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Increasing representation of women in executive technology leadership roles

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Increasing representation of women in executive technology leadership roles

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Content Increasing Representation of Women in Executive Technology Leadership Roles
Danyel Lee Bischof-Forsyth
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education
December 2023

© Copyright by Danyel Lee Bischof-Forsyth 2023
All Rights Reserved

The Committee for Danyel Lee Bischof-Forsyth certifies the approval of this Dissertation
Paula Carbone
Kim Ferrario
Cathy Krop, Committee Chair
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2023

iv
Abstract
The underrepresentation of girls and women in technology is a persistent issue. Researchers have
consistently noted that the problem begins in grade school and perpetuates through college and
eventually into the workplace. The gender gap widens as women progress in their careers and
ascend to executive leadership positions. This qualitative study addressed the problem of
women’s underrepresentation in executive technology positions. Specifically, it leveraged
Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to examine how different environmental factors
interact and ultimately impact the individual. Women holding the top technology roles in various
large companies were interviewed about their experiences, strategies, and supports as they
ascended to their leadership positions. The data were analyzed and synthesized with relevant
prior research to generate findings. The findings led to recommendations for increasing women’s
representation in executive technology positions.

v
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the phenomenal EdD OCL professors who made the journey a wonderful
experience. I was incredibly lucky and eternally grateful to Dr. Cathy Krop as my dissertation
chair. She provided non-stop positive encouragement and expert guidance as I navigated my
research. She had a knack for knowing precisely when to send that uplifting message. Thanks
also to Dr. Paula Carbone and Dr. Kim Ferrario for investing in me. I was fortunate to have both
as course professors, in addition to serving on my dissertation committee. Their feedback was
invaluable in positively shaping my dissertation.
One of the best parts of the OCL program was being a part of Cohort 20. Our pledge to
each other to provide the support needed to ensure no doctor was left behind was inspiring. I
have never learned as much as I did from my colleagues in the program. Their willingness to
share their lived experiences allowed me to see the world from completely different perspectives.
Earning my doctorate was always a dream. I started the process over 30 years ago but did
not finish. It was not the right time. After accumulating years of professional experience and a
deepening passion for paving the way for girls and women in technology, I decided to pursue my
EdD at USC at the perfect time. It would never have been possible without the unwavering
support of my family, especially my adult kids, who constantly encouraged me, and my teenage
kids, who selflessly made the time and space for me to invest in me. I am forever grateful.

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Table of Contents
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................... iv
Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................v
List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... viii
List of Figures................................................................................................................................ ix
Chapter One: Introduction to the Study...........................................................................................1
Background of the Problem .................................................................................................1
Field Context........................................................................................................................3
Purpose of the Study and Research Questions.....................................................................3
Importance of the Study.......................................................................................................3
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology .....................................................4
Organization of the Dissertation ..........................................................................................5
Chapter Two: Literature Review .....................................................................................................6
Background on Gender Theories.........................................................................................6
Barriers to Career Advancement for Women ....................................................................13
Strategies To Support Women’s Advancement.................................................................19
Theoretical Framework......................................................................................................23
Summary............................................................................................................................28
Chapter Three: Methodology.........................................................................................................29
Research Questions............................................................................................................29
Overview of Methodology.................................................................................................29
Data Sources ......................................................................................................................30
Ethics..................................................................................................................................34
The Researcher...................................................................................................................34
Chapter Four: Findings..................................................................................................................36

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Participating Stakeholders .................................................................................................36
Findings for Research Question 1: What Barriers Did Executive Women
Technologists Encounter Throughout Their Academic and Career Progression?.............38
Findings for Research Question 2: What Strategies Have Executive Women
Technologists Used To Overcome the Obstacles Faced? ..................................................45
Findings for Research Question 3: What Institutional Practices and Programs
Effectively Support Women Technologists’ Leadership Development and Career
Advancement?....................................................................................................................58
Summary............................................................................................................................64
Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations for Practice ......................................................66
Discussion of Findings.......................................................................................................67
Recommendations for Practice ..........................................................................................70
Limitations and Delimitations............................................................................................82
Recommendations for Future Research .............................................................................83
References......................................................................................................................................86
Appendix A: Interview Protocol..................................................................................................102
Research Questions..........................................................................................................102
Introduction to the Interview ...........................................................................................102
Conclusion to the Interview.............................................................................................104
Appendix B: Post-interview Email Demographic Survey...........................................................105

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List of Tables
Table 1: Participants’ Demographic Characteristics 37
Table 2: Examples of Gender Discrimination Experiences 39
Table 3: Types of Networking Leveraged 46
Table 4: Types of Support Roles Leveraged 53
Table 5: Key Findings: Increasing Representation of Women in Executive Technology
Leadership Roles 65
Table 6: Overview of Recommendations 71
Table 7: Implementation Approaches for Recommendations 83
Table A1: Interview Protocol 103
Appendix B: Post-interview Email Demographic Survey 105

ix
List of Figures
Figure 1: Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory 24
Figure 2: Graphical Representation of Bronfenbrenner’s Theory 26
Figure 3: Women in Technology Leadership 27

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Chapter One: Introduction to the Study
While women comprise 56.2% of professionals in the workplace, they comprise only
25% of computer and mathematics professionals (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020).
Further, within these professions, they make up only 18% of the chief information officer (CIO)
positions in the top 1000 companies (Business Wire, 2019). While the rate of women ascending
to technology leadership has increased annually from 2010 to 2020, progress has been slow
(Johnson et al., 2020). The problem of practice of focus in this study is women’s
underrepresentation in senior leadership roles in technology organizations.
Background of the Problem
The gender gap in technology exists throughout the pipeline, from grade school through
college, into hiring, and eventually advancement to leadership positions (Braun & Turner, 2014).
Fewer women than men pursue computer science college degrees, and women opt out in
significant numbers after their first computer science course (Beyer, 2014). Cheryan et al. (2017)
noted that a lack of early experience with computer science is associated with lower rates of
women choosing a technology profession than other science, technology, engineering, and math
(STEM) careers. Cheryan et al. (2017) also identified a connection between women leaving
computer science environments and masculine culture, causing women not to feel a sense of
belonging. The elements of a masculine culture include negative stereotypes of women’s abilities
and a lack of female role models, which can cause women to feel less successful and not
included (Cheryan et al., 2017). Johnson et al. (2020) surveyed 5,000 technology professionals to
identify gender differences and determine factors impacting individuals’ advancement in
technology. Perceived gender-based differences in leadership skills required for advancement
and gender stereotypes created double standards between men and women (Johnson et al., 2020).

2
As women in technology advance in their organizations, the percentages of women decline, and
there are fewer opportunities for role modeling and collaborating (Lewis, 2018). The gender gap
in technology continues to be an issue at all organizational levels.
Efforts to address women’s underrepresentation in technology, spanning individual and
corporate strategies, have seen slow progress. In terms of personal approach, Amon (2017) found
that female technology executives consistently employed career strategies of self-development,
collaboration, and relationship-building as they advanced. Amon also found that those activities
took a significant time investment to maintain. Diehl and Dzubinski (2016) suggested two
strategies that women can pursue: securing a mentor or sponsor to assist with guidance regarding
professional development and attending assertiveness training to boost confidence. Nonetheless,
negative stereotypes around women in technology can exist in specific environments, causing
women to underperform. Still, Inzlicht et al. (2011) suggested coping strategies that women can
employ to combat this stereotype threat, including coping with negative thoughts by meditating.
Companies have also implemented programs, including diversity training and mentor
programs, to improve women’s underrepresentation in technology leadership. Diversity training
is an established way for companies to address equity issues in the workplace, with over $8
billion spent annually on the training (Kirkland & Bohnet, 2017). Diversity training can help
instill a culture of belonging at all levels of an organization. Mentoring is also an important
strategy for creating an environment that improves management-level diversity (Dobbin &
Kalev, 2017). Through formal mentoring programs, companies can address the ongoing lack of
women leaders in STEM, especially when mentoring focuses on enhancing socialization,
orientation, and career progression (Carter et al., 2020). Formal mentoring programs focused on
gender equity have increased the pipeline for women as they progress through their careers

3
(Carter et al., 2020). However, despite implementing strategies to address women’s
underrepresentation in leadership positions in technology, disparities persist.
Field Context
This research focuses on women who have ascended to top technology leadership roles in
their organizations. These positions can include titles of CIO, chief technology officer (CTO),
chief digital officer (CDO), and vice president of information technology (VP IT). The
organizations represented in the study are Fortune 500 public companies and span multiple
industries. The women in the study either held one of these top technology roles or held the
position within the past five years.
Purpose of the Study and Research Questions
This study aimed to understand women technologists’ experiences, strategies, and
supports as they ascended to technology leadership positions. The objective was to hear about
women’s successful strategies and uncover effective institutional programs. Three research
questions guided the study:
1. What barriers did executive women technologists encounter throughout their
academic and career progression?
2. What strategies have executive women technologists used to overcome the obstacles
faced?
3. What institutional practices and programs effectively support women technologists’
leadership development and career advancement?
Importance of the Study
The problem of the lack of women in technology leadership positions is essential to
understand because improving gender equity in top leadership positions can address the glass

4
ceiling or invisible barriers that prevent women from ascending to the executive ranks (Jauhar &
Lau, 2018). According to a recent study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019), the
highest-earning occupational category in the United States is the job grouping of management,
business, and financial operations. Within this category, the highest earners were technology
managers and chief executives (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). Women’s
underrepresentation in technology prevents them from attaining the highest-earning occupations,
thus perpetuating income inequality.
There is considerable research on women’s underrepresentation in technology, as Kanny
et al. (2014) outlined research studying the STEM gender gap spanning over 40 years. There is
also considerable research spanning decades on women’s underrepresentation in the highest
leadership positions of an organization, as indicated by the assertion that “leadership is an
unaccustomed role for women” (Coakley, 1963, p. 5). There appears to be a gap in the research,
as there are limited publications on the combination of women in technology occupations
ascending the corporate ladder into the highest leadership positions. More research is needed
around the problem of practice because the intersection of women’s underrepresentation in
technology and leadership positions will likely provide a unique view into the existence of both
situations for an individual. The study sought to give a voice to women who succeeded in
advancing in STEM and highlight their experiences to find aspects that might help others in
pursuit of leadership in STEM. This study’s findings may also support the work of
organizational leaders seeking to achieve gender equity in technology leadership positions.
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology
The theoretical framework leveraged in the study is Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological
systems theory. The theory provides a framework for examining how different environmental

5
factors interact and ultimately impact the individual (Bronfenbrenner, 1997). Bronfenbrenner’s
model is appropriate to investigate the problem of practice because women’s underrepresentation
in senior executive leadership roles in technology occupations is a broad, complex problem.
Bronfenbrenner’s model provides a framework for examining the experiences of the study
participants in multiple systems (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem) and over
time (chronosystem) as they progressed from childhood through their careers.
The research approach was qualitative. Data were collected through individual interviews
of nine women technology executives as they were well-positioned to shed light on the topic of
ascending the corporate ranks as a woman technologist. Their perspectives provided insight into
the barriers they faced, strategies used, and support they encountered during their journeys to the
top technology role in an organization.
Organization of the Dissertation
This study includes five chapters. Chapter One provided an overview of the study,
including the background, purpose, research questions, and theoretical framework used to guide
the research. Chapter Two consists of a review of scholarly literature relevant to the study.
Chapter Three outlines the methodology used to conduct the research and the data collection and
analysis approach. Chapter Four presents the data and findings related to each research question.
Chapter Five discusses the recommended solutions and suggestions for additional research.

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Chapter Two: Literature Review
This literature review examines the lack of women in technology leadership in
corporations in the United States. This review explores multiple gender theories and their
intersection with leadership, technology roles, and company culture. It also explores the barriers
to career advancement for women to leadership positions and advancement within technology
roles, along with the implications of those barriers for the women impacted. Finally, this chapter
presents a review of strategies to support women technologists’ career advancement that
corporations can employ and the women’s role.
Background on Gender Theories
Significant research has examined women in leadership, women in technology, and
women in organizational culture, but research is lacking on the combined effects of all three
subjects. This section will review each area independently, beginning with leadership and gender
theories, which includes a review of social constructionism, role congruity theory, glass cliff,
savior effect, and social identity theory. Next, technology roles and gender theories are reviewed,
including threatening technology environments, individual differences theory of gender and
information technology, and bias in hiring. Finally, the following sections cover organizational
culture and gender theories, including masculine culture, glass ceiling, and social role theory.
They also highlight insights into the intersectionality of these fields of study.
Leadership and Gender
Researchers have studied gender differences in leadership for decades and developed
multiple theories to provide a framework for understanding those differences and their
implications. Social constructionism helps understand gender differences in leadership, as
society places people in categories based on features, such as gender, then attaches meanings to

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the grouping and assumes social perceptions (Kang & Inzlicht, 2014). Since social
constructionism includes assumed social perceptions based on gender, understanding how
society views women in leadership roles can provide insight into women’s underrepresentation
in senior technology leadership roles. Gendered stereotypes of effective leadership traits
associate masculinity with assertiveness and, subsequently, effective leadership; women are
commonly viewed as deficient in the critical leadership attribute of assertiveness based on the
gender stereotype (Hentschel et al., 2019).
Role congruity theory explains that individuals develop gender role expectations based
on a gender-based division of labor. Men are viewed as assertive and independent, and women
are expected to be more communal and nurturing. Eagly and Karau (2002) identified resulting
forms of role congruity prejudice: perceiving women less favorably than men in leadership roles
and evaluating leadership behavior less favorably when performed by a woman. Traits of
assertiveness and independence are closely associated with traditional stereotypes of leaders
(Schein, 1975). Organizations considered male-dominated show a tendency for men to be
perceived as more effective leaders (Paustian-Underdahl et al., 2014). While much of the
research has associated masculine characteristics with effective leadership, some scholars have
suggested that feminine leadership characteristics are more appropriate for companies
transforming as they need more sensitivity-based leadership (Koenig et al., 2011).
Perceptions of leadership effectiveness have an impact on individuals’ hiring, retention,
and development. Biases against women in hiring manifest when selection occurs based on the
wrong traits and behaviors, mistaking confidence for competence, and assuming men are better
leaders than women because they exhibit more confidence (Gipson et al., 2017). Corporate
culture and organizational support systems affect mid-career women most as they look to

8
advance (Barelka & Downes, 2019). As women reach an organization’s highest levels, they
retain values and preferences consistent with gender roles, which are different from their male
counterparts (Davies et al., 2017). Societal influences and biases can be at odds with women
pursuing leadership roles, staying in them, and feeling supported as leaders (Brancu &
Desormeaux, 2022).
Multiple institutional-level theories have emerged that relate to women attaining top
organizational leadership positions under unique situations and the implications of those
scenarios. The glass cliff effect is a metaphor leveraged to describe the phenomenon where a
woman is appointed to a top leadership role in a struggling organization and is more at risk of
failing (Ryan & Haslam, 2005). Another theory, the savior effect, predicts that women leaders
will serve in top leadership roles for less time than men, thereby being saved by the appointment
of men to replace them (Cook & Glass, 2014). The savior effect implies that in traditionally male
settings, men are judged on their merits while women are judged on other women’s missteps
(Manzi & Heilman, 2021). Many studies indicate that diversity among decision-makers in
organizations is tied to improved company performance, thereby increasing women’s chances of
being promoted to top positions (Cook & Glass, 2014). Cook and Glass (2014) asserted that
diversity among decision-makers has more influence on tenure once a leader is in the role versus
perception of performance. Social identity theory refers to evaluating oneself in terms of the
attributes that define the group to which one belongs; those groups consist of categories of
people, such as men and leaders (Hogg et al., 1995). Social identity theory suggests that
individuals more positively evaluate in-group members and negatively evaluate out-group
members (Ashforth & Mael, 1989).

