Tech in the Right Direction

Enjoy this conversation between Jennifer Didier and Jeff Butler from Cask Canada. Jeff tells us about the foundations of how Cask was founded and grown into the company it is today. Jeff Butler Bio: At Cask Canada, I am the General Manager of the most awarded pure-play ServiceNow partner in the world. I bring over six years of experience in the ServiceNow ecosystem, where I have helped clients and prospects achieve their digital transformation goals by planning and implementing the ServiceNow platform to deliver business value and reduce costs. I am passionate about developing long-term trusted relationships with clients and strategic alliance partners, leveraging my skills in new business development, customer relationship management, and channel strategy. I have successfully managed and grown the ServiceNow practice and alliance at KPMG Canada and Kyndryl, where I was responsible for generating over $50 million in revenue and delivering over 40 projects across various industries and sectors. I am committed to delivering excellence, innovation, and value to my clients.

Join Jennifer Didier as she interviews President of Cask NX, Stacey Fournier-Thibodaux. They will be discussing the many facets of AI, including how it is and will continue to affect culture. Bio: Stacey Fournier-Thibodaux serves as the President of Cask NX, a leading ServiceNow consulting and implementation partner. Under her leadership, Cask NX drives transformative initiatives for clients leveraging ServiceNow to automate and reshape their business processes, elevate technology strategies, and foster innovative workplace cultures. With over 20 years of experience, she has delivered innovative solutions and operational excellence for Fortune 200 companies while championing strategic growth and customer success. A passionate advocate for women in tech, Stacey is dedicated to empowering the next generation of leaders to thrive in the evolving landscape of the AI era.

Join Jennifer Didier as she has a lively conversation with Shelley Copsey. They discuss Shelley career path and her goals to have a diversified workforce. Jennifer also adds a new place to travel on her bucket list. More about Shelley Copsey: As the co-founder and CEO of FYLD, I lead a venture that empowers utilities field teams and managers to make data-driven decisions in real-time, leading to greater safety, productivity and quality assurance. I have over 20 years of experience in the intersection of physical infrastructure and digital technologies, as well as the human transformation required to deliver on the promise of emerging technologies. I have created and led multiple enterprise SaaS start-ups in this domain, including GeoSLAM, a world-leading geospatial company that transformed the way the real world was mapped (exited to Faro). I was a founding board member at Coviu, an award-winning telehealth platform that scaled from 400 to 25,000 consultations a day during the Covid-19 pandemic (on board through to completion of Series A). I also contributed to spinning out multiple companies from research powerhouse CSIRO, including drone technology company Emesent and regtech platform PaidRight. I have a strong background in finance, innovation, and commercialisation, having held senior roles at CSIRO's Data61, PwC, and KPMG. I am a Chartered Accountant and have undertaken executive education at MIT and Stanford on AI and corporate entrepreneurship. My roles have seen me hold numerous board positions and partner with scaling companies to achieve strong funding outcomes and exits, aligned to business strategy. Connect with Shelley Copsey on LinedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleycopsey/

Seth Earley is an expert with 20+ years of experience in Knowledge Strategy, Data and Information Architecture, Search-based Applications, and Information Findability solutions. Seth has worked with a diverse roster of Fortune 1000 companies helping them to achieve higher levels of operating performance by making information more findable, usable, and valuable through integrated enterprise architectures supporting analytics, e-commerce, and customer experience applications. Seth Earley is a sought-after speaker, writer, and influencer. He is the author of "The AI-Powered Enterprise" from LifeTree Media which was released in April 2020. In 2021, the book received the Axiom Business Book Silver Medal in the Artificial Intelligence / Robotics / Algorithms category. His writing has appeared in IT Professional Magazine from the IEEE where, as a former editor, he wrote a regular column on data analytics and information access issues and trends. He has also contributed to the Harvard Business Review, CMS Wire, CEO World, TechTarget, eCommerce Times, and Analytics Magazine. Journal of Applied Marketing Analytics, and he co-authored “Practical Knowledge Management” from IBM Press. Reach Seth Earley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethearley/

