Wall of Love
Ivan Palomino
If you are leading a large organization today, you likely feel it: a constant, vibrating state of tension. On one hand, you are being bombarded with mandates to adopt AI, move faster, and innovate before your entire business model becomes obsolete. On the other hand, you are operating within a structure specifically designed for the exact opposite: safety, consensus, and absolute control.
It is the definitive problem of our era. We are trying to drive at Formula 1 speeds using an engine built for a horse and carriage.
The result is what Nikki Barua and I recently discussed: The Speed Paradox. We invest millions in advanced AI tools, only to stifle the very people using them with suffocating layers of bureaucracy and permission-seeking. We want the speed, but we are paralyzed by the chaos that might come with it.
If you are leading a large organization today, you likely feel it: a constant, vibrating state of tension. On one hand, you are being bombarded with mandates to adopt AI, move faster, and innovate before your entire business model becomes obsolete. On the other hand, you are operating within a structure specifically designed for the exact opposite: safety, consensus, and absolute control.
It is the definitive problem of our era. We are trying to drive at Formula 1 speeds using an engine built for a horse and carriage.
The result is what Nikki Barua and I recently discussed: The Speed Paradox. We invest millions in advanced AI tools, only to stifle the very people using them with suffocating layers of bureaucracy and permission-seeking. We want the speed, but we are paralyzed by the chaos that might come with it.
Tyler Dickerhoof
Podcast Host at The Tyler Dickerhoof Show | Leadership Coach
AI isn’t just automating work.
It’s transforming humanity.
🎙️ Full conversation with Nikki Barua now live.
👉 Watch the full episode on my YouTube channel.
#AIRevolution
#NikkiBarua
#HumanEdge
#PodcastShort
#FutureOfHumanity
#LeadershipPodcast
#TechTrends
AI isn’t just automating work.
It’s transforming humanity.
🎙️ Full conversation with Nikki Barua now live.
👉 Watch the full episode on my YouTube channel.
#AIRevolution
#NikkiBarua
#HumanEdge
#PodcastShort
#FutureOfHumanity
#LeadershipPodcast
#TechTrends
Shana Ayabe
Marketing and Communications Expert | CHIEF Member
The role of middle management is facing a significant shift. In our latest conversation, AI expert Nikki Barua explains why traditional middle management roles are at risk as artificial intelligence begins to compress corporate hierarchies.
If your professional value is tied exclusively to managing people rather than creating original value, you are in a vulnerable position. AI is now capable of handling systematic and rules-based tasks that once required a layer of human oversight. Success in this new economy requires a move away from people management and toward a makers mindset.
The full episode of The Exit Interview drops this Wednesday. We discuss why reinventing your professional identity is no longer an option but a necessity for survival in the age of AI and how to approach it.
The role of middle management is facing a significant shift. In our latest conversation, AI expert Nikki Barua explains why traditional middle management roles are at risk as artificial intelligence begins to compress corporate hierarchies.
If your professional value is tied exclusively to managing people rather than creating original value, you are in a vulnerable position. AI is now capable of handling systematic and rules-based tasks that once required a layer of human oversight. Success in this new economy requires a move away from people management and toward a makers mindset.
The full episode of The Exit Interview drops this Wednesday. We discuss why reinventing your professional identity is no longer an option but a necessity for survival in the age of AI and how to approach it.
Shana Ayabe
Marketing and Communications Expert | CHIEF Member
AI isn’t here to replace us.
It’s here to amplify what already makes us valuable.
In this conversation with Nikki Barua, we talked about the real opportunity most people are missing. The future of work is not about becoming more technical. It’s about becoming more human, with better tools.
Judgment. Creativity. Values. Perspective.
Those are still the edge.
Full episode is live. Link in comments.
#Leadership
#FutureOfWork
AI isn’t here to replace us.
It’s here to amplify what already makes us valuable.
In this conversation with Nikki Barua, we talked about the real opportunity most people are missing. The future of work is not about becoming more technical. It’s about becoming more human, with better tools.
Judgment. Creativity. Values. Perspective.
Those are still the edge.
Full episode is live. Link in comments.
#Leadership
#FutureOfWork
The Exit Interview | On Air
55 followers
Trying to navigate this AI era effectively? Join the conversation as we interview Nikki Barua on how to use AI as a power, rather than seeing it as a threat. We cover what’s at risk, who will thrive and how to approach reinvention in a world where AI thrives.
Trying to navigate this AI era effectively? Join the conversation as we interview Nikki Barua on how to use AI as a power, rather than seeing it as a threat. We cover what’s at risk, who will thrive and how to approach reinvention in a world where AI thrives.
Kisha Imani Cameron
Documentary EP & Showrunner | Career Coach
Too many good takeaways in this interview to name, Nikki Barua but this was indeed one of them. Having the humility to realize you don’t know everything is how you will successfully lead in this time is 🔑.
Too many good takeaways in this interview to name, Nikki Barua but this was indeed one of them. Having the humility to realize you don’t know everything is how you will successfully lead in this time is 🔑.
Tyler Dickerhoof
Podcast Host at The Tyler Dickerhoof Show | Leadership Coach
I'm excited to welcome Nikki Barua to the Impact Driven Leader Summit! 🌟
A serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and expert on adapting to change, Nikki empowers leaders to accelerate success, transform culture, and reinvent the way they lead and live. With 25 years of experience helping global brands evolve, she brings bold insights on leading through change with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
May 7–8 | Spokane, WA
Buy your ticket now: lnkd.in/gRDJNEwn
#ImpactDrivenLeader
#LeadershipSummit
#AdaptiveLeadership
#WomenInLeadership
#Entrepreneurship
#LeadingThroughChange
#LeadershipDevelopment
#SpokaneEvents
#KeynoteSpeaker
#PersonalGrowth
I'm excited to welcome Nikki Barua to the Impact Driven Leader Summit! 🌟
A serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and expert on adapting to change, Nikki empowers leaders to accelerate success, transform culture, and reinvent the way they lead and live. With 25 years of experience helping global brands evolve, she brings bold insights on leading through change with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
May 7–8 | Spokane, WA
Buy your ticket now: lnkd.in/gRDJNEwn
#ImpactDrivenLeader
#LeadershipSummit
#AdaptiveLeadership
#WomenInLeadership
#Entrepreneurship
#LeadingThroughChange
#LeadershipDevelopment
#SpokaneEvents
#KeynoteSpeaker
#PersonalGrowth
Christopher Tompkins
CEO of The Go! Agency (Digital Marketing), Author, Forbes Council Thought Leader, Entrepreneur Magazine Contributor, Biz Journals Leadership Trust, Fast Company Board Member, Podcast Host, National Business Mentor
This is a wake-up call, Nikki. AI’s impact on the workforce is undeniable, and your focus on leveraging AI to enhance human capabilities rather than displace them is vital. The concept of Agentic-Human Reinvention
is exactly what businesses need to navigate this transformation.
This is a wake-up call, Nikki. AI’s impact on the workforce is undeniable, and your focus on leveraging AI to enhance human capabilities rather than displace them is vital. The concept of Agentic-Human Reinvention
is exactly what businesses need to navigate this transformation.
Jeff Lurie
Chief Business Officer @ Perigon | News powered by AI
This really hits the nail on the head AI is moving fast and figuring out how humans and AI can amplify each other is the real opportunity. Nikki Barua
This really hits the nail on the head AI is moving fast and figuring out how humans and AI can amplify each other is the real opportunity. Nikki Barua
Andrea Carter
Strategic Executive Leader | Operational Catalyst for Accelerated Growth | Board Member | Portfolio Optimization | Prior EY Partner
Four years ago while in NYC, I began pondering the mid-career question, “what do I really want to be now that I am grown up?” Successful career but seeing the art of the possible and how I could make a greater impact, I started the work of building what could come next.
In that season, I found connection, community and most of all strength from a group of women entrepreneurs I was blessed to help support and promote with the firm. We literally shared life together as women executives navigating similar shifts, seeing our power manifest and enjoying life in the process.
Enter Nikki Barua and Monica Marquez. Two powerhouse entrepreneurs who were helping women leaders accelerate with confidence, deeply committed to supporting you every step of the journey into the next chapter.
Fast forward to last week. I walked into a networking event I nearly didn’t attend. I had no idea who would be there. But on my way out, I heard a voice call my name.
It was Nikki and then Monica.
The amount of joy felt through our reconnection was felt throughout the room and embraced like no time had passed. Four years later but now walking in my new chapter they had a hand in designing.
I am so grateful for them helping to be the catalyst for my own personal growth but even more proud to share, they’ve since launched a new company, FlipWork, helping organizations reimagine work in the age of AI. Still bold. Still brilliant. Still building.
Officially, to Nikki and Monica: Thank YOU for the reminder that when women lead with intention, impact follows. It’s an honor to watch your evolution and still be a part of the story.
Shout out to my dear friend Shundrian Green, MBA, SAFe, PMP for the invitation to such a great event and to LoneStar Leadership Lounge for creating the space for IT Consulting professionals to continue the journey making bold change.
Networking can seem hard at first, but true relationships and paths are formed that cross at just the right time and are MEANT to be.
Pictured: Us then and Us Now
#Leadership
#StrategicConnections
#entrepreneurship
#winningwomen
Four years ago while in NYC, I began pondering the mid-career question, “what do I really want to be now that I am grown up?” Successful career but seeing the art of the possible and how I could make a greater impact, I started the work of building what could come next.
In that season, I found connection, community and most of all strength from a group of women entrepreneurs I was blessed to help support and promote with the firm. We literally shared life together as women executives navigating similar shifts, seeing our power manifest and enjoying life in the process.
Enter Nikki Barua and Monica Marquez. Two powerhouse entrepreneurs who were helping women leaders accelerate with confidence, deeply committed to supporting you every step of the journey into the next chapter.
Fast forward to last week. I walked into a networking event I nearly didn’t attend. I had no idea who would be there. But on my way out, I heard a voice call my name.
It was Nikki and then Monica.
The amount of joy felt through our reconnection was felt throughout the room and embraced like no time had passed. Four years later but now walking in my new chapter they had a hand in designing.
I am so grateful for them helping to be the catalyst for my own personal growth but even more proud to share, they’ve since launched a new company, FlipWork, helping organizations reimagine work in the age of AI. Still bold. Still brilliant. Still building.
Officially, to Nikki and Monica: Thank YOU for the reminder that when women lead with intention, impact follows. It’s an honor to watch your evolution and still be a part of the story.
Shout out to my dear friend Shundrian Green, MBA, SAFe, PMP for the invitation to such a great event and to LoneStar Leadership Lounge for creating the space for IT Consulting professionals to continue the journey making bold change.
Networking can seem hard at first, but true relationships and paths are formed that cross at just the right time and are MEANT to be.
Pictured: Us then and Us Now
#Leadership
#StrategicConnections
#entrepreneurship
#winningwomen
Prince Kumar Singh
Sr. Team Manager-IMARC Group | Podcast Host "Digital Marketing Gyaan" | 13+ years in Digital Marketing
Most marketers are using AI
But very few are using it in a way that actually makes them more valuable.
In fact many are doing the opposite, relying on AI so much that they’re slowly making themselves replaceable.
