50 over 50 Women in Tech
The first-ever list recognizing the achievements of women over 50 in the tech industry
Written by
Stacey Nordwall, People and Product
The idea for this list all began with a simple observation. I was trying to envision my future career path within the tech industry and frankly, I couldn’t. The tech industry can be quite challenging for women and exalting of youth, so what place could there possibly be for me?
When I tried to think of women I knew over 50 who still worked in tech, I couldn’t think of more than a few. So, I took to LinkedIn with my observation, and what I found was that I wasn’t the only one who wanted these women to be visible. They wanted to be seen just as much as I wanted to see them.
In fact, Sheila Krueger, Principal Advisor at The Benefits Bungalow, was one of the people to reach out to me after my initial post. “When I saw Stacey's post, it really made me think that to stop recognition at forty is a horrible thing! For years, I've seen lists of honors and celebrations touting how far people have come in their careers in a short time. We all know 30 under 30, but it’s never been about 50 over 50,” she says.
That changes today!
We’re proud to share with you our first-ever list (of more than 70 women!) that recognizes the achievements of women over 50 in the tech industry.
Diana Hearen
Director of People, Tachus Fiber Internet
Five years ago, I joined Tachus Fiber Internet as employee #4. Despite being a fledgling company with big dreams, we hadn't laid a single foot of fiber or won a single customer. Today, Tachus is a powerful force in the FTTH industry, with more than 200 employees providing lightning fast, uncomplicated 100% fiber internet to over 40,000 happy customers. I am honored to have been a part of helping this company grow and thrive.
What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
Embrace your unique perspective; don't hesitate to speak up and share your ideas confidently. Seek mentorship and support; this can be instrumental in navigating challenges and advancing your career. Continuously learn and adapt. Build your network; attend industry events and cultivate meaningful connections with peers, mentors and leaders in your field. Be resilient! Persistence is critical in the face of obstacles; believe in yourself and your abilities, and don't be swayed from your goals.
Theresa Fesinstine
Founder, peoplepower.ai
During college, I missed out on joining the senior year advertising "pitch team" due to my shy presenting skills. Rejection stung hard. Growing up as a shy, bullied girl, confidence was a challenge. In my first job, my mentor made me a trainer - terrifying! I'm proudest of transforming from a timid girl to a confident leader: standing at the front, exuding confidence. My mentor saw potential I couldn't. This journey revealed strengths and provided a model for me to mentor others.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Like many women that find themselves the "only woman in the room" I have always found it hard to balance the role and approach I have felt necessary in order to be "accepted" among my c-suite peers. I felt this was exacerbated by my role as a CHRO / CPO, particularly when working for organizations where the people leadership function was new. Often it felt like colleagues expected me to be a glorified assistant until they realized that I was more prepared, and a better strategist.
Julia Salgado
Program Change Lead, Bayer
I've driven transformative change for several large IT programs across various industries and stakeholder groups. I’ve helped stakeholders walk through the mud as they learned about platform changes and guided them on the adoption journey.
Bringing modern day changes to organizations is a huge lift. However, managing the human emotional impacts is just as critical. And when stakeholders are resistant they undermine the value and benefits IT solutions can deliver for unlocking potential growth.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
It's been most challenging being the “only,” the only woman, the only Latina sitting at the table. I’ve found that I’ve had to always be deliberate with demonstrating the value I bring to teams/initiatives. While there have been advocates, many will sit on the sidelines and quietly support my place around the table. So my wish is that leaders in the tech industry would harness the knowledge and breadth of experience women over 50 bring to the table. Stop assuming we are at the end of our careers and only focused on retirement.
Holly Bossert
Founder, Your Sales Prophet
I've built one unicorn, lead one org to IPO and another to a $700M acquisition. Not many people can say they have done all three so I'm super proud of that fact.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Review benefits packages to ensure they are inclusive of the specific needs of women over 50. Create structured programs to ease women back into the workforce after career breaks. Also, women (heck and men) take career breaks for all type of reasons. We need to normalize it not punish people for it. Focus less on rigid hours or physical presence and more on measurable outcomes and productivity. Women over 50 are productive! We get shit done in half the time.
Lorie Boyd
Chief People Officer, Turo Inc.
I’m proud that I’ve worked at a number of successful start-ups. I’ve worked at Oracle, Salesforce.com (I was employee #90), Zendesk (up and through their IPO), and now I’m at Turo. I’ve been here for a little over 6 years and I’m proud that we are now approaching one thousand employees globally and have filed our S-1 with the SEC in preparation to be a public company. I’m also proud that in 2022 I received the Stevie Award for CHRO of the Year.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Like most working mothers, navigating a demanding tech career while trying to raise two children has been challenging. Being a Latina, the stereotype from my culture would have been for me to stay at home and raise children, and NOT pursue a full-time career. I am so fortunate that I have a supportive husband of 26 years and my mother who came to live with us to help me raise our boys so that I could keep up with the workload and travel schedule that these high growth start-ups have demanded. I think that employers need to research and put in place better benefits to support women through menopause and educate people managers about this phase of life that women go through. I believe that it is quite misunderstood assuming people are even aware of it and how it impacts women of this age. Insomnia, weight gain, night sweats, emotional ups & downs, etc., are all topics for which I think we need to build awareness, support and empathy for women who are 50+.
Kristin Persson
Professor, UC Berkeley/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
I founded the Materials Project in 2011 and I have directed and grown it to become the most used materials database in the world. We currently have close to 500,000 users, and we deliver millions of data records all over the world, daily. Our data has changed how the scientific and engineering community does materials science; now we increasingly use data-driven and machine learning algorithms operating on increasingly broad and accurate data.
What are you looking forward to in your professional journey?
