We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with a voice memo describing your In Your Ellement moment. We might feature your story in an upcoming episode!

***

What happens when you bring startup lessons into the C-suite?

This episode kicks off our mini series called Builders, where we talk with founders, product managers, and digital leaders about what drives their passion for building.

In this episode, we speak with Karen Stroup, Chief Digital Officer at WEX. Karen leads the digital strategy behind WEX’s payment solutions, which support sectors like fleet management, healthcare, and travel. She opens up about her leadership style, why she’s optimistic about Gen Z’s approach to work, and how a formative startup experience shaped her career path.

[01:41] AI Solutions to Longstanding Challenges

[5:30] 99 out of 100 Hours to Define a Problem

[9:47] Finding Your Leadership Style

[12:37] “The Coach Wants to Win a State Championship”

[13:37] Pivoting to A Startup

[17:05] Motherhood, then a Promotion

[18:47] The Gen Z Approach

[21:33] Reflections

Links:

Karen Stroup on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn

Abril Villarreal Garcia on LinkedIn

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030.

Abril Villarreal Garcia is a first-year associate at BCG where she has done projects in Private Equity, Climate & Sustainability and Social Impact. She grew up in Monterrey, Mexico and lived for a few years in the Houston area. She studied International Politics at Georgetown University with a focus on culture. She is passionate about pursuing a career that gives her financial independence and stability while also making an impact.

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.

We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with a voice memo describing your In Your Ellement moment. We might feature your story in an upcoming episode!

***

Pritha Mehra is the Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President of the U.S. Postal Service, where she leads the digital transformation of a network that delivers more mail than any other postal service in the world.

In this episode, Pritha shares with co-host Suchi Srinivasan how the USPS adopts cutting-edge technologies while staying true to its public mission. Pritha also explains why her colleagues call her “anti-complexity,” and how simplicity is often the key to scaling innovation.

[01:21] The True Scale of the USPS

[02:02] Anti-Complexity Approach

[04:08] Encouraging Adoption of New Tech

[06:07] AI at the USPS

[08:28] Creating a Culture of Curiosity

[12:14] Job Hopping Internally

[15:10] Want a Promotion? Speak Up

[19:47] Pritha’s Crowning Moment

[22:39] Reflections

Links:

Pritha Mehra on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn

Abril Villarreal Garcia on LinkedIn

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030.

Abril Villarreal Garcia is a first-year associate at BCG where she has done projects in Private Equity, Climate & Sustainability and Social Impact. She grew up in Monterrey, Mexico and lived for a few years in the Houston area. She studied International Politics at Georgetown University with a focus on culture. She is passionate about pursuing a career that gives her financial independence and stability while also making an impact.

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.

We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with a voice memo describing your In Your Ellement moment. We might feature your story in an upcoming episode!

***

How do today’s business leaders balance performance with empathy in a changing world?

Leagh Turner is the CEO of Coupa, a business spend management platform that manages trillions in spending for thousands of customers. 

In this episode, Leagh shares her perspective on where enterprise software and AI are headed next. She talks about leading through geopolitical uncertainty, how she’s driving innovation at Coupa, and why diversity, empathy, and humor matter just as much as results. She also shares how having a performance scorecard has shaped her career.  

[01:54] The Future of AI and SaaS

[04:50] Impact of Geopolitics on Business

[07:52] How AI is transforming the job market

[11:12] Human Elements in Leadership

[15:12] Diversity and “Spiky” People

[23:06] Hard Work and Keeping Score

[26:10] Reflections

Links:

Leagh Turner On LinkedIn

Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030.

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.

We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] with a voice memo describing your In Your Ellement moment. We might feature your story in an upcoming episode!

***

Could open source be the key to building trustworthy AI?

Nithya is Director of Amazon’s Open Source Program Office and also Chair of the Linux Foundation. With more than 30 years of experience in enterprise software, she’s helped shape how businesses approach open source across the tech industry.

In this episode, we talk about the growing importance of open source in AI development, what motivates companies like Amazon to open source their tools, and how these decisions impact innovation. Nithya also shares a personal story about the role of CEO of the family—and what that taught her about leadership.

[01:26] The Evolution of Open Source

[03:52] Amazon’s Commitment to Open Source

[09:04] Open Source, Trust, and AI

[13:05] The Role of Dads

[18:49] CEO of the Family

[25:13] Reflections

Links:

Nithya Ruff on LinkedIn

Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030.

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.

What makes a great manager in today’s workplace? And how can AI help companies develop better leaders?

Elise Smith is the co-founder and CEO of Praxis Labs, a startup using AI-powered immersive learning to train leaders at some of the world’s biggest companies. Praxis is shaping the future of workplace learning with clients like Google, Amazon, and Accenture.

In this episode, Elise shares how her time at IBM Watson influenced her career, what she’s learned about effective leadership in today’s workplace, and her perspective on the evolving future of DEI initiatives. Elise was recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for her work on enterprise technology.

[01:55] Kamila’s Mindset Shift with Praxis Labs

[03:42] Adapting Leadership Training for the Modern Workplace

[06:44] Navigating Generational Shifts

[09:12] Green Flags for Job Seekers

[10:44] People Don’t Leave Companies, They Leave Managers

[13:28] The Future of DEI work

[18:02] Finding the Right Co-Founder

[21:40] Reflections

Links:

Elise Smith on LinkedIn

Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030.

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.

Here at In Her Ellement, we celebrate women leaders in business and tech all year long—not just on International Women’s Day. 

That’s why we’re excited to share an episode from our friends at Fintech Files, featuring insights from two women driving change in the fintech industry.

