BTE Student Stories

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the BTE family is celebrating some of the incredible women leaders who have made countless contributions to BTE programs around the world. These trailblazers have not only broken barriers but have also paved the way for thousands of young minds to dream big and unlock their potential. Through their passion, innovation, and unwavering commitment, they’ve empowered generations of future scientists, engineers, and thinkers to thrive in a global landscape. Join us as we celebrate their remarkable contributions and continue to expand opportunities for those who dare to dream!

Learn more about Cliona, Gill, Ashley, Destiny, and Lori!

Cliona O’Geran: BTE Cork, Ireland

Position Title: PA General Manager, J&J Innovative Medicine Cork

BTE Role/Title: J&J BTE Cork Chairperson

Total Years Involved in BTE: I started as Mentor and then went on to the committee. I was involved in the first phase, and we are coming up to our 20th Anniversary later this year.

Total Cohorts Worked With: We are in our 6th Phase (3 years for each phase). We’ve had 800+ students came through our BTE Progamme.

What inspired you to become a leader in the BTE program? The wonderful students, & our BTE family, locally and internationally.

What drives your passion for supporting BTE youth? The students that have come through the programme and their success and them being aware of the opportunities the programme gave to them.

Describe a moment where you felt you made a meaningful impact through BTE. When my first student whom I mentored, rang me when he got engaged to tell me that I was such a significant influence to him. The Guidance counsellors and principals in the schools, always are so appreciative of the programme and the opportunity for their students.

What advice would you give to young women who aspire to step into leadership roles? Networking, the importance and power of it, and get involved with mentoring programmes within the organisations they work in.

Is there a woman in history or someone from your life who influenced you and your journey as a leader? My mother, she was a single mum bringing us up and it made me a stronger person for it. She taught us how to work hard and appreciate the friends you make and to treat people how you like to be treated yourself.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, what message would you like to send to the next generation of women leaders? As a mother myself of a teenage girl, I think the competition of women is higher now than ever, so my message would be to encourage and support each other; it is critical for the next generation of leaders and we should embrace people’s differences.

Gill Manning: BTE High Wycombe, United Kingdom

Position Title: Managing Director (Medical Affairs) of 7 Elements Ltd

BTE Role/Title: Site Coordinator and previous J&J lead for BTE High Wycombe (changed at the end of 2017)

Total Years Involved in BTE: 11+

Total Cohorts Worked With: Now on our 8th cohort (1 x 3 year and 7 x 1 year follow-on programmes from the original).

What inspired you to become a leader in the BTE program? My own children/step children were all at the next stage of their lives, having made their own decisions about further education and felt that BTE would give me the chance to carry on supporting this type of decision making for other teenagers.

What drives your passion for supporting BTE youth? I want them to be able to be the best versions of themselves and find inner strength to be able to have more choices than they think might be possible.

Describe a moment where you felt you made a meaningful impact through BTE. This is a hard question, as there have been so many moments! From our first 3 year cohort, there were students from Highcrest Academy who applied for medicine and veterinary studies (and were successful) when this had never happened previously from the school. Some of the students in this cohort also left top universities with first class honours degrees and others found careers that they would never have applied for – one is a dental nurse, one an HR Administrator, one a senior cardiac physiologist at the Brompton & Harefield Hospitals in London, 3 degree apprentices at J&J, management trainee at Marks & Spencer, one working in geopolitical risk and security intelligence, one as an environmental specialist supporting the Power, Telecoms and gas contracts (the list goes on and on). There have been many more meaningful moments, like the first time we hear someone’s voice when they are presenting (we have had staff say they have never heard this person speak before, to the point they did not know what their voice was like). We have had many students who become Head Girl/Head Boy from the programme who would never have had the confidence to stand up in front of anyone, let alone the whole school, school Governers and fellow students. We have had students become mental health mentors for fellow students with support from the charity MIND, which I connected with the school, so they could collaborate. We have two students who have chosen to go to university out of the UK (in the US), who both say they would not have had the confidence to do this, without their BTE experience (both were also Head Boy, again something they said they would never have been able to do). One student also did her placement year from university in Seoul, South Korea (she wasn’t even sure she would go to uni when she joined BTE). We see young women from different cultures who don’t believe they have a right to be heard, as within their culture being positive about yourself as a woman is regarded as arrogant.  Helping them find the words to be positive about themselves, whilst not being considered in this way is a real triumph. It all boils down to students believing that they have something inside that they didn’t think they had.

What advice would you give to young women who aspire to step into leadership roles? You have as much right to step into a leadership role with your skills and emotional intelligence as anyone else and remember to tell our young girls with verve and spirit that they are never bossy/pushy or precocious, but they are our female leaders of tomorrow.

Is there a woman in history or someone from your life who influenced you and your journey as a leader? It has to be my Mum, who went to university in post-war Britain (1947-49), graduated with a first class honours degree (50/2000 women in her year), had a very successful career in teaching working whilst bringing up 4 children(I’m number 4 with 3 older brothers) and inspiring many young women, many of whom are still in contact with her, saying she is responsible for their lifelong passion for science (she is in her 90s).

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, what message would you like to send to the next generation of women leaders? Believe that you have the right to be heard and that your way of doing things as a woman is not weak or emotional, but passionate and with empathy, alongside being as driven and competent as the man or woman next to you.