In the latest episode of Digital Marketing Gyaan, I had Nikki Barua, CEO & Co-Founder of FlipWork to break down how Human + AI teams are outperforming traditional marketing setups, and what it really takes to stay relevant in this new era.
We discussed:
👉 Why AI should be treated as a co-worker, not a shortcut
👉 How top marketers are moving from “doing tasks” to driving strategy
👉 Why reinvention matters more than experience today
👉 How AI can supercharge research, content, and optimization — when used wisely
👉 Why creativity, judgment, and adaptability are your biggest career assets
Nicki also shared real examples of teams that multiplied their output by collaborating with AI instead of competing with it.
If you’re a marketer, founder, or agency owner who wants to grow faster without losing your human edge, this episode will shift how you think about AI.
Listen here: lnkd.in/gvS6-V2K
#DigitalMarketingGyaan
#AIinMarketing
#FutureOfMarketing
#MarketingLeadership
#DigitalTransformation
#BusinessGrowth
#LearningMindset
#PersonalBranding
Most marketers are using AI
But very few are using it in a way that actually makes them more valuable.
In fact many are doing the opposite, relying on AI so much that they’re slowly making themselves replaceable.
In the latest episode of Digital Marketing Gyaan, I had Nikki Barua, CEO & Co-Founder of FlipWork to break down how Human + AI teams are outperforming traditional marketing setups, and what it really takes to stay relevant in this new era.
We discussed:
👉 Why AI should be treated as a co-worker, not a shortcut
👉 How top marketers are moving from “doing tasks” to driving strategy
👉 Why reinvention matters more than experience today
👉 How AI can supercharge research, content, and optimization — when used wisely
👉 Why creativity, judgment, and adaptability are your biggest career assets
Nicki also shared real examples of teams that multiplied their output by collaborating with AI instead of competing with it.
If you’re a marketer, founder, or agency owner who wants to grow faster without losing your human edge, this episode will shift how you think about AI.
Listen here: lnkd.in/gvS6-V2K
#DigitalMarketingGyaan
#AIinMarketing
#FutureOfMarketing
#MarketingLeadership
#DigitalTransformation
#BusinessGrowth
#LearningMindset
#PersonalBranding
Pamela Brown-Matthis
Global Learning and Development Professional l Strategic Partnerships and Engagement Executive ӏ Author of "Diversity IQ" ӏ National Speaker ӏ 2023 Women We Admire Awardee ӏ Forbes BLK Founding Member
After more than 25 years of building strategic partnerships across education, mobility, and workforce development, I have learned that not all networking events are created equal, and the Lone Star Leadership Lounge networking event proved exactly why. In my role as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Foxxtecca, I am often invited to attend leadership and industry events, and I look for spaces that go beyond traditional networking to create room for genuine relationship building and strategic alignment.
I attended the event as a guest of Renard Henry, Senior Technology and Innovation Leader, and what stood out most was how intentional and refreshing the experience felt. This was not surface-level small talk; it was a space designed for real connection, meaningful conversations, and relationship building.
The evening featured the hosts of three powerhouse podcasts: Our 2 L.I.T. Chicks, Fern Johnson, NACD.DC, and Alicia Makaye, PhD; Timeout with Leaders, Tyler White and Kevyn Rustici; and Black Belts and Boardrooms, Renard Henry and Amir Khawaja, which created a dynamic and engaging backdrop for dialogue.
At Foxxtecca, our work sits at the intersection of mobility, technology, and culture, so a true highlight of the evening was connecting with Nikki Barua, Co-Founder and CEO of FlipWork; Monica Marquez, Co-Founder and Operational Architect at FlipWork; Andrea Carter, CEO and Founder of Andrea Carter Consulting; meeting Christabel Agbonkonkon, Founder and CEO of The Christabel Group; and also having the opportunity to meet Jeffrey Stovall, Chief Information Officer for the City of Dallas. These conversations reflected exactly what this event did so well, bringing together thoughtful leaders in a way that fosters genuine relationships, not just exchanges.
Events like this reinforce why strategic relationships, not just exposure, drive long-term impact. I look forward to continuing the conversations and exploring where alignment and partnership may naturally emerge.
Thank you, Renard Henry, for the invitation and for curating such a meaningful space for connection and community.
#StrategicPartnerships
#Foxxtecca
#Leadership
#Mobility
#Innovation
#RelationshipBuilding
#ThoughtLeadership
#Collaboration
#DallasLeaders
After more than 25 years of building strategic partnerships across education, mobility, and workforce development, I have learned that not all networking events are created equal, and the Lone Star Leadership Lounge networking event proved exactly why. In my role as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Foxxtecca, I am often invited to attend leadership and industry events, and I look for spaces that go beyond traditional networking to create room for genuine relationship building and strategic alignment.
I attended the event as a guest of Renard Henry, Senior Technology and Innovation Leader, and what stood out most was how intentional and refreshing the experience felt. This was not surface-level small talk; it was a space designed for real connection, meaningful conversations, and relationship building.
The evening featured the hosts of three powerhouse podcasts: Our 2 L.I.T. Chicks, Fern Johnson, NACD.DC, and Alicia Makaye, PhD; Timeout with Leaders, Tyler White and Kevyn Rustici; and Black Belts and Boardrooms, Renard Henry and Amir Khawaja, which created a dynamic and engaging backdrop for dialogue.
At Foxxtecca, our work sits at the intersection of mobility, technology, and culture, so a true highlight of the evening was connecting with Nikki Barua, Co-Founder and CEO of FlipWork; Monica Marquez, Co-Founder and Operational Architect at FlipWork; Andrea Carter, CEO and Founder of Andrea Carter Consulting; meeting Christabel Agbonkonkon, Founder and CEO of The Christabel Group; and also having the opportunity to meet Jeffrey Stovall, Chief Information Officer for the City of Dallas. These conversations reflected exactly what this event did so well, bringing together thoughtful leaders in a way that fosters genuine relationships, not just exchanges.
Events like this reinforce why strategic relationships, not just exposure, drive long-term impact. I look forward to continuing the conversations and exploring where alignment and partnership may naturally emerge.
Thank you, Renard Henry, for the invitation and for curating such a meaningful space for connection and community.
#StrategicPartnerships
#Foxxtecca
#Leadership
#Mobility
#Innovation
#RelationshipBuilding
#ThoughtLeadership
#Collaboration
#DallasLeaders
Dr. Valerie Young
Global Thought Leader on Impostor Syndrome | Keynote Speaker| Co-Founder Impostor Syndrome Institute | Award-Winning Author
Fascinating and troubling. That's why businesses need ethical, savvy, and knowledgeable AI experts like Nikki Barua.
Curious what implications my friends who are organizational culture experts see? Randy Pennington and Gustavo Grodnitzky, Ph.D. (he/him)
Fascinating and troubling. That's why businesses need ethical, savvy, and knowledgeable AI experts like Nikki Barua.
Curious what implications my friends who are organizational culture experts see? Randy Pennington and Gustavo Grodnitzky, Ph.D. (he/him)
The Weird Canadian
50 followers
Is your authenticity a liability in the corporate world, or is it your most powerful competitive advantage?
In a revealing conversation on The Weird Canadian podcast, I spoke with Nikki Barua, a serial entrepreneur and Fortune 500 advisor who argues that in the age of AI, our humanity is our greatest asset.
Nikki shares her powerful story of being told to conform at Ernst & Young, and how embracing her authentic self became the turning point in her career, leading to exponential success.
In this episode, we unpack:
✓ The #1 mistake leaders are making with AI implementation.
✓ How to reframe "weirdness" as a unique value proposition.
✓ A framework for personal and professional reinvention in a disrupted world.
✓ Why human-machine collaboration is the future of work.
This isn't just another conversation about AI. It's a masterclass in authentic leadership for the modern era. If you're a leader feeling the pressure to conform or struggling to find your place in an AI-driven world, this is a must-watch.
Watch the full episode here: lnkd.in/eYnBMhwa
#Leadership
#Authenticity
#ArtificialIntelligence
#FutureOfWork
#PersonalBranding
#CareerDevelopment
#TheWeirdCanadian
#NikkiBarua
Is your authenticity a liability in the corporate world, or is it your most powerful competitive advantage?
In a revealing conversation on The Weird Canadian podcast, I spoke with Nikki Barua, a serial entrepreneur and Fortune 500 advisor who argues that in the age of AI, our humanity is our greatest asset.
Nikki shares her powerful story of being told to conform at Ernst & Young, and how embracing her authentic self became the turning point in her career, leading to exponential success.
In this episode, we unpack:
✓ The #1 mistake leaders are making with AI implementation.
✓ How to reframe "weirdness" as a unique value proposition.
✓ A framework for personal and professional reinvention in a disrupted world.
✓ Why human-machine collaboration is the future of work.
This isn't just another conversation about AI. It's a masterclass in authentic leadership for the modern era. If you're a leader feeling the pressure to conform or struggling to find your place in an AI-driven world, this is a must-watch.
Watch the full episode here: lnkd.in/eYnBMhwa
#Leadership
#Authenticity
#ArtificialIntelligence
#FutureOfWork
#PersonalBranding
#CareerDevelopment
#TheWeirdCanadian
#NikkiBarua
Maartje van Krieken
Triage Business Chaos I The Business Emergency Room Podcast & Workshops I Keynote Speaker I Fractional I Exit Planning I Turnarounds I Start up Advisor I Board Member I Investor I B2B Energy, Industry, Tech & Services
Nikki Barua was recently a guest on my podcast (The business emergency room, available wherever you find your podcasts). Check out her work and our episode if you could use some added insight at the intersection of Speed, AI and everything else also going on in your business.....
Almost everyone these days? 😉
The Chaos Games Consulting (de maartje LLC)
Nikki Barua was recently a guest on my podcast (The business emergency room, available wherever you find your podcasts). Check out her work and our episode if you could use some added insight at the intersection of Speed, AI and everything else also going on in your business.....
Almost everyone these days? 😉
The Chaos Games Consulting (de maartje LLC)
Ryan Wilson
Director of Product | Expert in Discovery, UX, & Digital Product Creation | Mentor & Speaker | SaaS Solutions for B2B & B2C
If you haven't listened to The Forward Slash (by Callibrity) yet, this week's episode with Nikki Barua is the place to start! This is one of my favorites so far!
If you haven't listened to The Forward Slash (by Callibrity) yet, this week's episode with Nikki Barua is the place to start! This is one of my favorites so far!
Winners Circle
62 followers
🚨 Winners Circle Podcast — LIVE | Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 🚨
We’re kicking off February 2026 with an incredible lineup on the Winners Circle Podcast—featuring powerful conversations with remarkable leaders.
📅 Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 📍 LIVE on all Winners Circle platforms
🎙️ Our Featured Guests:
• Nikki Barua — Authentic leadership, reinvention, and building your own table in a world not designed for you
• Orloff Phillips — Why cybersecurity is a leadership responsibility, not just an IT issue
• Dave Burnett — Reinvention, resilience, and how entrepreneurs win in the age of AI
Three guests. Three timely topics.
One powerful day of insight, leadership, and forward thinking.
These conversations are designed for entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders who want to stay adaptable, relevant, and impactful in a rapidly changing world.
👉 Follow Winners Circle to watch live, join the conversation, and catch the replays.
Incredible topics. Incredible people. See you live.
