Product Leader • STEM Advocate • Speaker • Founder

Bea Mendez Gandica

Program Manager at Microsoft. Founder & CEO of Nuevo Foundation. First Venezuelan-American to have a statue in the United States.

"Rewrite the rules of the world."
Bea Mendez Gandica
Scroll to explore

From Venezuela to Making History

"Si usted tiene, usted tiene que dar."
My grandfather, Papito

Born in San Cristóbal in the Venezuelan Andes, I moved to Miami at age 12 to learn English, studied abroad in Germany, and eventually made my way to the United States to pursue my dreams in technology.

For over 10 years at Microsoft, I've worked as a Program Manager on security engineering and Azure cloud services. But my work extends far beyond code. I'm passionate about opening doors for others who look like me.

In 2018, I founded Nuevo Foundation to ensure every child, regardless of their background, can see themselves in technology. Today, we've inspired 22,762+ students across 39 countries and territories.

I became the first Venezuelan-American to have a statue in the United States: a 3D printed life-size statue displayed at the Smithsonian as part of the AAAS IF/THEN Collection, celebrating women in STEM.

22,762+ Students Impacted
39 Countries & Territories
10+ Years at Microsoft

Expertise & Services

💻

Product & Program Management

10+ years at Microsoft leading cross-functional teams on Azure cloud services, security engineering, and platform development. Expert in shipping products at scale.

  • Azure Cloud Services
  • Security Engineering
  • Cross-team Collaboration
  • Agile/Scrum Leadership
🎤

Keynotes & Speaking

Engaging audiences worldwide on diversity in tech, the immigrant STEM journey, and building purpose-driven careers. Available for conferences, corporate events, and universities.

  • Keynote Addresses
  • Panel Moderation
  • Fireside Chats
  • Virtual Events
🌱

STEM Education & Workshops

Through Nuevo Foundation, delivering interactive coding workshops that inspire underrepresented students to pursue tech careers. Customizable for schools and organizations.

  • K-12 Coding Workshops
  • Teacher Training
  • Curriculum Development
  • Corporate Volunteer Programs
🤝

D&I Consulting & Mentorship

Helping organizations build inclusive cultures and develop diverse talent pipelines. One-on-one mentorship for underrepresented professionals in tech.

  • ERG Strategy & Leadership
  • Talent Pipeline Development
  • 1:1 Career Mentorship
  • Hispanic/Latinx Initiatives

Awards & Achievements

🏆

HACR 40 Under 40

Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers Award (2019)

🎓

Alma Mater Recognition

Distinguished Citizen Award - University of Arizona (2023)
Outstanding Recent Alumni - UW-Eau Claire (2019)

🎤

Commencement Speaker

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (2019)

📰

Forbes 30 Under 30

Shortlisted & attended Berlin Wall 30th Anniversary Summit

💯

TOP 100 Latinas

Latino Leaders Magazine (2022, 2023)

📺

Microsoft Museum

1 of 5 employees selected to share their story (2019-2021)

Inspiring the Next Generation

Every child deserves to see themselves in technology.

In 2018, I founded Nuevo Foundation with a simple mission: to inspire children from underrepresented backgrounds to explore, feel confident, and succeed in STEM careers.

Through interactive coding workshops, technology classes, and connections with industry role models, we're breaking down stereotypes and building pathways to opportunity in 7 languages across the globe.

  • ✨ Interactive coding workshops for K-12 students
  • ✨ Free resources for Title I schools
  • ✨ Programs offered in 7 languages
  • ✨ 90% of students say they learned to code
Visit Nuevo Foundation →
Nuvi - Nuevo Foundation Mascot
22,334+ Students Inspired
39 Countries & Territories
7 Languages
90% Learned to Code

Sharing Stories That Inspire

From keynotes to panels, I speak about diversity in tech, the immigrant STEM journey, and empowering the next generation.

Conferences & Events

  • San Diego Comic-Con 2025 (Moderator - AI in Film)
  • ERN Conference 2025
  • PyCon LATAM 2024 (Keynote)
  • Platzi Conference 2024
  • San Diego Comic-Con 2024 (Moderator)
  • Grace Hopper Celebration
  • Latinitas Future Chica Conference (Keynote)
  • Microsoft Aspire Talks

Universities

  • University of Arizona (Distinguished Citizen 2023)
  • UW-Eau Claire (Commencement Speaker 2019)
  • Columbia University CS4All
  • California State University, Fresno

Microsoft & Media

Popular Topics

Rewriting the Rules

How to break barriers and create your own path in tech

The Immigrant STEM Journey

From Venezuela to Microsoft: stories of resilience and success

Building Impact Through Nonprofits

Lessons from founding and scaling Nuevo Foundation

AI in Film & Reality

Exploring AI's evolution - Comic-Con panel topic

Interested in having me speak at your event?

Get in Touch

In the Spotlight

Start a Conversation

Whether you're interested in speaking engagements, collaboration opportunities, mentorship, or supporting Nuevo Foundation, I'd love to hear from you.