Tech. Strong. Women.

Hosted by Techstrong Group

Technology News EducationInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Feb 2025

Language

About the show

Learn from the technologists who have impacted and disrupted critical aspects of technology across all industries. Learn about what’s new, what’s now, what’s next, and meet the visionaries who are making it happen. Hosted by Jodi Ashley of Techstrong Group and Tracy Ragan of DeployHub. Tech.Strong.Women. Addresses critical IT issues and thought leadership from today’s top technologists with a focus on women. Produced by Techstrong Group.

Listen to episodes

44 recent

February 20, 2025Episode 4447 min

Tech.Strong.Women: AI, Open Source, and Career Growth with Carolyn Nash - Tech.Strong.Women. EP 44

In this episode of Tech.Strong.Women, hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Carolyn Nash, COO of Red Hat, they explore the evolving landscape of AI, open source security, and career development. They discusse how AI is reshaping industries, the role of enterprise-grade open source in innovation, and the importance of continuous learning in today’s fast-changing tech environment. Carolyn also shares insights on Red Hat’s approach to AI integration, workforce reskilling, and STEM education outreach. Join us for an engaging conversation on navigating disruption, embracing career challenges, and building a more inclusive future in technology.

February 6, 2025Episode 4145 min

Breaking Barriers: Open Source, Cybersecurity, and Mentorship - Tech.Strong.Women. EP 43

In this episode of TechStrongWomen, hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Sal Kimmich who shares her unconventional journey from government-funded research to open source and cybersecurity, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities for women in tech. She discusses the increasing reliance on open source within federal agencies, the security considerations that come with it, and how category theory is emerging as a powerful tool for identifying vulnerabilities. Sal also highlights the importance of mentorship, the barriers women face in tech, and her ongoing work recognizing open source contributions in science, art, and history. Join us for an insightful conversation on security, innovation, and the power of community.

January 23, 2025Episode 4044 min

Navigating the Tech Job Search: Insights from Caroline Wong - Tech.Strong.Women. EP42

The tech job market is fiercely competitive, with AI screeners prioritizing keywords and hundreds of applicants per role. In this episode, Caroline Wong shares her job search journey and offers practical advice for standing out, from optimizing resumes and LinkedIn profiles to mastering remote interviews and networking effectively. She also emphasizes the importance of personal branding, self-care, and resilience in navigating today’s challenges. Whether you’re actively job hunting or planning your next move, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you succeed.

December 20, 2024Episode 3942 min

Breaking Barriers: Tackling Sexism and Boosting Inclusion in Tech and Open Source - Tech.Strong.Women. EP41

In this episode, hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Katherine Druckman (Intel) as they delve into the troubling sexism still present in the tech industry, sparked by a recent incident at the Black Hat conference. We explore the broader challenges women face in tech — especially in open source, where representation remains staggeringly low — and examine the cultural and historical forces behind this disparity. Our discussion includes actionable strategies for fostering inclusion, from mentorship programs to creating safer, more constructive environments for women to share their technical expertise. Join us as we uncover the barriers to diversity and how we can collectively reshape the narrative around women’s contributions to computing and open source innovation.

November 7, 2024Episode 4347 min

Driving Open Source Success: Insights on Innovation, Inclusive Leadership, and Culture in Tech – Tech.Strong.Women. EP40

In this episode, hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Percona CEO Ann Schlemmer and CTO Liz Warner who share insights on open source innovation, company culture, and their unique leadership journeys as women in technology. Percona, an open source database company, is dedicated to making databases accessible and secure, with a focus on community, ease of use, and robust documentation to drive adoption. Ann and Liz emphasize the transformative impact of open source, which allows for rapid innovation and fosters trust through transparency. They also highlight Percona’s inclusive culture that values equity and diversity, believing that a balanced leadership team leads to better outcomes. Ann’s background in team sports and all-girls education instilled a competitive yet team-focused approach, while Liz’s journey reflects resilience, challenging early discouragement to become a leading tech executive. Both women aim to empower more women in tech and continue driving Percona’s mission of open source excellence and community-focused growth.

