Leading with Impact: Stories of Women Shaping Tech

Tech has long been a male-dominated industry, with women holding just 29.2% of STEM jobs worldwide. Yet, despite the odds, women continue to carve out a space for themselves. They are leading teams, driving innovation, and launching companies—proving that the future of tech isn’t just shaped by men.

The road isn’t easy. Bias, lack of representation, and outdated stereotypes still exist. Yet, these women push forward. They’ve shattered ceilings, challenged norms, and paved the way for others to follow.

In honor of Women’s Month, we’re spotlighting women at three key career stages:

• The Leader – Those who have climbed the ranks to lead teams and companies.
• The Career Builder – Professionals making an impact and defining their path.
• The Owner – Entrepreneurs who built something from the ground up.

Their journeys are different, but the message is the same: resilience, ambition, and a commitment to uplifting others.

Jessica didn’t plan to start a business. Instead, she had a strong career in healthcare and tech. But during the pandemic, she realized she wanted to do something more meaningful.

“I wanted to use my skills to create lasting, impactful change,” she shared. That purpose led her to build Kindred Health, a company focused on women’s healthcare—an area often overlooked.

Jessica’s leadership journey wasn’t always smooth. In her corporate career, she was often one of the few women in leadership. “Most of my mentors were men, and I learned a lot from them,” she said. But she also saw the gaps—women had fewer opportunities and faced different expectations.

“It’s changing now, but it wasn’t always like that,” she added. These experiences shaped how she built Kindred. She wanted an inclusive and open workplace where people could speak up.

At Kindred, Jessica fosters a culture of transparency and collaboration. “I don’t want a workplace where people are afraid to speak up,” she said.

Her team is 70% women, but for her, diversity isn’t just about gender. “It’s about background, experiences, and perspectives. That’s what makes a strong team.”

She also challenges traditional leadership norms. “Early in my career, I tried to lead the way my bosses did. It didn’t work. I had to develop my own leadership style,” she said. Now, she encourages others to do the same.

Women don’t have to navigate leadership alone. “Learn from others. Ask for help. Surround yourself with mentors,”Jessica advised.

Her message to women aiming for leadership roles is clear: “Don’t be afraid to challenge the norm. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s possible. Keep pushing forward.”

The mid-career stage is where ambition meets challenge. It’s a phase of proving oneself, overcoming self-doubt, and pushing past biases that often keep women from advancing as quickly as their male counterparts.

For Grace, her career journey began in the BPO industry as a call center agent. Through grit and adaptability, she transitioned into training, operations, and eventually leadership. “You have to prove yourself—not just that you can do the job, but that you can exceed expectations,” she shares.

The challenges were real. She encountered the unconscious bias that women might “give up” or fall short in leadership roles. But she knew her worth. “If my boss didn’t believe in my ability to build this company in the Philippines, he wouldn’t have given me this responsibility.”

While Grace had to deal with external biases, Iras faced a different struggle—internal doubts about whether she truly belonged in leadership roles. Early in her career, she often questioned if she was “good enough” to be in the room. Instead of stepping back, she leaned in by honing her skills, finding mentors, and learning to own her expertise.

“I had to unlearn the idea that speaking up meant being difficult,” she says. “If I didn’t own my expertise, no one else would.”

Iras built her career by working across different industries—fraud investigation, fintech, and SaaS. Each role taught her new skills and shaped how she approaches leadership. Every industry gave her different lessons, and she uses them all in how she leads today.

In industries that move fast, staying ahead means being adaptable. She encourages her team to embrace change, seek growth opportunities, and apply cross-industry insights to problem-solving. This mindset has helped her build strong, agile teams capable of thriving in fast-moving industries like tech.

Grace and Iras share the same message for women building their careers:

• Find mentors who challenge you. “Not all advice is good advice. A true mentor pushes you to grow,” Grace says.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. “I’ve been called ‘stupid’ for asking something basic. But I’d rather ask and learn than stay silent and miss out,” Iras says.
• Take ownership of your growth. “Learn new skills, push past self-doubt, and create opportunities instead of waiting for them,” Grace adds.

