Deidra Willis
About Deidra Willis
Deidra Willis is a Supply Chain Initiative Leader at General Mills with over 9 years of experience in supply chain operations and manufacturing engineering.
Current Role at General Mills
Deidra Willis is currently serving as Supply Chain Initiative Leader at General Mills. She operates remotely, leveraging her extensive experience in supply chain operations and manufacturing engineering. In her current role, Deidra plays a pivotal part in overseeing and guiding supply chain improvement projects, utilizing her in-depth knowledge of supply chain processes to drive efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Previous Roles at General Mills
Deidra Willis has held multiple roles at General Mills, demonstrating a robust career progression. From 2019 to 2021, she worked as Supply Chain Commercialization Leader in Los Angeles, California. Prior to that, she was a Senior Manufacturing Engineer/Maintenance Lead in Carson, California from 2018 to 2019. She also served as Project Startup Manager in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for 8 months in 2017-2018. Her earlier roles include Manufacturing Engineer II (2015-2018) and Manufacturing Engineering Associate (2013-2015) in Cedar Rapids, as well as a Manufacturing Engineering Associate Intern in 2012 in Belvidere, Illinois.
Educational Background
Deidra Willis holds an Executive MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, completed in 2023. She also graduated from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Sciences and from Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, both attained in 2013. Her foundational education includes a High School Diploma from Phillips Academy and early preparation from Prep for Prep 9.
Internships and Early Career Experience
Aside from her roles at General Mills, Deidra Willis gained significant early career experience through internships. She worked at J.P. Morgan in 2010 as an IB F&BM Credit Portfolio Group Intern and at Morgan Stanley in 2009 and 2008 in Corporate Services roles. Additionally, she contributed to the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) as a Straphangers Campaign Intern in 2007.
Special Skills and Expertise
Deidra Willis possesses specialized skills that enhance her technical and leadership capabilities. She is proficient in vertical startup, CQV planning, and DMAIC methodologies. Her technical expertise includes using Minitab for statistical analysis and Wonderware Historian for data collection. She is experienced in implementing FSSC and ISO 22000 standards, project management, and continuous improvement practices like TPM. She utilizes Maximo and SAP for asset management and enterprise resource planning, underscoring her technical competency in managing complex supply chain and manufacturing operations.