Meet Cristina – From Intern to Supply Chain Manager
Cristina De la Torre is a Supply Chain Manager, who is based out of our New Port Richey facility. She joined the Pall team 6 years ago as an intern and has since grown her career at Pall.
She has a passion for hands-on work and isn’t afraid to get dirty in order to get results. During her first week at Pall, she attended a kaizen where each day ended with her covered in grease and dirt – one of her favorite Pall memories to date.
Below Cristina shares why inspiring inclusion is important to her, what advice she would give to women just starting out in their careers and what people should know about working at Pall.
What’s been the most rewarding project you have worked on?
My most rewarding position and time at Pall was as a Value Stream Manager in Timonium. I was able to partner with Tom Busch to lead the site going through some major operational challenges, line moves, building closures all while dealing with COVID. This challenge helped me grow into a stronger leader in a short period.
What do you wish people knew about working at Pall?
The people you work with and surround you every day become more than just coworkers. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the mentors, coaches, and leaders who have supported me along the way here. People want to see you succeed and most will help you meet your career goals, as long as you are willing to put in the work.
Are you involved with any ARGs here? If so, which ones and what’s your favorite part of being involved?
I’m proud to be a member of the Women + Friends ARG. The best part is connecting with new people and sharing experiences that make you feel connected to others who may not be from the same backgrounds, but share some commonalities.
What does the 2024 International Women’s Day slogan, #InspireInclusion, mean to you and your work life?
This slogan makes me feel excited for the future in the workplace. We need to promote inclusion by emphasizing to each other that we all belong here. By inspiring inclusion, we can break down barriers, challenge stereotypes, and build a more compassionate and understanding work environment. As women, we need to help other women feel included and make sure they know they have a seat at the table, even if we are the minority.
Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to women considering pursuing a career in your field?
The best advice I can give to other women is to look for mentors and people who can coach you when you get stuck and don’t know what to do. The easiest way to do this is to find women in your industry that have gotten to where you would like to be and reach out to learn more about their career journey – both the successes and struggles. Most importantly don’t be shy to ask questions and speak up. A lot of the time women in the Operations and Manufacturing industry tend to stay quiet thinking they their opinions don’t matter.
What are you passionate about outside the office?
When I’m not in the office, I’m out running, so far, I’ve run 3 half marathons and hope to do some more races this year. I have run all races with friends I met through Pall and have now become family. I love to spend time with family and visit new places and countries. Last year, I was able to travel to our Tsukuba site in Japan to facilitate a kaizen and get to know their amazing culture.
Ready to join the Pall team? See our current open roles here.