Aishvarya, a Human Resources Manager at Fiserv, has a people-centric approach and believes in the correlation between employee engagement, productivity, and company success. Mentees can gain from her knowledge of strategic HR initiatives, change management, and employee engagement.

Alana is a passionate and driven ICT professional, currently working as a Cloud Services, Sales, and FinOps Consultant. With over 20 years of experience in the ICT industry, her career spans roles with service providers, end users, resellers, and distributors. Alana has built strong, trusted relationships within the channel community, driven by her commitment to delivering exceptional results for her customers.

Dr. Amir Mohammadi founded Promptech.ai with a firm belief in the transformative power of AI, aiming to deliver comprehensive AI solutions tailored to enterprise needs. He developed AI teamspace to boost productivity, created prompt engineering toolkits, large language model libraries, and online courses. He is committed to lowering the access barrier in AI for businesses, researchers, and practitioners across Aotearoa.

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Anshu  is a highly experienced product manager with over 20 years of experience in managing products for Enterprise SaaS and on-premises customers. Anshu has worked in a variety of industries, including Transport, Taxation & Compliance, Payroll, Records Management, Identity Services, Border Security and Passenger Management, and GIS.

With hands-on experience in DevOps and Azure hosting platforms, Anshu excels in leveraging cutting-edge technology for optimal results. As a dynamic leader and research professional, she has spearheaded numerous successful Agile and Waterfall-driven initiatives. Anshu's commitment to excellence and her proactive approach to staying updated on industry trends make her a valuable asset to any team

Carissa is a Change Manager at Fonterra and specializes in Organisational Change Management (OCM), focusing on implementing and managing change initiatives within the organization. She is also skilled in both Broadcast Journalism, Media Relations, Strategic Communications and more.

Donna Chamberlain, as Senior Business Solutions Manager at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and NZSUG Treasurer, expertly balances the growth of SAP and Salesforce within the company while fostering team development. Her leadership is marked by strategic thinking, empathy, and a commitment to innovation, ensuring her team excels in delivering sustainable business solutions.

With a passion for the SAP community and continuous improvement, Donna's role extends beyond her day-to-day tasks, embodying leadership that is both visionary and grounded in practicality.

Effy is a Senior Product Manager at Les Mills International - a role she likes to describe as ‘advanced cat herding’! While she holds degrees in mechanical engineering and psychology, Effy has had the chance to flex professionally into a variety of different spaces; from web dev to account management, UX design to team leadership. She prides herself on being a jack of all trades, and on finding creative yet simple solutions to the right problems.

With over 25 years in the IT industry, Farhan is a seasoned Business Program Manager and Learning & Development Technical Trainer at Microsoft. He blends deep technical expertise with a passion for growth. His background spans technical consulting, program management, and strategic development, with successful projects across sectors like NHS and Auckland Council.

Holding multiple industry certifications, he's committed to staying ahead of tech trends, empowering through collaborative program development. Renowned for organizational agility and translating complexities into strategic plans, Farhan inspires a culture of learning. His mission: empower organizations and individuals to leverage Microsoft technologies for transformative growth.

As a Software Development Manager at Fiserv, Hasini brings a wealth of experience in mobile application development and Agile practices. As a mentor, she can guide mentees on software development and Agile methodologies. Her volunteer work with GirlGuiding New Zealand also showcases her commitment to fostering leadership and resilience.

Hilary Walton, or Hils as she is called, is well known in the tech industry, with a diverse background in psychology, ICT & AI, risk management, and cybersecurity. She’s worked for some of the biggest names in the business, including Mi5, the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games, she is the ex-CISO of Kordia and she currently works as Technology Strategist for Microsoft. But that’s not all! Hilary is also an author, having penned a book on security culture that’s a must-read for anyone interested in the field. She also currently has another book in the works for how to implement AI into your business in 6 months.

When she’s not busy being a tech guru and mother of three, Hilary is a digital influencer who loves nothing more than sharing her digital culture ideas with the world. You can catch her on her YouTube show and podcast, both called “Digital Culture Ideas”. And if that’s not enough, she’s also active on various social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (Twitter), and TikTok as @HilsWalton.

If your interested in staying up to date, Hils has a text Tech-news service that you can join for free on What’sApp to get 1-3 tech news articles delivered directly to your phone.

Katrina is a qualified accountant with 30 years’ experience in Information Technology IT Portfolio/Programme Management. With a proven track record for building highly engaged and motivated teams that increase organisational capability through technology by understanding the business, guiding decision making and driving value. Katrina is skilled in using both traditional and agile methodologies, with experience in cybersecurity, business applications (BI & EPM), strategic planning, finance, stakeholder, and change management.

Katrina is a highly motivated and confident leader who can communicate at all levels of the business to drive change and create value. Currently managing the IT PMO and IT Project Investment Portfolio for Fonterra with a focus on the successful delivery of IT projects supporting fit for purpose lean governance while driving benefits back into the business and creating value for the Co-op.

