Celebrating International Women's Day: Women in Tech Share Their Career Advice

This International Women's Day, we're highlighting inspirational women in the tech industry offering valuable career advice for those looking to pursue a tech career.

Elena Sinel, Founder & CEO, Teens in AI

Untitled design (28)-1 Elena Sinel is a distinguished social entrepreneur and the award-winning founder of Teens in AI, aiming to empower 12 to 18-year-olds through technology to address real-world problems. Launching Teens in AI at the UN's AI For Good Global Summit, she champions AI's potential for societal benefit, advocating for diversity and inclusion in the AI field. Her initiative collaborates with major companies and governments to integrate advanced skills into education.

Elena has been honoured with several technology-focused awards, including the Global Excellence Award for Innovation, the Global Mobile Award for Diversity in Tech, Computer Weekly’s Most Influential Women in UK Technology, Computer Weekly's Top 50 Most Influential People in UK Tech from 2019 to 2023, and the Global Mobile Award for Women4Technology Industry Leadership. These awards recognise her significant contributions to fostering innovation and diversity in the technology sector, particularly in artificial intelligence.

Elena's advice for women considering a tech career:

"Remember, your voice matters. In the tech world, embracing your unique perspective and expressing your ideas is not just encouraged; it's essential. Your insights contribute to the vibrant tapestry of innovation, shaping a future where diverse voices and ideas thrive. So, as a woman passionate about championing diversity and innovation in the tech sector, speak up, be confident, and let your voice make a difference in shaping the future of the tech industry."

Jennifer Montague, Vice President of Growth, Onomondo

Hailing from New York, Jennifer is a renowned author, an influential figure in marketing, a distinguished public speaker, and was awarded the Nordic Women in Tech Awards Digital Leader of the Year in 2023.

Throughout her career, Jennifer has been instrumental in expanding brands via strategic online campaigns. With a rich background in international marketing, Jennifer has resided and worked across four different countries. Presently, she serves as the Vice President of Growth at Onomondo, a startup specialising in the Internet of Things, based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Jennifer has taken on numerous speaking engagements throughout her career, having presented at conferences such as Inbound in Boston, the Hero Conference in London, and Tech BBQ in Copenhagen.

Jennifer's advice for women considering a tech career:

"Feel the fear, and do it anyway. Let's break that down:

Feel the Fear: Feeling fear and acknowledging its existence isn't a weakness. Quite the opposite, it is the first step towards overcoming it.

And Do It: Transition from feeling to action. Don't let fear paralyse you - act despite it.

Anyway: Although the fear is real and recognised, don't let it stop you. It’s an affirmation of resilience and the power of the human spirit to overcome obstacles.

Together, these components form my mantra for personal growth and bravery. It’s a call to embrace vulnerability, take risks, and live a life marked by courage and growth.

Feeling the fear and doing it anyway brought me to Europe.

Feeling the fear and doing it anyway brought me to tech.

Feeling the fear and doing it anyway brought me my daughter.

And I believe if women continued to feel the fear and do it anyway, the world would be a very different place."

Adrien Jarvis, Head of Marketing, Smartpay Australia

Adrien Jarvis is a seasoned marketing and advertising professional with a strong brand and digital marketing, content, and journalism background. She excels as the Head of Marketing at Smartpay, a rapidly growing ANZ payments company. Adrien is dedicated to crafting innovative marketing strategies that drive growth and address immediate and long-term business objectives.

IWD - Adrien Jarvis
Adrien's career highlights include being a finalist in the Women Leading in Tech Awards in 2022, a foundational role at Sharesies' Australian team, and significant positions at Honest to Goodness, headmark agency, and Nestlé, where she contributed to a unique collaborative effort with The Conscience Organisation as Senior Digital Manager.

Adrien's advice for women considering a tech career:

"Quite simply - do it! Tech is so engrained in our modern-day lives, we need women to help shape how it should best serve us. Even if your previous experience doesn't perfectly match a tech JD, throw your hat in the ring: the best businesses in tech are looking for great thinkers and doers, and they care less if you match a highly refined job description."