#WinnersCirclePodcast
#Leadership
#Entrepreneurship
#FutureOfWork
#AIInBusiness
#CybersecurityLeadership
#AuthenticLeadership
#ResilientLeadership
#FounderMindset
#BusinessGrowth
#LivePodcast
🚨 Winners Circle Podcast — LIVE | Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 🚨
We’re kicking off February 2026 with an incredible lineup on the Winners Circle Podcast—featuring powerful conversations with remarkable leaders.
📅 Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 📍 LIVE on all Winners Circle platforms
🎙️ Our Featured Guests:
• Nikki Barua — Authentic leadership, reinvention, and building your own table in a world not designed for you
• Orloff Phillips — Why cybersecurity is a leadership responsibility, not just an IT issue
• Dave Burnett — Reinvention, resilience, and how entrepreneurs win in the age of AI
Three guests. Three timely topics.
One powerful day of insight, leadership, and forward thinking.
These conversations are designed for entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders who want to stay adaptable, relevant, and impactful in a rapidly changing world.
👉 Follow Winners Circle to watch live, join the conversation, and catch the replays.
Incredible topics. Incredible people. See you live.
#WinnersCirclePodcast
#Leadership
#Entrepreneurship
#FutureOfWork
#AIInBusiness
#CybersecurityLeadership
#AuthenticLeadership
#ResilientLeadership
#FounderMindset
#BusinessGrowth
#LivePodcast
Tyler Dickerhoof
Podcast Host at The Tyler Dickerhoof Show | Leadership Coach
From challenges to triumphs, every leader’s journey matters. Hear from Tyler Dickerhoof, Dr. Abbie Maroño, PhD, Nikki Barua, and Paralympian Joe Delagrave, PLY on how to lead with confidence, clarity, and courage.
May 7-8 | Spokane, WA – Impact Driven Leader Summit.
Register now: lnkd.in/gRDJNEwn
#LeadershipSummit
#LeadWithConfidence
#AuthenticLeadership
#LeadershipGrowth
#OvercomeChallenges
#SpokaneEvents
#ProfessionalDevelopment
#PersonalGrowth
From challenges to triumphs, every leader’s journey matters. Hear from Tyler Dickerhoof, Dr. Abbie Maroño, PhD, Nikki Barua, and Paralympian Joe Delagrave, PLY on how to lead with confidence, clarity, and courage.
May 7-8 | Spokane, WA – Impact Driven Leader Summit.
Register now: lnkd.in/gRDJNEwn
#LeadershipSummit
#LeadWithConfidence
#AuthenticLeadership
#LeadershipGrowth
#OvercomeChallenges
#SpokaneEvents
#ProfessionalDevelopment
#PersonalGrowth
Team Ignite Ventures
AI didn’t just change how work gets done. It exposed how outdated most organizations really are.
In the latest Ignite episode, Brian Bell sits down with Nikki Barua, founder and CEO of Flipwork, serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and one of the most respected voices on reinvention and human capability in the AI age.
This conversation goes beyond tools and hype. It gets into the uncomfortable stuff leaders are quietly grappling with:
• Why AI is not an IT problem, and treating it like one guarantees failure
• How industrial-age org charts break in an agentic world
• The shift from task-doers to outcome orchestrators
• Why middle management is being redefined, not replaced
• Why adaptability, not intelligence or effort, is the real moat now
Nikki brings decades of experience transforming enterprises and leaders, and a clear point of view, reinvention isn’t episodic anymore, it’s a muscle you either build or lose.
If you’re a founder, operator, or investor thinking seriously about the future of work, this episode will challenge how you define productivity, leadership, and value creation.
👂🎧 Watch, listen, and follow on your favorite platform: buff.ly/fA9vo34
🙏 Join the conversation on your favorite social network: buff.ly/howKPtU
AI didn’t just change how work gets done. It exposed how outdated most organizations really are.
In the latest Ignite episode, Brian Bell sits down with Nikki Barua, founder and CEO of Flipwork, serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and one of the most respected voices on reinvention and human capability in the AI age.
This conversation goes beyond tools and hype. It gets into the uncomfortable stuff leaders are quietly grappling with:
• Why AI is not an IT problem, and treating it like one guarantees failure
• How industrial-age org charts break in an agentic world
• The shift from task-doers to outcome orchestrators
• Why middle management is being redefined, not replaced
• Why adaptability, not intelligence or effort, is the real moat now
Nikki brings decades of experience transforming enterprises and leaders, and a clear point of view, reinvention isn’t episodic anymore, it’s a muscle you either build or lose.
If you’re a founder, operator, or investor thinking seriously about the future of work, this episode will challenge how you define productivity, leadership, and value creation.
👂🎧 Watch, listen, and follow on your favorite platform: buff.ly/fA9vo34
🙏 Join the conversation on your favorite social network: buff.ly/howKPtU
Brian Bell
Founder and Managing Partner at Team Ignite Ventures | ex AI at AWS, Microsoft, and several startups.
AI didn’t just change how work gets done. It exposed how outdated most organizations really are.
In the latest Ignite episode, Brian Bell sits down with Nikki Barua, founder and CEO of Flipwork, serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and one of the most respected voices on reinvention and human capability in the AI age.
This conversation goes beyond tools and hype. It gets into the uncomfortable stuff leaders are quietly grappling with:
• Why AI is not an IT problem, and treating it like one guarantees failure
• How industrial-age org charts break in an agentic world
• The shift from task-doers to outcome orchestrators
• Why middle management is being redefined, not replaced
• Why adaptability, not intelligence or effort, is the real moat now
Nikki brings decades of experience transforming enterprises and leaders, and a clear point of view, reinvention isn’t episodic anymore, it’s a muscle you either build or lose.
If you’re a founder, operator, or investor thinking seriously about the future of work, this episode will challenge how you define productivity, leadership, and value creation.
👂🎧 Watch, listen, and follow on your favorite platform: buff.ly/fA9vo34
🙏 Join the conversation on your favorite social network: buff.ly/howKPtU
AI didn’t just change how work gets done. It exposed how outdated most organizations really are.
In the latest Ignite episode, Brian Bell sits down with Nikki Barua, founder and CEO of Flipwork, serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and one of the most respected voices on reinvention and human capability in the AI age.
This conversation goes beyond tools and hype. It gets into the uncomfortable stuff leaders are quietly grappling with:
• Why AI is not an IT problem, and treating it like one guarantees failure
• How industrial-age org charts break in an agentic world
• The shift from task-doers to outcome orchestrators
• Why middle management is being redefined, not replaced
• Why adaptability, not intelligence or effort, is the real moat now
Nikki brings decades of experience transforming enterprises and leaders, and a clear point of view, reinvention isn’t episodic anymore, it’s a muscle you either build or lose.
If you’re a founder, operator, or investor thinking seriously about the future of work, this episode will challenge how you define productivity, leadership, and value creation.
👂🎧 Watch, listen, and follow on your favorite platform: buff.ly/fA9vo34
🙏 Join the conversation on your favorite social network: buff.ly/howKPtU
Katherine Ashmore
Self-Leadership & Identity Strategist I Founder I The Confidence Accelerator® | Host, The Mindset Exchange podcast
🎙️ "From Expert to Explorer: Leading with Human Curiosity in AI" 🎙️
New episode of The Mindset Exchange podcast out Monday
Many leaders I speak to aren’t worried about AI replacing them.
There is a sense of being unsure about who they’re meant to be now, with a low-level anxiety about what’s next in general though.
That’s exactly what we explore in my next episode of The Mindset Exchange podcast with Nikki Barua.
This conversation isn’t about tools, prompts, or trying to keep up. It is about identity and the shift many leaders and entrepreneurs are navigating or going to have to navigate beneath the surface.
We talk about the importance of the mindset of moving from expert to explorer. From having the answers to trusting in your ability to learn, adapt, and stay curious.
What really stands out is this: leading well in this landscape isn’t about certainty or control; it’s about curiosity, clarity, and self-trust.
In this episode, discover:
▫️ why curiosity is becoming a leadership skill, not a personality trait
▫️ how confidence shifts from what you know to how you learn
▫️ which human capabilities compound with AI rather than compete with it
▫️ why letting go of identity isn’t losing ground, it’s creating space
amongst much more.
🎧 From Expert to Explorer: Leading with Human Curiosity in AI
New episode out Monday.
To subscribe on your favourite podcast platform, see the link in my comments.
-
🎙️ "From Expert to Explorer: Leading with Human Curiosity in AI" 🎙️
New episode of The Mindset Exchange podcast out Monday
Many leaders I speak to aren’t worried about AI replacing them.
There is a sense of being unsure about who they’re meant to be now, with a low-level anxiety about what’s next in general though.
That’s exactly what we explore in my next episode of The Mindset Exchange podcast with Nikki Barua.
This conversation isn’t about tools, prompts, or trying to keep up. It is about identity and the shift many leaders and entrepreneurs are navigating or going to have to navigate beneath the surface.
We talk about the importance of the mindset of moving from expert to explorer. From having the answers to trusting in your ability to learn, adapt, and stay curious.
What really stands out is this: leading well in this landscape isn’t about certainty or control; it’s about curiosity, clarity, and self-trust.
In this episode, discover:
▫️ why curiosity is becoming a leadership skill, not a personality trait
▫️ how confidence shifts from what you know to how you learn
▫️ which human capabilities compound with AI rather than compete with it
▫️ why letting go of identity isn’t losing ground, it’s creating space
amongst much more.
🎧 From Expert to Explorer: Leading with Human Curiosity in AI
New episode out Monday.
To subscribe on your favourite podcast platform, see the link in my comments.
-
Black Belts & Boardrooms
1,137 followers
On the latest episode of Black Belts & Boardrooms, we had a powerful conversation with Nikki Barua, Co-Founder of FlipWork that really made us pause and think.
She drew a clear line between AI and Collective Intelligence.
AI is a phenomenal thought partner. It helps us think faster. It helps us explore ideas. It challenges assumptions. It accelerates output.
But collective intelligence? That is different.
Collective intelligence is built through shared experiences. Through stories. Through lessons learned in the arena. It is memory. It is context. It is wisdom that sticks because it is human.
What Nikki reminded us is that speed without story does not build culture. Tools do not replace trust. And innovation without shared understanding does not scale.
AI can help us think.
Collective intelligence helps us grow.
The balance between human wisdom and artificial intelligence is not optional. It is the work.
Episode 33 is Live!!! - lnkd.in/grrE8jCB
#BlackBeltsandBoardrooms
#Podcast
#CEO
#CTO
#AI
#CIO
#TechLeadership
#ExecutiveLeadership
On the latest episode of Black Belts & Boardrooms, we had a powerful conversation with Nikki Barua, Co-Founder of FlipWork that really made us pause and think.
She drew a clear line between AI and Collective Intelligence.
AI is a phenomenal thought partner. It helps us think faster. It helps us explore ideas. It challenges assumptions. It accelerates output.
But collective intelligence? That is different.
Collective intelligence is built through shared experiences. Through stories. Through lessons learned in the arena. It is memory. It is context. It is wisdom that sticks because it is human.
What Nikki reminded us is that speed without story does not build culture. Tools do not replace trust. And innovation without shared understanding does not scale.
AI can help us think.
Collective intelligence helps us grow.
The balance between human wisdom and artificial intelligence is not optional. It is the work.
