Building a Pathway
of Progress
The Visionary Service and Philanthropy of Andrea Laliberte
Industrial and systems engineers are known for creating smart systems and developing innovative solutions to strategic challenges. Andrea Laliberte (IE 1982, M.S. IE 1984, HON Ph.D. 2025) exemplifies this mindset through her visionary service and philanthropy.
After a successful career at Coach, she returned to Georgia Tech in 2013 looking to give back. Laliberte served as the Edenfield Executive-in-Residence and Professor of the Practice in ISyE, participated on several Georgi'a Tech boards, and was chair of the Alumni Association in 2016- 2017. Currently, she is a member of the Georgia Tech Foundation and the Campaign Steering Committee for Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech.
"I met so many amazing people at the Institute — from astronauts to Olympians to CEOs — but what struck me was how many impressive alumnae we have," she said. "There are, and have been, amazing women here, but no one knew about them."
“Andrea's passion, energy, and commitment have left a lasting and growing impact on our ISyE community.”
— Pinar Keskinocak, H. Milton and Carolyn J. Stewart School Chair and Professor, ISyE
Laliberte wanted to raise the visibility of alumnae stories in a public, visually compelling way. That's when she envisioned an innovative solution — launching Pathway of Progress: Celebrating Georgia Tech Women, a permanent art installation on campus to honor the current and continuing story of women at the Institute.
Funded by Andrea Laliberte (left) and designed by Merica May Jensen, the Pathway of Progress installation contains nearly 3,000 mirrored tiles, each of which will tell the story of Georgia Tech alumnae, students, faculty, and staff who made a lasting impact. One of the first honorees, Zola (Zalesky) Lopeman (right), IE 2017, M.S. HS 2018, shows her tile to her son.
A Call to Action for ISyE Alumni
Interested in amplifying your impact through service and philanthropy to inspire future generations of ISyE leaders?
Pathway of Progress: The First ISyE Women Trailblazers
Three Questions With Andrea Laliberte
Like many graduates of my time, it took me a while to “forgive” the Institute for what it put me through. It wasn't until my 25th reunion that I realized how my Georgia Tech education prepared me well tor success in my engineering career. I learned as a student how to problem solve, persevere, and be tenacious.
I hope that people take the time to learn the stories about the women being honored and their amazing accomplishments as well as the history of women at Georgia Tech. Ultimately, the goal of this installation is to inspire future generations — not just women — to make a difference and give back.
When you invest in Georgia Tech, what you get back is far greater than what you give. There is a sense of joy and accomplishment to see the impact from your gift — from student scholarships to athletic championships to state-of-the art academic facilities.
For decades, women at Tech have been making history. Learn more about the meaningful milestones and accomplishments of Georgia Tech women.
Industrial and Systems Engineering
This story originally appeared in the 2025-26 issue of the Industrial and Systems Engineering magazine.