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Understanding gender differences in leadership is an essential aspect of exploring women
technologists’ career advancement. Another aspect to explore is the gendered differences
between women and men in technology.
Technology Roles and Gender
Researchers have studied women in STEM for decades. There are some similarities in
their findings regarding women in leadership, but there are some unique findings relating to
technology. While there has been progress in some STEM fields, the gender gap in technology
exists throughout the entire pipeline, from grade school to college, hiring, and advancement to
leadership positions.
The problem of the gender gap in technology starts very early in grade school.
Technology environments, including classrooms and workplaces, can threaten girls and women
and influence their decisions to stay in the field. Master et al. (2016) experimented to determine
how classroom environments impacted girls’ interest in computer science. They found that
stereotypes about technology and the physical environment affect girls’ interest in computer
science, with girls choosing a non-stereotypical classroom showing increased computer science
interest (Master et al., 2016). Casad et al.’s (2018) study of 579 women in STEM environments
determined that the climate impacts how women feel about themselves. These environments can
intimidate women, and because they feel threatened, they leave (Casad et al., 2018).
Fewer women than men pursue computer science college degrees, and women drop out in
significant numbers after their first computer science course (Beyer, 2014). Cheryan et al. (2017)
noted that a lack of early experience with computer science is associated with lower rates of
women choosing a technology profession than a career in another STEM category. The
individual differences theory of gender and IT helps explain women’s decision not to pursue the

10
IT profession, as implicit gender identity was a significant predictor of IT major and career
choice for women but not men (Serenko & Turel, 2021). Sinclair & Carlsson (2013) determined
that adolescents may avoid occupations that do not fit into traditional gender stereotypes.
Harmon and Walden (2021) found that technical learning self-efficacy had increased salience for
women compared to men, impacting their pursuit of an IT career. A study of 1st-year computer
science female students who exited the major after their first computer science course identified
several factors, including stereotypes, personal interests, and values (Beyer, 2014). If women do
not obtain the computer science degree required for a technology career, they cannot get a
technology job and subsequently ascend. However, if women receive a technology degree, bias
in hiring is an issue.
Bias in the hiring of women for technology roles is prevalent. Women have a 52.7% less
probability than men of being selected for interviews following resume and application
submission for male-dominated positions, such as technology (Cortina et al., 2021). The U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020) indicated that males make up 75% of computer and
mathematical professionals in the United States, stereotyping technology roles as male
occupations. The evidence highlights that when the applicant’s gender is incongruent with the
occupation gender stereotype, they are less likely to be hired (Rice & Barth, 2017). Recruiting
and hiring are opportunities for increasing female representation in STEM, as ensuring a
conscious focus on the number of female applicants and advertising roles specifically where
women are present will attract more female applicants (Glass & Minnotte, 2010).
Retaining women in technology is a critical factor in ensuring that they persist in the
profession to have the opportunity to advance to leadership positions. When technology
organizations are seen as having promising practices toward women in general, managers are

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more inclined to engage in women-friendly behaviors of hiring, developing, and promoting
women (Braun & Turner, 2014). Johnson et al. (2020) found that a primary reason women exited
the technology profession was that their careers had stalled, in addition to a feeling of isolation.
Brue (2019) found that information and emotional support from family, female coworkers, and
mentors outside the organization enabled women technologists to continue to advance as leaders.
Understanding gender differences in technology provides insights into women
technologists’ barriers to career advancement. In addition, organizational culture is another
aspect to examine.
Organizational Culture and Gender
Organizational culture shapes corporate behavior (Watkins, 2013). Hofstede (2015)
defined culture as shared perceptions, values, or practices. An organization’s culture attracts
women when they assess congruence with its identity, mission, and values (Longman et al.,
2018). Beyond initially joining an organization, Longman et al. (2018) found that women invest
their lives in venues that align with their convictions and passions, underscoring the connection
of culture to retention. Cheryan et al. (2017) also identified a link between women leaving
computer science environments and masculine culture, causing women not to feel a sense of
belonging. The elements of a male culture include negative stereotypes of women’s abilities and
a lack of female role models, which can cause women to feel less successful and not included
(Cheryan et al., 2017).
Corporate cultures, including the organization’s values, attitudes, and behaviors,
contribute to women’s perceptions of glass ceilings and their ability to advance in a company
(Barelka & Downes, 2019). Barelka and Downes (2019) studied glass ceiling perceptions of
women at different career stages. Favorable personal attributes, such as risk-taking, decreased

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glass ceiling perceptions, and adverse corporate culture, increased perceptions of a glass ceiling
(Barelka & Downes, 2019). Corporate culture can also define acceptable forms of leadership and
impact who is recognized as a leader in terms of gender (Walker & Aritz, 2015). Walker and
Aritz (2015) asserted that a masculine organizational culture is biased toward men as leaders
regardless of whether women demonstrate leadership skills.
Nanton (2015) examined social role theory, gender and leadership theory, and leadership
ethics theory to determine ways to shape leadership culture to sustain women leaders. Social role
theory asserts that people associate gender with roles as they perform social functions (e.g.,
employees). People often sanction behavior inconsistent with gender roles, making it unlikely to
deviate (Eagly & Wood, 2012). In the workforce, the interaction between a leader and follower
extends beyond their relationship and into the organization and its culture and can include
women leaders’ needs as they are expressed (Nanton, 2015). Northouse (2022) highlighted that
leadership’s ethical component requires promoting women’s development and appreciating their
differences. Efforts to increase women’s participation would benefit from counteracting
masculine defaults, defined as cultural norms associated with a male gender role, throughout the
company culture (Cheryan & Markus, 2020).
Multiple gender theories and their intersection with leadership, technology roles, and
company culture provide a foundation for understanding the dynamics surrounding women in
technology as they advance in their careers. The leadership and gender theories, which include
social constructionism, role congruity theory, glass cliff, savior effect, and social identity theory,
highlight these dynamics. Technology roles and gender theories, including threatening
technology environments, individual differences theory of gender and information technology,
and hiring bias underscore STEM-related situations. Organizational culture and gender theories,

13
including masculine culture, glass ceiling, and social role theory, highlight the environmental
factors influencing women. The following section explores barriers to career advancement.
Barriers to Career Advancement for Women
Many barriers to career advancement exist in the context of general leadership and within
the technology field. These barriers have implications for women. This section explores barriers
to women’s advancement to leadership positions, followed by barriers to advancement in
technology. Finally, the section highlights the implications for women when encountering these
barriers.
Barriers to Advancement to Leadership Positions
Although many barriers to advancement for women to leadership positions exist, this
section will focus on tokenism, lack of social networks, and conflict of role expectations (worklife balance). Kanter (1976) defined tokenism as being the only woman or one of the few women
in a group of men. Multiple issues can result, including isolation from the mainstream group and
being placed into stereotyped roles (Kanter, 1976). Others often view the lone female in the
organization as the company’s effort to promote equality (Schwanke, 2013). Schwanke (2013)
identified a negative consequence of tokenism: the token woman feels isolated, experiences
additional performance-related stress, and does not encourage other women to advance in the
organization. Another result of being in the minority is feeling your voice is not heard (Diehl &
Dzubinski, 2016). Tokenism creates barriers when a woman promoted due to gender versus
performance is met with hostility, creating a challenging work environment and causing other
women witnessing the hostile environment not to want to advance (Baker & Cangemi, 2016).
Bonet et al. (2020) found that while women secured top executive positions faster than men,
companies’ efforts to show increased diversity and appoint women in senior leadership roles

14
stopped after a single woman filled the role. Ferreira and Santos (2022) highlighted the negative
consequences felt by tokens: high visibility and added pressure, the polarization of differences
with the dominant group, and the assimilation of the stereotypes traditionally associated with
women in leadership.
Moving up the corporate ladder requires access to influential networks (Hill et al., 2016).
Social network barriers include exclusion from unofficial social events or not being invited to
social gatherings outside the workplace (Diehl & Dzubinski, 2016). Organizational structures,
such as old boy’s networks, can inhibit women’s advancement, as they can be homogeneous,
long-standing, and complicated for women to enter (Schwanke, 2013). Also, organizational
networking significantly impacts career advancement (Jauhar & Lau, 2018). Nanton (2015)
asserted that career advancement is often linked to social networks because association can yield
status and power. Therefore, networking opportunities for women in the workplace can assist
women in advancing their careers (Barkhuizen et al., 2022). Training on how to build a
professional network can provide women with adequate preparation for leadership positions
(Rincón et al., 2017). Access to networks is an example of one of the many obstacles women
face as they navigate the labyrinth, implying complexity, difficulty, and variation as they
navigate the corporate ladder (Carli & Eagly, 2016).
In addition, family responsibilities significantly impact women’s career advancement to
executive ranks (Jauhar & Lau, 2018). Role expectations conflict when considering women as
successful executives instead of primary homemakers and caregivers (Nanton, 2015). Work-life
balance is a constraining factor for women leaders, as balancing work and family responsibilities
can be challenging and limit career aspirations and progress (Barkhuizen et al., 2022). Brenan
(2020) found that women are more likely than men to complete most household duties. Devillard

15
et al. (2018) found that women who take care of most of the housework are less likely to aspire
to advance career-wise than women who share domestic responsibilities. Alternative ways to
describe this phenomenon have introduced phrases moving away from work and family as a
continuum to titles such as “work‐lifestyle choices,” referring to the different emphases on work
and family environments (Gallhofer et al., 2011). Another dynamic is that a general culture of
overwork has caused some women to make career-stalling choices to meet the demands of both
work and family (Ely & Padavic, 2020). Metaphors like the maternal wall and the motherhood
penalty have described barriers unique to working mothers (Carli & Eagly, 2016). In conclusion,
Zorotovich et al. (2021) proposed that redefining success is the best way to support working
women who feel pressured by traditional gender role expectations and workplace demands.
Barriers to Advancement in STEM Roles
While the barriers to women’s advancement in leadership roles also impact women in
STEM, additional technological obstacles compound the problem. The barriers included in this
section are the lack of women role models and mentors, stereotypes/biases in retention and
promotion, and negative classroom and workplace environments.
Women role models and mentors can change stereotypical perceptions of those pursuing
and persisting in STEM (Arora, 2022). However, the lack of role models and mentors for women
in technology makes it difficult for women to advance (Johnson et al., 2020). Without role
models who provide guidance and feedback, women technologists can feel stuck in their roles
with unclear career paths (Sandgren, 2014). When there is a lack of female leaders at the
organization’s top, there are fewer mentors and women to look up to (Kahn & Bhattacharya,
2022).

16
While mentors typically provide guidance, a sponsor goes further, putting their reputation
on the line to advocate for another individual. Men are 46% more likely to have a sponsor than
women (Sandgren, 2014). Sponsorship involves the sponsor intentionally identifying
opportunities for the protégé and utilizing their own social capital to lift those who might
otherwise go unnoticed, thereby creating the opportunity for advancement (Chow, 2021).
Beyond direct relationships held by women, mass media also plays a role in reinforcing gender
biases based on the lack of diversity in role models and STEM images (Nekuda Malik, 2016).
Stereotypes and implicit bias can negatively affect women’s hiring, retention, and
promotion in STEM (Jackson et al., 2014). Foley and Williamson (2018) found that even when
applications are anonymized, managers use implicit cues to infer gender and reintroduce bias
into the process. According to role congruity theory, prejudice within a technology department
can occur when those in power perceive that women do not have the traits to succeed and their
abilities are discounted based on their gender (Johnson et al., 2020). Regarding the speed of
advancement, women must demonstrate leadership characteristics compared to the belief that
men inherently possess them, creating a more extended time required for women to prove
themselves before being promoted (Johnson et al., 2020). Despite laws prohibiting bias and
discrimination, the progress of diversity in STEM has been slow because cultural practices
unintentionally perpetuate implicit bias (Fisher, 2018).
The environment in which women technologists operate can be an obstacle beginning in
school and extending throughout their entire career progression. The classroom environment is
challenging for young women studying computer science with all the present masculine cues
(Sandgren, 2014). For example, women students in introductory computer science college

17
courses find themselves one of the few women in the class and feel the need to prove themselves
to men (Pollack, 2013).
Post-college, the leading causes of women’s underrepresentation in software
development projects are associated with the workplace environment, which is a reflection of the
gender bias of men toward women (Canedo et al., 2019). One of the main reasons women leave
the technology workforce is workplace conditions that are less inviting for them (Johnson et al.,
2020). Gender bias results in women experiencing less sense of belonging and aspiration (MossRacusin et al., 2018). Khan and Bhattacharya (2022) found that women felt subtle biases in an
environment where men felt no workplace biases. Sometimes, the bias manifests into examples
of discrimination, with Leaper and Starr (2019) finding that 70% of women indicated at least one
instance of STEM-related discrimination in their study.
Robnett (2016) found that women experiencing gender bias are associated with a lower
belief in excelling in the profession. While self-efficacy and interest are necessary to
approaching career goals, women in STEM report lower interest and confidence than men (Falk
et al., 2017). Johnson et al. (2020) surveyed 5,000 technology professionals to identify any
gender differences and determine factors impacting the advancement of individuals in
technology. Perceived differences between genders in leadership skills and gender stereotypes
created double standards between men and women required for advancement (Johnson et al.,
2020). Unconscious bias plays a role in organizations, and leaders must address it to create an
environment that builds women’s self-efficacy expectations (Michie & Nelson, 2006).
The Implication of Barriers
Prior research has widely studied women’s reactions to barriers encountered in
technology environments and as they advance to leadership positions, resulting in multiple

