Izza Rodriguez – Director at Johnson & Johnson
Izza Rodriguez has built her career with determination, discipline, and an unshakable belief in the power of people. Over the past 20 years, she has become a transformative leader in global supply chain and operations, driving innovation across the medical and automotive industries while breaking barriers for women in executive leadership.
She stands as a strategic force in complex global organizations — but what truly defines her is not just operational excellence. It is her heart.
She is bold in decision-making and deeply human in her leadership. She drives multimillion-dollar initiatives, leads high-impact cross-functional teams, and delivers sustainable results — while never losing sight of the individuals behind the numbers. To her teams, she is more than an executive. She is a mentor, a builder of talent, and a leader who creates space for others to grow.
Izza has been recognized as one of the first 30 Executive Women in the Maquiladora Industry by Consejo Coordinador de Mujeres Empresarias (CCME) — a milestone that reflects her role in advancing female representation at the highest levels of one of the region’s most competitive sectors. In 2019, she also received the Maquiladora Index “Don Jaime Bermudez Cuarón” Award for Trajectory of Success, honoring her sustained excellence and long-term impact in the industry.
But titles and awards tell only part of the story.
Izza has led Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives at the Johnson and Johnson Juarez campus form more than 10 year now, actively contributing to corporate councils that promote equity and expand opportunities for women in STEM, manufacturing, and executive leadership. But her commitment goes beyond corporate walls — she mentors emerging leaders, supports community initiatives focused on gender equality, and believes that true leadership means opening doors for others.
She did not rise to leadership simply to hold a position — she rose to build something meaningful. A culture where innovation thrives. Where talent is developed intentionally. Where inclusion is not a program, but a practice.
Her vision is clear and courageous: to transform organizations by strengthening people, to accelerate innovation through collaboration, and to build teams that go further — together through collaborations like CONREDES (Consejo Regional para el Desarrollo de la educacion sostenible)
As Izza often says,
“What’s more important — the road or the destination? She answers Neither. It’s the company! — the people who walk beside you. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, build a team.”
Her legacy is not only measured in results, growth, or performance metrics — but in the leaders she develops, the barriers she breaks, and the teams that continue walking farther because she chose to lead with both strength and humanity.
