Working as Sr Mobile Application Engineer at Fiserv. Written around hundreds and thousands line of codes. I enjoy coding as it helps in solving alot of problems on daily basis.

Aishvarya, a Human Resources Manager at Fiserv, has a people-centric approach and believes in the correlation between employee engagement, productivity, and company success. Mentees can gain from her knowledge of strategic HR initiatives, change management, and employee engagement.

Anshu  is a highly experienced product manager with over 20 years of experience in managing products for Enterprise SaaS and on-premises customers. Anshu has worked in a variety of industries, including Transport, Taxation & Compliance, Payroll, Records Management, Identity Services, Border Security and Passenger Management, and GIS.

With hands-on experience in DevOps and Azure hosting platforms, Anshu excels in leveraging cutting-edge technology for optimal results. As a dynamic leader and research professional, she has spearheaded numerous successful Agile and Waterfall-driven initiatives. Anshu's commitment to excellence and her proactive approach to staying updated on industry trends make her a valuable asset to any team

Donna Chamberlain, as Senior Business Solutions Manager at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and NZSUG Treasurer, expertly balances the growth of SAP and Salesforce within the company while fostering team development. Her leadership is marked by strategic thinking, empathy, and a commitment to innovation, ensuring her team excels in delivering sustainable business solutions.

With a passion for the SAP community and continuous improvement, Donna's role extends beyond her day-to-day tasks, embodying leadership that is both visionary and grounded in practicality.

Effy is a Senior Product Manager at Les Mills International - a role she likes to describe as ‘advanced cat herding’! While she holds degrees in mechanical engineering and psychology, Effy has had the chance to flex professionally into a variety of different spaces; from web dev to account management, UX design to team leadership. She prides herself on being a jack of all trades, and on finding creative yet simple solutions to the right problems.

Originating from Reunion Island, Emilie offers over 15 years of specialist banking expertise. Emilie has been a Partner in the consultancy firm Mosaic FSI for the past 3 years.Having spent a significant proportion of her career working with international Financial Institutions and developing thought leadership, Emilie is well recognised for her subject matter expert in Correspondent Banking and International Payments.

Emilie has held specialist and senior positions in France, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, leading teams and implementing new channels, where she excelled in building strong and mutually beneficial relationships with customers and stakeholders. Adept at working within multicultural, diverse and technically complex environments, Emilie offers pragmatic advice and solutions for the efficient development and execution of growth strategies and change.

Emilie is also active in the FSC NZ, RegTechNZ, and INFINZ, contributing to the industry's broader dialogue.

With over 25 years in the IT industry, Farhan is a seasoned Business Program Manager and Learning & Development Technical Trainer at Microsoft. He blends deep technical expertise with a passion for growth. His background spans technical consulting, program management, and strategic development, with successful projects across sectors like NHS and Auckland Council.

Holding multiple industry certifications, he's committed to staying ahead of tech trends, empowering through collaborative program development. Renowned for organizational agility and translating complexities into strategic plans, Farhan inspires a culture of learning. His mission: empower organizations and individuals to leverage Microsoft technologies for transformative growth.

As a Software Development Manager at Fiserv, Hasini brings a wealth of experience in mobile application development and Agile practices. As a mentor, she can guide mentees on software development and Agile methodologies. Her volunteer work with GirlGuiding New Zealand also showcases her commitment to fostering leadership and resilience.

A growth-oriented operator, advisor, and independent board member, Heather is passionate about bringing world-changing technologies to market and scaling impact. With nearly two decades of experience in marketing, sales, and executive GTM leadership, Heather has navigated Silicon Valley start-ups and multinational firms. As a founder, she understands the journey from idea to scale.

Heather's career spans clean tech/ESG and AI, particularly in computer vision and NLP. Now, she aids founders and operating teams in crafting compelling brands, narratives, and growth strategies. Heather thrives on invigorating founders, guiding growth, and building purpose-driven organisations, ensuring lasting impact.

