Technology plays a part in every aspect of our lives, so diversity in tech is critical – and can benefit both the tech industry and society at large. If you’ve ever helped a child go to a public restroom, you might have an understanding of what we mean. Whether it’s the height of the sink, the toilet or the light switch, a child struggles to use many public facilities. This stems from a lack of diversity – if only one type of person is designing from their own experiences, society suffers. People can only extrapolate so much – we need diversity in tech (and in all fields) to account for diverse experiences of life.
In this special episode of ISG’s Digital Dish, we honor Black History Month and shine a light on what it’s like to be a BIPOC woman in the tech industry. we speak to Tiera Gray, Vice President, Office of the CIO at Exelon. Tiera shares her insights and first-hand experience of the challenges and opportunities faced by many minorities in the industry today.
Plus, hear Tiera’s valuable advice for girls and women wanting to carve out a fulfilling and rewarding career in the tech space. And find out why hair is a crucial part the conversation. Have you heard of the CROWN act? If not, we’ll catch you up to speed in the post-interview debrief with hosts Lois Coatney and Jeanne Cuff.
Meet the hosts
Lois Coatney
Lois Coatney has been the ideal guiding advocate for her Fortune 500 clients, whom she has consistently helped get the most value out of their service providers and supply bases. That’s because, for more than two decades, Lois was the service provider. Today, as ISG’s President of Americas Sales, she is central to driving the firm’s revenue and growth.
Past achievements for clients
Throughout her career, Lois has consulted clients on their operating models and organizational designs so that they can work most effectively internally. She’s pivoted that experience to her approach to her current role, which goes much further than looking at the numbers and bottom line. She examines what ISG’s strengths are and considers how the firm can put its best foot forward to sell its services. Pairing that with a deep understanding of clients’ needs and of ISG’s function in the market, Lois makes decisions on how the firm can enhance those same offerings. She also views her work as a worthwhile means to strengthen ISG’s client relationships, which she contributes to by mentoring ISG account executives.
Lois’s expertise in contracting, experience in supplier management and willingness to travel across the globe to create something new and modern have enabled her to:
- Lead and roll out ISG GovernX®, a tool that directly helps clients and their businesses manage third-party risk, solve governance and service integration challenges, and drive optimal performance of their sources.
- Help a large governmental client migrate their $2.2 Billion annual IT spend to a consumption-based procurement model.
Jeanne Cuff
LinkedIn Profile
