Session: It’s Not Too Late to Reinvent Yourself: How mentorship can increase female leadership in tech
The Path/Advancing to the C-Suite:
The path to the C-suite can feel unattainable, particularly for women in the tech industry. With just 1 in 4 C-suite members being women — and even fewer women of color, the need for more diversity in leadership is evident. Deanna Lanier, Chief Strategy Officer at Icertis, recognizes that her own career experiences highlight this underrepresentation. That’s why she believes mentorship is a pivotal yet overlooked function of increasing women in leadership to create a more inclusive future.
As the tech industry propels forward at an unprecedented pace, Deanna will shed light on the power of mentorship, why it is the foundation for women navigating professional hurdles, and how to leverage their strengths and find communities for support. She’d like to explore the ways leaders and organizations can help cultivate opportunities for women and underrepresented groups - starting with mentorship programs and curating collaborative environments.
The session will offer listeners the opportunity to hear from someone who has navigated the highs and lows on her way up to the C-suite; Deanna will provide real-world anecdotes and recommendations on how organizations and senior leaders can succeed while simultaneously promoting diversity of thought.
Bio
As Chief Strategy Officer, Deanna Lanier focuses on extending Icertis’ lead in contract intelligence, helping the company expand its operations, broaden its footprint, and accelerate customer outcomes by enabling businesses to realize the full intent of their commercial agreements.
An industry veteran, Deanna has deep expertise in enterprise software sales, business development, strategy, alliances and partnerships, and building world-class teams. Prior to joining Icertis, Deanna was Senior Vice President of Strategy, Growth, and Partnerships at Infor, a leading supplier of industry-specific software solutions. She has also held leadership roles at Adobe, McKinsey & Company, KPMG, and Microsoft.
Deanna holds an MBA from Queens University of Charlotte and a B.A. from North Carolina State University. She is a resident of Kirkland, Washington, where she lives with her husband and two sons.