This week's guest is Lisa Heite, a Partner Development Manager at Microsoft with a passion for helping others. Lisa's story revolves around living, studying, and working around the world. She gained a wide range of experience throughout her international travel and has used that to bring a unique perspective to the tech industry. Her ideas and approach give her an edge when it comes to solving problems and bringing people together. While volunteering at an NGO, Lisa developed a digital strategy and saw how digital transformation could further women's rights and give them a voice throughout the world. This passion for women's rights led Lisa to the WIT Network, and she is now lending her skills to their cause. Thank you for listening; we hope Lisa's story helps inspire others to grow their tech career. To learn more about the WIT Network, visit their site here: https://thewitnetwork.com/ To Reach Lisa Heite on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-heite/

Suruchi is the Founder & CEO of GIANT, a blockchain protocol that turns a phone number into a bank account and bandwidth into currency via; seamless and secure access to the internet globally; rewards on usage and yield on airtime balances. Suruchi has extensive telecom, consumer software and blockchain experience and serves as a speaker/panelist at industry events in the US and abroad. She advises and mentors blockchain start-ups at Founders Space (ranked #1 incubator for overseas startups by Forbes) as well as mentoring young girls to cultivate her passion for technology. Suruchi Likes to identify herself as a passionate, result-oriented, and fun-loving individual. Has an unbeatable self-confidence, undying willingness, and unbreakable perseverance. Strongly believes in “Winners never quit & quitters never win” - Vince Lombardi. Feel free to reach out by adding a quick note about why you would like to connect. Today we talk about Suruchi’s dream for technology and her passion for influencing young girls to start looking into technology, as early as 8 years old. Click HERE to learn more about Suruchi on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/guptasuruchi/ Thank you for listening to Suruchi’s story as she encourages young girls to get into tech.

Join Jennifer Didier as she speaks with Amber Ivey. Amber has a unique career path that eventually lead her from the private sector to the government sector. Listen as she shares her journey and educates us on the positive work that is going on. More about Amber Ivey: Amber Ivey “AI” is currently a Vice President at a non-profit where she leads a team that helps governments drive impact. In her prior role, as the Senior Director for the Bloomberg Philanthropies Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University, she led a team that assisted governments in utilizing data and performance management for decision-making. Furthermore, she played a key role in the design and launch of the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance. The program aims to train 100 mayors and their senior leaders throughout the Americas on utilizing data to achieve better outcomes. Formerly, she worked at The Pew Charitable Trust—a nonprofit focused on solving today's challenges by using data-driven, nonpartisan analysis. Here, Amber led the data collection and organization efforts of a first-of-its-kind research study on how all 50 states and the District of Columbia use data to solve complex problems, improve the delivery of government services, manage resources, and evaluate effectiveness. Most recently, Amber led a team that provided technical as well as strategic assistance to states and counties, who were working towards streamlining their business processes and launching technology, like legal assistance websites and online courts, to modernize and improve access to the legal system. Before joining Pew, Amber served at Maryland StateStat, a performance-measurement and management office established by former Governor Martin O'Malley (D). Following the change in administration, she helped facilitate the transition by demonstrating the effectiveness of data-driven decision-making through StateStat. Additionally, she played a key role in the establishment of the Governor's Office of Performance Improvement under Governor Larry Hogan (R). Before joining the State of Maryland, Amber was a logistics manager for a Fortune 50 company where she used data to drive efficiency, productivity, and profits. She switched from private to the public sector to use her skills in service of government efficiency. She has her MPA and J.D. and is excited to serve at the intersection of data, technology, public policy, and law. She is also the creator and host of the AI for Kids podcast–a series of podcast interviews with industry experts and everyday people who help explain topics related to AI for kids and their parents and the creator of AiDigiTales—an edutainment platform that focuses on AI for kids. LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberivey/

