Women in Tech Trailblazers: Authenticity Unleashed

Tiffany Benitez
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Technology
  • Updated Bimonthly

Stepping into tech can feel like navigating uncharted territory, especially for women. The Women in Tech Trailblazers Podcast, hosted by Tiffany Benitez, aims to change that. With a blend of real talk, fun, and expert insights, Tiffany tackle the tech world's highs and lows. Join us to hear authentic stories that inspire change and empower more women to make their mark in the tech industry.

  1. Aug 6

    Stop Waiting for Permission to Take Your Seat with Zhenia Klevitsky

    When you’re the only woman in the room, do you focus on the bias, or make your preparation so undeniable that the conversation shifts from who you are to what you bring? For women who have been labeled difficult for being direct or overlooked before they speak, that question carries real weight. Tiffany Benitez sits down with Zhenia Klevitsky, Chief Growth Officer at ITC Federal and a leader with more than 25 years in government contracting. Zhenia’s perspective was shaped long before the C-suite. She arrived in the United States as a young refugee, lived in refugee camps and Section Eight housing, and watched her parents rebuild their professional lives from the ground up. That history informs a leadership style built on blunt honesty, deep preparation, and the willingness to say, “I was wrong.” Zhenia explains why defensiveness can make people afraid to challenge a leader and why being underestimated can sometimes become a position of power. But the harder question is what happens when ambition, motherhood, bias, and responsibility all demand attention at once. One useful idea is clear: balance is not about splitting yourself in half. It is about being fully present for what is in front of you and intentionally building support around your priorities. The episode also raises harder questions about why boundaries fail, who belongs in the inner circle you call before a major presentation, and what happens when you stop waiting for belonging to be granted. As Zhenia puts it, “Belonging is not something that gets granted to you. You decide it.” Here are the key takeaways:  (2:43) How starting over shaped a 25-year career (5:15) Authenticity without performing for the room (7:11) When blunt leadership builds trust (10:00) A better way to process difficult feedback (11:11) What happens when your team proves you wrong (14:07) Turning underestimation into a position of power (15:27) Preparation shifts the focus to capability (19:58) Refusing to choose between family and career (22:45) Why standardized work-life balance fails (24:56) What children notice about working parents (28:05) Building an inner circle that tells the truth (31:06) The legacy of earning and widening the room If you’ve ever entered a meeting knowing you may be underestimated, struggled to protect both your ambition and your family, or wondered who gets to decide whether you belong, watch this episode. It may change what you prepare for, what you tolerate, and how confidently you claim the seat you’ve already worked to earn. About Zhenia Klevitsky Zhenia Klevitsky is Chief Growth Officer at ITC Federal, where she leads corporate growth strategy across business development, capture, and marketing in the federal market. She brings more than 25 years of government contracting experience, with leadership roles at cBEYONData, Sev1Tech, ASRC Federal, Guidehouse, and Booz Allen Hamilton. She is a recognized voice on federal technology modernization and AI adoption in government. Zhenia has also served on the board of Women in Technology and held leadership roles with the American Council for Technology Industry Advisory Council and the Washington Homeland Security Roundtable. She holds degrees from Bloomsburg University and American University, plus an executive certificate from MIT Sloan. Connect with Zhenia: LinkedIn About Tiffany Benitez  Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM. Connect with Host:  Tiffany’s LinkedIn Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should be considered other than professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.

