Meet the Mentors

As a Senior Manager in the Data Science team, Katie’s focus is building Data Science capability across the group by translating business challenges into data science solutions and supporting the learning of incoming talent and existing colleagues across LBG. Katie has worked in analytics and data science for 13 years across various areas of LBG including credit risk, IT and operations. Katie is passionate about supporting colleagues to build data science capability and is committed to providing opportunities for people from all backgrounds to learn new skills.

As a Senior Data Science Analyst at Lloyds Banking Group, I specialize in maintaining and developing cutting-edge data science models for the Consumer Lending division. Our team is dedicated to optimizing lending processes, risk assessment, and customer experience through data-driven insights.

I hold a master’s degree in data science from Queen Mary University London, and bachelor’s degree in computer science engineering from India where I honed my skills in machine learning, statistical analysis, predictive modelling, and computer science.

Three years ago, I embarked on an exciting journey from Nepal to London, bringing my passion for data science to the vibrant financial hub of the UK.

I am Jamie, and that is all I have ever wanted to be… With 22 years working within the B2B, Retail and AV industry I am passionate about people and have a huge desire to leave a legacy beyond my years in an industry that has given me so much that paves a more inclusive path for both today and tomorrow’s generations.

Michelle Conway is a Lead Data Scientist at Lloyds Banking Group, having joined the group in 2018 as part of the Machine Intelligence Program, which applies machine learning at scale. With over 13 years of technical data experience across various sectors, she now works in an MLOps team. Her role sees her leading the charge on several production projects, delivering impactful results, and spearheading innovative solutions that drive the business forward. A mentor at heart, Michelle's contributions extend beyond project deliverables to nurturing the growth and development of emerging talent within her team. Her passion for data science is evident in her work, particularly in deploying machine learning models into production and transitioning to the new platform on Google Cloud. Outside of her technical endeavours, Michelle is a community advocate, having established a thriving network for women engaged in Python-based data science projects. Originally from Ireland, she’s now soaking in the London vibe, appreciating its culture and awesome artwork

Anushka is Head of Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion at Softcat plc. Anushka joined Softcat 21 years ago with a Maths and Computing degree. After starting a career in Sales, Anushka went on to set up the Learning and Development function to support Softcat’s growth. The function has been focused on ensuring that a learning culture is adopted in all parts of the organisation. Anushka is now Head Employee Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion and is passionate about company culture whilst ensuring Softcat is an employer of choice by putting our employees first.

Zoe is a survivor of a high-profile domestic violence attack having been tortured and held for over 8 hours. Although she escaped with her life, she was then subjected to a justice system that she describes as broken. Using her 20+ years of professional experience working across Public Sector; Health, Law Enforcement & Local Authority advising on technology and services that support government policy, and having ran a child protection agency, she can see clearly where the system is failing, so is compelled to make a difference. A regular commentator in the media, Zoe is a campaigner for the rights of women, victims of domestic abuse and stalking. She has made fundamental changes in both the criminal and family justice system using her own experiences to highlight failings and has changed legislation to close loopholes. Zoe is on the Trust Board of Paladin National stalking advocacy service, the first trauma informed service for high-risk victims of stalking and sits on the Victim & Witness Engagement Group at Ministry of Justice (MoJ) inputting into court reform. Zoe has even incorporated her keen interest in property to help others and owns a property portfolio in her home city Coventry, where she works with local charities to house victims of abuse and homelessness.

Alice is a Chapter Lead in the central Data Science team at Lloyds Banking Group. She leads 3 large programmes of work including: the group’s data science lifecycle, the group’s model inventory & risk management tool & the ethical ai library. Her background is in consulting & data mining/statistics (with an MSc in Marketing & Business Analysis from the University of Edinburgh) with over 10 years’ experience, including 5 at Lloyds. Outside her day to day role, she is involved in a number of activities close to her heart: she is the Steerco Lead for Women in Data at LBG, a contributor to the Women ConnecTech network, and a leading member of the Inclusion & Diversity pillar. This is Alice's 4th year of being a judge for these awards, having herself won an award in 2020

Samantha has been happily entrenched in the cybersecurity industry for 25 years. During this time, she has helped hundreds of organizations of all shapes, sizes, and geographies recover and learn from cyberattacks, defined strategy for pioneering security products and technologies, and is a regular speaker at security conferences around the world. In her current regeneration, Sam heads up the International Security Strategy team at Exabeam, and is on the board for The Hacking Games. She authors articles and blogs for various security publications, has a strong passion for mentoring, and volunteers at cybersecurity community events. Sam's on the organisation teams for three UK BSides conferences (Newcastle, Leeds, and Lancashire), volunteers as a SOC Goon at DefCon, and has won various awards including CSO30 UK, TechWomen100, and Top 20 Most Inspiring Women in Cyber.

