Women In Tech Talks – Brighton Web Development Meetup

For our first Tech event of 2024, we are delighted to have three talks from brilliant local speakers on their careers in Web Development.

The talks:

1) “Imposter syndrome and advocating for yourself: Building your career without compromising who you are” – Louise Strong

In this talk Louise will talk about her experiences battling imposter syndrome and how this has impacted her career in technology. She will be sharing insights on how she grown and learned from it, and the resources and tips that have helped her navigate her career without compromising herself or her sanity. She will also cover topics that are often negatively impacted by things like imposter syndrome such as:

• Negotiating your compensation packages and payrises
• Advocating for yourself when projects aren’t going to plan
• Speaking up in meetings

2) “How to Get a Head Start in your Tech Career” – Maureen Biney

This talk is designed to provide early-career professionals with actionable insights and practical tips on how to succeed in the fast-paced and constantly evolving tech industry.

Maureen has observed that the early stages of one’s tech career can be particularly challenging. In this session, Maureen will draw on her extensive experience as an award-winning tech industry professional and a seasoned mentor to many women tech professionals and aspirants to provide attendees with a comprehensive roadmap for building a successful tech career. She will also share practical tips and insights that will help attendees navigate the early stages of their careers.

Specifically, attendees will learn:

• How to identify their strengths, interests, skills, and values to help them map out a career path that is fulfilling.
• How to build a strong personal brand that showcases their skills, experience, and unique value proposition.
• How to develop a network of mentors, peers and advocates who can support your career growth and provide guidance along the way.

Half-time Pizzas, drinks and snacks.

3) “Exploring the Path of Leadership within Software Development: Is it Right for You?” – Eilidh Hendry

Eilidh will be discussing getting into leadership within Software Development. Talking points:

• What you should consider when thinking about going into leadership and management.
• What leadership means, and what kind of leader do you want to be?
• Deciding whether leadership is the right option for you.
• Your alternatives to management whilst still advancing within your career.

Speaker Bios:

Louise Strong:
Louise has been a Software Engineering and Test Manager for nearly twenty years, working not only with small scale local start ups to international household name companies across multiple industries, she is also a local graduate having completed her Comp Science & AI degree at Sussex University. Louise is currently an Engineering Manager for Showpad, and has presented at development, testing, and STEM conferences across the country and remotely internationally.

Maureen Biney:
Maureen is a Ghanaian Software Engineer with over a decade’s experience in the field of Technology. She currently works in the area of Developer Advocacy and Digital Experience Engineering. Maureen is a strong advocate for Women in Technology – especially women from ethnic minority backgrounds. Her love for mentoring and teaching coding basics is evident in her dedication to empowering the next generation of tech leaders.

In addition to her work in technology, Maureen has a natural gift for connecting with people from different backgrounds and at different career levels. Her ability to inspire and motivate others is unmatched. Her love for storytelling makes her a captivating speaker and she enjoys sharing her own career journey to encourage more girls and women to pursue technology roles. Maureen loves listening to podcasts and watching African films. She is also an avid reader of books written by African authors.

Eilidh Hendry:
Eilidh is the Engineering Manager at TrustedHousesitters in Brighton. TrustedHousesitters is a global pet care travel exchange company which has progressed rapidly from start-up to scale-up. They are consistently achieving high year-on-year growth and the site has grown to be the only global platform of its kind.

Eilidh graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2015 with a degree in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science. Eilidh joined TrustedHousesitters in 2016, starting as a Software Developer, and progressing to her Engineering Manager role in 2019.

Doors will open around 6:30pm and Louise will commence the first talk at around 7pm.

As usual we will have a half time break with free pizzas and drinks included.

Please sign up to let us know you are attending and we look forward to seeing you there.

Thanks, Gavin