The Women in Tech Global Conference 2025 brought powerful insights on how mentorship, sponsorship, and community support can transform careers. Beyond individual success, this year’s sessions highlighted how giving back, lifting others, and building intentional support systems create ripple effects of opportunity across the tech industry.
In this feature, we spotlight three standout talks that explored the impact of mentorship and sponsorship on career advancement. From shaping your own leadership path to empowering the next generation, these sessions deliver actionable strategies to grow with purpose, build influence, and thrive while lifting others along the way.
Maximizing Potential - Understanding and applying Coaching, Mentoring, and Sponsorship by Amy Forsee
In the State of Missouri, her role as a Senior Enterprise Architect centers around creating strategic IT solutions that align with the intricate needs of state operations. With a focus on infrastructure transformation and a solid foundation in cloud technologies, her approach is to ensure robust and future-proof systems harnessing the power of Microsoft Azure, AWS, and GCP, Automation, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
During her session, you will learn:
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After a coaching session, a person should be able to clearly identify the obstacles they need to overcome and have a clear path planned.
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Mentors often provide broader professional connections and insights into navigating organizational culture
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Sponsors increase your visibility to senior leaders and help bring you to the career table.
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Please become a Coach, Mentor or Sponsor for someone else
Lifting as We Climb: Empowering the Next Generation of Women in Tech by Laura Burnett
Laura Burnett is Made Tech’s Delivery Director and a people-focused product specialist with extensive experience building high-quality products, managing global teams, and driving positive organisational changes. Passionate about delivering exceptional value in Public Sector Delivery, Laura inspires high-performing teams to overcome complex challenges and be their best selves.
Committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and allyship in the tech industry, Laura creates inclusive environments where everyone feels valued and empowered. She champions initiatives supporting underrepresented groups and mentors others on the importance of allyship and supportive networks. Laura is dedicated to breaking down barriers for women in tech, combining strategic thinking with empathy to lead and advocate for change.
During her session, you'll:
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Identify effective strategies for creating inclusive and supportive environments for women in tech.
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Understand the distinction between mentorship and sponsorship and how to apply both in their professional lives.
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Develop actionable plans to advocate for diversity and build strong networks within their organisations.
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Recognise and address systemic barriers that hinder women's progress in tech.
Giving Back, Moving Forward: How Mentorship Shapes Careers—Including Your Own by Olha Paramonova
Being in the software engineering industry for over 19 years, Olha has dedicated most of her career to building an AdTech Competence Center at Sigma Software, a multi-national software development company with 2000 talents worldwide.
Along the road, Olha has gained solid and vast experience through the management and analytical roles by choosing to always stay hands-on on engineering assignments. This decision helped her discover AdTech's pain points and common denominators and establish strong AdTech expertise in Sigma Software. Sigma Software is now a key technology partner for major AdTech players.
As of now, Olha is a Vice President of the AdTech Business Unit, called Stellar Team, uniting 200+ professionals experienced in building digital advertising platforms. Having established the competence center, Olha has strategized AdTech as one of the key business domains Sigma Software brings technology in, widely diversified from helping start-ups at the earliest stages to empowering enterprise teams at scale.
During her session, you'll learn:
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How scalable mentorship programs can empower your team
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How scalable mentorship programs can help managers to align their teams
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How you build a culture of mentorship
The Women in Tech Global Conference 2026 is fast approaching—and as we look ahead, we carry forward a powerful message from past events: progress happens when women come together to share knowledge, inspire change, and lead with impact.
These sessions are more than talks—they’re opportunities to connect, grow, and shape the future of technology and leadership. From career growth to innovation, every conversation brings us closer to a more inclusive and equitable tech industry.
🌟 Don’t miss your chance to secure your Super Early Bird Ticket—available now for a limited time. Lock in your access early and be part of this global celebration of women driving change in tech.
Join the movement—become a Professional, Executive, or Founding Member of WomenTech Network and gain access to global insights, leadership tools, and a community committed to building a brighter future in tech.
