CompTIA Women TechCast

  Leading your remote staff to productive business outcomes is more than simply providing technology and communication tools. You’ll need to foster a sense of belonging and an environment of inclusion to optimize team results.  The strong cultures that co-located teams enjoy will not happen organically for remote workers.  Remote workers have a unique set of challenges that may include feelings of isolation, uncertainty and frustration.  How does culture set them up for success? The Advancing Tech Talent and Diversity Community met with industry experts Amiel Harper, Founder & Principal of The Morpheus Consultancy and Delia Gutierrez McLaughlin, President and CEO of AzTech Innovation to discuss ways that leaders can help remote workers thrive. You will increase your understanding of what it means to be inclusive and why it’s important – not only to the organization but also to team members. We share practical, easy to implement advice.  All you have to do is start applying it. Find part 1 of this podcast at: https://blubrry.com/womentechcast/59278057/creating-a-culture-for-remote-workers-to-thrive-pt-1/ Share with us what topics you would like to hear more about: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VRN8RW6 You can also find the new Biz Tech Podcast on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/comptia-biz-tech-podcast/id1513232070 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/comptia-sharkbytes/comptia-biz-tech-podcast iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-comptia-biz-tech-podcast-62773128/  

Listen in as Gary Bixler, VP Global Member Communities at CompTIA introduces you to the newest podcast from CompTIA's communities and councils: the Biz Tech Podcast. This podcast series focuses on the business of technology and CompTIA Corporate Membership. From casual conversations, detailed strategies and steps for success, listen in as we hear from industry leaders across our communities and councils discuss business challenges, opportunities, and strategies for success. We also dive into the leading and emerging technologies and what that means for your customers and your business. The CompTIA Biz Tech podcast launches on Wednesday, June 3, 2020. Share with us what topics you would like to hear more about: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VRN8RW6 You can find the new Biz Tech Podcast on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/comptia-biz-tech-podcast/id1513232070Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/comptia-sharkbytes/comptia-biz-tech-podcastiHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-comptia-biz-tech-podcast-62773128/ As well as on Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and your favorite podcast catchers!

Understanding the needs of the individuals on your team can be the difference between success and failure for workers as well as the organization.  What your team needed last month is not the same as the needs of this month and is guaranteed to change in the coming months. The status quo may be gone for good as each employee has different needs and desires relating to their work.  As we manage the present and look to the future, leverage this break in tradition to be more creative - positioning employees and the organization for greater success.  Join the Advancing Tech Talent and Diversity Community’s discussion with community executive council members Karl Palachuk, Owner, Small Biz Thoughts and Caroline Smith, Owner, Dataworks Consulting as they share insights on the best ways to help employees deliver the best value, the role of company culture and the importance embracing new possibilities. We’ll continue this conversation via LinkedIn Live on 5/27 at 1:00 CST – mark your calendars now.  We want to learn about what’s going on in your business as you manage through this crisis. Please take 2 minutes to respond to our 3-question survey. We’ll highlight and address your responses during the LinkedIn Live session. See you there!

  Leading your remote staff to productive business outcomes is more than simply providing technology and communication tools. You’ll need to foster a sense of belonging and an environment of inclusion to optimize team results.  The strong cultures that co-located teams enjoy will not happen organically for remote workers.  Remote workers have a unique set of challenges that may include feelings of isolation, uncertainty and frustration.  How does culture set them up for success? The Advancing Tech Talent and Diversity Community met with industry experts Amiel Harper, Founder & Principal of The Morpheus Consultancy and Delia Gutierrez McLaughlin, President and CEO of AzTech Innovation to discuss ways that leaders can help remote workers thrive. You’ll increase your understanding of what it means to be inclusive and why it’s important – not only to the organization but also to team members. We share practical, easy to implement advice.  All you have to do is start applying it.Delia Bio An accomplished executive and entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in Technology Innovation, Supplier Diversity and Vendor Management.  Delia is an outcome-driven maverick who exemplifies a  standard of excellence as a business owner, a STEM advocate and Diversity Evangelist. Delia has been frequently selected by executive management to conceive and execute large-scale initiatives related to community partnerships and inclusion. She is recognized as a motivator and mentor, with an outstanding record of achievement in the business.  Her expertise demonstrates her exceptional ability at program management, team development, and out-of-the-box long-term plans for organizational growth and success. Amiel Bio Amiel brings over a decade of professional advisory experience spanning across several industries. He is recognized as  “Game Changer” by Ariel Investments, WOKE Business Services Entrepreneur of the Year by the Chicago Urban League, and Junior Counsel of the Year by the Cook County Bar Association. His  expertise has benefitted  executives, civic and political leaders, and students with speaking engagements covering leadership, diversity, inclusion, culture, mentoring, networking, entrepreneurship, sales, business development, operations branding, and many others. Join the ATTD Community: https://www.comptia.org/membership/communities-and-councils/advancing-tech-talent-and-diversity-community  

