Empowering Women in Tech: Insights from Industry Leaders

The technology industry has long been male-dominated, but in 2025 women are making strides, breaking barriers, and redefining leadership in the space. To celebrate International Women In Tech Day, we spoke with four accomplished women in technology - Emily Cellar, Laura Jansen, Shilpi Kanade, and Ayn Roberts - about their journeys, challenges, accomplishments, and advice for the next generation of women in tech. Their stories reflect resilience, passion, and a commitment to paving the way for future leaders.

What Inspired Them to Enter the Tech Industry?

For many women in tech, the journey can be anything but traditional - whether it’s an early love for problem-solving, a career shift, or a deeply personal experience.

Emily Cellar’s interest in cybersecurity arose after becoming a victim of identity theft during COVID. When fraudulent unemployment checks were in her name, she found out that all of her and her family’s information was available on the dark web “for pennies on the dollar.” She questioned, “If this can happen to me, how do we make sure that this doesn't happen to other people?” Determined, she dove into the world of cybersecurity and is now a VP of Security.

Laura Jansen’s professional journey started in hospitality where she, “focused on customer experience and satisfaction.” Uncovering this passion inspired her to pursue a career in UX design, she recounts, “I went back to school for computer science where I gained a lot of technical knowledge, and I also have a background in studio and graphic design, I've always been interested in the artistic side as well.”

Shilpi Kanade’s enthusiasm for coding sparked in the 8th grade when she was “instantly hooked” and won an outstanding student award. "My dad always wanted me to become an engineer, and I guess you could say it was my calling. Looking back over 25 years in the industry, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Ayn Roberts initially pursued graphic design but realized the digital world was the future. She got a job in digital advertising when she “saw an explosion of UX/UI and was really called to that specificity of design.” Ayn began taking online courses and building a portfolio, eventually landing a job at Dell working “internally designing a sales enablement application tool.”

What Challenges Have You Faced as a Woman in Tech?

The road for women in tech is often filled with hurdles, from balancing family and professional responsibilities, to overcoming biases in the workplace, and facing imposter syndrome.

Emily Cellar has dealt with gender bias in cybersecurity and imposter syndrome, saying “I constantly feel the need to work harder than my male counterparts to prove I deserve my position - despite my extensive knowledge, skill set, experience, and holding the highest-level cybersecurity certification, the CISSP.” She has also seen tall poppy syndrome within the women in tech spaces, this is “when women interfere with other women’s success, which is a darker side of this whole story that people typically don't talk about.” Emily shares, "When we climb the corporate ladder, we should be turning around and giving other women a hand up, not breaking the rungs as we climb.”

Laura Jansen also experienced imposter syndrome early in her career. “In my computer science classes, I was one of the few women, so I faced being ignored and belittled [...] and questioning if I had a seat at the table.” Now at her current organization, she feels more empowered than she has at other companies, saying that this role has “developed my leadership skills, which has led me to establish a UX research practice within our team.”

For Shilpi Kanade, balancing motherhood and ambition was her greatest challenge. It was really important to her to be there for her kids when they were young, but "once I felt they were more independent, I pressed the accelerator on my career, and that determination led me to where I am today," she reflects. Having the unwavering support from her family has meant everything to her, and has led her to become the VP of Engineering - one of her proudest achievements. “My peers value my contributions, and those who report to me see me as both a visionary and a compassionate leader.”

Ayn Roberts faced hardship and bias as a single mother, which contributed to her shifting careers for more financial stability. In the past, she had male bosses who would hold this over her head, “as a way to either extract loyalty or discredit my work ethic.” But she never let that discourage her. At Dell, she audited an internal application that was struggling to gain traction and adaptability. Years later during an audit of all applications, “my application was designated as the foundational application that Dell was going to use for all sales enablement features to be built off of. It was great to be recognized that what we had created was profoundly better than what was out there.”

How Has the Tech Industry Evolved for Women?

The progress for equity in this field has had great improvements throughout these professionals’ careers. But, there is still work to be done.

Emily Cellar points out that in the beginning of her career, “there were two women on the floor of 200 developers, I never saw another woman in the bathroom for like 2 years.” While more women are entering cybersecurity, many leave due to unsustainable work expectations. "There should be a way to accommodate parents with busy schedules. [...] I think that as leaders and people managers, we should be output-based. Looking at what their employees are building, protecting, growing, contributing, and asking ‘can that only be done 8:00 to 5:00?’”

