The skills that shaped my unusual route to tech

With women still making up a fraction of STEM graduates, estimates predict we may still be 70 years away from achieving gender equality. The latest studies show that despite recent increases in numbers, fewer than 30% of students taking computer science, engineering, and technology degrees are female. 

Higher education, however, isn't the only way to enter the STEM space. While it is a key pipeline of future talent, my own experience proves there are other, less standard routes.

I work in SaaS today, but my career began in hotel management – with a brief, unforgettable week training alongside Paul Bocuse's team. Those early lessons in pressure, service, and adaptability shaped how I lead and thrive in tech today.

Refining my resilience 

Michelin kitchens are built on a culture of exacting standards and relentless attention to detail. By keeping an open mind throughout my training, I gained valuable lessons from intense and often challenging situations, including mastering the art of staying calm under pressure and adjusting to changing priorities, without letting quality slip. 

At the same time, I also developed a better understanding of what it takes to be a good team player, forging close ties with my mostly male colleagues by building relationships founded on mutual support and camaraderie.

The fast pace of SaaS, shifting customer needs, and constant context‑switching require the same calm focus. Just as important, though, is the sense of camaraderie I first experienced in the kitchen pulling together, supporting one another, and even finding moments of humour in high‑pressure situations. Those early lessons continue to shape how I build teams today: fostering collaboration, creating space for people to bring their best selves, and maintaining high standards without losing the fun and trust that make great teams thrive.

Moving into sales at Quest Software gave me the chance to channel the resilience I'd built in hospitality working to tight deadlines, delivering results, and staying composed under pressure into a completely new environment. My early sales roles taught me not only how to execute, but also how to positively assert myself. At times, that meant speaking up more loudly than my male counterparts and proving myself through hard graft, preparation, and consistency.

Yet earning respect wasn't just about standing firm; it was equally about being open to learning from others. One standout example was my first commercial mentor, Richard Wolfe‑Daimpré, then EMEA Vice President at Citrix. Richard pushed me to manage client accounts independently, encouraged me to trust my judgment, and helped sharpen my determination. He taught me how to define the outcomes I wanted and build a plan for achieving them – while staying agile enough to adapt when things changed, which they often did.

Those lessons – determination, autonomy, curiosity, and the confidence to use my voice –form the foundation of how I operate in IT today. They guide how I navigate complex stakeholder dynamics, coach teams through fast‑moving environments, and approach every challenge with a blend of discipline, openness, and collaboration.

Leading with authenticity 

Transitioning to customer service within Citrix involved an even stronger emphasis on human connection. Leaning into this focus enabled me to expand on my soft skills, leveraging empathy and understanding to succeed in an industry that's all about people. 

With this role shift also came my biggest pivot yet as a leader. Joining more mixed teams brought me under the wing of Penny Ashley Lawrence, now Executive Vice President & Chief Customer Officer at Workiva. 

Penny encouraged me to lead with authenticity to stop holding back parts of myself and instead show up as the full, human version of who I am. I discovered that bringing in more of my real personality traits, such as a sense of fun and vulnerability, was crucial to fostering stronger bonds with my team. 

Since taking my final leap into IT, these abilities… authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, and a people‑first mindset - have continued to shape how I build teams, navigate complexity, and create spaces where people can thrive.

My journey has shown me that great tech talent doesn't need to come from a single mould. Success in this industry is built on qualities that can be shaped through many different paths. Resilience, collaboration, flexibility, and human sensitivity, paired with a willingness to learn are the fundamentals matter far more than where you started. What counts is how you grow.