Healthy employees are productive and happier around the office — tangible results that leaders in organizations should take seriously, said Rachel McGuinness, chief vitality officer at her London company, Wake Up With Zest. “Healthier employees do improve the bottom line in the company and customers get a better experience, too,” she said. In this episode, McGuinness, a member of CompTIA’s UK Community, talks with AWIT Community Leader Kathleen Martin about why employee health matters to the business overall and personal health related to business. Listen to hear how the 80/20 rule applies to your lunch routine, some old habits to ditch right now and how to do just enough exercise to make it count. “I brand myself the laziest personal trainer in the UK,” said McGuinness. Tune in for her tips on how to stay healthy while you travel, even when you’re faced with endless buffet lines, and what kind of earplugs McGuinness trusts for travel. “They’re cheap as chips and they work really well,” she said. Subscribe to the Women TechCast on your favorite podcast app, and learn more about the Advancing Women in Technology Community on the new app from CompTIA.org.

Amy Cliett of TechGirlz sees this all the time: Middle school girls say they don’t like technology because they think it’s all about coding. That’s why TechGirlz works so hard to show young women the whole picture of the business of technology. “Every company is a tech company and we show girls that there are so many ways to get into a career in technology,” Cliett said. In this episode of the Women TechCast, CompTIA Community Leader Kathleen Martin talks to Cliett and TechGirlz co-founder Tracey Welson Rossman about TechGirlz and how the nonprofit spreads the message that, according to Welson Rossman, “Girls like technology, they are capable of being in technology and that technology is not about coding.” TechGirlz is a nonprofit program run and managed by Creating IT Futures designed to get girls excited about the possibilities of technologies as it relates to their future possible career choices. Middle school girls take part in short interactive workshops related to things like coding, robotics, video game design, photo and video editing. They also introduce girls to role models working in the technology ecosystem. “A lot of these girls just haven’t seen it yet, and it’s the simple matter of someone saying ‘This is what I do for a living, I don’t work for a traditional tech company and I love it,’” Cliett said. Hear how their 10-year anniversary plans including big moves into new areas and how you can volunteer with TechGirlz as a technical or nontechnical person. Learn more about TechGirlz at https://www.techgirlz.org/ See all the on-roads to technology from Creating IT Futures at https://www.creatingitfutures.org/ Find a Women in Tech Summit (WITS) near you at https://womenintechsummit.net/

Authenticity is key to building online professionalism, said author and coach Karl Palachuk, but you should also know your sales selling index and your industry rank when you’re using LinkedIn to connect and find jobs. In this deep dive into online resumes, Palachuk sits down with Kathleen Martin, community manager for CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community, to talk about true business networking, the best types of people to connect to and how to get clicks on your content. Stay tuned for 3 things you can do to drive traffic to your living resume and the 3 deadly sins of LinkedIn. “People spam it,” Palachuk said. “That really makes you look like a flake and somebody I don’t want to do business with.” Listen for tips on using the backend of LinkedIn, including better ways to brand yourself and how to curate your connections to determine your industry. To meet other women working in technology, connect with the AWIT Community at CompTIA.org/AWIT and subscribe to the Women TechCast on your favorite podcast app.

  There are many opportunities for women in cybersecurity, said cyber range master Sheri Piper, who sits down with CompTIA Community Manager Kathleen Martin to talk about what it’s like for women working in cybersecurity. “You can be an analyst, you can be a hunter, you can be a finder,” said Piper. “It’s where your interest lie.” In this episode of the AWIT Women TechCast, the conversation is focused on the virtual world of cyber ranges. Piper is a range master — a master of disaster some days, she says — and oversees daily operations of a cyber range, designed to simulate real world customer networks. She develops training, games and tours within virtual worlds. “You can come in, take a look, have fun and play in the cyber world and test your skill knowledge,” she said. They talk about the high demand for security specialists, why there’s a huge opportunity for women to enter this field and how cybersecurity touches every access of our professional and personal lives. Stay tuned to hear about the dark web, War Games and why the security community works together to stop pending threats instead of living in silos. “We have to communicate and work with our partners and communities to fight off adversaries,” Piper said. Subscribe to the AWIT TechCast to keep up on all the latest episodes and learn more about CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community at comptia.org/communities.  