  2. Jul 23

    The Only Woman in the Room: Dr. Pravi Devineni on Voice, Bias, and Boundaries

    Have you ever walked out of a meeting thinking, I should have said something? Then this conversation is for you. Tiffany Benitez welcomes Dr. Pravi Devineni to Women in Tech Trailblazers for a real and energizing discussion about the moments when we stay quiet, take on too much, and slowly move further away from ourselves. Pravi brings experience from research, AI governance, and responsible technology, along with a perspective shaped by often being the only woman and the only technical person in the room. She talks about learning to trust her expertise and realizing that having knowledge is not enough when no one can hear it. “You earned that place,” she says. But finding your voice is only one part of the story. Pravi and Tiffany explore what happens when being agreeable gets confused with being aligned. How many times do we say yes to avoid looking difficult, then carry the frustration home? Pravi challenges us to stop treating silence as the price of belonging. The episode also gives practical ways to protect your workload without turning every conversation into a conflict. Sometimes the answer is not an immediate yes or no. It is asking, “Which priority should we shift?” And sometimes the reminder you need is even simpler. “No is a full answer.” Here are the key takeaways:  (2:56) Authenticity across cultures and workplaces (3:42) Using your voice and practicing confidence (8:03) Being the only technical woman in the room (11:58) Leadership means bringing others forward (13:50) What healthy workplace boundaries look like (17:24) Finding a trust circle that tells the truth (24:10) Setting time, role, and workload boundaries (26:22) Responding instead of reacting at work (29:24) How community builds confidence and courage (32:38) Why growth can sometimes feel lonely (37:54) Building a legacy through impact and kindness There is so much more in this conversation about allies, self-compassion, community, and the courage to respond instead of react. Tune in to hear how Pravi learned to practise discomfort, build a circle she trusts, and create boundaries that let her contribute without disappearing. Share this episode with someone who is ready to take up more space. About Dr. Pravi Devineni Dr. Pravi Devineni is a Lead AI Scientist at Duke Energy, where she works on AI applications in cybersecurity and nuclear sectors. She holds a PhD in computer science from the University of California, Riverside, and began her career at the Department of Energy National Labs. Her work focuses on AI governance, security, risk, and responsible technology adoption. She also writes, speaks, and mentors women building careers in technology. Connect with Dr. Pravi: LinkedIn About Tiffany Benitez  Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM. Connect with Host:  Tiffany’s LinkedIn Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should be considered other than professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.

  3. Jul 9

    Paula Guilfoyle on Rewiring Your Brain to Beat Gender Bias in Tech

    Hey Trailblazers! Welcome back to another episode of "Women in Tech Trailblazers." Tiffany Benitez here, and today's guest is going to change the way you think about your own mind. Meet Paula Guilfoyle, the leadership expert behind the Claim Leadership program, whose neuroscience-based work with Microsoft, Lowe's, and Coca-Cola Consolidated has driven higher engagement and teams that actually hit their goals. We go straight to the real talk: gender bias. Paula does not pretend it doesn't exist; she has lived it. But she introduces something called your Reticular Activating System, the part of your brain that finds whatever you tell it to look for, like when you buy a car and suddenly see that car everywhere. She admits she once flew to Nashville expecting a male leader to be difficult, and guess what, he was. "What we resist persists, and what we look for, we will find." Her fix for a hard boss is not what you would expect. Paula gets into the beliefs that quietly hold us back. She calls them "BS," belief systems, and explains why your brain completely ignores the word "don't." She proves it live with a purple elephant. Tell yourself not to think about a purple elephant, and now it is all you can think about. That is exactly why "I don't want to be nervous today" backfires every single time, and she shows you what to say instead. The moment that stole the episode? Paula teaches visualization, the same mental rehearsal Olympic athletes use, where you picture the outcome you want before you walk in. She sent two Coke leaders into a four o'clock meeting picturing the exact result they wanted, and they walked out twenty minutes later with a six-figure check. You have to hear how they pulled it off. Here are the key takeaways:  (3:30) Letting your true self lead (5:08) Dropping the pressure to be perfect (8:24) The neuroscience behind gender bias (13:47) Winning over a difficult boss (15:15) Limiting beliefs are just "BS" (17:31) Affirmations and the purple elephant trick (21:27) Why self-awareness is step one (22:10) Deciding the leader you want to be (25:56) The people who give you energy (28:29) When it's okay to walk away (30:50) Only kindness to yourself and others Paula is proof that your mind is the most powerful tool you own, and she closes with a line that will stick with you. "It's not your business whether or not you make people uncomfortable." Tune in, subscribe, share, and go follow Paula on LinkedIn. See you next time, Trailblazers! About Paula Guilfoyle Paula Guilfoyle is the President and Founder of Claim Leadership, where she helps leaders and teams improve mindset, productivity, engagement, and self-awareness. Her work uses neuroscience-based tools to help people stay calm, focused, and effective during change. With experience across companies including Coca-Cola, Lowe’s, Microsoft, KPMG, and Collins Aerospace, Paula brings a practical view of leadership shaped by earlier roles in Human Resources and Sales at GE and Aventis. Connect with Paula: LinkedIn About Tiffany Benitez  Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM. Connect with Host:  Tiffany’s LinkedIn Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should be considered other than professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.

