Sessions: WomenTech Global Conference

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Session	Speaker	Share to Vote
Sonia Vohnout President & CEO at OppsSpot, LLC	Beyond Venture Capital: Building Smart Capital Stacks That Power Go-To-Market Growth Access to capital is one of the most decisive factors in a startup’s success, yet many founders default to venture funding without fully understanding its long-term trade-offs. As a result, companies often dilute too early, raise capital out of sequence, or misalign funding with go-to-market realities. This session introduces a non-dilutive funding playbook as a core component of a smart capital stack — one that enables founders and leadership teams to systematically reduce technical and market risk before raising equity. Drawing on real-world experience advising technology… read more
Neethu Elizabeth Simon Staff Solution Architect at Arm	Stumble and Humble: Success Story of grit and determination after multiple patent rejections A software idea is patentable that protects computer software. These can be standalone computer software program, mobile app or software integrated into mechanical devices. Unlike hardware-based patents, filing software-based patents is difficult. There are several challenges when filing software-based patents due to its short shelf life and the requirements that are used to satisfy any other type of invention become complicated when applied to software-based patents. Speaker successfully filed and published her first patent after getting rejected thrice by the internal company patent office… read more
Divya Smith Founder & CEO at Ascending Avenue Investments	Building Career of Your Dreams Building the career of your dreams isn’t just about working hard—it’s about working smart, making bold moves, and designing a path that aligns with your ambitions. In this session, Divya Smith will share hard-earned lessons from her journey as a corporate technology executive at powerhouse brands like Target, US Bank, Hilton Hotels, and United Health Group, revealing the strategies, mindset, and skills that drive real success. Packed with actionable insights, pro tips, and real-world strategies, this session will give you the blueprint to dream big, act boldly, and achieve… read more
Neetu Jain Executive Director at JP Morgan Chase	Design thinking and persona mapping to ensure you solve the real pain points responsibly This talk will focus on utilizing design thinking methodologies and persona mapping techniques to address genuine challenges and needs in a responsible manner. Design thinking involves a problem-solving approach that emphasizes empathy, ideation, and prototyping to create innovative solutions. Persona mapping involves creating detailed representations of target users to better understand their motivations and pain points. In this talk, we will discuss how combining design thinking principles with persona mapping can lead to more effective and responsible problem-solving. By… read more
Cheryle Hays Founder and CEO at InPower Strategists	R.E.S.P.O.N.D. R.E.S.P.O.N.D.' is not just a powerful tool for navigating the complexities of our fast-paced, ambiguous world; it's a transformative approach designed for professional women who are often overworked, underutilized and undervalued. This session redefines success by not only addressing how we handle stress and conflict but lays the foundation for a new kind of Executive Presence—one that empowers each of us to take ownership of our personal leadership and own how we are perceived. Through understanding our brain's instinctive reactions and learning to transform these into… read more
Anjali Bhangay Manager, Strategic Planning at Enbridge	Beyond Bits and Bytes: The Strategic Role of Digital Platform Leaders In today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape, digital platform leaders emerge as transformation architects. Leaders must champion the navigation and convergence of three critical platforms: DevOps, No-Code, and Generative AI—each driving tangible business value. With the DevOps platform, such as GitHub, organizations are witnessing agility through rapid development cycles, allowing us to respond swiftly to market demands. DevOps isn’t just about productivity; it’s a collaboration platform. We’re no longer merely writing code; we’re co-creating solutions. DevOps security integrations are… read more
Aparna Achanta Principal Security Architect at IBM	Securing software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications using Zero Trust Framework My talk explores the increasing security risks associated with SaaS applications and the implementation of the Zero Trust framework to remediate them. The session analyzes the challenges involved in transitioning to a Zero Trust framework within SaaS projects, provides recommendations on how organizations can prepare for Zero Trust, and explains how implementing Zero Trust guardrails reduces the attack surface and enhances data protection. The session aims to bring to light strategies that SaaS application development teams can implement at every stage of development like robust… read more
Dhivya Nagasubramanian Lead AI Solutions Architect at Fortune 500 Company	Harnessing the Potential of Unstructured Data to Drive Enterprise Success Enterprises possess a wealth of data. In today’s data-driven world, unstructured data—encompassing text, images, videos, and more—constitutes over 80% of all enterprise data, yet a significant portion of it remains untapped. In this session, I will delve into how organizations can unlock the value of unstructured data to derive actionable insights, improve decision-making, and foster innovation. Did you like this session? Share to vote.
Richa Gandhi Software Engineering Manager at GoDaddy	Own your career: Advocating for yourself to Lead and succeed in tech In this talk, I’ll share actionable strategies to help women own their value, advocate fearlessly, and navigate their way to leadership. Drawing from my journey as a front-line manager in tech and a passionate advocate for empowering women, I’ll provide tools to build confidence, amplify your voice, and achieve the promotions you deserve. Whether you’re early in your career or eyeing your next leadership role, it’s time to rewrite the narrative and thrive in tech. Did you like this session? Share to vote.
Sarah Pletcher Senior Executive Counselor at InfoTech Research Group	Coaching Forward—The Most Rewarding Chapter Yet You’ve built the team, revolutionized the tech landscape, and empowered the business to exceed its goals. So… what’s next? This session explores the deeply fulfilling journey of coaching others who now stand where you once did. Discover how guiding emerging through already seasoned leaders to unlock their potential and achieve their ambitions might just be the most impactful—and rewarding—leg of your career yet. Did you like this session? Share to vote.