  TechCast hosts Christina Greysman and Janet Schijns dig into parenting, partnership and building confidence for women in tech in part two of this sit-down interview with their husbands. In this deep dive into the experience of women in tech, the couples discuss encouraging curiosity and competitiveness, instilling awareness and pride in everyone’s successes. Software engineer Lev Greysman and Roy Schijns of the JS Group open the conversation by outlining how they view their parental responsibilities and splitting up household jobs. “It’s about flowing into where you’re needed rather than doing some division of labor,” said Lev Greysman. The group talks about being role models in culturally non-traditional roles. Together, they underline the need to identify and eliminate societally gendered tasks in marriage and parenting, not just in the professional sphere. “In order for women to feel comfortable pursuing our careers and advancing our careers, to have a spouse who is confident being a parent — that’s a big portion of it,” said Christina Greysman. Listen for their conclusion that a redefinition of teamwork in marriages is part of the evolution towards genuine equality. Subscribe to the Women TechCast for part one of this conversation and all the episodes featuring women working in technology.  

  In this two-part episode of the Women TechCast, hosts Cristina Martin Greysman and Janet Schijns invite their husbands to talk about how to make a household work when one or both people in a partnership have high powered careers. “You’ve got to not be threatened by your spouse’s success,” said software engineer Lev Greysman, who said his partnership with Cristina is about getting 100 percent from everyone, instead of a 50/50 split. They also talk to Roy Schijns, JS Group managing partner, about how he met a talented consultant named Janet who turned his family’s business around — and eventually his life, too. “It’s been a wonderful symbiotic relationship,” he said. Listen for all the truths on how to deal with kids when one partner is traveling and what it takes to unlearn the job expectations we grew up with. Stay tuned for Part Two by subscribing to the AWIT Women TechCast.  

In the second half of a deep dive into digital SaaS businesses, guests Kathryn Rose and Dina Moskowitz offer up advice on what it takes to run a successful company. “Make sure your ego doesn’t get in the way of bringing on the right people,” said Moskowitz, founder and CEO of SaasMAX, a company that hosts a platform and marketplace for other SaaS companies. And don’t cheap out on legal or accounting, because being thrifty won’t help you get forward faster. “It’s going to cost you money now or it’s going to cost you money later,” said Rose, whose company wiseHer offers on-demand advice to help women accelerate in their business and careers. They talk with hosts Cristina Martin Greysman, a Partner Strategist for Amazon, and Janet Schijns, CEO of the JS Group, about how to find your product market fit, fractional leadership, and why it’s important to set aside some of your margin up front. Listen for tips on understanding your position in the market, how to use the feedback you’re given and why, according to Rose, “Nobody wants to tell you your baby’s ugly.” This episode of the Women TechCast is part of a series of podcasts where the conversation gets real about options for women in technology, from CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community. For more, subscribe to this and all the CompTIA Community podcasts in your favorite podcast app.

  Executing big ideas when resources are scarce; raising capital as a woman; and turning your first customers into a sustainable business—this episode features two women pioneers in software as a service (SaaS) sharing their secrets to success and the challenges they faced along the way. “You have to have that resilience where today is awesome, but tomorrow could be terrible,” said Kathryn Rose, whose company wiseHer offers on-demand advice to help women accelerate in their business and careers. Rose’s experience in SaaS includes more than 15 years and she’s been recognized with numerous awards including the 2018 AWIT Mentorship Guide Spotlight Award. She is also an internationally recognized speaker on topics ranging from sales and digital marketing to social media and relationship building to networking and with an emphasis on topics relating to women in business, the workforce, and in their communities. As a recipient of the 2017 Cloud Girls Trailblazer Award and board member of the Cloud Software Association, Dina Moskowitz shares her insights gathered from 10+ years of experience launching and operating two SaaS companies. Moskowitz is founder and CEO of SaaSMAX, the BI and marketplace platform where SaaS/XaaS companies go for channel insights, reseller partner discovery and channel optimization.  During this podcast, you’ll also hear what they have to say about being entrepreneurs, the challenges involved in building scalable and repeatable platforms, and why women need to start fundable businesses. Don’t miss hosts Cristina Greysman, a partner strategist for Amazon, and Janet Schijns, CEO of the JS Group, for this candid conversation with Rose and Moskowitz about their experiences running SaaS businesses. This episode is part of a series of podcasts where the conversation gets real about options for women in technology, from CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community.Subscribe to the Women TechCast to hear Part 2. Learn more about AWIT at www.comptia.org/awit.  