To discover new insights and methodologies for the benefit of our materials development cycle and thereby bring improved and more sustainable materials to market. Ultimately, materials science for sustainability is a critical spearhead in the battle against climate change and a better future for mankind.
Rachel Radway
CEO, Leadership Coach & Mastermind Facilitator, RER Coaching
I've been in tech since the mid '90s, and had multiple careers. I've built disciplines and global teams from the ground up, in product content, communications, and design operations. I've held leadership roles at startups and Fortune 500s. I'm proud to have succeeded where I did, proud to have learned from my failures, and proud to have started my own business focused on supporting women leaders in tech!
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Recognize that age = experience + wisdom! We're so valuable in so many ways — our acquired knowledge and skills, plus our empathy, our ability to prioritize and deescalate and calmly handle crises. Our intuition and understanding of people and how to inspire and motivate. Let women over 50 work more on their terms — their hours, their spaces, their initiatives. Stop micromanaging or ignoring and start actively listening. Start showing that you respect and value them and their contributions.
Jackie Curry
Principal UX Designer, SnapLogic
Most recently, my focus on designing for AI applications has allowed me to push the boundaries of user-centric design, creating intuitive and intelligent interfaces that adapt to user needs.
What are you looking forward to in your professional journey?
I’m excited to further explore and incorporate cutting-edge technologies such as AI, VR (Virtual Reality), and AR (Augmented Reality) into user experience design. These technologies offer new ways to enhance user interaction and create more immersive experiences.
Teresa Lemos
Director Global Total Rewards, Natus
No talent should be left behind even those over 50 years old. Minorities usually get rated more harshly, promoted less, and get less support from employer to advance in their careers. Those over 50 have a wealth of knowledge and still have a lot to contribute.
Pratibha Sharma
Sr. Product Manager, Pacific Gas & Electric Company
I'm a seasoned product management leader with a robust background in companies such as Amazon, PayPal, IBM Labs, VeriSign, and Toyota. Known for swiftly translating ideas into successful products, I've set records in launching new initiatives, managing customer use cases, strategic roadmap planning, and fostering high-performance teams. Proficient in seamlessly bridging the gap between business and technology, I bring a proven track record of efficiently delivering large-scale software products.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Give women opportunities to try new areas and support their new thought process.
Melanie Morris
Head of People and Culture, MIMOSA Diagnostics Inc.
I'm proud of having the opportunity to build true culture early on in a startup - most startups don't have someone with my expertise as early on as MIMOSA did, and we are better for it, I believe.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Definitely more awareness regarding perimenopause and menopause, although I think as GenX women, we are raising our voices loud and clear about this and aren't going to be ignored. Also, even if our children are grown, we still need flexible work hours, because we've suddenly got more health appointments we need to attend and aging parents who need support, and maybe we might need a wee bit longer to get something done, but we are still going to get it done, because that's what we do!
Gayathri Rajan
SVP, Product, Adyen
Building a billion dollar enterprise business for Google Maps. Seeing the potential in an old, and plateaued business that others had written off, and transforming it with limited resources.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Throughout my career, I've built things from the ground up in areas that nobody thought had potential. But once it become clear that my area was successful, I found myself competing with male colleagues who then "took it over." This has sadly happened multiple times. It's been a lifelong process to learn how to advocate for myself. I am proud that I now do this not just for myself, but also for other women. Build strong relationships with other women leaders, and lift each other up. Don't give up. Technology is the future and women deserve to be a part of it!
Jen Nguyen
Founding Partner, Teamwerc
Having played pivotal roles in the growth of several early-stage hyper-growth companies, I take pride in not only witnessing their evolution but also in steering the ship through uncharted territories. What resonates with me the most, however, is my role in championing DEI initiatives. I have actively led efforts to extend workplace career opportunities and competitive compensation, including equity, to individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
A significant challenge I've encountered in navigating my career is developing the foresight to pause, appreciating not just the major victories but also acknowledging the daily improvements that pave the way to success. It's an ongoing journey of recognizing and valuing the incremental progress along the way.
Tamsyn Dobson
Technical Product Manager, Disney Experiences
What I’m most proud of in my career is that I successfully pivoted into product management from software engineering.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Leaders need to recognize the value and potential in all of their reports and elicit what each individual needs to be successful and advance, provide stretch opportunities, and encourage them to leave the safety of their comfort zones. This is especially true of women within their organizations who are often overlooked and underutilized.
Janna Kimel
Principal User Experience Researcher, Providence Health Services
I'm proud that I had the opportunity to build a User Research practice from the ground up at a company that had no formal research to date. I hired a team of 6, created processes, and evangelized for the work so that teams understood how we do our work and its importance to the success of a product. I'm proud of being in healthcare where we always work to make the technology used by patients and providers as usable as possible so they can focus on the healing not the technology.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Working in user research and being a female in tech sometimes feels like I'm starting off with 2 strikes. As women, we are still working to be an equal voice in the room. As researchers, our job can be seen as less rigorous, or like work anyone can do. The reality is, most of us have a lot of training to do what we do. Repeatable, reliable research doesn't happen on accident.
Pam Boiros
Owner, Bridge Marketing Advisors
I was responsible for building the largest professional online library of professional books, Books24x7. Starting in 2000, and through 2013 I led publisher relations and product marketing for the company. I made the jump from traditional book publishing to digital publishing in 2000 after completing an MBA. I saw the power of the internet to unleash and unlock all of the knowledge contained in books - particularly professional and technical. We grew into a popular online learning solution.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Managing other people has been the highlight of my career, but also has presented many of the most challenging moments as well. I try to lead by example, and invite people to be their best at work every day. As leaders, we always need to recognize that what is happening around people (family, relationships, finances, health) are going to impact their engagement and performance on the job. Leading with empathy is challenging AND rewarding as we see people grow and embrace their full potential.