18
frameworks. This section will highlight stereotype threat, stereotype threat spillover, and gender
identity threat. Stereotype threat is defined as being at risk of confirming a negative stereotype
about one’s group (Steele & Aronson, 1995). Stereotype threat has adverse intrapersonal and
negative interpersonal effects and interferes with the employee-employer relationship. Coping
with stereotypes can cause underperformance in the stereotyped domain (Inzlicht et al., 2011).
While coping can cause underperformance, adopting a questioning stance regarding whether the
stereotype impacts the individual’s performance can help protect against performance
impairments (Rees & Salvatore, 2021).
There can be a lingering effect of stereotype threat outside the stereotyped environment.
Stereotype spillover occurs because self-control resources are depleted in coping with stereotype
threat (Inzlicht et al., 2011). Stereotype threat spillover can impact aggression, eating, decisionmaking, and attention. Additional longer-term implications can include physical and mental
health issues, including anxiety and depression (Inzlicht et al., 2012). Organizational outcomes
might be affected in ways seemingly unrelated to the initial stereotype experience (Kang &
Inzlicht, 2014).
Gender identity threat occurs when a person’s status based on their gender is questioned;
they experience a threat and attempt to restore their gender status (Heilman & Wallen, 2010). For
women technologists, coping with a male-dominant work environment consumes cognitive
resources that take away from enthusiasm for the work (van Veelen et al., 2019). One coping
mechanism women employ is to downplay their gender at work, but this has implications around
distancing from other women and reducing their support for each other (van Veelen et al., 2019).
Also, interpreting an organization’s focus on diversity efforts as insincere can increase women’s
identity threat concerns (Kroeper et al., 2022). However, the adverse effects of identity threat can

19
be buffered via organizational interventions focused on value-affirmation activities with women
(Casad et al., 2018).
Strategies To Support Women’s Advancement
Corporations can implement multiple strategies to support women’s advancement. This
section focuses on programs organizations can implement to invest in women’s development,
followed by specific policies organizations can establish, and finishes with an exploration of the
impact of company culture. It also explores women’s role in addressing underrepresentation.
What Corporations Can Do
A key to maintaining a competitive advantage is a workplace that supports a culture of
support and empowerment for women and focuses on diversity initiatives (Annabi & Lebovitz,
2018). Increased talent development, including leaders personally invested in diversity, increases
gender diversity (Wojcik, 2014). Wojcik (2014) also underscored the importance of sponsorship,
succession planning focused on women’s advancement, diversity metrics, and a team focused on
addressing diversity issues. Carter et al. (2020) highlighted that a key to maintaining a
competitive advantage is to offer gender-equity leadership development training to prepare
prospects for continued growth. This training incorporated mentoring, leadership, and genderequity topics, specifically promoting gender equity, conflict management to mitigate gender bias,
and equitable workload distribution (Carter et al., 2020).
Traditional mentoring programs are also an innovative way for companies to address the
ongoing lack of women leaders in STEM, primarily when mentoring focuses on enhancing
socialization, orientation, and career progression (Carter et al., 2020). Dobbin and Kalev (2017)
showed that mentoring programs increase diversity in management for Black women by over
15%, for Hispanic men by 10%, for Asian men by 18%, and for Hispanic and Asian women by

20
12%. Mentoring programs can expand to include coaching, sponsors, and access to top
leadership for networking (Barkhuizen et al., 2022).
In addition to strategies focused on directly investing in women, companies could address
their culture, as organizational policies play a central role in combating inequality. They can
include anti-harassment training, affirmative action commitments, equal pay mandates, and
family responsibility accommodations, such as flex time and parental leave policies (Diehl &
Dzubinski, 2016). Establishing and publicly communicating diversity goals can be effective (Hill
et al., 2016). Sometimes, a comprehensive overhaul of a company’s employment practices, from
hiring to promotion to referral practices, is necessary (Hill et al., 2016). For example, flexible
work arrangements can allow women to balance work and family responsibilities (Barkhuizen et
al., 2022). Technology can enable optimal work and home combinations that help women remain
productive in the office while juggling multiple roles (Valerio, 2022). Focusing on company
policies is an approach that can impact the overall culture of an organization.
Company culture is cited as a barrier to women’s advancement (Barkhuizen et al., 2022).
Strategies focused on company culture need support at the highest level of the company to
increase results (Ng & Sears, 2020). The CEO’s commitment to organizational diversity efforts
is critical, and greater engagement in pro-diversity behavior signals their importance to the
organization (Ng & Sears, 2020). Ng and Sears (2020) indicated that the CEO’s pronouncements
about diversity needed to align with their actions for employees to prioritize diversity
management practices. The CEO needs to support diversity efforts through public
acknowledgment, and company leadership can support diversity strategies by ensuring diverse
search committees, assembling diverse boards, and implementing comprehensive diversity
programs, with the training of all employees at the center (Diehl & Dzubinski, 2016).

21
Organizations’ diversity programs produce varying results but can assist women in
advancing their careers (Olsen et al., 2016). Focusing on diversity training will help a company
improve its culture of inclusion (Dobbin & Kalev, 2017). Diversity training is a prevalent way
for companies to address equity issues in the workplace, with over $8 billion spent annually on
the training (Kirkland & Bohnet, 2017). However, participation in diversity training must be
voluntary. Dobbin and Kalev (2017) found that mandatory diversity training decreased
management diversity over a 5-year timeframe, specifically a 10% decrease in Black women and
a 4% to 5% decrease in Asian men and women because the mandatory designation signals the
company’s desires to control employees’ thoughts. Subsequently, the same study showed
increased manager diversity when diversity training was voluntary (Dobbin & Kalev, 2017). The
training’s group composition, design, and content aid in achieving the desired results. Ensuring
that the training participant groups are made up of individuals from different departments,
incorporating problem-solving of actual business issues as part of the training, and embedding
the tactics learned in training during day-to-day team functions improves results (Fujimoto &
Härtel, 2017).
Further, the choice of who facilitates diversity training is an important decision. Some
research suggests external consultants should deliver diversity training because they bring
objectivity as an outsider to the organization. They have several experiences with other
organizations to draw upon and can provide focused time and commitment to the training
(Gassam & Salter, 2020).
Company investment in formal mentoring programs focused on gender equity increases
the pipeline for women as they progress through their careers (Carter et al., 2020).
Organizational policies must address discrimination, harassment, and inequality (Diehl &

22
Dzubinski, 2016). Diversity training is essential for companies to create inclusive cultures
(Gassam & Salter, 2020). Visible acknowledgment and participation by executive leadership
reinforce the importance to the entire organization (Ng & Sears, 2020). The corporation’s role is
critically important, but women can also implement strategies to reduce gender imbalance.
Women’s Role
Efforts to address women’s underrepresentation in technology spanning individual and
corporate strategies have seen progress. While the organization must improve the environment,
the woman can also implement strategies, albeit significant results require others, in addition to
the women impacted, to engage and support (Schulz & Enslin, 2014). Amon (2017) found that
female technology executives consistently employed career strategies of self-development,
collaboration, and relationship-building as they advanced. Self-development is most effective
when it consists of a 360-degree assessment and a learning plan that holistically incorporates
work-life integration goals and goal-specific aspirations (Hopkins et al., 2008).
Networking is a crucial ingredient to successful career advancement. Women benefit
from Including men and women in their formal and informal networks and establishing a social
support system as they advance (Hopkins et al., 2008). Supportive networking and fostering key
relationships, including peers and mentors, contribute to women’s persistence in STEM (Mullet
et al., 2017). While it is beneficial for women to proactively build networks, including peers and
mentors, it is also essential for them to make their career ambitions known to those in their
networks and volunteer for growth opportunities to increase their chances of continued
advancement (Dartnell et al., 2022). While there are many strategies women pursuing
advancement should invest in, Schulz and Enslin (2014) recommended career planning activities
incorporating assessment, development, networking, and mentoring.

23
Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework underpinning the study is Bronfenbrenner’s (1997) ecological
systems theory (Figure 1), which provides a framework for examining how different
environmental factors interact and ultimately impact the individual. The model includes five
systems. The microsystem consists of the groups having direct contact with the individual, the
mesosystem captures the interactions among the groups in the microsystem, and the exosystem
includes groups impacting the individual but without direct contact (Renn & Arnold, 2003). The
macro system contains cultural elements affecting the individual, and the chronosystem captures
the stage of life the individual is experiencing (Renn & Arnold, 2003).

24
Figure 1
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory
Note. From “Foreword: Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to frame quantitative,
qualitative, and mixed research,” by A. J. Onwuegbuzie, K. M.Collins, & R. K. Frels, 2013,
International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 7(1), 2–8.
(https://doi.org/10.5172/mra.2013.7.1.2) Copyright 2013 by eContent Management.
Bronfenbrenner’s (1997) model is appropriate to investigate the problem of practice
because women’s underrepresentation in senior executive leadership roles in technology
occupations is a broad, complex problem. The model is designed to incorporate person, process,
and context interactions while keeping the person at the center (Darling, 2007). It provides a
framework for examining the study participants’ experiences in multiple systems (microsystem,

25
mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem) and over time (chronosystem) as they progressed
from childhood through their careers. Also, utilizing the model can provide focus. Honing in on
the chronosystem from childhood to education to career for women in technology could identify
opportunities. Narrowing in on microsystems, such as the impact of family, peers, and advisors,
could point to specific social factors. Examining macrosystem impacts, such as national
organizations advancing women in technology or media portrayal of executive women
technologists, could illuminate potential gaps. Relevant to this study, women encounter barriers
at the micro, macro, and meso levels. Micro barriers include perceptions of a glass ceiling and
work-life conflict; macro barriers include gender stereotypes, unconscious gender bias, and
leadership perceptions; and meso-level obstacles include lack of support, glass cliff, and
tokenism (Diehl & Dzubinski, 2016). While barriers to advancement for women technologists
potentially exist within each level, some strategies can be put in place by women and institutions
in each system to overcome obstacles, promote leadership development, and support career
advancement. Figure 2 provides a graphical representation of the problem of women
technologists’ underrepresentation in leadership roles utilizing Bronfenbrenner’s theory as a lens.

26
Figure 2
Graphical Representation of Bronfenbrenner’s Theory
Figure 3 presents the conceptual framework. It incorporates the life experiences of
women before entering the workforce through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s (1997) theory. For
example, the women’s reactions to barriers and assistance they received throughout their career

27
journey can reveal aspects of stereotype threat. Unconscious biases, including gender and
leadership biases and barriers to advancement, are incorporated into the model. The assistance
the women technology executives received includes diversity programs.
Figure 3
Women in Technology Leadership

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Summary
This literature review included summaries of multiple gender theories intersecting with
leadership, technology roles, and company culture. The barriers to career advancement for
women to leadership positions were emphasized, including tokenism, lack of social networks,
and conflict of role expectations relating to work-life balance. The barriers to advancement
within technology roles underscored the lack of women role models and mentors,
stereotypes/biases in retention and promotion, and negative classroom and workplace
environments. This chapter explored the implications of those leadership and technology barriers
to advancement, highlighting the risks of stereotype threat, stereotype spillover, and gender
identity threat. Strategies that corporations can employ to support women technologists’ career
advancement include programs investing in women’s development, organizational policies, and
culture. Finally, the role of women was reviewed.
Bronfenbrenner’s (1997) ecological systems theory provides a framework for examining
how different environmental factors interact and ultimately impact individuals as they navigate
their careers. While much research exists on women in technology and women in leadership, this
study will focus on the intersection of women in technology and leadership to determine
potentially unique barriers, enablers, and coping mechanisms encountered during their career
advancement.

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Chapter Three: Methodology
This study aimed to understand women technologists’ experiences, strategies, and
supports as they ascended to technology leadership positions. The objective was to hear about
women’s successful strategies as they navigated their careers and uncover effective institutional
programs that assisted their advancement. This chapter will explain the study’s design. It will
describe the interviewees and the sampling approach used to select them. The chapter will
continue with a description of the instrumentation, including the interview protocol and data
collection procedures. It will then outline the data analysis considerations, including strategies to
ensure the credibility and trustworthiness of the study. Finally, the chapter addresses the ethical
elements incorporated in the study approach.
Research Questions
The research questions that guided the study are as follows:
1. What barriers did executive women technologists encounter throughout their
academic and career progression?
2. What strategies have executive women technologists used to overcome the obstacles
faced?
3. What institutional practices and programs effectively support women technologists’
leadership development and career advancement?
Overview of Methodology
The research approach was basic qualitative, as Merriam and Tisdell (2016) defined, and
focused on meaning and understanding, data collection through interviews, and descriptive
findings. Interviews with nine women technology executives shed light on ascending the
corporate ranks as a woman technologist. Their perspectives provided insight into the barriers,

30
strategies, and support they encountered. A qualitative approach via interviewing was
appropriate as I wanted to learn “how people interpret their experiences, how they construct their
worlds, and what meaning they attribute to their experiences” (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 15).
Data Sources
The method of data collection utilized in this study was semi-structured interviews and a
follow-up survey to capture the interviewees’ demographics.
Interviews
Through the interviews, I sought to understand women technologists’ lived experiences
as they navigated their career progression. Utilizing a qualitative interview approach, including
open-ended questions few in number, was intended to elicit views and opinions from the
participants regarding their experiences (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
Participants
This research focused on women who have ascended to top technology leadership roles
in their organizations. These positions included titles of CIO, CTO, CDO, and VP IT. The
organizations represented in the study were Fortune 1000 public companies and spanning
multiple industries. The women in the study either held one of these top technology roles or held
the position within the past five years.
My recruitment approach incorporated purposeful sampling while leveraging women in
my professional network. I interviewed nine participants. I utilized information and
communications technology to connect with participants outside my immediate geography easily
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Currently, only 18% of the Fortune 500 companies employ a female
in the top technology role, resulting in an interview participant population of less than a hundred
(Business Wire, 2019). I recruited five women to participate from my personal, direct request. I

31
asked those who agreed to be interviewed to recommend executive women technologists in their
networks whom they believed would be willing to participate in the study. The recommendations
resulted in recruiting the final four participants. I avoided interviewing anyone where a power
differential could exist, for example, at my place of employment or with a key vendor partner.
Instrumentation
I asked 12 primary open-ended questions with additional probing questions. The
interview length ranged from 25 to 90 minutes. I asked interview questions relating to the
research questions centered around obstacles, coping mechanisms, and enablers to the
participants during their careers. Understanding each individual’s experience and how they
interpreted that experience helped determine the patterns that existed and potential solutions to
the barriers, as well as recommendations and strategies for other women looking to ascend to
executive technologist positions. The interview questions were designed to explore the
participants’ experiences relating to the research questions, which focus on barriers to
advancement, perception of those barriers, individual strategies, and institutional programs
supporting career progression. Appendix A presents the interview protocol outlining the
approach and specific interview questions.
Data Collection Procedures
Individual interviews were conducted utilizing video conferencing software. I used the
automatic transcription services as part of Zoom’s video conferencing software. I asked
permission to record the audio version of the interviews so I could go back and confirm the
transcript’s accuracy and capture notes. While Merriam and Tisdell (2016) warned against the
widespread availability of internet tools, the executive technologist participants in my study had
access to such tools.

