In this episode of Tech.Strong.Women, hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Carolyn Nash, COO of Red Hat, they explore the evolving landscape of AI, open source security, and career development. They discusse how AI is reshaping industries, the role of enterprise-grade open source in innovation, and the importance of continuous learning in today’s fast-changing tech environment. Carolyn also shares insights on Red Hat’s approach to AI integration, workforce reskilling, and STEM education outreach. Join us for an engaging conversation on navigating disruption, embracing career challenges, and building a more inclusive future in technology.

 In this episode of TechStrongWomen, hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Sal Kimmich who shares her unconventional journey from government-funded research to open source and cybersecurity, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities for women in tech. She discusses the increasing reliance on open source within federal agencies, the security considerations that come with it, and how category theory is emerging as a powerful tool for identifying vulnerabilities. Sal also highlights the importance of mentorship, the barriers women face in tech, and her ongoing work recognizing open source contributions in science, art, and history. Join us for an insightful conversation on security, innovation, and the power of community.

The tech job market is fiercely competitive, with AI screeners prioritizing keywords and hundreds of applicants per role. In this episode, Caroline Wong shares her job search journey and offers practical advice for standing out, from optimizing resumes and LinkedIn profiles to mastering remote interviews and networking effectively. She also emphasizes the importance of personal branding, self-care, and resilience in navigating today’s challenges. Whether you’re actively job hunting or planning your next move, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you succeed.

In this episode, hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Katherine Druckman (Intel) as they delve into the troubling sexism still present in the tech industry, sparked by a recent incident at the Black Hat conference. We explore the broader challenges women face in tech — especially in open source, where representation remains staggeringly low — and examine the cultural and historical forces behind this disparity. Our discussion includes actionable strategies for fostering inclusion, from mentorship programs to creating safer, more constructive environments for women to share their technical expertise. Join us as we uncover the barriers to diversity and how we can collectively reshape the narrative around women’s contributions to computing and open source innovation.

In this episode, hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Percona CEO Ann Schlemmer and CTO Liz Warner who share insights on open source innovation, company culture, and their unique leadership journeys as women in technology. Percona, an open source database company, is dedicated to making databases accessible and secure, with a focus on community, ease of use, and robust documentation to drive adoption.

Ann and Liz emphasize the transformative impact of open source, which allows for rapid innovation and fosters trust through transparency. They also highlight Percona’s inclusive culture that values equity and diversity, believing that a balanced leadership team leads to better outcomes. Ann’s background in team sports and all-girls education instilled a competitive yet team-focused approach, while Liz’s journey reflects resilience, challenging early discouragement to become a leading tech executive. Both women aim to empower more women in tech and continue driving Percona’s mission of open source excellence and community-focused growth.

In this episode of Tech.Strong.Women., hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan sit down with Priyanka Sharma, executive director of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), to explore the rapid growth and influence of CNCF in the cloud native ecosystem. With more than 190 projects, 750+ member companies, and a developer community of 7.1 million worldwide, CNCF is shaping the future of cloud-native technologies. We dive into how AI is transforming cloud native solutions and the evolving role of DevOps and DevSecOps in managing new complexities. Priyanka also discusses the challenges of improving diversity in open source, especially for women balancing tech careers and family, and highlights CNCF’s efforts to foster inclusion through mentorship and support initiatives. Tune in for insights on the future of cloud native, AI, and the importance of diversity in tech. To learn more about the cloud native community, join Priyanka at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America in Salt Lake City from Nov. 12-15.

Join hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan for the latest episode of Tech.Strong.Women. featuring Chhaya Gunawat, a DevOps engineer at Amazon, as she dives into the dynamic world of DevOps and the future of AI/ML integration. Chhaya shares her insights on the high-demand, high-pressure nature of the field and why women are uniquely equipped to thrive in it. She discusses the lessons learned from incidents like CrowdStrike, the challenges of adopting new tools without disrupting workflows, and the rising importance of MLOps. Beyond tech, Chhaya offers empowering advice for women on staying in the workforce, celebrating failures, and taking control of their finances. Tune in for a powerful conversation on resilience, innovation, and financial literacy in tech!

In this episode of Tech.Strong.Women., hosts Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Harman Kaur, VP of AI at Tanium.  Harman shares her remarkable career path from the Air Force to a pivotal role at Tanium, where she unexpectedly transitioned from an HR position to engineering. She delves into the complexities of enforcing cybersecurity regulations and accountability, particularly in the wake of the recent Supreme Court Chevron decision. Harman highlights the urgent need for enhanced automation and AI to manage the overwhelming number of vulnerabilities organizations face. Additionally, she urges consumers to demand greater accountability from companies regarding data privacy and ethical AI practices.

In this episode of Tech.Strong.Women., Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Garima Kapoor, a remarkable founder with a PhD in finance and economics who transitioned from academia to entrepreneurship. She co-founded MinIO, an open source object storage company, alongside her engineer husband. Garima highlighted the challenges she faced as a woman founder, including gender discrimination in fundraising and business meetings. She underscored the need for greater female representation in leadership and the support of women-led companies. MinIO's success is attributed to its open source model and robust community engagement, with Garima emphasizing the importance of strong licenses and ecosystem contributions. She also discussed building an inclusive company culture at MinIO, prioritizing work-life balance, and making meaningful investments for long-term growth.

In today's episode of Tech.Strong.Women. Jodi Ashley and Tracy Ragan are joined by Anneka Gupta, Chief Product Officer at Rubrik. In an era of increasing cyber attacks, data security is critical, and Anneka Gupta from Rubric emphasizes the need for strategies that ensure cyber resilience and recovery post-attack. Traditional prevention methods must now be complemented by proactive measures like protecting critical data and reactive approaches such as recovery planning. AI plays a growing role in identifying threats and automating responses, though it also introduces new security challenges. Gupta highlights the importance of diversity in developing robust security strategies and advocates for making security accessible while communicating the industry's talent needs. Building community and mentorship is vital to enhance diversity in tech fields, a value she embodies through her teaching and mentorship at Stanford. Inspired by her engineer parents and entrepreneurial spirit, Gupta leverages her passion for startups to drive technological change and support emerging talent.