As Business Development Advisor at ILT Academy, Andrea Zechmann has expanded access to lean startup training for underestimated entrepreneurs. She fosters a community of problem solvers and founders who collaborate and learn from each other to create successful companies. By partnering with local organizations, ILT Academy provides education and support to underserved communities, making it a hub for innovative ideas and entrepreneurial growth.

During her time as Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Global Expansion at Rivian from March 2021 to July 2022, Andrea Zechmann built and led a project management office to oversee commercial fleet partnerships and global expansion efforts. She collaborated with cross-functional stakeholders to establish Amazon partnership structures, negotiate contracts, and integrate systems and processes with Amazon's third-party providers. Andrea also led an effort to identify growth opportunities, resulting in a $25 million opportunity. Her skills in business development, strategic partnerships, project management, contract negotiation, and cross-functional team leadership were instrumental in driving Rivian's success.

Andrea Zechmann spent ~3 years at Tesla, where she held several roles, including EMEA Expansion & New Market Entry lead, Product Manager, and North America Sales Strategy and Partnerships. As EMEA Expansion & New Market Entry lead, she launched 13 new markets across Europe and the Middle East, restructured the PMO, managed the full life cycle of new market entries, and drove accountability across 60+ teams. As a Product Manager, she managed customer check-out experience and localization for Australia and New Zealand market rollouts, and as part of North America Sales Strategy and Partnerships, she identified $400MM digital opportunity and presented multiple enterprise opportunities to senior leadership.

As a Marketing Intern at ZipFit, Andrea Zechmann played a key role in promoting the company's flagship product: custom ski boot liners made with proprietary OMFit cork. She assisted in developing and implementing marketing strategies to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, and generate sales. Andrea also helped manage ZipFit's social media channels, create marketing materials, and analyze customer data to inform marketing decisions. Through her efforts, she helped communicate the benefits of ZipFit liners to skiers around the world, contributing to the company's success as a leader in the ski industry.

As a Strategy and Operations Manager at Eat Purely, Andrea Zechmann created a business plan for a new product line, conducted competitor analysis, revenue forecasting, and identified differentiating factors that senior management used to decide whether to proceed with further development. She collaborated with outside consultants to develop a new process framework for cross-functional team communication and product development, and implemented a design research strategy to pinpoint problem areas and incorporate data into existing operational, marketing, and sales business units. Andrea also coordinated with Marketing and Sales to boost customer engagement through social media platforms, a brand ambassador program, customer promotional strategies, and email touchpoints and content. Lastly, she evaluated in-app onboarding, UX, and friction points through A/B testing and data collection to enhance app functionality.

Andrea Zechmann served as a Senior Attorney and Associate Attorney at Chicago Transit Authority. In her role, she played a critical role in ensuring the delivery of quality and affordable transit services that linked people, jobs, and communities. Her extensive legal expertise, coupled with her exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, enabled her to develop effective legal strategies that minimized risk and ensured regulatory compliance.