Technology Episodes

Lisa Fennell shares her non-linear career path—from studying police science at a technical college, to restaurant work and administrative roles, to becoming a business analyst and eventually a sales and marketing leader in utility tech. Along the way, she opens up about confidence, mentorship, being “the only woman at the table,” and what it’s like building a career without a traditional four-year degree. What you’ll hear in this episode What Lisa does today Lisa explains Ping Things and the ...

Episode Summary In this inspiring and deeply human episode, Kathy and Linda sit down with Amanda Mavropoulis, a global project and portfolio management leader in technology including 15 years in the electric utility space, and one extraordinary career pivot. Amanda shares her unconventional STEM journey—from early days taking apart alarm clocks, to working in IT as a student worker, to a long career in utilities, and ultimately into her “unicorn job” at a major tech company. Along the way, sh...

In this episode of Ordinarily Extraordinary – Conversations with Women in STEM, Kathy and Linda sit down with Lawanda Parnell, a retired technology and utility leader whose career began at IBM in the early 1980s and spanned decades of innovation and leadership. Lawanda shares her journey from studying business administration with a strong math and computer science foundation at the University of Florida, to becoming one of the few Black women in tech during her era, to leading large-scale proje...

After almost a year away, Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM is back — and we’re relaunching with something new: a co-host! In this episode, Kathy is joined by her longtime friend and new co-host, Linda LaTourelle, to talk with Stacy Cluff, IT and Broadband Manager at Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative. Stacy has worked at Mille Lacs for 28 years, wearing many hats in technology, IT, and now leading the co-op’s broadband program — bringing critical fiber broadband service to ...

Dr. Sandra Johnson, a groundbreaking electrical engineer and entrepreneur, is the first black woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer engineering. Her journey from a high school introduction to engineering to her current roles as a former IBM CTO and a board member for several companies is a testament to her resilience and determination in the face of unique challenges. The book Soft Power for the Journey: The Life of a STEM Trailblazer is a fascinating story of the remarkable life arc of a resilient...

Sylleste Davis is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 100th District. She is the Chair of the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee. Prior to representing the people of South Carolina, Sylleste worked at an electric company in various roles from Information Technology to Power Supply leadership positions. Sylleste has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and a Master of Arts in Computer and Information Systems Management. What do we ...

Nicole Kelner is a science and climate artist. She is the founder of Arts and Climate Change. Prior to founding Arts and Climate Change, she was an Artist in Residence at MCJ Collective. Prior to these two positions she worked in operations areas at climate companies. Nicole has a Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Shreyer's Business College and Honors in Engineering Entrepreneurship from Penn State. What do we talk about in this episode? Nicole shares how she went from technical areas into a...

Pat Muoio is a partner at Sinewave Ventures where she assess the technical value and viability of emerging technologies and make investment recommendations in the federal marketplace. Prior to joining Sinewave, she worked in cybersecurity and cryptography both in the private sector and at the Department of Defense. She has a PhD in Philosophy from Yale University. What do we talk about in this episode? Pat shares her journey from getting a PhD in Philosophy and a planned academic career, into c...

Hayley Hoaglund and Madeleine Howard developed a tampon that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect cervical cancer without a pap smear. They share their journey with the intersection of women's global health, business, and tech. Hayley has worked in health care and program management from rural settings to government level. From community level health efforts in the Peace Corps in Peru to working on program design and management within the Ministry of Health, she’s designed and implemente...

Isabel Nelson is a senior majoring in computer science, minoring in business at Montana State University. She is in her last semester of college and is beginning to look for jobs. What do we talk about in this episode? Isabel talks about why she decided to go into computer science even though she had never taken a coding class before declaring her major. How Post Secondary Education Option (PSEO) and starting college during COVID affected her college experience. The difference between a BS an...

Eliza Kosoy is the Founder of Eliza Dolls, a doll which teaches young girls how to code and build hardware through custom, tech-enabled projects based on things girls love. Eliza is also a PhD Student at University of California, Berkeley working in child development and Artificial Intelligence. What do we talk about in this episode? Eliza shares how she came to start E-liza Dolls and what her goals and aspirations are for her company. She also shares how her work in her day job as PhD student ...

