Tech Beyond Gender Talks

In this final episode of the Tech Beyond Gender podcast for 2025, host Meena Satishkumar speaks with Chetna Chaudhari, Delivery Manager for Data & Analytics at Fidelity Life, about her journey from growing up in a small village in India to building a successful technology career across two very different countries.Listen to Chetna's inspiring and heart warming story of her journey and real insignts into how to make the transition in tech from India to NZ smoother. #techbeyondgender #womenintech #MigrantInTech#speakingup #leadershipjourney

In this inspiring episode of the Tech Beyond Gender Podcast, Meena Satish Kumar sits down with Julia Bower — Co-Founder & CTO of Fractional Directory — to unpack her remarkable journey from failing high-school computer studies to leading one of APAC’s fastest-growing fractional talent platforms.Whether you’re a woman in tech, an aspiring founder, a parent navigating career transitions, or someone curious about fractional work and portfolio careers — this episode is packed with honesty, humour, and insight.Watch us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yFsHvanuZ8AwfSoSaZNPd?si=jySlPiJ3ShmEdNmXv80Tyw&nd=1&dlsi=c8432d2077754168Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-beyond-gender-talks/id1749944130Youtube:  ⁨@TechBeyondGender⁩ 

What happens when quantum computing, brain-like AI, and neurobiology come together?

In this episode of Tech Beyond Gender, host Meena Satishkumar sits down with two extraordinary women:Dr. Helena Bahrami, AI & Machine Learning Lead Expert pioneering quantum-inspired models for neurodegenerative diseases, and Noor Syed, CTO for Health at Microsoft New Zealand.

Together, they take us on a journey that is equal parts scientific, visionary, and deeply human.From the complexity of dementia and the future of drug discovery to digital twins and personalized medicine, Dr. Helena explains how quantum-powered models could shrink a 12-year drug development cycle into hours — and why data access, ethics, and equitable healthcare matter more than ever.Noor brings an industry lens: how platforms like Microsoft Azure enable safe research environments, responsible AI, and secure collaboration at global scale.This is a mind-stretching, heart-opening episode about the future of healthcare, the emergence of quantum AI, and the importance of keeping technology rooted in human values.If you're curious about the next big leap after generative AI — this episode is your gateway.

Watch us on

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4yFsHvanuZ8AwfSoSaZNPd?si=jySlPiJ3ShmEdNmXv80Tyw

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tech-beyond-gender-talks/id1749944130

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TechBeyondGender

In this inspiring episode of Tech Beyond Gender, host Meena Satishkumar sits down with Andrea Bald, a trailblazer whose tech career began by chance in 1985 and evolved alongside the telecom industry’s biggest transformations—from analog to digital, copper to fibre, and now cloud and 5G.

Andrea reflects on her accidental start as an engineering draftswoman at New Zealand Post Office, her rise to leadership in her 20s, and how she navigated bias, motherhood, and change through four decades in technology. She shares powerful lessons on building trust as a young leader, creating inclusive hiring practices, and the importance of curiosity and lifelong learning.

Tune in to hear Andrea’s thoughtful take on leadership, resilience, and what’s next for Telco in the age of AI — plus how yoga and even competitive pistol shooting shaped her focus and balance along the way.

#WomenInTech #Leadership #Inclusion #TechBeyondGender #Telecommunications #CareerStories

After facing unimaginable loss, Priya Mathur rebuilt her life and career with courage and conviction. From starting as a young data engineer in India to becoming the Head of Enterprise Data at Fidelity Life in New Zealand, Priya’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and leadership grounded in empathy.

In this inspiring conversation with host Meena Satishkumar, Priya opens up about:

• Navigating life as a migrant woman in tech

• Balancing motherhood and career growth

• The power of education and financial independence

• Finding purpose through community and governance roles

• How data and AI are shaping the future of leadership

A powerful reminder that even in the face of adversity, you can rise, lead, and inspire others to do the same.

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