  4. Jun 25

    Debbie Qaqish on Why Stigmas Are Crushing Your Career Growth

    Hey Trailblazers! Buckle up, because this episode of "Women in Tech Trailblazers" goes somewhere most career talks avoid. Tiffany Benitez sits down with Dr. Debbie Qaqish, founder of The Growth Factor and the creator of revenue marketing, who has spent more than 30 years figuring out what really holds women back. Today she puts a name to it. Stigmas. The ones other people hand you, and the ones you quietly hand yourself. Debbie takes us back to her early career, where being a woman with a Southern accent meant getting underestimated before she even opened her mouth. Instead of shrinking, she leaned all the way in, closed a job interview like a pro, and walked away with a nickname that says everything. Her stories are funny; they sting a little, and they make one thing clear. The culture is powerful, and in tech it runs on overdrive. Here is where it gets personal. We dig into the internal stigmas, the perfectionism, and the constant proving, and Debbie calls it exactly what it is. "You need to stop proving yourself through performance and concentrate on the value that you know that you add." She walks us through how to catch the cycle, name it, and break it, and why you get to decide which feedback to keep and which to let go of. Debbie also gets honest about her own life, the ups and the downs, and the one question she asks herself every single morning that changes how her whole day goes. We will let her tell you what it is. We also talk about why your 40s might be your most freeing years, and why she thinks AI could open doors for women rather than close them. Here are the key takeaways:  (2:35) Bringing purpose into how you show up (5:03) The most powerful tool women in tech have (7:09) Bias, a southern accent, and getting hired anyway (13:12) Asking what do I want and how do I get there (14:45) Why stigmas are crippling your next career step (16:34) Breaking the story cycling in your head (22:41) Writing down the story you tell yourself (27:09) Why the AI era is an opportunity for women By the end, you will be looking at your own career a little differently, and asking who actually owns it. Spoiler: it is you. Tune in, share this with someone who needs it, and subscribe to catch what is next. Until then, Trailblazers, go get your own horse. About Debbie Qaqish Debbie Qaqish is the founder of The Growth Factor and the creator of Revenue Marketing®. With more than 30 years of experience, her work focuses on helping marketing leaders and teams improve decision-making, resilience, and performance under pressure. Her books include Rise of the Revenue Marketer and From Back Room to Boardroom, and she also hosts Revenue Marketing Raw. For more than a decade, Debbie has taught revenue marketing at the College of William and Mary. Connect with Debbie: LinkedIn About Tiffany Benitez  Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM. Connect with Host:  Tiffany’s LinkedIn Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should be considered other than professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.

  5. Jun 11

    Be Your Own Cheerleader: Career Visibility with Addie Ventris

    Hey Trailblazers! Welcome back to Women in Tech Trailblazers. Tiffany Benitez here, and today's guest had us taking notes before we even hit record. Meet Addie Ventris, a senior marketing strategist and brand architect with nearly 20 years of experience across defense tech, economic development, and consumer retail. She builds brands for a living and today she is building yours. We get right into the thing nobody talks about enough: imposter syndrome and the guilt women feel about sharing their wins. Addie flips the whole script. It is not about saying "look at me." It is about saying "look at what I created and here is how you can do it too." That one shift changes everything about how you show up in your career. Addie also drops a formula that is simple enough to start this week. Three wins and one lesson, tracked and shared on your own terms. "Think of your self-promotion as a living, breathing resume." And the lesson piece? That is where the real community gets built. There is also a conversation in here about the gap between doing great work and being known for great work. Spoiler: those are two very different things, and only one of them gets you promoted. Here are the key takeaways:  (4:08) What authenticity looks like without the mask (5:48) Why talking about your wins feels so hard (7:22) The branding piece most people ignore (8:36) Why your work needs a personal cheerleader (11:28) Getting comfortable with being seen (14:26) The three wins and one lesson method (18:16) Building an elevator pitch people remember (19:29) Why your title is not enough (22:12) Writing down wins when you forget your value (23:49) Doing great work vs. being known for it (27:03) Keep going, keep growing (28:01) Why women need to open doors for women (29:39) Choosing the circle that reminds you Addie closes with something we are still thinking about: make space at the table for the woman next to you. Say her name. Refer her name. Three times. If you are ready to be seen for the work you are already doing, do not miss this one. Subscribe, share, and we will see you next time, Trailblazers! About Addie Ventris Addie Ventris is a marketing strategist and brand architect with over 19 years of experience across defense technology, economic development, and retail. She spent more than a decade leading marketing operations at Tactical Electronics, building strategies for tactical and military audiences. She also served as Director of Marketing for the Tulsa Initiative at the George Kaiser Family Foundation, supporting workforce development and economic growth efforts. Today, Addie works as a strategic marketing consultant, helping brands connect strategy, execution, and growth. Connect with Addie: LinkedIn About Tiffany Benitez  Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM. Connect with Host:  Tiffany’s LinkedIn Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should be considered other than professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.

