"Build Communities Not Just Networks"
"Build Communities Not Just Networks"
Thu May 22 - 5:20 PM EDT/New York (See in local time)
Add to Calendar
05/22/2025 5:20 PM
05/22/2025 06:00 PM
America/New_York
#WTGC2025
"Build Communities Not Just Networks"
#WTGC2025
"Build Communities Not Just Networks"
https://www.womentech.net/ringcentral
https://www.womentech.net/ringcentral
"Build Communities Not Just Networks"
"Build Communities Not Just Networks"
Don’t miss out and join visionaries, innovators, and thought leaders from all over the world at the Women in Tech Global Conference.
Vote by Sharing
Unite 100 000 Women in Tech to Drive Change with Purpose and Impact.
Do you want to see this session? Help increase the sharing count and the session visibility. Sessions with +10 votes will be available to career ticket holders.
Please note that it might take some time until your share & vote is reflected.
Session: Build Communities Not Just Networks
Do you cringe at the idea of networking or dread the small talk at large gatherings? What if there was another way to build authentic, long-lasting relationships to support your personal and professional growth? Join us as we explore the gaps in traditional networking models for women and share our experiences in fostering meaningful connections based on shared values and purpose. We will delve into the transformative power of building communities that go beyond traditional networking, enhancing your professional journey, providing a nurturing environment for growth, and creating lasting relationships that uplift you and support your career development. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how to move beyond networking and start building communities that truly empower you.Key Takeaways
- Traditional (instrumental) networking model does not always feel natural and how we build relationships. Many of us have natural talents at building deep, lasting connections.
- Obstacles such as competitive relationships or self-limiting beliefs may keep us from building our community (expressive network). To counter, build your self awareness and treat networking as a spectrum of opportunities.
- Our own experience showed us that this model is deeply satisfying as it helped each of us grow in both our professional and personal lives, and be each others cheerleaders and sponsors, as needed.
- By engaging authentically with others with shared values and purpose, we step away from the awkwardness of networking and we create supportive communities.
Bio
Reetal Pai – Chief Information Officer, TeichertReetal Pai is the Chief Information Officer for Teichert overseeing a portfolio of IT and Data investments for the 137-year-old, multi-billion infrastructure company. In her previous role, Reetal served as the CIO for Nuseed, a global agriculture innovator focused on sustainable solutions for human nutrition and climate change. Reetal has a proven record of success leading digital transformations aligned with business strategy across global, public, and private companies. Her experiences span across multiple industries including agriculture, consumer care, packaging & infrastructure.
Reetal is an inspirational, change leader who brings strategic acumen, a wealth of technical expertise in IT & Data, a collaborative leadership style and a deep passion for building high-performing teams to create value and impact for the enterprise. Reetal’s ability to communicate the vision and risks of technology to business teams and business strategy and priorities to technical teams fuel her success in the C-suite. Reetal is passionate about developing digital literacy and acumen to enable digital empowerment for all employees and maximize investments in technology.
Throughout her career, Reetal has invested in mentoring diverse talent and leading systemic changes that ensure that we inclusively nourish diverse voices and talent. She volunteers time with organizations like Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Prevention Centers, Big Brother Big Sister, Midland Learning Center, Michigan Council of Women in Technology, Houston Minds Matter & WomenTech Network. She has been recognized for her business and community impact as the Finalist for Indy’s Best and Brightest and Indiana Women in Hi-Tech Rising Star awards.
Reetal began her career as a Computational Biologist in the Agriculture business of Dow developing algorithms for chemometrics, image analysis, predictive decision systems. Reetal has an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Mysore, India and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science focused on machine learning and artificial intelligence from Clemson University and Texas A&M respectively.
Sushma Sanketh - Digital Innovation Associate IT Director, Dow
Sushma Sanketh is a seasoned Associate IT Director at Dow with over 15 years of experience in innovating, designing, developing, and maintaining software applications. She leads the global Digital Marketplace Center. The teams are focused on driving digital innovation aligned with business growth. Sushma recently served as the AI Strategy Leader within Enterprise Data & Analytics (ED&A) at Dow. She led a cross-enterprise team of senior leaders to develop their Responsible AI principles.
Passionate about women in leadership, Sushma is dedicated to creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive. Her commitment to "raising the floor" ensures that success is accessible to all, regardless of their background. Sushma's leadership philosophy is rooted in the belief that diverse perspectives drive innovation and growth, making her a dynamic and inspiring figure.
Sushma began her career at Dow in 2008. She has an MBA from the Kelly School of Business, Indiana University and a M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
She, her husband Kumar, 2 young girls ages 10 & 14 & an adora-doodle live in Sugarland, TX. In her free time Sushma learns and teaches Bharatanatyam, a classical dance of India, and enjoys playing, traveling & reading with her kids.
Laura Mosely – Program & Change Leader, Dow
Laura's career at Dow has spanned over 18 years across different roles and functions. She currently works as the Program Leader for Dow's Data & Analytics Literacy Program.
In this role, Laura develops and implements learning solutions that empower Dow's workforce to leverage data literacy for innovation and growth. She also connects digital strategy with employee engagement across diverse platforms.
Laura attended Northwood University where she acquired her B.S. in Business Management. Her home state is Michigan, but she currently lives in Texas with her family where she enjoys reading, quality time with family and friends, yoga, and glamping.
Laura is Prosci Certified as well as certified as one of the world's first Data Literacy Program Leads.
Shirish Lamichhane - Associate COE Consultant, Dow
Shirish Lamichhane is an Associate COE Consultant in the Talent Center of Expertise at Dow. Being in the research arm of the HR function, his role is at the center of Talent Intelligence, People Analytics, Data & Analytics upskilling, and Workforce Insights.
Prior to joining the Talent Center of Expertise, Shirish served as a Team Leader for the Productivity & Analytics group supporting the Maintenance and Capital Project Execution function at Dow.
Shirish received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Louisiana Tech and Texas A&M University, respectively. He serves as one of the pillar leads for the Asian Diversity Network ERG at Dow. He is passionate about using analytical frameworks to solve business problems and gets tremendous joy from mentoring and developing others. Shirish lives in the Houston, TX metro area with his wife and a soon-to-be 4-year-old son.
