How Women In Colorado Are Empowering Each Other

In a male-dominated industry, solidarity between women in tech is essential.

Written by Rachael Millanta
Published on Feb. 25, 2022
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Women are often told that they need to advocate for themselves in the workplace, speaking up to ensure they are heard and respected in the male-driven tech industry. But how much value and importance is there in solidarity and mutual support? According to eight industry leaders in Colorado, it’s essential.

Women remain underrepresented in a large range of STEM fields, making up only 15 percent of jobs in software engineering, 25 percent in computer science and 40 percent in physical science, according to 2021 statistics from the Pew Research Center. In fact, the percentage of women in software engineering has only increased by three percent since 1990, and the share of women in computer occupations has dropped from 32 percent to 25 percent.

“Even as a leader at previous companies, I was often asked to take notes in meetings or order lunch,” said Rachel Petzold, the director of product and client experience at mobile shopping company Ibotta. “As my career progressed, I learned to speak up for women being minimized or treated differently.”

According to 2021 research from TrustRadius, 72 percent of women in tech report having worked at a company where “bro culture” is pervasive, and 72 percent also report being regularly outnumbered by men in business meetings by a ratio of at least 2-to-1. So how can women ensure their voices and those of women around them are being heard? 

Ingrid Olson, the head of customer experience at fintech company Melio, believes the answer lies in companies amplifying and encouraging the unique ideas that women bring to the table. “Women offer a unique perspective in leadership roles and we should embrace and leverage those traits instead of trying to mimic our male counterparts,” she said. “It is important that women value who they are as leaders rather than try to fit someone else’s antiquated idea of leadership.”

There is a long way to go until gender equality is reached in tech, and many women are overwhelmed by the slow progress. But women uplifting and supporting the women around them can pave the way for a brighter future. Built In sat down with eight women tech leaders across Colorado to talk about how they ensure other women at their workplace are empowered — and why it’s important for leaders to demonstrate these ideals.

 

Spectrum coworkers sitting at tables at leadership conference
Spectrum

 

Image of Marti Moore
Marti Moore
Group Vice President, Technology Implementation • Spectrum

 

Tell us about your career journey. What were some of the defining moments that brought you to where you are today?

I began my career in the Air Force writing software for satellite tracking systems, and I was quickly put into a position where I was leading teams. Because of this, I was able to move into a leadership role as I transitioned into a civilian career.

A defining moment in my career was when I worked for a female vice president. She taught me how to be strong and respectfully stand my ground as a female executive surrounded by male peers. She also taught me the importance of persistence.

When I became a mother, I took on an individual contributor role as an architect and I learned that even as an individual contributor, I was drawn to leadership and leading teams. This was another defining career moment for me.

As I moved back onto a leadership path, I began leading large testing and program management teams. Recently, I’ve taken on a role doing something I was unfamiliar with. I’m now leading an agile transformation for our engineering organization and we are starting to see some real business benefits. This is very motivating for me to continue on this path.

 

As a leader, what have you done to empower and uplift the women around you?

I have always been very conscious of the fact that women need to support each other. It’s also important to recognize that women don’t have to win at the expense of men.

For my female employees, I always meet with them one-on-one to help them with their challenges and give them guidance on how to advance their careers. I’ve fought hard for equity across the board and I have personally recommended women for promotions when they have shown that they are ready and qualified. I’ve been involved in many organizations that help women advance in their careers. I helped to lead the Women in Cable Telecom Rocky Mountain (WICT RM) mentoring program for eight years.

I’m always open to a conversation if one of my female colleagues needs some informal mentoring and I learn just as much from them as they learn from me.

I have always been very conscious of the fact that women need to support each other.”

 

More subtly, what behaviors do you think are important for leaders to model to their team members, particularly to women in more junior roles? 

Leadership behaviors like encouraging collaboration, positive conflict resolution, making suggestions but not micro-managing, being fair, giving feedback and giving people opportunities to shine are all important for both women and men.

