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?
Being recognized as a Women in Tech Global Awards 2025 winner is deeply humbling. It feels like a powerful validation that my arduous and often circuitous journey — one marked by resilience, reinvention, and an unwavering belief in myself — has made a meaningful impact. After my cancer diagnosis, I became especially mindful of using whatever time and influence I have to leave a positive imprint on the world around me. To be honored for that work means more than I can fully articulate.
My path has been anything but traditional. I went from periods of homelessness to the C-suite, teaching myself along the way, navigating adversity, and leading with a blend of strength, grace, directness, and emotional intelligence. Each chapter shaped who I am as a leader and fueled my commitment to elevating others — mentoring, empowering, and helping people see their own potential.
In tech specifically, my impact has centered on raising operational maturity, advancing compliance and cybersecurity readiness, and advocating for the often-overlooked role of governance in innovation. One of the most rewarding parts of my work is helping deeply technical teams understand why compliance, risk management, and responsible rollout — especially with emerging technologies like AI — truly matter. Watching engineers and technologists shift from “just deploy it” to embracing data protection, process discipline, and cybersecurity principles is incredibly meaningful. It reinforces that change is possible when we lead with empathy, clarity, and patience.
This recognition reflects all of that: the journey, the growth, the adversity, the resilience, and the intention to use my experience to make a positive difference — not just in technology, but in the lives and careers of the people I’m privileged to lead.
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?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of working in tech has always been the intersection of people, innovation, and impact. I love helping others grow — mentoring teams, elevating emerging leaders, and guiding highly technical staff to understand the “why” behind responsible innovation, governance, and cybersecurity. There’s something incredibly meaningful about watching people expand their perspective and realize how their work can protect organizations, empower clients, and drive real change.
It’s also profoundly rewarding to help shape how companies adopt new technologies. Whether it’s AI, automation, or major operational shifts, I’ve always found purpose in ensuring that innovation happens responsibly — with data protection, compliance, and security as core foundations rather than afterthoughts. Helping organizations find that balance between speed and stewardship is some of the most fulfilling work I’ve done.
My career in tech has influenced my path in ways I could never have predicted. When I first entered the “computer field” in 1995, I was a single mother working in retail for $8 an hour. I asked myself a simple question: What field will give me the fastest path to stability and opportunity? That answer was technology. And in my very first role — almost accidentally — I found myself immersed in compliance and process improvement, learning CMM (now CMMI) before I ever realized how foundational it would become to my life’s work.
Tech gave me room to grow, to reinvent myself, and to rise, not because of a traditional background but because of curiosity, resilience, and the willingness to learn what I didn’t yet know. And as my own journey evolved — including navigating cancer and the clarity it brought — I became even more committed to using my career not just to build systems and frameworks, but to uplift people, strengthen businesses, and create environments where others could succeed.
Scaling an MSP from a small team to a nearly 100-person organization only reinforced that purpose. Watching people develop, watching culture shift, watching organizations mature — those moments stay with you.
At its core, the tech industry shaped my career by showing me what’s possible when you combine innovation with humanity. And that blend is the most rewarding part of all.
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?
One of the most defining moments in my career began long before I ever stepped into executive leadership. I entered the technology field as a single mother transitioning out of retail, earning $8 an hour, and simply trying to create a better life. My very first role happened to be compliance-focused, and that unexpected introduction to CMM (now CMMI), process improvement, and structured governance fundamentally shaped the trajectory of my career. It taught me that discipline, clarity, and consistency could transform not just systems—but lives and outcomes. It also showed me that even without a traditional background, I belonged in this industry.
Another major milestone was being appointed to the Cyber AB Board and becoming recognized as a leading voice in compliance, cybersecurity, and responsible technology adoption. That moment felt like a culmination of years of advocacy, expertise, and hard-earned credibility. To be seen and respected at that level—after building so much of my career through self-teaching, resilience, and perseverance—was both validating and humbling. It reminded me that authenticity and conviction have power, and that the work I had poured myself into was making a measurable impact across the industry.
All of that ultimately led to one of the achievements I’m most proud of: stepping into the COO role and proving—both to myself and to others—what I had always known I was capable of. I helped scale a managed services organization from a small team into a high-performing, nearly 100-person operation anchored in governance, accountability, emotional intelligence, and operational excellence. Seeing that transformation succeed so strongly reinforced something important internally: that the challenges I faced, the adversity I overcame, and the nontraditional path I took were not obstacles—they were the very reasons I lead the way I do today.
These defining moments collectively shaped my confidence, strengthened my belief that I belonged at the executive table, and confirmed that my voice, my experience, and my leadership style could create real, lasting impact.
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?
The most essential advice I can offer to women aspiring to build a successful career in tech is to lead with emotional intelligence, resilience, and unwavering self-belief. Your career will be shaped far more by how you navigate people, adversity, and opportunity than by any single technical skill you acquire.
First and foremost, trust in your capability — even when the path ahead feels uncertain. So much of my own career was self-taught and built through reinvention, and I learned quickly that confidence grows through action, not perfection. Say yes to opportunities before you feel “ready,” because readiness often comes after you step into the role with growth happening after you fail. And don’t be afraid to self-advocate. The more you do the things that intimidate you, the less intimidating they become.
Resilience is another critical foundation. Trials and tribulations are temporary, and you’ve already survived every hard moment you once doubted you’d get through. The same will be true in your career. Be decisive. Set boundaries. And remind yourself that discomfort is often a signal of growth, not failure.
Surround yourself with mentors, allies, and champions who challenge you, guide you, and help you see possibilities you may not yet see in yourself. Community and support are not luxuries — they are accelerators.
From a practical standpoint, lean into emotional intelligence as intentionally as you build technical skill. Learn to read a room, communicate with clarity, and lead with empathy and strength. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or document your accomplishments. And stay curious — curiosity will carry you further than certainty ever will.
My own journey — entering technology as a single mother, reinventing myself through self-directed learning, navigating adversity, thriving with an incurable cancer, and rising to the C-suite — taught me that your start does not determine your finish. Your mindset, your discipline, and your willingness to grow determine your trajectory.
Above all, believe deeply in your ability to succeed. You belong in this industry, your voice matters, and your path — however nonlinear — is a source of strength. Lean into it boldly.
Who would you recommend to join the WomenTech Network, and why?
I would recommend the WomenTech Network to women at every stage of their careers — whether they are just beginning their journey, growing into leadership, or navigating the complexities of mid-career transitions. This community offers mentorship, support, visibility, and a sense of belonging that can be transformative, especially for those who have felt underestimated or overlooked.
I also strongly encourage men to join as allies. Meaningful progress in the tech industry requires shared responsibility. When men engage with WomenTech, listen, advocate, and help amplify women’s experiences, it accelerates cultural change and broadens awareness across organizations. Allyship is not optional — it is essential to breaking down harmful perceptions and creating environments where women can thrive.
WomenTech Network serves as a powerful platform where people can learn from one another, build global connections, strengthen resilience, and develop the confidence to navigate adversity. The network’s focus on community, leadership, and continuous learning reflects the very support that shaped my own journey.
For anyone who believes in creating a more equitable, inclusive, and emotionally intelligent tech industry, WomenTech is not just a network — it is a movement. I would encourage anyone who shares that vision to be part of it.
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