Session: Navigating Careers and Mental Health
When I began my career in the US with Microsoft at 24, I thought that was the epitome of a Tech role you could possibly land. I am driven, goal-oriented and passionate about the job. Six months into the job and a wonderful review by the team and my manager, I slowly developed depression which without my conscious knowledge affected my work and personal life. Once I was clinically diagnosed with depression, I refused to accept the diagnosis and it made my mental health worse. It took me years to acknowledge I needed help and once I started seeking therapy, the impact it had on me and my career was immense and unexpected. In this talk, I would like to share about that journey or talk about importance of mental health in our lives.
Bio
Growing up in a small town in rural India, I never dared to imagine the possibility of 'Me' that exists today. Its often people that come from the smallest of places that have the biggest of dreams. I have always loved Technology. As a young girl, Internet was magic to me and I wanted to be the magician.
My decade long career in Networking and Infrastructure spans across three continents and countries- India, US and the UK. Along with acquiring a Master's degree in Networked Systems from University of California, Irvine, I have worked for multiple organizations of varying sizes and shapes to deliver the best Infrastructure for their IT services. Organically I ventured into Cloud infrastructure. I have designed and built the IT Infrastructure for many services and applications ranging from a million-hits-per-second websites at Microsoft to Pharma and Drug Industry applications to Logistics Warehouse Management Solutions. Seeing the big picture and architecting the right solution for a customer has been my focus. I am passionate about the Cloud because of how it has made technology accessible to every part of the world and quite literally changed the way we live.
A career in Technology changed my life in ways I never imagined. It afforded me the financial independence and Global agility that enabled me to live my best life. I want more women to be able to say that. This is what motivates me to be a voice for Women in Tech. Besides being a very vocal advocate for women in tech I am also a STEM ambassador in the UK, member of DigiGirlz forum at Microsoft and also the lead for Women in CXP group all of which aim to encourage women into Tech industry and also make this space more female oriented.
Also, having battled depression and anxiety, I am now a passionate advocate for mental health. I organize sessions across Microsoft with the goal of creating awareness and creating a comfortable space for people to come forward and talk about it.