Lauren Palmer | Sustainability Delivery Manager | Barclays
I started my career within the branch network at the age of 19 following completion of my A Levels.
I achieved the grades required to attend university, however I have always found the typical student life rather challenging due to my condition and instead decided to enter the world of work.
I currently work within Sustainable Finance as a Delivery Manager, supporting the transition to a low carbon economy and am extremely passionate around both the Social and Environmental aspects of ESG.
Subarna Bhattacharya | Vice President : Head of DEC execution IT Amer | BNP Paribas
Subarna Bhattacharya is a dynamic leader in the IT industry, known for her pioneering work and dedication to advancing womens careers in technology.
With a Masters degree in Computer Science from a prestigious University of Southern California university, Subarna began her career as a software engineer at a leading IT firm.
Currently , Subarna is a Senior Vice President with 15+ years of experience leading teams and delivering products in the Financial Services industry. She has ample exposure in Banking (including commodities derivatives, Derivative and clearing business, equity derivatives, and portfolio management), and is a highly Motivated Technologist with excellent analytical and organization skills.
Driven by her passion for innovation and problem-solving, Subarna quickly rose through the ranks, leveraging her technical expertise and leadership skills to take on increasingly challenging roles. Her commitment to excellence and her ability to foster collaboration led to her appointment as a Head of Dec Execution IT at BNP Paribas , USA.
In her current role as IT Manager at BNP Paribas, Subarna plays a pivotal role in driving strategic initiatives and overseeing key projects within the organization. Her exceptional leadership qualities and strategic vision have earned her recognition as a key player in the IT industry.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Subarna is a vocal advocate for gender diversity in the workplace and actively mentors young women pursuing careers in technology. She is also involved in various community outreach programs aimed at empowering women and promoting STEM education. Subarna is an active member of Women in IT.
Aisling Connaughton | Co-founder & Sustainability Solutionist | Cyd Connects
Aisling is co-founder of Cyd Connects, a women-led sustainability consultancy helping business become a force for good.
We are participants of the UN Global Compact and specialises in accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals via B Corp and sustainability roadmaps that make navigating the journey fun and inspiring.
Now is the time for every business to become a force for good.
Through Cyd Connects, Aisling turns social and environmental responsibility into competitive business advantage.
As a TEDx speaker and guest lecturer at Goldsmiths University, Imperial College and EADA Barcelona, Aisling’s skill is in taking what can seem like a dry and overwhelming subject like sustainability, and making it simple, innovative and fun.
Aisling’s 19-year global career in PR spans sustainability, marketing, and communications. She has worked for Huawei Technologies holding posts in Shenzhen and San Francisco. Aisling began her career in the beauty industry, working for L’Oreal, Aveda and Clarins before taking the Global Head of PR role with leading sustainable British brand Liz Earle Beauty Co.
Aisling is a proud member of the University of Cambridge Wo+Men Leadership Centre. She has a Masters in Social Entrepreneurship from Goldsmiths University of London and received a scholarship to the Cambridge Judge Business School Rising Women Leaders Programme.
In her role as a certified B Leader, Aisling is working to raise awareness of how the B Corp framework can act as a catalyst for better business and accelerate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Pelin Turkmen | ESG Graduate Analyst | Cambridge & Counties Bank
Pelin Turkmen is a young professional with a strong academic background and dedication to sustainable finance and climate change economics.
She earned her degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science in July 2023, where she focused on Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Economics. Currently working as the ESG Graduate Analyst at Cambridge & Counties Bank, Pelin leverages her diverse experience gained from international financial institutions and research institutes across multiple continents. Highly skilled in navigating the complex intersection of finance and sustainability, she adeptly tackles both risks and opportunities associated with addressing the economic dimensions of climate change.
Zinet Kemal | Cloud Security Engineer | Best Buy
Zinet Kemal, is an immigrant from Ethiopia, a mother of four, a career changer from the legal field, a multi-award-winning cybersecurity advocate, a TEDx speaker, LinkedIn Learning instructor, & 3 x award-winning children’s book author.
Zinet is a Georgia Tech University graduate with a M.S. degree in Cybersecurity. She earned a B.S. degree in Computer Science & LLB degree in Law. She currently works for a Fortune 500 organization as a Cloud Security Engineer. Her children’s books, `Proud in Her Hijab`, champions girls’ empowerment, and “Oh, No … Hacked Again!” teaches children about the importance of online safety & sparks interest in young readers to consider cybersecurity as a meaningful career option. ‘See Yourself in Cybersecurity’ a 2 times award winner highlights the various cybersecurity careers that await the next generation of trailblazers.
Through her words, Zinet empowers young minds to envision themselves as the cyber heroes of tomorrow.
Zinet is also the co-author of “Securing Our Future” with black women in the cyber collective. Zinet is the recipient of the 2024 Most Inspiring Women in Cyber, 2023 40 under 40, the CS Hub Top 25 cybersecurity leader for 2024, the 2023 Ivan Allen Legacy Award from Graduate school, the 2023 SANS Difference Makers Award for Best Book of the Year, Women Who Code Applaud Her Awards in Security, 2022 SC media women in IT Security Cyber Advocate, CyberScoop Most Inspiring Up & Comer, Team Women’s WaveMakers Award.
