Ada Lopez's Mission to Redefine Inclusivity in the Tech World

In the tech industry, success requires resilience, creativity, and a commitment to inclusivity. Ada Lopez, head of the Product Diversity Office at Lenovo, embodies all of these things. I was lucky to get some time with her at the recent Lenovo Tech World conference in Seattle. We chatted about her journey—from her early days in Cuba to her more recent work in assistive technology—and her mission to build a more inclusive tech space for everyone.

From the Classroom to the Corporation

Born in Cuba, Lopez moved to the US with her mother at a young age. She tragically lost her mom in a car accident when she was eleven, ending up in the foster care system. “From age 11 to 18, I lived with eight different families,” she said. Despite these challenges, Lopez found a steadfast mentor in a sympathetic school teacher, who offered her a home if she completed her high school and college education.

Lopez earned a degree in biology and education, setting out on a decade-long teaching career. She found a particular passion for working with students with disabilities. One student had visual and motor impairments and wanted to get an education but didn’t want her schoolwork to be “dumbed down.” Lopez discovered JAWS—a Windows-based program for people with visual impairments—which helped this student get an A in the class.

Empowering With Technology

Wanting to reach more students, Lopez started working in product development at an educational software company, where she worked on a project that helped students with disabilities explore the lifecycle of stars using tactile overlays and audio. The kids in the program said, “’We love this book. What else do you have?’ I had nothing else. And I’m like, I have to make more, something more,” she said.

With Lenovo today, Lopez continues her passion for inclusivity. Her role includes collaborating with schools for the visually impaired to help create Lenovo’s products for broader accessibility. One project had her examining her process.

“I thought I was going to do a STEM activity, like teach them something. And the students said, ‘No, no, we want to test your products, we want to give you feedback, and we want you to make a change.’”

AI Accessibility

Lopez’s work goes beyond product development at Lenovo: she’s helping shape an inclusive future. This includes AI products that must work across different skin tones, genders, and abilities. She pointed to Lenovo’s collaboration with the Scott Morgan Foundation as pivotal. The project uses AI to enhance the quality of life for individuals with ALS. “And we know that we can use AI to be more efficient in the way we use assistive technologies so that individuals that have limited communication can get a message out faster,” she said.

Lopez said that dedication to inclusivity isn’t just about compliance but about understanding real-life needs. “Every AI product… goes through its process, through our internal governing process, to look for accessibility, and there’s no exception,” she said.

Confronting Bias

Another area where Lopez’s team has made strides is reducing bias in our everyday technology. For example, Lenovo’s Smart Appearance video conferencing software now addresses issues like skin tone sensitivity and gender representation. This software initially allowed users to adjust facial features in video conferencing. However, Lopez’s team quickly realized that the software needed a diversity review. After comprehensive research in nine countries and across five ethnicities, Lopez’s team ensured that the software adjusted neutrally across skin tones and was sensitive to gender nuances, even adding non-binary users to their study.

“We established some changes in inclusive language in our research practices by adding non-binary (features) because we felt there was a need,” she said. 

Diversity, Inclusion, and Advice

Lopez thinks the tech industry is evolving to be more inclusive, but there’s still progress to be made.

“As a woman, I feel like we’re making quite a few changes to increase the amount of women in the field, but I still think that in the tech field, there are less women.,” she said. 

Lopez believes that times are changing, pointing out the number of women on stage at the conference. What she sees is an opportunity. 

“I see a changing landscape,” she said. “I see hope, and optimism, right? That it is changing, that we are accepting of people, not just women, but of different genders in general, right? I think as a society, we are, in fact, more inclusive than we have been in the past.”

For young women looking for a career in tech, Lopez’s advice is simple but powerful: “Find at least two mentors of two different genders,” she said, “and learn the power of allyship. It’s really important to have a mentor to guide you to companies that have different cultures, and it’s good to find somebody who understands the culture and can translate what you might not understand about the culture.”

And definitely find a community of women in tech for those rough moments. “[Find] women who are also in the same profession that share… values with you to help you grow. And if you’re having a hard day, they’ll lift your spirits.”