The women in tech promotion gap is real—but it's not random. High-performing women in tech are still being overlooked for leadership roles, even as they deliver exceptional results. In this episode of Leading Women in Tech, we dive into the gender bias in tech leadership, the shift in workplace culture, and the strategic moves you need to close the gap—without losing yourself.

Why are women in tech not getting promoted at the same rate as their male peers? The answer isn't about competence; it's about perception, positioning, and politics. We'll explore:

• The promotion gap in the tech industry and why it persists, especially at Director-to-VP transitions.
• How executive presence for women and leadership visibility can shift how you're perceived.
• The difference between mentorship and sponsorship—and why the latter is critical for advancement.
• Navigating bro culture in tech without compromising your authenticity.
• Sustainable executive leadership: How to build influence capital without burning out.

This episode is for you if:

✔ You're a Passed-Over High-Performer delivering results but not seeing advancement.

✔ You're a Strategically Focused On Rising, and getting ready to step into executive leadership—but need a roadmap.

✔ You refuse to trade ambition for comfort or shrink in the face of pushback.

Key Takeaways:

1. Promotion is a strategic game. Hard work alone won't close the gap—you need positioning, visibility, and sponsorship.
2. Executive presence isn't about personality—it's about framing your work in business impact language.
3. Sponsorship > Mentorship. Advocates in high places are your ticket to the next level.
4. Cultural shifts don't have to derail your ambition. Learn to navigate gender bias in tech leadership with composure and strategy.

Resources Mentioned:

• Promotion Readiness Scorecard – Assess how you're perceived by leadership.
• Lit Up Leadership Academy – Join the next cohort to build your influence capital.

Ready to close the women in tech promotion gap strategically? Book a Strategy Call and let's design your roadmap to leadership.

How fractional leaders get hired isn't random — but it does follow a very different logic than most people expect.

If you've been having good conversations, receiving positive signals, and still not seeing those conversations turn into paid work, this episode will help you understand what's really happening on the hiring side.

In this episode, we step out of the leader's perspective and into the mindset of the organisation making the decision — because fractional leadership hiring doesn't follow a traditional job search or sales process.

Instead, hiring happens when recognition, trust, and timing align.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why fractional leadership opportunities don't follow a linear funnel
• The difference between visibility and recognisability
• The three conditions that consistently lead to fractional leadership hiring
• Why timing matters more than effort
• How trust is built before a hiring decision is ever made
• Why so many capable leaders get stuck in "almost" conversations

This episode is for senior women in tech who:

• Are fractional-ready but not yet chosen
• Are getting interest, but not conversion
• Want to stop guessing — without resorting to hustle or salesy tactics

Listen if you want to:

• Understand how fractional hiring decisions are actually triggered
• Feel calmer and more in control of the process
• Make your leadership easier to recognise and hire

Next steps:

• Book a Strategy Session (Positioning + Hiring Clarity)
  • 👉 https://tonicollis.com/lets-chat
• Continue listening to the Fractional Series:
  • Episode 284 — Am I Ready to Be a Fractional Leader?
  • Episode 288 — How to Position Yourself as a Fractional Leader

• Chat to me to learn more about the Fractional Accelerator:
  • 👉 https://tonicollis.com/lets-chat

Fractional leadership positioning is one of the most misunderstood — and most important — parts of building a successful fractional career.

In this episode Toni breaks down why so many senior women struggle to gain traction in fractional roles, how positioning differs from full-time leadership, and what it really means to be hired for judgement rather than execution.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode

⏹ Why experience alone doesn't translate into fractional opportunities

⏹ The difference between employee positioning and fractional leadership positioning

⏹ Why fractional leaders are hired for judgement, not capacity

⏹ The most common positioning mistakes that keep leaders invisible

⏹ How to pressure-test your own positioning without "selling yourself"

⏹ What comes next if you want to move from interest to paid fractional work

What's coming next

In next week's episode, we'll go one step further and explore how fractional leaders actually get hired — what genuinely leads to opportunities, and what doesn't.

Want support with your positioning?

If this episode highlighted gaps or uncertainty around how you're currently positioned, you can book a free strategy session or fractional leadership positioning audit — here:

👉 https://tonicollis.com/lets-chat

If women don't experiment with AI now, we risk hard-coding today's leadership gaps into tomorrow's technology.

In this episode I'm joined by Kendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada's Ocean Supercluster, to explore the intersection of women in leadership, AI readiness, representation, and emerging technology.

This conversation goes beyond theory. It tackles the real risks and opportunities facing women leaders as AI, climate tech, and other emerging technologies reshape how leadership works — and who gets to shape the future.