Episode 33 is Live!!! - lnkd.in/grrE8jCB
#BlackBeltsandBoardrooms
#Podcast
#CEO
#CTO
#AI
#CIO
#TechLeadership
#ExecutiveLeadership
Champion Mindset Collective
58 followers
𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗨𝗽 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹
The world is not slowing down.
AI is not waiting.
And job titles will not save you.
I recently sat down with Nikki Barua 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗼𝗳 FlipWork, and she said something that hit hard:
The real disruption is not technology.
It is our resistance to reinventing ourselves.
𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻.
We talk about job security like it still exists.
But industries are shifting in months, not decades.
Skills are expiring faster than we can update our LinkedIn profiles.
AI is not just automating tasks.
It is compressing the value of traditional intellect.
So what cannot be replaced?
Niki calls it the 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲:
• Curiosity grounded in humility
• Empathy and real human connection
• Judgment and discernment
In other words, your mindset.
If you treat AI like just another app, you are missing the point.
That is like putting a Ferrari engine into a lawnmower and wondering why you are still stuck in the backyard.
This moment demands a personal upgrade.
❌ Not fear.
❌ Not denial.
✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
✅ The people who will thrive are not the ones who cling to comfort.
✅ They are the ones willing to become rookies again.
✅ To learn. To experiment.
✅ To build new capability on top of who they already are.
The question is not “𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗲?”
The better question is:
𝗔𝗺 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲?
We unpack Niki’s MAGIC routine for resilience and how to close the exponential divide in your business in this week’s episode of the Champion Mindset Collective.
If you want to be 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 in the AI age, this one is for you.
🎧 Listen & Watch here: lnkd.in/edXK948X
📖 Read more: lnkd.in/e_4Crj-s
#FutureOfWork
#ArtificialIntelligence
#GrowthMindset
#Leadership
#PersonalReinvention
#ChampionMindset
𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗨𝗽 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹
The world is not slowing down.
AI is not waiting.
And job titles will not save you.
I recently sat down with Nikki Barua 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗼𝗳 FlipWork, and she said something that hit hard:
The real disruption is not technology.
It is our resistance to reinventing ourselves.
𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻.
We talk about job security like it still exists.
But industries are shifting in months, not decades.
Skills are expiring faster than we can update our LinkedIn profiles.
AI is not just automating tasks.
It is compressing the value of traditional intellect.
So what cannot be replaced?
Niki calls it the 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲:
• Curiosity grounded in humility
• Empathy and real human connection
• Judgment and discernment
In other words, your mindset.
If you treat AI like just another app, you are missing the point.
That is like putting a Ferrari engine into a lawnmower and wondering why you are still stuck in the backyard.
This moment demands a personal upgrade.
❌ Not fear.
❌ Not denial.
✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
✅ The people who will thrive are not the ones who cling to comfort.
✅ They are the ones willing to become rookies again.
✅ To learn. To experiment.
✅ To build new capability on top of who they already are.
The question is not “𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗲?”
The better question is:
𝗔𝗺 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲?
We unpack Niki’s MAGIC routine for resilience and how to close the exponential divide in your business in this week’s episode of the Champion Mindset Collective.
If you want to be 𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 in the AI age, this one is for you.
🎧 Listen & Watch here: lnkd.in/edXK948X
📖 Read more: lnkd.in/e_4Crj-s
#FutureOfWork
#ArtificialIntelligence
#GrowthMindset
#Leadership
#PersonalReinvention
#ChampionMindset
Champion Mindset Collective
58 followers
𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂. - Nikki Barua - FlipWork
We are not watching the end of human value.
We are watching the end of outdated thinking.
AI is not here to replace you.
It is here to expose whether you are willing to evolve.
For decades, the industrial age trained us to optimise for efficiency, predictability, and control. Follow the system. Stay in your lane. Climb the ladder.
But the AI era rewards something different.
Agency.
Creativity.
Adaptability.
The people who thrive will not be the ones who resist change.
They will be the ones who see AI as leverage.
AI enhances human capacity. It removes friction.
It handles repetition. It creates space.
⁇ The real question is:
What will you do with that space?
Will you default to comfort?
Or will you reinvent your role, your value, your thinking?
Workforce reinvention is not about learning one new tool.
It is about upgrading your identity from operator to creator.
The future does not belong to those who compete with AI.
It belongs to those who collaborate with it.
#FutureOfWork
#ArtificialIntelligence
#WorkforceReinvention
#Leadership
#GrowthMindset
#ChampionMindset
𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂. - Nikki Barua - FlipWork
We are not watching the end of human value.
We are watching the end of outdated thinking.
AI is not here to replace you.
It is here to expose whether you are willing to evolve.
For decades, the industrial age trained us to optimise for efficiency, predictability, and control. Follow the system. Stay in your lane. Climb the ladder.
But the AI era rewards something different.
Agency.
Creativity.
Adaptability.
The people who thrive will not be the ones who resist change.
They will be the ones who see AI as leverage.
AI enhances human capacity. It removes friction.
It handles repetition. It creates space.
⁇ The real question is:
What will you do with that space?
Will you default to comfort?
Or will you reinvent your role, your value, your thinking?
Workforce reinvention is not about learning one new tool.
It is about upgrading your identity from operator to creator.
The future does not belong to those who compete with AI.
It belongs to those who collaborate with it.
#FutureOfWork
#ArtificialIntelligence
#WorkforceReinvention
#Leadership
#GrowthMindset
#ChampionMindset
Fredrik Sandvall
Selective partner to profitable founder-led businesses seeking structural strength, reduced personal exposure, and materially higher enterprise value.
Nikki Barua on Invest in You podcast, now the video is live 55 years later...
Katherine Ashmore
Self-Leadership & Identity Strategist I Founder I The Confidence Accelerator® | Host, The Mindset Exchange podcast
The rules are changing, and the real task now is to stay curious, keep innovating, and dig deep to sustain your self-belief as you go. Really enjoyed your insights, Nikki. Brilliant episode. Thank you for being on and bringing your experience and perspective.
The rules are changing, and the real task now is to stay curious, keep innovating, and dig deep to sustain your self-belief as you go. Really enjoyed your insights, Nikki. Brilliant episode. Thank you for being on and bringing your experience and perspective.
CogniScale
4,637 followers
The technology is ready. The people aren't. That's the AI transformation gap.
Nikki Barua, Founder and CEO of FlipWork, recently joined Tim Bond on the Enterprise Thought Leadership podcast to address why Fortune 500 companies struggle with AI adoption despite significant technology investments. Her thesis is straightforward: organisations are gated by their people not being ready, not by technology limitations.
FlipWork's methodology tackles this through a three-part approach. First, a diagnostic identifies high-impact opportunities where AI fits naturally. Second, 90-day sprints help teams through a reinvention process, identifying exactly where agent tools belong in their workflows. Third, they build custom tools only after teams understand the need—guaranteeing adoption because people are already primed.
The conversation raises an important point about change management in AI transformation. Nikki explains that technologists often underestimate the human dimension, focusing on capabilities rather than preparing people for a fundamentally different working relationship with technology.
What's particularly interesting is FlipWork's vision-first approach. Rather than pushing people toward AI adoption, they help teams create compelling pictures of their future state - envisioning what becomes possible when 80% of capacity is released. This transforms AI from a job threat into a career opportunity, making people exponentially more capable and marketable.
For organisations planning AI transformation, this episode provides a roadmap for the people dimension that technology implementations typically overlook.
Listen now: lnkd.in/gsKbrgGh
#AIStrategy
#OrganisationalChange
#WorkforceDevelopment
#BusinessTransformation
The technology is ready. The people aren't. That's the AI transformation gap.
Nikki Barua, Founder and CEO of FlipWork, recently joined Tim Bond on the Enterprise Thought Leadership podcast to address why Fortune 500 companies struggle with AI adoption despite significant technology investments. Her thesis is straightforward: organisations are gated by their people not being ready, not by technology limitations.
FlipWork's methodology tackles this through a three-part approach. First, a diagnostic identifies high-impact opportunities where AI fits naturally. Second, 90-day sprints help teams through a reinvention process, identifying exactly where agent tools belong in their workflows. Third, they build custom tools only after teams understand the need—guaranteeing adoption because people are already primed.
The conversation raises an important point about change management in AI transformation. Nikki explains that technologists often underestimate the human dimension, focusing on capabilities rather than preparing people for a fundamentally different working relationship with technology.
What's particularly interesting is FlipWork's vision-first approach. Rather than pushing people toward AI adoption, they help teams create compelling pictures of their future state - envisioning what becomes possible when 80% of capacity is released. This transforms AI from a job threat into a career opportunity, making people exponentially more capable and marketable.
For organisations planning AI transformation, this episode provides a roadmap for the people dimension that technology implementations typically overlook.
Listen now: lnkd.in/gsKbrgGh
#AIStrategy
#OrganisationalChange
#WorkforceDevelopment
#BusinessTransformation
CogniScale
4,637 followers
The technology is ready. The people aren't. That's the AI transformation gap.
Nikki Barua, Founder and CEO of FlipWork, recently joined Tim Bond on the Enterprise Thought Leadership podcast to address why Fortune 500 companies struggle with AI adoption despite significant technology investments. Her thesis is straightforward: organisations are gated by their people not being ready, not by technology limitations.
FlipWork's methodology tackles this through a three-part approach. First, a diagnostic identifies high-impact opportunities where AI fits naturally. Second, 90-day sprints help teams through a reinvention process, identifying exactly where agent tools belong in their workflows. Third, they build custom tools only after teams understand the need—guaranteeing adoption because people are already primed.
The conversation raises an important point about change management in AI transformation. Nikki explains that technologists often underestimate the human dimension, focusing on capabilities rather than preparing people for a fundamentally different working relationship with technology.
What's particularly interesting is FlipWork's vision-first approach. Rather than pushing people toward AI adoption, they help teams create compelling pictures of their future state - envisioning what becomes possible when 80% of capacity is released. This transforms AI from a job threat into a career opportunity, making people exponentially more capable and marketable.
For organisations planning AI transformation, this episode provides a roadmap for the people dimension that technology implementations typically overlook.
Listen now: lnkd.in/gsKbrgGh
#AIStrategy
#OrganisationalChange
#WorkforceDevelopment
#BusinessTransformation
The technology is ready. The people aren't. That's the AI transformation gap.
Nikki Barua, Founder and CEO of FlipWork, recently joined Tim Bond on the Enterprise Thought Leadership podcast to address why Fortune 500 companies struggle with AI adoption despite significant technology investments. Her thesis is straightforward: organisations are gated by their people not being ready, not by technology limitations.
FlipWork's methodology tackles this through a three-part approach. First, a diagnostic identifies high-impact opportunities where AI fits naturally. Second, 90-day sprints help teams through a reinvention process, identifying exactly where agent tools belong in their workflows. Third, they build custom tools only after teams understand the need—guaranteeing adoption because people are already primed.
The conversation raises an important point about change management in AI transformation. Nikki explains that technologists often underestimate the human dimension, focusing on capabilities rather than preparing people for a fundamentally different working relationship with technology.
What's particularly interesting is FlipWork's vision-first approach. Rather than pushing people toward AI adoption, they help teams create compelling pictures of their future state - envisioning what becomes possible when 80% of capacity is released. This transforms AI from a job threat into a career opportunity, making people exponentially more capable and marketable.