Behaviors are important, but they don’t mean anything if a leader is mechanical. I always mentor leaders and set an example by leading from the heart, which is to say leading by listening, empathy and support. While we need to manage from the brain, we have to lead from the heart. I learned this when I was in the military. A team member will perform and do what a manager tells them to do, but a team member who is motivated by a true leader, one who leads from the heart, will do their absolute best to conquer any obstacle in front of them.

It’s not about going through the motions and checking the box on leadership behaviors. It’s about setting an example and specific goals, then showing that you care about the team’s collective success. It’s about showing that you are excited about the achievements the team can attain together.

 

 

Image of Rachel Petzold
Rachel Petzold
Director of Product, Client Experience • Ibotta

 

Tell us about your career journey. What were some of the defining moments that brought you to where you are today?

I spent a lot of my early career trying to figure out what I wanted to be. I learned so many different capabilities, starting as a graphic designer before moving into tech, that I came finally to a place where I wanted to become an expert in something. It wasn’t until I found a leader that helped me discover that I should really focus on the areas that I was exceptional in and find a place that embraced my strengths that I shifted to the right path.

That moment when I realized I didn’t have to be great at everything — just the important things — changed the course of my career. I hope everyone is fortunate enough to find such a leader.

 

As a leader, what have you done to empower and uplift the women around you?

As a younger woman in business, I saw and experienced things that were normalized but that left me and my unique traits feeling “less than.” Even as a leader at previous companies, I was often asked to take notes in meetings or order lunch. As my career progressed, I learned to speak up for women being minimized or treated differently. I speak quite often with other leaders about the ways we can help people hone in on their unique skills, as well as those things that make them happy, while also making sure that the rules of engagement are the same for every person on a team or in an organization.

As I spend time mentoring women that want to enter technology, I find it is extremely important to offer mentorship, informing them of the work done in this space, as well as sponsorship, giving them a springboard to try something new. I try to open doors for women whenever I can. I share my connections and network so the women around me can find their way to success.

It is important to recognize that there is value in strength but also in vulnerability.”

 

More subtly, what behaviors do you think are important for leaders to model to their team members, particularly to women in more junior roles? 

I think leaders are almost always taught — intentionally or accidentally — to be tough and strong. It is important to recognize that there is value in strength but also in vulnerability. 

I try to model transparency and vulnerability to my team and my peers. If something I do has a negative impact on someone on my team, I apologize and I ask how I can make it better, instead of assuming that I know what that looks like for them. I have also been known to show emotion if something is difficult or I feel overwhelmed. Showing sadness is much better than showing frustration. I want to normalize emotions at work and welcome everyone to come as they are today, as well as encourage everybody to let me and those around me know if they need to show up a certain way right now. This is hugely important so that we can support each other, especially since we spend so much time together. Being fully remote, I believe this is even more important than it used to be. The world is a difficult place sometimes and work should be a safe place to just be you as you are right now.

 

 

AMP Robotics manufacturing facility
AMP

 

Image of Amy Esensten
Amy Esensten
Director of Field Services • AMP

 

Tell us about your career journey. What were some of the defining moments that brought you to where you are today?

I was the kid whose report card always said that I was a social butterfly and, more bluntly, that I talked too much. It turns out that those communication skills and relationship-building abilities lent themselves perfectly to a career in service and support. I started with call center work early in my career and quickly realized that helping customers was fun and rewarding, and that realization set me on the path to leading global service organizations at a range of companies. My most defining moments were those when I was challenged with difficult problems or failed, because those were the moments that I learned from.

 

As a leader, what have you done to empower and uplift the women around you?

Empowering and uplifting the women around me is something I think about often and I consciously try to find ways to positively impact other women. One area I have focused on throughout my career is recruiting, hiring and promoting women from underrepresented populations. I am a huge proponent of recruiting through the personal networks of myself and my colleagues and have promoted several women over the past several years. A colleague recently recognized me for being a “champion for diversity and inclusion in hiring and beyond,” and that’s something I take great pride in.

It’s important to show other women that they don’t need to minimize their message and that being a strong communicator is valued and appreciated.”

 

More subtly, what behaviors do you think are important for leaders to model to their team members, particularly to women in more junior roles? 

Communicate directly and don’t apologize for your ideas. It’s important to show other women that they don’t need to minimize their message and that being a strong communicator is valued and appreciated. 