Lois Melbourne is the co-author of the newly released science-fiction novel, "Moral Code", a book about ethical artificial intelligence. Lois has also written two children's books and is the former co-founder and CEO of Acquire, a global technology company which provides talent management solutions. Lois now calls herself the Chief Storytelling Officer - a great title! She has a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. Episode Notes Lois Melbourne's book, "Moral Code" is a book abou...

Angela Baltes is a Data Scientist/Analyst specialization in generating insight from data. She has a Bachelor's Degrees in Criminology, a Master's Degrees in Public Administration, a Master's Degree in Information Technology, and a PhD in Biomedical Informatics with an emphasis in Public Health Informatics. She is a new mom who just began pursuing another degree in mathematics - all while working full time! Episode Notes Angela recently had her first baby...two weeks later she began pursuing a d...

Kay Paulus is software engineering manager at a Software as a Service company in rural Minnesota. She has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and transitioned into software engineering early in her career. Episode Notes Kay shares her career journey and how life sometimes has its own path, regardless of her well designed plans that she had laid out. She shares challenges she encountered early on in her part-time military service after comp...

Shailvi Wakhlu is a leader in data analytics. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering and has been coding since she was eight years old. Shailvi shares her journey from computer engineering into data analytics and the importance of developing leadership skills. Episode Notes Shailvi shares her experience in leadership in technology. She has held a variety of roles from large tech companies to small startups and is very deliberate in developing her skillset in the roles she seeks ...

Jodi Bednar is an Energy & Utility consulting practice leader. She has been in the telecommunications and consulting industries for 30 years. She has a bachelor's degree in Telecommunications Management and a degree in Executive Management in the Women's Leadership Program at Yale University. She shares her vast work and life experiences and the importance of being able to bring your whole self to work. Episode Notes Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio Acronyms, Defin...

Janet Phan works as a consultant in the intersection of technology and business in a global role in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She is the Founder of Thriving Elements, a mentoring program for underrepresented girls in STEM. She has a book, "Boldly You" coming out this fall where she shares her experience growing up in America as the daughter of Vietnamese refugees. She is a keynote speaker and recently did a TEDx talk highlighting the importance of mentorship and how it shaped her life...

Kelly Ireland is the founder and CEO of CBT, formerly CB Technologies. Her company focuses on providing premier customer service while simultaneously providing true work life balance and creating an environment that brings out the best in her team, both personally and professionally. She shares her experience and passions as a CEO in the technology industry. Episode Notes Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check CBT, founded by Kelly ...

Mimi is the Vice President of Operations at Hadean. Mimi is at the intersection of science and technology at a start up in the United Kingdom. She brings her passion and excitement for truly making a difference in the world to her job on a daily basis. Episode Notes Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, by Caroline Criado Perez. Minecraft - a sandbox video game developed by Mojang Studios. The game was created by ...

Nadya is a cybersecurity executive and recognized global leader in cybersecurity. She uses her deep breath of knowledge to develop and lead consulting teams and in developing global cybersecurity standards. Nadya shares not only her industry experience, but also her experiences immigrating to the US from the Soviet Union in the late 1980s. Episode Notes Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check E-ISAC - Electricity Information Sharing ...

Katlyn is a young software developer that got her start to software developing and programming in a unique way. She is passionate about the work that she does and where she is going in her career. She shares her challenges overcoming being "painfully introverted" (her words, not mine!) and is an avid golfer. Episode Notes Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio Acronyms, Definitions, and Fact Check UTC - Utilities Technology Council - a global association focused on the ...

Linda has a long history and deep knowledge in Information Technology - she currently works as a manager in a software company for utilities. Throughout her technology career, she implemented the first computer system for one of the utilities she worked for. She has worked on mainframes, networks, servers, virtual servers and taught herself programming before moving into IT management roles. She is an avid hunter and fisherwoman. Episode Notes Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sou...

Tammy currently works as a middleware administrator. She has held several positions in software administration while working at the same company for her entire career. She has a degree in computer science and shares her perspectives and experiences. Episode Notes Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound Studio Acronyms and Definitions Weblogic – a leading e-commerce online transaction processing (OLTP) platform, developed to connect users in a distributed computing environment and...

Liana is an innovation technologist in the energy industry. She has a wide variety of experience working on the forefront of technology with technology vendors, telecommunication providers, utilities, and school districts. Her computer science degree provided her with the foundation she needed to work in these technology areas. Liana shares her experience with obtaining her degree in a non-traditional way, the challenges of pursuing her degree with young children, and her viewpoint of frequently...