Women in Data Podcast

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/

The countdown has begun, and we are buzzing with excitement! 

In this thrilling episode, Karen is joined by Roisin McCarthy, the founder of Women in Data, and Chole Aboud, Partner Relations Executive for WiD, to provide you with an exclusive sneak peek into the flagship event happening on March 7, 2024. Tune in to discover details about the incredibly inspiring guest speakers, engaging workshops, hackathon, and partnerships for the day! 

If you're attending, don't forget to come say hi! See you there! 

If you are wondering about where and how you fit into the world of Data, this episode will provide a great perspective. Anusha Adige moved from India to Scotland, and from Banking specialist to Business Analyst, and now Data and Analytics Manager. Though she came from a non-technical background, she learned to work with programmers to generate powerful business insights. Karen and Cecilia were fascinated to hear about the transferable skills of someone who is a naturally curious person. Discussions between business people and data people often get lost in translation. So, Data needs “really efficient data translators” and stories supported by numbers. 

Hear how you can develop in confidence and bring more to the business. 

Anusha Adige on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anusha-adige-474b7287/ 

85% of the jobs that will be available in 2030 have not been invented yet! How do we make career decisions today and plan for the future? In this episode, Karen is joined by Sarah Victor, Co-Head of Data Governance, Chief Data Office, Corporate & Investment Bank at J.P. Morgan, who shares strategies that she deployed to navigate an unconventional career path that led to Data. When you move from India to the USA, switch from Engineering to study for an MBA, and start a new role in the Finance sector: what are the risks, and how do you make informed choices? One suggestion is to listen to a diversity of ideas.  

Discover more insights as Karen and Sarah cover a range of predictability, from becoming too comfortable in a job, to learning how to get comfortable being uncomfortable. 

Sarah Victor on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-victor-a381703 

In celebration of the 100 episodes, Karen and Cecilia invited to the show Alex Smith and Lara Harris, two members of the production team. They dive into the most valuable career advice shared throughout the podcast's journey, focusing on the listeners' favourite topic: navigating a successful career in the world of data. Covering pivotal career phases, from determining your next move to resiliently facing redundancy, this episode extracts wisdom from key moments, including: 

• Episode 73: How to figure out your next step 
• Episode 62: Future-proofing your career 
• Episode 64: Establishing yourself in a new role 
• Episode 71: Redundancy and job-hunting experiences 

As a bonus, join the celebration on LinkedIn for a chance to win a ticket to the highly anticipated Women in Data flagship event in March. 

Follow Karen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-jean-francois/ 

Follow Cecilia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceciliagoliveira/