Diva Tech Talk Podcast

Starting with a life-changing internship at Google, tech entrepreneur Tara Reed parlayed her experience at Foursquare and Microsoft to a successful launch of her own company: Kollecto.com.

In this podcast, listen to her advice including always have “side projects”; challenging yourself with key questions, constantly; building services first to encourage conversations with prospects; and learning to juggle the roles of creator and CEO successfully. Kollecto can be found at kollecto.com.

Tara shares with us insight on:

• Journey through various large "corporate" organizations like Google and Microsoft
• Turning a side project into a full time job
• Managing many roles to make a career from your passion

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

In this episode, we had the opportunity to discuss entrepreneurship and gaming with diva Jillian Winn. Jillian shares her insights into entrepreneurship, gaming and women, and her passions.

Her journey in technology really started by exploring an interest in Telecommunications at Michigan State University. The college has one of the top gaming programs in the country, and as she went through grad school, she became more involved in game research. She went on to co-found a mission-oriented company called Signing Savvy (https://www.signingsavvy.com), a sign language resource, which aims to provide the most comprehensive online sign language resource for parents, educators, interpreters, students, or anyone interested in American Sign Language.

Jillian chats with us on the following:

• Her choices in college that led to web development and game research
• What gaming studies show us about women gamers
• Stereotypes of launching an online business
• How Signing Savvy helps 10 Million users
• Ways she gives back to women in technology and tries to help cultivate the local technology community

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

In this episode, we had a great conversation with Maggie Lohnes, Founder of Sound Informatics. After a long and strong career in Healthcare IT, she started her own company to provide advice and services to organizations, of all sizes, serving the mission of information technology and its positive effect on healthcare systems.

Maggie shares her journey from being a critical care nurse to jumping into one of the first roles in health informatics. She’s learned a lot from managing teams of engineers, to traveling extensively and growing a strong career that led to her own company.

Maggie chats with us about:

• The first roles in informatics
• How she learned, as a nurse, to manage a team of engineers
• How she overcame challenges

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

In this episode, we are joined by Deb Swink, Vice President for CSI Leasing. She is a trailblazer in the world of IT leasing. Deb joined the field of IT leasing just as it was beginning to emerge. She shares with us a brief history of the industry, and how her career evolved as a sales executive.

Deb has had quite the journey in technology, from taking a leap from finance to sales, to testifying on the national stage, while eight months pregnant, to making a huge change in the field. She also helped support the Michigan Council of Women In Technology consistently for 14 years, which is a network of over 700 IT leaders and professionals.

Deb shares insights on:

• How IT leasing got its start and where the industry is today
• How she sparked a movement, testifying in court for her industry
• Her personal journey from accounting to sales
• Characteristics that have helped her as a stellar saleswoman
• Advice for women wanting to be stronger leaders

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

In this episode, we interviewed Carla Smith the Executive Vice President of HIMSS, a global cause-based nonprofit organization focused on providing better health through information technology. She has nearly 25 years in policy development, 20 years of healthcare experience and a passion for translating “technospeak” for everyone.

Carla shares her journey from banking, to manufacturing, to health IT where she’s stayed. She discusses the importance of having the right information at the right time to make smart policy decisions.

Carla shares:

• Her story of how she fell into health IT

• How HIMSS provides vital support to health IT professionals and influences policy

• Why strong communication skills are helpful in the world of IT

• How she handles work life balance through the perspective of “life seasons”

• Her favorite advice for personal growth and development

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

In this episode, we chat with Susan Heichert, Senior Vice President and CIO of Allina Health. Susan first started in the health IT world by entering nursing school. She practiced nursing for several years, and suggests it as a great route towards health leadership positions.

Susan now manages over 550 people as the CIO of health systems in their information services department, including medical records, and also clinical engineering (often known as biomed) services. She shares her journey, which led her to explore many realms across technology and the globe.

Susan chats with us abouton:

• Her first Apple II computer, and technology role installing clinical applications
• How her master’s in industrial relations gave her leadership skills
• How she’s approached taking new opportunities as she and her husband relocated around the US and lived for two years in China
• Characteristics that have helped her in the healthcare IT world
• Advice for women wanting to move up in management and leadership positions

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

In this episode we interview Judy Murphy Chief Nursing Officer for IBM. Judy shares her journey from nursing to the world of IT, and IBM’s role in healthcare. Judy joined IT at a “pioneering time” when computers were first being introduced to nursing stations.

She rose as an RN to the Vice President of Aurora Healthcare where she stayed for 25 years. A stint with the federal government led her later on to IBM. Judy currently brings her industry expertise to IBM make change across the industry since IBM realized that computerization has become a commodity The real value is how computers can be used to better understand and transform health care services.

Judy discusses:

• The early days of computers being used by the nursing workforce;

• How she journeyed from nurse, to analyst, to VP of a large healthcare provider;

• The importance of participating in the healthcare industry as a whole;

• IBM’s main focus on mobile and data;

• Her two top qualities as a leader;

• Three leadership lessons she has for others

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com on Twitter @divatechtalks, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

In this episode we speak with Kimberly Snipes, Vice President of Consumer Products and Operations Technology for Capital One Financial Corporation, a diversified bank with 44 million customer accounts worldwide and 1,000 branch locations in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Kim currently manages the technology platforms for Capital One’s Retail and Direct Bank, a 700 person team responsible for fraud, compliance, and more. Kim describes her career as “wearing many hats.”

Kim shares with us:

• How she first worked in the world of technology consulting business;
• How Kim hires and builds strong teams;
• Balancing the life of mom and corporate executive;
• Why women should build a personal brand for their career;
• Capital One’s Women in Tech Initiative and supporting Women Who Code.

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com on Twitter @divatechtalks, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

Diva Nicole Johnson-Scheffler attended The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, organized in Houston, by The Anita Borg Institute. Nicole, along with her 12,000 women in tech friends, learned a lot at the conference.

In this episode, we talk to three diverse women who represent facets of this greater technology community. The first is Anita Garcia, a junior at California State University in Monterey Bay, enrolled in the cohort-based “CS in 3” —a three year accelerated computer science degree program. Anita began her technology odyssey at the early age of 12, developing a fascination with HTML and Websites and shares her experience at the conference.

Next, Nicole chats with uber-entrepreneur Elissa Shevinsky, currently Co-Founder and CEO of JeKuDo Privacy Company, a startup building high security group collaboration tools, which are easy to use, for enterprises and activists. Elissa shares with us why women should “lean out” in the workplace.

Lastly we hear from Jessica Legner, a developer with ESPN. Pregnant and married at age 18, Jessica was a “lost” college dropout, who got her first job on a manufacturing line producing car parts. After 18 months, she realized that her aptitudes were being wasted, and decided to go back to community college, where she parlayed her interest in Website design into an eventual focus in computer science She shares with us what fueled her interest in the tech world leading to a great job at ESPN.

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com onTwitter @divatechtalks, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

Diva Tech Talk chatted with Tracy-Ann Palmer, a female IT leader and South African expatriate, with a fascinating career, ranging from entrepreneurship to Fortune 500 companies to community/nonprofit organizations.

Tracy worked with Marcus Evans, a worldwide experiential marketing firm that instilled a culture of entrepreneurship. Tracy moved on to a series of corporations and startups, developing her strong interest in technology. Now Tracy is at Cisco in a transformational role that changes the image/mindset of decision makers.

Tracey shares with us:

• Her first roles in sales and management;
• Her experience at Salesfoce.com Foundation;
• How she evaluated opportunities for career growth;
• Her role as a “change agent” at Cisco.

Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com on Twitter @divatechtalks, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.