Ashley Cheri: BTE Orange County & Santa Ana, California, USA

Position Title: Manager, K-20 Intersegmental Alliances, Center for Educational Partnerships, UC Irvine

BTE Role/Title: Institutional Partner; Grant Lead

Total Years Involved in BTE: 5 years

Total Cohorts Worked With: 2 cohorts

What drives your passion for supporting BTE youth? Having the opportunity to see students get excited about their future, experience the “ah-ha” or light bulb moments, and help them identify a pathway to and through their future of education and into a career is what excites me most and drives my passion for this work! Having the ability to provide them with the opportunity and exposure to experiences they may not otherwise have is one of the most rewarding parts of the BTE program.  Opening access and opportunity is something I am extremely passionate about and this program does exactly that.

Describe a moment where you felt you made a meaningful impact through BTE.  Getting a program launched online during the pandemic and having the opportunity to see those students graduate high school and pursue higher education. Nothing will top that! Getting not only my team but our students and community through the pandemic and not giving up is something I will always be so proud of. For my team at UCI, I think some of our best work came out of that time and as challenging as it was, our programs are better because of it.

What advice would you give to young women who aspire to step into leadership roles? Never forget your value/worth and don’t stop chasing your dreams! Even the word impossible says I’m Possible.

Is there a woman in history or someone from your life who influenced you and your journey as a leader? I’d be remised to not acknowledge my mom and the fierce woman she is that raised a family of 4 kids, while my dad was often overseas serving in the Navy. How she did and made it look easy, I will never understand! But it is she, I want to thank for being the bestest mom, role model, #1 cheer leader, and friend a daughter could ask for. Also, the many female bosses/leaders I have reported to, worked with, or had the privilege of knowing. I have been surrounded by many fearless women, women who were truly in support of women, and and for that I am grateful! And my team of fearless women I am soo lucky to lead right now. They think they are learning from me, but what they don’t know is that I learn from them how to be a better leader, to lead with compassion and transparency, and to be the best person I can be. It is my genuine honor to witness and be a part of their professional journey.

Destiny De La Rosa Santos: BTE Ewing & Trenton, New Jersey, USA

Position Title: Bonner Program Manager

BTE Role/Title: BTE Site Coordinator

Total Years Involved in BTE: 6 years

Total Cohorts Worked With: 4 cohorts graduated (2020, 2023, 2024, 2025); currently working with 2 cohorts (2026, 2027).

What inspired you to become a leader in the BTE program? My inspiration for becoming a leader in the BTE program comes from my deep understanding of the program’s needs and impactfulness. I am committed to using the resources BTE has to offer to make a difference. Additionally, representation is extremely important to me. As a queer, woman of color, I take my role seriously because I know how powerful it is for students to see someone who looks like them in a leadership role. I want my students to be able to say to themselves, “if she can do it, I can too.

What drives your passion for supporting BTE youth? My passion for supporting BTE youth stems from my own personal story. I come from a similar background as to the students I serve and I know how impactful a program like BTE would’ve been for me. It would’ve opened a world of opportunities and resources to help me navigate further in my journey. It is because of my background that I enjoy being able to provide my students with new and exciting experiences–whether through culture, cuisine, travel, or education– experiences they may not have had access to otherwise.

Describe a moment where you felt you made a meaningful impact through BTE. There are countless wonderful moments where I have felt like I’ve made a meaningful impact through BTE. One of the moments that I hold dear to my heart was exposing my students to new cultures through international travel. For many of them, this was the first time getting a passport and for some, being the first in their family to travel outside of the U.S..

What advice would you give to young women who aspire to step into leadership roles? One advice I would give to young women who aspire to step into leadership roles is to be authentic. You may not fit into that “leadership mold” and it is ok to break it. Don’t be afraid to be you.

Is there a woman in history or someone from your life who influenced you and your journey as a leader? It’s hard to just pick one because there are so many women in my life who have come for a short moment in my life, a season, or have been there from the very beginning. Each of these people have brought something unique to my life and have helped shape me into the person I am today. When I walk into spaces, specifically spaces where I am the only person of color, I remember that I don’t walk alone but I walk in with all of the strong, independent women who have poured into me that allows me to pour into others.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, what message would you like to send to the next generation of women leaders? Remember that your differences in any space is your superpower. Use it, take up space and have your voice be heard in places that we have been historically excluded.

Lori Goebel: BTE Trenton, New Jersey, USA

Position Title: Standards Implementation Lead, Clinical Data Standards

BTE Role/Title: Career Coach

Total Years Involved in BTE: 9 years

Total Cohorts Worked With: 5 cohorts

What inspired you to become a leader in the BTE program? I have always enjoyed working with the youth in our communities and this was a perfect opportunity with J&J to support local students in both navigating high school and going to college but have the challenge of limited resources in getting themselves there.

Describe a moment where you felt you made a meaningful impact through BTE. When a graduate of BTE came back to speak to current students about the program and described how she felt ‘seen’ and supported by me and how that impacted her.

Is there a woman in history or someone from your life who influenced you and your journey as a leader? My great aunt who was a church leader and felt such passion for her work that she commuted on the bus into NYC until she was 85.