In this special episode of Tech Beyond Gender, host Meena Satishkumar is joined by Noor Syed and Rob Lonie from Microsoft, and Diksha Sandhu from the University of Auckland, for a powerful cross-generational conversation on gender equity in technology.

Together they explore what it really means to move from diversity to true inclusion, the unseen barriers women face from school to senior leadership, and how mentorship, allyship, and curiosity can change the game.

From Noor’s insights on inclusion, to Rob’s reflections on allyship and parenting, to Diksha’s honest university experiences, this episode is a heartfelt look at the pipeline problem — and what it takes to create real change in tech.

🎙️ Hosted by: Meena Satishkumar
🎧 Featuring: Noor Syed, Rob Lonie, and Diksha Sandhu
💬 Produced by: Tech Beyond Gender#TechBeyondGender #WomenInTech #DiversityAndInclusion #Allyship #MentorshipMatters #BreakingBarriers #FutureOfTech #GenderEquity #STEMInclusion #RepresentationMatters #Leadership #NewZealandTech #EmpowerHer #InclusiveInnovation

In this episode of Tech Beyond Gender, host Meena Satishkumar sits down with Wendy Stevenson-Vrame, Engineering Manager at Trade Me, whose career journey spans fashion design, recruitment on Wall Street, and leading tech teams in New Zealand and the U.S.

Wendy shares her inspiring story of adaptability and growth, from winning the U.S. green card lottery to navigating the dot-com boom in San Francisco and returning to Aotearoa to lead cloud and database reliability teams. She opens up about:

• Lessons from thousands of interviews across industries

• How recruitment instincts shaped her people-first leadership style

• Creating inclusive spaces where women and underrepresented voices thrive

• Breaking myths about tech careers and encouraging more women into the sector

• The importance of empathy, community, and paying it forward in leadership

A must-listen for anyone interested in leadership, recruitment, and building inclusive teams in tech.

#TechBeyondGender #WomenInTech #Leadership #Inclusion #CareerGrowth #TechCareers #DiversityInTech #Recruitment #EngineeringLeadership #Podcast

In this episode of Tech Beyond Gender, Meena Satishkumar sits down with Ambica Dixit, Principal Partner for Data, AI, and Robotics at VedArc. With a career spanning India, the US, and New Zealand, Ambika shares her inspiring journey from childhood curiosity in STEM to leading data-led transformation and intelligent automation.

She opens up about:

• Breaking into IT during the outsourcing boom of the early 2000s

• Her transition from teaching computers to strategic tech leadership

• Pioneering AI-driven solutions in both legacy and modern systems

• Advocating for responsible AI with pillars of security, trust, and inclusivity

• The myths around AI “replacing jobs” and why she sees it as a creator of opportunities

Whether you’re curious about digital transformation, the future of AI, or the values that sustain global leadership, this conversation will leave you motivated and informed.

#TechBeyondGender #AI #ResponsibleAI #WomenInTech #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #InclusionInTech #Robotics #DataScience #TechPodcast

In this milestone 50th episode of Tech Beyond Gender, host Meena Satishkumar sits down with Ankita Dhakar, co-founder of Capture the Bug—a community-powered cybersecurity platform redefining penetration testing for modern digital teams.

Ankita shares her inspiring journey from growing up in Jaipur, India, to moving to New Zealand as an international student, and ultimately becoming an “accidental founder” in the cybersecurity space—despite not having a computer science background. She opens up about the challenges of being a migrant woman in tech, the resilience it takes to build networks from scratch, and her belief that “success is best when it’s shared.”

In this conversation, Ankita discusses:

• The inspiration behind founding Capture the Bug and disrupting traditional pen testing.

• The hurdles and unique strengths of being a migrant woman entrepreneur in New Zealand.

• How consistency, patience, and community have shaped her leadership.

