UnapologeTECH

In this episode of UnapologeTECH, we explore the power of community as capital with Christina Garnett—Fractional Chief Community Officer at Hey Orca, Chief Customer Officer at Numotion, author, and podcaster.We break down how to build, nurture, and activate professional relationships to open doors, secure opportunities, and foster career growth. Christina shares her insights on why community is an undervalued asset, how women in tech and leadership can strategically expand their networks, and the key role mentorship and sponsorship play in professional success.Tune in to learn actionable strategies for leveraging your network, avoiding common pitfalls, and creating meaningful connections that go beyond transactions. Plus, hear inspiring stories of how community transformed career paths and led to breakthrough opportunities.Don't miss this conversation on the power of relationships, resilience, and women supporting women in the tech industry and beyond!

Join us on UnapologeTECH as we chat with Robin Merritt, Chief People and Operations Officer at Gainsight. With a global impact spanning 16 countries and 1,500 employees, Robin shares insights on leveraging leadership privilege for inclusive change. Discover how high performance and Human-First values coexist, as Robin discusses creating an inclusive environment and her role in founding Pulse Impact, Gainsight's social responsibility strategy. Learn from her journey as a female leader and gain actionable tips on reaching leadership positions. This episode is a call to action for leaders to champion inclusivity, address privilege, and contribute to a workplace where everyone has equal opportunities. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on reshaping the landscape of Women's Empowerment in Tech. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unapologetech/support

This episode features Dr. Janice Z. Gassam Asare, a renowned consultant, speaker, writer, and founder of BWG Business Solutions. Join us as Dr. Janice shares insights from her extensive career in racial dialogue and expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion. With three best-selling books, recognition as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Racial Equity, and accolades from influential organizations, Dr. Janice is a thought leader with a substantial following. In this episode, explore her journey as an African American Female Entrepreneur and gain practical strategies for breaking barriers in your own career. Subscribe now for a power-packed conversation on entrepreneurship, diversity, and success. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unapologetech/support

In this episode, join us for an insightful conversation with Whitnie (Low) Narcisse, a trailblazing woman of color who has risen to become a VC partner. Balancing the demands of venture capital with her roles as a wife, mother, and mentor, Whitnie shares her journey, shedding light on the unique challenges faced by women of color in the industry. Gain valuable insights into effective mentorship, diversity, and the art of navigating both personal and professional spheres. Tune in for an empowering discussion on resilience, authenticity, and breaking barriers in the dynamic world of venture capital. Whether you're an aspiring professional or simply seeking motivation, this episode offers a dose of wisdom and encouragement. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unapologetech/support

Join Vinay Bhagat, CEO of Trust Radius, a tech entrepreneur passionate about challenges. TrustRadius aids B2B research, accelerates sales, and fosters product excellence. Discover Vinay's insights on using his leadership for inclusive change. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unapologetech/support

Featuring Melissa Rosenthal, Chief Brand Officer Click-Up, a Forbes Cloud 100 company. Melissa shares tips on building a personal brand, the impact of AI in today's workforce, and navigating your way to success as a woman in business. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unapologetech/support

Forbes 30 under 30 honoree Ronny Ho is the head of dance and electronic development at Spotify and the founder of the company's Asian Employee Resource Group. She's worked with global music heads to launch RADAR, track IDs, and more. After the shootings in Atlanta, she built the Stop Asian Hate hub on the platform. She also co-leads the She is the Music dance committee to level the traditionally white male-dominated playing field. Ronny discusses her journey on pivoting from finance to tech, finding her voice as an Asian American woman, being honored as a Forbes 30 under 30 recipient,s and more! Tune in today to hear advice from Ronny on how to create your own path to success, her definition of authenticity and perseverance --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unapologetech/support

Tune in to today's episode to learn how to obtain your seat at the table in Silicon Valley. From Banking to Silicon Valley, Sherika shares practical advice on how to reach new heights in corporate America. Sherika Expo is a passionate leader with global human resource leadership experience and a senior advisor to C-suite executives. Demonstrated ability to design and execute industry-leading people programs, talent management strategies, and workplace diversity initiatives. A skilled facilitator and trusted advisor who provides subject matter expertise using evidence-based best practices to drive results. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unapologetech/support