Donavan Hutchinson is the Founder and CEO for D&A Services International Ltd the industries first DEI As A Service organisation. Donavan is also a Governor at Barnsley College with over 20 years in the technology industry and has a wealth of experience in leadership, sales strategy, compliance, mergers and acquisitions and international collaboration programs having worked as an executive leader for some of the world largest technology reseller organisations. His commitment to driving change across various industries in promoting equality for all has been instrumental in the growth of several organisations he has had the opportunity to lead during his tenure. Awarded by CRN as the 2023 Industry Achievement Award Winner, CRN Diversity A lister, CRN Channel A Lister, CRN Executive Mentor of the Year finalist 2023 and CRN Mental Health Champion of the Year finalist 2023 , Donavan's focus on equality focuses on all demographics as he continues to drive education and awareness programs across the community socially but also through consultative engagements. Donavan's focus on DEI has been seen at a global level with features in Humans Of Globe and CIO Views as one of the Top 10 Global trailblazer Leaders in DEI. Donavan is an out and proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and Pride Life Global Advocate and has utilised his own experience in helping to educate others to be their most authentic version of themselves , speaking at several events on the topic of DEI and driving positive cultural change through education and awareness.

I think most people would call me a IT veteran as been in the industry over 30+ years now! I joined CAE back 2000 after 11 years at Computacenter. First role was Service Manager and over the next 4 years became a co-owner and Board member as part of initial MBO back in 2004. I have held various positions on the board between 2004-2018 and it was so rewarding see CAE grow from strength to strength and being part of that successful team. Since stepping down from the board in 2018, I moved into a Culture Director role, which was really exciting and challenging being part of a team involved in setting up and defining our Culture. My present role is now a Business Coach which is simply the most rewarding role I could ever wish for. I’ve always been fascinated about the human potential and what motivates individuals, as we are all unique and have different aspirations/challenges in life. I get immense satisfaction working with people and watching them grow and develop into best versions of themselves in both work and life outside of IT! In addition to having a MBA over the past 10+ years studied and Certified in NLP, Coaching/Mentoring and Executive Coaching.

Fiona is an experienced leader and marketing professional with 17+ years working in the technology sector. CEO of Revere Agency, a strategic B2B technology marketing agency - clients include Avanade, Lenovo, Microsoft, Samsung, Softcat and Westcoast. Fiona has a notable interest in supporting women to strive for leadership positions and, is a 2024 finalist for Executive Mentor of the Year at the CRN Women and Diversity in Channel Awards. Experienced in marketing, Fiona can help with people, business growth, career development, imposter syndrome, managing upwards, managing a team, and starting a new business.

Jill Murray has a proven track record in global marketing, helping organisations of all sizes including Fortune 500 companies, successfully expand through differentiated branding, innovative demand generation and disruptive digital transformation strategies. She swiftly identifies the threads of opportunity that wind through an organisation and helps others extend their thinking, with the aim of driving material business advantage. She is a motivating leader who tells stories that inspire action and is committed to delivering business growth through performance-led solutions, underpinned by metrics which prove ROI. In her current role, she is also executive sponsor of Diversity and Inclusion, and as such, has been instrumental in leading transformative diversity initiatives which promote a supportive and welcoming workplace environment.

Susan worked in the IT industry for 30+ years. She started her career as a developer and climbed the corporate ladder to become a UK&I Operations Director for a multinational payments organisation. As an Operations Director and certified coach, she seamlessly blended her passion for diversity and empowering women. In addition to her daily Ops Director tasks and DEI initiatives, she provided personalised coaching to help women achieve career balance and growth. Susan pursued her passion and purpose in 2022 by leaving her corporate IT job to establish her organisation, Shift Left Ltd, launched in Feb. 2023. She now uses her industry experience and coaching skills to help women who feel undervalued, unseen, and uncertain about the direction of their careers. These women have significantly improved their lives, achieving promotions, switching jobs and companies, and enjoying a better work-life balance crucial to their well-being. She is driven by her vision of advancing Equity in the Tech industry by shifting the goals towards the left without waiting for the decades indicated by the UN and other organisations. Instead, her business aims to positively impact the lives of every woman she works with, improving their workplace culture and relationships and ultimately paving the way for the future trailblazing women that the industry needs.

