My journey into the world of technology began in school, where I was captivated by mathematics and physics—two subjects that challenged my mind and sparked my curiosity. Fast-forward to today, and I’m a Product Owner, helping to shape cutting-edge solutions in identity management and Strong Customer Authentication (SCA). But my story, like so many women in tech, wasn’t straightforward.
I’ve been in the tech industry for over 12 years, starting with a bachelor’s degree in information systems and completing a master’s in engineering management. Back then, I couldn’t have imagined that my passion for problem-solving would take me from mobile development to leading products that impact millions of people’s daily digital interactions.
Creativity in Tech
For most of my career, I worked as an iOS mobile developer, where I built apps from the ground up and watched them come to life on people’s screens. It was thrilling, challenging, and constantly evolving—a reflection of my love for creating things, much like my passion for art, music, and theatre. The technical world can seem rigid from the outside, but it’s incredibly creative at its core, and that’s where I found my path. I loved the challenge of writing code, but even more, I enjoyed the bigger picture: thinking about why we build, what we build, and how it shapes people’s lives.
The Product Owner World
It was this desire to make a broader impact that led me to transition into the product world. As a Product Owner, I’m no longer the person coding the solution, but I’m the one steering the ship. My day is filled with balancing user needs, technical requirements, and business goals—all while ensuring that we build secure, seamless, and scalable products. It’s about leading a team, collaborating with developers, designers, and stakeholders, and making decisions that shape the future of the products we offer.
My current role focuses on identity and Strong Customer Authentication, two areas that are crucial for security in the digital world. Every time you log into an online bank account or verify your identity online, there’s a complex system working in the background to keep your data safe. My team and I are responsible for making sure that the process is secure and user-friendly.
Advice
It’s been a challenging, exciting journey—from being one of the few women in my university classes to working in a male-dominated industry. But every challenge has made me stronger, and every step has opened new doors. I’ve worked in sectors like communications, compliance, and credit solutions, learning new things and pushing myself out of my comfort zone each time.
For any young women, girls, or non-binary people thinking about a career in technology, my advice is this: don’t limit yourself. Technology is one of the most creative, diverse, and exciting fields out there. Whether you’re coding, designing, managing, or strategising, you’re building the future. And your unique perspective is exactly what this field needs.
My journey has taught me that no dream is too big, and no challenge is too tough if you’re passionate about what you do. Tech is not just about computers—it’s about people, creativity, and solving real-world problems. And trust me, we need more diverse voices to help solve them.
There’s no straight path to success, but that’s what makes the journey worthwhile. So, if you’re passionate about STEAM—whether it’s science, technology, engineering, arts, or math—embrace it. You have the power to shape the future, and the world is waiting to see what you’ll create.