Unapologetically prioritize family, what that means for you, as this gives “permission” for others to do it, too. 

Acknowledge and celebrate the successes of others. It’s a good reminder that their successes are not your failures and it helps remove the myth of female rivalry in the workplace. There’s enough success to go around! 

Ask male colleagues to take notes, schedule meetings and plan events just as often as you ask female colleagues. This shows equality in the workplace and a determination to not propagate gender stereotypes. 

Accept compliments and embrace your success. Don’t downplay these moments or be self-deprecating. Accept the acknowledgement and praise that you deserve and model that it’s appropriate to be proud of your accomplishments. 

Admit your mistakes and show vulnerability to demonstrate that perfection is a myth and success takes hard work.

 

 

Greenhouse team members in the office
Greenhouse

 

Image of Rima Grinshpoon
Rima Grinshpoon
Director, Software Engineering • Greenhouse Software

 

Tell us about your career journey. What were some of the defining moments that brought you to where you are today?

I have had an interest in engineering and math since childhood but got particularly interested in computer science in college. I was lucky to have supportive parents and through those early years, I did not think that being a woman would be an obstacle to pursuing my interests. I drew inspiration from historical female figures and also recall admiring photos of successful businesswomen in magazines. 

I was recruited to join a large investment bank out of college and spent a number of years there gaining experience as a developer. There were ups and downs, and sometimes I doubted my career choice, especially in relation to my family life. On the whole, it was a comfortable job but I felt that I was stagnating and decided that if I wanted to challenge myself, I needed to work for smaller companies. Since smaller workplaces are typically more dynamic and flexible, I got my break by joining a company that was willing to let me step into a team leadership role. I have been managing software engineering teams of various sizes ever since.

 

As a leader, what have you done to empower and uplift the women around you?

As someone in a leadership role, I consider it my biggest responsibility to develop careers. I am always on the lookout for talented people who are ready to take the next step and may need a bit of encouragement to recognize that. This is especially true for women because they sometimes tend to doubt themselves more than their male counterparts.

Recently, I helped a direct report of mine to go through a training program and get promoted to engineering manager of a team. Prior to this, she had been doing an amazing job as an individual contributor and showed a natural aptitude for leadership and organization. I took note of this as her manager and suggested that she consider a management path. As soon as we had an opening for our management program, I made sure that she was considered for it and advised her to take advantage of the opportunity. Her eventual promotion gave the team a much-needed leader, helped the company retain a great employee and served as proof of the company’s commitment to employee development and women’s growth.

As someone in a leadership role, I consider it my biggest responsibility to develop careers.”

 

More subtly, what behaviors do you think are important for leaders to model to their team members, particularly to women in more junior roles? 

Leaders should practice radical candor, as popularized by Kim Scott, to gain trust and credibility. They should inspire and challenge their reports to do more while also ensuring that reports are recognized and rewarded for their efforts. In my experience, when people are properly encouraged, more often than not they will rise to the challenges presented to them. Women tend to be more self-conscious about their skills and the value they hold to the organization, so letting them pick up a difficult assignment and see it succeed is key to building confidence. Leaders should promote employees with consideration to diversity and inclusion, as well as being mindful of specific issues that women face in the workplace. Ultimately, I believe that a good leader models that there are no boundaries to success except for a bit of risk-taking and practice in optimistic thinking.

 

 

Image of Ingrid Olson
Ingrid Olson
Head of Customer Experience • Melio

 

Tell us about your career journey. What were some of the defining moments that brought you to where you are today?

Customer support and caring about the customer experience are in my DNA. What started as a part-time position at the Chicago Bloomingdale’s became my career.

In my first big leadership role with Apple Retail, I witnessed firsthand how internal and external company culture impacted the team, customers and myself. That position set the tone for my future roles and continues to influence me today. From retail, I was fortunate to find positions with other pioneering companies like Airbnb, OfferUp and now Melio. Melio embodies culture and lifts customer experience from being a dead-end role to a brand-defining one, with opportunities to stretch and grow while helping to move the company forward.

 

As a leader, what have you done to empower and uplift the women around you?

