Women remain significantly underrepresented in enterprise architecture and technical leadership roles, yet organizations increasingly need leaders who can bridge people, process, technology, and strategy—especially in the age of AI transformation. But, this is not just a talk about enterprise architecture—it is a conversation about courage, purpose, leadership, and creating space for more people to thrive in technology.

In this candid and engaging session, I'll share my unconventional journey from art school and creative work into enterprise architecture leadership. Attendees will explore three powerful lessons that apply far beyond IT: be curious, be authentic, and be flawed.

This session challenges traditional assumptions about who belongs in architecture and leadership roles while highlighting why organizations benefit from hiring individuals with diverse backgrounds, nonlinear career paths, and varied lived experiences. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for building confidence, navigating change, fostering trust, supporting psychological safety, and transforming perceived weaknesses into professional strengths.

Attendees will learn:
-Why curiosity is a competitive advantage in technology and leadership
-How authenticity strengthens influence, trust, and collaboration
-Why embracing imperfection improves innovation and resilience
-How hiring managers can better support and retain diverse talent
-Practical ways to pursue ambitious goals despite fear and uncertainty

The people who will get the most out of this talk are:
-Curious but unclear about what EA actually is
-Feeling the pain of complex systems + unclear ROI
-Open to non-traditional career paths
-Interested in bridging business and technology

Short description (500 characters):
Women remain underrepresented in enterprise architecture despite organizations needing leaders who can connect people, process, and technology in the age of AI. In this engaging session, I share my unconventional path from art and photography to enterprise architecture leadership, exploring three lessons—be curious, be authentic, and be flawed—to help attendees build confidence, embrace change, lead authentically, and rethink who belongs in technical leadership.