Kim is an entrepreneur and product leader committed to creating ethical and impactful businesses. As a co-founder of BoardPro and other startups, including a faith-based humanitarian initiative, Kim brings experience establishing ownership structures, forming resilient founding teams, and the challenges founders face with bootstrapping and/or raising capital. Holding an MBA from the University of Auckland, Kim is driven by the transformative potential of business to positively impact communities and stakeholders.

Krishna is a technology commercialization enthusiast with a passion for bridging the gap between innovation and industry. With a focus on helping researchers take their solutions beyond the lab, Krishna is dedicated to driving the success of transformative ideas. By facilitating the journey from scientific breakthrough to market-ready products and services, Krishna aims to create meaningful impact through innovation.

Kriv Naicker is the Founder and Managing Director of Synaptec – an innovation and strategy advisory organisation that focuses on the impact of Disruptive Technology, the Internet of Things, Cloud/Fog/Edge Computing, 5G, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Augmented/Virtual/Mixed Reality, Drones/ UAVs.

Kriv was also instrumental in the formation of the NZ IoT (Internet of Things) Alliance and served as the Alliance’s first Executive Director and is currently Board Chair.

Loren started in Fonterra 17 years ago in Accounts Payable and moved her way through her career to spend the last 12 years in the data space. It has been clear to her that the demand for “data people” is only getting bigger. She currently works as the Data Product Lead for Fonterra, understanding the frameworks needed to take Fonterra on its Data Product Transformation.

The role involves a lot of indirect management, coaching, and stakeholder management, all of which Loren is passionate about. She believes that each person has their own value and enjoys working with people to unlock the skill that makes them shine so they can bring the most to their role.

Dr Mahsa McCauley is a Senior Lecturer and Director of Women in Tech in AUT’s School of Computer, Engineering, and Mathematical Sciences. She is a well-recognised leader in AI and machine learning. She is also the founder of the charitable trust She Sharp, a women’s technology networking and learning group, where she works to encourage young New Zealand girls to consider what a career in technology offers. She founded She# in the hope of bringing about the much-needed change in the gender split in tech and believes that we must work together to solve this!

In 2019 she was the Champion Award winner of the YWCA Equal Pay awards, and in 2020 presented the Massey University Distinguished Alumni Award.”

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Manil is an experienced test automation specialist with expertise in Web UI and API testing using Selenium, Specflow, Cypress, C#, JavaScript, and Postman. He has solid experience in creating Azure Pipelines and executing tests in CI/CD environments, as well as in AWS environments using Splunk logs for post-production analysis. Manil is proficient in performance testing with JMeter, mobile test automation for Android and iOS apps, visual test automation, and ETL/BI and data migration testing. He is also a strong advocate of context-driven and exploratory testing.

Having worked as a research scientist for most of her career at Scion, and served as NanoLayr's Senior Scientist and Sustainability Lead, Meeta spearheaded the development of the company's sustainability strategy, implementing goals and sourcing eco-friendly solutions. Her PhD in Chemistry from The University of Auckland, along with her expertise in biopolymers, was instrumental.

With over 20 years in the industry, she has forged strong partnerships with councils, universities, and research institutes. Previously, as Research & Production Manager at Biopolymer Network Ltd., Meeta managed various aspects of the product EcoBeans, showcasing her proficiency in research, production, packaging, marketing, and logistics.

Mehwish Hasan, a devoted educator, and the Computer Science Curriculum Leader at ACG Sunderland in Auckland is on a mission to bring excitement to the students' learning experiences. With a background in telecommunications engineering, Mehwish's unique perspective has led her to become New Zealand's inaugural QuiverVision Ambassador. This distinctive role empowers her to weave technology into education truly remarkably. Through the Quiver App, students can transform static, coloured images into dynamic, interactive marvels through augmented reality. This ingenious approach sparks creativity and guarantees that learning remains engaging and enjoyable.

Mike's career has covered a wide spectrum of industries - telecommunications, infrastructure, financial services, banking, retail, construction, electricity, education, primary industries, emergency services, healthcare and airlines. Throughout this time, he has held various IT roles from Programme Deployment Management, QA Test Manager, Programme Director to GM of Cybersecurity Security Programmes.

A proud graduate of University of Auckland, Mike holds an MBA and B.Com with double major in Management, Human Resources and Commercial Law. His passion lies in empowering the next generation, using his extensive knowledge and experience in IT to coach, mentor, and inspire emerging leaders to achieve their full potential. Mike aims to make a lasting impact on the future of New Zealanders.

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Midu has been working within the strategy, product, technology, marketing, and digital industries across Australia and New Zealand for over 25 years. His roles have focused on building high-growth and sustainable businesses, bringing a good balance of startup and corporate experience.