October 24, 2024Episode 3847 min

Leading Cloud Native: CNCF's Growth, AI's Impact and Driving Diversity - Tech.Strong.Women. EP39

In this episode of Tech.Strong.Women., hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan sit down with Priyanka Sharma, executive director of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), to explore the rapid growth and influence of CNCF in the cloud native ecosystem. With more than 190 projects, 750+ member companies, and a developer community of 7.1 million worldwide, CNCF is shaping the future of cloud-native technologies. We dive into how AI is transforming cloud native solutions and the evolving role of DevOps and DevSecOps in managing new complexities. Priyanka also discusses the challenges of improving diversity in open source, especially for women balancing tech careers and family, and highlights CNCF’s efforts to foster inclusion through mentorship and support initiatives. Tune in for insights on the future of cloud native, AI, and the importance of diversity in tech. To learn more about the cloud native community, join Priyanka at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America in Salt Lake City from Nov. 12-15.

September 19, 2024Episode 3743 min

Breaking Barriers in DevOps: Chhaya Gunawat on Resilience, Innovation, and Empowering Women in Tech - Tech.Strong.Women. EP38

Join hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan for the latest episode of Tech.Strong.Women. featuring Chhaya Gunawat, a DevOps engineer at Amazon, as she dives into the dynamic world of DevOps and the future of AI/ML integration. Chhaya shares her insights on the high-demand, high-pressure nature of the field and why women are uniquely equipped to thrive in it. She discusses the lessons learned from incidents like CrowdStrike, the challenges of adopting new tools without disrupting workflows, and the rising importance of MLOps. Beyond tech, Chhaya offers empowering advice for women on staying in the workforce, celebrating failures, and taking control of their finances. Tune in for a powerful conversation on resilience, innovation, and financial literacy in tech!

August 21, 2024Episode 3647 min

AI Challenges and the Call for Data Privacy Accountability - Tech.Strong.Women. EP37

In this episode of Tech.Strong.Women., hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Harman Kaur, VP of AI at Tanium. Harman shares her remarkable career path from the Air Force to a pivotal role at Tanium, where she unexpectedly transitioned from an HR position to engineering. She delves into the complexities of enforcing cybersecurity regulations and accountability, particularly in the wake of the recent Supreme Court Chevron decision. Harman highlights the urgent need for enhanced automation and AI to manage the overwhelming number of vulnerabilities organizations face. Additionally, she urges consumers to demand greater accountability from companies regarding data privacy and ethical AI practices.

July 18, 2024Episode 3550 min

From Academia to Tech Leadership: Empowering Women and Revolutionizing Open Source - Tech.Strong.Women. EP 36

In this episode of Tech.Strong.Women., Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Garima Kapoor, a remarkable founder with a PhD in finance and economics who transitioned from academia to entrepreneurship. She co-founded MinIO, an open source object storage company, alongside her engineer husband. Garima highlighted the challenges she faced as a woman founder, including gender discrimination in fundraising and business meetings. She underscored the need for greater female representation in leadership and the support of women-led companies. MinIO's success is attributed to its open source model and robust community engagement, with Garima emphasizing the importance of strong licenses and ecosystem contributions. She also discussed building an inclusive company culture at MinIO, prioritizing work-life balance, and making meaningful investments for long-term growth.

June 13, 2024Episode 3443 min

Enhancing Cyber Resilience through Diversity and Innovation, Tech.Strong.Women. EP 35

In today's episode of Tech.Strong.Women. Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Anneka Gupta, Chief Product Officer at Rubrik. In an era of increasing cyber attacks, data security is critical, and Anneka Gupta from Rubric emphasizes the need for strategies that ensure cyber resilience and recovery post-attack. Traditional prevention methods must now be complemented by proactive measures like protecting critical data and reactive approaches such as recovery planning. AI plays a growing role in identifying threats and automating responses, though it also introduces new security challenges. Gupta highlights the importance of diversity in developing robust security strategies and advocates for making security accessible while communicating the industry's talent needs. Building community and mentorship is vital to enhance diversity in tech fields, a value she embodies through her teaching and mentorship at Stanford. Inspired by her engineer parents and entrepreneurial spirit, Gupta leverages her passion for startups to drive technological change and support emerging talent.