32
Data Analysis
I utilized the transcription capability within Zoom’s video conferencing software to
capture the interview transcript verbatim. I captured the audio portion of the interviews, allowing
me to validate and correct any errors in the resulting transcription. I leveraged Tesch’s Eight
Steps in the Coding Process (Creswell & Creswell, 2018, p. 196) to drive the data analysis. In
my research journal, I captured the themes that emerged from each interview and any specific
quotes that were especially significant.
I utilized Atlas.ti software, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning
algorithms to uncover actionable insights from interview data. I used the software to analyze
audio recordings and transcripts to capture themes and develop insights. I leveraged a priori
codes garnered from the gender and leadership theories explored in the literature review. After
examining each interview transcript and journal notes, I iteratively reviewed coding categories
and refined the coding as needed.
Survey
I requested that a brief survey capturing participant demographic information be
completed post-interview. The objective was to understand the demographics of the study
participants.
Participants
This survey was distributed to the interviewees immediately following the interview.
Instrumentation
I asked nine closed-ended demographic questions, including educational background,
age, gender, ethnicity, and company size. The specific survey questions can be found in
Appendix B.

33
Data Collection Procedures
After the interview, I asked participants if they would be willing to complete a survey
that included demographic information. With their permission, I emailed the interviewees a link
to a Qualtrics survey to capture their demographic information immediately following the
interview.
Data Analysis
I utilized the analytics capability of Qualtrics experience management software to capture
the participants’ responses.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
To maximize credibility and trustworthiness, I employed multiple strategies that Merriam
and Tisdell (2016) identified: audit trail, mechanically recorded data, and verbatim data.
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) described an audit trail as a detailed description of how the
researcher conducted the study and analyzed the resulting data. The details should include
multiple aspects of the process: how the data were collected, how the categories were created,
and how decisions were made throughout the study.
Recording the audio portion of the interviews and leveraging a built-in transcription
capability resulted in mechanically recorded data. Audio recordings allowed for reanalyzing the
transcripts, improving the credibility of the qualitative research and findings (Zohrabi, 2013).
Transcription services captured every word said during the interview, resulting in verbatim data.
Verbatim data allows the researcher to know the entirety of the data along with the context of the
response, resulting in a greater understanding of the phrasing of a statement (Castleberry &
Nolen, 2018).

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Ethics
Researchers must consider ethical issues before research and anticipate ethical issues that
might arise during the study (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Before conducting the study, I gained
approval from the University of Southern California Institutional Review Board (IRB). As
Creswell and Creswell (2018) recommended, I reminded the participants of the purpose of the
study multiple times, including during the original request to participate in the research and at the
beginning of the interview itself. I asked for each participant’s oral consent to participate. I let
them know that participation is voluntary, and they can choose not to answer particular questions
or withdraw from the study at any time. I safeguarded the data utilizing strategies outlined by
Creswell and Creswell (2018), including storing the data in password-protected software and
using fictitious names and composite stories to protect participant confidentiality.
The Researcher
My experience is through the lens of a woman technologist, and I want to study women
technologists. I have spent over 30 years in technology and hold the top technology leadership
position at a Fortune 100 company. I have sponsored employee resource groups for women and
founded a Women in Technology program to provide resources for women technologists to
connect and develop. I was looking to gain insight into the experiences of other executive
technologists to understand barriers encountered, strategies employed to overcome those barriers,
and impactful organizational programs. One benefit of matching the positionality of the research
participants was that I would be viewed as an insider and possibly be trusted to engage in the
dialogue (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Merriam and Tisdell (2016) issued a word of caution
regarding the risk of making the research about the researcher instead of the participants. I
utilized my positionality to establish rapport while maintaining the focus of the discussion on the

35
participants and not on myself. I also avoided siding with participants by following Creswell and
Creswell’s (2018) suggestion to report multiple perspectives.

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Chapter Four: Findings
The study aimed to understand women technologists’ experiences, strategies, and
supports as they ascended to technology leadership positions. The study aimed to hear about
women’s successful strategies and uncover effective institutional programs. During the
interviews, open-ended questions allowed the participants to share their experiences and
perspectives as they reached the top technology role in an organization. Three research questions
guided the study:
1. What barriers did executive women technologists encounter throughout their
academic and career progression?
2. What strategies have executive women technologists used to overcome the obstacles
faced?
3. What institutional practices and programs effectively support women technologists’
leadership development and career advancement?
Participating Stakeholders
The study included nine participants, each assigned a pseudonym to maintain anonymity
and confidentiality. All participants were women. Seven interviewees were in the top technology
position of their companies at the time of the interview, while two had performed the role within
the past five years. Seven held the top technology spot for a Fortune 500 company, while Fortune
1000 companies employed the other two. Table 1 shows the participants’ demographic makeup.
Seven of the nine participants completed an anonymous survey that included closed-ended
demographic questions, including educational background, age, gender, ethnicity, and company
size. All seven respondents indicated their race as white. Regarding age, five respondents
indicated 50 to 59 years old, one indicated 40 to 49 years old, and one indicated over 60 years

37
old. Regarding technology experience, five respondents indicated over 20 years of experience,
while two indicated 16 to 20 years. Regarding the level of education, four respondents held a
post-graduate degree, two held a 4-year degree, and one held a 2-year degree. Four of the
respondents majored in a computer-related field in college.
Table 1
Participants’ Demographic Characteristics
Company size Status of holding top technology role
Alex Fortune 500 Formerly held
Brooke Fortune 500 Currently holding
Erin Fortune 500 Currently holding
Grace Fortune 500 Currently holding
Lee Fortune 1000 Formerly held
Mackenzie Fortune 1000 Currently holding
Madison Fortune 500 Currently holding
Nancy Fortune 500 Currently holding
Olivia Fortune 500 Currently holding

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Findings for Research Question 1: What Barriers Did Executive Women Technologists
Encounter Throughout Their Academic and Career Progression?
This research question explored barriers the interviewees faced as they progressed
through academia and employment. I utilized questions about obstacles they encountered
throughout their career progression, factors that might hinder career advancement, and one thing
they would change for upcoming women technologists to gather the information that resulted in
the following key findings:
 Women technologists still frequently experience Gender discrimination.
 Women technologists view executive technology roles as unattractive.
The information below contextualizes the findings by providing participant commentary on their
lived experiences of the barriers encountered during their careers.
Finding 1: Women Technologists Still Frequently Experience Gender Discrimination
Gender discrimination as a construct includes two significant dimensions: undervaluation
and different treatment (de la Torre-Pérez et al., 2022). Undervaluation involves assigning a
lower value to a person’s capacity based on gender and includes subtle acts spanning
recognition, opportunities, evaluation standards, and expectations. Different treatment involves
actions toward an individual due to gender, including less respect, more isolation, lack of
support, and verbal comments based on gender. Eight participants referenced experiences that
would fall under la Torre-Pérez et al.’s (2022) definition of gender discrimination. Each provided
examples of being treated differently based on gender, and five also described situations in
which they were undervalued.
The degree to which the participants experienced gender discrimination varied, as seen in
Table 2. From microaggressions to gendered perceptions and even harassment, most participants

39
shared an experience of discrimination. A theme emerged from several participants around
coworkers communicating different expectations based on gender due to maternal obligations
outside of work impacting performance. Several participants described experiences of different
treatment when being dismissed, mainly when a technical topic was being discussed, as though
the only woman in the room could not engage in a technical conversation. Many participants also
highlighted different treatment for excluding women in small talk by engaging in maledominated topics, such as professional male sports.
Table 2
Examples of Gender Discrimination Experiences
Interviewee Experience description
Brooke In the big meeting, I’m like, I’m gonna impress, and they’re all starting
to talk about hockey and the local football team. And now, what I do
is I steer the conversation to something different completely so that I
can participate in whatever it is.
Erin In my early days, I was sexually harassed. It was tough being a woman
in those days. I was just, like, dismissed. Literally, 2 minutes after I
said something with no response, then another guy said exactly the
same thing I did.
Grace I actually went to women’s leadership training, and the advice that they
gave was men don’t ever change their hair. They don’t change their
look. As a woman, sometimes you wear your hair in a French twist,
and sometimes you wear it down, and that makes men feel
uncomfortable. So, you need to pick a style and not change it because
they don’t know how to react to you or what your personality is.
Lee The companies that I worked at, I was most likely the only woman in
the room. Dealing with the culture that they had wasn’t necessarily
easy.
I was invited to these networking events, and I didn’t feel comfortable
because it was always after work, and the conversation turned to
things not of interest to me: sports.

40
Interviewee Experience description
Mackenzie We were on one call where, literally, the CTO of this division
mansplained to me like I literally was, like, a little girl. I held my
breath, and I let him finish, and then I was like, with all due respect.
Madison So, even if it got to the point where you’re saying it in an executive
table, and there’s, you know, microaggressions, right? And it’s taking
that person out and saying, you know, I brought that idea, and then no
one took a hold of it, and you decided to 10 minutes later to restate it
like it was your own.
Nancy There have been points of time in my career where people you know
say that you know you got this because you’re a woman.
A woman would make a comment, and nobody acknowledges the fact
that they spoke, and then, 2 weeks later, a guy says the same thing,
and he gets all the credit.
Olivia I interviewed for a position, and I remember the hiring manager saying,
Well, you’ve got three little kids, you know. Things are going to fall
through the cracks, you know. You’ve got other priorities.
You couldn’t deny your sex, and you couldn’t deny that you were a
mother. You know, you almost felt apologetic for it back then, or you
tried to hide it, which, at the end of the day, wasn’t a great
experience.
The participants who mentioned examples of gender discrimination all commented that
things have improved throughout their careers. When discussing their career progressions, most
went back over 30 years to describe the environment in which they chose to pursue technology
as a career. Those early-career descriptions included examples of discrimination, from
inappropriate pictures posted in workspaces to inappropriate comments about appearance or
dress. Current descriptions of discrimination shifted to less subtle forms, such as
microaggressions or exclusion from activities. For example, Madison described a situation where
a male colleague restated a comment she initially made in a group setting as though it were his
original idea. An example Brooke described involved all of the team’s social activities revolving

41
around watching a football game, golfing, or attending happy hour after work; having young
children at home limited her ability to participate, and she was excluded by default. Another
typical practice several participants described was pre-conference activities, including a spa
treatment targeted at women and a golf outing for men. Madison explained that “very early in
my career… this is long ago changed. But way back then, just having to deal with, you know,
inappropriate comments and inappropriate behavior, things that would be horrifying if it
happened today.” Erin commented that discrimination still exists, “Do I still believe that I’m
somewhat disregarded because I’m a woman? A little bit.”
Although gender discrimination has improved significantly over the past 30 years,
according to those interviewed, women technologists still frequently experience it. The majority
of participants described instances of both undervaluation and different treatment. These
experiences ranged from blatant harassment to more subtle microaggressions, but the
discrimination still exists.
Finding 2: Women Technologists View Executive Technology Roles As Unattractive
A finding that emerged throughout the interviews was that the top technology role at a
company is viewed as unattractive by those looking to pursue that field and those who have
started along that career path. This phenomenon appears to begin in school, with technology in
general not being viewed as “interesting,” as Lee highlighted:
And I think if there’s something that should change, it is making computer science or
tech more interesting to kids in high school, and especially for women because the
programs that they put in high school are often geared to boys because of the projects
they do like building a rocket ship or building a race car.

42
Devillard et al. (2018) noted that women carry the double burden of greater responsibility
for household chores while pursuing a career. The idea of work-life integration still poses a
barrier for women technologists to ascend the corporate ranks, as they frequently travel to stay
current in the field. Whether it is to attend industry conferences, meet with vendor partners, or
visit peers leveraging technology being considered, travel is required. In the ascent up the
corporate ladder, speaking engagements at industry events and joint strategic planning sessions
with key vendors also require travel. Additionally, frequent vendor dinners and after-hours
technology implementations occur. Erin shared the impact of gender expectations at home and
work, especially when it comes to advancing from managerial to executive roles:
The whole thing of the gender normative roles are still the bane of career growth for
women, meaning that it’s just expected the women are going to be the child caregiver. I
think, as a society, we can get over the fact that women are the ones that have the babies,
and then after that, all should be fair. This is about women in progression. No matter how
you look at it, it is the gender normative responsibilities that, I believe, drive most of the
chasm of what happens from women in early managerial roles to the executive roles.
Similarly, Madison stated, “We don’t have equity in our personal lives. The women,
even in an equal relationship with equal careers, have the majority of the responsibility of their
personal lives.” Over half of the participants shared this sentiment. Olivia commented, “If you
decide to have a family and a career, I think women still end up giving and doing more than
50%. Women still end up bearing the brunt.” Lee provided a detailed description of this
dilemma:
I think that one of the biggest hindrances is this whole work-life balance situation. I think
there’s a lot more women in the workforce, even in the executive level, that still carry

43
most of the work at home. And you know, home and children and family, elderly parents,
and all that, and they find it difficult to make this move, which is very time-consuming.
Trying to balance family and work can provide some unique challenges. Mackenzie
temporarily left her high-travel technology executive role to care for her daughter as a single
parent. When she was ready to return to the same role, she commented, “It was really hard to get
that job again.” Staying current in the technology industry is expected to be marketable and
continue to advance. As technology advances ever-increasingly, any break can derail a
technology career.
The top technology role can be very demanding from a time commitment standpoint. Lee
commented, “It takes a lot of your energy, and it doesn’t go away in evenings and doesn’t go
away in the weekend, and I think that hinders more with women in jumping into that role.” The
role can also come with situations fraught with conflict and frequently being in the middle of
disagreements among partners and vendors. Erin illustrated this situation by sharing, “I think that
I think that a lot of women look at this job, and it’s not that attractive to them. So, unless you are
just super ambitious, it’s a big pain.” Erin added, “Nobody likes you. Not your boss, not your
vendor partners, and, unfortunately, not your company’s functional leaders. It’s not a popular
role. If you wanna do a good job, you can’t be everyone’s friend.”
The role of a top technology leader often demands travel and relocation. If spending time
away from home is not feasible for women aspiring to higher levels in the organization, they
view the role itself negatively. Most participants highlighted extensive travel and multiple
relocations. Mackenzie commented, “I experienced extremely high travel. I didn’t spend much
time together the first two years we were married between our travel schedules.” Madison
mentioned that she relocated three times in eight years.