Jen Santos
Founder & CEO, Smart Event Academy
I’m proud that I’ve stayed in tech, and that I’ve become a trusted voice and leader to those around me. That I’m known for my ability to bring together disparate teams and get them working together smoothly in pursuit of a common goal. And that I’m known for doing with both humor and grace.
What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
I would say to other women in the tech industry that if this is what you want to do, do not let the strong male culture hold you back. Computer programming was invented by a woman. The early programmers were all women. There are a lot of organizations around the world specifically for women in technology that can help you navigate these sometimes turbulent waters. Seek them out and don’t stay in a toxic workplace because you don’t think you have a choice.
Elizabeth Bacon
Founder & Principal, Devise Consulting
Founding two companies (sold a startup, and still running my consultancy) and leading product design & development in health tech domain.
What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
Don't give credence to the imposter voice when it sneaks in a nasty word. You are enough. You are worthy. Your authentic ways of being are invaluable and needed in the tech industry. Feed your soul with activities that help renew your creativity and nourish yourself, whatever that might look like for you. Our careers are a marathon, not a sprint. Honor your instincts, and make the decisions that are best for you & yours.
Remy Meraz
Co-founder and CEO, Zella Life
Overcoming being the "only one" throughout my career, I left Corporate America to start my Zella Life, an AI-powered platform, that addresses talent development challenges and leadership inclusion gaps for talent below the executive level. Despite an initial failed attempt, my resilience led to the birth and success of Zella Life. This journey, from personal hurdles to empowering change, stands as my proudest achievement, embodying resilience and impactful leadership.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Facing stereotypes as a woman and person of color in tech and as a founder, especially in raising venture capital, remains a challenge. Networking events often come with assumptions about my role, leading to isolation in (mostly white) male-dominated spaces. Despite being an extrovert, engaging requires extra effort in assertiveness. My experience highlights the ongoing struggle for inclusivity.
Shaun F Wilde
Global Partner Marketing Manager, Amazon
I'm proud of having mentored and supported a number of women throughout my career.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Let's revolutionize Tech leadership by embracing the immense talent of women over 50. It's time to break from outdated norms. Implement programs for mentoring and empowering women, catalyzing a paradigm shift. By celebrating diversity, we foster creativity and success for all.
Nicki Purcell
President, Insite, LLC
I'm proud of my ability to pivot our company's team members at the beginning of the pandemic to optimize a product build, launch it in 5 months, and support the community as a B Corp to help businesses reopen in the height of uncertainty.
What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
While it is a male-dominated industry, the best solutions are created with consumer empathy. This is across all backgrounds and across genders. The integration of this diversity in tech is critical now and in the future. The balance between the proverbial "glass ceiling" and the sticky floor. I intentionally opted out of certain roles because of the impact they could have on my personal life balance when the reality is I was qualified and had the drive to be successful, but was concerned with juggling priorities.
Tatiana Frierson
Chief Executive Officer, Inspirus / Pluxee, USA
I've been especially proud of my recent role as CEO and the transformation that we have accomplished in a relatively short period of time and in the middle of COVID! We changed development partners and implemented a new ERP. In addition, we successfully launched our new modern SaaS platform for Employee Recognition and Engagement, which was recently awarded Everest Peak Matrix Star Performer and Major contender.
What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
Be persistent, don't back down from your convictions. Leverage a mentor -- doesn't necessarily need to be a woman. My best mentor was a boss I had when I was in consulting. He was compassionate, had incredible empathy, was supportive and provided guidance on how to handle challenging situations.
Linda Berberich, PhD
Founder and Chief Learning Architect, Linda B. Learning
I've created three very different learning technologies that shifted how people learn using technology.
Advice for other women in the tech industry and what you're looking forward to?
Stay on top of the technology and continue to hone your skills. There is always something new to learn and integrate into your practice. How generative AI will become more refined and used to augment human learning, rather than replace people or their jobs.
Rowena Hennigan
Founder, RoRemote
I'm proud of weathering the intense Covid storm as a Remote Work expert! I started my Founder journey in 2018 aged 45, researching and predicting that Remote Work was set to grow in popularity. Little did I know back then that my prediction was correct and that Covid would accelerate the growth, demand and access to Remote Work. It was very much a case of tapping into my intuition, taking a calculated risk, doing good analysis and embracing opportunity. Lesson learned, trust your gut always!
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
I am menopausal and suffering with many of the symptoms simultaneously, which has been very difficult. It has been one of the biggest challenges in my career, as the mid-life collision of hormones, care-responsibilities, aging and work status created a toxic cocktail, which could have led to burnout. Recently, I took 3 months of work for a sabbatical, to take the rest I needed to recover. Giving myself the permission to stop work and prioritise my life was empowering and just what I needed. In my professional journey, I'm looking forward to creating new systems in business and tech for women to thrive in! Which includes advocating and fostering for small, solo and freelance business models, plus championing (nod to Cindy Gallop) other women to go that extra level so they can thrive. I already Mentor women and I am looking forward to building on this and improving how I support women. I learn from every Mentee and relish in the opportunity to support their development and unique contributions to these new models of working.
Amanda MacDonald
Senior Manager, Enterprise Support - Strategic Industries Energy & HCLS Area Leader, Amazon Web Services
I have done many things over my career, breaking barriers and creating opportunities for those who come after me will always be the thing I am most proud of. Most recently, I was able to see an idea I had come to life. With other remarkable women, we hosted an event to "move" around the world (24,901 miles at the equator). We currently have over 1,967 participants and have already lapped the world in less than 7 days!