Our next guest on MENtors that Make a Difference is Allen Middleton, Partner Development Manager of North America for Amazon Web Services (AWS). Allen has spent over 20 years in the IT learning and development space, where he has a proven track record of creating positive organizational change. He is a driven leader focused on creating team success and the growth and advancement of his customers. Today we discuss Allen's professional career and how his past 20 years in the learning development space have led him to Amazon Web Services (AWS). We also cover women's presence in tech and the challenges women face in today's IT landscape. Then, digging in further - we talk about how organizations can advocate for positive change for women to help overcome these modern-day challenges and how the data is trending in the right direction. Thank you for listening; we hope Allen's story helps inspire others to seek or grow their tech career. You can reach Allen Middleton at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenrmiddleton/

This week's guest is Lauren Anderson, the Owner and Chief Recruiter for All-In Recruiting & Talent Boutique - an experienced Human Resources & Talent Acquisition Organization delivering exceptional hiring results with urgency. Nationally recognized Business Leader in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition and Founder of All-In Recruiting & Talent Boutique. Specializing in direct-hire placements and contingent workforce solutions, All-In Recruiting has helped top talented candidates across industries to secure over $4M in salaries globally, as well as invested significantly in underrepresented entrepreneurs through initiatives like the Shark-ish. Lauren's impact extends to start-up communities, workforce development, and creating opportunities for entrepreneurs. Her achievements have earned her capital backing, features in Rolling Out Magazine, honors from Black Image Magazine, and recognition from Nevada’s Lt. Governor. Today we talk about Lauren's career journey and how she found her passion in helping others grow their careers. We also discuss the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it can drive positive results for organizations by showcasing the talent that otherwise wouldn't be acknowledged. We also cover how the hiring landscape has changed during the pandemic and what the future holds for the recruitment process. Learn more about All-In Recruiting here: https://www.all-inrecruiting.com/ Thank you for listening - we hope Lauren's story helps inspire others to grow their tech career.

Melisa Widner joins Jennifer Didier to talk about Venture Capital for Women in Technology. Melissa Widner from Lighter Capital talks to us about the evolution of the Venture capital space for Women Entrepreneurs. Melissa Widner is the CEO of Lighter Capital, the pioneer and leading provider of revenue based financing to SAAS companies. She has a deep understanding of the entrepreneur's journey and the importance of growth capital. Previously, she was the Managing Director of NAB Ventures, the venture capital arm of National Australia Bank, where she invested in and served as a director for several global fintech companies, including Lighter Capital. As CEO, she led two companies to successful acquisitions that provided over a 10X return to investors. She co-founded and was the CEO of Silicon Valley enterprise software company, 7Software (acquired by Concur Technologies NASDAQ: CNQR, acquired by SAP). Melissa served as a general partner at SeaPoint ventures, a US based venture capital firm focused on mobile technologies and SaaS enterprise software solutions. She is an active angel investor who served on the board of US based Alliance of Angels, one of the longest running and most active angel groups in the world. She was a lecturer in the subjects of Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship at University of Washington’s MBA program. In 2009, Melissa relocated to Sydney with her Australian husband. She is the co-founder and chair of Heads Over Heels, an organization that works with women entrepreneurs leading high growth companies. She served on the boards of AIC (The Australian Investment Council--formerly AVCAL), and currently serves on the board of the Shore Foundation and Heads Over Heels. She is the proud mother of four boys. Find Melissa at https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissawidner/

This week's guest is Denise Cagan, a graduate of James Madison University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Quality Systems Development. Denise never thought she would be a business owner, but as time went on, she found that her skillset coincided with her ideas and so she started her first business in 2001, followed with another in 2011. Her newest business is DCA Virtual Business Support, a company that supports small businesses with marketing and administrative tasks. Denise credits her hard work for getting her to where she is today. She views work ethic as monumental for getting any job done and advancing your career. This hard work philosophy has been the foundation for how Denise has built her company into what it is today. Thank you for listening; we hope Denise's story helps inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs. If you would like to learn more about Denise and her company, visit her site: https://dcavirtual.com/ Find Denise on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisecagan/

Our next guest on MENtors that Make a Difference is Michael Ashford, the Director of Marketing at The Receptionist. Started in 2013, The Receptionist paved the way as the first-ever visitor management company. They are now in over 4k+ locations and 36 countries worldwide. You can learn more about The Receptionist here: https://thereceptionist.com/ Today we talk about Michael's career journey and how his different experiences working in a wide variety of roles helped shape his business skillset. We also talk about the positive shifts that are taking place for women in tech and how gender stereotypes are being broken to create change. Thank you for listening; we hope Michael's story helps inspire others to seek or grow their tech career. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldashford/