The conversation about women entrepreneurs in tech continues in this episode of the Women TechCast. Join Amy Babinchak of Harbor Computer Services and Khali Henderson of BuzzTheory Strategies as they talk with Cristina Greysman of Amazon and Janet Schijns from the JS Group about hiring, benefits and the importance of not burning bridges. “How you manage people on the way out the door is as important as when they come in the door,” said Schijns. “What I’ve seen is that those people end up in roles that could be helpful for you later on, or you could be helpful for them.” Stay tuned for tips on how to find clients, develop your personal brand and what to get straight even before you launch. “Be very clear on what your service is worth,” said Henderson. “That’s very challenging, especially for women. Sometimes we don’t realize what we’re worth.” Subscribe to the Women TechCast for podcasts that get real about opportunities for women in the technology space.

In this episode of the Women TechCast, Amy Babinchak of Harbor Computer Services and Khali Henderson of BuzzTheory Strategies sit down with Cristina Greysman of Amazon and Janet Schijns from the JS Group to talk about what entrepreneurship means and what they’ve learned along the way. “When I hear entrepreneurship, I hear freedom. I hear a breath of fresh air,” said Schijns. “It also means that you also have to be purposeful and think, ‘How am I going to make money at this?’” Babinchak decided to go into business for herself after burning out in the corporate world, traveling 75 percent of the month. “I didn’t intentionally start a business, but as soon as I had one I realized, ‘This is where I needed to be,’” she said. Henderson turned her journalism career into a successful business after realizing how many year’s she’d spent making money for other people. “I had made other people wealthy and thought, ‘Maybe I should do that for myself,’” Henderson said. Listen in for tips on how to scale your business, why having employees can put you on a track to success and why finding partners is an important part of succeeding in the tech industry. The deep dive continues into the next episode, so stay tuned for Part 2 of this conversation, coming from CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community. Subscribe to the Women TechCast for podcasts that get real about opportunities for women in the technology space.

Listen in as Janet Schijns of JS Group and Cristina Greysman of Amazon Web Services preview the new podcast series from CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community. “We’re going to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly,” Schijns said. In this episode, they dive right in to the trade-offs that come from rising to the top, and some of the tough choices they’ve had to make in the C-Suite. “There is no work life balance,” Greysman said. “That’s a myth.” They go in depth on ways to bring men in as allies, and ask for ideas from you on topics you want covered in this series. Send your thoughts on the podcast to @crisgrey and @channelsmart on Twitter, and subscribe to CompTIA’s AWIT TechCast now.

Indicators say there will be 3.5 million jobs available in cybersecurity by 2021 and at this point in the game nobody’s data is too unimportant to protect. “Don’t pretend your data doesn’t matter,” said IT Security Community Manager Lisa Person. “Cybercrime now just looks for an open door and you have information they can sell.” This episode of the AWIT TechCast gets you inside a live meeting with members of CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology and IT Security communities as they look for ways we can close that gap in IT security by getting more women involved in pen testing, training at local technology companies and architecting cybersecurity solutions. Join community managers Kathleen Martin and Lisa Person and AWIT host Cristina Greysman as they lead a discussion on the gap in cybersecurity and how to get girls and women engaged in technology at the K-12 level, in college and when they’re ready to pivot careers. Hear why self-confidence and being invited in are two keys to getting more women in cybersecurity, and stay tuned to the end for a discussion on what can we do to help men and boys see women and girls as capable participants in the industry. Learn more about CompTIA’s Communities like Advancing Women in Technology and IT Security at https://www.comptia.org/communities.