She was featured on Good Morning America, 11Alive, BBC, Yahoo! News, Abc news, WCCO, & AFROTECH.
Sumedha Nagpal | Product Growth Lead | Databricks, Inc.
With a wealth of experience in driving product growth and sales, Sumedha is a seasoned strategist adept in crafting dynamic product-led growth strategies.
Rooted in empathy, she is a strong advocate of creating user-centric products, honing her expertise in both B2B and B2C domains. Currently serving as a product growth leader at Databricks, Inc, Sumedha has previously left her mark at renowned companies like Meta Platforms, Inc., and unicorn startups such as Fair.com.
Beyond her technical acumen, Sumedha excels in navigating complex relationships, advocating for change, and fostering a culture of action. At Databricks, her initiative in spearheading product-led onboarding initiatives significantly enhanced user retention, earning her recognition as the MVP of the year.
Yet, Sumedha`s impact extends far beyond business metrics. As a passionate mentor, she empowers aspiring women in tech and data through free guidance, insightful articles, and mock interviews that she conducts through Criya.co. Her dedication to community-building is further evidenced by her role on the advisory board of the University of California Riverside`s (UCR) Design Thinking program, where she shapes curriculum and ensures its relevance to industry needs.
Sumedha holds a Master`s degree in Computer science from the University of Southern California and was recently nominated for the Innovator of the Year Award at the Indian Achievers Forum. Her journey embodies a commitment to excellence, advocacy, and making a lasting positive impact in her field and community alike.
Tarja Porkka-Kontturi | Consultant / Director of Community and Communications | The Global Game Jam
I am a Cultural Producer and a Founder of my own Games Industry Accessibility and DEIB Consulting Business.
An award-winning community manager, I foster diversity and equity as Director of Community Engagement at Global Game Jam, and Community Manager at DeepWell DTx. I speak openly about my own obstacles and experiences as autistic woman in tech field, disabled person and visible muslim in games. I also mentor underrepresented people aiming for career in games. I’m an Advisor for white paper and article collection Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in Game Development and Design - encouraging the awareness. Also one of the authors of Learning, Education, & Games Volume 4: 50 Games to Use for Inclusion, Equity, and Justice, among many other things with the goal of making tech and games industry more welcoming and inclusive for everyone.
Kenni Konate | Machine Learning Engineer | Freelancer
I am a Machine Learning Engineer and Artificial Intelligence Trainer who is particularly interested in AI applications in computer vision and data science.
I have completed my master of science degree in data science and AI.
I am co-founder of Mauritanian Engineering Community, founder of TensorFlow Users Nouakchott community, member of women in AI, women in tech and women techmakers communities.
Catalina Vieru | Moodle System Administrator | Royal College of Surgeons Ireland
The common theme through my career is that I need the stimulation of learning new skills and develop continually.
While finishing my Masters` in Psychotherapy, I started a Bachelors in Journalism in Communication. For the next decade, I worked a 9 to 5 job as a magazine chief editor and the other, after hours, as a relationship counsellor.
Growing up in conservative Romania, I heard a lot that technology and science are `boy fields`, so when I moved to Ireland, I knew it was time for a change. I was given a chance in a small charity as a Moodle administrator and had to self-learn everything. I went from never having seen a site administration menu, to developing eLearning content and doing sys admin work.
A year later, I was joining the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, managing a small Moodle platform for one of our schools. I had the opportunity to learn from different stakeholders, working directly with academic staff, students, software developers and after two years, I wanted to develop more. I loved working with Moodle and doing IT support, so when an opportunity arised in the main IT department, I took it. I`ve been here for 3 years now and I am still learning new skills and developing.
My biggest obstacle in learning IT skills was my own self-doubt, which is why now, whenever I deliver training across the university, I encourage participants to befriend and use technology and I 100% believe that they can learn anything!
Ana Isabel Sarkis Fernandez | Design Engineer | RJC Engineers
I pursued a degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Costa Rica. Then, in 2013, I joined SismoConsultores, a consultant company specializing in structural seismic design.
In the professional environment, my passion for the dynamics of structures grew, which led to my decision to seek postgraduate studies. To complete a Master in Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology, I attended courses in two prestigious institutions: the University School for Advanced Studies IUSS, Italy, and the Middle East Technical University, Turkey.
Excited by the idea to continue my postgraduate journey in New Zealand, I enrolled in the PhD in Earthquake Engineering at the University of Canterbury (UC) in 2016. Soon after arriving, the Kaikōura Earthquake took place, which shaped my work and research for the following years. I joined a reconnaissance team inspecting the damaged bridges. Then, as a visiting researcher at the Politecnico di Torino, I learned a methodology to quantitatively assess structural resilience of those bridges.
In 2018, a national research programme was initiated to address serious concerns regarding the seismic performance of precast floors. I joined this research team to lead numerical modelling efforts in collaboration with the Eucentre Foundation in Italy.
In 2022, I joined RJC Engineers, an engineering firm specializing in structural engineering, restoration and building science. In my role as a Design Engineer, I have been able to apply my background on Earthquake Engineering to the seismic design of tall buildings in Vancouver, Canada.