Alex Gentry’s journey into entrepreneurship began with a clear mission: solving inefficiencies in HR and payroll. What started as a response to a common business challenge soon evolved into something bigger. “What inspired us to start Sprout was solving a problem—HR and payroll inefficiencies,” she shares. “But what inspired us to take it further was when we found our North Star: to impact the life of every Filipino by improving business in the Philippines.” For her, entrepreneurship wasn’t just about creating a product; it was about shaping an entire industry.

For Alex, one of the biggest barriers was internal. “Women, more than men, tend to be risk-averse,” she notes. “A barrier I constantly try to push through is overcoming that fear of uncertainty.”

She recognizes that many women hesitate to take big leaps, often feeling the need to be fully prepared before making bold moves. However, in the fast-paced startup world, waiting for the “perfect” moment can mean missed opportunities. Alex works to shift this mindset, embracing calculated risks and trusting her ability to adapt and find solutions along the way.

Beyond leading a successful company, Alex also challenges traditional views on success and self-worth. “Instead of striving for perfect work-life balance, aim for work-life harmony. Bring your whole self to what you do—because the better you are in one role, the better you are in all the others,” she reflects.

She encourages women to integrate their personal and professional lives in a way that fuels growth in both. By aligning passion with purpose, she believes women can thrive in leadership while staying true to themselves.

Maria’s decision to start Hati Health was to address an overlooked need in healthcare. “I wasn’t from an entrepreneurial background,” she admits, “but at some point, I realized I was ready. I had the confidence to say to people, ‘Would you like to work with me?’ And I didn’t feel like a fraud.”

Her vision for Hati Health was to improve healthcare accessibility for working women, particularly in areas often overlooked by traditional insurance providers. She set out to reimagine employer-sponsored health benefits, ensuring that more women had access to quality healthcare without financial strain.

Building a startup comes with constant challenges, and Maria understands that adaptability is key. “In a startup, it’s a sprint and a marathon together,” she explains. “You start with assumptions, but along the way, the market shifts, circumstances change, and you realize some of those assumptions were wrong. The key is to keep going, to experiment, and to adjust.”

She emphasizes that success doesn’t come from having all the answers upfront—it comes from being willing to learn, pivot, and refine strategies as new insights emerge.

Maria is passionate about breaking barriers for women in business. She actively mentors and invests in female entrepreneurs, knowing firsthand the challenges they face in securing funding and leadership roles. “There’s more support now than there was five years ago,” she says, “but we still have to make those channels more accessible.”

By advocating a culture of mentorship, Maria hopes to create more opportunities for women to step into leadership, ensuring that the next generation has fewer barriers to overcome.

1. Just start. “Even if you’re not 100% ready, you learn so much more along the way.” Maria advises aspiring entrepreneurs to take small steps. Test ideas on the side, experiment, and adapt as they go.
2. Do it afraid. Alex emphasizes that uncertainty is always present, especially for women. “Every day, you fight through being extremely comfortable, and every day, you have to push outside your comfort zone.” Her advice? Don’t wait to feel ready—just take action.
3. Embrace work-life harmony. “We are all in the process of becoming,” Alex reflects. “The better I am as a mother, the better I am as a leader. The better I am as a wife, the better I am as a manager.” Instead of chasing perfect balance, she encourages women to integrate their personal and professional lives in a way that feels natural.

The journeys of these women highlight a powerful truth: Women in tech are making space for themselves while transforming the industry.

From breaking barriers to leading mission-driven companies, they are proving that progress comes from courage, adaptability, and a strong support system.

But the work isn’t done. A more inclusive tech landscape requires:

• Encouraging more women to take the leap—whether it’s launching a startup or stepping into leadership.
• Breaking biases in hiring, promotions, and funding to open more doors for women in tech.
• Creating workplace cultures that support work-life harmony so women can thrive in every role they take on.

Who are the women in tech that inspire you? Share their stories, amplify their voices, and support women-led initiatives in your own communities. Get inspired by the journeys of women leading change—watch our Women’s Month spotlight video, and see how they’re shaping the future of tech.

Want more insights on leadership, innovation, and workplace growth? Check out our latest blogs, thought leadership materials, and events.

Let’s build a more diverse, equitable workplace together!