Tech in the Right Direction

How to Stay Relevant in the Ever-Changing World of Tech; A Woman’s Perspective on Succeeding in a Male Dominated Industry.

Join us in welcoming back Microsoft employee Keith Boyd. This week he will share his career story and how he has flourished over the years in the field of technology. In order to remain relevant In a time when technology and the IT industry are rapidly changing, Keith ensures he has leading edge technology skills backed up with solid foundational business skills. Listen in to hear Keith’s thoughts on soft skills, and why he believes certification is critical in the IT industry today. Later we are joined by Jane Weisman, a well-rounded leader in the technology field, who is dedicated to improving government and moving it in a positive direction. Find out how keeping an open mind led Jane to an unexpected job that would be the foundation for her entire career, and how she feels being a woman in a male-dominated field has actually provided her with opportunities she wouldn’t have otherwise had.

How Being a Mentor Benefits YOU; And a Look Behind the Scenes of a Woman’s 30 Year Journey Through Tech.

Our first guest this week is Peggi Peaslee, a well-rounded tech veteran currently in the HR space. She shares her journey with us; from her start in banking, where she began taking on tech projects and realizing her passion for tech, through 10 years in various tech roles. Come see how Peggi was able to meld tech with business. We also discuss the importance of having a mentor, as well as being a mentor. Listen in to hear Peggy’s advice on how to choose mentors and have a successful career in Technology. Later, in our Women in Tech segment, we get a different view of technology from 30-year tech vet and Vice President of Sales, Sharan Hildebrand. Sharan fell in love with tech her Junior year of college when she took a coding class and saw the amazing output that could come from writing code. She shares her experiences over three decades of working with technology and dives into the tech job roles that are often overlooked. She also shares what it’s like to be a woman in tech, how to gain and maintain confidence, and the challenges she’s overcome.

Is Automation Really All That? Overcoming Self-Doubt, & the Future Technology Innovators with Jim MacLennan, Caitlin Knox, and Sarah Hole.

This week in our Tech Solutions segment, we welcome back Jim MacLennan, Senior Vice President and CIO at Eidex Corporation. Speaking about what problems he currently faces when creating solutions and what problems he believes we may start to see in the near future, Jim also discusses issues he sees with how the world approaches and uses automation. We discuss the importance of communication, from how the new generation communicates to how to communicate with customers.We are then joined by Caitlin Knox, a self-taught IT business analyst. Starting her career in Hospitality, Caitlin took a leap of faith to move to the tech industry when she found a passion within problem solving and creating solutions for end users. Join us to hear Caitlin’s story of overcoming self-doubt as a woman in technology and finding her personal strengths as a woman that give her an advantage. Later, we have our first guest in our Next Gen Tech Segment, high schooler Sarah Hole. Getting her start in technology in just third grade when she had her first experience with code, Sarah found the abilities it gave her magical and she hasn’t looked back ever since. Holding multiple Microsoft Certifications, being a part of a competitive robotics team and showing great interest in cyber security, Sarah discusses the problems she experiences with technology and the incredible support system she’s developed.

What is the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ with Harini Gokul; How to Succeed in IT with Stefanie Cortese.

Harini Gokul attended Vanderbilt and has now been in the IT industry for over 20 years strongly advocating for women in the workplace. Harini believes we are on the cusp of the fourth industrial revolution as we continue to innovate and solve unique problems with technology and create more immersive experiences between the physical and digital world. Join us as we discuss tech solutions in today’s world and dive into data privacy ethics. Later we welcome back Stefanie Cortese, an IT Director who specializes in collaboration and business automation. With a unique path from Fashion Merchandising to finding her passion within technology, Stefanie discusses how she stands out in a growing industry by continuously strengthening her skills and working towards new certifications as well as how she stays on top of the constant changes within the industry.

Sarah Haggard melds Tech Solutions with the Human Experience ; Jenna Beckett discusses how-to cultivate an environment for Women in Tech

This week we welcome back the founder of the female mentorship app Tribute, and former Microsoft employee, Sarah Haggard. Sarah saw the world’s desire to enhance our human experience within technology and combined it with her passion for mentorship by creating her own solution: Tribute. Listen in to see how Tribute forms prosperous, long-lasting mentor relationships and how Tribute benefits businesses through data analytics. Later we’re joined by Jenna Beckett, web developer, technical trainer, and an active leader in tech who is passionate about promoting the female voice. Jenna discusses the challenges she’s faced as a woman in tech, starting from being dissuaded from taking an HTML class in middle school. She’s now a leader in the community and is proactive about making sure the same doesn’t happen to other young girls like her by volunteering with various organizations promoting coding and technology.

Tech Trends, Innovation and Education with Steven Zylstra ; How to Succeed as a Woman in Technology with Peggi Peaslee

This week we sit down with Steven Zylstra, President and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council. We discuss technology trends influencing our society, commerce and economy, and how those changes will only continue to rapidly increase in the coming years. We also discuss how-to prepare future generations for the effects of technology advancements on new job roles.Later, Women in Tech guest Peggy Peaslee joins us to share her story about her journey into technology and how she found her passion. Find out how Peggy believes women can succeed in technology, solve problems, and break through barriers. She also shares her advice for other women who want to enter into the world of technology.

Training, Certification, and How-to Remain Current with John Nicolau and Stephanie Cortese

This week we welcome back John Nicolau, entrepreneur and IT consultant to discuss the value of certification. Jennifer and John also discuss how technology and the trends today will continue to drive businesses operations, especially regarding mobility and anywhere access. Listen in for John’s advice on how-to stay current in an ever-changing industry. Later, we are joined by Stephanie Cortese, an IT Director who specializes in collaboration and business automation. Find out how she went from majoring in Fashion Merchandising in college to becoming a leader in the tech industry, how she’s exceled in that role while balancing being a working mother, and her advice on how-to stay current in the industry.

Sarah Haggard discusses Mentorship in IT ; Part 1 of John Nicolau’s Tech Trends discussion.

This week we sit down with Sarah Haggard, long-time Product Marketing lead at Microsoft for multiple startup initiatives, who is now the mastermind behind Tribute, an app that connects individuals with mentors in a personal way. We discuss how she’s melded her desire to change the world one person at a time with the enticing world of technology, how she was able to affect change on a much larger level by diving into problems within the business world, and how she engineered new solutions for those problems. Later, we showcase part 1 of 2 of our discussion with John Nicolau. John has spent his entire career in IT and began his own IT consulting firm that quickly achieved Microsoft Gold Partner status. From customer-facing interface to building technical solutions, John is immersed in the field and has seen the full gamut of technology trends. We will discuss four main trends he is seeing today.