For organisations planning AI transformation, this episode provides a roadmap for the people dimension that technology implementations typically overlook.
Listen now: lnkd.in/gsKbrgGh
#AIStrategy
#OrganisationalChange
#WorkforceDevelopment
#BusinessTransformation
Tim Bond
Host of the Enterprise Thought Leadership podcast | Founder TechPros.io, CogniScale.com | Fellow of The Charted Institute of Marketing (FCIM)
Getting AI to work isn't the hard part. Knowing what to do with the capacity it creates is.
And yet most of the AI conversation is still about what machines will take away.
Nikki Barua has spent 25 years driving transformation at Fortune 500 companies and co-founded FlipWork.
She has a genius phrase for what AI transformation actually requires: the journey from "people scared" to "people squared."
Her argument is that efficiency gains from AI, whilst real and important, are ultimately a race to the bottom. If every organisation can create the same capacity gains - and eventually they will - speed and throughput stop being differentiators.
The real question becomes what you do with the capacity that's freed up.
The temptation is simply to do more of what you were already doing, faster. Nikki's point is that freed capacity is an invitation to reimagine the work entirely. New products, new approaches to customers, new business models that weren't conceivable when everyone was consumed by operational tasks.
The shift isn't only about deploying AI well. It's about who your people become when the routine is handled.
Nikki's approach is to start from a blank slate. Not the traditional gap analysis from current state to future state, but imagining the future first and working backwards. What would this function look like if we designed it today?
The organisations that are iterating fast and involving their people early aren't waiting for the certainty that will never come.
They'll already be somewhere new.
See episode 85 of the Enterprise Thought Leadership podcast in the comments below.
#AITransformation
#FutureOfWork
#Leadership
Getting AI to work isn't the hard part. Knowing what to do with the capacity it creates is.
And yet most of the AI conversation is still about what machines will take away.
Nikki Barua has spent 25 years driving transformation at Fortune 500 companies and co-founded FlipWork.
She has a genius phrase for what AI transformation actually requires: the journey from "people scared" to "people squared."
Her argument is that efficiency gains from AI, whilst real and important, are ultimately a race to the bottom. If every organisation can create the same capacity gains - and eventually they will - speed and throughput stop being differentiators.
The real question becomes what you do with the capacity that's freed up.
The temptation is simply to do more of what you were already doing, faster. Nikki's point is that freed capacity is an invitation to reimagine the work entirely. New products, new approaches to customers, new business models that weren't conceivable when everyone was consumed by operational tasks.
The shift isn't only about deploying AI well. It's about who your people become when the routine is handled.
Nikki's approach is to start from a blank slate. Not the traditional gap analysis from current state to future state, but imagining the future first and working backwards. What would this function look like if we designed it today?
The organisations that are iterating fast and involving their people early aren't waiting for the certainty that will never come.
They'll already be somewhere new.
See episode 85 of the Enterprise Thought Leadership podcast in the comments below.
#AITransformation
#FutureOfWork
#Leadership
Harrison Painter
Boosting Executive Productivity & Marketing ROI with AI | Founder, LaunchReady.ai & The AI Launch Pad | Adjunct AI Instructor | Host, AI for Everyone Podcast | U.S. Navy Veteran | Follower of Christ
Is AI a friend, foe, or force multiplier? Definitely the latter.
Centering yourself daily is crucial, allowing you to focus and hone your zone of genius, amplifying it with technology. Bad data, stemming even from bad leadership, poses a danger as AI learns from us. A diverse group of people teaching AI is essential to avoid training bias into the tool.
Transfer your knowledge to these tools to ensure we're building balanced, unbiased technologies.
Guest: Monica Marquez via FlipWork
---
#AI
#Technology
#Leadership
#DataDiversity
#Innovation
Is AI a friend, foe, or force multiplier? Definitely the latter.
Centering yourself daily is crucial, allowing you to focus and hone your zone of genius, amplifying it with technology. Bad data, stemming even from bad leadership, poses a danger as AI learns from us. A diverse group of people teaching AI is essential to avoid training bias into the tool.
Transfer your knowledge to these tools to ensure we're building balanced, unbiased technologies.
Guest: Monica Marquez via FlipWork
---
#AI
#Technology
#Leadership
#DataDiversity
#Innovation
IP
Incongruent Podcast
This week we dive deep into the contentious AI issues of bias - both deliberate or accidental. We are delighted to welcome expert speaker Monica Marquez to the mike, as Lovell Menezes and Stephen K. tackle all diversity in Gen AI model training data.
Download this week's episode as Monica explains how cultural norms and identity shape AI adoption, especially among marginalized groups.
How can we ensure AI narrows rather than widens the digital divide? Discover practical solutions in our new episode!
This week we dive deep into the contentious AI issues of bias - both deliberate or accidental. We are delighted to welcome expert speaker Monica Marquez to the mike, as Lovell Menezes and Stephen K. tackle all diversity in Gen AI model training data.
Download this week's episode as Monica explains how cultural norms and identity shape AI adoption, especially among marginalized groups.
How can we ensure AI narrows rather than widens the digital divide? Discover practical solutions in our new episode!
Chris Mailander
Chief Executive Officer, Ironheart Corporate Advisory
The way you work today will be obsolete next month.
Not because of layoffs or restructuring—but because AI tools are evolving that fast.
Monica Marquez’s mantra? 'Disrupt yourself before you get disrupted.'
Here's why agility is becoming the new currency in your career:
The way you work today will be obsolete next month.
Not because of layoffs or restructuring—but because AI tools are evolving that fast.
Monica Marquez’s mantra? 'Disrupt yourself before you get disrupted.'
Here's why agility is becoming the new currency in your career:
Dietmar Fischer
Top 2.5% Podcaster Worldwide
Leaders must demonstrate the changes they wish to see.
If you're asking your team to leverage AI, show them how you're doing it. Share your experiments, even the ones that took a few tries. By leading by example, you create a safe space for your team to explore AI's potential.
Show them how you're offloading painful tasks and improving workflows. Give them permission to test and work with AI to improve their productivity.
Go to BeginnersGuideToAI.com for the full interview with Monica Marquez, former Google employee and co-founder of Flipwork 🎙️
#Leadership #AI #Innovation #Productivity #Teamwork
Leaders must demonstrate the changes they wish to see.
If you're asking your team to leverage AI, show them how you're doing it. Share your experiments, even the ones that took a few tries. By leading by example, you create a safe space for your team to explore AI's potential.
Show them how you're offloading painful tasks and improving workflows. Give them permission to test and work with AI to improve their productivity.
Go to BeginnersGuideToAI.com for the full interview with Monica Marquez, former Google employee and co-founder of Flipwork 🎙️
#Leadership #AI #Innovation #Productivity #Teamwork
Zohra Mubeena Mutabanna
AI enthusiast, podcaster, mama bear, content creator
🎙️ New Episode Alert: Inside Tech Comm Season 7 Episode 2
Do AI tools alone transform workplaces?
In this episode, I speak with Monica Marquez, founder of FlipWork, about what it really takes to drive meaningful AI adoption across organizations.
🔍 We explore:
Why dashboards ≠ ROI
The “frozen middle” of management
FlipWork’s 90-day sprint for AI readiness
How micro-wins build momentum for transformation
Monica brings deep insights from years at Google, Goldman Sachs, and now as a workplace AI strategist shaping how Fortune 500s navigate disruption.
👉 If you’re leading AI adoption, designing org-wide upskilling programs, or simply navigating change, this is the episode for you.
💡Spoiler: It’s not the tools that transform work—it’s the people.
#AI #WorkplaceTransformation #TechComm #UXWriting #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #FutureOfWork #InsideTechComm
🎙️ New Episode Alert: Inside Tech Comm Season 7 Episode 2
Do AI tools alone transform workplaces?
In this episode, I speak with Monica Marquez, founder of FlipWork, about what it really takes to drive meaningful AI adoption across organizations.
🔍 We explore:
Why dashboards ≠ ROI
The “frozen middle” of management
FlipWork’s 90-day sprint for AI readiness
How micro-wins build momentum for transformation
Monica brings deep insights from years at Google, Goldman Sachs, and now as a workplace AI strategist shaping how Fortune 500s navigate disruption.
👉 If you’re leading AI adoption, designing org-wide upskilling programs, or simply navigating change, this is the episode for you.
💡Spoiler: It’s not the tools that transform work—it’s the people.
#AI #WorkplaceTransformation #TechComm #UXWriting #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #FutureOfWork #InsideTechComm
Chris Simmons, MBA
First Black Partner, PwC Governing Board | Led 3,000+ Professionals | Best Selling Author | Speaker & Executive Coach :Buy my book : “Nobody Told You:: What Blacks, Asians, & Latinos Must Know To Win At Work”
Hector Perez & Monica Marquez! This webinar couldn’t be led by any 3 people smarter and committed to the highest standards than you 3. I’m definitely signing up! My AI knowledge needs a boost! Those who aren’t getting savvy will find themselves in a world of hurt. I’ll help get word out.
Hector Perez & Monica Marquez! This webinar couldn’t be led by any 3 people smarter and committed to the highest standards than you 3. I’m definitely signing up! My AI knowledge needs a boost! Those who aren’t getting savvy will find themselves in a world of hurt. I’ll help get word out.
Greg Alvarado
Physical Education instructor
Great write up in dealing with AI…or not dealing with AI…and on Friday the 13th!!😱👍😎🤘🏼
Chris Genteel
Founder, Glidelane | AI-Enabled Enterprise & Supplier Innovation Strategy | Architect of Google’s Supplier Diversity & Product Inclusion | Investor & Advisor
Nikki Barua you have been doing this work longer than most, thank you for sharing the Academy with my network!
Ventures and Visionaries
Nikki's Guest Appearance
What is a agentic humans and why is that a real upgrade
AI is accelerating faster than most professionals can keep up.
Executives must rethink roles.
Founders are redesigning teams.
Mid-career professionals are quietly asking:
Do humans still matter?
In this clip, we sit down with Nikki Barua, co-founder of , to unpack the impact of humans and machines start working side by side.
Not about tools.
It’s about value shifting.
The next advantage isn’t AI-first.
It’s a agentic human partnership
Humans bring judgment.
Machines bring speed and scale.
The combination create value when both parties collaborate.
What separates durable careers from replaceable ones:
⤷ Lived experience that shapes decisions
⤷ Perspective formed through consequence
⤷ Pattern recognition beyond data
⤷ Judgment you can’t prompt into existence
AI can compute outcomes.
It can’t embody experience.
That difference compounds.
This is how you stay relevant.
If your value is just execution, AI will close the gap.
If your value also includes judgment, your advantage increases.
In your field, what can AI replicate and what can’t it replace?
👇 Drop your answer below.
What is a agentic humans and why is that a real upgrade
AI is accelerating faster than most professionals can keep up.
Executives must rethink roles.
Founders are redesigning teams.
Mid-career professionals are quietly asking:
Do humans still matter?
In this clip, we sit down with Nikki Barua, co-founder of , to unpack the impact of humans and machines start working side by side.
Not about tools.
It’s about value shifting.
The next advantage isn’t AI-first.
It’s a agentic human partnership
Humans bring judgment.
Machines bring speed and scale.
The combination create value when both parties collaborate.