44
The role’s significant demands and unattractiveness have caused some to leave the
industry altogether. Madison shared,
Fewer people want to do the things that are required to get to my executive team. They
opt out. They don’t want to relocate. I’ve lost a lot of women that were on the track to be
my direct reports that I never thought would walk away from their roles.
Women technologists view executive technology roles as unattractive. It starts with the
field in general, with educational technology projects focusing on topics women do not consider
interesting. The technology field is demanding, especially at higher organizational levels,
requiring travel and relocation to continue advancing. The high demands and the lack of worklife balance make the role of technology executive unattractive.
Summary of Research Question 1
Research Question 1 focused on barriers women technologists faced as they progressed
through academia and employment. The analysis surfaced two key findings:
 Women technologists still frequently experience gender discrimination.
 Women technologists view executive technology roles as unattractive.
Exploring each finding provided detailed descriptions as told through the participants’ stories of
their career journeys to the top technology roles at their organizations. Eight participants shared
experiences highlighting that while it has improved, gender discrimination still exists. Most
participants mentioned the struggle to balance work and home obligations, demonstrating it is
still a barrier to advancement. Finally, this section explored an overall observation of the
unattractiveness of the top technology spot hindering progress for women technologists.

45
Findings for Research Question 2: What Strategies Have Executive Women Technologists
Used to Overcome the Obstacles Faced?
This research question explored strategies executive women technologists leveraged to
overcome obstacles they encountered throughout their careers. I utilized questions about
strategies used to overcome obstacles throughout career progression, influential relationships
inside or outside their career, factors that might contribute to women’s advancement to their
roles, and suggestions for overcoming them to gather the information that resulted in the
following key findings:
 Investing in networking with technologists, executives, and industry leaders is key to
advancing to the top technology role.
 Investing in skill development, specifically breadth of experience, influence, presenting,
preparation, and courage, prepares women technologists for continued career
advancement.
 Establishing a solid support system provides the structure needed to pursue an executivelevel technology role.
The following information includes participant commentary on strategies leveraged to
overcome barriers encountered during their careers.
Finding 1: Investing in Networking With Technologists, Executives, and Industry Peers Is
Key to Advancing to the Top Technology Role
Networking was the participants’ most-mentioned strategy for overcoming obstacles as
they advanced to the top technology role in their organizations. All participants leveraged
multiple types and sources of networks, as shown in Table 3.

46
Table 3
Types of Networking Leveraged
Women in
technology
Women
executives
Industry
peers
Employee
resource
groups
Technology/
vendor/client
organizations
Alex X X X X X
Brooke X X X X
Erin X X X
Grace X X X X X
Lee X X X
Mackenzie X X X
Madison X X
Nancy X X X X
Olivia X X X
All participants leveraged multiple networks throughout their career progression. They
generally acknowledged that networking is an investment in time. Grace commented, “Being
choiceful probably makes a lot of sense, so you can nurture the ones that you want to keep
current.” Several participants mentioned leveraging different networks during different times in
their careers. Lee commented on the importance of developing networks early in a career:
It took a long time for me to be leveraging networks of the influence of others to help me
through my career. Since it’s more male-dominated, if you’re not in those networks and
people won’t be able to refer you for things, and you’re less likely to be part of the slate
of people considered. A hindrance to advancement is that women don’t create networks
or strong networks early enough.

47
Most of the participants articulated the value of investing in networking. Mackenzie
maintained a network of colleagues from her university and described it as “the gift that keeps on
giving” based on the industry experts with whom she stays connected. She initially attended a
prestigious university’s MBA program to gain knowledge and experiences to further her career
but noted that the relationships she developed during her schooling have benefited her even now.
Other approaches to networking included joining organizations consisting of women executives
in technology specifically. Brooke described the benefit of belonging to her executive women’s
technology organization as “any kind of CIO association is very helpful.” She also mentioned
several other of her networks, including vendor groups and industry groups, but underscored the
importance of the technology network.
With the technology industry changing rapidly, having a network of colleagues with
experience in a specific area is helpful. Erin noted how she leverages her network to “reach out
to people if I’ve got a question.” She described the diversity of the network she has cultivated,
allowing her to find the commonality when pursuing a specific business or technology space so
that someone in her network can likely assist with whatever topic might arise. Olivia further
stated that she stays connected to multiple networks because “it’s a small world” regarding
potential opportunities. She added,
It’s always about getting the work done and moving up. It’s those relationships that get
you through. If you’ve got that relationship that will see you through. Getting out of that
transactional and really getting to know people and connecting is important, and when
you’re trying to move up in your career, and you’re trying to get stuff done, it’s hard to
remember to slow down and build those connections and build those relationships with
people above you. Get to know your peers and the people that you work with.

48
Networking was key in enabling the participants to advance to the top technology role.
The interviewees highlighted multiple types of networks, including industry organizations, peer
groups, executive women’s organizations, employee affinity groups, and vendor organizations.
The most common attribute across all networks was their ability to assist the participants in
overcoming obstacles they encountered during career progression.
Finding 2: Investing in Skill Development, Specifically Breadth of Experience, Influence,
and Courage, Prepares Women Technologists for Continued Career Advancement
All research participants mentioned skill development as essential to advancing to the top
technology role. Five participants mentioned the breadth of experience and the ability to translate
business needs into technical solutions. Mackenzie commented, “variety of roles and
perspectives has contributed to a world view that helps me be able to participate in discussions
that if you stay very focused in one area is hard.” Nancy mentioned that a factor contributing to
her advancement was “having a variety of experiences and having worn multiple hats.”
The interviewees made several references to the requirement to relate to the business
while bridging needs with technology. Nancy noted these skills “make you a more effective
leader, particularly as you scale more and more towards the enterprise level.” Olivia commented
on the topic:
I think women just have a better aptitude in terms of the soft skills and are equally as
good technically. I think having that business acumen and that communication skills are
probably more important than being really timid. And I think the role today is less around
driving and implementing technologies as it is bridging business needs and capabilities
and connecting dots to create solutions and connecting things within the business just to

49
drive efficiency and be able to leverage technology appropriately. So, I think women are,
you know, probably you know, as positioned as any to do that.
Bridging business and technology is difficult, as supported by Alex’s comment: “It’s
really hard to kind of bridge between tech and business and get people to understand the tech
part. So that ability to communicate and translate is super important.” Grace also commented on
the importance of understanding the business and technology: “Ability to leverage others, build
relationships, understand connectivity, understand cause and effect is far more important in my
role. It’s about the implications on the business.”
Women technologists’ advancement requires influence. They are typically focused on
two main areas of work: support when problems arise and deployment of new technology
capabilities. However, as they advance, they need different skills to deliver results on a larger
scale across multiple groups. Nancy noted that “learning how to lead through influence and how
to get outcomes through influence” is a central contributor to advancement. A component of
influence is being able to present an idea. Alex commented that a factor contributing to
advancement is “confidence and being able to communicate and present on the idea.” Olivia
indicated, “Communication and listening skills are probably the biggest thing. Take the time to
be strategic.”
Another element of effective influencing is the ability to relate to others and establish
credibility. Women technologists find it necessary to assimilate into a male-dominated
environment while bringing more of their authentic selves to work over time. When asked about
obstacles they faced throughout their careers, all interviewees described techniques they utilized
to conform to their environment. One theme emerged around needing to learn to either play or
discuss sports to engage. Alex explained, “While building relationships, I had to learn to talk

50
about sports. You learn to talk about golf or play golf just as a way to be even the playing field as
you’re building the relationships.” Brooke also referenced sports as a way into the “boys’ club.”
She commented, “It was a boys’ club. You get in there, and they want to talk about sports. It’s
the warm-up activity. Then the bonding activity is playing golf or watching a football game.”
Olivia learned how to play golf because “they all play golf. Being able to play golf is important
at events because it is where you networked.”
Being seen as “one of the boys” was another theme that emerged. Olivia captured this
sentiment:
Any place I went, there was nothing but men. I was probably accustomed to being the
only female in a room in a meeting than having lots of males, although it’s changed over
the years. I think I just had to learn how to be one of the boys. As I think about it, I
probably am more comfortable around men and in rooms full of men that I don’t know
than I would be in a room full of women ’cause you just got used to understanding how
they think and having to just kind of be one of them.
Another theme emerged around managing perceptions to fit in to establish credibility.
Multiple participants mentioned balancing strength and likeability. Brooke expressed the issue
with likeability and the concern of “being seen as too nice or being seen as too much of a bitch.”
Grace similarly commented that she learned to interact with her male counterparts “without
being a pushover and without being bitchy.” In response to the interview question, “If you could
change one thing in the future for upcoming women technologists, what would that be?” Erin
summed it all up by stating, “I’d like to believe that you can be more of your authentic self.”
Eight participants highlighted courage as essential for career advancement. The
combination of women’s underrepresentation in technology and their underrepresentation in

51
executive positions often creates a situation where there is only one woman in a room or on a
team of all males. The idea of being the only woman in the room prompted many participants to
describe mustering the courage to be heard. Erin declared, “I was becoming more bold and
realized that to get to where you need to be, you need to be bold.” Similarly, Lee commented,
“You need to take risks and create your path. You need to stand up for yourself, and bet on
yourself, and be comfortable being uncomfortable.” In response to the interview question, “If
you could change one thing in the future for upcoming women technologists, what would that
be?” Olivia commented,
I would boost their confidence in themselves, to just push through and drive, and you
know not, hesitate, and if that means making mistakes, and, you know, screwing
something up, or you know you get fired from a job because you didn’t you weren’t quite
ready. That’s a learning experience, and we don’t like that. But I think, you know,
pushing themselves to the point where they were, they get those experiences and can
develop faster and just not getting in their own way.
Some went as far as to say that they would not be where they are today if it were not for
courage. Mackenzie noted that “if I point to the single-most thing that probably just defines why
I’m here, it’s because I believed it was actually possible.” Having courage allowed many of the
participants to take a risk that they would not have typically been willing to take. Madison
highlighted the way she “mustered courage” to take a career risk was to tell herself, “The worst
that can happen is they fire me. And there are plenty of other jobs.”
The participants highlighted multiple skills that enabled them to succeed, but almost
everyone mentioned the same few. The breadth of experience provided a wide range of
experiences on which to draw and different perspectives when navigating the corporate ladder.

52
Influence allowed the participants to extend their leadership beyond their immediate team and to
enable a broader impact. Courage was needed to allow the participants to make bold moves from
a career perspective. Investing in developing breadth of experience, influence, and courage
prepared the participants for continued career advancement.
Finding 3: Establishing a Solid Support System Provides the Structure Needed To Pursue
an Executive-level Technology Role
All participants established a solid support system as a strategy to enable them to
succeed. Considering the obstacles they faced, specifically the unattractiveness of the executive
technology role and the lack of work-life balance that comes as part of the role, support systems
were a vital approach to overcoming those obstacles. The support received ranged from sharing
tactics to deal with the negative aspects of the position to performing activities necessary at
home and with children. Support systems can encompass several people and roles, but the most
commonly identified supports were mentors, managers, and family members, as seen in Table 4.

53
Table 4
Types of Support Roles Leveraged
Mentors Direct managers Family
Alex X X Mom
Brooke X
Erin Partner
Grace X Sisters and parents
Lee X Husband
Mackenzie X X Husband and parents
Madison X
Nancy X
Olivia X X Husband
Eight participants cited mentorship as a key to their success. In most cases, the
participants had to find their mentors and cultivate those relationships over time. Brooke
commented, “There have been some people who have been like magic, and I would not be here
in my career without them. They put their hand in the fire for you, or vouch for you, but they’ll
get your foot in the door, and that’s all you need.” Grace commented that her mentor “was really
terrific at helping me to navigate the rest of the network and provide really great career advice
for me.” Mackenzie said that her mentor “was super supportive of me, even had me interview at
another company … because he thought I deserved that kind of role and didn’t want to stand in
my way.”
Three participants identified direct managers as a strong support system. Alex mentioned,
“Two of my early managers gave great feedback, and they really championed my visibility to

54
others.” Olivia credited her boss for the tremendous support, stating, “My boss, for the longest
time, created the opportunities to get me to that CIO role. He put me in the role.” While there
were examples of direct managers who proved helpful in navigating the participants’ careers,
most mentioned that the most influential mentor relationships did not come from their direct
managers. Rather, the person was typically someone outside of their immediate department who
fulfilled that role for them.
Further, six participants identified family members as crucial in supporting their career
accomplishments. In some cases, parents were positive influencers, and in other cases, siblings
were great role models. The most frequently mentioned family member was the husband. Grace
highlighted choosing a partner who will support their spouse’s career growth, referring to her
husband:
I think that women have to choose the way they choose their career. They have to choose.
Someone who will support them. Sometimes, women grow up with the fairy tale. I’m just
gonna focus on this love thing, and they don’t really consider, is this somebody that’s
gonna support me in my career. Are they willing to sacrifice for me as much as I would
be willing to sacrifice for them? And they’re going to be equal partners with raising kids
or taking care of housework. And then they wonder why they had the whole burden of
everything, and then they feel like they can’t as long as they are taking care and
everything at home. They can’t compete with their male counterparts at work.
While all nine participants spoke about individuals or groups who supported them
throughout their career advancement, three spoke in depth about the necessity of allies. Brooke
referenced the support she received from both women and men throughout her career, calling out
several men she was not close to but who “helped me advance in my career.” Grace commented

