Humbled and honoured cannot describe how I feel upon receiving an invitation to be one of the Women in Technology Panelists at SQL Saturday Sydney from Heidi Wilson. I met Heidi for the very first time this year when she spoke at SQL Server User Group in Canberra. I also first heard about Tech Girls Movement by Dr Jenine Beekhuyzen this year too when I went to the launch of Tech Girls Movement at the Australian National University. I have known Warwick for a couple of years now, and first met him at SQL Saturday Portland in 2012. Through an introduction in my professional network, Heidi and I met with Sarah Azzam whom has an interesting IT background. Together I think we will all bring an interesting discussion at SQL Saturday Sydney on 25 Oct 2014.
What’s all the fuss about?
The intriguing discussion brings panelists from different backgrounds on the “Is mindset the biggest challenge when it comes to succeeding in a male dominated profession?” topic. Personally I think it is important to discuss a topic like this and to increase awareness, but also to explore what we can do as an individual, a family member and a community to spread the awareness and do something about it. I am a firm believer of planting the seed, starting with something small and eventually our collective efforts would make a big difference in time. This discussion is by no means an exclusive one to women. If you are a father, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a husband or a partner of a single female individual, we would love to have you here.
When and Where?
25 Oct 2014 at 2:00 pm
University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Register here
What perspectives can the panelists offer you?
Selected panelists are from different background as you can see in their bios below. I would encourage you to come along, to prepare some questions you may have and to participate in the discussion on the day.
Heidi Wilson
Heidi Wilson is a SQL Server Consultant and Microsoft Certified Trainer with WARDY IT Solutions and founder of sqlshowpiece—The SQL Server VLOG.
Heidi has over ten years experience working with SQL Server and has presented at various events including SQL Saturday and SQL Server User Groups across Australia. Known by her colleagues as the Queen of Clustering and Regina of Replication, she specialises in the design and implementation of highly available and disaster recoverable SQL Server solutions.
Heidi is the founder of sqlshowpiece—The SQL Server VLOG. A portal for video demos for the SQL Server community. This initiative provides everyone the opportunity to contribute to the SQL Server community and raise their profile as a SQL Server professional.
Heidi is a mentor for CoderDojo, helping kids to learn technology and through the ICT in Schools Program has partnered with a primary school to contribute to their ICT curriculum.
Heidi blogs at sqlskirt.com and tweets as @sqlskirt.
Julie Koesmarno
Julie Koesmarno is a SQL Server MVP, MCSE Data Platform, MCSE Business Intelligence, Microsoft Certified Trainer, SQL Server and BI Consultant at LobsterPot Solutions and has a Bachelor’s degree in IT.
Julie has over 10 years of experience working with SQL Server for large-scale and multi-million-dollar OLTP and ETL projects as a SQL Server developer and system analyst/designer. Her recent projects include delivering SQL Server 2012 data warehouse and BI solutions for leading finance companies in the US and Australia.
Julie is an active member of the SQL Server Community. She established SQL Server Malibu while living in the US. Currently a co-chapter leader of PASS Data Warehousing / Business Intelligence Virtual Chapter, she helps growing new speakers and acquiring established speakers to deliver high quality content, from her new home town, Canberra. Julie is also a speaker at various international and local SQL Server conferences, including PASS Summit in the US, SQL Bits in the UK, SQL Server Days in Belgium and SQL Saturdays in Australia.
During her free time, Julie writes SQL Server, BI and Data Visualisation tips and tricks as well publishes reviews and latest news from the Data world, on MsSQLGirl.com and tweets as @MsSQLGirl.
Sarah Azzam
Sarah Azzam is a Windows Application Development Manager at Microsoft and a mentor in the ABCN Goals and Propellher programs.
Sarah landed an internship with Microsoft in the Corporate Accounts team in her final year of her undergraduate degree. 10 months later, she secured a graduate role with Microsoft and is now a Windows Application Development Manager in the Developer Experience Team.
Sarah says the past 3 years at Microsoft were an unlikely path for her, but one she has never regretted.
Sarah is a mentor in the Australian Business and Community Network (ABCN) GOALS program, partnering students with industry mentors to provide career advice, develop vital interpersonal and life skills, and build confidence. Sarah also participates in the PropellHer program as a mentor, providing support to women to achieve excellence in their careers.
Sarah has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Masters in Business Management and Organisations from Macquarie University.
Warwick Rudd
Warwick Rudd is the owner, founder and principal consultant for SQL Masters Consulting and is a Microsoft Certified Master.
With over 15 years experience in the IT industry both here in Australia and England, Warwick has become one of the leading SQL Server consultants in Australia. Since first starting with SQL Server 6.5, Warwick has acquired certifications for SQL Server including the Microsoft Certified Master (MCM) – SQL 2008, Microsoft Certified Solutions Master (MCSM) – Data platform and is a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). Warwick is one of Australia’s leading consultants on SQL Server’s AlwaysOn Availability Groups.
To complement his MCT, Warwick has also achieved a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40110).
Warwick has spoken at Microsoft Tech Ed Australia, numerous local SQL Server user groups and SQLSaturday events here in Australia and New Zealand. Warwick has also spoken at the SQLLunchUK user group in London and published articles on SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Groups on SimpleTalk.com.
Jenine Beekhuyzen
Dr Jenine Beekhuyzen is the founder of Tech Girls Movement and author of Tech Girls Are Superheroes and Tech Girls Are Chic!
Jenine is an advocate for diversity in IT and has a long history of organising and presenting at girls and computing events and visiting schools, and is the Founder of the non-profit Tech Girls Movement. She is the author of Tech Girls Are Superheroes and Tech Girls are Chic! Jenine has a strong academic publishing record on gender and IT and runs her own research consulting business, Adroit Research.
Jenine is a university lecturer in Information Technology at Griffith University and she serves a number of editorial roles in academic journals. She is the Asia-Pacific representative for the Association for Information Systems-National Center for Women in Technology (US) and the United Nations PRME Coordinator of the global repository on gender and technology. Her networks extend to Europe, the United States and Asia. She has research collaborations with Deakin University, QUT, the University of Muenster (Germany), the University of Twente (The Netherlands) and the University of Liechtenstein.
Hope to see you there!
Julie
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