Leading Women in Tech Podcast

If you've ever worried that an unconventional career path in tech leadership might hold you back — that your background isn't "technical enough," linear enough, or traditional enough — this episode will fundamentally challenge that belief.
In this conversation, Toni Collis is joined by Lisa Ferrante-Walsh, SVP of Engineering at Native Instruments, whose career journey spans music, computer science, engineering leadership, mergers and acquisitions, and even stepping into an acting CTO role. Lisa's story is a powerful example of how a nonlinear career path in tech can become a strategic advantage rather than a liability.
Toni & Lisa discuss what it really takes to move from individual contributor to people leader, how to lead engineering teams through M&A without losing trust or momentum, and why executive confidence, decision-making, and visibility matter even more when your background doesn't fit the "expected" mould.
This episode is essential listening if you're a woman in tech navigating a career transition into senior leadership, leading through organizational change, or questioning whether you truly belong at the executive table.
 
Connect with today's guest and sponsor, Lisa Ferrante-Walsh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaferrantewalsh/
This episode was sponsored by our guest, Lisa Ferrante-Walsh. Thank you Lisa for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!

If the idea of going fractional feels exciting and terrifying at the same time — you're not alone.
In this episode of Leading Women in Tech, we explore what fractional leadership really looks like for senior women who want more autonomy, impact, and alignment — without blowing up their careers.
This episode is for you if:
◾You're curious about fractional work but worried about legality, stability, or time
◾You've been asked to "advise" startups or former colleagues — informally and often unpaid
◾You want meaningful, senior-level work without the full-time corporate trap
◾You're wondering if a portfolio or fractional career could be a smart next step
Rather than hype or hustle culture, this conversation focuses on clarity.
You'll learn:
◾What fractional leadership actually is (and what it isn't)
◾The three most common starting points women have when exploring fractional work
◾How to explore fractional leadership safely alongside a full-time role
◾The real fears women have — about contracts, confidence, pricing, and visibility — and how to address them
◾Why most fractional experiments fail (and how to avoid those mistakes)
◾How to test fractional work intentionally, without quitting or burning bridges
This episode is not about deciding everything today.
It's about understanding what's possible — so you can make your next move with confidence.
🎯 Next step:
If this episode resonates and you'd like to talk through your own fractional career options, you can book a complimentary strategy session with me to design your own fractional career right here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/64a6bd61/appointment/86825111/calendar/3066450?appointmentTypeIds[]=86825111

What does it really take to lead in a male-dominated industry — and build an AI-driven company grounded in trust, ethics, and human impact?
In this episode of Leading Women in Tech, I'm joined by Shelley Copsey, CEO & Co-Founder of FYLD — a fast-growing, AI-powered platform transforming how frontline teams in infrastructure and utilities make decisions, stay safe, and improve productivity in real time.
Shelley brings over 20 years of experience at the intersection of physical infrastructure, digital innovation, AI strategy, and human transformation, and she shares powerful insights on navigating self-doubt, being underestimated, scaling ethically with AI, and leading teams through rapid change.
If you're a woman in tech, an aspiring executive, or a leader navigating AI transformation, this conversation will elevate how you think about leadership, trust, and impact.
 
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
⏹  How Shelley went from underestimated early-career consultant to award-winning CEO
⏹  Why traditional male leadership role models don't work for women — and how she found her own executive presence
⏹  The mindset that helped her secure a CEO role during the height of COVID
⏹  How she builds trust as a CEO — and why hiring with a "presumption of trust" changes everything
⏹  What ethical AI looks like in high-stakes environments (safety, field operations, human risk)
⏹  Why leaders must reimagine every role in the AI era (customer success, operations, engineering & beyond)
⏹  How to bring teams along when they resist AI
⏹  What self-doubt looks like at the CEO level — and how Shelley manages it with clarity and compassion
⏹  The best leadership advice she's ever received (and the worst!)
 
**Useful links**
⏹  Connect with today's guest, Shelley:
     ⏹  Web: https://fyld.ai/ 
     ⏹  Shelley's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelleycopsey/ 
 
This episode was supported by Shelley Copsey, CEO of FYLD. Thank you Shelley for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!

Most leaders start the year with good intentions —
but by February, meetings, emergencies, and team issues take over.
And suddenly, your career is something that just happens to you.
In this solo episode of Leading Women in Tech, Toni Collis walks you step-by-step through how to create your 2026 Leadership Roadmap — a clear, strategic plan to move your career forward intentionally, not reactively.
This episode is for you if:
    •    You're working hard but not seeing progression
    •    You feel overworked, under-recognised, or invisible
    •    You're ready for promotion but not being tapped
    •    You want to stop reacting and start leading strategically
You'll learn:
    •    Why "trying harder" doesn't create career acceleration
    •    How senior leaders actually plan their growth
    •    The difference between productivity goals and leadership goals
    •    How to define your 2026 North Star
    •    The key visibility, influence, and strategic gaps holding you back
    •    A simple 5-pillar leadership roadmap framework
    •    Why subtraction and boundaries are essential for leadership growth
    •    How to turn your roadmap into a quarterly, sustainable plan
This episode bridges mindset → action, helping you design a year that supports the leader you're becoming — not the role you've outgrown.
🎯 If you want support turning this roadmap into real momentum, you can book a discovery call at tonicollis.com/lets-chat 
 
#LeadershipRoadmap #WomenInTech #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerPlanning #WomenInLeadership #ExecutivePresence #PromotionReady #LeadershipGrowth #StrategicLeadership #LeadingWomenInTech #ToniCollis

In today's episode, we're going deep into one of the most urgent leadership topics of 2025: cybersecurity, AI risk, and the new era of digital trust.
This is no longer a technical issue — it's a leadership issue.
I'm joined by Karen Kaukol, Chief Marketing Officer at Entrust, a global leader in identity, security, and trust. Karen brings decades of experience across global payments, financial services, and technology, including senior leadership roles at First Data and Graebel Relocation. 
Karen has a unique superpower: she translates complex cybersecurity and AI challenges into clear, actionable insight for business leaders.
Together, we explore:
⏹   How AI is reshaping cybersecurity — fast
⏹   Why trust is now the #1 competitive advantage for every company
⏹   What leaders (not just CISOs) must understand about AI agents inside their systems
⏹   The new expectations boards have around cybersecurity risk
⏹   Why high performers need to adopt AI tools, not avoid them
⏹   How marketing and communications are being transformed by AI
⏹   How to build a culture of trust, resilience, and cross-functional alignment
⏹   What it really means to lead through a cybersecurity crisis
If you're a senior leader or aspiring executive — especially a woman in tech — this episode will help you build literacy in AI governance, cybersecurity strategy, digital trust, and leadership communication in an environment where the stakes have never been higher.
About Karen Kaukol
Karen Kaukol is the Chief Marketing Officer at Entrust, leading global marketing, brand, and strategy across a company at the forefront of identity, trust, and security innovation. She previously served as CMO at Graebel Relocation and spent 17 years at First Data (now Fiserv) in senior global marketing leadership roles. She holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor's degree from Indiana University.  
Connect with Karen and Entrust:
⏹    https://www.entrust.com/ 
⏹    https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenkaukol/

This episode was sponsored by our guest, Karen Kaukol. Thank you Karen for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!