  Everyone says there are opportunities for women in technology, but what does that mean? Co-hosts Janet Schijns of JS Group and Cristina Greysman, executive committee chair, tackle that from all angles in the new podcast from CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community. Listen to this preview episode, brought to you by CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community and hear the co-hosts talk about getting into technology, what it’s like to work in the C-suite and why it’s okay to make a U-Turn in your career. They’ll also talk about the importance of sponsors and why role models are more important than ever. “We need more role models because the journey is hard and if you don’t have role models or a community around you, you’re not going to make it,” said Greysman. “We’ll have the tough conversation about how you stay in technology and what the cost of that can be.” Share your ideas with AWIT and be part of this new podcast from CompTIA. Send your thoughts on the podcast to @crisgrey and @channelsmart on Twitter, and subscribe to CompTIA’s AWIT TechCast now.  

In this episode of the Women TechCast, AWIT’s Cristina Greysman talks with Lysa Myers, Security Researcher for ESET, about being a woman in the industry, getting into security from the outside and how your technology career can change in the blink of an eye. “There are a huge number of different ways you can get in the industry without going through a college degree program,” Myers said. Hear why certifications, training and empathy all play a role in security research and cybersecurity. “You’re understanding what users need, what customers need, what the business needs are within the company and how to align security procedures with all of those things.” Listen for tips on how to get into cybersecurity, what it means to be a security researcher and the real deal on hackers. Learn what white hat hacking all about, and why being responsible sometimes involves breaking things. Recommended Resources: https://www.comptia.org/communities/resources/recommend-resources-for-women-in-cybersecurity

Diversity in the High Tech Industry with CompTIA researchers Carolyn April and Seth Robinson In this episode of the AWIT TechCast from CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community, host Cristina Greysman talks with tech industry researchers Carolyn April and Seth Robinson about the latest diversity report from CompTIA, “Diversity in the High-Tech Industry.” This quantitative study on diversity attitudes and realities in high tech businesses yield some interesting discoveries. According to those surveyed: * The diversity discussion is often contradictory * The gender gap is widest when it comes to pay equity * Hiring the most qualified candidate carries weight “One of the biggest takeaways, when we need to talk about diversity, is the need to get beyond the numbers,” April said. Rather than fill quotas, companies need to think about what they want from their employees: innovation, a multitude of perspectives and better business overall. “Diverse organizations do better, they’re better at business. There’s study after study that shows it.” To hear more from CompTIA Research tune into Volley, a podcast hosted by Carolyn April and Seth Robinson. The podcast is focused on the latest technology research from CompTIA and available every other Friday. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/comptia-volley/id1119742772.

Understanding Impostor Syndrome: AWIT’s Cristina Greysman talks with Joanna Ritchie about Understanding and Untangling Insecurities at Work In this episode of the Women TechCast, AWIT executive council member Cristina Greysman talks with SAP’s Joanna Ritchie about ways to address impostor syndrome and even use it to your advantage. “What are the pieces of being an impostor that I can use to help the people around me, and to grow people’s careers and to mentor them?” Ritchie said. To take on impostor syndrome, record your accomplishment, change your negative self-talk and shrink fraud inside. “How do we make that impostor as small and as insignificant as possible?” Greysman asked. “And does fake it till you make it really work?” Stay tuned to the end of the podcast for actionable ways you can own your insecurities, and subscribe to the Women TechCast from CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community. http://comptia.org/awit

In this final podcast of the three-part series with AWIT chair Cristina Martin Greysman and life and career coach, Dianne Kipp they conclude their discussion on dealing with disruption and the ways disruption affects both our personal lives and our careers, and how we survive and thrive in a disruptive environment.

In this 3-part series from CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community (AWIT), Executive Council chair Cristina Greysman and culture expert Dianne Kipp talk about the ways disruption affects both our personal lives and our careers, and how we survive and thrive in a disruptive environment. In the second part of the series, they go through a Top 10 list of actionable items for all sorts of different life and career changes from on-boarding with a new company to managing a team for the first time.

