Wenonah Ingram on why she returned to Leidos after her career as an attorney

When she decided to leave her communications role to pursue a legal career, Wenonah Ingram had worked for SAIC, now Leidos, for about five years. 

“I'd always wanted to be a lawyer," Wenonah says, “And while I worked with a wonderful team and a supportive manager, I didn't see a path that would allow me to practice law within that organization."

She spent the next eight years as a prosecutor in Virginia. During that time, Wenonah drew upon the writing and communication skills she'd honed at SAIC—and never lost touch with her former colleagues.

Wenonah's path back to Leidos

Though she found professional fulfillment in her work as a prosecutor, Wenonah realized that the pace and demands of her legal career made it difficult to devote time to anything outside of work. When she needed to consider a role with a sustainable work-life balance, the first people she reached out to were her former teammates-turned-friends.

“When I asked them for help, they were all over it. And, after all that time, they were all still at Leidos," she says, noting that Leidos had acquired the company around the time she'd left. “It says a lot about the company and the people who work for it when everyone wants to stay."

Her strong alumni network recommended her as a senior proposal writer, and she was hired for that role in May 2022. “They felt the job was ideal for me, and they were right," she says. Her persuasive courtroom skills have helped her make an impact on the proposal team, and she says her work feels similar to public service.

Wenonah's path forward

Wenonah sees her job as a translator of sorts: “I help very intelligent people explain what they do and how their technical expertise can help solve complex problems in terms that the rest of us can understand."

As she settled into her proposal writing role, it became clear to Wenonah's team that her courtroom skills added extra value. She drew upon that experience to coach key personnel on various types of oral presentations ahead of proposal meetings. From formal presentations to off-the-cuff Q&As, she makes sure they're prepared.

“It's a big ask for our subject matter experts to step outside their comfort zones and basically become public speakers within a few short weeks. So, it's a great feeling when they come out of the presentation room with huge smiles, knowing they were able to represent their work and their company well," she says.

After her first year of service at Leidos, Wenonah earned a promotion to proposal development lead. Along with coaching speakers, she now manages proposal writers and managers. As a leader, she focuses on fostering long-term careers for her team—a management goal that will help her pay forward the efforts of her own Leidos mentors.

“Several people in my group have identified different types of value I bring and have shown me various paths forward," she says. “I see a strong and interesting future here. Instead of feeling stuck, like I did before my time as a lawyer, I'm excited to be at work every day."

Wenonah says she can see herself staying at Leidos for the rest of her career for three reasons:

1. She believes in the value of her work and the services Leidos performs for its customers.
2. Leaders at Leidos recognize and reward her and others for their hard work.
3. Managers at Leidos help their direct reports grow in their careers through positive feedback and mentorship.

“Leidos takes care of its employees. I'm getting support, mentorship, and training as a new manager, and I'm very satisfied that I won't run out of challenges," she says. “There are so many career paths I could take. I'm excited to see how I can continue to grow my skills and add value to the company."

For now, Wenonah says she's enjoying learning her new job and is happy that she can find ways to apply what she loved about her legal career to her role at Leidos.

We're glad to have Wenonah back at Leidos—and that she found her way back thanks to her former colleagues. If you are also an alum of Leidos or its subsidiaries, we invite you to join our Leidos Alumni Network. You can also browse our open job opportunities, and if you know someone who might enjoy working with us, please consider referring them. You could earn up to a $5,000 referral fee while helping them take the next step in their career.