Meet Zil Vyas, Director of bcoreX and one of our next generation of leaders at Bcore. Zil’s a Penn State Nittany Lion at heart, a social butterfly who enjoys building strong connections, and a forward leaning software engineer with a passion for innovation and solving complex problems to meet the mission’s needs. For nearly a decade, she has been supporting the Intelligence Community with mission critical solutions through a diverse portfolio of projects that includes insider threat analytics, security monitoring, application development, and optical character recognition capabilities. In her time outside the office, Zil’s an avid animal lover and proud dog mom of her shih-tzu/terrier mix, Kiki.  As this month’s Trailblazer Spotlight, learn more from Zil about the impact of long-standing relationships, inspiring mentorship, and a good chili cheese dog.

What brought you to Bcore?

The people and culture. Our work is only as good as the people we surround ourselves with. I’ve been blessed to have a long-standing relationship with many of my team members at Bcore, and they have provided me with the trust and mentorship that makes me a better team member and leader.

What does the mission mean to you?

The mission serves as a guiding light, driving us to push boundaries, forge connections, and deliver meaningful impact by tackling some of the hardest national security problems.

How do you define success?

Fulfillment and happiness. Whatever brings you those two things, if you can go to bed every night and wake up every morning knowing that you feel happy with yourself and those closest to you, then that defines success.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

“Speak up!”

Throughout my career, I have found myself being “the quiet one” during discussions because I was always afraid of asking the wrong questions or having outlandish ideas.

A few years ago, my project manager handed me a sticky note during a meeting that said, “Speak up, Zil!” It made me realize that it’s not only my responsibility to get tasks done but also to ask the right questions that provide a clear direction and purpose. Not only does this align everyone around a common cause, but it also creates a sense of belonging and shared ownership.

What do you like to do to unwind?

I enjoy exploring the brewery scene in Northern Virginia. Whether I’m enjoying a chili cheese dog or having a hot soft pretzel, I’m probably enjoying a cold beer with friends on the weekends.

What random topic could you give an impromptu, 20-minute presentation on?

Disney World! I think Disney World has something for everyone and there is no shortage of things to do there. Every time I plan a trip, it’s always a tad different than the previous year’s trip. It never gets boring!