2023 Alumna of the Year Award

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Ana White posing in front of a tree

Ana White, ’95

College of Science and Engineering

Ana White received multiple nominations that touted not only her leadership at F5, but also her ongoing work to support Seattle University.

As the Chief People Officer at F5, White is described as a generous and courageous leader, one who has shown exceptional leadership in spearheading a human-first and high-performance culture.

One of her first projects was to help develop and define the “BeF5 behaviors.” This required working closely with employees, listening deeply and responding with a framework of behaviors that would come to define the company culture. White then worked with the Executive Leadership Team and her HR team to create “LeadF5 principles” and a leadership framework that has raised the bar on leadership at F5.

Next, White led the efforts to create “radically flexible” schedules and work-from-home options, implemented quarterly four-day “wellness weekends” and increased access to mental health resources. White and her team also boldly raised the bar on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Allyship (IDEA) at F5 over the past four years. On Glassdoor, F5’s ‘Culture and Values’ and ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ ratings are 4.4 out of 5.0 and they have won Great Place to Work awards in both the US and India. Perhaps her greatest achievement was the creation of F5 Global Good, an employee-led philanthropic program that invests in communities worldwide, with an emphasis on helping women and girls of color. F5 Global Good was recognized with Benevity’s 2022 Bestie Award for F5’s “best-in-class approach to corporate purpose” out of a pool of over 900 other companies.

White’s list of achievements and engagement with SU are no less impressive. She has served on the Center for Science and Innovation Task Force and created a STEM scholarship in her parents’ names (both of her parents are SU alums). Additionally, she has been a key contributor to discussions around diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM.

For these achievements, and for embodying the mission and Jesuit values of Seattle University, Ana White, ’95, has been chosen to receive the SUAA’s highest honor: Alumna of the Year.