This week's guest is Vickie Helm, the CEO of Smart Group Firm - a consulting firm focused on business strategy, leadership, training, and management consulting. Vickie is also the Co-CEO of Metadigm Digital - an online media network to help visionary action takers shape the future and create thrive-ability through world-class books, shows, and programs. She is also a best-selling author and keynote speaker that focuses on economic, political, and business patterns across the globe to create success for her clients and to prepare, pivot and profit from the changes ahead. In today's episode, we talk about Vickie's career journey and how she developed a passion for entrepreneurship at a young age. We also talk about how young entrepreneurs can maximize their potential and build a successful business. We also discuss giving back and the importance of helping others while helping yourself. You can learn more about Smart Group Firm here: https://www.smartgroupfirm.com/ We hope Vickie's story helps inspire others to grow their career. Instagram: @Vickie_Helm Facebook: SheEO.vickiehelm

Join the conversation as Jennifer Didier and Kristie Grinnell talk about how important the words are you use for yourself and in speaking to those around. These words can open or close doors of opportunity. Kristie Grinnell Bio: Kristie was recently named a top CIO to watch in 2022 by WashingtonExec, is a member of the CIO Executive Council, and she serves as chair of the Capital CIO Advisory Board and is a member of STEMforHER Advisory Board. A strong supporter of academic STEM programs for young women, she is a recipient of the 2018 Women in Technology STEM Leadership award, Washington Business Journal’s 2020 Women Who Mean Business Award, a 2020 Capital CIO of the Year ORBIE Award Winner and a 2021 National CIO of the Year ORBIE Award Winner. • Kristie earned her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and holds an MBA from Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management. Reach Kristie on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiegrinnell/

Dan Draper is the CEO and Founder of CipherStash, a data storage platform for sensitive data. Their platform uses searchable encryption technology to protect against attacks that leak a snapshot of the entire running system, thereby enabling development teams to search data with high levels of protection without compromising on usability. Connect with Dan: Debugging DiversityCipherStashTwitter Thank you for listening to Dan's expertise on Data Security and Cryptography. We hope you enjoyed this replay.

Listen to Jennifer Didier and Lorraine Hamilton discuss how all employees should not be treated the same. It is not healthy for the employee or the Employer. This coaching dynamo has a great track record and wants to help you to succeed. A little information about Lorraine Hamilton: Lorraine Hamilton PCC is a former engineer, voracious tea drinker and wannabe race car driver. She is also the creator of the SWITCH Coaching System®️. The SWITCH system is a refreshing take on coaching from a transformational embodiment lens. Lorraine has been a Professional Coach since 2006 and has spent the past 17 years coaching ambitious high-achieving women, writing books and mentoring hundreds of other coaches to greater freedom and success. This led to her being hand-picked by the Emmy award winning media entrepreneur Natalie MacNeil to become Program Director at the cutting edge and global ICF accredited coach training provider Coaching Evolved. She believes that feminine leadership is what the world needs right now, and having previously led a team of engineers to creating an award-winning culture, she knows a thing or two about it. "Before becoming an executive coach and trainer, I was a radio frequency engineer, first in Scotland where I was raised, and then in New Zealand where I’ve lived for over a decade now. At the peak of that engineering career I was leading my team so effectively that the whole office culture was modelled on us. " Lorraine's final word... "I love working with women in business and leadership, and of course, coaches. But it drives me crazy to see so many unscrupulous coaches taking advantage of a booming online industry. So I created my business to support them in finding trustworthy resources and training to further their career." Find her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorrainehamilton/