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Nanz is an experienced designer passionate about using design to tackle some of the world's greatest challenges. With a focus on social impact, Nanz has worked across startups, social enterprises, government, and non-profits, creating thoughtful and well-crafted digital experiences that bring clarity to complexity. A hands-on team player, Nanz values collaboration and plays an active role in shaping positive team culture through facilitation and participatory processes, believing in the transformative power of design to change perceptions and behavior for the better.

Naveen is an experienced web developer and tester, specialising in both web-based and mobile applications, as well as client-server applications. With over 3 years of experience, he is skilled in PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, and a range of testing tools. Naveen excels in all stages of web/software development, including user interface design, testing, debugging, and continuous integration.

Promita is a seasoned Business Analyst and Implementation Lead with 10 years of experience in business analysis, design, development, and support. A Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and Product Owner (CSPO), she has extensive expertise in Agile frameworks and ERP systems like SAP, Workday, and SuccessFactors. Promita has led SAP S4 HANA implementations, conducted workshops, and provided end-user training, excelling in multi-country rollouts and collaboration with diverse teams.

Sam is a firm believer in the transformative power of technology, especially when harnessed to deliver process efficiencies and drive amazing outcomes for organisations. Having spent her career working predominantly on large scale transformation programs, in both technical and non technical environments, Sam is skilled in navigating complex stakeholder relationships and implementing change.

As a Senior BA for Fonterra IT, she works across multiple projects delivering strategic business outcomes and supporting ongoing development of process improvements. She is an energetic and vibrant "people person", that adapts quickly to new environments and establishes relationships easily. Her background includes traditional Business Analysis roles along with business process redesign, organisational process review, stakeholder management, relationship management, change engagement and project management. She is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion within the tech industry, leading change and supporting other women to grow.

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Shweta is a Product Owner and Consultant at Quanton, leading AI Product Services with a focus on Business Process Automation (BPA/RPA) and Continuous Improvement (CI) initiatives. With a deep understanding of the evolving business landscape, Shweta excels in aligning AI solutions with clients' strategic objectives, delivering impactful and measurable outcomes. Specializing in navigating the complexities of AI-driven transformation, she is dedicated to driving continuous improvement and innovation.

Steffie is the Chief of Staff for IT at Fonterra. We serve our 10,500 farmer owners with digital solutions underpinning the transformation of 16.6 Billion litres of milk per annum into 30% of the world’s dairy exports. Steffie works closely with executives and partners to deliver strategic outcomes across all areas of technology. In addition, she offers over seven years in technology transformation management consulting. She has a formative background as an internationally experienced Senior Technical Business Analyst winning the PMO of the Year at the Irish PMI National Project Awards in 2019. She brings a versatile blend of business acumen, technology insight, and technical delivery. As a young woman in IT and champion of diversity, she seeks to provide guidance and support to new talent as they navigate the complexities of the corporate world. She’s also a pretty good shot at pool.

With 27 years industry experience in companies in Australia and New Zealand, Suzanne has acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience across the breadth of IT capabilities. She started out as a software developer and navigated her way through operational management, project management, stakeholder engagement and people leadership. Suzanne is also visible, passionate leader driving change across the tech industry particularly in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Tracey has 15+ years’ experience as an IT people, thought and technical leader across Test, Release, Development, Build and DevOps capabilities and is experienced in resource planning, recruitment, and development of capabilities. She is an advocate of business-outcome delivery utilizing agile and lean delivery approaches with a passion for continuous delivery and automation. She loves designing and implementing Agile/DevOps delivery systems at scale.

She brings out the very best in people, loves diversity and relishes a challenge. Through adaptive leadership she enjoys nurturing, leading, building and developing high performing engineering teams. With a Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma, she recognizes continuous improvement as a team sport! Tracey has held international management positions at JP Morgan and Deloitte – her current role is building up a practice of awesome platform and release engineers at Fonterra.

Yvonne is a versatile Business Analyst specialising in Requirements Gathering, Process Improvement, and Stakeholder Communication. With expertise in Functional Testing, Risk Assessment, and User Experience Design, she ensures software projects meet stakeholder expectations.

Proficient in Agile methodologies, she facilitates scrum rituals and champions continuous improvement initiatives. Yvonne excels in documentation, change management, and stays updated on industry trends to drive innovation in software development processes.

Meet Zemira, she’s a Senior Technical Business Analyst at Kiwibank with a decade of finance industry experience under her belt. She’s a master of stakeholder engagement and cultivating the relationship between business teams and technical teams. Zemira "builds this bridge" by translating complex tech projects into understandable language.

Zemira started out as a customer service representative and proactively developed her career through roles in lending, people leadership, and now into the fascinating world of Digital & Technology. She really enjoys adapting to a fast changing environment, knowing that each day in technology is going to be different. Because of her varied background in finance, she is a keen learner and teacher - always creating an environment where people can flourish. She is quick to celebrate any and all successes with her teams. Personally, she loves her dog, to dance, and to climb up walls. (lol)