Ilissa Whittaker

Ilissa Whittaker is a Staff Engineer in Hip Product Development for Stryker Orthopaedics in Mahwah, NJ. Since joining Stryker, Ilissa had the privilege of working on 7 different teams, providing her with experience in manufacturing, product design, and product sustaining. In her current role, Ilissa works with her team and consulting surgeons to design, verify, and validate new orthopedic implants and instruments to expand Stryker’s Hip Portfolio. Ilissa also serves as the Recruitment and Outreach chair for her division's Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) employee resource group. In this position she is responsible for building relationships between WISE and community educators, non-profit organizations, and inspired students with the goal of uplifting young women and girls interested in STEM careers. Outside of work, Ilissa pursues her passion for supporting the development of student-athletes by volunteering as an assistant coach with Ramapo College of New Jersey's softball team.

Ilissa gained her B.S.E in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Mechanical Design for Manufacturing from Case Western Reserve University. While at Case Western, Ilissa was a varsity student-athlete and held a position as an undergraduate research assistant with the Mechanical Engineering department.