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Six Women Leading Today’s Tech Industry

Happy Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day! This past Tuesday, March 1, marked the beginning of 2022’s Women’s History Month, a time dedicated to acknowledging powerful women worldwide and in our everyday lives. Many of us are already familiar with some influential women who changed the tech industry today as we know it, such as Ada Lovelace, Katherine Johnson, Adele Goldberg, and more.

Today, there are a plethora of women making waves within the industry. As important as it will always be to honor the women of the past who have shaped the industry, this Women’s History Month we’re celebrating some women of the modern age. Below are six women in technology who are leading the industry today.

 

Erica (Ewing) Lockheimer

Erica (Ewing) Lockheimer is vice president of engineering at LinkedIn Talent Solutions and LinkedIn Learning. Lockheimer has been with the company for nearly 12 years. She began as senior engineering manager of growth for LinkedIn in 2010, and held various leadership roles at the company, leading up to the current position she has held for about one year.

As VP of engineering at LinkedIn, Lockheimer connects talent with opportunities. She is passionate about building solutions to help professionals gain the skills they need to develop themselves and their careers and brings it all to fruition by connecting employers with top talent.

“I love the challenge of starting with something nascent and carving out the right strategy, hiring the best people, and plotting a course to drive results,” Lockheimer stated.

Throughout her career, Lockheimer focused on building strong technology teams to grow successful companies and products. An active advocate for women’s careers in technology, Lockheimer also headed Women in Tech at LinkedIn and has been a TechWomen Mentor for nearly 10 years.

Lockheimer earned her Bachelor of Science in computer engineering from San Jose State University, where she is currently a member of ​​the Innovation Advisory Council. There, she advises students, faculty and staff on growth solutions for innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialization support.

Find out more about Lockheimer on her LinkedIn.

 

Ebony Beckwith

Ebony Beckwith is the chief executive officer at Salesforce Foundation, as well as chief business officer and chief of staff to Marc Benioff, who is chair, co-CEO, and co-founder of Salesforce.

As CBO and chief to staff, Beckwith is responsible for actualizing Salesforce’s core values, aligning the company, and leading all strategic projects, relationships, and initiatives of the Office of the Co-CEO. As CEO of the Salesforce Foundation, Beckwith oversees the company’s global philanthropic strategy.

Beckwith has been at Salesforce for over 13 years, where she began as senior director of technology business operations and chief of staff and worked her way up to the current position she has held for nearly three years.

Beckwith has over two decades of experience in technology and operations under her belt. Incorporating her expertise in environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), and philanthropy, Beckwith also serves as a board member for Poshmark, Warriors Community Foundation, and Hamilton Families, and is an advisory board member for PagerDuty.

In 2021, Beckwith was recognized as one of the San Francisco Business Times’ Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business.

Beckwith earned her Bachelor of Science in computer and information sciences at Golden Gate University. Additionally, she holds an honorary doctorate of humane letters from her alma mater and was also the keynote speaker for the university’s 2019 graduation commencement.

Find out more about Beckwith on her LinkedIn.

 

Maria Zhang

Maria Zhang is vice president of engineering at Instagram, where she has supported the Sharing Experience team for over a year. Additionally, Zhang serves as a venture partner at IDG Capital, where she leads investment with a focus on technology-driven disruption in the areas of AI, machine learning-based applications, IoT and developer tools.

Throughout Zhang‘s career,  she held leadership positions at companies such as LinkedIn, Yahoo, Microsoft and Tinder. Maria is passionate about building great teams, instilling them with proactive missions, and pushing the delivery of exacting, satisfying experiences.

“I believe in the power of software to change people’s lives. Great software is a change agent. It has the power to make people infinitely more productive, to entertain them, to free them with information, and connect them to other people, new opportunities and ideas everywhere,” Zhang said. “I believe in engineering with purpose. Everything we do, every line of code we write, needs to be instilled with purpose: Every pixel should be perfect, and every byte of data needs a reason to exist.”

Zhang earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics, computer science, and economics, as well as her Master of Science in computer science at Eastern Michigan University. Zhang also attended Tsinghua University, where she studied computer science.

Find out more about Zhang on her LinkedIn.

 

Susan Wojcicki

Susan Wojcicki has been in the tech industry for over 20 years and has been chief executive officer at YouTube for over eight years. Today, YouTube has about 2 billion monthly users.