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
The most challenging thing I had to navigate is my own self doubt and self worth. Still to this day, I have let outside opinions influence how I think of myself. I still suffer from imposter syndrome on occasion. Having a network of people who remind me that I am worthy helps. No one can be 100% "on it" every day, so recognizing that has helped me shed negative thoughts.
Christine Duguay
Leadership and Employee Development Manager, Auvik
I am most proud of my ability to see the possibilities in others. As a Learning and Development Professional, I am a humanist who believes that everyone can grow, and learn and become the versions of themselves they aspire to. I love my work because I get to help people do that.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Demonstrating the value of L&D has always been a challenge so over the years I have learned to focus on the problem we are trying to solve, to demonstrate how learning can help tackle that problem, and the value that it brings to the organization. Having worked in many different industries has also taught me to customize my work to the needs of the business.
Kaveri Tayjasanant
Business Operations Lead, Flieber, Inc
Flieber, Inc is the third startup that I have worked together with my CEO. I am proud of the high performing teams and culture that we have built together. Flieber is a people first organization and I am really proud that we deeply care about the employee experience and employees' well-being.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Finding the balance between being a mom and working without having a support network. When my children were small, I was "shamed" by my kids teachers - I was working at Google, my husband was working in Finance, and our kids aged 3 and 4 went to before/after school care and were in school all day. The teachers chided me for "not putting my children's well-being first" and stated that my children's development was being negatively impacted by my working such long hours.
Laura Prietula
Deputy Chief Information Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs
I've established authoritative data sources and services across one of the largest federal agencies in the United States.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
The world changes very quickly, so making plans for the future must include consistent learning (I love education) and adapting to new normals.
Fiona Walsh
CEO and PowerPoint Trainer, Empower Presentations
I'm proud of leaving corporate and starting an IT training and consultancy business while in my mid forties.
What are you looking forward to in your professional journey?
I'm looking forward to working with larger organisations and empowering their staff to create professional slides and confidently present. I'm also looking forward to helping organisations explore Microsoft Copilot and start embracing Artificial Intelligence. It's the way of the future!
Sheila Krueger
Principal Advisor, The Benefits Bungalow
Building an Access database in the early 2000's that held salary data for 35,000 employees, anonymized this data, and used it to populate over 40 salary surveys in which we participated. THEN, when the results were returned, I imported all of the raw data and created queries and analytics to help us determine salary budgets for the coming year.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Sadly, having things "mansplained" so many times I can't even count that high with an Access database. And also, constantly seeing women verbally bashing other women to get ahead or jockey for a position.
Angie Verros
Founder & CEO, Vaia Talent
One accomplishment I'm immensely proud of is leading the expansion of my tech-enabled sourcing firm from a team of 4 to 40 employees in just six months. It was an exhilarating challenge that demanded strategic planning, effective leadership, and relentless dedication.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Trying to do it all—balancing career aspirations, personal responsibilities, and self-care—has sometimes been a challenging aspect of my career. The pressure to excel professionally while maintaining a fulfilling personal life can feel overwhelming at times. Finding time and energy to invest in self-care and well-being amidst competing demands is a constant struggle. I've learned to prioritize, set boundaries, and seek support to achieve a more balanced approach. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable! You got this.
Ibilola Amao
Principal Consultant, Lonadek Global Services
Established a woman-owned ISO 9001:2015 certified Engineering TECH, Asset Performance & Information Management Company in 1991. We are very active in male-dominated sectors such as Energy, Power, Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Oil & Gas. We exposed over 100,000 talent to STEM/TECH programmes, over 15,000 talent to digital learning in collaboration with Microsoft, LinkedIn & GitHub, trained over 75 Cloud practitioners with AWS & 250 females to the USAID Power Africa
ESWLI programme.
What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
Find your niche. A place where your potential, talent & passion puts you ahead of the pack. Remain humble, honest & teachable. Keep on learning & moving forward. Focus on your set goals. Out compete yourself always. Face your own lane. Be a value creator. Be determined to add value. Always have your eye on the ball & be meticulous. Seek out mentors & coaches to close your gaps. Volunteer to build capacity. Be open to collaboration & engagements in vibrant TECH communities.
Bimpe Olufemi
Director, Operations & Client Relationship, The Digital Insurer
Spearheaded a transformative operations journey for a prominent financial services powerhouse, igniting a digital revolution in which we transitioned from analogue to digital processes, paving the way for efficiency and agility. Alongside this, we committed to the mentorship of a new generation of trailblazers, ensuring sustainability and fostering a legacy of leadership for future years.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
1. Flexible working hours (particularly remote working)
2. Extend the retirement age to 67 years, like other developed nations
3. Create a supportive environment for Perimenopause and Menopause women; and awareness around these taboo subjects.
Erica Dobbs
CEO, Dobbs Defense Solutions
Connect on LinkedIn
Retiring from the Navy with the distinguished rank of O-5, Commander, in the male-dominated field of Information Professionals and Information Technology, stands as the pinnacle of my career, a testament to my dedication and resilience as a minority female. This achievement not only marks a personal triumph over the challenges inherent in such a demanding environment but also symbolizes a broader victory for diversity and representation at high levels of leadership and technical expertise.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career? What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Facing sexism, racism, discrimination, and the challenges of being a Black veteran woman, I've navigated through formidable barriers without letting them hinder my aspirations. My career is a testament to resilience, showing that success and fulfillment are achievable despite systemic obstacles and complexities of transitioning from military to civilian roles. Tech leaders must dismantle salary biases and ensure women over 50 access to CEO roles, paid board seats, and other male-dominated opportunities. By breaking glass ceilings and normalizing their leadership presence, the industry will thrive on diverse insights. This transformation, rooted in equity, inclusivity, and professional growth, will redefine tech leadership standards.