Lakshmi Priya Gopalsamy Senior Engineering Manager at Target Tech	Scaling Reliability and Speed in Regulated Enterprises Through Organizational APIs, Guardrails, and Decision Flow Regulated enterprises must ship quickly while meeting strict security, audit, and compliance requirements—yet many respond with more reviews, layered approvals, and centralized decisions that slow delivery and increase risk through fragmented ownership and unclear escalation paths. This talk introduces a practical operating model that treats the organization like a distributed system: Organizational APIs make team interfaces explicit through ownership boundaries, intake contracts, service expectations, and escalation mechanisms, while policy-as-code guardrails shift governance from manual… read more
Maryna Burushkina CEO & Founder at Growth Channel	Lessons from Scaling Tech, Teams, and Impact as a Woman in Tech Scaling in tech often starts long before teams, funding, or certainty exist. In this talk, I share lessons from building a startup from scratch — alone, in a foreign country, navigating pivots, uncertainty, and constant push innovation. Through real stories and hard-won insights, this session explores how women can scale impact before they scale teams, turn ambiguity into strategy, and lead with confidence when there is no roadmap. Attendees will gain practical frameworks for navigating pivots, building momentum from zero, and growing sustainably — without losing themselves in the process.… read more
Fern Johnson TEDx Speaker \| IT Executive \| Global Transformation Leader at The Fern Effect	Navigating Career Pivot Points: How Early and Mid‑Career Technologists Build Momentum and Lead with Confidence This TED‑style session equips early and mid‑career technologists with the clarity, confidence, and strategies needed to navigate career pivot points and accelerate their growth. Drawing from 30+ years as a Fortune 50 CTO Vice President, Fern Johnson shares real‑world lessons on shifting between technical domains, building leadership identity, overcoming imposter syndrome, and creating a career narrative that opens doors. Attendees leave with actionable frameworks they can apply immediately to move from feeling stuck to leading with purpose, authenticity, and momentum. Did you like… read more
Amy Shoenthal Author, Journalist, Marketing Consultant at Visionaries Collective, LLC	Leading Through Tumultuous Times Everyone in the workforce has experienced a career setback at some point in their lives. As a journalist and author, I've interviewed hundreds of founders, leaders and politicians. Throughout all their stories, it always seems that the most pivotal point of their journey comes when they emerge from a setback. There’s actually a framework to navigating setbacks and leading through tough times. It’s called The Setback Cycle, and it’s the premise of my forthcoming book coming out in March 2024. I’ll host a fireside chat with executive coach and Your New Life Blend podcast… read more
Minna Taylor Founder and CEO, Author, and Thought-Leader at Energize Your Voice	Don’t Fear The Robots AI is built for perfection. Humans are not. Seeking perfection compromises our ability to be valuable contributors. We divert resources to not messing up rather than hypothesis, failure, and discovery. For us to be key players in the future workforce and to enact social, political, and environmental change, we need to care deeply, but stop giving a shit. At the root of this outcome is integrating play as an essential aspect to human development. Play ignites resilience, discovery, connection, and emotional intelligence. To change our world, we must establish new rules of the game and learn to… read more
Samantha Norman Managing Director at TOPdesk Canada	Driving Organizational Change in North America using European Cultural Values In this presentation, I'd like to talk about the organization I work at (a Dutch technology company) which prides itself on its strong cultural values. I'd then explain how we have managed to incorporate these values in our branch in Canada, even though typically the work-life balance is different from North America to Europe. I feel there is a lot North America can learn from Europe - although I've learned many good lessons, too! Did you like this session? Share to vote.
Eva Agapaki Founder and CEO at Hatch Labs	AI Product Management As AI continues to permeate every facet of our lives, the role of product managers in steering these projects has never been more pivotal. AI product management poses unique challenges, from setting the right expectations to ensuring ethical use of technology. This talk aims to provide insights into the distinct nuances of managing AI products and solutions to some of the most pressing challenges. Attendees will gain: 1) An understanding of how AI product management differs from traditional product management. 2) Best practices for defining AI product… read more
Kristy Singletary Global Learning and Development Strategy Lead	Your Name Before Your Title: Reclaiming Your Power in a Shifting World In a world that often tries to fit us into preconceived molds, it takes great courage to break free from societal expectations and embrace our unique creativity. As career-oriented women, we face a myriad of challenges, both external and internal, that can hinder our journey towards self-actualization. However, I firmly believe that within each of us lies an untapped reservoir of limitless potential, waiting to be unleashed.We live in a time where diversity, equity, and inclusion are more than just buzzwords; they're essential cornerstones of a thriving society. But to truly lead in… read more
Karin Hurt Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Lets Grow Leaders	Navigating Workplace Conflict: How to Have More Influence, Less Drama, and Better Collaboration In today's evolving workplace, conflicts are on the rise. The seismic shifts from remote work, tech advancements, and generational demands underscore the vital importance of genuine human connections and deeper collaboration. Yet, most of us aren't naturally equipped to navigate these complex situations. This highly experiential workshop is based on findings from our expansive World Workplace Conflict and Collaboration study. You’ll learn the Four Pillars of Productive Conflict - connection, clarity, curiosity, and commitment, and work with 12 game-changing phrases… read more
Madona Wambua CTO at Axxelist	An Introduction to Building Apps for the Modern World Mobile applications have become an indispensable part of our daily lives in today’s tech-savvy world. From communication and entertainment to productivity and e-commerce, mobile apps are crucial in shaping how we interact with the digital realm. As the demand for innovative and user-friendly apps continues to grow, so does the need for skilled mobile developers who can create exceptional user experiences across different platforms. This talk aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to mobile development, equipping participants with the fundamental knowledge and tools to… read more