Women in Data Podcast womenindata

In this episode of the Women in Data podcast, Karen and Cecilia are joined by Rachel Escott, Director of Development at FIS. Rachel discusses her somewhat unorthodox journey into a data leadership role via a Danish brewery and Kent farm. The group also discuss taking a career break, particularly due to childcare commitments, and how to navigate a return to a full-time role. Rachel offers practical advice on working with a younger cohort and the advantages of leveraging corporate programmes designed to help people who have taken a career break.  Listen to learn Rachel's fascinating career so far and gain insight on how to manage career breaks and successfully return to the office after a long absence. 
 
Find Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-escott/

In this episode of the Women in Data podcast, we dive deep into the remarkable career of Pranjali Ajay Parse, a data scientist at Autodesk, as she shares her journey into the dynamic world of data science. This episode is a must for anybody who wishes to land their first data science role. 
 
Pranjali outlines her journey from mobile app development to the emerging world of data science which was booming across a range of industries, recounts her journey from India to the USA and explains the power of courses, education and internships to get a role. Pranjali also explains of the power of taking on leadership roles, including hers as an ambassador for women in data science with a major US college.  Listen to learn practical tips on how to land your first data science role and discover Pranjali’s unique journey into the data space and her transition between cultures. 
 
Pranjali on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pranjali-ajay-parse/ 
Get mentored by Pranjali - https://topmate.io/pranjali_ajay_parse Pranjali on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@pranjali_parse 

In this co-hosted Women in Data episode, Karen and Cecilia devote an entire episode to a topic that was key in the special 100th episode: networking. The pair discuss advice for networking, understanding why networking is crucial for career advancement, building skills, and establishing personal connections. They also discuss how to reach out to find mentorship, especially with people who may be very busy.  Karen and Cecilia give practical tips on how to enjoy and gain benefit from networking events including arriving early and having clearly defined objectives beforehand.  This episode is a must listen for people who are keen to develop their soft, interpersonal, and networking skills. Don’t miss it!

This month marks the 4th anniversary of the Women in Data Podcast, featuring a special guest, Megan Lieu, a Data Advocate at Deepnotes, LinkedIn Instructor, and Data Influencer with over 100k followers. In this episode, Megan reflects on her journey from a finance career to Data Science, highlighting her initial obsession with coding before realizing her strengths lay in communication, project management, and strategic thinking.  
Karen and Megan delve into the crucial role of Data Advocates in ensuring the usability of data products, emphasizing the importance of understanding user experience and addressing pain points for effective product development.  Additionally, they discuss the provision of valuable resources and interaction with users to facilitate the efficient utilization of products and tools. 
They talk about content creation, navigating social media, and the parallels with Megan’s advocacy role. Megan also shares insights on finding support during career transitions without an established network. 
 
Megan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganlieu/ 

In this episode, Karen is joined by Raquel Seville, CEO of Dataffluent Limited. They discuss Raquel’s remarkable journey from a data analyst to an entrepreneur, highlighting her impact as a female leader in the Caribbean tech industry. While the conversation delves into the state of data in Jamaica,  the main focus is on the unique challenges women face in balancing career aspirations with personal life, addressing specific female health challenges that can disrupt career progression.  
There is no separation between being a woman and being a professional, and Raquel shares her experience going through myomectomy, severe pre-eclampsia, child loss, and multiple miscarriages. She highlights the fact that black women are much more likely to face life-changing health issues than women of other ethnicities, particularly around fertility. As a data professional, Raquel finds it difficult to just accept these as facts and is determined to discover the why as well as solutions. 
Find Raquel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquelseville/ 

How do you find career clarity in Data? How do you find the right leader? What are the questions to ask to determine that someone is the right leader for YOU? Also, how does a leader stay current after years in a role? If these are questions you ask, this podcast will help you enormously.  Antje Bustamante and Neha Wadhawan share their experiences on how they navigated their careers and eventually thrived, even when leadership wasn’t people-focused. Hear how they quiz leaders to discover if their values align with their own.  Also hear how they would deal today with inadequate leadership or bias that they encountered in the past. You will hear surprising insights about the utility of vulnerability, openness and information transparency in leadership.  In their roles, Antje and Neha distinguish ‘management’ from what they see as genuine empowerment. 
Find out how to establish boundaries and draw your own red lines while seeking out leaders yet, at the same time, taking responsibility for your career. 
 
Find Neha on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nehawag/Find Antje on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/antje-bustamante-a44143bb/