Sessions: WomenTech Global Conference

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Session	Speaker	Share to Vote
Dorothea Renner Vice President and Partner at Leadership Pipeline Institute	The Specialist Pipeline "The Alternative to the Leadership Path": The Specialist Pipeline concept introduces a road-tested framework on how to design an enduring career architecture to enable specialists to perform and develop. We discuss the importance of the specialist role in business success and how you can develop through the specialist career path from individual contributor to knowledge principal. Did you like this session? Share to vote.
Christine Sarros Senior Vice President, Enterprise Engineering at Oracle	AI and the Enterprise: Considerations for secure and responsible deployments of native, 3rd party and integrated models The use of AI is top of mind for most companies these days. Whether we build AI into our own products, consume its functions from products we buy or practice a bit of both through integrations, it is important to define intended outcomes to avoid implementation risks. This session will discuss industry trends and best practices that will aid senior leaders through the AI deployment cycle. Did you like this session? Share to vote.
Izabela Lundberg Founder & CEO at Legacy Leaders Institute	Accelerating AI Momentum: Catalyzing Transformation & Change Imagine a world where every decision you make is empowered by data-driven insights, where mundane tasks are automated, and where innovation is not just a goal, but a continuous journey. Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept – it's the driving force behind the transformation of industries, economies, and the way we work. But here's the question: are we ready to accelerate its momentum and fully embrace the change it promises? In the next 20 minutes, we’ll explore how AI is not just a tool, but a catalyst for a deeper, more profound shift that can shape the future… read more
Michelle Vendelin Director Innovation Services and Coaching at CableLabs	The Resilient Innovator: Overcoming Resistance, Roadblocks, and Rejections Innovation isn’t just about great ideas, it’s about having the resilience to fight for them and make them real. Every entrepreneur and intrapreneur will face seven critical challenges, the emotional and psychological forces that can derail progress, fuel self-doubt, and stop even the most seasoned innovator in their tracks. In this session, you’ll discover a powerful framework, mindset, and method designed to help you navigate resistance, push past roadblocks, and turn rejections into momentum. If you’ve ever felt stuck or tempted to quit on an idea that matters, this talk will show you how… read more
Sher Downing CEO & EdTech Strategist at Downing EdTech Consulting	Fresh Start, Front Lines: How I Pivoted Industries Without Losing Momentum The transition between industries often requires professionals to navigate the delicate balance between being a novice and demonstrating leadership capabilities. This narrative explores how I leveraged my core competencies while pivoting from academia to the EdTech industry, maintaining forward momentum despite the steep learning curve. By identifying transferable skills, embracing vulnerability in learning, and strategically applying previous experience to new challenges, I discovered that starting fresh doesn't mean starting from scratch. The piece examines key strategies including… read more
Lisa Jasper Managing Vice President, Solutions and Industries at Pariveda Solutions	Aligned to Thrive: How Leadership Alignment Transforms Teams & Organizations Seven years ago, my company reached a critical crossroads. Our leadership team was misaligned, uncertain, and struggling to move forward. As the CEO, I had to take the same leadership alignment principles I had used with clients and apply them to my own team—a humbling and transformative experience. In this talk, I’ll share how leadership alignment, when done right, can turn even the most complex organizational challenges into powerful growth opportunities. We’ll explore three essential components of alignment—strategic clarity, operational cohesion, and team trust—and how… read more
Swati Goyal Product Manager at Meta	How to Prioritize in a Sea of Data: Decision-Making at Scale In an era where every decision is backed by an overwhelming amount of data, how do you separate signal from noise? As a Product Manager at Meta, I navigate complex trade-offs daily, balancing user needs, business goals, and long-term impact—all at scale. In this talk, I'll break down practical frameworks for prioritization that cut through data overload and drive high-impact decisions. We’ll explore: ✅ Defining what truly matters—aligning metrics with strategy ✅ The art of ruthless prioritization—balancing short-term wins with long-term vision ✅… read more
Kristen Harris CEO, Founder at Keynetk Solutions	The Perfectionist's Edge: From Overdrive to Strategic Power For years, perfectionism has been painted as a purely negative trait, especially for women in technical leadership–a relentless inner critic driving us towards burnout and anxiety. Some might even feel like it's something they need to "recover from." But what if that intense drive, that keen eye for detail, holds the key to our greatest achievements? In this dynamic keynote, high-achievers discover "The Perfectionist's Edge"–a transformative journey that shifts mindsets from relentless pursuit to strategic mastery. Learn how to harness inherent… read more
Jennifer Glenski Director of Portfolio Marketing at BMC Software	GenAI Trivia Challenge Think you know GenAI? Put your knowledge to the test in our fun GenAI Trivia challenge, exclusively at the Women in Tech Global Conference 2025! Dive into the fascinating world of Generative AI, from groundbreaking innovations to key players shaping the field. Whether you're an AI enthusiast or just getting started, this interactive session is designed to inform, inspire, and ignite a little friendly competition. Top winners will receive a complimentary professional membership to the WomenTech Network, opening doors to exclusive networking opportunities, career resources,… read more
Kyler Cheatham Chief Performance Officer at The Confluencial	Stop Calling It Digital Transformation: The Hidden Cost of Hype We have all heard the phrase “digital transformation” so often that it has lost any real meaning. What started as a strategy for aligning people, process, and technology has been hijacked by buzzwords, vendor theatrics, and big promises that rarely match reality. The result = bloated budgets, Frankenstack systems, and teams burned out on change that does not deliver. This keynote cuts through the jargon. I will unpack why vague language leads to vague strategy and vague outcomes. We will look at case examples of ERP programs and “modernization” initiatives that delivered more… read more
Alba Gonzalez Hernando Product Manager and Career Coach at The Positive Career	Design Your Aligned Career: A Workshop for Women Ready to Redefine Success In a world where success is often defined by external milestones, many women in tech find themselves achieving without feeling fulfilled. This interactive workshop helps participants reconnect with their values, strengths, and story to design a career aligned with who they truly are. Through reflective exercises from The Career Compass framework, attendees will gain clarity on their unique direction, identify mindset barriers, and walk away with a personalized roadmap to pursue growth with authenticity and confidence. Did you like this session? Share to vote.