Nicole Newlin
Chief Customer Officer, Nova Credit
Having the confidence to recognize opportunities that may be out of my comfort zone and successfully translating my skill set to pivot into new verticals; all in leadership positions where the majority of my peers are men. Moving from banking to fintech later in my career was the most challenging of all opportunities and by far the most rewarding.
What are you looking forward to in your professional journey?
I'm the most excited to be pioneering a new role at Nova Credit- Chief Customer Officer (CCO). The Fintech ecosystem has been slow to adopt this role despite the importance in uniting leadership teams towards building a customer driven growth engine. At the same time, we cannot send a stronger message about the value we place on the customer experience; now more than ever; by having the CCO at the table operating as an advocate.
Debbie McGrath
CEO, HR.com
I'm looking forward to a successful exit and retirement.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
I want to see more women on boards, more diversity on boards, and ageism at work eliminated.
Cherry Murillon
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CAWIL. AI
I'm proud of building my tech company.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
In my economy, mature women are stereotyped for being homemakers and not having their own money. Women who have become mothers and go back to work get a hard time finding the right job and salaries according to their skill sets.
Leanne Bryant
Consultant, Self-employed
One of my proudest accomplishments is spearheading the design and implementation of diverse training programs across multiple industries. These initiatives not only fostered continuous learning but also led to tangible outcomes such as higher employee engagement and reduced errors. These endeavors reflect my commitment to lifelong learning and driving organizational growth through strategic HR and tech interventions.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Throughout my career, addressing sexism, unequal pay, and ageism has been challenging. Despite progress, biases persist, impacting opportunities for women like myself. The gender pay gap and age discrimination remain hurdles to overcome. To combat these, I continue to advocate for fair compensation, inclusive cultures, and ongoing learning opportunities for all employees.
Njeri Gitau
Project Manager, Gertrude's Children's Hospital
I take great pride in contributing to solutions that not only align with the strategic objectives of the companies I've been a part of but also make a meaningful impact on the lives of numerous individuals. Moreover, I am proud of leaving every environment I've been in better than I found it, whether through improvements in processes, fostering positive relationships, or making lasting contributions to the community.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career? What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
To foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for women over 50, leaders should actively promote and support the representation of women over 50 in leadership; implement age-inclusive policies that address biases and stereotypes related to age; provide opportunities for continuous learning and professional development tailored to the needs and interests of women over 50; and offer training and awareness programs to address unconscious bias related to age and gender. Throughout my career journey, one of my significant challenges has been advancing through the ranks. Being someone who takes action and focuses on getting things done, I've found myself occasionally overlooked for higher positions. This tendency has sometimes resulted in others not recognizing my aspirations for growth, ultimately leading to being passed over for promotions.
Isabelle Rorke
Deputy Chair Animation SA and Executive Producer, EPN and Animation SA
Winning 27 awards around the world for our first 3D animated African folk tale series. Innovating on the industry production Value chain and creating the inverted value chain
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Improved ergonomics. The aging body should not sit for that many hours. Tables should rise to allow for periods of standing while working.
Amanda Armstrong
Director, RevenueLab
After being a late starter to leadership, I've ended up in executive roles for 3 of NZ's most successful tech companies. In these roles, I've led people in countries all around the world and many of these people I still stay in touch with today.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
I was often one of very few women in teams of men, and at times I doubted my views when it was different to the men. Now, I'd be way more confident my perspective and ideas added diversity of thinking. In early days I often had leadership calls after 5.30pm and as a single mother needed to cook dinner at the same time. In those days you were trying to hide that you were doing this for fear of being compared with the men on the call who weren't. It wasn't accepted like it is today.
Winifred Ereyi
Snr. Distributor Sales Representative, Eaton
Setting up a non profit: ThinkSTEM Foundation to build the female minority tech talent pipeline. We have inspired and empowered tens of thousands of girls to pursue STEM careers.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career? What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Being among few women in the TECH space. That is why I am passionate about raising awareness and advocating for more women to join the TECH pipeline. Provide opportunities for women over 50 who have taken a hiatus from the corporate world to return back there if they so desire.
Minky Kernacs
CEO, Mercurio Analytics
I am most proud of leading the initiative, from a technology perspective, that helped reduce homelessness in Philadelphia by 20% in its 1st year and over 40% within 5. By leveraging my experience, skills, and strategic thinking to support the Commissioner's vision, I delivered data-driven solutions that improved population health significantly. While I've enjoyed helping transform Fortune 500 companies into powerhouses, my work in Philadelphia had the most tangible impact on people's lives.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
One challenge I've navigated is finding the balance between my enthusiastic personality and the serious perception often demanded in my roles. This is especially true as a woman in the field, where expressing passion can sometimes be misconstrued. However, I've learned to channel that enthusiasm into productive collaboration and building respect with colleagues.
Kareemat Gbajumo
Director, Karsol Technologies Ltd
I spearheaded the implementation of a new service for Bankers Warehouse (BW), called the Bank Neutral Cash Hubs (BNCH), as Project Manager. The purpose of this service was to complement the cash management business. Key activities included participating in the conceptualization of BNCH, obtaining board and regulatory approvals, developing the business plan, project managing the development of the Bank Neutral Teller (BNT) App, and initiating a fully completed pilot site.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Leaders in the tech industry can implement several changes to create a more inclusive and supportive workplace for women over 50 such as: Remote work options and flexible hours, networking opportunities, career development opportunities targeted at women in that age bracket, equal opportunities regardless of age.