The struggles that I faced very early on in my career helped empower me when I attained leadership roles to make changes to the way that women are treated in my workplace.

I started a mentoring program within the company and created a network outside of the workplace. These steps were particularly impactful within a startup where men had dominated many of the technical, strategic and leadership roles while women were often pigeonholed into supporting ones. Allowing women to have open conversations with other women who broke down gender barriers and moved forward is impactful and opens possibilities for them to take risks without compromising their values or personal goals.

The ideas, points of view and experiences of women matter — don’t be shy about speaking up.”

 

More subtly, what behaviors do you think are important for leaders to model to their team members, particularly to women in more junior roles? 

It is important for women to find their voices. The ideas, points of view and experiences of women matter — don’t be shy about speaking up. 

It is also crucial to be human first. Women do not need to be extremely tough or overly driven to be effective leaders. It’s important to find a balance that builds trust in step with business goals.

I also think it is important for leaders to learn to say “no” or “not now.” Women are not in leadership positions to simply take orders without being able to question direction or impact. 

Women offer a unique perspective in leadership roles and we should embrace and leverage those traits instead of trying to mimic our male counterparts. It is important that women value who they are as leaders rather than try to fit someone else’s antiquated idea of leadership.

 

 

Image of Sharayah Cook
Sharayah Cook
VP of Product • Homebot

 

Tell us about your career journey. What were some of the defining moments that brought you to where you are today?

I’ve had a circuitous career path, shaped by curiosity, courage and kind people. 

Despite being ambitious, I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I got my first tech job because my husband and I decided to take a leap and move to Colorado. I enjoyed what I was doing as a brand strategist at a large advertising agency, but when I was offered the chance to try project management for a tech consulting group, I took it.

Not long after, a former coworker from that group encouraged me to apply to be a project manager at a scaling software company in Boulder. I shied away at first because I thought I needed more experience, but I eventually threw my hat in the ring anyway. Turns out I actually had just what they needed — grit, curiosity and the ability to learn quickly. After listening to the team, I found myself leading an agile transformation of the entire product and engineering organization.

A few years later, a woman I met while interviewing asked me to speak at a Colorado product panel. I accepted, despite feeling underqualified. Afterwards, the COO of Homebot, a fellow panelist, reached out to connect. We got beers, talked shop and that led me to my dream job here at Homebot.

I seek to empower women by helping them become the best versions of themselves.”

 

As a leader, what have you done to empower and uplift the women around you?

I seek to empower women by helping them become the best versions of themselves. One of my favorite quotes is “Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple and it is also that difficult.” This is best supported by a culture of continual learning. I aim to create that culture by leading by example. 

To start, I regularly stoke my own curiosity and proactively share learnings with people around me — it might even spark curiosity for them, too! Slack is a great tool for sharing a Thích Nhất Hạnh quote or a Masters of Scale episode.

Leading by example also means saying aloud to my team that I know I have room to improve and letting my actions back up my words. Instead of assuming I know the one and only right way, we try new things together with a clear aim to grow. 

I also lead by example by “becoming myself.” I’ve learned to accept my introversion, have compassion for my mental health, be bravely honest about imposter syndrome and let myself feel proud of my success. By showing up as my authentic self, I believe I give permission for other women to do so.

 

More subtly, what behaviors do you think are important for leaders to model to their team members, particularly to women in more junior roles? 

Vulnerability starts with self-awareness. Leaders need to name hard conversations as hard. We need to notice when we may be coming from a place of fear instead of curiosity and we need to give others the same opportunity to be real. 

Rather than slow down the pace of business, being vulnerable enables more confident, faster decision-making. 

Part of it is simply showing up — someone’s got to make decisions to keep the business moving. The second part is being seen as a continual learner. It’s okay if I’m not right all the time. It’s also okay if I need to ask questions instead of already knowing the answers. A good question unlocks insight to support a good decision.

I used to think leading meant that you had to know stuff, like the right way to run a process or a grand product vision. Mentors and experience taught me that leading with compassion, curiosity and vulnerability more effectively motivates teams to take powerful action.