Hilary Walton, or Hils as she is called, is well known in the tech industry, with a diverse background in psychology, ICT & AI, risk management, and cybersecurity. She’s worked for some of the biggest names in the business, including Mi5, the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games, she is the ex-CISO of Kordia and she currently works as Technology Strategist for Microsoft. But that’s not all! Hilary is also an author, having penned a book on security culture that’s a must-read for anyone interested in the field. She also currently has another book in the works for how to implement AI into your business in 6 months.

When she’s not busy being a tech guru and mother of three, Hilary is a digital influencer who loves nothing more than sharing her digital culture ideas with the world. You can catch her on her YouTube show and podcast, both called “Digital Culture Ideas”. And if that’s not enough, she’s also active on various social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (Twitter), and TikTok as @HilsWalton.

If your interested in staying up to date, Hils has a text Tech-news service that you can join for free on What’sApp to get 1-3 tech news articles delivered directly to your phone.

Jenny Zhao is the Senior ICT Architect at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare in Auckland, with a track record of over nine years at the company, including time as Infrastructure Manager. Her expertise spans operational management, stakeholder engagement, and leading technical teams to high performance with a focus on a positive team culture. Jenny's background includes significant roles in network administration and as a Support Engineer at Microsoft, where she developed a deep understanding of infrastructure solutions and customer satisfaction. Her contributions are pivotal in driving technological advancements and operational efficiencies within Fisher & Paykel Healthcare.

Juliette is passionate about helping people grow and develop and would love to share her knowledge and experience with other wāhine. As an Application Specialist at Kiwibank, her role entails owning the end to end technical and operational aspects of Kiwibank's payments systems, while fostering a positive and supportive team environment.

She began her career as an intern while completing her degree in IT, and had the unique opportunity to move around several departments and gained an in-depth understanding of the various roles available in tech. This broadened her view of the industry and helped her realise how many pathways are available for aspiring students.

Karla is a visionary leader in the realm of data science and technology innovation. She leads Data Science at AT, shaping its capabilities and standards. Beyond her corporate role, she founded Domitila Technologies, driven by a passion for societal impact and ethical tech.

She champions AI ethics and education, striving to make AI more understandable and human-centered. Karla democratizes access to AI, ML, Blockchain, and emerging tech, empowering individuals and organizations to thrive in the digital age. Her mission is to foster innovation while ensuring technology serves humanity's greater good, promoting a future where technological advancements are synonymous with positive societal change.

Katrina is a qualified accountant with 30 years’ experience in Information Technology IT Portfolio/Programme Management. With a proven track record for building highly engaged and motivated teams that increase organisational capability through technology by understanding the business, guiding decision making and driving value. Katrina is skilled in using both traditional and agile methodologies, with experience in cybersecurity, business applications (BI & EPM), strategic planning, finance, stakeholder, and change management.

Katrina is a highly motivated and confident leader who can communicate at all levels of the business to drive change and create value. Currently managing the IT PMO and IT Project Investment Portfolio for Fonterra with a focus on the successful delivery of IT projects supporting fit for purpose lean governance while driving benefits back into the business and creating value for the Co-op.

With over 25 years of marine engineering experience at sea and ashore, Kelly now serves as the Chief Engineer for Babcock New Zealand. Her journey began in 1998 with the Royal New Zealand Navy. Progressing through various roles, she became a Chief Petty Officer, the first female electronic technician to do so, and later commissioned as a General List Officer. With dedication, Kelly attained Engineering Charge qualifications and expertise in logistics and operational evaluation. Now, as Chief Engineer, she leads with passion, ensuring the highest standards of engineering excellence for Babcock New Zealand.

Kiran is a proactive .NET developer with 14 years experience in the analysis/ development/testing/deployment of Windows and web based applications using C#, ASP.Net, .NetCore, Azure and WPF, creating rich UI experiences along with worldwide client focused support, with demonstrable success multitasking under pressure to tight deadlines in the development team as well as individually, also developed extensive background in full software development life cycle. This includes requirement, gathering, design, coding, testing, debugging and maintenance.