Kimberly Bryant is the Founder and CEO of ASCEND Ventures and the Founder and creator of the groundbreaking and revolutionary non-profit organization Black Girls CODE; a social change organization founded to “change the face of technology” by introducing girls of color (ages 7-17) to the field of technology and computer science with a concentration on entrepreneurial concepts. Under Kimberly's leadership, Black Girls CODE grew from a local grassroots initiative serving only the Bay Area to an international organization reaching more than 30,000 students with chapters across the U.S. and in Johannesburg, South Africa. Kimberly has been nationally recognized as a thought leader for her work to increase opportunities for women and girls in the technology industry and has received numerous awards for her work with Black Girls CODE. Kimberly has been awarded the prestigious Jefferson Award for Community Service for her work to support communities in the Bay Area, named by Business Insider on its list of “The 25 Most Influential African-Americans in Technology”, and named to The Root 100 and the Ebony Power 100 lists in 2013. Kimberly has been named one of FastCompany's Most Creative People. Kimberly was named a White House as a Champion of Change for her work in tech inclusion and for her focus on bridging the digital divide for girls of color and received an Ingenuity Award in Social Progress from the Smithsonian Institute. Tune in today to hear Kimberly's Story as an African American Female Entrepreneur braking barriers and creating a better future for women of color in tech. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unapologetech/support

Featuring Expert Elizabeth Leiba, the author of I'm Not Yelling: A Black Woman's Guide to Navigating the Workplace and top LinkedIn Voice. Tune in to an authentic conversation around mentorship, community, dealing with microaggressions, navigating the tech space as a woman of color, and overcoming racial inequality in the workplace. "Put yourself in an environment where at least you'll be happy." - Elizabeth Leiba. "I've always embodied and learned just in my personal life, and I think it applies to professional life, is you've gotta learn to leave the table when love's not being served. Nina Simone ' Tune in for a unique perspective on what it feels like to be black, female, and navigating the workforce. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unapologetech/support

Learn from Terri Lomax, a resourceful podcaster, speaker, and customer success professional! Terri is the Co-Founder of Cultivating H.E.R. Space. She is a well-known brand strategist helping people create impactful brands, and podcasts, and generating multiple streams of income. Tune in today to learn from the best!

Heather Hiles, named a Forbes lister and managing partner of Black Ops Ventures, They are leading the way in impact. Heather shares their tools for becoming a successful entrepreneur, a proud non-binary leader who uplifts others and empowers those around her. Heather showcases their tools on how they found success in unfamiliar territory. Heather sits on multiple boards and is an ed-tech veteran who has changed the game for minorities and women. Earlier in their career, Hiles served as a deputy director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where they focused on higher education.

After a career of navigating in the dark, Hang Thi Yen Black shares her story of breaking free from the confines of generic formulas to become a tenacious woman, mother, and Silicon Valley leader armed with skill, will, and tenacity. Tune in to Hang Black's empowering story. Hang discusses paving your own path as an immigrant woman in the workplace.

Manifest Yourself, LLC, Kimberly's leadership development company provides organizations with tailor-made solutions to hire, develop, engage, and retain women and people of color. Kimberly Brown is a career + leadership expert whose mission is to help women and people of color navigate the workplace, make more money, and become industry leaders. Through her experience as a career development adviser in some of the nation's top universities and diversity + inclusion professional in a Fortune 100 company, she has learned that there is so much more to career + leadership development besides having a high paying job; it's about creating actionable strategies that enable professionals to do more, be more, and achieve more. Next Move, Best Move: Transitioning into a Career You'll Love is the highly anticipated career planning and advancement book by Kimberly Brown (Cummings) that released in June 2021. Tune in today to receive advice around career transitioning and finding a career that fulfills you.

Michelle Francine, Global Learning Strategist and Portfolio Manager at Adobe and the founder of Michelle Francine Productions discusses how she scaled her career at Adobe as a learning and development professional and how she developed a successful voiceover production company. Michelle highlights her journey to now providing professional, high-quality voiceovers, training, and presentations that inspire, educate, and spark imaginations!

Ejieme Eromosele, The Founder of Success in Black and Vice President of Customer Success at Quiq. Ejieme will be sharing with us her journey to gaining a seat at the table in Silicon Valley, her journey from leading customer experience at the New York Times to now the founder of Success in Black and an Angel Investor.

The Founder of EXAU Olive Oil, and 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 Lister. Skyler Mapes has made history by being one of the first-ever African American women to own a successful Italian Olive Oil Company. Skyler will be sharing her journey to becoming a successful female entrepreneur with us. From studying architecture and design in college and growing up in California, visiting the wineries of Napa and Sonoma to now the prime example of pure excellence and making the impossible possible. Discover the tips on navigating unfamiliar territories and carving your path to success

Minda Harts is a well-connected, sought-after speaker and thought-leader, frequently speaking on advancing women of color, leadership, diversity, and entrepreneurship. In 2018, Minda was named one of 25 Emerging Innovators by American Express. Also, Minda Harts was named the #1 Top Voice on Linkedin for Equity in the Workplace and named one of the top 40 Women Public Speakers by Real Leaders. Minda is the founder of The Memo LLC, a career development company for women of color. The hosts of Secure The Seat, a career podcast for women of color. In this episode, Minda goes into detail about redefining your success within your career. Minda discusses how to turn your trials and tribulation into success, how to amplify your voice and pave your path to success. Minda highlights her early career struggles and how they led her to become a successful CEO and New York Times best-selling author. Lastly, Minda has been a featured speaker at American Express, Nike, Levi's, Twitch, Amazon, Google, SAP, Linkedin, SXSW, Universities and Colleges, and various Corporations. Please tune in to see how she took ownership of her career.