Enjoy this replay: This week's guest is Chaitra Vedullapalli, an influential business leader with a passion for enabling business equity throughout our communities. Chaitra is also the Co-Founder and CMO of Meylah, a cloud solution provider that helps businesses grow their digital presence through a wide range of solutions. She is also a Board Member, Forbes & YourStory Contributor, Entrepreneur, TEDx & Public Speaker, Strategic Partnerships, Top100 Global Change Leaders Seeking opportunities to contribute to public or private boards. Chaitra began her technological career in college, where she was exposed to COBOL Programming, Oracle Databases, and Windows. This experience opened her eyes up to the opportunities technology can create to change the world for the better. She also saw the glass ceilings for women and saw a chance to make meaningful change. Seeing these glass ceilings led her to become a Co-Founder of Women in Cloud, 'a community-led developmental organization for women that celebrates the female entrepreneurs in the tech world; creates opportunities and access for entrepreneurial acceleration.' Thank you for listening; we hope Chaitra's story helps inspire others to grow their tech career. To learn more about Chaitra and to get in touch with her, visit her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaitrav/

Enjoy the replay: Our next guest on our MENtors that Make a Difference segment is the co-founder of Kitcaster, Ryan Estes. He has owned a media and marketing agency for the last 10 years. For eight of those years he hosted the founders podcast Talklaunch. Consistently ranked in the iTunes "Top 100" podcasts. He has recorded 300+ interviews with more than a quarter million downloads, and attributes $1M+ in revenue as a direct result from podcasts. He loves podcasting, believes the medium possesses a giant opportunity for entrepreneurs, and is more than happy to discuss your prospects! Find out more about Ryan and Kitcaster at https://kitcaster.com/ Thank you for listening and we hope Ryan's story helps inspire others to grow their tech career.

Jennifer Didier interviews a veteran in the Technology space, Rupal Parikh. Get to know Rupal Parikh as we hear how she got started on her tech journey and how she is helping companies understand how to retain their sales teams and build their presales programs. Bio: Rupal Parikh is a veteran in the technology space, from tech startups to Fortune 500 companies. As the head of a global Presales team at SAP, Rupal and her team help customers achieve efficiency gains and process improvements across their critical enterprise incentive management systems through SAP's Sales Performance Management portfolio. Rupal is also an advocate of the Presales function. She advises technology startups on best practices in building Presales teams and creating value-added Presales technology to master the craft. Rupal is also passionate about helping elevate and connect women in their professional journeys. She is New York City chapter director for WNORTH, a membership network that brings together women at a high level to share their networks, knowledge, and experience. Connect with Rupal Parikh rparikh26@yahoo.com or on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupal-parikh-b99a5b/overlay/contact-info/

Jennifer Didier Interviews Alexandra West of Nerd/Noir. Alexandra shares her journey from the world of Art to technology, back to Art and making her final career in the world of Technology. Listen to her story of how her art background had allowed her to experience and share a unique technology experience and focus. About Nerd/Noir: Founded in 2015, Nerd/Noir is a consulting firm specializing in transforming large-scale product engineering organizations. ​​The company is dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and helping businesses rethink digital transformation. Nerd/Noir helps clients build self-sustaining coaching capabilities, ensuring long-term success in today's rapidly evolving tech landscape; focusing on outcome-driven strategies and impacts, versus process-centric approaches. The Nerd/Noir team has more than 25 years of experience in modernizing processes and increasing the success of engineering and product teams, from startups to Fortune 500 firms. For more information, please visit https://nerdnoir.com/. Alexandra West, Cofounder & Creative Director Alexandra West is an award-winning designer, international speaker, and corporate trainer. She is passionate about culture, creativity, and collaboration. Her focus is on bringing both a visual thinking mindset and a strong sense of psychological safety to the world of collaborative work. Alex has a long history as a creative. After earning her degree in Art History from Emory University, Alex spent her early career in commercial and nonprofit art galleries. She then spent a decade managing large-scale software implementations for Fortune 500 HR teams before leaving corporate America to return to her creative roots. Alex worked as a production designer and art director on feature films, television shows, and commercials for over ten years. Alex works with organizations on product discovery and development projects, as well as corporate culture and diversity & inclusion initiatives. When not busy curating and coaching, Alex can be found eating cheese. All kinds of cheese. You can find Alexandra West on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-west-nerdnoir/