Liz, a Digital Product Director, brings extensive experience to her role. With a background including Senior Product Lead positions at Les Mills International, where she led customer privacy initiatives and focused on digital platforms for instructors, she excels in product development and adeptly connects with stakeholders at all levels, from line-level to C-suite, spanning countries worldwide, ensuring mutual understanding and clear expectations. Always customer-focused, she prioritizes their needs in every decision. As a leader, Liz is candid yet supportive, nurturing a culture of growth and collaboration.

Loren started in Fonterra 17 years ago in Accounts Payable and moved her way through her career to spend the last 12 years in the data space. It has been clear to her that the demand for “data people” is only getting bigger. She currently works as the Data Product Lead for Fonterra, understanding the frameworks needed to take Fonterra on its Data Product Transformation.

The role involves a lot of indirect management, coaching, and stakeholder management, all of which Loren is passionate about. She believes that each person has their own value and enjoys working with people to unlock the skill that makes them shine so they can bring the most to their role.

Dr Mahsa McCauley is a Senior Lecturer and Director of Women in Tech in AUT’s School of Computer, Engineering, and Mathematical Sciences. She is a well-recognised leader in AI and machine learning. She is also the founder of the charitable trust She Sharp, a women’s technology networking and learning group, where she works to encourage young New Zealand girls to consider what a career in technology offers. She founded She# in the hope of bringing about the much-needed change in the gender split in tech and believes that we must work together to solve this!

In 2019 she was the Champion Award winner of the YWCA Equal Pay awards, and in 2020 presented the Massey University Distinguished Alumni Award.”

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Having worked as a research scientist for most of her career at Scion, and served as NanoLayr's Senior Scientist and Sustainability Lead, Meeta spearheaded the development of the company's sustainability strategy, implementing goals and sourcing eco-friendly solutions. Her PhD in Chemistry from The University of Auckland, along with her expertise in biopolymers, was instrumental.

With over 20 years in the industry, she has forged strong partnerships with councils, universities, and research institutes. Previously, as Research & Production Manager at Biopolymer Network Ltd., Meeta managed various aspects of the product EcoBeans, showcasing her proficiency in research, production, packaging, marketing, and logistics.

Melissa Crawford is a leading Expert in the Future of work. With a rare skillset crossing both people and technology. Her earlier career has included senior roles across NZ's largest organisations crossing a variety of industries including Tech, Airline, Banking, FMCG, Retail, Education and Energy. Melissa has two technology degrees and loves being at the cutting edge including becoming NZ’s first Certified Metaverse Expert and holding a place on the World Metaverse Council. Melissa is also passionate about People and organisational Psychology and caring for the heart of people. Melissa was the winner of the HRNZ Leadership Award and the overall Winner of HRNZ HR Person of the Year 2022 as well as a winner on the HRD Hotlist for 2023 & 2024.

Melissa is the Director of Tech with Heart where she helps companies with their future strategies, holds a place on a number of boards across NZ and the USA and is a sought-after global keynote speaker. Her passion is sharing her knowledge with learning curious people and working on strategic projects to help shape a better future.

Monika's professional journey spans two continents: Europe and New Zealand. From piloting professional drones, she is now exploring the challenges present within the manufacturing industry. Drawing from her migrant experience, she underscores the significance of continuous self-development to succeed in diverse environments. With a keen interest in technology and AI, Monika is captivated by the relationship between humans and machines. Beyond her work, she's committed to helping others and champions the empowerment of communities through knowledge. She believes education is the key to brighter futures and is an advocate for more women taking the lead in digital transformation. Personally, she is also into fitness and motorbikes.

As a Quality Assurance Team Lead at Fiserv, Naheed has honed her skills in documentation and data analysis. Her experience as a Technical Editor further enhances her communication skills. Mentees can learn valuable insights about quality assurance and effective communication from her.