Joanna Miller, An Executive Coach and facilitator at UC Berkeley and Tech Leader of Organizational Effectiveness and Coaching in Silicon Valley. Joanna will be sharing her journey to becoming a certified coach, podcast host, and leader in Silicon Valley. She will also highlight steps to take ownership of your career and embark on a journey you're proud of.

The Importance of knowing your worth. Why I created UnapologeTECH Podcast and Community. To be brilliant, a woman, a person of color, and thrive in business! In this episode, I go into detail on why I amplify the voices of women of color in business and enterprise technology and the importance of having a safe space.

Tyrona Heath, Director of Market Engagement at Linkedin and Founder of TransformHer. Ty has chosen to pursue a career at the intersection of technology and business because information, inspiration, and action are catalysts for transformation. Ty highlights how to navigate your path to success and reach new heights. Learn how to navigate and create your own path, discover your strengths and empower yourself.

Dana Barrett is the Head of Product Marketing at Asana. A veteran product marketer in both consumer and B2B technology, Dana leads the product marketing team at Asana, working closely with product and sales to drive the company's go-to-market strategy. Before joining Asana, Dana led Operations and Product Marketing teams at Google and Facebook and spent her early career at McKinsey & Company and Merrill Lynch. Discover Dana's journey to becoming a respected leader in Silicon Valley, her toolkit on overcoming perfectionism, and her tips on balancing personal life and her career.

The latest episode of UnapologeTECH Leah discusses her journey to becoming an African American female executive in Silicon Valley, the true meaning of being authentic and true to yourself, and tips on how to use your platform no matter how big or small.

Sha Ma currently Vice President and Head of Engineering at Catalyst.io, an industry-leading Customer Success Platform. Prior to Catalyst, Sha was the VP of Engineering at GitHub, where she was responsible for Core Platform and Ecosystem. She discusses, finding her voice and success in the technology industry, the importance of having confidence, and the ability to make your own choices. She also covers our social movements such as Black Live Matters and Stops Asian Hate. She discusses the importance of women's empowerment the value of networking. Lastly, she discusses how to maintain balances and how to persevere despite the odds.

Dr. Cheryl Ingram is the CEO and founder of Inclusology, she specializes in training, developing, and implementing strategies for business development in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She has over 21 years of experience in the diversity, equity, and inclusion field along with over 13 years in the technology space. She continues to break barriers and discusses her journey to becoming a Black Female CEO, she also discusses what it means to be authentic, and she discusses the 5 stages of B.L.I.B - Trust, Authenticity, Growth, Amplification, and Acceptance. Dr. Cheryl showcases what it means to be a fierce businesswoman

Ambriel Pouncy, has led brand development and organizational change initiatives for the past several years in both the fashion and tech industries. In her current role as the Global Director of People and Culture at Intertrust, she has developed various comprehensive people and culture initiatives to enhance Intertrust's thriving and inclusive culture. Ambriel has spent nearly a decade working as a change agent to drive inclusion, diversity, and to bridge the equity gap while encouraging representation of all people. Ambriel is a native of Alaska and graduate of Spelman College, she currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Pushpinder Lubana, leads global customer research on languages at Paypal. She is passionate about social justice and education. She wants to break down gender, social, and class inequities in young people's lives from the ground up. As an anthropologist, she can't stop examining, observing, and questioning things from a critical sociocultural perspective. Her mantra "Ordinary actions can lead to radical change," keeps her single-minded and confident about social change. Pushpinder will be sharing her journey with us today on how she designed a career in the tech industry, her thoughts on the importance of being independent, her thoughts on mentorship and having a tribe of advocates of your own for support.

Juliana Roxa, is a Brazilian woman who immigrated to the US after establishing a fantastic as a global customer marketing leader at SAP. She prides herself on never giving up and the values her grandparents and parents bestowed on her. She is a multi-language professional with nearly a decade of marketing experience in the Saas industry and is passionate about helping other women and immigrants succeed in their careers, and taking pride in their independence.

Cynthia Hester, is a passionate leader, storyteller, and innovator making a difference one idea at a time. Her specialty is in designing customer advocacy programs to showcase customer innovation and success with technology. Cynthia is passionate about giving back to her community and will be discussing her journey as an African American woman, a leader in technology, and a teacher and mentor to many. Cynthia will discuss the importance of mental health, share tips on how to ensure success as a woman and a person of color in technology, share advice on how to navigate, and ensure success in silicon valley and lastly touch on the importance of diversity and inclusion in large tech companies.