I didn’t start my career in technology — I started it in psychology and social work, supporting homeless veterans through high‑stakes situations where trust, clarity, and resilience weren’t “soft skills”… they were survival skills. Today, I’m a Senior Consultant at Microsoft, leading and delivering complex business application solutions — and I’ve learned that the bridge between those two worlds is stronger than most people realize.

This session is about building a career beyond the blueprint — especially for women who don’t come from traditional tech pathways. This path isn’t theoretical — it’s already been paved by people whose skills just weren’t labeled ‘technical’ yet. I’ll share the real pivot: the imposter syndrome, the learning curve, and the moment it clicked that my “non‑technical” background wasn’t a gap — it was an advantage. Because technology isn’t just code; it’s people, systems, and outcomes. And the skills women develop in human‑centered roles — empathy, stakeholder alignment, systems thinking, and communication — are the exact skills that make great consultants and leaders.

This talk is for women at any stage of their journey, who are career‑pivoting, doubting their place in tech, or building something new without a roadmap. You don’t need to fit the mold to belong in tech. You can build your own bridge — and then help other women cross it.

Attendees will learn how to identify, articulate, and leverage their own non‑traditional experiences to build confidence, credibility, and career momentum in tech and consulting roles.

Attendees will take away:
- Why non‑linear careers are not a disadvantage in tech—but a differentiator
- How non-traditional and human‑centered skills translate directly into technical leadership and consulting success
- How women can reframe their background as credibility, not a gap, and map transferable skills to real technology outcomes

Women in Tech Talk/STEM/Panel