor groups, back in 2019. As a woman in IT—historically a male-dominated org—I was often the only gal at the table. I wanted to do something to drive recruiting, help create more opportunity for women, and help my colleagues overcome some of the obstacles I’d faced earlier in my career. That passion for helping women is what brought me into the ERG, and I’m honored that when we relaunched WIN as one ERG, the members selected me co-chair.
Faiza: My experience is a bit different than Jacki’s. In the regulatory space, there are actually a lot of women. Yet, I felt different, being the only woman wearing a headscarf, and it made me feel like I was on the outside. I struggled with bringing my whole self to work. So, for me, joining WIN gave me an avenue to advocate for fellow women colleagues who were looking to belong and connect. I joined WIN wanting to create more understanding and more inclusivity for everyone at Intuitive.
Brigitta: My background is in a variety of industries, from retail to oil & gas, so like Jacki, I worked in environments that didn’t have a strong female presence. But I sought out the male allies who mentored me, who brought me up and supported me. Being a part of WIN gives me a chance to pay that forward. Whether it’s within my own team or peer coaching, I love to mentor women who want to break out of the shell they may think they’re in—women who want to lead.
What do you want WIN’s impact to be?
Jacki: We want to create a space for community, collaboration, peer support, mentoring, coaching, and growth and development. A space where women and allies can sit around a table and share their common experiences. Since the launch of the new WIN in 2024, I think we’ve built a solid foundation, and we want to accelerate our impact.
Brigitta: Our hope is for women and allies to take the chance to connect with and get to know each other across the company. Maybe you hear a leader or WIN member speak at one of our events and think, “Hey—I can reach out to her, she might be able to have lunch, to answer questions I have about my career.” That’s part of empowering the next generation: making sure women at Intuitive have the opportunity to develop and grow because of the connections WIN facilitates. There’s something that’s just so supportive and positive and genuinely appreciative within WIN that I don’t think we can expect from our day job. I want everyone who participates in our events to feel that sense of belonging.
Faiza: Being part of WIN has been so reassuring and has built my confidence in other women, and in our allies. Every time we have a WIN meeting, I walk away knowing that people are trying to help each other, to overcome unconscious biases, and to realize that there’s more we have in common than what makes us different.