In this episode, we discuss:

◾ Why representation in leadership matters more than ever in emerging tech

◾ How AI adoption in the workplace can either reduce or reinforce gender bias

◾ Why women's hesitation to experiment with AI is a leadership issue — not a technical one

◾ What it takes to lead confidently in male-dominated industries like tech and ocean innovation

◾ How leadership pipelines for women are shaped early — at work, at home, and through education

◾ The role of experimentation, confidence, and visibility in closing the leadership gap

Kendra shares her own journey — from stepping away from STEM early in life to leading large-scale innovation and commercialisation — and offers practical insight into how women leaders can engage with AI and emerging tech without needing to be technical experts.

If you care about:

✔ women in tech leadership ✔ AI readiness for leaders ✔ gender diversity in leadership ✔ bias in AI algorithms ✔ emerging and sustainable technology

this episode is for you.

If you're ready for your next level explore how to strengthen your leadership clarity, visibility, and career trajectory by booking a discovery call via the link in the description.

**Useful links**

Connect with today's guest and sponsor, Kendra MacDonald:

◾ W: kendramacdonald.com

◾ Substack: https://substack.com/@saltwatersignals

This episode was sponsored by our guest, Kendra MacDonald. Thank you Kendra for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!

If performance were enough, more women in tech would already be promoted.

They're not.

In this episode of Leading Women in Tech, Toni Collis breaks down executive presence for women in tech — what it actually means, why being good at your job isn't enough at senior levels, and how leaders are really evaluated when promotion, influence, and trust are on the line.

This episode is for high-performing women who've been told they need "more executive presence" — without ever being given clarity on what to change.

You'll learn why executive presence is not about confidence theatre or personality, why women are often misread at senior levels, and how to build leadership presence without changing who you are.

In this episode, you'll learn:

◾ Why performance alone doesn't create executive presence

◾ What executive presence for women in tech really looks like at senior levels

◾ How leaders are evaluated on judgement, framing, and decision-making

◾ Why executive presence is harder for women (and how bias actually shows up)

◾ The difference between confidence and leadership presence

◾ Practical ways to build executive presence without becoming someone else

🔗 Resources & Links

◾ Book a free strategy call: https://tonicollis.com/lets-chat

◾ Learn more about Toni Collis: https://tonicollis.com

If you've ever worried that an unconventional career path in tech leadership might hold you back — that your background isn't "technical enough," linear enough, or traditional enough — this episode will fundamentally challenge that belief.

In this conversation, Toni Collis is joined by Lisa Ferrante-Walsh, SVP of Engineering at Native Instruments, whose career journey spans music, computer science, engineering leadership, mergers and acquisitions, and even stepping into an acting CTO role. Lisa's story is a powerful example of how a nonlinear career path in tech can become a strategic advantage rather than a liability.

Toni & Lisa discuss what it really takes to move from individual contributor to people leader, how to lead engineering teams through M&A without losing trust or momentum, and why executive confidence, decision-making, and visibility matter even more when your background doesn't fit the "expected" mould.

This episode is essential listening if you're a woman in tech navigating a career transition into senior leadership, leading through organizational change, or questioning whether you truly belong at the executive table.

Connect with today's guest and sponsor, Lisa Ferrante-Walsh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaferrantewalsh/

This episode was sponsored by our guest, Lisa Ferrante-Walsh. Thank you Lisa for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!

If the idea of going fractional feels exciting and terrifying at the same time — you're not alone.

In this episode of Leading Women in Tech, we explore what fractional leadership really looks like for senior women who want more autonomy, impact, and alignment — without blowing up their careers.

This episode is for you if:

◾You're curious about fractional work but worried about legality, stability, or time

◾You've been asked to "advise" startups or former colleagues — informally and often unpaid

◾You want meaningful, senior-level work without the full-time corporate trap

◾You're wondering if a portfolio or fractional career could be a smart next step

Rather than hype or hustle culture, this conversation focuses on clarity.

You'll learn:

◾What fractional leadership actually is (and what it isn't)

◾The three most common starting points women have when exploring fractional work

◾How to explore fractional leadership safely alongside a full-time role

◾The real fears women have — about contracts, confidence, pricing, and visibility — and how to address them

◾Why most fractional experiments fail (and how to avoid those mistakes)

◾How to test fractional work intentionally, without quitting or burning bridges

This episode is not about deciding everything today.

It's about understanding what's possible — so you can make your next move with confidence.

🎯 Next step:

If this episode resonates and you'd like to talk through your own fractional career options, you can book a complimentary strategy session with me to design your own fractional career right here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/64a6bd61/appointment/86825111/calendar/3066450?appointmentTypeIds[]=86825111

What does it really take to lead in a male-dominated industry — and build an AI-driven company grounded in trust, ethics, and human impact?

