Javiera Soto embodies the experience of many women around the world who have had to overcome adversity through resilience, determination and a steadfast belief that anything is possible. She has reinvented herself time and again, gaining valuable experience in the occupational health sector where she supported veterans in their transition to civilian life, before pivoting to a successful career in the male-dominated technology sector. Javiera attributes her success and resilience to the challenges she overcame as an immigrant and a 23+ year military spouse.
After years spent juggling nursing, a family of three and her husband’s frequent military deployments, Javiera resigned from her duties at the hospital to join an occupational health organisation. It was here she first began working with returned servicemen and women, supporting them through the transition back to civilian life. Passionate about her new career, Javiera worked her way into a leadership position, heading up a national team of multidisciplinary health specialists who provide support to the Australian Defence Force.
Through this role, Javiera met the founders of WithYouWithMe (WYWM), who were on a mission to solve veteran unemployment.
Now, Javiera holds an executive leadership position at WYWM where she continues to work tirelessly to leverage the power of technology to remove barriers to employment for women, neurodiverse individuals, youth, veterans, military families and other overlooked communities.