Dealing with Disruption: AWIT’s Cristina Greysman Talks with Dianne Kipp about Making the Most Out of Big Changes In this 3-part series from CompTIA’s Advancing Women in Technology Community (AWIT), Executive Council chair Cristina Greysman and culture expert Dianne Kipp talk about the ways disruption affects both our personal lives and our careers, and how we survive and thrive in a disruptive environment.“Change is the new constant and the velocity it’s coming at us is so overwhelming,” said Kipp.The two discuss when change happens to us, and how to spot the times in our jobs and our lives when we have to implement change in order to level up.When you are going through change, whether it’s a new software, a new team or a new house, give yourself time to adjust.“You’ve got to give yourself permission to take that time,” Greysman said.In the second part of the series, they go through a Top 10 list of actionable items for all sorts of different live and career changes from on-boarding with a new company to managing a team for the first time. Listen to the episode on iTunes, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

Identify your strengths and build a career that highlights your skillsAWIT TechCast Episode 10Cristina Martin Greysman and Heather Kay An expert on identifying strengths and helping people identify and utilize their best qualities, Sungard’s Heather Kay talks to AWIT’s Cristina Martin Greysman about knowledge, skills and strengths — and the differences and overlaps between those three. Throughout the podcast, they go even deeper to talk about the importance of having a strength buddy, how to partner your strengths and even the curious shade of strength envy. Listen through to the end for action steps you can apply to your life.

Tracey Welson-Rossman and Cristina Martin Greysman   In this episode of the AWIT TechCast, TechGirlz’s Tracey Welson-Rossman and AWIT’s Cristina Martin Greysman talk about better building through diversity, how women can benefit from building a personal board of directors and what it took to get 10,000 girls excited about technology. 

Inventor of the inspirational hashtag #neveralone, Janet Schijns of Office Depot uses this interview to talk about how she views diversity in tech and the importance of finding the differences and similarities between people. Companies benefit when they bring together people who think, feel and act differently, she says. Listen to this episode to hear about the double-edged sword of innovation cultures, how diversity isn’t always obvious and why bringing millennials on your team can increase diversity in your workplace.

Diversity involves being able to bring your most authentic self to work, says Wendy Bahr, senior vice president of Cisco's Global Partner Organization in this conversation with AWIT’s Michelle Ragusa McBain. The conversation covers ways you can create an open environment where people can be heard, and how you can breed a generation of innovators. In this episode, you’ll learn to raise up a generation of successful people through mentors and sponsors, and find out the one simple thing you can do to trigger a multiplier effect.

In this episode, Linda Rendleman of Tech Data talks about ways diversity drives business growth, the kinds of company cultures that make a workplace attractive to women and how you need opposing voices to get the most out of your diversity initiatives. Interviewed by AWIT’s Melissa Murillo, Linda Rendleman also talks about why managers should undergo unconscious bias training, the importance of work-life balance and how to promote diverse culture in the workplace.

CompTIA’s Nancy Hammervik talks about the assumptions we make in interviews and hiring, and how unique perspective and experience round out the best technology companies. She also talks about how offering your employees visible recognition, flexibility, and training in leadership, negotiation and conflict resolution pays off in company loyalty. Talking with Advancing Women in Technology’s Michelle Ragusa McBain, Nancy Hammervik reveals what she’s learned in her 32 years in IT, where she got her strong work ethic and a little on her latest personal project: reviving a historic log cabin with the help of technology.

Longtime tech leader Tiffani Bova talks about fighting gender bias on Twitter, the importance of “thinking out,” and how to hold inclusive meetings that actually include people. AWIT’s Michelle Ragusa McBain talks with Tiffani Bova about her experience speaking before the United Nations, her 26 years in tech as both a vendor and in sales, and how she became a Channel Chief before age 30. Listen to Tiffani Bova’s very own podcast, “What’s Next!” at her website, tiffanibova.com/next. For more on the tech innovators discussed in this episode, who are tackling disease, abuse and big social issues using technology, look for “Codegirl, the Story of Technovation,” www.codegirlmovie.com/

Theresa Caragol, interviewed by Melissa Murillo Channel chief, consultant, speaker and author Theresa Caragol uses this episode to talk about diversity in the scope of inclusion, mentoring versus sponsorship, and how to implement diversity at an organizational level. She’s interviewed by Advancing Women in Technology’s Melissa Murillo. Theresa Caragol talks about how collaborative cultures make companies successful, why she doesn’t believe in the work/life balance and how inclusion and collaboration lead to innovation. She also shares her secret to managing risk and assessing opportunities (hint: it involves spreadsheets and meditation).

Rokeya Jones, Director of World Wide Software, Commercial Software Engineering, Microsoft shares her insights on how to create a culture that promotes unity, collaboration and acceptance. She describes how women need to speak up to find their voice and how being the only women in the room can be an opportunity.