A few days before Vered Keren’s birthday this April, her son Ariel was born, turning her into a mother. “I was expecting labor but the birth was surprising,” she says. “The birth happened at home all of a sudden; we called for an ambulance, but Ariel arrived before it did. It was an incredible experience.”
My story
Vered began working at Elbit seven years ago in a student position, starting as a software developer in an EW systems team. Two years ago, she was promoted to team leader. During the last year, she successfully led an avionics platform project involving complex adjustments to the algorithms and simulation tools. “We develop a system that communicates with many other systems on the platform, such as the pilot display unit and defense and warning systems, using hardware and software that we develop in-house,” she explains.
The project also involved working with a new customer. “As part of the work process, I went through a series of trainings, which included learning about differences in approaches and culture in the target countries, and even traveled to meet the customer in order to forge close working relations,” she says.
As her pregnancy advanced, Vered had to stop arriving at the office and began working from home full time according to the doctor’s prescription but continued to manage the team from her couch with her usual dedication. “I feel that management comes naturally to me. I love working with people and I am grateful for their success,” she says. “I like making decisions, like to think of creative solutions, and in parallel, it’s important to me to get to know the employees, understand what drives them, and why they get up every morning.”
Vered grew up in Givatayim with a twin sister, Ayelet, and graduated from Ben Zvi High School in the city. “We were always best friends, even though we are really not identical,” she smiles. She describes her childhood home as warm and supportive and shares that her parents encouraged the girls to study and pursue their dreams. Her father worked at the Israel Aerospace Industries and that inspired her, she says. “I remember as a girl that he would always explain electric engineering to me and how things work. But it was only when I began studying at university that I actually understood what he does.”
She and Ran married three years ago. They love the sea, diving and underwater photography – hobbies that are on hold for now, with the baby at home. Vered is enjoying her new motherhood before returning to work full time and is already thinking of the next thing: “In my area, we learn something new every day, and that keeps me curious. The thing I most enjoy is the feeling that I’m trusted, and I’m given freedom and independence, which can’t be taken for granted. From my first moment in the division, I felt I had influence.”