Joanne Fedeyko Founder & CEO at Connection Silicon Valley & Canadian Women’s Network	Cross-Border Scaling: How Startups Break Into New Markets and Actually Win In Cross-Border Scaling: How Startups Break Into New Markets and Actually Win, Joanne Fedeyko draws on her experience connecting founders between Canada, Silicon Valley, and global innovation hubs to demystify what it really takes to scale beyond your home market. She reveals why talent and product alone don’t determine success—access to the right networks, local champions, and ecosystem intelligence does. Joanne breaks down the key elements of winning cross-border expansion: validating market fit, navigating cultural expectations, building strategic partnerships, and localizing intelligently… read more
Emily Lewis Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Lead at UCB	Building AI Strategy That Serves Patients, Not Just Pipelines As AI adoption accelerates across the life sciences, many organizations have successfully embedded AI into discovery, development, and operational workflows—yet far fewer can demonstrate that these advances meaningfully improve patient outcomes. This panel explores what it truly means to build an AI strategy that serves patients, not just pipelines. Drawing on real-world examples from drug discovery, clinical development, real-world evidence, and post-market engagement, the discussion will examine how patient-centric AI strategies differ from pipeline-optimized ones. Panelists… read more
Laura Dunwoody Director of Resident Experience at City & County Of Denver	Denver leverages AI to help residents and wins big Take listeners on the AI customer service journey from ideation through to meaningful results that meet resident needs and significantly reduce cost to serve Did you like this session? Share to vote.
Tracy Ragan CEO at DeployHub	Winning the Cybersecurity War: Integrating Offensive and Defensive Tactics to Secure the Software Supply Chain Modern software development increasingly depends on open-source components, accelerating innovation but dramatically expanding the attack surface. High-profile supply chain compromises and the prolific growth in open-source vulnerabilities have exposed a critical gap: traditional vulnerability scanning alone cannot defend complex software supply chains. Security teams must adopt an integrated approach that combines offensive tactics (pre-deployment actions) with defensive tactics (post-deployment detection and real-time remediation) to effectively mitigate risk. In this session… read more
Diana Rogers Sr Product Manager at Global Payments	Handling Pushback in Meetings and Negotiations Imagine walking into a meeting as the only woman in the room, and an engineer opens with: “Wait, I thought this was a technical discussion.” Now what? You can’t ignore it. You can’t panic. And whatever you say next will quietly define your authority. In this talk, we’ll work through moments like this and other real-world pushback in meetings and negotiations. We’ll start with the basics borrowed from The Art of War: know yourself, know the other side. You’ll learn how to tell whether pushback is emotional or strategic, how to respond without escalating or over-explaining, and… read more
Kelsey Rich VP Digital Product at Employers Insurance Group	Leading Your Team Into the AI Era: Building the Culture, Ethics, and Courage to Transform Your team is scared. They've read the headlines. They've seen the demos. They're wondering if AI is coming for their jobs, and they're looking to you for answers you might not have yet. This is the leadership challenge of our generation: How do you guide your team through a technological transformation when the ground is shifting beneath everyone's feet? How do you create psychological safety to experiment with tools that feel threatening? How do you build an ethical framework that empowers rather than restricts? And how do you help people see AI as a… read more
Michelle Dunivan Sr Director, Insights & Analytics at Best Friends Animal Society	Mission First, AI Second: How Two Leaders Navigated AI Adoption for a National Nonprofit When Best Friends Animal Society, a leading U.S. animal welfare organization, moved to integrate AI into operations for its 900-person team, leadership faced a familiar challenge: how do you drive tech-led transformation among staff who came for the mission, not the tech? In this fireside chat, Amy Starnes, Principal of Growth Initiatives who led the strategic AI launch, and Michelle Dunivan, Senior Director of Insights & Analytics who designed the organization's AI training and adoption measurement program, share how they moved from theory to integration in a sector… read more
Tanusree Vinnakota Director of Engineering, TPM & Quality at Figma	Mastering the Compliance Matrix. AI, Privacy, Data, Trust With data privacy, AI and user trust top of mind for the world, lets talk about compliance program management. Beyond GDPR and DMA, hundreds of compliance regulations are coming our way. Lets chat about strategic project management, collaboration, and decisive action averting $45B in fines and setting new compliance benchmarks. Transform your approach to high-stakes projects! Did you like this session? Share to vote.
Kyler Cheatham Partner at The Confluencial	Why Vertical Intelligence Beats General AI Every Time If I hear about one more AI startup that “works for everyone,” I’m out. The market is flooded with tools trying to be everything to everyone. Most of them are just general AI bolted onto broken workflows, dressed up with a new UI and a bigger promise. The demos look great. The adoption does not. The ROI never shows up. This talk is about why vertical intelligence wins. Not because it is trendier, but because it is honest about how work actually gets done. Instead of horizontal platforms and generic copilots, vertical agents are built inside real workflows,… read more