In this special episode of Fintech Files, Cynthia Salicrup and Sandra Carrillo, partners at Environmental Resources Management (ERM) share how they built successful careers in sustainability and ESG. They also explore the challenges and opportunities in sustainable finance, the critical role banks and fintechs play in advancing sustainability, and how global disparities shape sustainability agendas. 

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to check out Fintech Files for more insightful discussions like this. Just search for it on your favorite podcast app. 

We will be back in two weeks with another inspiring conversation on In Her Ellement. See you then!

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.

How do you know when it’s time to make your next big career move?

With International Women’s Day around the corner, we are excited to feature Avni Patel Thompson, Founder and CEO of Milo. Avni is building technology that directly supports the often overlooked emotional and logistical labor that falls on parents—especially women. Milo is an AI assistant designed to help families manage that invisible load more efficiently.

In this episode, Avni shares her journey from studying chemistry to holding leadership roles at global brands like Adidas and Starbucks, to launching her own ventures. She discusses how she approaches career transitions, the importance of unpleasant experiences, and why she’s focused on making everyday life easier for parents. 

[01:26] Avni's University Days and Early Career

[04:36] Non-Linear Career Paths

[05:16] Pursuing Steep Learning Curves

[11:51] Entrepreneurship and Safety Nets

[15:22] Lived Experiences and Milo

[19:55] Avni’s In Her Ellement Moment

[20:03] Reflections

Links:

Avni Patel Thompson on LinkedIn

Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

Ipsos report on the future of parenting

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030.

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.

Marina Gerner is an award-winning financial journalist and author. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Commerce & Culture at NYU Stern. In her new book, The Vagina Business, she explores the innovations shaping women’s health and the forces that have held the field back.

In this episode, Marina shares some of the biggest success stories in health tech, as well as the innovations that have personally impacted her. She also explains how to navigate this rapidly growing space—and how to avoid what she calls “scam-tech.”

Over her career, Marina has reported on health, technology, and finance for leading publications, bringing a critical lens to the intersection of business and innovation.

[03:44] Women’s Heart Health and the Smart Bra

[05:28] Birth Innovations

[08:29] Challenges in Femtech Funding

[14:36] Misinformation in Women’s Health

[16:49] Adoption Barriers and Consumer Habits

[19:28] Marina’s In Her Ellement Moment

[21:44] Reflections

Links:

Marina Gerner's newsletter

Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

The $32 Trillion Opportunity in Women-Focused Products and Services

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030.

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.

What does it take to drive meaningful change in venture capital?

Pam Kostka is an executive in residence at Magnify Ventures, a VC firm focused on transforming the care economy. She was also the founding CEO of All Raise, an organization dedicated to increasing representation of female and non-binary founders and investors.

In this episode, Pam talks about why she thinks women are reaching a tipping point in the startup ecosystem. Plus, she discusses the impact of AI and demographic shifts on innovation, as well as what networking and your kitchen cabinet have in common.

Over her 30-year career, Pam has led multiple companies and she currently holds an advisory role at several organizations.

[01:41] The Importance of Health Tech and the Care Economy

[02:36] Demographic Shifts and Their Impact on Work

[05:51] Innovation from Lived Experiences

[08:51] Tipping Point in Startups and Venture Capital

[16:58] Networking and Your Kitchen Cabinet

[20:57] The Power of Saying No

[24:44] Pam's In Her Ellement Moment

[26:42] Reflections

Links:

Pam Kostka on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

Rynaa Chagti on LinkedIn

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Rynaa Chagti is a student and BCG X Co-op. She grew up in Dubai. She is currently studying business and design at Northeastern University, where she is the public relations coordinator for IDEA, the university’s student-led venture capital accelerator. She is passionate about building a career that does not box her into one role or title and rather one that reflects who she is authentically. 

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.

What would a career pivot reveal about your greatest strength? 

Zoe Samuel is a Venture Partner at Starshot Capital, where she supports climate-focused startups. Zoe traveled a unique path to get here, moving from a career as a writer and producer to becoming a co-founder at Anthropocene, Google’s largest internal climate solutions community. Today, she supports and invests in early-stage founders, helping them build startups aimed at reducing global emissions.

In this episode, Zoe shares her perspective on how any job can be a “climate job,” and on the unique opportunities women can find in climate. She also reflects on some of the lessons that have served her well during her career in both the entertainment and tech sectors.

Links:

Zoe Samuel on LinkedIn

A growing climate tech market

Suchi Srinivasan on LinkedIn

Kamila Rakhimova on LinkedIn

About In Her Ellement: 

In Her Ellement highlights the women and allies leading the charge in digital, business, and technology innovation. Through engaging conversations, the podcast explores their journeys—celebrating successes and acknowledging the balance between work and family. Most importantly, it asks: when was the moment you realized you hadn’t just arrived—you were truly in your element?

About The Hosts:

Suchi Srinivasan is an expert in AI and digital transformation. Originally from India, her career includes roles at trailblazing organizations like Bell Labs and Microsoft. In 2011, she co-founded the Cleanweb Hackathon, a global initiative driving IT-powered climate solutions with over 10,000 members across 25+ countries. She also advises Women in Cloud, aiming to create $1B in economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs by 2030.

Kamila Rakhimova is a fintech leader whose journey took her from Tajikistan to the U.S., where she built a career on her own terms. Leveraging her English proficiency and international relations expertise, she discovered the power of microfinance and moved to the U.S., eventually leading Amazon's Alexa Fund to support underrepresented founders.

Subscribe to In Her Ellement on your podcast app of choice to hear meaningful conversations with women in digital, business, and technology.