Svetlana Nyameyo, Head of Africa program: X|ergy SusTech Powerhouse

Svetlana Nyameyo is spearheading a program at X|ergy aimed at enabling African start-ups to achieve sustainable development through technology, offering Untitled design (30) financing, mentorship, and networking opportunities. She also volunteers as a Social Media Manager, focusing on initiatives to keep girls in school and safe from FGM and GBV, support climate resilience and adaptation, and provide access to clean and safe water in rural Tanzanian communities.

Svetlana has completed a professional program in Sustainability and Development, gaining a deeper understanding of theories relevant to Africa's pressing issues, assessing evidence, and employing innovative skills for practical application. Most weekends, she dedicates her time to volunteer work, offering after-school support to girls in self-monitoring and correction, etiquette, and academics.

At the EU Tech Chamber, Svetlana leads discussions to promote sustainable development in Africa and empower more women in the technology sector.

Svetlana's advice for women considering a tech career:

"To consider a career in tech is to be open-minded, curious to learn, network, and challenge yourself beyond known barriers."

Lauren Hall, CEO and Co-Founder, iVvy

With an impressive track record exceeding 25 years, Lauren has distinguished herself as an influential entrepreneur and skilled executive, adept in navigating both domestic and international landscapes of business operations. Her expertise spans across a spectrum of critical business areas, including operations management, profit and loss oversight, multi-channel product distribution, and strategic marketing within various high-growth industries such as manufacturing, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), advertising, and technology.

Untitled design (31)-2 Lauren's leadership style is characterised by a results-driven and decisive approach, which has significantly contributed to her success in founding and elevating multiple organisations to achieve multi-million-dollar revenues. Her solid foundation in programming, accounting, and marketing has enabled her to effectively steer these companies from their inception to successful financial and strategic outcomes. As the visionary co-founder and CEO of iVvy, Lauren has redefined the meetings, events and hospitality sector.

Lauren's accolades include being selected by Ernst and Young for the EWW program in 2016, illustrating her status as a distinguished industry leader. That same year, she garnered four International Global Stevie Awards, acknowledging her as the Entrepreneur of the Year globally, Innovator of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year in the Asia Pacific region, along with local community recognition as the Gold Coast Business Woman of the Year in 2016. She continued to receive recognition for her innovative prowess, winning the Queensland iAwards for Best Digital Economy Innovation in 2016 and the Gold Coast Mayor's Award for Innovation in 2017.

Lauren's advice for women considering a tech career:

"Building a tech career is a rewarding journey, and having a mentor can provide valuable guidance towards achieving your goals. Be proactive in seeking inspiration from various sources, including books, articles, podcasts, industry experts, and the successful women you admire. While it's beneficial to have guidance, remember - you are the architect of your career. Make decisions based on your intuition, align them with your values, and ensure they fit your personal style. This will empower you to forge a path that resonates with your ambitions."

Sonja Laurila, Software Engineer, Google

1628099170979 Sonja Laurila is a talented and dynamic software engineer with a rich background in the tech industry, currently making waves at Google in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. She's the go-to expert for Android Automotive OS, showcasing her prowess in C++ and Rust. Before stepping into her current role as Software Engineer IV, Sonja played a key role on Google's ChromeOS Commercial team, where she was instrumental in building tools for Isolated Web Apps and boosting the capabilities of ChromeOS's VDI. Sonja's career also includes a stint at Columbia Road, where she embraced the challenge of full-stack web development during the shift to remote work due to COVID-19.

With earlier experiences at IBM, Wärtsilä, and KONE, Sonja has built a solid foundation in software engineering, showcasing her passion and dedication to the field. Her journey is a testament to her adaptability, technical skill, and unwavering enthusiasm for tech innovation.

Sonja's advice for women considering a tech career:

"If you're curious about it, just try it out. Coding doesn't require any magic skills although it may seem intimidating. If you like logic and preciseness, you might enjoy coding a lot. No other job has given me so many adrenaline rushes than code that works. There are also so many websites where you can try it out without big monetary commitments."

Happy International Women's Day from the Team at iVvy

International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8th, is a global day acknowledging the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It's also a day to raise awareness about the ongoing fight for women's rights and gender equality.

On this day, we honour the resilience and contribution of women from all walks of life and pledge to continue advocating for a world where gender parity is a reality. Join us in celebrating the extraordinary roles women play in our lives and society, as we strive toward a more inclusive and equitable world for everyone.