Country of origin
Kenya
Which company do you work for?
GlobalX Investments Ltd/GlobalX Innovation Labs
What is your specific area of specialisation?
Emerging Technologies
How long have you been in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) fields?
16
As a woman in a male dominated industry, what has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?
Unconscious bias has been my greatest challenge. It is not covert but can be quite damaging to one’s confidence, hindering the ability to excel. I have overcome this through self-belief/self-validation and always bringing in my A-game to the things that I do. Remember, you are just as big or as small as you think you are.
What inspired you to join this industry?
My passion is to provide solutions for business and social impact using technology. As a problem-solver, being in tech allows me to make this positive impact through innovating and skilling efforts. I always look forward to creating or being part of teams that create solutions for humanity. Secondly, I get bored easily, so I like to do stuff that keeps me engaged and allows me to try different things, discover and keep learning. Tech provides this platform for me.
What changes, if any, have you seen in your field with regards to women in your field?
More women continue to shatter the glass ceiling despite the many challenges they face. Recently, there have been increased deliberate efforts, such as yours, to showcase female role models unlike before. We still have a long way to go However, each year, many phenomenal women continue to be discovered as they leave an indelible mark in tech and STEM fields.
How can we attract more women to consider a career in the STEM fields?
Diversity and Inclusion efforts in academia, industry and entrepreneurship aimed at supporting and empowering women in STEM fields are key. These will range from gendered policies in these spheres, funding/investment opportunities to support women, unbiased recruitment efforts, support at the workplace and mentorship opportunities. I am not asking for tokenism, but for ways to resolve the pain points that prevent women from pursuing STEM careers.
If you were to advise other young women starting their careers in the tech or within the STEM fields, what is the one thing you would say to them?
Believe in yourself and seek all the support you need to succeed, but you must be ready to knock on many doors without tiring. The worst you will be told is a NO or get no response. Try the next door if this happens.
When not working, what do you do for fun?
I love classical and gospel music. I also love plants, so gardening does the trick when I am in the mood.