An environmental engineer by education, a strategic business technologist and evangelist for women in business and technology; Priti has 20+ years of global experience across engineering, business, innovation, education, strategy & consulting and has been a part of several global teams and start-up ventures in Asia, North America and Europe.  

Priti joined TCS in New Zealand in 2020 to grow the TCS footprint and leverage TCS' global capability for New Zealand businesses, communities, and the environment. During this time, she was part of the core team that launched the Asia Pacific Digital Sustainability Index to measure how corporations are leveraging digital technologies for sustainability outcomes.  Priti sits on the Board of Auckland Business Chamber and is an advisor to the Strategic CIO programme at the University of Auckland and Tech Futures Lab.  

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Rachael’s career has spanned various roles across the globe, starting in customer and tech support, business analysis and incident management. She has landed at Kiwibank as a Senior Product Manager looking after Digital Workplace Experiences, driving customer-centred product development processes to identify and solve her business partner needs. Her exciting role involves understanding Kiwibank’s purpose and strategy, creating business technology roadmaps, and then prioritising the work that will drive value for Kiwibank.  

She would love to help you navigate your personal roadmap to achieve your goals. When Rachael’s not engaging stakeholders, she likes to be a kitchen DJ, spending time with her husband and two sons and loves spending time away in their caravan.

Saba Samiei is the CEO of MACSO Technologies and Comfort.AI, companies at the forefront of AI innovation and ethics. MACSO's mission is to develop AI with human sensory capabilities for early risk detection, starting with respiratory illness detection in livestock.

Samiei's leadership has driven multiple projects with a core focus on early detection and prevention. Comfort.AI complements this by offering non-technical workshops, empowering businesses to embrace AI confidently. Samiei's impactful work has garnered national and international recognition, including the title of "Innovator of the Year" at the Women in AI APAC awards in June 2023, highlighting her dedication to responsible AI advancements.

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Sam is a firm believer in the transformative power of technology, especially when harnessed to deliver process efficiencies and drive amazing outcomes for organisations. Having spent her career working predominantly on large scale transformation programs, in both technical and non technical environments, Sam is skilled in navigating complex stakeholder relationships and implementing change.

As a Senior BA for Fonterra IT, she works across multiple projects delivering strategic business outcomes and supporting ongoing development of process improvements. She is an energetic and vibrant "people person", that adapts quickly to new environments and establishes relationships easily. Her background includes traditional Business Analysis roles along with business process redesign, organisational process review, stakeholder management, relationship management, change engagement and project management. She is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion within the tech industry, leading change and supporting other women to grow.

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Passionate about digital equity, Shae's professional career spans continents as well as industries. Currently working at Callaghan Innovation, she aims to create more equitable opportunities for Maori innovators through delivering products that help build New Zealand's economy to be more diverse and high-value. Whilst working, Shae is completing a Master of Computer & Information Science at Auckland University of Technology, where she has a particular focus on data science and artificial intelligence. Shae has also worked for startups, other government agencies and communciations firms, both in New Zealand and Singapore.

Some of Shae's awards include being an AUT Internz International Scholarship recipient in 2019, winning the AUTSA Community Engagement Award in 2018, being on the AUT Business School Honour Roll in 2016, winning a AUT Significant Student Scholarship for 2016-2018, gaining Scholarship for NZQA Media Studies in 2015 and representing New Zealand in the Education New Zealand Flying Kiwis Exchange in 2014.

In her spare time, you'll find Shae spending time in MECCA, with her shih tzu or trying to figure out why her code isn't working.

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Steffie is the Chief of Staff for IT at Fonterra. We serve our 10,500 farmer owners with digital solutions underpinning the transformation of 16.6 Billion litres of milk per annum into 30% of the world’s dairy exports. Steffie works closely with executives and partners to deliver strategic outcomes across all areas of technology. In addition, she offers over seven years in technology transformation management consulting. She has a formative background as an internationally experienced Senior Technical Business Analyst winning the PMO of the Year at the Irish PMI National Project Awards in 2019. She brings a versatile blend of business acumen, technology insight, and technical delivery. As a young woman in IT and champion of diversity, she seeks to provide guidance and support to new talent as they navigate the complexities of the corporate world. She’s also a pretty good shot at pool.