• Her vision for the future of cybersecurity, including AI-driven autonomous pen testing.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a migrant professional, or simply curious about cybersecurity innovation, Ankita’s story offers powerful lessons in resilience, purpose, and believing in yourself.

#TechBeyondGender #PodcastEpisode #50thEpisode #CyberSecurity #PenTesting #CaptureTheBug #Innovation #TechForGood #WomenInTech #WomenFounders #DiversityInTech #InclusionMatters #BreakingBarriers#Leadership #Resilience #Consistency #StartupLife #MigrantVoices

Vicky Twomey-Lee, EuroPython Fellow and founder of PyLadies Dublin, joins host Meena Satishkumar to reflect on nearly two decades of shaping inclusive tech communities. From growing up in Ireland and discovering her love for technology, to building safe spaces for women and underrepresented groups, Vicky shares candid insights on representation in tech, navigating burnout, and sustaining grassroots movements. She also offers her perspective on AI-generated code, the power of mentorship, and her creative projects that blend coding, games, and maker culture.

#TechCommunity #WomenInTech #DiversityInTech #InclusiveTech #TechForGood #CommunityBuilding #Python #PyLadies #EuroPython #CodingCommunity #OpenSource #RepresentationMatters #Mentorship #Advocacy #STEMDiversity #LeadershipInTech #Podcast #TechPodcast #Inspiration #TechBeyondGender

In this warm and insightful episode of Tech Beyond Gender I sit down with Pip Klenner a seasoned leader with nearly three decades in the tech world to explore how people processes and technology come together to drive real transformation

From her unexpected start in IT to leading complex change initiatives Pip shares candid stories about the moments that shaped her leadership style the art of translating between business and tech teams and the importance of emotional intelligence in building trust and connection We dive into challenges like unconscious bias why women often hold back from applying for roles and how organisations can create truly inclusive cultures

Pip also reflects on her key lessons from transformation projects how she maintains resilience during tough times and why she believes valuing diversity is the single most important trait for future tech teams Whether you are in tech or leading change in any industry this conversation is a masterclass in human centred leadership

#TechBeyondGender #WomenInTech #Leadership #DiversityAndInclusion #PeopleFirst #TechLeadership #Transformation #EmotionalIntelligence #CareerGrowth #InclusiveLeadership #ChangeManagement #BridgingTheGap #BiasInTech #WomenLeaders #FutureOfWork

From floppy disks to national health reforms, Sumita Chopra’s inspiring journey spans over two decades of innovation, resilience, and social impact. In this episode of Tech Beyond Gender, Sumita shares how she navigated the evolving tech landscape since 1999, led transformative projects like India’s first health insurance scheme for the underprivileged, and balanced it all with family life and meaningful volunteer work. A passionate technologist and community builder, she speaks about the power of preparation, the magic of breathwork, and why communication is the bridge between great ideas and real solutions.

#TechBeyondGender #WomenInTech #SocialImpact #LeadershipJourney #TechForGood #MindfulLeadership #WorldBank #HealthTech #AgileThinking #MeditationInTech #TechTransformation #InspiringStories #InclusiveTech

In this thoughtful episode of Tech Beyond Gender, Meena Satishkumar speaks with Mahimi Fernando, Engineering Team Lead at Xero, whose career journey from Sri Lanka to New Zealand is shaped by courage, curiosity, and continuous growth.

Mahimi shares how she uses structured reflection techniques like journaling and mindfulness to navigate challenges, overcome self-doubt, and support others. From her first failure in automation testing to building high-performing teams and studying psychology, Mahimi offers a deeply human approach to leadership—anchored in purpose and empathy.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to lead with clarity, trust themselves more, and build inclusive, thoughtful teams in tech.

#MindfulLeadership #WomenInTech #TechBeyondGender #SelfAwareness #ResilientLeadership #GrowthMindset #DiversityInTech #LeadershipWithPurpose #PsychologyInTech #ImposterSyndrome #InclusiveTech #ReflectivePractice #JournalingForGrowth