Catherine Ballantyne
Formerly APJ Senior Director of Customer Success, VMware
Building an APJ team and a product category where nothing existed previously. It was a reminder of how when the "why" is clearly articulated and every one is aligned you can cut through a cacophony of noise, win customers you thought were out of your league and build teams that will make you smile forever.
What are you looking forward to in your professional journey?
I am really looking forward to the next wave of growth. Every time there is major upheaval, such as we saw with COVID, there is a period of disruption and then an acceleration to the next plateau. I know there is still a lot of disruption but the wave is building under that disruption and I am paddling out the back on my board just waiting to ride it in.
Christelle Newkirk
Director, Talent Acquisition Gogo Business Aviation
I'm proud of increasing the number of under represented groups in the Tech industry.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career? What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
My career started very slow and took a lot of perseverance as I was told many times that as an immigrant, I could not possibly understand the American culture and that my accent was only cute for support roles. Champion other women! Too often, I see women in leadership roles who see other women as competition rather than partners
Meg Bear
Chief Sabbatical Officer, Meg Bear Sabbatical
I have helped to make work better by creating innovations focused on improving professional opportunity capture for high potential and under represented workers.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
When you understand that mothers suffer a professional penalty and that often menopause impacts peak performance you should more easily see that 50s and 60s are when women are best positioned to thrive in the workforce. Seeing this age group as a key talent community is just smart business.
Savitha Namuduri
Sr. Director, Data Science, Vericast
Balancing passions, family life and professional career has definitely been a challenge. Sometimes when all three require your and only your attention. I am a singer and educator by passion. It has taught me the power of persistence, patience and focus, in being able to navigate challenging situations.
Erika Jolly Brookes
CEO, Jolly Brookes, Inc.
I'm proud of a 2012 brand campaign with full print, digital and event activation for Vitrue, Inc that was called "From Likes to Love" leveraging the Facebook like and platform as a pivot point for B2C to develop brand loyalty and affinity, i.e. brand love, through social media.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
The tech industry needs to make room in the C-suite and board room for experienced women. Add an outside director to the board if you do not have a female yet on the board, find the women who have been plugging away at the dual role of family and career who have more time for career, and invest in their development to make it to the next management level.
Heather Stevens
CEO and Founder, SH3PHERD
As a technology product leader, I've seen five companies through successful exits.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career? What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
I've been one of the only woman in the room for most of my career (and the only POC). Often I've had lower titles and salaries than my peers and I've been passed over for jobs for less-qualified men more times than I can count (I've even had a company contact me later to tell me that the man they hired instead of me did not work out and would I like the job now? I did not.) I've also had to take legal action against a company for gender and racial discrimination. I won, but it was soul-sucking.
The general sentiment that women over 50 are has-beens. I don't think men have the same issue. I feel like I'm in the middle of my career, but people treat me like I'm at the end of it.
Leslie Linsner
CHRO, WorkFusion
When Russia attacked Ukraine, and 70+ of our employees were in Ukraine and Belarus, we had to move them all to safety (those that wanted to come). We established a Poland location where employees could be safe, maintain their income, preserve their families, and continue on. Very rough transition but we held each of our employees' hands all the way.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
The internal battle between KNOWING my confidence and BEING confident.
Folake Martin-Milton
VP of Operations, SAP NS2
I have been a part of tech for 20+ years; as an executive leader, I am proud of creating teams that are skilled, efficient, and forward-thinking. But, I am most proud of my role in mentorship, sponsorship, and coaching.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
Invite and sponsor more women into leadership roles, but more so, provide a seat at the table and respect the opinions they share.
Nicole Whittle
VP Operations, Outforce.ai
I'm proud of 30 years of balancing tech, strategy and commercialization impact for every project I've built.
What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
Be transparent about inequality but come at it from a place of expertise not emotion. Recognize that life is too short to work for a boss(es) that don't value your way of seeing the world. Dream bigger and attack the big idea-don't wait for someone to build the idea for themselves.
Chandana Suggala
Former Sr. Director, IT at PagerDuty
I've evangelized Project Management in multiple companies to improve efficiency in business process and delivery.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Looking back, even though I didn't realize at the time, I think being a woman and that too a woman of color, really slowed my career growth. Also, I had to balance the demands of being a wife and a mother and the demands of my professional life. So didn't have much time for networking.
Lynne Oldham
Chief People Officer, Stash
I am very proud that at age 57 I entered the tech industry for the first time with my role as Chief People Officer at Zoom. Before Zoom, as somewhat a unicorn, I had done the same role for multiple other industries - banking, consumer, oil/gas, & publishing. I had already proven skills are transferrable. It was tough to get an established headhunting firm to think outside the box. In the end, I got the intro to the company and role through my network and landed because of my experience.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
We chose to start my family early, before completing my UG studies, so when I returned to school after my first baby, I was taking classes 4 nights a week for 2 years to complete my BS while working full time. I knew I could accomplish anything with hard work with the partnership I got from my husband. Five years later I pursued my law degree, again at night, 4 nights a week for 4 years. Talk about a glutton for punishment. But the first in my family to achieve a college degree, let alone two.
Christine Burnett
Senior Technical Recruiter, Clipboard Health
I'm proud of still being relevant in the tech world after all these years.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
We talk so much about DEI. It seems to include everything except Ageism, which is alive and well and a hugely conscious bias.
Kelley Steven-Waiss
Chief Transformation Officer, ServiceNow, Inc.
I started a technology company (www.hitch.works) or "hitch" which was a B2B SaaS platform for internal mobility that used skills intelligence to match people to work. I spun that innovation out of HERE Technologies in July 2020 and then went venture backed. ServiceNow then acquired my company in June 2022. I have also written 2 books, the latest which was published by Forbes on March 5th, 2024.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
I went through menopause in my early 50's and right at the peak of my professional career. It was a difficult transition when the pressure to perform the highest and your energy and mental focus is being challenged. I think we need to provide access to the benefits and support networks for women in their 50's so we keep them in the workforce. I have spoken to many of my female tech executives my age who are dropping out of operational roles because of the high tax on their mental health.
