Peg Mickelson

Director of Engineering, Merrill Corporation

What problem(s) are you working to solve?
Building a leadership pipeline, expanding development opportunities for women at my company, and bringing people forward in our transformation to a technology company.

What makes the Minneapolis and Saint Paul region (MSP) a great place to grow your career?
MSP has a vibrant, welcoming and connected tech community. We have a lot of female leaders in Minneapolis-Saint Paul who are actively increasing opportunities for people to develop their skills and knowledge in technology—people such as Bridget Kromhout, Kristin Womack and Amy Patton.

What do you think surprises people about MSP?
It’s a beautiful and progressive place to live, even in the winter time! We have winter treasure hunts and skiing on city streets when it’s cold; and beach time, patio dining, beautiful bike paths, stand-up paddleboard, farmers’ markets, apple orchards, piles of leaves and beautiful views when the weather warms up. We have all the things for all the seasons for everyone to enjoy! We also have amazing art, theatre, dance, music, food, fun and places worth exploring. And… Prince was from Minneapolis!

What advice do you have for women engineers starting in their careers?
Figure out what you want to go for, decide to go for it and look for the resources to make it happen! Fight for yourself and garner support for yourself. The little messages that can hold us back like “I can’t do it” or “I’m not [x] enough to do it” can be unlearned and ignored. You CAN do it, whatever you decide to do!