 

 

Image of Kia Sanders
Kia Sanders
Director of IT and Security • CirrusMD

 

Tell us about your career journey. What were some of the defining moments that brought you to where you are today?

I’ve always had a knack for identifying systemic issues, coupled with a drive to find the best solutions possible. I was originally drawn to the STEM field through my high school computer sciences classes, but I had no idea that I could turn that interest into a career. I had no real-life examples of women in technical leadership, so I usually found myself making my own template for each new career hurdle. At several past employers, I had to work harder than my male counterparts for less pay and recognition. I became discouraged more times than I can count, but eventually I realized that this is just a systemic issue and I know what to do with those. I studied leadership principles, earned several certifications and figured out how to self advocate. Today I’m proud to say that I’m a director. I’m a female leader in the STEM field and each day I work to become the example I needed.

I had no real-life examples of women in technical leadership, so I usually found myself making my own template for each new career hurdle.”

 

As a leader, what have you done to empower and uplift the women around you?

Women are often pitted against each other, usually by external factors or internalized societal expectations. I believe it’s important to destroy those obstacles with honesty and kindness. Publicly calling out accomplishments, acting as a guide for the newbies and advocating for the rights and growth of women and nonbinary people in the workplace is always worth the time and effort. I try to build up those around me by giving everyone equal space to breathe, speak and flourish.

 

More subtly, what behaviors do you think are important for leaders to model to their team members, particularly to women in more junior roles? 

Whether we’re conscious of it or not, leaders are always expected to set the tone for the way their teams interact and function. Through actions as well as words, a leader draws the guidelines their team will use to navigate the workplace. By inviting thoughtful discussion and employing strategies to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, we can make the message clear to our team: “This is what I stand for and what I expect of you.” The establishment of these principles creates a space where women and underrepresented groups can look to their leadership as allies instead of just symbols of the status quo.

 

 

StackHawk team photo outside
StackHawk

 

Image of Joni Klippert
Joni Klippert
CEO • StackHawk

 

Tell us about your career journey. What were some of the defining moments that brought you to where you are today?

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to have many strong and inspiring role models. My parents are small business owners and I watched my mom run my father’s chiropractic office for years before moving on to found her own real estate firm. Shortly after undergrad, I applied for a job reporting to Cindy Carrillo, the former CEO of Work Options Group. When I saw the command she held over a room, I didn’t care what the company did! I knew I needed to learn from her. 

From these early experiences, I actually didn’t know a world where women weren’t empowered, strong and self-confident in business. Not only were they great role models, they inspired and pushed me to always learn more and know that I was capable of accomplishing whatever I set my mind to in my career. 

During my MBA program, I was fortunate to build relationships in the Boulder Startup community and with VCs like the Foundry Group. I’ve since worked for two Foundry-backed companies, not including my own, and was fortunate enough to work with men such as Todd Vernon who welcomed and supported women in the workforce and women in leadership roles.

 

As a leader, what have you done to empower and uplift the women around you?

Since I’ve had a lot of great role models and people that have taken a chance on me and believed in me, I want to continue to support other women and give them these same opportunities. I’ve promoted women into stretch positions and served as a mentor to teammates and students seeking advice around how to grow their career. As a CEO, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with several female CEOs and build peer mentoring relationships. Sometimes it’s really important to have another female exec to bounce ideas off of and remind one another that we are, in fact, badasses. 

I believe it’s important to play to the job that you want, rather than the job you have.”

 

More subtly, what behaviors do you think are important for leaders to model to their team members, particularly to women in more junior roles? 

No matter your gender, I believe it’s important to play to the job that you want, rather than the job you have. Be laser focused on the success criteria for that to be realized and focus on business outcomes. Something that really bums me out — and in my experience is more prevalent in females than males — is the overwhelming desire to be liked by your peers, which results in a nervousness about being polite or a fear of ruffling feathers. Traits I try to model are building arguments rooted in data, aligning teams on business outcomes and speaking my mind when I have ideas to move the needle. Because I’m outgoing, I also try to create space for others to share their thoughts in meetings to ensure we achieve a rounded view. 

 

 

Responses have been edited for length and clarity. Images via listed companies and Shuttterstock.