In 2018, Christine Ngo went through a major career change. She put down her microphone as a reporter on the red carpet to help support her father’s mission of bringing manufacturing back to the U.S.

She now serves as VP of Operations & Business Development of Silicon Valley Elite Manufacturing, a company her father Viet Ngo founded with her brother Victor in 2012.

MD+DI caught up with Ngo, who was part of a panel titled, Big Manufacturing Issues Meet Medical: A Round Table Discussion of How the Biggest Issues in Manufacturing Play out Among the Diverse Players in Medical Device Production, at IME West to discuss her transition from the red carpet to manufacturing.

MD+DI: How long have you been in your current role, and what do you love most about medical device manufacturing? 

Ngo: I have been working at Silicon Valley Elite Manufacturing since October 2018. I have always loved innovative technologies and how they can be disruptive, so being able to work with engineers on a daily basis to turn their visions into a reality is truly a dream come true for me! When I see our clients putting together their projects with components that we've machined, it makes me feel very fulfilled. 

MD+DI: In your opinion now, what are some of the biggest challenges manufacturers are facing right now?

Ngo: In the fabrication industry, I would say that the concerns of the recession are a challenge because companies are budgeting their spending and are not investing as much into R&D. We have noticed the majority of our clients asking for cost reductions, which is quite different from last year's requests for expedited quick turn and their willingness to pay extra costs for the shorter lead-times. Having said that, the medical industry is still placing orders for large productions, so it isn't impacting us since our niche is the medical industry. 

MD+DI: Is there anything you miss about reporting on the red carpet? Who are some of the celebrities you’ve had a chance to interview? 

Ngo: I miss getting glammed up for the red carpets and the excitement of getting the lead actor to answer my questions because what people don't see about the red carpet is that it's actually pretty competitive and the actors do not stop at every outlet to do interviews. I was reporting for 8 years so I've interviewed Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Cher, Tom Ford, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) and the list goes on. I would now love to interview CEOs at big medtech and tech companies to see what inspired them.