Sacha Dekker is a VP global Go To Market Enablement at HubSpot. She’s been working in commercial L&D and Enablement for 15 years now.
In August 2015 she was rendered paralyzed and she’s been a disability advocate ever since. There are usually no examples when it comes to senior executives with disabilities so Sacha has decided to set one.
Especially for the WomenTech Network, Sacha agreed to give an interview and share her story.
Join the Women in Tech Global Conference 2022 to hear Sacha's talk "Resilience, mindset and overcoming adversity", and other inspiring sessions.
Are you excited to be among the speakers at the Women in Tech Global Conference 2022 and what motivated you to join our community of 100 000 women in tech, minorities, and allies?
Yes, I'm incredibly excited to be a speaker at the Women in Tech Global Conference 2022. There are so few senior leaders with a physical disabilities and hardly any women, so role models are difficult to find. I find it incredibly important that people see women of every ethnicity, age, and ability represented in tech. I want every woman to know that there's a career path, that everything is possible. When I came out of the hospital, after being told I'd probably spend my life in a wheelchair in a nursing home, I would have loved a role model, someone who could tell me how they'd done it. There were no examples, so I decided to set one.
Share with us about your background, your journey in tech, and what inspired you to develop your career in this direction?
I started my career in the oil & energy industry, where I discovered my passion for commercial L&D/Enablement. The company was good to me but also incredibly slow, archaic, and process-driven, so when a recruiter from LinkedIn called asking me to come work for them (and move to Ireland in the process) I didn't hesitate for a moment. That was ten years ago and I've been in tech ever since. What I love most about it, is that is fast and innovative. If you stop innovating in tech you lose out instantly and that attracts a certain type of people. People who have a growth mindset, who are goal-driven, and who thrive on change. I love working with these people and being in Enablement means I get to help them unlock their true potential and be the best they can be, which is the most rewarding thing in the world!
Who would you advise to attend the Women in Tech Global Conference and why?
If you're a woman and you work in tech there is going to be value for you in attending this conference. Not only will you hear from industry-leading speakers who will give you new insights that you can apply in your job, but you will also get the opportunity to expand your network and that is something you should always capitalize on.
🎤 In her #WTGC2022 session, Sacha Dekker will share her personal story of a senior executive with physical disabilities. She will talk about resilience, overcoming adversity, and the importance of defining yourself first, instead of listening to what others think of what you’re capable of.
