Get to Know WAAC Q3 Speaker Dorota Shortell, CEO of Simplexity Product Development

The TAO Women & Allies Community (WAAC) is a group where women in tech (and their allies) can connect, learn and share what it takes to grow and lead in a tech career. As part of our commitment to inspiring female leadership, mentorship, and career growth within the WAAC community, we're excited to shine a spotlight on the incredible speakers joining us for Beyond the Build: The Business of Technical Leadership. Before they take the stage, we wanted you to get to know them — not just as experts in their field, but as people. Their stories of the mentors who opened doors, the lessons learned the hard way, and the moments that shaped their careers are exactly the kind of inspiration we hope to share with our fellow WAAC members. Let's get to know Dorota Shortell.

Dorota Shortell is the CEO of Simplexity Product Development, an engineering design firm specializing in the design of hardware such as robotics, wearables, and medical devices. She is a US patent holder and has over 25 years of new product development experience. Her career has progressed from engineer to CEO, and she is an advocate for encouraging underrepresented groups to pursue careers in engineering and technology. She has been recognized by the Portland Business Journal as a Forty under 40 Award winner and an Executive to Watch. Dorota holds a BSME from Loyola Marymount University, earned her MSME at Stanford University, and completed the Executive Leadership Program at Stanford's Graduate School of Business.

Fun facts about Dorota

Did Someone in Her Career See Her Potential Before She Did?

When asked about a mentor, teacher or sponsor who saw her potential and opened doors or opportunities for her, Dorota responded:

"In my first job as a mechanical design engineer after I finished school, my boss made a comment that I'd be able to run the company one day. I hadn't considered that yet as I was in my early 20s, but then at age 34 I did end up taking over the company and running it. I've had very supportive bosses who served as mentors as I transitioned from doing technical work, to project management, to business management."

How Dorota Sees Herself and Content She Consumes

Dorota describes herself as Driven, Compassionate, and Adaptable. When we asked Dorota about what content she has enjoyed consuming lately, she shared, "I enjoyed Project Hail Mary, both the book and the movie. I really appreciated how an encounter with an alien didn't result in violence, but an embracing of science and learning from one another. The book especially got into more of the science and engineering aspects that, while fiction and still far-fetched, were fun to consider as possibilities."

Someone that Dorota Admires

We asked Dorota "Who is someone that you look up to and admire greatly?"

"Someone who I look up to and admire greatly is Saint Pope John Paul II. His influence on the collapse of communism in my native country of Poland was truly remarkable and he lived a life full of virtue and optimism. I also had the opportunity to meet him when I was 20 years old and was struck by the love and peace that emanated from his very presence."

What Wildly Different Career Would Dorota Pursue?

What career would Dorota pursue if she was not a woman leader in technology? Dorota responded, "If I wasn't in the engineering world anymore, then I would want to run a non-profit focused on helping alleviate poverty and hunger."

Join us September 30th for Beyond the Build: The Business of Technical Leadership, happening in partnership with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). And this event is our first time expanding outside of downtown Portland and into the Hillsboro area. Free, thanks to our sponsor First Tech Federal Credit Union. 🙏

If you're a woman in tech, know one, or you're an ally who wants to support this work — we would love to see you there.

📅 September 30 | 5:30–7:30 PM | Hillsboro
Exact location shared with registration.
🎟️ Event link: https://lnkd.in/gBS4cDjD