  6. May 28

    The Real Cost of Always Being On with Charlotte Bayala

    Hey Trailblazers! This one is for anyone who has ever had ten mental tabs open and still tried to act like everything was fine. Tiffany Benitez sits down with Charlotte Bayala for a conversation about the pressure to keep going, keep producing, and keep showing up with no real pause. Charlotte gets into the part we do not talk about enough: humans are expected to operate like machines, but without the maintenance window. “Humans are the only machines that are expected to have no downtime.” It is a simple way to explain why so many people feel worn down in systems that never make room for recovery. Tiffany and Charlotte dig into the always-on culture that so many women know too well. The full calendar, the messages, the caregiving, the emotional load, and the constant switch from one role to another. It is not just tiring. It changes your focus, your energy, and how much of yourself you have left to give. But this episode is not about doing less or dropping the ball. Charlotte talks about small ways to protect your energy before burnout becomes the alarm. A pause between meetings. A delayed reply. A transition song. A few minutes to breathe before the next thing pulls you in. Here are the key takeaways:  (3:24) What it means to be aligned with yourself (6:08) Who said you have to stay in your lane? (7:19) The pressure to act like you know everything (13:51) Why humans cannot run like machines (16:15) The reality of work, life, and too many hats (17:20) Always-on culture hits women differently (20:40) Small resets that protect your energy (22:36) Boundaries are not about doing less (25:45) Protect your time before everything feels urgent If you have been living in go mode for too long, this conversation will hit home. Tune in for a fresh take on boundaries, self-preservation, and building success that does not run you into the ground. About Charlotte Bayala Charlotte Bayala is a cancer caregiver advocate, breathwork coach, and the creator of the award nominated The Cancer Caregiver Podcast, a show dedicated to supporting the emotional and mental health of caregivers navigating a loved one’s cancer diagnosis. Drawing from over a decade of personal caregiving experience and more than 12 years as a yoga and meditation teacher, Charlotte helps caregivers prioritize their well-being with practical, compassionate tools they can actually use, especially on the hardest days. Whether through her guided breathing meditations shared weekly through her second podcast Caregiver Breathing Room, workshops, or powerful storytelling, Charlotte brings a calm, grounded voice to caregiving conversations that are often overlooked. She’s on a mission to change how we support the people who are holding everything, and everyone, together. Connect with Charlotte: LinkedIn www.charlottebayala.com About Tiffany Benitez  Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM. Connect with Host:  Tiffany’s LinkedIn Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should be considered other than professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.