In the past, Wojcicki worked in the marketing department at Intel, as a management consultant for Bain & Company, and also became Google’s first marketing manager.

Wojcicki was hired by Google in 1999, where she worked on everything from AdSense and Google Analytics to Google Books and Google Images. In 2006, Wojcicki advocated for Google’s $1.65 billion acquisition of YouTube.

Wojcicki earned her Bachelor of Arts in history and literature at Harvard University, her Master of Science in economics at University of California, Santa Cruz, and her Master of Business administration in economics at University of California, Los Angeles.

Find out more about Wojcicki on her LinkedIn.

 

Yamini Rangan

Yamini Rangan is chief executive officer and board member at HubSpot, a position she has held for about seven months. Rangan has been with the company for over two years and began as chief customer officer, overseeing the marketing, sales and services teams.

Rangan has over 25 years of experience in the tech industry. Before HubSpot, she was chief customer officer at Dropbox, a Vice President of Sales Strategy and Operations at Workday, and held several customer-facing leadership roles in strategy, pre-sales and value-based selling at SAP.

Rangan is passionate about customer-centric growth and scaling high-performance teams and is a frequent speaker at software as a service (SaaS) and customer-centric conferences, as well as a guest lecturer at her alma mater, Berkeley.

“I am focused on driving innovation and creating a cohesive experience for our customers to help fulfill our mission of helping millions of companies grow better,” Rangan said. “I am committed to leading with curiosity, empathy, vulnerability and customer-centricity.”

In 2019, Rangan was recognized as one of the San Francisco Business Times’ Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business.

Rangan earned her Master of Science in computer engineering at Clemson University, her Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering at Bharathiar University, and her Master of Business Administration at University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Find out more about Rangan on her LinkedIn.

 

Kate Bergeron

Kate Bergeron has been on the leadership team at Apple, Inc. for over 10 years and has been vice president of hardware engineering for over seven years. She began as senior director of Macintosh product design in 2011 and held the position of senior director of ecosystem products and technologies for a short while in 2014.

In her current position, Bergeron is responsible for the development of Apple audio hardware such as AirPods and the HomePod, SoftGoods, Packaging, with an emphasis on sustainable fiber initiatives, Retail Product Display, and the Product Realization Laboratory.

Bergeron has nearly 20 years of industry experience in high-volume consumer electronics and manufacturing both domestically and abroad. Beginning at Apple in 2002, she worked in the mobile manufacturing and designing wing. Bergeron has experience working with international design teams, OEMs and vendors in Asia.

Bergeron is also a lecturer in MIT’s D-Lab, which deals with drafting technologies to help the poverty-stricken population. Her extensive experience in the commercial world and bringing products to market brings an industry viewpoint to D-Lab.

Bergeron earned her Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), her Master of Science in mechanical engineering at University of Colorado Boulder, and her Master of Business Administration through MIT’s Executive MBA program at the Sloan School of Management.

Find out more about Bergeron on her LinkedIn.

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Learning How to be Agile in the Workplace

Merriam-Webster defines agile as “marked by ready ability to move with quick easy grace,” and “having a quick, resourceful and adaptable character.” Being agile is about keeping up, taking quick action and being comfortable shifting direction on a moment’s notice.

Agility has been a lesson in which most of us have involuntarily taken a crash course since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, where normalcy and stability have been in short supply. In an article published by Fast Company titled, “Follow these 4 steps to handle the unexpected like a pro,” entrepreneur Rick Pastoor shares four steps that have helped him deal with tasks that unexpectedly land on his desk.

 

No. 1: Swap your “yes” for “let me check and get back to you”

Saying no can be difficult – especially in a client-services focused field like public relations. However, acting immediately does not guarantee a positive result for the client. It’s important to learn how to strike a balance. Start by saying, “I will look into this and provide an update in X amount of time.” This way, the client feels heard and knows you’re taking them seriously, while also giving you a moment to assess and formulate a thoughtful response. Rushed work is rarely ever productive work.

 

No. 2: Estimate the work

Following the above theme, take some time to make an honest estimation of how much time you think the task will take. Like Pastoor, the author of the article, I block off time on my calendar for tasks, which I have found is a fantastic way to train my estimation skills, as well as set realistic and achievable deadlines. Evaluate your bandwidth and ability to take on the project and determine how much time you will need to turn it. Once you have that understanding, check back in with the client or team member to let them know when they can expect the task to be complete.