As a Strategy and Planning Manager at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Sune excels in mentoring, combining her analytical skills and creative flair to inspire her team. Her unique approach to problem-solving and strong belief in the power of intuition and communication make her an invaluable guide. Sune's dedication to personal and professional growth within her role showcases her as a transformative leader and mentor.

With 27 years industry experience in companies in Australia and New Zealand, Suzanne has acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience across the breadth of IT capabilities. Having started out as a software developer and navigated her way through operational management, project management, stakeholder engagement and people leadership, Suzanne has recently held a General Manager role on Fonterra's Global IT lead team delivering strategic business outcomes and exploring leading edge generative AI solutions. She is a visible, passionate leader driving change across the tech industry particularly in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Tash Bettridge (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāpuhi, Pakeha) is the co-founder of the 'New Zealand Network for Women in Security' (NZNWS) and was recognized in the 'SIA Global 100 Women in Security in 2022' for advocating diversity in cybersecurity and empowering Māori and Pacific People. She is a Customer Success Account Manager (CSAM) at Microsoft New Zealand, with a background in Cloud Solution Architecture and Cybersecurity Analysis. Tash is passionate about empowering the next generation through leading workshops in coding, 3D printing, and animation. In the past, she was a volunteer and lead at OMGTech, where she mentored in the Mana Tangata program, fostering diversity and inclusion in tech.

Tracey has 15+ years’ experience as an IT people, thought and technical leader across Test, Release, Development, Build and DevOps capabilities and is experienced in resource planning, recruitment, and development of capabilities. She is an advocate of business-outcome delivery utilizing agile and lean delivery approaches with a passion for continuous delivery and automation. She loves designing and implementing Agile/DevOps delivery systems at scale.

She brings out the very best in people, loves diversity and relishes a challenge. Through adaptive leadership she enjoys nurturing, leading, building and developing high performing engineering teams. With a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma, she recognizes continuous improvement as a team sport! Tracey has held international management positions at JP Morgan and Deloitte – her current role is building up a practice of awesome platform and release engineers at Fonterra.

With industry expertise such as project management, data analytics insights, mentoring, coaching, exceptional communication abilities, and more, Vania brings a wealth of experience to the dynamic world of FMCG. Excelling in driving sales, devising effective marketing strategies, and cultivating shopper loyalty, she is dedicated to achieving real results. As a goal-oriented leader, Vania consistently works to enhance organizational performance. She embraces diversity and inclusion as core values, highly values others' perspectives, and leverages coaching techniques to support their professional development.

Yvonne is a versatile Business Analyst specialising in Requirements Gathering, Process Improvement, and Stakeholder Communication. With expertise in Functional Testing, Risk Assessment, and User Experience Design, she ensures software projects meet stakeholder expectations.

Proficient in Agile methodologies, she facilitates scrum rituals and champions continuous improvement initiatives. Yvonne excels in documentation, change management, and stays updated on industry trends to drive innovation in software development processes.

Meet Zemira, she’s a Senior Technical Business Analyst at Kiwibank with a decade of finance industry experience under her belt. She’s a master of stakeholder engagement and cultivating the relationship between business teams and technical teams. Zemira "builds this bridge" by translating complex tech projects into understandable language.

Zemira started out as a customer service representative and proactively developed her career through roles in lending, people leadership, and now into the fascinating world of Digital & Technology. She really enjoys adapting to a fast changing environment, knowing that each day in technology is going to be different. Because of her varied background in finance, she is a keen learner and teacher - always creating an environment where people can flourish. She is quick to celebrate any and all successes with her teams. Personally, she loves her dog, to dance, and to climb up walls. (lol)