To contribute to this mission, Emily Cellar founded Women In Technical Infrastructure (WITI) here in Denver. They started with 18 members and have now grown to a network of over 800, encouraging the advancement of women in underrepresented roles. WITI holds guest speaking events and prides itself on being a space where women uplift each other. Emily shares, “we focus on providing mentorship for women that are just starting out, and how to help them move from a help desk position up to engineering-type roles. [...] getting them around other people and then building this great internal network system where we're recruiting other women from within this group.”

Laura Jansen highlights the rise of women in leadership and the growing support systems, such as CoBank’s Women in Tech group. "We discuss possible outreach and opportunities for women within the organization, I'm very excited to be a part of it and contribute” she shares.

Shilpi Kanade has witnessed a remarkable shift from her college days, saying "when I was in my engineering class, only about 20% of the students were women, and not all of them pursued tech as a career.” But now, “more and more women are graduating and actively choosing to build careers in technology.” She believes the “industry has come a long way in fostering inclusivity and embracing diverse perspectives.” 

Ayn Roberts has noticed an increase in female representation in tech roles, looking around at her current company and seeing “so many empowered women that I'm working alongside everyday.” She feels that there’s “gender parity or even a leaning toward more women in terms of the design and project management space.”

What Can Companies Do to Support Women in Tech?

Creating a more equitable tech industry requires action, not just words. There are many initiatives organizations can take to attract, hire, and retain women in these roles.

Emily Cellar stresses the importance of representation. Before the person is even hired - women should be included during the interview process. If an outstanding female candidate is extended an offer but is trying to decide between 3, Emily points out, “if they didn't see a woman in the interview process, they might not feel that someone like them is on the team.” She also suggests that companies have employee resource groups (ERGs) and mentorship programs. Having a “sense of connection and privacy where they can open up” makes employees feel recognized and respected.

Laura Jansen also advocates for mentorship opportunities as well as career pipelines. "I didn't see a lot of that when I was going through a shift in my career. So having a more structured approach [...] would really encourage women.” She is part of a Women In Tech group within CoBank, serving as a supportive community “creating a workplace culture where women feel heard and valued.”

Shilpi Kanade emphasizes how crucial pay parity is “irrespective of gender. [...] Not just in starting salaries but in ongoing compensation adjustments as roles evolve.” She also mentions promoting a healthy work-life balance, “where women don’t feel pressured to choose between family and career.”

Ayn Roberts agrees, valuing flexibility in the workplace, “so we can juggle all aspects of our lives while still meeting the business needs of our role.” She emphasizes the importance of job security, urging companies to hire more full-time employees than contract, “because the stability it provides (benefits, financial security) would be great for women in particular.”

What Advice Do You Have for Women Pursuing Tech Careers?

These four women have amazing experience in the tech space, here’s some great advice for others embarking on their journeys. It’s great to set yourself up with a strong education and credentials on your resume, Emily Cellar suggests obtaining certifications. She says they’ll “give you the confidence that you are qualified for the job and they give you a leg up in the interview process. It shows a commitment to your profession that you went and took a test and you have a third party that says you also know what you're doing.” Once you have that solid resume, “trust your skills” Laura Jansen encourages, and “embrace your ambition” Shilpi Kanade adds. Don’t let what-ifs hold you back, or discourage you from taking that leap. “Take initiative to propose your ideas, being in the tech industry we can identify when there are problems, so speak up about those areas for improvement and doors will open for you”, Laura advises. Final words of advice from Shilpi are to “Remember that if anyone can do the impossible, it’s you. [...] the tech industry needs your passion, creativity, and determination, and you have what it takes to make a difference.”

Final Thoughts

These women’s journeys highlight the progress being made and the work still left to do in achieving gender equity in tech. Companies must foster inclusivity, support career growth, and provide the necessary flexibility for women to thrive. Meanwhile, aspiring women in tech should trust their abilities, advocate for themselves, and build strong networks of support. In Emily’s words, "There’s room for all of us at the top." Let’s continue to create spaces where women can excel, lead, and inspire future generations.