 

No. 3: If there’s no specific deadline, don’t assume it has to happen now

If something pops up unexpectedly (i.e., a question from a client, or a request from your boss to review a document), it can feel urgent. But often, it’s not. We must shift our perspective that an unplanned question is synonymous with an urgent one. If there’s no specific deadline attached, assume that the implicit question is: “When can you fit this in?” I’ve found it useful to propose a deadline, rather than ask the person who sent the request for one. Again, this is where my calendar comes in to play in helping me assess what I can reasonably assist with and when.

 

No. 4: Know to what you’re saying no

Like I mentioned previously, my calendar is my guidepost. I use it to keep track of meetings, as well as to track tasks and projects and their associated deadlines. When a timely request pops up, I can clearly visualize what projects and tasks might need to shift to accommodate the incoming request. With this visibility, I can quickly and easily let my teammates know if I will not be able to meet a previously agreed upon deadline in order to accommodate the new request.

Today’s work environment is fast paced – especially in PR. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by unexpected requests, we can learn how to be agile and nimbly manage everything on our plate.

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How to Become a Strong Public Speaker

I am a fourth-year student at Seattle University and president of the Management Advancement Club within the Albers School of Business and Economics. As a leader of this committee, I coordinate teams and plan events to benefit aspiring corporate professionals, which includes a significant amount of public speaking.

Typically, there are one of two emotions I experience when speaking: I am either nervous or confident. However, I have found that preparation aids my confidence level and the quality of my presentation. Specifically, I have learned it is helpful to do the following:

  • Sharpen my message. According to a Forbes article, “12 tips for public speaking,” it’s a good idea to address your audience’s interests with the intent to move people to action. When I present, I create a message specifically for my target audience and try to anticipate their reaction to it.
  • Rehearse my speech. This tip may seem the most obvious, but it’s the most effective and sure-fire method to deliver an excellent presentation. I like to rehearse by myself or with a small group of peers who provide constructive feedback. While practicing, I find it’s a good idea to consider the hand gestures or equipment I may want, and the pauses, emphases, or anecdotal stories necessary to bring my content to life.
  • Gain feedback. My colleague, Lauren Beehler, wrote a helpful post, “Giving and receiving feedback: tips for success,” which I recommend reviewing before you solicit input from others on your presentation. She has some great suggestions for ways to solicit constructive feedback including asking open-ended questions.
  • Practice maintaining eye contact. The Business Talent Group, a management consulting firm, published an article titled “10 tips for virtual presentations and public speaking.” This article emphasizes the importance of eye contact to demonstrate that you are serious about your topic. If your presentation is virtual, you should look at the camera to create intimacy with your listeners.
  • Consider how to be energetic and authentic. According to Marjorie North, with the Harvard Division of Continuing Education, being an energetic speaker creates a more satisfying experience and impact on your audience. Allow your personality to shine through because the audience connects best to authenticity.
  • Use non-verbal communication. It’s the minor details that can make your presentation more successful. Subtle actions such as a smile, a hand gesture, or a healthy pause can help you emphasize your key points.

Public speaking can be nerve-wracking, and it’s never a good idea to wing it. These tips can guide your rehearsal process before your next speaking opportunity.

One of my mentors, Givelle Lamano, principal attorney at Lamano Law Office, says, “Perfection is all in the details.” The details can mean the difference between an average speech and a stellar presentation that creates a meaningful impact for the viewers.  

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New Kantola Training Goes Beyond Compliance Basics to Address Vital Workplace Issues

In August 2021, I wrote about Kantola Training Solutions and its effective and successful harassment prevention and diversity, equity and training programs. (My previous blog is “Looking for Resources for a Healthy Workplace” in case you’re interested.)

Since that time, Kantola released a new family of online harassment prevention training, including employee and manager courses with versions specific to many different states. You can learn more about the training here, but the main thing to know is that it goes beyond the basics of compliance to address many of the most vital and complex issues confronting workplaces today.

In addition to developing world-class training, Kantola’s leaders are also committed to being a resource for managers and company decision makers who want to build better workplaces. As such, they’ve have written numerous articles about unconscious bias, the impact of remote work on DEI, how to manage resistance to change and more. Please see below for the complete list.

If you’re a journalist writing on this topic and would like to contact the team at Kantola, please let us know. They’d welcome the opportunity to answer your questions.

We hope these resources are helpful.