In this episode of Leading Women in Tech, I'm joined by Shelley Copsey, CEO & Co-Founder of FYLD — a fast-growing, AI-powered platform transforming how frontline teams in infrastructure and utilities make decisions, stay safe, and improve productivity in real time.

Shelley brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of physical infrastructure, digital innovation, AI strategy, and human transformation, and she shares powerful insights on navigating self-doubt, being underestimated, scaling ethically with AI, and leading teams through rapid change.

If you're a woman in tech, an aspiring executive, or a leader navigating AI transformation, this conversation will elevate how you think about leadership, trust, and impact.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

⏹ How Shelley went from underestimated early-career consultant to award-winning CEO

⏹ Why traditional male leadership role models don't work for women — and how she found her own executive presence

⏹ The mindset that helped her secure a CEO role during the height of COVID

⏹ How she builds trust as a CEO — and why hiring with a "presumption of trust" changes everything

⏹ What ethical AI looks like in high-stakes environments (safety, field operations, human risk)

⏹ Why leaders must reimagine every role in the AI era (customer success, operations, engineering & beyond)

⏹ How to bring teams along when they resist AI

⏹ What self-doubt looks like at the CEO level — and how Shelley manages it with clarity and compassion

⏹ The best leadership advice she's ever received (and the worst!)

**Useful links**

⏹ Connect with today's guest, Shelley:

⏹ Web: https://fyld.ai/

⏹ Shelley's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleycopsey/

This episode was supported by Shelley Copsey, CEO of FYLD. Thank you Shelley for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!

Most leaders start the year with good intentions —

but by February, meetings, emergencies, and team issues take over.

And suddenly, your career is something that just happens to you.

In this solo episode of Leading Women in Tech, Toni Collis walks you step-by-step through how to create your 2026 Leadership Roadmap — a clear, strategic plan to move your career forward intentionally, not reactively.

This episode is for you if:

• You're working hard but not seeing progression

• You feel overworked, under-recognised, or invisible

• You're ready for promotion but not being tapped

• You want to stop reacting and start leading strategically

You'll learn:

• Why "trying harder" doesn't create career acceleration

• How senior leaders actually plan their growth

• The difference between productivity goals and leadership goals

• How to define your 2026 North Star

• The key visibility, influence, and strategic gaps holding you back

• A simple 5-pillar leadership roadmap framework

• Why subtraction and boundaries are essential for leadership growth

• How to turn your roadmap into a quarterly, sustainable plan

This episode bridges mindset → action, helping you design a year that supports the leader you're becoming — not the role you've outgrown.

🎯 If you want support turning this roadmap into real momentum, you can book a discovery call at tonicollis.com/lets-chat

#LeadershipRoadmap #WomenInTech #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerPlanning #WomenInLeadership #ExecutivePresence #PromotionReady #LeadershipGrowth #StrategicLeadership #LeadingWomenInTech #ToniCollis

In today's episode, we're going deep into one of the most urgent leadership topics of 2025: cybersecurity, AI risk, and the new era of digital trust.

This is no longer a technical issue — it's a leadership issue.

I'm joined by Karen Kaukol, Chief Marketing Officer at Entrust, a global leader in identity, security, and trust. Karen brings decades of experience across global payments, financial services, and technology, including senior leadership roles at First Data and Graebel Relocation.

Karen has a unique superpower: she translates complex cybersecurity and AI challenges into clear, actionable insight for business leaders.

Together, we explore:

⏹ How AI is reshaping cybersecurity — fast

⏹ Why trust is now the #1 competitive advantage for every company

⏹ What leaders (not just CISOs) must understand about AI agents inside their systems

⏹ The new expectations boards have around cybersecurity risk

⏹ Why high performers need to adopt AI tools, not avoid them

⏹ How marketing and communications are being transformed by AI

⏹ How to build a culture of trust, resilience, and cross-functional alignment

⏹ What it really means to lead through a cybersecurity crisis

If you're a senior leader or aspiring executive — especially a woman in tech — this episode will help you build literacy in AI governance, cybersecurity strategy, digital trust, and leadership communication in an environment where the stakes have never been higher.

About Karen Kaukol

Karen Kaukol is the Chief Marketing Officer at Entrust, leading global marketing, brand, and strategy across a company at the forefront of identity, trust, and security innovation. She previously served as CMO at Graebel Relocation and spent 17 years at First Data (now Fiserv) in senior global marketing leadership roles. She holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor's degree from Indiana University.

Connect with Karen and Entrust:

⏹ https://www.entrust.com/

⏹ https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenkaukol/

This episode was sponsored by our guest, Karen Kaukol. Thank you Karen for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!