55
on her desire to leverage the broader population, beyond women affinity groups, to address the
problem of underrepresentation:
My male counterparts were having lunch with all the partners and directors, which, by the
way, were mostly male, and I was at a women’s lunch, which included very few
directors. Directors are the people that were gonna choose whether I’m getting promoted.
So, I always had a certain amount of resentment to these affinity groups that segmented
off the population rather than creating forums with allies for that population to succeed. It
isn’t until all the other groups understand where the bias exists, whether it’s in
performance evaluations or recruiting or job specs, that we’re actually gonna move the
needle on any of these things.
Madison commented on allyship as a “big topic, … building those allies and mentors that
can help you. Having executive mentors that were also allies allows them to coach me and watch
out for certain things, and then give me feedback.” Grace suggested a specific strategy to engage
allies is to pair an executive male leader with an executive female leader so that “in those
conversations, hearing these women and the challenges that they have has been invaluable.”
Madison focuses on supporting her direct reports as male allies and advocates for women
technologists: “I’m proud to say that most of my direct reports are male, so I have eight vice
presidents reporting to me, and they’re all advocates.”
Interestingly, in discussions about establishing a formal support system and allyship,
several participants commented that women often see each other as a threat and compete with
each other rather than help each other advance. This behavior erodes the support system women
technologists build and can prohibit advancement. Olivia explained,

56
I’ve also had female executives that I felt saw me as a threat and were less than
supportive. But you know, and I think that’s changed. It’s probably better in the last 10
years, but at the beginning of my career, where there were very few women, it was
almost like we didn’t help each other and lift each other up. We’re trained by our DNA to
be competitive. Now, there’s the phrase of lift as you rise. This idea of there’s space for
everyone. And it’s different. But back then, you were fighting for your little bit of space.
Women technologists find it necessary to assimilate into a male-dominated environment
while bringing more of their authentic selves to work over time. All interviewees described the
techniques they used to conform to their environment. One theme emerged around needing to
learn to either play or discuss sports to engage. Alex explained, “While building relationships, I
had to learn to talk about sports. You learn to talk about golf or play golf just as a way to be even
the playing field as you’re building the relationships.” Brooke also referenced sports as a way
into the “boys’ club.” She commented, “It was a boys’ club. You get in there, and they want to
talk about sports. It’s the warm-up activity. Then the bonding activity is playing golf or watching
a football game.” Olivia learned how to play golf because “they all play golf. Being able to play
golf is important at events because it is where you networked.”
There is strength in numbers; more women technologists participating and advancing in
technology roles paves the way for continued progress toward equal representation. Most
participants mentioned the need to increase the number of women technologists to progress
toward equal gender representation. A theme that emerged was the need for more women at all
levels to ensure an adequate pipeline for executive roles and avoid being the only woman in the
room. Lee described the discomfort of being the only woman: “I was very often the only woman
in the room, and in one sense, it was very unnerving.” Lee further commented, “The companies

57
that I worked at, I was most likely the only woman in the room, and dealing with the culture
wasn’t necessarily easy.”
When explicitly asked about strategies needed to overcome obstacles, Brooke responded,
“Lift as you rise.” Lee captured the shift from being discouraged about being the only woman in
the room to making way for others: “I went from crying to working really hard to make a path
for others, creating a path because it wasn’t there for me.” After experiencing a lack of support
throughout her career, Madison committed to “mentoring all of the women that came in behind
me.” Olivia added, “I decided that the other women in there aren’t a threat. They are an ally.”
Capturing the sentiment of needing more women in technology in general, Nancy responded to
the interview question about changing one thing in the future for upcoming women technologists
with the response, “That there’s more of them.”
Unpacking each finding shed light on the participants’ perceptions of their environment.
Most participants shared stories of behaviors that allowed them to assimilate while remaining
hopeful that they could be more authentic as time passed. Most participants spoke about the need
for more women in technology and their actions to make that happen. Finally, while all
participants mentioned support from both women and men throughout their careers, three
explicitly commented on allyship’s role as vital to advancing gender equity in technology.
Summary of Research Question 2
Research Question 2 sought to understand strategies the interviewees leveraged to
overcome the obstacles they encountered throughout their careers. The analysis resulted in three
key findings:
 Investing in networking with technologists, executives, and industry peers is key to
advancing to the top technology role.

58
 Investing in skill development, specifically breadth of experience, influence, and
courage, prepares women technologists for continued career advancement.
 Establishing a solid support system provides the structure needed to pursue an
executive-level technology role.
Delving into the participants’ detailed descriptions of their support systems illuminated
the environments they had around them as they advanced in their careers. Networking
established the connections the participants needed to thrive in their current roles and be
considered for future roles. Skill development ensured they were equipped to demonstrate
readiness for the next role. Finally, solid support systems created the support needed to meet the
requirements of increasingly demanding roles as the women technologists ascended the ranks of
their organizations to the top technology role.
Findings for Research Question 3: What Institutional Practices and Programs Effectively
Support Women Technologists’ Leadership Development and Career Advancement?
This research question explored practices and programs implemented by organizations
that supported women technologists’ development and advancement. I utilized questions about
organizational programs or support specifically targeted at helping women technologists or that
the participants encountered in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space to gather the
information that resulted in the following key findings:
 Mentoring programs are essential for women in technology as they provide guidance,
role modeling, skill development, and advocacy as they advance their careers.
 Leadership development programs equip women technologists for career
advancement.

59
The following information provides participant commentary on their lived experiences of the
institutional support and programs they experienced during their careers.
Finding 1: Mentoring Programs Are Essential for Women in Technology As They Provide
Guidance, Role-Modeling, Skill Development, and Advocacy As They Advance Their
Careers
While eight participants mentioned mentoring as a key to their success, only five pointed
to structured, organizational mentor programs in which they participated and viewed as
successful. The mentor programs mentioned existed in various formats: mentor circles or groups,
one-on-one mentors, and executive coaches. Mentor circles consist of small groups of
individuals, typically numbering eight to 12, and a leader who brings the group together
periodically over an extended period to discuss topics of interest to the group. They can range
from meetings without agendas to highly structured sessions with specified topics, reading, and
discussion guides to facilitate the interaction.
Further, one-on-one mentoring relationships can be assigned or arranged as part of an
overall program. In many cases, the pairing of the mentor and mentee is deliberate; for example,
the pairing could be focused on a specific skill the mentee needs to develop, an investment in an
underrepresented population, or a focus on high-potential employees. Another format for
mentorship is executive coaching: professionals outside of the organization who are brought in
and frequently funded by the organization to bring an external perspective and a disciplined
approach to developing the person they coach. All three mentor programs provide various
benefits, with the study participants frequently mentioning guidance, role modeling, skill
development, and advocacy.

60
Grace found both mentor circles and one-on-one mentoring arrangements “invaluable.”
Grace shared, “In one sense, they’re great when they create a sense of community when we do
mentor circles.” In several cases, the participants initially sought out their mentoring
relationships, as formal programs did not exist then. Still, based on the benefits of those mentor
relationships, they set up formal programs later in their careers. Alex initially sought her mentors
because she admired “their skill, their influence, the way they influenced the group.” Alex later
started a mentor program for females and required all her direct reports to “be a mentor for an
up-and-coming person.” She established the first mentor program for women in technology at
her company.
Technologists typically have to choose between an individual contributor technical career
path and a technology leadership career path. Formal mentor programs often provide structure
around the topics covered and support technologists’ career advancement for both the technical
and leadership paths. Lee commented on the skill development that can come with mentorship:
“One of the programs that I really enjoyed was about identifying women in engineering and
helping accelerate their growth in terms of their technical journey or into management.”
In addition to the mentor programs established and run as organizational programs,
several participants referenced informal, grassroots mentoring efforts in which they participated
as mentors and mentees. Similar to Alex’s experience of receiving mentoring and then
subsequently establishing a formal organizational program, others received the benefit of a
mentor and then committed to mentoring many others. Madison commented, “I’ve mentored all
of the women that came behind me,” after referencing having a mentor who would “coach me or
watch out for certain things and then give me feedback.” In addition to receiving frequent
feedback from mentors, many mentors used their voices to advance their mentees. Olivia

61
described how her manager became her mentor over time as their relationship strengthened, and
eventually, he started “creating the opportunities.”
In addition to the formal and informal mentor programs mentioned, Nancy participated in
various mentoring relationships, including relationships within and outside her company. She
leveraged a paid executive coach for 12 years. The coach was a psychologist who worked with
Nancy to build skills essential to advancement and eliminate career-stalling behaviors. Nancy
described the sessions where the coach “would ask me probing questions, challenged my
thinking, go through all these different leadership assessments, and get me to figure out how to
share more of myself and build relationships and develop in a number of areas.”
Almost all of the participants mentioned mentoring programs as critical support for their
continued advancement. These programs took multiple shapes: one-on-one relationships, group
mentoring, and executive coaching. The elements these programs had in common included
guiding the mentee as they navigated their career, role-modeling desirable leadership behaviors,
and skill development to enable career advancement.
Finding 2: Leadership Development Programs Equip Women Technologists for Career
Advancement
Eight participants mentioned leadership development programs as effective
organizational programs in which they had participated. While the programs ranged from
internally developed to externally sourced to university-led, the primary topic identified was
leadership development. The programs were targeted to early-career and mid-career leaders.
In the technology field, individuals are recruited from universities and placed in technical
individual contributor roles. Going from individual contributor to manager is a significant jump
and requires leadership skills to succeed. In some cases, programs existed for all employees

62
moving into leadership. In other instances, a management development program existed within
the technology organization. And in some cases, a leadership development program was
established targeting women in technology. Madison described the internally developed program
she experienced for women in technology: “We bought the books. We had leadership discussions
and little exercises. We self-generated it. It’s something that we’re doing for women in
technology.” Nancy described two separate effective programs: “A program for the next
generation of leaders: the management development program I went through early career. And a
corporate program that developed high-potential leaders.” Both programs involved selecting
high-potential individuals and providing structured learning on the skills necessary to become an
effective leader. Nancy commented that the combination of skill-building and exposure enabled
her to be seen as a woman technologist with the leadership skills needed to continue to advance.
Many of the development programs described were created internally, but some
participated in programs offered by outside parties. Olivia attended a leadership development
program offered by an organization outside her company:
I had a chance to do a program, and it was really around women. There were 500 women
in different leadership roles. It wasn’t just tech. It was HR. And really about
empowerment, about how to grow your career and networking.
The program focused on technology and leadership. Olivia acknowledged that the time
and money spent to send her to the training was an investment in her professionally. Olivia found
this type of training helpful: “As you grow, you get scale, and you’ve got more people reporting
to you; it’s how to continue to be effective as a leader and think strategically.” While many of
the programs targeted early and mid-career participants, some focused on skills required at the
organization’s executive level. Lee found useful “advanced leadership programs helping them

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grow quickly into the executive roles.” These programs were developed and administered by
universities where the participants engaged in multiple sessions over several months focused on
subjects such as driving organizational change, leading high-performing teams, negotiation, and
public speaking.
Several participants mentioned programs focused on advancing to the top technology
role. As Brooke described, “It was on CIOs, basically. So, it wasn’t specifically related to
women, but it was specifically to raise CIOs.” The program was a week-long intensive
experience at a university focused on building the skills to become successful CIOs. Many of
these CIO development programs also have learning tracks designed for women to equip them to
overcome barriers that have historically impeded women.
Almost all participants mentioned leadership development programs as essential for their
advancement to the top technology role at their organization. These programs varied in format.
Some were developed internally, while others were deployed by providers external to the
company. Some focused on leadership in general, others specialized in technology leadership,
and a few were exclusive to women technologists. The commonality across all the programs was
that they provided the skill development necessary for the participants’ career advancement.
Summary of Research Question 3
Research Question 3 explored practices and programs implemented by organizations that
supported the development and advancement of women technologists. The analysis resulted in
two key findings:
 Mentoring programs are essential for women in technology as they provide guidance,
role modeling, skill development, and advocacy as they advance their careers.

64
 Leadership development programs equip women technologists for career
advancement.
 While the participants highlighted multiple organizational programs, nearly everyone
mentioned mentoring and leadership development programs as effective tools for
advancing their careers. Most highlighted mentoring as a way to navigate career
challenges and develop skills. Leadership development programs were implemented
in various ways, but the common theme was the investment in women to further
develop into strong leaders and executives.
Summary
This chapter provided an overview of this study’s findings based on the research
questions. It outlined the lived experiences of the nine women executive technologists as they
progressed to the top technology roles at their organizations.
While progress has been made, barriers still exist in the form of gender discrimination.
The top technology role can be seen as unattractive, causing women to avoid or leave the field
altogether. Participants’ perceptions of these barriers included assimilating their behavior to fit
in. They highlighted that more women in technology leadership will pave the way for even more
to come after them. Several participants described ways they were changing the patriarchal
structures to embrace and include women versus accepting the status quo.
When asked about strategies to overcome barriers, networking, skill development, and a
strong support system rose to the top. Regarding the organizational programs supporting career
advancement for women technologists, mentoring and leadership development programs were
the clear winners. Table 5 summarizes the seven key findings of this study.

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Table 5
Key Findings: Increasing Representation of Women in Executive Technology Leadership Roles
Increasing representation of women in executive technology leadership
roles
RQ1: What barriers did
executive women
technologists
encounter throughout
their academic and
career progression?
RQ2: What strategies
have executive
women technologists
used to overcome the
obstacles faced?
RQ3: What
institutional practices
and programs
effectively support
women
technologists’
leadership
development and
career advancement?
Key Finding 1 Women technologists
still frequently
experience gender
discrimination
Investing in
networking with
technologists,
executives, and
industry leaders is
key to advancing to
the top technology
role
Mentoring programs
are essential for
women in
technology as they
provide guidance,
role-modeling, skill
development, and
advocacy as they
advance their careers
Key Finding 2 Women technologists
view executive
technology roles as
unattractive.
Investing in skill
development,
specifically breadth
of experience,
influence, and
courage, prepares
women technologists
for continued career
advancement.
Leadership
development
programs equip
women technologists
for career
advancement.
Key Finding 3 Establishing a solid
support system
provides the
structure needed to
pursue an executivelevel technology
role.