With over 30 years of professional experience as a senior executive, both within and beyond SAP, I am recognized as a sales and organizational leader esteemed for my reliability, strategic thinking, and results-driven approach. Proficient in establishing and developing organizations, my track record showcases the successful delivery of substantial revenues and profits, always cultivating customer relationships in both mid-size, large organizations. As a leader, I can work comfortably within a complex matrix and thrive in multi-cultural settings, always striving to bring out the best across teams. I strongly believe in the power of difference, and I am a firm advocate that a team that's motivated and empowered thrives in a culture that's positive, encouraging, and results driven. I'm passionate about recognizing and nurturing individual talents, empowering each team member to unfold their unique potential and become the inspiring leaders of our collective tomorrow. In my current role at SAP, my team’s commitment revolves around delivering cutting-edge innovation as we strive to become the #1 enterprise application and business AI company. Along with our incredible ecosystem, we make sure to deliver a digital-first, connected end-to-end Customer Value Journey. I take pride in our collective efforts, culminating in the creation of the SAP Immersive Journey Platform, which received the prestigious Hasso Plattner Founders' Award (the highest SAP employee recognition), in the Go-To-Market Category in 2022. Beyond my role at SAP, I am passionate about sharing insights through keynotes and interviews covering various topics such as AI, innovation, sales, sustainability, women in leadership & tech, Diversity and Inclusion. This commitment to fostering diversity has been acknowledged with global accolades like the Global Stevie Awards in Women in Business (Gold), Women in Sales (Silver), and Most Innovative Woman of the Year in Tech (Bronze), culminating in the honour of being titled Strong Women in IT 2023 and one of the “10 Most Impactful Women Leaders in Tech 2024.

Maya Purkayastha is Head of Legal UK at Computacenter. She qualified as a UK solicitor in 2007 and has worked at Computacenter for 25 years. She is a senior leader in the organisation and runs a department of 16 Legal Advisers and Contract Managers. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encouraging young people into both IT and Legal careers, particularly females and those from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds. In 2023, she was recognised for her extensive charity and mentoring work, winning “Diversity Champion on the Year”, and becoming a finalist in the category of “Unsung Hero” at the CRN Women & Diversity In-Channel Awards 2023.

Amanda is a 30-year IT veteran starting her career in South Africa. She has worked for a variety of IT vendors including Unisys, Visio, Microsoft and SAP in a variety of customer and partner facing roles across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Amanda joined AWS in 2019 where she has held several positions including EMEA Partner lead and UKI SMB Lead, today she leads the UKI ProServe team supporting customers to reimagine their business go to markets and digital strategy.

Kirsti Smith (she/they) is a transformational coach working with neurodivergent women in tech who are struggling with the demands of work and life with a neurodivergent condition. Kirsti worked in various IT Support roles for over 20 years, with 16 of them being in the NHS, working with limited resources, funds and staff. Being creative with solutions becomes a way of life in this environment and the resourcefulness of neurodivergent staff is essential to this process. As well as coaching, Kirsti now provides compassionate IT support to small business owners who have traditionally struggled to find caring, ad-hoc technical support. Having been diagnosed with ADHD and autism as a middle-aged adult, Kirsti has researched extensively how this has affected not only her personal life, but also how this has benefitted the organisations she has worked for. Kirsti is now committed to improving understanding and acceptance of neurodivergent staff by highlighting the incredible benefits of having them on your team, whilst providing accommodations that can benefit the whole workforce

Alex is a well-known face & voice in the IT Channel having worked in IT distribution for almost 30 years – and is currently Executive Director at the UK’s largest distributor – Westcoast Limited where he has worked for 16 years – initially as Sales & Marketing Director and then Managing Director. As part of his role, Alex has always promoted the cause of Women in Technology and has helped to increase the proportion of women at Westcoast and working successfully to reduce the business’s gender pay gap. He is a regular supporter at The Channel Company’s Women in Tech Festival as both attendee and sponsor and promotes technology as a career for ALL in schools as the Chair of the Berkshire Cornerstone Employer’s group and an Enterprise Advisor (currently to Maiden Erlagh School in Reading). Westcoast increasingly look to support a diverse working environment with recent training for all employees on neuro-diversity and wellbeing aiders across the business. Alex also sits on the Technology Leadership Group of the Prince’s Trust supporting young disadvantaged people in the UK. He has a high profile outside the technology industry having regular media attention.

Gemma is a tech marketing specialist with over 20 years in the channel, working collaboratively to unlock growth in channel marketing and strategic alliances. She’s led global partner marketing organisations for vendors, worked in distribution, run an agency and now offers bespoke channel marketing consulting and execution. She excels in generating impactful marketing strategy, ideas and nurturing genuine relationships, all underpinned by a keen analytical and creative approach. Her focus is on enhancing channel relationships, fostering creativity with key partners and driving growth.

My core focus is to help Computacenter customers and vendor stakeholders understand and mitigate real-world challenges presented by Cyber security to IT systems and business outcomes. 17 years at Computacenter Prior to Computacenter, I held roles at Compaq, BT, Morse, and HP and numerous other leading IT organisations. 30+ years in IT strategy & leadership positions as an innovative technology thinker and future focused strategist offering unique perspectives on the cyber security industry, business change, vendors and with a specialism in early stage / emerging cyber technologies