Reflecting on My Journey
As a Women in Tech Global Awards 2025 winner, what does this recognition mean to you, and how does it reflect your journey and impact in tech?
When I began my journey by studying electrical engineering in the late 1970’s, and being a fan of science fiction, I believed that our future would involve innovation and advancement of technology, which it has, beyond my imagination. I am proud to have been an integral part of guiding many organizations’ adoption of new technology over more than four decades, and it is an honor to have this recognition of the achievements I have made over these years.
Tech Industry's Most Rewarding Aspects
In your experience, what is the most rewarding aspect of working in the tech industry, and how has it influenced your career path?
Being ‘the first’ and breaking barriers has been a recurring theme throughout my career. I was fortunate that the technical industries I worked in were ready for a confident and fearless young woman engineer to advocate for new roles in Information Technology that hadn’t existed before, and to develop the first IT organizations beyond Mainframe computing and transaction processing in the early 1980’s. I wrote a lot of first job descriptions and held a lot of first positions such as Unix and Network Administrator, Computer Aided Design Systems Administrator, and Manager Information Technology Services, Manager Application Development and Integration, Director Information Systems and Technology, Chief Technology Officer. So, yes, I was not only the first woman, I was the first person to have these positions in my organizations. It was a great privilege to be the one to define these roles! Ultimately I was also the first female CIO in two institutions.
My Tech Career Milestone
Could you share a defining moment or a key achievement in your tech career that has been particularly impactful or meaningful to you?
There was a huge shift from being a hands-on technologist to being a leader of technical staff. I had good instincts for team building and driving for technical excellence, and a few corporate leadership training courses, but I knew I needed more if I wanted to advance to the C-suite. I went back to school mid-career to get my MBA, and after this point I had the tools and experience to become the executive leader I knew I could be.
Empowering Women in Tech: Real Stories, Career Advice, and Tips
From your experience, what essential advice and practical tips would you offer to women aspiring to establish a successful career in tech?
Be observant of the things that need to be done to adapt to new technologies at your workplace. You can be the one to fill emerging technical leadership gaps, and find exciting new roles to develop and propel your career.
Who would you recommend to join the WomenTech Network, and why?
I recommend that any rising women in tech join this network, to learn from the experiences of others, and to develop a network of career allies, to smooth the way forward. I enjoy that the network allows me to give back, and help others in their journey in tech. I am now transitioning to be a Career Coach following my recent retirement.
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