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Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations for Practice
This chapter discusses the study’s findings in the context of the literature and
recommendations for practice that address effective institutional programs and strategies to
support women technologists as they ascend to leadership positions. The literature has indicated
that organizational policies play a role in combating inequality, including anti-harassment
training, affirmative action commitments, diversity goals, equal pay mandates, and family
responsibility accommodations, such as flex time and parental leave policies (Barkhuizen et al.,
2022; Diehl & Dzubinski, 2016; Hill et al. 2016). The literature has also indicated that women
can concurrently implement strategies while the organization must improve the environment. For
example, Amon (2017) found that female technology executives consistently employed career
strategies of self-development, collaboration, and relationship-building as they advanced.
Individuals, in addition to the women impacted, need to engage and support those women to see
significant results (Schulz & Enslin, 2014).
This qualitative study aimed to understand the participants’ experiences, strategies, and
supports as they ascended to technology leadership positions. The objective was to hear about
women’s successful strategies and uncover effective institutional programs to improve women’s
representation in executive technology roles. As such, the following research questions guided
the study:
1. What barriers did executive women technologists encounter throughout their
academic and career progression?
2. What strategies have executive women technologists used to overcome the
obstacles faced?

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3. What institutional practices and programs effectively support women
technologists’ leadership development and career advancement?
This final chapter includes a discussion of findings, recommendations for practice,
limitations and delimitations of the study, and areas for future research.
Discussion of Findings
This section reviews the findings discussed in Chapter Four in the context of the literature
reviewed and the theoretical framework leveraged in the study, Bronfenbrenner’s (1997)
ecological systems theory. The theory provided a framework for examining how different
environmental factors interact and ultimately impact the individual (Bronfenbrenner, 1997).
Exploring how women interact within their different environments and how institutional
programs positively affect women technologists helps to determine practical recommendations
for change that address their underrepresentation in executive roles. Women technologists have
limited time to invest in development, and companies have limited resources to invest in
organizational programs, necessitating the identification of and investment in activities that have
the most significant impact.
This study is important because it provided insights into the experiences of executive
women technologists as they ascended to the top technology role in an organization. The study’s
findings are essential because they provide solutions to barriers for women technologists and
suggestions for institutional changes and programs that can be implemented to accelerate career
advancement. The study provided a platform for the participants to share their experiences,
enabling other women technologists and their organizations to gain insight into changes that can
be implemented to improve women’s representation in executive technology roles.

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Findings related to barriers women technologists faced involved broad, wide-sweeping
issues: they still frequently experience gender discrimination and view executive technology
roles as unattractive. Research suggests that gender discrimination still exists in technology
environments. Even though laws have been put in place to reduce bias and discrimination, the
progress of diversity in STEM has been slow because cultural practices unintentionally
perpetuate implicit bias (Fisher, 2018). The finding regarding the unattractiveness of the top
technology role for women stemmed from the lack of inclusion and work-life balance. Research
indicates that work-life balance is a constraining factor for women leaders as balancing work and
family responsibilities can be challenging and limit career aspirations and progress (Barkhuizen
et al., 2022). Women leaders experience conflict when the demands of work and family are
incompatible (Machín-Rincón et al., 2020). This finding moves beyond current research on the
lack of work-life balance for women generally (Barkhuizen et al., 2022; Machín-Rincón et al.,
2020) to the work-life balance challenges specific to the nature of the executive technologist role
itself. The role’s challenges consist of heavy workload demands combined with frequently
battling with internal and external colleagues, such as business partners who have high
technology demands but a budget that can not fund them all and executives from different
departments competing for the same technology resources. The lack of work-life balance and
consistently getting caught in the middle of competing departments creates a situation where the
role itself is subsequently viewed as unattractive.
The study also sought to identify strategies the participants used to overcome barriers and
advance their careers. The findings surfaced multiple ways these women deliberately invested
their time: networking, establishing a solid support system, and skill development involving
breadth of experience. Research consistently highlights the benefits of creating and leveraging

69
strong networks and the help of a support system as a tool for career advancement (Barkhuizen et
al., 2022; Jauhar & Lau, 2018). Specifically, supportive networking and fostering key
relationships, including peers and mentors, contribute to women’s persistence in STEM (Mullet
et al., 2017). The finding moves beyond research on gaining skills through breadth of experience
spanning multiple jobs in the technology space. Five participants mentioned the importance of
breadth of experience to attain the top technology role. Nancy noted that a factor contributing to
her advancement was “having a variety of experiences and having worn multiple hats.”
Finally, the study sought to identify organizational programs that could be implemented
to support women technologists effectively as they advanced. Findings indicate that mentoring
and leadership development programs are essential for helping women technologists. Research
supports implementing both types of programs as a tool to advance women (Dobbin & Kalev,
2017; Martínez-Martínez et al., 2021). Specifically, companies can address the ongoing lack of
women leaders in STEM through formal mentoring programs focused on socialization,
orientation, and career progression (Carter et al., 2020). Leadership development programs for
women also have the potential for deep, transformational learning for the participants (Selzer et
al., 2017).
Regarding the alignment of the findings to Bronfenbrenner’s (1997) ecological systems
theory model, different levels of the model are impacted depending on the pervasiveness of the
finding and the scope of the solution recommended to address the finding. Discrimination and
women’s negative view of the executive technologist role are systemic issues founded in the
macrosystem, including values, customs, and issues of power and social class. Bronfenbrenner’s
model indicates that actions at the macro (cultural) systems must be enacted. While changes at
this level are essential, they are also complex and slow to change. While the structure of the

70
patriarchy was still intact based on the interviews, several of the participants believed they could
change the rules of the game based on their level in the organization and ability to influence
change. More immediate strategies, such as policies and practices to allow greater work-life
balance, may affect women’s negative attitudes toward this role and can be enacted at the micro
level of the organization. Strategies to overcome barriers, including networking, establishing a
support system, and gaining breadth of experience, primarily impact Bronfenbrenner’s
microsystem, or the immediate setting, but could cut across the mesosystem (interconnections
among systems) and exosystem (community) if the scope of the solutions extends beyond the
individual’s immediate environment and include external organizations.
Recommendations for Practice
Based on the findings discussed in Chapter Four, supporting literature, and the complex
systems in which women technologists operate as suggested by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological
systems (Bronfenbrenner, 1997), specific actions to address each finding are provided as
recommendations for practice. Table 6 provides an overview of the seven recommendations and
how they are related to each of the key findings from the research.

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Table 6
Overview of Recommendations
Key finding Recommendation
Gender discrimination is still frequently
experienced by women technologists.
Implement implicit bias training with an
emphasis on microaggressions.
Executive technology roles are viewed as
unattractive by women technologists.
Adopt cultural practices, policies, and
services aimed at increasing inclusivity
and flexibility.
Investing in networking with technologists,
executives, and industry leaders is key to
advancing to the top technology role.
Support and fund membership to
technology, women in technology,
women in leadership, and industryspecific organizations.
Investing in skill development, specifically
breadth of experience, influence, and courage,
prepares women technologists for continued
career advancement.
Implement a job rotation program.
Establishing a solid support system provides the
structure needed to pursue an executive-level
technology role.
Implement women employee resource
groups and women in technology
groups emphasizing allyship.
Mentoring programs are essential for women in
technology as they provide guidance, role
modeling, skill development, and advocacy as
they advance their careers.
Implement a mentor program.
Leadership development programs equip women
technologists for career advancement.
Implement or support participation in a
leadership development program
targeted at women technologists.
Recommendation 1: Implement Implicit Bias Training With an Emphasis on
Microaggressions
Interview data indicated that women technologists still frequently experience gender
discrimination. Eight participants referenced experiences of gender discrimination as de la TorrePérez et al. (2022) defined: undervaluation or different treatment. The participants suggested that

72
experiences of gender discrimination have evolved from blatant discrimination to more subtle
forms, such as microaggressions. Microaggressions (unconscious actions considered
discriminatory) combined with implicit bias (unconscious prejudice against a person or group)
can be damaging to an underrepresented population (Turner et al., 2021). The difficulty with
microaggressions and implicit bias is that the offender may not be aware they are damaging
(Turner et al., 2021). Awareness is an important first step, considering the subtlety of the actions
and that the offender may not be aware of the damage caused by their actions. Turner et al.
(2021) stated, “Awareness that implicit biases and microaggressions exist and recognition that
these phenomena are problematic are the first steps toward fostering a more equitable and
inclusive culture” (p. 1727). Implicit bias training can be developed and implemented to provide
awareness of implicit biases and actions to minimize their impacts. Kim and Roberson (2022)
studied multiple implicit bias training programs and concluded that while all programs taught the
skills necessary to raise self-awareness and detect bias, most did not include teaching the skills
required for talking about bias with colleagues. Kim and Roberson (2022) recommended implicit
bias training consists of the following components: detecting bias in one’s self, detecting bias in
the environment, stereotype replacement, increasing contact with out-group members, and
perspective-taking, in addition to skill development in responding to and addressing implicit bias
when observed in others.
It is essential to measure the effectiveness of implicit bias training in raising awareness
and equipping participants to take action to reduce bias. Javier et al. (2022) assessed the
effectiveness of unconscious bias course implementation for a broad cross-section of people in
STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine). The course was developed
specifically to address implicit bias in STEM and included online, self-paced modules covering

73
the topics of unconscious bias, microaggressions, solutions, and allyship. Like Kim and
Roberson’s (2022) recommendation to include skill-building for increasing awareness of implicit
bias and engaging with others to address it, the training reviewed by Javier et al. incorporated
skill-building focused on increasing awareness and actions to solve the problem. Javier et al.
determined the course helped individuals be more culturally competent and foster a STEM
environment that embraces diversity. Turner et al. (2021, p. 1730) presented a framework for
addressing microaggression and implicit bias, ACTION, which stands for
Ask clarifying questions. Come from curiosity, not judgment, with careful listening. Tell
others what was observed. Then, do impact exploration by discussing the impact of the
statement. Own your thoughts and feelings around impact. And finally, discuss the next
steps.
Based on the finding that gender discrimination is still frequently experienced by women
technologists, the recommendation is to bring awareness to the offenders by implementing
implicit bias training emphasizing microaggressions. Based on the research, the training must
include modules on recognizing implicit bias and microaggressions and an actionable framework
for mitigating them. This recommendation provides the skills necessary for each participant to
recognize when gender discrimination occurs within themselves or with others and address it
constructively.
Recommendation 2: Adopt Cultural Practices, Policies, and Services Aimed at Increasing
Inclusivity and Flexibility
A key finding of the study was that women technologists view executive technology roles
as unattractive. The role of a top technology leader often demands travel and relocation. If time
away from home is not feasible, the role is viewed negatively. Most participants highlighted

74
extensive travel and multiple relocations. The high demands and the lack of work-life balance
make the role of technology executive unattractive. Olivia commented, “If you decide to have a
family and a career, I think women still end up giving and doing more than 50% ... women still
end up bearing the brunt.” Most interviewees shared this sentiment.
González Ramos and Bosch (2013) asserted that the heavy demands on women at work
and home create tension and are resolved by women and their families individually and,
therefore, not socially visible. This lack of visibility reinforces social assumptions that masculine
career trajectories are the norm and hinder women’s career progress in science and technology.
Workplace inclusiveness also plays a role in career progression for women technologists.
Erin referenced a quote in a book about the role of the CIO and the lack of inclusion that comes
with the role itself, “Are you a CIO? Then, let’s face it. Nobody likes you—not your boss, not
your vendor partners, and, unfortunately, not your company’s functional leaders. It’s not a
popular role if you wanna do a good job.” Since the nature of the top technology role alienates
that person from the organization, it is important to focus on inclusion, especially for women.
While women do not thrive on par with men in less inclusive cultures, every employee is more
likely to advance in more inclusive environments, but women are four times more likely than
men to thrive in technology when the culture is inclusive (Accenture & Girls Who Code, 2020).
Implementing changes to incorporate flexibility into the role’s demands and providing
opportunities for more inclusive events would help make the technology executive role more
attractive to women.
The following are recommendations for organizations to implement to increase
inclusivity and flexibility:

75
 Implement flexible work hours. Allow employees to determine their work schedule
around a required core set of hours. Talk about the well-being of the employees and
encourage them to leverage flexible work.
 Schedule inclusive events during working hours to enable those with outside
commitments to participate. Instead of scheduling breakfasts, happy hours, and
evening entertainment events, hold events during lunch or throughout the day to
encourage participation from everyone.
 Implement generous maternity and paternity policies and encourage both women and
men to take the leave. Role model this behavior by ensuring senior leaders also take
the time off.
 Provide services or access to services, discounts, and funding for conveniences that
could benefit the employees: daycare, food take-out, dry cleaning, house cleaning,
financial planning, and pet sitting.
Recommendation 3: Support and Fund Membership to Technology, Women in
Technology, Women in Leadership, and Industry-Specific Organizations
Interview results indicated that advancing to the top technology role requires investing in
networking with technologists, executives, and industry leaders. Networking was the mostmentioned strategy identified by participants for overcoming obstacles as they progressed to the
top technology role in their organizations. All of the participants leveraged multiple networks
throughout their career progression. There was a general acknowledgment that networking is an
investment in time. Grace commented, “Being choiceful probably makes a lot of sense, so you
can nurture the ones that you want to keep current.” Several participants mentioned leveraging
different networks during different times in their careers.

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Access to influential networks facilitates moving up the corporate ladder (Hill et al.,
2016). Organizational networking significantly impacts career advancement (Jauhar & Lau,
2018). Nanton (2015) asserted that career advancement is often linked to social networks
because status and power can be gained by association. Providing networking opportunities for
women in the workplace can assist them in advancing their careers (Barkhuizen et al., 2022).
Training on how to build a professional network can provide women with adequate preparation
for leadership positions (Rincón et al., 2017). Access to networks is an example of one of the
many obstacles women face as they navigate the labyrinth, implying complexity, difficulty, and
variation as they navigate the corporate ladder (Carli & Eagly, 2016).
The recommendation to support and fund membership to technology, women in
technology, women in leadership, and industry-specific organizations should incorporate the
following:
 Provide training on how to network effectively.
 Provide funding for membership fees to key organizations that promote networking.
 Provide funding for travel to networking events.
 Allow for participation in networking activities, like meetings and conferences,
during and outside of typical work hours.
Recommendation 4: Implement a Job Rotation Program
A key finding was that investing in skill development, specifically breadth of experience,
influence, and courage, prepares women technologists for continued career advancement. All
research participants stated that skill development was essential. Five participants noted a
breadth of experience during their career progression, specifically performing various roles.