What separates durable careers from replaceable ones:
⤷ Lived experience that shapes decisions
⤷ Perspective formed through consequence
⤷ Pattern recognition beyond data
⤷ Judgment you can’t prompt into existence
AI can compute outcomes.
It can’t embody experience.
That difference compounds.
This is how you stay relevant.
If your value is just execution, AI will close the gap.
If your value also includes judgment, your advantage increases.
In your field, what can AI replicate and what can’t it replace?
👇 Drop your answer below.
Renard Henry
IT Leader | Board Member | Executive Coach | Empowering Teams Through Innovation & Automation | Mentor | Host of Black Belts & Boardrooms | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Applying Martial Arts to Leadership
Nikki Barua thank you for the masterclass you gave on the podcast. We learn so much and truly inspired.
Trish Lindo
Global Creator & Community Strategy Leader | Creator Partnerships & Ecosystem Growth | Content Creator | Storytelling and Content Strategy | Scaled Programs Across U-S & Canada | ex-LinkedIn | Founder, Too AMBITIOUS
I'm looking forward to learning more about your 20-year mastery plan Nikki Barua on "Black Belts & Boardrooms!" "the only thing that commands trust and respect is what takes time." 👏🏾 👏🏾
I'm looking forward to learning more about your 20-year mastery plan Nikki Barua on "Black Belts & Boardrooms!" "the only thing that commands trust and respect is what takes time." 👏🏾 👏🏾
Burn The Map
66 followers
Everyone’s raving about the next big AI platform, but here’s what no one’s admitting: tossing shiny tech at your team doesn’t work if no one actually knows what to do with it.
Monica Marquez points out what leaders keep missing: AI isn’t plug and play. If you’re not showing your people how to feed it, guide it, and teach it, you might as well be rolling out a fancy toaster. And guess who’s supposed to drive all this? HR. Without so much as a “good luck” sticky note.
Spoiler: tech adoption is a people problem, not a product problem. Get that right, or get left behind—your move.
Everyone’s raving about the next big AI platform, but here’s what no one’s admitting: tossing shiny tech at your team doesn’t work if no one actually knows what to do with it.
Monica Marquez points out what leaders keep missing: AI isn’t plug and play. If you’re not showing your people how to feed it, guide it, and teach it, you might as well be rolling out a fancy toaster. And guess who’s supposed to drive all this? HR. Without so much as a “good luck” sticky note.
Spoiler: tech adoption is a people problem, not a product problem. Get that right, or get left behind—your move.
Monica Silva Gutiérrez
Chief of Staff | People Strategy and Ops Leader | Ex-Googler | Organizational Design and Culture Leader | Equity-Centered Change Agent
Monica Marquez at Flip Work has nailed this with companies and gets the human side of AI learning right which is important with HR
Monica Marquez at Flip Work has nailed this with companies and gets the human side of AI learning right which is important with HR
Yeimmy Fernandez
Accounting Student | Aspiring CPA | Experienced Operations Manager | Bilingual (EN/ES) | Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS)
Just found the coin Monica Marquez gave us at the ALPFA Convention:
FLIP THE SCRIPT.
Whew. Perfect timing.
Not everything has turned out how I hoped lately. Some doors didn’t open, some increases didn’t go as expected and some plans fell through… but instead of staying stuck in the “why not,” I’m flipping the script to “what’s next.”
This reminder couldn’t have come at a better time.
➡️ I get to rewrite my story.
➡️ I get to redefine what success looks like.
➡️ I get to keep going, on my terms!
Grateful for the message, the moment, and the mindset shift.
#FlipTheScript
#LatinaProfessional
#ALPFA
#MindsetShift
#Resilience
#PurposeDriven
Just found the coin Monica Marquez gave us at the ALPFA Convention:
FLIP THE SCRIPT.
Whew. Perfect timing.
Not everything has turned out how I hoped lately. Some doors didn’t open, some increases didn’t go as expected and some plans fell through… but instead of staying stuck in the “why not,” I’m flipping the script to “what’s next.”
This reminder couldn’t have come at a better time.
➡️ I get to rewrite my story.
➡️ I get to redefine what success looks like.
➡️ I get to keep going, on my terms!
Grateful for the message, the moment, and the mindset shift.
#FlipTheScript
#LatinaProfessional
#ALPFA
#MindsetShift
#Resilience
#PurposeDriven
Keith Cordova Broncano
Aspiring Financial Analyst | Economics Major
Recently, I attended ALPFA New York Latino Futures: Changemakers, Innovators, Builders event at Citi an inspiring evening celebrating leadership, innovation, and community.
I had the chance to join the pre-networking session, connecting with Jason Britt a VP Executive Recruiter, and Topher Payne from Citi’s University Relations team. It was great catching up with Blessing Utomi, who talked about how bringing energy and passion can really elevate any event.
The night featured an empowering keynote from Monica Marquez, encouraging us to bet on ourselves, followed by a panel led by Paula Segovia with Ramona Ortega, Danny Rojas, and Eugene ☁ I., each sharing valuable insights on adaptability, innovation, and growth.
To close the evening, I spoke with Gustavo Morales from Accenture and Stella Campaner (She/Her/Ela/Ella) from Citi’s Talent Acquisition team, both offering great career advice and encouragement.
I’m especially grateful to Raquel Polanco, President of ALPFA New York, for her constant support and encouragement, and to ALPFA John Jay College and Citi for bringing together such an inspiring event that empowers the next generation of leaders.
#ALPFA
#LatinoFutures
#LatinoLeaders
#Leadership
#Networking
#ProfessionalGrowth
#Citi
Recently, I attended ALPFA New York Latino Futures: Changemakers, Innovators, Builders event at Citi an inspiring evening celebrating leadership, innovation, and community.
I had the chance to join the pre-networking session, connecting with Jason Britt a VP Executive Recruiter, and Topher Payne from Citi’s University Relations team. It was great catching up with Blessing Utomi, who talked about how bringing energy and passion can really elevate any event.
The night featured an empowering keynote from Monica Marquez, encouraging us to bet on ourselves, followed by a panel led by Paula Segovia with Ramona Ortega, Danny Rojas, and Eugene ☁ I., each sharing valuable insights on adaptability, innovation, and growth.
To close the evening, I spoke with Gustavo Morales from Accenture and Stella Campaner (She/Her/Ela/Ella) from Citi’s Talent Acquisition team, both offering great career advice and encouragement.
I’m especially grateful to Raquel Polanco, President of ALPFA New York, for her constant support and encouragement, and to ALPFA John Jay College and Citi for bringing together such an inspiring event that empowers the next generation of leaders.
#ALPFA
#LatinoFutures
#LatinoLeaders
#Leadership
#Networking
#ProfessionalGrowth
#Citi
Dustin Sutton
Commercial Real Estate & AI Strategy Leader
🎙️ New Episode: Tools, Talents & Techniques with Monica Marquez
From a first-generation college graduate in Texas to executive leadership roles at Google, EY, Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs, Monica Marquez has built a career defined by resilience, innovation, and impact.
Now as a serial entrepreneur, Monica is helping organizations thrive in the AI-driven future of work through FlipWork, a platform that empowers employees at every level to adopt and integrate
#AI successfully.
In our conversation, we explore:
💡 How adaptability has become the ultimate career skill
🤝 The role of mentorship in shaping success
🌍 Why inclusion and equity must stay central to innovation
🧠 How AI can enhance human creativity, not replace it
🚀 What leaders can do today to future-proof their organizations
Monica’s insights remind us that leadership in the AI era requires empathy, curiosity, and courage to transform how we work and lead.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: lnkd.in/gisg9HMG
Tools Talents & Techniques (podcast)
#the3tpod
#leadership
🎙️ New Episode: Tools, Talents & Techniques with Monica Marquez
From a first-generation college graduate in Texas to executive leadership roles at Google, EY, Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs, Monica Marquez has built a career defined by resilience, innovation, and impact.
Now as a serial entrepreneur, Monica is helping organizations thrive in the AI-driven future of work through FlipWork, a platform that empowers employees at every level to adopt and integrate
#AI successfully.
In our conversation, we explore:
💡 How adaptability has become the ultimate career skill
🤝 The role of mentorship in shaping success
🌍 Why inclusion and equity must stay central to innovation
🧠 How AI can enhance human creativity, not replace it
🚀 What leaders can do today to future-proof their organizations
Monica’s insights remind us that leadership in the AI era requires empathy, curiosity, and courage to transform how we work and lead.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: lnkd.in/gisg9HMG
Tools Talents & Techniques (podcast)
#the3tpod
#leadership
Joel De La Rosa
Business & Finance Student
Last week, I had the chance to visit Citibank for ALPFA’s “Latino Futures: Changemakers, Innovators, Builders” event. I left feeling inspired and grateful. The keynote speaker, Monica Marquez, and the panelists, Ramona Ortega, Eugene ☁ I., Danny Rojas, & Paula Segovia, shared meaningful insights that reminded me how strong and vibrant our community is. It was a powerful celebration of the vision, talent, and innovation that continues to shape the future of the Latino community.
It was truly special reconnecting with ALPFA members that I’ve met on this journey, and just as rewarding meeting new members who share the same drive and pride in our collective growth. These conversations felt uplifting and genuine.
Citibank’s hospitality throughout the event was phenomenal. The warmth and care they showed made the experience even more memorable.
A heartfelt thank you to Raquel Polanco, President of ALPFA NY, for her continued support and dedication to the success of our chapter and every one of our members. Your leadership continues to inspire and guide us forward.
I am thankful to be part of a network that continues to support, uplift, and build together. Looking forward to what we create next. 😁
#ALPFA
#LatinoFutures
#LatinoLeaders
#Community
#Connection
#Leadership
#ProfessionalGrowth
#Citibank
Last week, I had the chance to visit Citibank for ALPFA’s “Latino Futures: Changemakers, Innovators, Builders” event. I left feeling inspired and grateful. The keynote speaker, Monica Marquez, and the panelists, Ramona Ortega, Eugene ☁ I., Danny Rojas, & Paula Segovia, shared meaningful insights that reminded me how strong and vibrant our community is. It was a powerful celebration of the vision, talent, and innovation that continues to shape the future of the Latino community.
It was truly special reconnecting with ALPFA members that I’ve met on this journey, and just as rewarding meeting new members who share the same drive and pride in our collective growth. These conversations felt uplifting and genuine.
Citibank’s hospitality throughout the event was phenomenal. The warmth and care they showed made the experience even more memorable.
A heartfelt thank you to Raquel Polanco, President of ALPFA NY, for her continued support and dedication to the success of our chapter and every one of our members. Your leadership continues to inspire and guide us forward.
I am thankful to be part of a network that continues to support, uplift, and build together. Looking forward to what we create next. 😁
#ALPFA
#LatinoFutures
#LatinoLeaders
#Community
#Connection
#Leadership
#ProfessionalGrowth
#Citibank
Jason Padgett
AI Educator | Human-AI Collaboration Leader & Podcast Host | Shaping AI Strategy, Marketing & Policy for Mission-Driven Organizations
Nikki Barua with Some Pragmatic Adivce in a Highly Engaging Conversation
1. Adapt to constant, fast change.
2. Unique human skills set us apart → what are they? You'll have to listen to the interview to find out!
3. AI empowers entrepreneurs.
4. Attitude, not age, drives adaptation.
5. Begin change with people, not tech!
Here's a win-win proposal
→ listen to or watch this episode on YouTube, Spotify, iHeart podcasts, or Apple podcast then
→ comment, like, maybe even share the episode
🏆 What to do you get out of it?
