Shelmina Babai Abji

TEDx speaker | Former IBM Vice President | Angel Investor | Author of Show Your Worth

Shelmina Babai Abji is an author, board member, speaker, former IBM VP, angel investor, and distinguished alumni who is devoted to creating gender equality in leadership by helping career women emerge as leaders.

As an immigrant of humble beginnings and a first-generation college graduate, Shelmina rose up to become one of the highest-ranking women of color at IBM while raising her two children as a single mother.

She has led global teams and various businesses in multiple sectors. She has delivered over $1 billion in revenues annually and has consistently maintained high client satisfaction as well as team morale. She was a decision maker in hiring and promoting hundreds of professionals. At the peak of her career, she left IBM to pursue her passion for creating gender equality in leadership.

Shelmina now speaks at corporations, colleges, and conferences globally and has appeared at TEDx. She has mentored hundreds of women and impacted the careers of thousands. She also serves on the advisory board of Girl Up, a global leadership development initiative, positioning girls to be leaders in the movement for gender equality. She previously served on the board of TiE-Seattle, Bellevue College, and Young Women Empowered.