  7. May 14

    Do It Afraid with Marissa McCourry

    Trailblazers, this one is for the overthinkers, the planners, and the almost-ready crowd. Tiffany Benitez welcomes Marissa McCourry, an executive coach and leadership expert, to discuss what happens when women keep waiting for the fear to leave before they make a move. You know that moment when an opportunity shows up, and your brain starts working against you? Maybe I need more experience. Maybe I should ask one more person. Maybe this is not the right time. Marissa has seen that pattern with leaders at every level, and she brings a reminder that feels simple but hits hard. One of the best parts of this episode is Marissa’s AAA rule: “Action alleviates anxiety.” She does not make it about one huge leap. She talks about the power of taking one small step and seeing what opens from there. Marissa also shares a moment from her own career where a boss reacted strangely to a word she used in a meeting. It became one of those moments that makes you pause and wonder why your voice is being questioned in the first place. She also breaks down the four people every woman needs around her: a mentor, a sponsor, a good boss, and a coach. Here are the key takeaways:  (4:26) Authenticity starts with alignment (9:41) Why women’s voices get heard differently (12:00) The subtle side of bias at work (14:03) Use your seat and speak with value (16:21) The boss comment that made her pause (20:08) Courage means doing it afraid (22:44) Choose your hard and move anyway (24:20) AAA: action alleviates anxiety (27:20) Imposter syndrome is not just a you thing (29:58) Why every woman needs a mentor (31:59) The sponsor who says your name (33:10) What a good boss can change (33:47) Why a coach gives you a safe space (35:19) Stop waiting to feel ready  This episode is a push for anyone who has been waiting to feel ready. “Do not wait to be ready. Stop waiting to feel ready.” Tune in and send this one to the friend who keeps talking herself out of the next step. About Marissa McCourry Marissa McCourry is an executive coach and leadership development architect whose work has impacted nearly 35,000 leaders. She has experience across academia, Fortune 500 consulting, Visa, and Vanguard. Through executive coaching, she helps leaders sharpen their thinking, presence, communication, and impact. She also builds leadership programs that help organizations grow talent at scale, with a focus on leadership impact, emotional intelligence, executive presence, and leading through complexity. Connect with Marissa: LinkedIn About Tiffany Benitez  Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM. Connect with Host:  Tiffany’s LinkedIn Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should be considered other than professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.

  8. Apr 30

    Who Told You to Stay in Your Lane with Tiffany Vandemark

    Hey Trailblazers! In this episode of Women in Tech Trailblazers, Tiffany Benitez sits down with Tiffany Vandemark, author of Inside the Ring, for a conversation about authenticity, mindset, boundaries, and reinvention. This one gets into the pressure women feel to always seem fine, always seem polished, and always have everything under control. They talk about the idea that success should not require perfection. The conversation gets into what it means to deal with your feelings without living in them, and why being authentic does not mean having every day figured out. As Tiffany puts it, “it is okay to not have it together all the time.”  They also get into a mindset and the inner critic that can get louder than everything else. The conversation looks at how much power that voice can have, when it starts helping, and when it starts holding you back. There is also a strong reminder that protecting your peace sometimes starts with what you stop telling yourself. Community is a big part of this episode. Tiffany Vandemark shares why women's empowerment is not something you talk about. It is something you do. They dig into helping younger women, checking whether your circle is adding value, and recognizing that not everyone is meant to have the same access to you. One line says it best: “not everybody gets the same level of access to you.” They also talk about mission, personal brand, and why your story matters. Tiffany Vandemark shares one of the strongest lines in the episode: “Reinvention is your secret weapon, and your story is your superpower.” Here are the key takeaways:  (3:49) What authenticity really looks like (5:29) You do not have to have it all together (7:55) Mindset, inner critics, and protecting your peace (9:45) Why women empowerment is a doing (12:00) Building a circle that adds value (13:12) Boundaries, seasons, and access to your energy (16:38) Why mission shapes personal brand (21:14) Reinvention is your secret weapon (25:50) Stop living by everyone else’s expectations (28:01) Three questions that reveal your mission (29:42) The legacy of being remembered as a light If you have been questioning what still fits and what needs to change, this episode is worth listening to. About Tiffany Vandemark Tiffany Vandemark is a speaker, coach, author, and brand strategist who helps people reconnect with their voice and move through change with more clarity. She is the author of Inside the Ring and leads Vandemark Partners, where she works in brand empowerment and marketing consulting. Her work focuses on mission, mindset, personal brand, and growth. She also speaks on reinvention, storytelling, and using life experience to help others move forward. Connect with Tiffany: Website About Tiffany Benitez  Tiffany Benitez leads Data Governance at Compass Group USA, ensuring data quality, integrity, and compliance across all business units. She is passionate about driving data excellence and advancing women in tech and STEM. Connect with Host:  Tiffany’s LinkedIn Disclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only. The content should be considered other than professional advice. Listeners are encouraged to consult with professionals regarding specific situations or concerns.

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Stepping into tech can feel like navigating uncharted territory, especially for women. The Women in Tech Trailblazers Podcast, hosted by Tiffany Benitez, aims to change that. With a blend of real talk, fun, and expert insights, Tiffany tackle the tech world's highs and lows. Join us to hear authentic stories that inspire change and empower more women to make their mark in the tech industry.

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