Meet Some Of Our Women In Tech

Tell us about your role with Applause. What does your day to day work look like? Can you share the career path that led you here?

Maria: Based in Berlin, Germany, I am an Associate Director of EU Delivery. My calendar reflects a significant amount of time spent in customer, internal, and leadership meetings, crucial for aligning with customers, colleagues, and account teams to prioritize and strategise value delivery.

In addition to my directorial responsibilities, I manage a portfolio of accounts within the banking sector as a Solution Delivery Manager. I also supervise a working student who supports our Customer Operations team.  Among the various testing solutions that I support, digital accessibility is an area of particular interest for me.

My career path includes a background as an information systems engineer, with significant experience in business intelligence, followed by project management before joining Applause.

Carrie: As the community lead for one of Applause’s largest clients, I play a key role in pre-sales project scoping, community development, execution strategy, and operational management. I also maintain the relationship with a primary sourcing vendor, ensuring alignment. My responsibilities encompass a wide range of daily tasks, from ensuring adequate tester capacity for upcoming projects to handling invoices and collaborating with the finance team. This variety in my daily activities is a significant aspect of what I enjoy about my role.

When starting out, I wasn’t sure what I wanted my path to look like. My journey in tech began by chance as a temp at a software company post-college. I transitioned to a full-time operations role after working in their training department and continued to look for growth. A connection through a former leader led me to a B2B sales company in San Francisco, where I spent 15 years. Starting in inside sales, I gained deep business and client knowledge, which paved the way for a project management role involving travel and direct client collaboration on a joint software development engagement. Looking to grow and expand my knowledge, I transitioned to solution design, supporting the outside sales team.

The opportunity at Applause emerged through a friend and former colleague and was perfectly timed as I was ready for a change. I initially joined to build on my project management skills and focus on process improvements within delivery, but an opportunity arose to fill a need within the community and I was excited for the new challenge. 

When it comes to your career with Applause, what achievement are you most proud of so far?

Maria: Leading great colleagues within the EU Delivery Team is a privilege.

Carrie: I’m extremely proud of the structure and growth development of the community management (CM) program for our client. By leaning on my project management background, I’ve streamlined processes and fostered stronger relationships between [the] delivery and CM [teams], cultivating a cohesive team and a more seamless workflow.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self as you are just starting out in tech?

Maria: Take the opportunities that come your way. Be courageous and trust in your own abilities and strengths. Keep learning, it is a continuous journey, especially in this tech sector. Look beyond tech topics; soft skills are a massive asset to have. New skills can be acquired, old skills can be transferred – my journey with Applause is a reflection of that.

Carrie: Embrace uncertainty and experimentation. Failure and missteps are inevitable, especially in tech, and perfection is a myth. By learning and moving on quickly from things that didn’t work, you’ll set yourself up for much bigger successes. 

Outside of work, what would you say you’re an expert at?

Maria: While I wouldn’t call myself an expert, I possess a strong interest in children’s education and the intricacies of human behavior.

Carrie: I’m a pretty great Mom (to two boys: Zach, 6 and Charlie, 9). I love to plan adventures for my family and try and get out on the weekends to experience all our area has to offer. From railroad museums to parks, mountain visits to hanging out with friends running through sprinklers, I try and share my love of life with my favorite people. 

Are you a woman in tech looking for your next role? Check out our job opportunities here.