Every year, on March 8th, people around the world celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) to recognize women’s accomplishments and bring attention to the obstacles we still confront today. In the technology field, women have made significant progress, but we remain underrepresented despite these strides. With this year’s IWD theme being embrace equity (#EmbraceEquity), I couldn’t help but think how the tech community plays a vital role in achieving equity for women in all spheres of life. By embracing equity and building a strong community, we can help to create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable future for women in tech.
How Itential Fosters Community
Upon joining Itential nearly five years ago, I was immediately impressed by the supportive culture that encourages open communication, collaboration, and respect, while fostering a sense of belonging and community among all employees.
Our people, or as we call ourselves “Itentialites,” are some the most inquisitive, curious, and collaborative problem-solvers. This mindset rooted in a bias for action has not only fostered innovation to build world-class software that simplifies and automates complex network operations, but has also fostered a culture that values everyone in the organization, including those who have historically been underrepresented in the tech industry – such as women
The women of Itential are unique, intelligent, fierce, diverse, and wildly talented. It became clear to me early on that we needed a space to come together to learn, challenge, and support each other. With the help of some amazing women, I am proud to be a part of starting Itential’s first special interest group, ItentiaLadies. Since its launch in 2019, our group has doubled in size and transformed into a community where we can connect, have fun, and grow as powerful women in tech.
Our Mission
Our mission from the start has been to empower equality for women in tech, starting at Itential. Regardless of the department, each of us plays a critical role in the company’s success, and we’re dedicated to contributing to our core mission:
“Empowering Itential’s ladies at all levels in their careers to achieve success and satisfaction and to further Itential’s commitment to the strategic retention and career growth of women, improving inclusion and equality to help make Itential the best place to work for all.”
Empowering Itential’s ladies at all levels in their careers to achieve success and satisfaction and to further Itential’s commitment to the strategic retention and career growth of women, improving inclusion and equality to help make Itential the best place to work for all.
To achieve this mission, we are constantly striving to unite our community of women through social gatherings, volunteering events, and group discussion throughout the year that cater to our unique goals. From providing equal training, mentorship, and career development to in-depth discussion on important topics ranging from financial planning to being a female Network Engineer, we’re always looking to provide the best resources for our women to thrive.
A few of my favorites include Lexie Cooper, Avionics Integration Engineer at Blue Origin and Co-Host of the Art of Network Engineering Podcast, who gave us an inside look at climbing the professional ladder as a woman in networking and the networking operations required to fly a rocket ship and Pam Stewart, President of West Operations – North America Operating Unit at The Coca-Cola Company, who shared how to develop a strong, commanding leadership presence that influences effectively and makes an impact.
Empowerment Beyond ItentiaLadies
Our group has also given rise to other special interest groups started by our ItentiaLadies such as ItentialGives, a group focused on providing volunteering opportunities and philanthropic efforts and ItentialBIPOC, dedicated to bringing together Itentialites who identify with minority groups for community building.
We also believe that empowerment isn’t limited to ItentiaLadies, but that it’s our responsibility to also give back to our community. That’s why we continuously partner with Refuge Coffee Co., a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing job training to immigrants and refugees in the greater Atlanta area. As part of our ItentiaLife events, both those specific to ItentiaLadies and company-wide, we sponsor Refuge Coffee carts, helping introduce our Itentialites to a great local cause while enjoying their morning cup of joe.
Looking Ahead
As I reflect on our remarkable growth and support in the span of just a few years, it makes me all the more excited for what this powerful group of women has ahead of us. I can honestly say the future is bright for our ItentiaLadies. Every day I’m seeing more ideas, energy, and passion among emerging leaders coming from ItentiaLadies, who are taking on every opportunity to lead the charge across the company – from spearheading our co-op program to owning Committee Week to leading go-to-market strategies and more.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to set and achieve ambitious goals around professional development, equality, and giving back. ItentiaLadies is a unique and empowering space where women in tech can come together to connect, learn, and grow. We remain committed to our core mission of empowering women at every step of their careers, providing women with the resources and support they need to succeed and helping to create a more diverse and inclusive organization.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let us recognize the important role that women play in the tech industry and continue to work towards a more equal and inclusive future.
If this sounds like the type of culture that you are interested in, you can check out our full list of job openings here.
Tags: ItentiaLadies Itentialife
Kristen H. Rachels
Chief Marketing Officer ‐ Itential
Kristen serves as Chief Marketing Officer for Itential, leading their go-to-market strategy and execution to accelerate the adoption and expansion of the company’s products and services.
