International Women’s Day 2023: A Note from Keith Angell

What would our world look like without gender bias? What if gender equity was no longer an aspiration, but a reality? What if everyone—regardless of gender, experience, or background—had safe spaces and more opportunities to grow and thrive?

As we reflect on the themes of International Women’s Day 2023, #EmbraceEquity (driving inclusion by enacting change on gender bias) and #DigitALL (innovation and technology for gender equality), these questions are even more pertinent.

At Pythian, we believe this world would give everyone access to equitable resources and opportunities. Our skills and talents would all be valued, and we would be encouraged and empowered to pursue careers in any domain—especially IT and STEM. 

To help usher in this reality, we don’t just celebrate International Women’s Day one day a year. To make a lasting impact, our pursuit of an open, supportive and inclusive environment must be a year-long commitment.

Thanks to our team’s efforts, we’re incredibly proud of everything we’ve accomplished together. This International Women’s Day, we couldn’t be more excited to reflect on the incredible achievements and long-standing accomplishments of our women:

• We recently welcomed veteran marketing leader Christina O’Reilly to our team as SVP Marketing, who was named in 2022 as one of ‘The 10 Most Impactful Women in Technology’ by Analytics Insight
• Kasia Wakarecy, Senior Director, Operational Innovation, and Santa Di Stefano, VP Delivery Operations & Customer Experience, were nominated at the 2022 Women in IT Awards Canada for their continued achievements in IT and STEM 
• In 2022, Vanessa Simmons, SVP Business Development, celebrated her fifth consecutive year on the CRN Women of the Channel list and is celebrating her thirteenth year at Pythian
• Lynda Partner, EVP Data & Analytics, is an industry-leading force and the driver behind our analytics practice—in a field usually led by men (just 15% of data scientists are women due to a series of factions, including societal biases and perceptions of STEM)
• Numerous Pythian programs implemented by our People & Culture Team helped us become recognized as one of the Capital Region’s Top Employers in 2023—an outstanding achievement for the entire organization

However, we recognize that our journey toward gender equity is far from over. In the face of gender gaps, we are committed to building a workplace and world where everyone has a voice. That’s why we’ve conducted numerous DEI initiatives over the years to ensure our team members feel valued and heard. As a result, we have enacted policies and programs that facilitate the change we wish to see—including training, workshops, and education events.

At Pythian, we are dedicated to leading diversity conversations and fostering an atmosphere that empowers all of our employees, regardless of gender. In alignment with this year’s themes of #EmbraceEquity and #DigitALL, we hope everyone feels empowered and driven toward this shared goal. 

Awareness is just one part of the solution. Through these initiatives and policies, we hope to make progress through action and continue building an environment women find engaging, safe and supportive. We know we can move toward an equitable future for all genders; all it takes is the right dialogue, commitment, resources and will to do so.