Tech in the Right Direction Jennifer Didier

Our next guest on MENtors that Make a Difference is Michael Ashford, the Director of Marketing at The Receptionist. Started in 2013, The Receptionist paved the way as the first-ever visitor management company. They are now in over 4k+ locations and 36 countries worldwide. You can learn more about The Receptionist here: https://thereceptionist.com/
Today we talk about Michael's career journey and how his different experiences working in a wide variety of roles helped shape his business skillset. We also talk about the positive shifts that are taking place for women in tech and how gender stereotypes are being broken to create change.
Thank you for listening; we hope Michael's story helps inspire others to seek or grow their tech career.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldashford/

This week's guest is Vickie Helm, the CEO of Smart Group Firm - a consulting firm focused on business strategy, leadership, training, and management consulting. Vickie is also the Co-CEO of Metadigm Digital - an online media network to help visionary action takers shape the future and create thrive-ability through world-class books, shows, and programs. She is also a best-selling author and keynote speaker that focuses on economic, political, and business patterns across the globe to create success for her clients and to prepare, pivot and profit from the changes ahead.
In today's episode, we talk about Vickie's career journey and how she developed a passion for entrepreneurship at a young age. We also talk about how young entrepreneurs can maximize their potential and build a successful business. We also discuss giving back and the importance of helping others while helping yourself.
You can learn more about Smart Group Firm here: https://www.smartgroupfirm.com/
We hope Vickie's story helps inspire others to grow their career.
Instagram: @Vickie_HelmFacebook: SheEO.vickiehelm

This week's guest is Paula Tutman, a multi-Emmy-winning journalist, Novelist, Screenplay Writer, Communication Coach, and Inventor. Paula has spent over 30 years in broadcast journalism as a field reporter and is also the proud creator and inventor of Bra-Less Bra, the Instant Cleavage Sculpting Solution. Paula is a woman of the world who spent several of her younger years in Africa but now calls Detroit her adoptive home.
In today's episode, we talk about Paula's career journey and how she took advantage of the opportunity to become a reporter in broadcast journalism. We also talk about the struggles women face regarding beauty standards and how this inspired Paula to develop the Bra-Less Bra. We also discuss how women can work together to advance their careers and business endeavors.
You can learn more about Bra-Less Bra here: https://bralessbra.com/
We hope Paula's story helps inspire others to grow their career.

This week's guest is Sandee Kastrul, the President of i.c.stars - a technology-based workforce development and leadership training program for underserved adults that connects them with career opportunities through their social enterprise and partner organizations. Sandee is also a board member of both Goodcity Chicago and HICC (Hispanic Innovation Center of Chicago). She is currently working on a new book, "Change and Equity" By Sandee Kastrul.
Sandee knows that education opens doors and allows people to reach their potential, and she has dedicated her life to this cause. i.c.stars is the culmination of her ideas around education and training and has grown into a fantastic organization. The program allows individuals to showcase their skills and develop new skills to help grow their careers.
Thank you for listening; we hope Sandee's story helps inspire others to grow their tech career. To learn more about Sandee and her business, visit their website below.
i.c.stars: https://www.icstars.org/

Join the conversation as Jennifer Didier and Kristie Grinnell talk about how important the words are you use for yourself and in speaking to those around.  These words can open or close doors of opportunity.
Kristie Grinnell Bio:
Kristie was recently named a top CIO to watch in 2022 by WashingtonExec, is a member of the CIO Executive Council, and she serves as chair of the Capital CIO Advisory Board and is a member of STEMforHER Advisory Board. A strong supporter of academic STEM programs for young women, she is a recipient of the 2018 Women in Technology STEM Leadership award, Washington Business Journal’s 2020 Women Who Mean Business Award, a 2020 Capital CIO of the Year ORBIE Award Winner and a 2021 National CIO of the Year ORBIE Award Winner.• Kristie earned her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and holds an MBA from Cornell University Johnson Graduate School of Management.
Reach Kristie on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiegrinnell/

Dan Draper is the CEO and Founder of CipherStash, a data storage platform for sensitive data. Their platform uses searchable encryption technology to protect against attacks that leak a snapshot of the entire running system, thereby enabling development teams to search data with high levels of protection without compromising on usability.
Connect with Dan:
Debugging Diversity
CipherStash
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Thank you for listening to Dan's expertise on Data Security and Cryptography.
We hope you enjoyed this replay.