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Carbon Robotics Unveils New LaserWeeder

In the spring of 2021, our client Carbon Robotics, an agriculture robotics company, became a sensation when it revealed a “laser-shooting” robot to eliminate weeds. This innovative and organic approach to weeding would help farmers solve one of the most challenging, time consuming and costly parts of farming.

So, when the Carbon Robotics shared the company was planning to release a new implement with higher-performance capabilities, we knew it was going to make a big splash.

Given the new implement would be revealed less than a year after the first robot was announced, we knew there would be questions about the differentiating features as well as motivation behind the change. We worked closely with the team to develop messaging that would address anticipated questions and highlight the enhancements of this implement, including the increased laser density and improved performance. Additionally, we thought it was important to emphasize that this change stemmed from farmer input, demonstrating Carbon Robotics’ ability to adapt to customer feedback and its commitment to supporting its customers.

To ensure reporters had time to ask questions about the change and understand the new robot, we wanted to offer them an opportunity to talk to Paul Mikesell, the CEO and founder of Carbon Robotics, before the announcement published. We pitched a variety of business, technology and agriculture publications, radio shows, broadcast stations and podcasts. We conducted six interviews in advance of the announcement going live and addressed many inquiries via email.

The media was intrigued by the 2022 LaserWeeder and this led to a significant amount of coverage, with even more scheduled to publish in the coming weeks.

Congratulations to the Carbon Robotics team on the development of another innovative implement!

 

Carbon Robotics Coverage
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Seven tips to improve your writing

According to Stephen King, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

Fortunately, in my role with Communiqué PR, I’ve had significant opportunities to exercise my writing skills and have identified some best practices that I plan to incorporate into my process.

I thought I would share my tips so you can apply them to your next writing project:

  • Create an outline to organize key ideas. Outlines are valuable because they help the writer identify critical points, build arguments and think through the flow and structure of the information they want to convey. When you are struggling with a topic, it may be a good idea to create an outline.
  • Consider using the Jane Schaffer paragraph. Jane Schaffer, an esteemed writing teacher, developed a formula for creating a five-sentence paragraph. The first sentence introduces the topic, the second provides concrete detail, the third and fourth is where the writer includes commentary, and the last incorporates a closing statement. I often find it helpful to go back to analyze my writing to determine if I’ve included these elements and, if not, work to add any missing components.
  • Use active voice. Active voice is beneficial because it clarifies who is doing the action. In my colleague Lauren Beehler’s article, “Who did this? How the passive voice hides a sentence’s subject,” she goes into more detail on why to avoid passive voice. A couple of examples of these two types of sentences include the following:
    • Active: The intern is writing an article.
    • Passive: The article was written about improving one’s writing skills. (In this example, the reader doesn’t know who is doing the writing.)
  • Avoid unnecessary adverbs and adjectives. In the Inc. article, “Data science reveals why the best business writers avoid certain words,” Jeff Haden explains how unnecessary adverbs and adjectives can get in the way of your key points. He shares an example from Stephen King where action verbs replace adverbs to make the writing stronger. When reviewing your work, be sure to keep this best practice in mind.
  • Get feedback. When I finish an article, I first run it through Grammarly to catch any mistakes. After that, I ask my colleagues for feedback. I’ve found that peer review is essential in helping me identify areas for improvement and grow as a writer.
  • Don’t over-explain your material. Grammarly’s article, “Improve Writing Skills Dramatically by Doing These 15 Things,” advises prioritizing the main ideas instead of overwhelming the reader with trivial ideas. One way to do this is to think about what the reader must know instead of sharing nice-to-know details. If it’s not essential to the reader’s understanding, consider removing it.
  • Read your work aloud or use “Read Aloud” in Word. In the article, “The Benefits of Reading your Work Out Loud,” Janice Hardy discusses how reading out loud can help you find clunky words, incorrect punctuation, run-on sentences, and other incohesive sentences. Microsoft Word’s Read Aloud feature also is an excellent way to review your work. I like listening to the computer read my work with a focus on improving the pace and rhythm of my sentences. This process is beneficial for sentence-level edits and looking at the overall structure of your piece to ensure you’re not being repetitive.

Writing can be challenging with its plethora of rules, writing styles and obstacles along the way. I hope these tips can help you when tackling your next project.

Finally, remember practice is essential for growth and development, and as Stephen King suggests, you will want to read as much as possible. Reading carries numerous benefits, and you can learn a lot by studying the works of others.

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