Rachel Link Robinson
Senior Vice President, People + Operations, Forethought
I built out operations and people at Thorn, a tech non-profit that defends children from sexual abuse. We crafted a workplace of excellence wired for inclusion, resilience, and flexibility. Thorn became an inaugural partner with Google.org's Fellowship Program, was recognized for innovation by Fast Company, and received the TED Audacious Grant. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to impact a child's life and the people I worked alongside.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career? What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
I moved to the United States with a new baby and had to leave a job I loved working in investment banking in London. It was challenging to move to a new location as a new mother and leave all your personal and professional network behind. I needed to build new relationships and communities, and it was especially tough to re-enter the workplace with that career break. It has made me passionate about flexible work and breaking down entry barriers to the tech industry.
The tech industry can be a closed network; we must create space to invite others in (think pac-man). We must not presume that someone will be inherently good or bad at their job based on an aspect of their identity or resume; let's stay curious. What you see as someone's shadow may also be their superpower; if you are open-minded, you may find that hire one of the best decisions you have ever made.
Kelly Kaplan
Senior Director, Engineering, Freenome
I am most proud of the mentoring I have done for early career women in management.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
My biggest challenge was to be more proactive in promoting myself to the next level. In my 30's I found myself staying at jobs that were amendable to my family needs in terms of flexibility versus good for my career. I thought I could just do a good job and be rewarded, but it takes more than that. When my career advancement did not happen I should have moved on. I lacked a sponsor and/or mentor to coach and push me. Hence I try to play that role for other women.
Jenny Strauss
Sr. Director, Employee Experience and DE&I, Demandbase
I'm most proud of finding a vocation in the field of HR after years of working. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy my work up until I entered the field, however, once I found HR, I found myself. Every job experience along the way helped me get here, but if you had asked me "what I wanted to be when I grew up" when I was younger, I couldn't have imagined this career. It's not something I even knew existed.
What are you looking forward to in your professional journey? What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
The older I get, the more comfortable I become with myself, and with interacting with a wide variety of people in all sorts of positions and industries. There's a comfort that comes with experience that I couldn't have predicted. I started my career without any particular "marketable" skills at a time when I felt my differences were a liability. Now I enjoy nothing more than helping others realize that who they are is exactly who they need to be.
I survived the dot com crash, and economic downturns at the same time I was having children. I stepped off and back on the "career ladder" and there were times I never saw myself getting to a leadership position, especially when I had to start over. My family was anything but traditional and this was also difficult to navigate. Additionally, as a fat woman in a world of thin homogeneity (especially earlier in my career in the 90s in fashion), I found I had to fight harder to feel valued.
Dina Medeiros
Director, Talent & Employer Branding, HoYoverse
I'm proud of the relationships I've built. I have deep relationships globally, I've worked hard to give back to peers the past 30 years. I have 4-6 peer calls monthly, in and out of my industry. Sometimes we talk business, sometimes family, travel and what we hope for our future. My network is full of real relationships and I'm so thankful and proud of the work that I put into it... I get so much fulfillment from them.
What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
I have a sign that hangs in my office that says "Always have an opinion", when I left LinkedIn my team gifted it to me as this was something I felt strongly about. When you're in a meeting or working on a project, you've been invited there because someone believe you have value. Have an opinion. You can (and should) always have an open mind to change your opinion but feel confident that your voice matters.
Umuganwa Kalinda Nsenda
CEO, IZE-TECH LTD
I'm proud of leading implementation of Standard Bank internet banking and mobile app in 9 countries.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career? What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
At the start of my career as a programmer, I faced skepticism due to being both black and female. This lack of trust instilled a fear of making mistakes, as I felt they would only serve to confirm prevailing assumptions about my abilities. My advice to fellow women in the tech industry is simple: continue pursuing what you're passionate about. Don't let gender or age be barriers to your success. Keep striving for your goals and never underestimate your abilities. Your passion and determination will pave the way for your success, regardless of any perceived limitations.
Carmela D Krantz
Founder / CEO, Woven Human Resources
I'm proud of being the first VP of HR / Talent at six startups.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career? What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
It has been a challenge to get people to understand that great HR is a strategic advantage for businesses. It is better in 2024 than it was 10, 15, or 20 years ago but there are still many who don't get it. My advice for other women in tech is, develop your EQ, learn other areas of the business that are not your area of expertise, and lift up other women.
Barbara Nelson
VP Engineering, Influxdata
I'm proud of my long career as a developer and as an engineering leader. I am able to leverage my past experiences to guide my team forward. It's amazing how many issues repeat, so I tend not to get too many surprises in my day-to-day management. The technologies may keep on changing, but the issues are remarkably similar.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50? What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
Stop stereotyping us, and don't make us responsible for the success of women in tech. It gets hard to have to keep advocating for women - the men should be advocating for women too! It's a great industry to be in, but you need to have a clear idea of how much you're going to put into it, and what you hope to get out of it. Not everyone is going to be the next billionaire, and a lot of folks work incredibly hard for much smaller rewards, so just make sure you're happy doing the work you are doing.
