Featured Women of Tech(nologent) for June 2024: Anjana Sukumar & Michelle Coffelt

What does the phrase “Women of Tech(nologent)” mean to you?

For women to take their rightful (and long overdue) place front and center in this ever-changing landscape of the IT, AI, Machine Learning and other cutting-edge fields, and to bring their awesomeness to the table and offer a different perspective that stems from their varied experience as mothers, wives, home makers, etc.

Name a fun fact about yourself that you’d like more people to know? 

A cool thing about me is I taught myself how to swim – didn’t have access to classes where I came from, and I really wanted to learn swimming.  I Began by hanging out at the pool and watching people swim – taught myself the breaststroke first, and to float/back stroke later. Recently I began watching youtube videos and taught myself to do the freestyle stroke…  Can do 50 yards at each stretch now.

 
How long have you worked in the IT industry? 

Over 10 years now. I began working as a Business Analyst, and now I help manage projects for Technologent. I studied Environmental Studies and Political science in my Undergrad and grad and ended up getting into IT because of opportunities/visas.

What would you say is the biggest challenge working in the IT field as a woman? 

I'd say it is not being taken seriously enough because you’re a female and/or you’re doing work that could be considered menial or less than important. And not being given enough leadership opportunities with the freedom to make some serious changes to shake up the status quo. 

What is a professional/career goal for you this year? 

I am studying to be a Workday Consultant this year, but my true dream is to be able to do something for the environment – like open my own zero waste store which encourages people to reduce their all-pervasive single use plastic usage habit and work with restaurants to offer reusable cutlery and containers for takeout. 

Name a book, movie or music album you’re enjoying currently:

This question couldn’t come at a better time –

I am reading the book Lessons In Chemistry – the book – by Bonnie Garmus. The book inspired a TV series – talks about a woman scientist struggling to make her mark in a highly male dominated era of the 1960’s and maintaining relevance as a scientist but one that teaches cooking as a science.

In these pages, you see the struggle that women faced at their work place back in the day, with workplace sexual assault, not being given work according to their credentials or education, being refused opportunities, male counterparts taking credit for work women do - our protagonist is a single mother and an unmarried one too, so it really puts into perspective how far we have come and how there are still the same things that exist but hidden in some ways.

Are there any specific quotes, sayings or lessons that are important to you?

There are 2 that I try to live by –

“Success is not defined by how much money you have, but by how many people are better off because you lived” – Bill Britt

Everyday I live trying to make an impact to my family, my company, my community, my neighborhood, my friends, and extended family, and whatever else I can do to help someone.

“Catch people doing something right” - Ken Blanchard

I have caught myself being harsh or critical with my child on many an occasion, and this is one that helped my parenting approach, is to focus on the good parts and bring attention to it often, till that’s all that remains. It also works well in a work setting and it helps you see the bright side and whats right about whatever is happening.