→ pragmatic advice on how AI is impacting our world and your job
🏆 What do we get out of it?
→ If the audience grows, the show grows, the conversatoin grows
Nikki Barua with Some Pragmatic Adivce in a Highly Engaging Conversation
1. Adapt to constant, fast change.
2. Unique human skills set us apart → what are they? You'll have to listen to the interview to find out!
3. AI empowers entrepreneurs.
4. Attitude, not age, drives adaptation.
5. Begin change with people, not tech!
Here's a win-win proposal
→ listen to or watch this episode on YouTube, Spotify, iHeart podcasts, or Apple podcast then
→ comment, like, maybe even share the episode
🏆 What to do you get out of it?
→ pragmatic advice on how AI is impacting our world and your job
🏆 What do we get out of it?
→ If the audience grows, the show grows, the conversatoin grows
Sandra Garcia
BS Computer Engineering and BA Computer Science | SHPEtinas Lead | SHPE Eboard Member
Last week has been nothing but impactful and inspiring as I attended the SHPE2025 National Convention in Philadelphia PA. This was an incredible experience as a first time attendee and certainly won’t be the last.
From the empowering workshops and panel sessions to the career fair and multiple meaningful encounters and connections, this was a wonderful opportunity I am grateful to have experienced.
As a SHPEtinas lead at my university it was wonderful to meet fellow region 4 SHPEtinas and connect with others across the country. I also got to meet leaders in the Latinas in STEM community including Sonia Lucia C. and Nikki Barua. Meeting all these powerful women and hearing their advice has encouraged me to grow as a leader.
I was also happy to listen to the amazing speakers at company sessions and panels that helped shape my perspective as a young professional.
Thank you to all the speakers who participated as well as the IPCs and volunteers that were able to make this event a reality and support the strong community of Latinos in STEM.
I’d also like to thank SHPE University of Rhode Island. Since being part of the eboard this year it’s been a pleasure and a wonderful journey!
Can’t wait for next year familia!
#SHPE2026
Last week has been nothing but impactful and inspiring as I attended the SHPE2025 National Convention in Philadelphia PA. This was an incredible experience as a first time attendee and certainly won’t be the last.
From the empowering workshops and panel sessions to the career fair and multiple meaningful encounters and connections, this was a wonderful opportunity I am grateful to have experienced.
As a SHPEtinas lead at my university it was wonderful to meet fellow region 4 SHPEtinas and connect with others across the country. I also got to meet leaders in the Latinas in STEM community including Sonia Lucia C. and Nikki Barua. Meeting all these powerful women and hearing their advice has encouraged me to grow as a leader.
I was also happy to listen to the amazing speakers at company sessions and panels that helped shape my perspective as a young professional.
Thank you to all the speakers who participated as well as the IPCs and volunteers that were able to make this event a reality and support the strong community of Latinos in STEM.
I’d also like to thank SHPE University of Rhode Island. Since being part of the eboard this year it’s been a pleasure and a wonderful journey!
Can’t wait for next year familia!
#SHPE2026
Kaylani Rivera
Latina from Chicago with a passion for increasing diversity in Computer Science | CS@UIUC | SHPE 2025 | Gates Scholar | NCWIT Awardee
I'm so grateful to have attended the National Conference for SHPE this past weekend. It was an amazing gathering of students from all across the nation to celebrate diversity and the accomplishments of Hispanics in technology.
Some of my biggest takeaways from the tech talks and presentations I went to:
- The SHPEtina Luncheon with Nikki Barua taught me to embrace authenticity and that when you stop trying to fit in, that's when you stand out
- Ana Flores Siemsen emphasized the importance of standing up for yourself in the workplace and showing how valuable you are
- Anthony A. in the Bank of America Tech Talk urged us to advocate for ourselves, take advantage of opportunities, and form genuine human connections
These lessons, and many others, have stuck with me and inspired me. Thank you to the organizers, speakers, and everyone who made this such a valuable experience. At this difficult time in our nation, it was inspiring to have the chance to meet so many other SHPE members and professionals all working towards the mission of supporting our community!
#SiSePuede
#SHPE25
#SHPE2025
#SHPE
I'm so grateful to have attended the National Conference for SHPE this past weekend. It was an amazing gathering of students from all across the nation to celebrate diversity and the accomplishments of Hispanics in technology.
Some of my biggest takeaways from the tech talks and presentations I went to:
- The SHPEtina Luncheon with Nikki Barua taught me to embrace authenticity and that when you stop trying to fit in, that's when you stand out
- Ana Flores Siemsen emphasized the importance of standing up for yourself in the workplace and showing how valuable you are
- Anthony A. in the Bank of America Tech Talk urged us to advocate for ourselves, take advantage of opportunities, and form genuine human connections
These lessons, and many others, have stuck with me and inspired me. Thank you to the organizers, speakers, and everyone who made this such a valuable experience. At this difficult time in our nation, it was inspiring to have the chance to meet so many other SHPE members and professionals all working towards the mission of supporting our community!
#SiSePuede
#SHPE25
#SHPE2025
#SHPE
James (J.R.) Lowry
C-Level Executive
In our latest issue of PathWisdom, we cover the launch of our new member community, three great new podcasts featuring Neen James, MBA CSP, Monica Marquez, and Benjamin Johnson, weekly themes focusing on mental fitness, visioning, and finding your fit, and a summary of Charles Duhigg's Supercommunicators.
In our latest issue of PathWisdom, we cover the launch of our new member community, three great new podcasts featuring Neen James, MBA CSP, Monica Marquez, and Benjamin Johnson, weekly themes focusing on mental fitness, visioning, and finding your fit, and a summary of Charles Duhigg's Supercommunicators.
Jennifer Velis
Director of Operations
🤖 Most AI transformations don’t fail on tech—they fail on the human side.
That’s why Monica Marquez co-founded FlipWork, building an enterprise AI workforce transformation system to help Fortune 500 companies (and their people) adapt and thrive.
This week on Career Sessions, Career Lessons, we dig into AI through the lens of enablement and change—what it takes to bring people with you.
Watch below ⬇️
And remember to listen to the full podcast and give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! lnkd.in/eSi-_rVR
🤖 Most AI transformations don’t fail on tech—they fail on the human side.
That’s why Monica Marquez co-founded FlipWork, building an enterprise AI workforce transformation system to help Fortune 500 companies (and their people) adapt and thrive.
This week on Career Sessions, Career Lessons, we dig into AI through the lens of enablement and change—what it takes to bring people with you.
Watch below ⬇️
And remember to listen to the full podcast and give us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! lnkd.in/eSi-_rVR
PathWise
PathWise
Like most technology-driven change programs, AI-related transformations aren't falling short because of the technology. They're falling short because of the human element. That's what led Monica Marquez to co-found FlipWork, which is developing an enterprise-wide AI workforce transformation system designed to help Fortune 500 companies and their employees adapt to and derive value from AI-driven transformation.
In this week's "Career Sessions, Career Lessons", we cover AI from a human side, particularly as related to enabling change. Check it out at lnkd.in/eEE_dmQf
Like most technology-driven change programs, AI-related transformations aren't falling short because of the technology. They're falling short because of the human element. That's what led Monica Marquez to co-found FlipWork, which is developing an enterprise-wide AI workforce transformation system designed to help Fortune 500 companies and their employees adapt to and derive value from AI-driven transformation.
In this week's "Career Sessions, Career Lessons", we cover AI from a human side, particularly as related to enabling change. Check it out at lnkd.in/eEE_dmQf
Megan Ardiles
Civil Engineering Undergraduate student Manhattan University. | President SHPE MU
Attending the SHPE National Convention for the third time has reminded me just how much growth can happen when you continue to challenge yourself and step into new spaces. Each year, I walk away more confident, more inspired, and more determined to create impact in both my professional and personal journey.
Through SHPE, I’ve learned the importance of community — of surrounding yourself with people who push you to be your best while celebrating your authentic self. When I first joined SHPE, I never imagined how much it would shape me. Today, as President of the Manhattan University SHPE Chapter, I’m proud to see how far our chapter has come. With the support of my amazing E-Board, we successfully brought 11 members to this year’s convention in Philadelphia. Seeing our team come together and grow as leaders was one of the most rewarding experiences of the week.
The phrase that stayed with me throughout the conference was:
“Honoring where I come from while building where I’m going.”
This message resonated deeply as I reflected on how my culture, family, and background continue to guide me in everything I do.
One of the most impactful moments was attending the SHPEtinas Luncheon. Being surrounded by so many powerful Latina women like Suzanna Valdez Wolfe, SHPE CEO and Nikki Barua was both humbling and inspiring. The conversations centered around leadership, representation, and resilience — all reminders that our presence in these spaces matters and that we have the power to create meaningful change for the next generation.
I also had the incredible opportunity to connect with talented professionals and recruiters at the career fair, including:
▫️Rudy Torres-Martinez, P.E. from Kimley-Horn
▫️Sofia Serna, Diego Flores and Bruna Vailant from DPR Construction
▫️Gabriel Espinoza and Mike Krissinger from Bechtel Corporation
▫️Andrea Diaz-Gonzalez, EIT and Guillermo Leon from Turner Construction Company
▫️Rene Velasco and Alexandra Blel from Mortenson
▫️Matthew Caswell and Urias Soto from Skanska
▫️Emily Diangson, Margarita Castro Pereira, Francisco Montenegro, and Raquel E Diaz Diaz from Gilbane Building
▫️Jhon Ballesteros and Celeste Martinez from The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
▫️Eric Vazquez from Burns & McDonnell
These conversations reminded me how valuable it is to connect with professionals who not only represent excellence in their fields but who also share the mission of empowering Hispanic engineers and students across the country.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunities SHPE has given me — to learn, to lead, and to connect with others who share the same drive to build a future our parents once dreamed of for us.
“Nunca olvides de dónde vienes, porque ahí está la fuerza que te impulsa hacia donde vas.”
#SHPE2025
#SHPEFamilia
#SHPEtinas
#STEM
#Leadership
#SomosR4
#SHPENYC
#ProfessionalGrowth
#RepresentationMatters
#Philadelphia
#Community
#HispanicEngineers
Attending the SHPE National Convention for the third time has reminded me just how much growth can happen when you continue to challenge yourself and step into new spaces. Each year, I walk away more confident, more inspired, and more determined to create impact in both my professional and personal journey.
Through SHPE, I’ve learned the importance of community — of surrounding yourself with people who push you to be your best while celebrating your authentic self. When I first joined SHPE, I never imagined how much it would shape me. Today, as President of the Manhattan University SHPE Chapter, I’m proud to see how far our chapter has come. With the support of my amazing E-Board, we successfully brought 11 members to this year’s convention in Philadelphia. Seeing our team come together and grow as leaders was one of the most rewarding experiences of the week.
The phrase that stayed with me throughout the conference was:
“Honoring where I come from while building where I’m going.”
This message resonated deeply as I reflected on how my culture, family, and background continue to guide me in everything I do.