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Job rotations help develop new knowledge and skills and the employee’s capability to do
several jobs. Rotations allow employees to learn and practice skills in different departments
(Wash, 2023). Clear policies identifying the nature of job rotations and providing the appropriate
training are more likely to make the job rotation a successful strategy (Mathis et al., 2017).
The job rotation program should either focus on high-potential women technologists or
ensure adequate representation based on gender in the participant base. The job rotation program
should provide the opportunity to experience several disciplines within the technology space:
development, support, testing, infrastructure, cyber, strategy, governance, data and analytics,
architecture, and innovation. Job rotations provide the woman technologist with the breadth of
experience necessary for continued advancement. As Mackenzie highlighted, “A variety of roles
and perspectives has contributed to maybe a world view that helps me be able to participate in
discussions that if you kind of stay very focused and in one area is hard.”
Recommendation 5: Implement Women Employee Resource Groups and Women in
Technology Groups Emphasizing Allyship
Interview data indicated that establishing a solid support system provides the structure
needed to pursue an executive-level technology role. While all participants mentioned support
from both women and men throughout their careers, three explicitly commented on allyship’s
role as central to advancing gender equity in technology. In discussions about establishing a
formal support system and allyship, several participants commented that women often see each
other as threats and compete with each other rather than help each other advance. This behavior
erodes support systems and can prohibit advancement. Organizations with the purpose of
bringing women together would foster an environment of collaboration to advance a common
goal: increase women’s representation in technology.

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Kaplan et al. (2009) suggested that employee resource groups are beneficial in leadership
development and “are a critical element in creating a culture of inclusion and a workplace that
supports diversity of background, thought, and perspective” (p. 3). Cenkci et al. (2019)
concurred that employee resource groups provide members with a network that can be leveraged
for professional development opportunities.
Including men as members of the women’s employee resource group and reinforcing
allyship is key. Majority-group allies and advocates are important for successful change efforts
because majority-group advocates often have more power and are in a better position to make
significant changes with less risk (Ashcraft et al., 2016). Dang and Joshi (2022) found several
ways ally work can be implemented and have published manager guidelines on how they can
encourage allyship within the workplace.
Implementation of a women’s employee resource group and a women in technology
group should include the following:
 Support establishing a women’s employee resource (affinity) group. Provide a
budget. Encourage membership and participation by all members to reinforce allies’
importance.
 Support the establishment of a women in technology organization. Provide a budget.
Encourage membership and participation by all members to reinforce allies’
importance.
 Provide training on what it means to be an ally. Bring in speakers who are excellent
role model allies.

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Recommendation 6: Implement a Mentor Program
Interview results indicated that mentoring programs are essential for women in
technology as they provide guidance, role modeling, skill development, and advocacy as they
advance their careers. Eight participants mentioned mentoring as a key to their success. Diehl
and Dzubinski (2016) suggested that technical women should secure a mentor or sponsor to
assist with guidance regarding professional development. Formal mentoring programs focused
on enhancing socialization, orientation, and career progression can address the ongoing lack of
women leaders in STEM (Carter et al., 2020). Formal mentoring programs focused on gender
equity have increased the pipeline for women as they progress through their careers (Carter et al.,
2020).
While mentorship is the focus, sponsorship, which is just one aspect of mentoring, is the
desired outcome. Mentoring focuses on providing support and assistance to the mentee, while
sponsorship involves the sponsor championing the individual focused on career advancement.
(Griffeth et al., 2021). The mentoring relationship often grows into a sponsorship relationship,
with the mentor consciously acting as a sponsor searching for or creating high-profile
opportunities for their mentees (Patton et al., 2017). Patton et al. (2017) suggested that mentoring
is helpful, but mentees should also build relationships with organizational leaders who have
positional power and can and will make the effort to sponsor.
Implementing a mentorship program addresses the finding that mentoring is essential for
women in technology as they provide guidance, role modeling, skill development, and advocacy.
Mentorship is an important career development tool that supports mentees as they navigate their
careers. The mentorship programs should provide education on the difference between

80
mentorship and sponsorship, highlighting that sponsorship provides advocacy and career
opportunities for the mentee, but not all mentorship relationships progress to sponsorship.
Recommendation 7: Implement or Support Participation in a Leadership Development
Program Targeted at Women Technologists
A key finding of the study was that leadership development programs equip women
technologists for career advancement. Eight participants mentioned leadership development
programs as essential for their progress to the top technology role at their organization. These
programs varied in format. Some were developed internally, while others were deployed by
providers external to the company. Some focused on leadership in general, others specialized in
technology leadership, and a few were exclusive to women technologists.
Carter et al. (2020) stated that offering gender-equity leadership development training is
key to maintaining a competitive advantage. Ideally, this gender-equity leadership development
training incorporates leadership, mentoring, and gender-equity topics to mitigate gender bias,
promote gender equity, and ensure equitable workload distribution.
Dozens of accredited universities offer leadership development programs targeted to
women and several exclusively for women technologists. One approach could be to send women
to the training provided externally. Multiple technology research and education organizations
also offer programs. One program advertises,
Our Women in Tech program is designed for any IT professional who identifies as
female and wants to participate in a series of sessions that will provide tools and
techniques to help work through some of the challenges women face working in maledominated professions.

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Another program advertises that its Women in Tech Leadership Series will “cultivate a network
of women leaders, empower and support women in the tech community, offer resources, and
redefine the future of upward mobility for women in tech.” An alternative approach could be to
create a program and administer it internally.
Practical Approaches For Implementation of Recommendations
The recommendations suggested require support and investment in time and money to be
successfully implemented. Executive leadership would need to sponsor the programs visibly.
Managers would need to support their employees who choose to participate in the programs.
Appropriate funding would need to be budgeted. Participants would need to be able to set time
aside to make space for the programs and feel supported in their pursuit. Table 7 outlines highlevel implementation considerations for each recommendation.

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Table 7
Implementation Approaches for Recommendations
Recommendation Implementation Approach
Implement implicit bias training with an
emphasis on microaggressions.
Human Resources leader to bring in proven
training with visible executive leadership
support.
Adopt cultural practices, policies, and
services aimed at increasing inclusivity
and flexibility.
Human Resources leader to implement policies and
benefits targeted at increasing flexibility.
Management visibly supports and models the
new behavior.
Support and fund membership to
technology, women in technology,
women in leadership, and industryspecific organizations.
Managers budget for and encourage participation.
Participants share benefits with the broader
employee group.
Implement a job rotation program. Human Resources designs and implements a
program to facilitate the deliberate movement of
employees through positions identified as
providing breadth of technology experience.
Implement women employee resource
groups and women in technology
groups emphasizing allyship.
Executive leadership, along with Human
Resources, sponsors the newly formed
organizations. Management encourages
participation.
Implement a mentor program. Human Resources designs and implements a
program to establish processes for mentor and
mentee selection, meeting structure and cadence,
and recommended topics.
Implement or support participation in a
leadership development program
targeted at women technologists.
Human Resources leaders should either bring in
proven training or fund participation in
established programs external to the
organization.
Limitations and Delimitations
Limitations are influences the researcher cannot control (Creswell, 2014). Being a
woman technology executive working in a Fortune 1000 company made me more relatable to the

83
participants and fostered a more relaxed setting for each interview. However, due to the time and
travel constraints, I utilized video conferencing instead of in-person interviews, which could
have lessened the participants’ transparency (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Another limitation of
the study was the participants’ truthfulness. The open-ended interview questions were designed
to elicit participants’ recollections of their experiences. I could not validate their responses.
There were also delimitations to this study. Delimitations are the boundaries the
researcher sets based on choices or decisions made in the research process (Creswell, 2014). The
study was limited to participants employed by the largest public U.S. companies. The study did
not include women in small- or mid-sized companies, startups, government, or non-profits. The
findings might not apply to types of organizations outside of the Fortune 1000. Focusing on only
gender and technology executives excludes the impact of different marginalized categories, such
as race. Another limitation was that only women were interviewed; this assumes a high
likelihood of gender influence in the responses. I conducted a single interview per participant,
limiting the ability to gather data over an extended period and relying on the participants’
memory of historical events. Finally, the study’s small sample of nine participants may have
limited the findings’ generalizability.
Recommendations for Future Research
As suggested by the limitations section, additional research could be conducted in
organizations of different sizes because the study was limited to large organizations. The scope
of the research could also focus on different types of organizations: public, government, and notfor-profit. Women technologists in organizations of different sizes and types could experience
different barriers than those in large public corporations. In addition, organizational programs
might be more or less effective in different sizes and types of organizations.

84
Future research could involve studying organizations that have reached or exceeded equal
representation at all levels of the organization. Based on the data analysis, the gender gap for
women technologists widened closer to the top level of the organization. Understanding how
organizations attract, retain, and promote women technologists could unlock answers for other
organizations.
Another future research topic could include researching companies that are leading in
offering services and implementing practices and policies promoting work-life balance for
employees. Limited literature exists in this space, but it was identified as a barrier to women’s
advancement in technology.
Conclusion
The gender gap in technology exists throughout the pipeline, from grade school through
college, into hiring, and eventually advancement to leadership positions (Braun & Turner, 2014).
Efforts to address women’s underrepresentation in technology, spanning individual and
corporate strategies, have seen slow progress. Improving gender equity in top leadership
positions can address the glass ceiling or invisible barriers that prevent women from ascending to
the executive ranks (Jauhar & Lau, 2018).
This research focused on women who ascended to top technology leadership roles. This
study aimed to understand their experiences, strategies, and supports. The objective was to hear
about their strategies and uncover effective institutional programs. Themes emerged around
barriers, including gender discrimination and the unattractiveness of the top technology role;
actions to overcome barriers, including networking, skill development, and establishing a strong
support system; and organizational programs that can help women advance, including mentoring
and leadership development. Recommendations to address those findings were presented.

85
Organizations should implement companywide programs spanning multiple domains, including
implicit bias training, a women in technology organization, a job rotation program, a mentor
program, and a leadership development program. Women technologists should invest in
networking, establishing a solid support system, and participating in companywide programs.
Equal gender representation in technology is not predicted to occur until 2035, per
AnitaB.org, a global organization for women technologists. Therefore, additional actions must
take place now to accelerate progress. Women in technology leadership roles are well-positioned
to challenge the status quo and make change happen. Technology evolves rapidly and is
prevalent in nearly everything we do. Without a woman’s voice at the table ensuring all genders’
needs are represented, products and services leveraging technology will miss the mark and could
even pose a threat or do harm, depending on the space. The world needs to be designed by and
for people who are experiencing it!

86
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Appendix A: Interview Protocol
The topic of this study is women’s underrepresentation in senior leadership roles in
technology organizations.
Research Questions
1. What barriers did executive women technologists encounter throughout their academic
and career progression?
2. What strategies have executive women technologists used to overcome the barriers
faced?
3. What institutional practices and programs effectively support women technologists’
leadership development and career advancement?
The respondents are women technology executives (chief information officer, chief
technology officer, chief digital officer)
Introduction to the Interview
Hello! Thank you for investing time with me today. I’m studying the underrepresentation
of women in senior leadership roles in technology.
May I have your permission to use the information you give me in this interview in the
paper I will write? I will keep the information you provide anonymous. May I record the audio
portion of the interview? The purpose of the recording is to make sure I capture your
perspectives accurately, and only I will have access to the audio recording.
Do you have any questions before we get started?

103
Table A1
Interview Protocol
Interview questions Potential probes
RQ
addressed
Key concept
addressed
What is your current role and
responsibilities?
Demographics
How long have you been in this position? Demographics
Tell me about your career journey. 1, 2, 3 Choices with
career path
Tell me about any obstacles you have
encountered throughout your career
progression.
1, 2 Barriers
encountered
and reaction
What strategies did you use to overcome
them?
2 Strategy to
overcome
Have you ever experienced any situations
at work where the fact that you are a
woman was playing in your head during
the experience?
Did it impact your
thoughts or
actions?
Have you ever been
the only woman
in the room?
How did you
handle the
situation?
1, 2 Barriers
encountered,
reaction,
strategy to
overcome
What relationships, either inside or
outside your career, have been
influential during your career?
Explore family,
coworkers,
community. Are
there any others?
2, 3 Support
systems
Have you leveraged any formal or
informal networks throughout your
career?
How did you
leverage them?
How did you
establish them?
2, 3 Support
systems
Did you encounter any organizational
programs or support specifically
targeted at helping women
technologists? Please describe them.
If successful, why?
If not successful,
why not?
What would have
made them
successful?
3 Programs,
effective and
ineffective

104
Interview questions Potential probes
RQ
addressed
Key concept
addressed
Did you encounter any organizational
programs in the broader diversity,
equity, and inclusion (DEI) space?
Please describe them.
Were any
unconscious bias
programs
offered?
3 Programs
What factors might contribute to women’s
advancement to your role?
2, 3 Solutions
What factors might hinder advancement? Suggestions to
overcome?
1, 2, 3 Barriers
If you could change one thing in the
future for upcoming women
technologists, what would that be?
1, 2, 3 Barriers and
solutions
Conclusion to the Interview
That’s all the questions I have. Thank you for talking with me today. I would like to
capture some demographic information to better understand the study participants’ backgrounds.
Would you be willing to complete a brief survey via email following this interview?
Thanks so much for your time today. It’s been a pleasure!

105
Appendix B: Post-interview Email Demographic Survey
Appendix B: Post-interview Email Demographic Survey
Question Response options
1. Organization size (number of employees) Under 1000
1000–10,000
10,001–50,000
50,001–100,000
Over 100,000
2. Technology staff size (number of
employees)
Under 50
51–100
101–500
501–1000
Over 1000
3. Age Under 20
20–29
30–39
40–49
50–59
60 & over
4. Gender Man
Woman
Transgender
Non-binary
5. Choose one or more races that you consider
yourself to be
White or Caucasian
Black or African American
American Indian/Native American or Alaska
Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
Other
Prefer not to say
6. Education (highest degree) Less than high school
High school
Bachelors
Masters
Doctorate
7. College major (if applicable) Computer science
Information systems
Business
Fine arts
Other

106
8. Years of experience in technology roles None 1–5 6–10
11
–15
16
–20
Over 20
9. Years of experience in business roles None 1–5 6–10
11
–15
16
–20
Over 20

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Asset Metadata

Creator Bischof Forsyth, Danyel Lee (author)

Core Title Increasing representation of women in executive technology leadership roles

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Degree Conferral Date 2023-12

Publication Date 11/28/2023

Defense Date 11/16/2023

Publisher Los Angeles, California (original), University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag OAI-PMH Harvest,technology leadership,women in leadership,women in technology

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Krop, Cathy (committee chair), Carbone, Paula (committee member), Ferrario, Kim (committee member)

Creator Email danyelbi@usc.edu

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