“I used to think failure should be avoided at all costs, but it often teaches us more than success. Nobody's perfect. Failure doesn't define you—it's how you respond that matters. Keep going. It’s an opportunity to improve and grow. Sometimes we win, sometimes we don’t, but we always learn if we’re intentional about it.”
Heidi Chen
Lead Digital Strategist
Free Logic Inc.
“How you perceive yourself matters. Believe in yourself. Love and respect her. If you want to learn to code, you can. If you want to lead a team, you can. You can do anything that you put your mind and heart to.”
Gloria Felicia
Technical Co-Founder
Merged, Inc.
“Remember to enjoy journey just as much as the result you’re working towards.”
Sonia Nigam
CEO & Co-Founder
Change
Tiffany Yu
CEO & Founder
Diversability
“The greatest gift you can give the world is by being yourself. Thank you for being you. Keep going!”
“If you aren’t building your dream, someone else will pay you or use you to build theirs. I want every woman to know their value, be clear on what she really wants, and then unapologetically go after it. Step into your worth, Queen! You are royal!”
Carrie-Ann Barrow
Founder
Scaling Strategies
“A candle never loses any of its light while lighting up another candle.”
Fatima Taj
Software Engineer
Yelp
“Remember that you are capable, smart and enough. You don’t have to follow peoples’ footsteps to succeed. Make your own way, take a different trail and leave your own mark in this world.”
Selina Almasarwah
Computer Science Student
Skidmore College
Natalie Levy
Founder, Mentor, & Managing Partner
She’s Independent
“As women, there is so much power in sharing our stories and connecting and learning from others.
I launched She’s Independent, a women-first angel investment group, following deep loss in my family. The business honors my engineering through wall street and tech journey of too many #metoo moments, too many missed promotions, and too many men telling me to work harder and keep my head down.
Today I work with women across generations influencing money flows. By working with women to develop confidence in their financial decision making and by supporting their journey to step into real business influence, we’re showing up differently, and impacting that massive financing gap where women-owned businesses receive less than 3% of VC financing today.
Invest in you. And find strength in your story.”
Chang Liu
Senior Design Program Manager
Product Equity & Social Impact
Meta
“True progress is measured in generations, not quarters. Anchor your DEI work on that. Don’t burnout. Keep Going.”
“I always ask myself, “What is the worst that can happen if you try and fail?” Learn from your experiences and champion through like the badass you are.”
Winny Zhang
Product Manager
Halo Sleep
Jessica M Lim
Principal Program Manager
Population Health Equity
Blue Shield of California
“Say yes to things outside of your comfort zone. Those things will become part of your comfort zone and eventually you will accomplish things that you couldn’t imagine back when you used to say no out of fear.”
Mansi Mittal
Product Manager II
Microsoft
“Lift as you Rise”
Gabrielle Nguyen
Marketing Leader
Asian & Pacific Islander Community
Instagram & Meta
“Growing up in my career, I found that people are always going to give you advice on based on what their version of success should be and what got them there. And as young women, we tend to want to absorb and exemplify those around us who are wiser and who we look up to.
Although it can be helpful to take those learnings and apply them in ways that make sense to you, some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten is, “You don’t need to take EVERYONE’s advice.” You have the ability to define your own version of what success means to you, and I promise that you CAN get there in your own authentic way.”
“Technology is no longer for roles just in high tech innovation but indeed there are technology roles in all industries and it is the growth and innovation of those businesses. If you want to future proof your skills and guarantee yourself a high paying job, go into STEAM! While not enough women are in those occupations today, your decision will help us change that course and create a more inclusive culture for tech.”
Gavriella Schuster
CEO
Gavriella Schuster LLC
Janselle Justo
UX & Product Designer
Freelance
“Different paths in your career have been stepping stones to finding what you love. Your perfect view in life comes with time, failures, and hard work.
So trust your decisions. Put yourself on the pedestal. Your happiness is the fuel to keep going.”
Jiwon Park
Founder & CEO
SAIB & Co.
“When you see people attacking you for what you do, you know you are disrupting the industry.
When you see people defending you on your behalf, you know you are making a change.”