Scroll

From Hollywoods

Red Carpet

to

Manufacturing

Executive

Christine Holly Ngo

Woman

of the

Month

FROM

A TEEN’S

POINT OF VIEW

By Miya Schaffner

Podcast Host of

“Making Things Fun,

Cool, & Sexy”

Background

Christine was born and raised in Silicon Valley, and after receiving her undergrad she immediately headed to Los Angeles, in pursuit of a fulfilling career. While working a marketing job, Christine was given the opportunity to become a reporter for Hollywood’s red carpet. However, after almost eight years of interviewing celebrities, the urge to do more with her career became unavoidable. Going back to school and graduating with her NBA fully revealed that Hollywood was no longer home for Christine. So, she moved back to the Bay Area and joined her father in manufacturing. From Glitz and Glam, to a factory floor, this change was definitely drastic. However, when given an opportunity, Christine jumps right in, and learns how to master the new field. After only a year and a half of learning, she was able to increase revenue by five and a half times. Now, after eight years of working in manufacturing, Christine still believes being able to develop parts that go into technology aiding spacecraft or medicine is extremely fulfilling.

How do you balance being a podcast host and a manufacturing VP?

“When you love what you’re doing, it doesn’t feel like work. I do most of my podcasting on the weekends to ensure it remains prioritized, but even so, my work is bigger than just a source to provide. I want to change the industry so women and the next generation will view manufacturing differently from today. When I first left Hollywood, I really missed the cameras, and so when I started my own podcast, “Making Manufacturing Fun, Cool, & Sexy”. People deserve to see the clean and glamorous side of manufacturing.”
How did you remain true to yourself when working in a male dominated field?

“For me, it all came down to being authentic. When I left Hollywood, I was very extra, and very glamorous, so joining the manufacturing industry meant toning down my personality and appearance tremendously. For the first few years, I kept my head down and focused on understanding a new field, however, soon I realized I wasn’t being true to myself. Slowly, I started incorporating little feminine things into my work life, such as wearing heels and having a pink manicure, until I was no longer hiding my true personality. Being confident and not covering your identity is the strongest thing you can do as a girl or woman, and it definitely shows when you put your true authentic self forward in your career.”
Advice for younger female generations?

“Don’t worry so much about fitting in. Growing up going to elementary school, middle schools and high school, our worlds revolve around fitting into society around us. But the reality is that after high school we all grow into our own lives. And the ones who are almost always succeeding are the “nerds”, so it's important that you don’t let high school popularity determine your future. As a lifelong learner, the best thing you can do is always have a curious mind that’s open to learning, because at the end of the day being authentic to yourself is what’s most important.”

Passions

Christine and her husband recently hatched their own startup church. On weekends, she’s able to build the community while practicing her faith.
Christine also has two adorable dogs, who often join her when taking calls at home. They get pink outfits too!