Heather Melton
Account Executive, Altura
I started in tech 3 years ago. Previously I had owned my own language school in Madrid. When I decided I wanted to go into tech sales, I was told to not get my hopes up and that it was hard to break-in, especially for women, and even more so for older women. So the accomplishment I'm most proud of is doing it in the first place! When they told me it wouldn't happen, I said I think it will and bet on myself.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career? What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
Coming from being a business owner with employees to just starting out was a humbling experience. I would easily get frustrated if I didn't do things perfectly the first time and was very hard on myself. Truthfully I still am. But I wouldn't change it for the world! I've learned so much about myself and continue to each day. You have to learn to give yourself a break and realise where you are on your career journey. My advice for other women in tech is, approach each challenge with the desire to learn and the confidence to know what you bring to the table. I may not have as much experience as other salespeople, but I do have business acumen and vast personal experience. Find your strengths and share them.
Lisa Atkins
SAP Solution Architect, EPI-USE America
I made a huge career pivot over 10 years ago to leave a corporate HR systems role and become a consultant, implementing SAP SuccessFactors software. I have grown my skills and experience in this field from consultant to principal consultant and now I am a Solution Architect.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
I am frequently the only women on a project and have experienced some issues related to being a women in charge of a technical team. I was an officer in the Air Force for 6 years after I graduated from college and worked with mostly males, so I've found that background helpful when dealing with these issues in my current role.
Erynn Petersen
CEO, Emme
I developed the original DevSecOps engineering practices for how the DoD could build and deliver software at the speed of modern software development. Now I'm developing a software architecture that allows Emme to deliver real time insights to women to strengthen their adherence to their birth control while keeping their data private.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
It has been hard to be the only woman in the room, and deal with limiting preconceptions of what a woman in the room is capable of, and now for what an older woman in the room is capable of, delivering.
Christi Nix Bloomer
Founder, Coach and Consultant, In the Arena Coaching and Consulting
I'm proud of completing my coach training and being in the process of getting my master's in counseling; having my daughter while working at a global consulting firm; helping numerous people grow, scale and expand their careers, impact and strengths doing jobs they love!
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50? What advice would you give to other women in the tech industry?
Respect the value, experience and knowledge that women in any industry have once we've reached 50. We've typically navigated family, job changes, other family pivots, parenting our parents and still maintained our career. That has earned us some insights we're always keen to share or pass onto others. Tech is a hard field for women, especially women in the margins (POC, non cis traditional, gay, ethnic, other identities that aren't the hetero, Christian normatives). While some people in tech may not know or acknowledge this, your perspectives are needed at the tables, in planning and strategy sessions and thinking globally. More people speaking up makes it easier for those coming behind/after you. Be a trailblazer and get a great network while you're setting the example for us!
Kristina Robinson
Sr. Engineering Manager, Hinge Health
At InfluxData, I'm proud of doubling the team size and then watching them gel from individuals to a cohesive unit. It was gratifying to see their velocity increase and become more stable, and camaraderie blossoming over just a few months.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
I decided to be a stay at home mom after the birth of my second child. I stayed home for 10 years. Deciding to go back into the labor force, specifically as a developer, meant “losing ground” in my career, and re-learning the newest tools and coding practices. I’m happy to say I’ve made great strides in the last 8 years.
Maureen Blandford
Founder & CEO, Serendipitus
I've started 3 different companies from scratch, two agencies and now a tech startup. In each of my entrepreneurial adventures, I've prioritised hiring under-represented humans.
What do you wish leaders in the tech industry would change to make the workplace better for women over 50?
The ageism women start to hit at 40 in the job market is appalling and if you're looking for compelling work post 50, it is nearly impossible to even get a response from an employment inquiry. The Csuite has to understand how much critical experience they're missing via ageism for HR to start to make changes. If the Csuite doesn't care, we'll continue to run up against this issue.
Brenda Reid
SVP & GM Talent and Learning Product Management, Cornerstone onDemand
I'm proud of identifying and nurturing the talent of other women in tech who go on to achieve amazing things.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
As an outspoken woman in tech who shares intersectionality with invisible disabilities, size exclusion (often the last acceptable bias in many organizations), it has often been difficult to be heard and accepted by high achievers. I believe we have the technology in our hands to identify bias in HR processes before it occurs and break down systemic barriers.
Linda Payson
VP Product, Madhive
I am proud that I've been able to establish a clear vision for teams and help them deliver against those goals.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
I was recently at an event for women leaders where the speaker asked "how many of you think that sometimes you are too much?" - and almost everyone raised their hands. Sometimes its hard to navigate how people are going to react when facts are difficult.
Gloria Gelabert
Assistant Vice President, Navy Federal Credit Union
When I look back at my life, I have had a life full of accomplishments - born & raised in Puerto Rico, I came to the U.S. Mainland & got a masters degree, worked for the U.S. Dept of Treasury, PwC, 21 years in Oracle developing and transforming applications and now implementing the applications I designed at Navy Federal Credit union and through all being there for my family, and at the same time follow my passion for art and theater and be one of the Theater Helen Hayes judges in the DC Area.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
Being a female and Latina in a mostly male dominant field has been challenging but always was myself and kept a positive disposition that I could do the work, challenge the norm while being creative, and demonstrate my potential, experience and knowledge.
Tracey Spicer
Author, Journalist and Broadcaster, Spicer Communications
Most recently, I'm proud of publishing 'Man Made: How the bias of the past is being built into the future' - a well-informed and researched book about how AI is building the bias of the past into the future. I published this book in 2023 and have since spoken and taught workshops about this throughout the past year, as well as continued to raise the challenges technology presents for women and people of colour specifically.
What have you found challenging to navigate during your career?
I have spent many decades speaking, advocating and writing about bias and inequity in the workplace, after being sacked upon returning from maternity leave. My first book, The Good Girl Stripped Bare, is about sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace.
Stacey loves to hike and read. Her goal is to create inclusive workplaces. Before Pyn, she was an early member of Culture Amp’s people team.