Top Women in Tech Share Their Best Career Advice [Tech Week 2021 Recap]

By Tech Elevator Campus Director, Marty Mordarski

According to a recent article from BuiltIn. The tech sector sadly lags behind the rest of the job market when it comes to hiring women.”

Here at Tech Elevator, we are committed to changing that trend. It’s just one reason why we partnered with Greater Cleveland Partnership for Tech Week 2021 to host the virtual roundtable, Women in Tech.

This free event provided an opportunity for women who are current or aspiring tech professionals to hear from women who are thriving in the industry. During 2+ hours of discussion, the following women shared tips and insights to advance.

  • Kim Snipes, Chief Information Officer of Consumer, Digital and Investment Technology and Services for KeyBank
  • Ivy Chin, SVP, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at the Sherwin-Williams Company
  • Michelle Tomallo, CPO and Co-Founder of FIT Technologies
  • Angie Klein, CEO of Visible (a Verizon Company)

In case you missed the live event, catch up on a few key takeaways from each speaker below (or click the link to watch the full video).

Speaker Highlights: Tips to Succeed in Tech

Kim Snipes

Kim Snipes kickoff the event, and during her talk, she shared lessons learned from her 20+ years of experience. Kim highlighted the importance of raising your hand because no-one else is going to raise it for you, to embrace being candid with leadership in regards to your aspirations, and to not only tell but to show in order to demonstrate the ability to handle more. Kim also champions the power of saying yes when others say no. This mindset led her into her dream job of being a CIO and enabling the business and lives around her.

 

Ivy ChinIvy Chin overviewed her journey to becoming a CDTO. She describes how she transitioned from business to technology a handful of times, and expressed how important it is to truly know yourself. She emphasized: focus on what you’re really passionate about and combine that with what you’re really good at.

Michelle Tomallo

The next leader to share her background was Michelle Tomallo. She highlighted the many ups and downs of being an entrepreneur in the tech world, and the twists and turns a small-to-medium sized business can take, but also emphasized that the important thing is to focus on what the business does well and

alignment with the values of the company. Life doesn’t always go as planned, but the way that you navigate these unplanned times is really how you become who you are.

 

Angie Klein recently took the role of CEO for Visible (a Verizon company) after spending the last 20+ years in several leadership roles within Verizon. She shared what it means to be the first all-digital wireless carrier company in the U.S. Angie described Visible as a “start-up with suspenders” due to having the grit of a start-up, but still having the backing of a major well-known company. Angie’s parting advice was her three “I’s” that she always follows: to be inquisitive, intentional, and inspirational.

 

Watch what you missed in the video!