One of the most impactful moments was attending the SHPEtinas Luncheon. Being surrounded by so many powerful Latina women like Suzanna Valdez Wolfe, SHPE CEO and Nikki Barua was both humbling and inspiring. The conversations centered around leadership, representation, and resilience — all reminders that our presence in these spaces matters and that we have the power to create meaningful change for the next generation.
I also had the incredible opportunity to connect with talented professionals and recruiters at the career fair, including:
▫️Rudy Torres-Martinez, P.E. from Kimley-Horn
▫️Sofia Serna, Diego Flores and Bruna Vailant from DPR Construction
▫️Gabriel Espinoza and Mike Krissinger from Bechtel Corporation
▫️Andrea Diaz-Gonzalez, EIT and Guillermo Leon from Turner Construction Company
▫️Rene Velasco and Alexandra Blel from Mortenson
▫️Matthew Caswell and Urias Soto from Skanska
▫️Emily Diangson, Margarita Castro Pereira, Francisco Montenegro, and Raquel E Diaz Diaz from Gilbane Building
▫️Jhon Ballesteros and Celeste Martinez from The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
▫️Eric Vazquez from Burns & McDonnell
These conversations reminded me how valuable it is to connect with professionals who not only represent excellence in their fields but who also share the mission of empowering Hispanic engineers and students across the country.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunities SHPE has given me — to learn, to lead, and to connect with others who share the same drive to build a future our parents once dreamed of for us.
“Nunca olvides de dónde vienes, porque ahí está la fuerza que te impulsa hacia donde vas.”
#SHPE2025
#SHPEFamilia
#SHPEtinas
#STEM
#Leadership
#SomosR4
#SHPENYC
#ProfessionalGrowth
#RepresentationMatters
#Philadelphia
#Community
#HispanicEngineers
Flavia Perez
Enterprise Applications Developer II | Army National Guard | M.S. Cybersecurity Policy (In Progress)
✨ The SHPE National Convention was absolutely amazing!
Huge thanks to Georgia Institute of Technology for giving me the opportunity to attend as a grad student and represent our graduate programs. I met so many incredible students — helping ease their nerves, sharing application tips, and giving them a glimpse into what life at Georgia Tech is really like 💛🐝
I got to attend so many inspiring workshops, but my favorite by far was the SHPEtina’s Luncheon, where Nikki Barua, CEO of Latinas in Tech, shared her insights on growing your career in the age of AI and how networking + partnership make all the difference.
And to top it off, I even had the chance to talk with Congresswoman Luz Rivas about how technology and policy can work hand in hand, such an inspiring conversation!
More than anything, I loved giving back: helping with resume reviews, mock interviews, and just connecting with so many amazing people and companies. This is exactly why I love being part of the SHPE community
As a first-gen student, being in spaces like this means so much to me. It’s powerful to connect with others who share similar stories, dreams, and determination and most importantly to show that we do belong in these spaces!
#SHPE2025
#SHPEFamilia
#GeorgiaTech
#GraduateSchool
#LatinasInSTEM
#Networking
#AI
#Leadership
#CareerGrowth
#STEMCommunity
#RepresentationMatters
✨ The SHPE National Convention was absolutely amazing!
Huge thanks to Georgia Institute of Technology for giving me the opportunity to attend as a grad student and represent our graduate programs. I met so many incredible students — helping ease their nerves, sharing application tips, and giving them a glimpse into what life at Georgia Tech is really like 💛🐝
I got to attend so many inspiring workshops, but my favorite by far was the SHPEtina’s Luncheon, where Nikki Barua, CEO of Latinas in Tech, shared her insights on growing your career in the age of AI and how networking + partnership make all the difference.
And to top it off, I even had the chance to talk with Congresswoman Luz Rivas about how technology and policy can work hand in hand, such an inspiring conversation!
More than anything, I loved giving back: helping with resume reviews, mock interviews, and just connecting with so many amazing people and companies. This is exactly why I love being part of the SHPE community
As a first-gen student, being in spaces like this means so much to me. It’s powerful to connect with others who share similar stories, dreams, and determination and most importantly to show that we do belong in these spaces!
#SHPE2025
#SHPEFamilia
#GeorgiaTech
#GraduateSchool
#LatinasInSTEM
#Networking
#AI
#Leadership
#CareerGrowth
#STEMCommunity
#RepresentationMatters
Ashley Cruz - Lopez
Computer Science Software Engineering Minor in Artificial Intelligence | ALPFA President @ VCU
Love Letters to SHPE,
This past week was my first SHPE National Conference, and it was more than I could have ever imagined. From the breakout session with Accenture about AI (and yes, even Bad Bunny), to learning from Nikki Barua , CEO of Latinas in Tech, about breaking down the doors of success. Hearing about personal tech paths / stories with Bank of America. Every moment left me inspired. Being in rooms with such successful and uplifting people has been amazing.
I’m walking away from this experience as someone determined to use all this knowledge not only to grow professionally, but to empower others around me.
Shout out to my SHPE at VCU family, we did our big one and we will continue to come in and dominate!!!! I have loved experiencing this with you all. From our convention debriefs and celebration, I will cherish every memory.
I have a special place in my heart for my fellow SHPETINAS. I can’t wait to see what’s next — thank you to everyone I met and connected with this past week. Until next year, SHPE Familia! 💫
From,
A Honduran with big dreams 🇭🇳🇭🇳🇭🇳
#SHPEtinas
Love Letters to SHPE,
This past week was my first SHPE National Conference, and it was more than I could have ever imagined. From the breakout session with Accenture about AI (and yes, even Bad Bunny), to learning from Nikki Barua , CEO of Latinas in Tech, about breaking down the doors of success. Hearing about personal tech paths / stories with Bank of America. Every moment left me inspired. Being in rooms with such successful and uplifting people has been amazing.
I’m walking away from this experience as someone determined to use all this knowledge not only to grow professionally, but to empower others around me.
Shout out to my SHPE at VCU family, we did our big one and we will continue to come in and dominate!!!! I have loved experiencing this with you all. From our convention debriefs and celebration, I will cherish every memory.
I have a special place in my heart for my fellow SHPETINAS. I can’t wait to see what’s next — thank you to everyone I met and connected with this past week. Until next year, SHPE Familia! 💫
From,
A Honduran with big dreams 🇭🇳🇭🇳🇭🇳
#SHPEtinas
Elena Alexandrova
Director of Exam Operations at Financial Modeling Institute
Brilliantly said!
Adriana Claudio Luciano
Biomedical Engineer student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the SHPE National Convention for the first time! 🌟
Throughout the weekend, I participated in several inspiring workshops, including:
✨ Sisterly Love: She Builds, She Leads, sponsored by Procter & Gamble where I explored how technical excellence and leadership come together at P&G, led by Denise Valentina Suárez and Cecilia Colburn
💡 Power Skills for Career Success: Influence, Adapt, Achieve , sponsored by Eli Lilly, and led by Joely Santiago, where I learned valuable lessons about personal growth and building meaningful connections for my career story.
⚙️ From Classroom to Career: Navigating Career Paths in Product Supply at P&G, led by Paulina Flores and Pedro Gonzalez-Ochoa, where we gained valuable insights into professional growth within P&G.
I also had the chance to visit the Procter & Gamble Hospitality Suite, where I built incredible relationships with inspiring professionals, and attend the SHPEtinas Luncheon: The Power of Sisterhood in the Age of AI featuring Nikki Barua ! a truly empowering session. 💖
I’m so grateful with SHPE - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for making this experience possible and to the amazing recruiters I met who made my first SHPE Convention truly inolvidable. ✨
Exciting things are definitely coming! 🤭
This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the SHPE National Convention for the first time! 🌟
Throughout the weekend, I participated in several inspiring workshops, including:
✨ Sisterly Love: She Builds, She Leads, sponsored by Procter & Gamble where I explored how technical excellence and leadership come together at P&G, led by Denise Valentina Suárez and Cecilia Colburn
💡 Power Skills for Career Success: Influence, Adapt, Achieve , sponsored by Eli Lilly, and led by Joely Santiago, where I learned valuable lessons about personal growth and building meaningful connections for my career story.
⚙️ From Classroom to Career: Navigating Career Paths in Product Supply at P&G, led by Paulina Flores and Pedro Gonzalez-Ochoa, where we gained valuable insights into professional growth within P&G.
I also had the chance to visit the Procter & Gamble Hospitality Suite, where I built incredible relationships with inspiring professionals, and attend the SHPEtinas Luncheon: The Power of Sisterhood in the Age of AI featuring Nikki Barua ! a truly empowering session. 💖
I’m so grateful with SHPE - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for making this experience possible and to the amazing recruiters I met who made my first SHPE Convention truly inolvidable. ✨
Exciting things are definitely coming! 🤭
Lorena Gonzalez
Mechanical Engineering Student at Taft College
🧡 I had the wonderful opportunity to attend SHPE 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! 💙
Throughout the conference, I networked with incredible STEM students and professionals from across the country. I also had the privilege of being invited to the Procter & Gamble and Texas Instruments hospitality suites, where I connected with inspiring individuals and learned about their career journeys and roles within their companies.
In addition to that, I attended workshops hosted by Procter & Gamble and Texas Instruments.
⚙️ At Texas Instruments, I learned about the real-world impact of engineering and how teams from marketing, sales, field applications, and design work together to create innovation in the automotive industry.
🐻 At Procter & Gamble, I gained insight into product supply disciplines and heard from professionals like Paulina Flores and Pedro Gonzalez Ochoa about their experiences and a “day in the life” at P&G.
During the career fair, I had the chance to speak with Amanda Fischer from Ford, who shared valuable advice about leadership and professional growth. She took the time to answer all my questions about her journey, overcoming challenges, and what she enjoys most about working at Ford. I truly appreciated how open and encouraging she was. Her insight about taking initiative and learning to lead really stayed with me. 🚘
One of the most inspiring moments of the conference was attending the SHPEtinas Luncheon, where I had the chance to connect with empowering Latinas in STEM and hear from Nikki Barua. She shared three powerful lessons that deeply resonated with me:
🌟 Be comfortable with uncertainty.
🌟 Don’t let fear or failure define you; let setbacks fuel you.
🌟 Embrace your authenticity; you can’t be confident being someone else. Lead with pride.
I’m so thankful to Taft College MESA for making this amazing experience possible. 💛🖤
#SHPE2025
#SHPEFamilia
#STEM
#Engineering
#Networking
#ProfessionalGrowth
#Familia
#Leadership
🧡 I had the wonderful opportunity to attend SHPE 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! 💙
Throughout the conference, I networked with incredible STEM students and professionals from across the country. I also had the privilege of being invited to the Procter & Gamble and Texas Instruments hospitality suites, where I connected with inspiring individuals and learned about their career journeys and roles within their companies.
In addition to that, I attended workshops hosted by Procter & Gamble and Texas Instruments.
⚙️ At Texas Instruments, I learned about the real-world impact of engineering and how teams from marketing, sales, field applications, and design work together to create innovation in the automotive industry.
🐻 At Procter & Gamble, I gained insight into product supply disciplines and heard from professionals like Paulina Flores and Pedro Gonzalez Ochoa about their experiences and a “day in the life” at P&G.
During the career fair, I had the chance to speak with Amanda Fischer from Ford, who shared valuable advice about leadership and professional growth. She took the time to answer all my questions about her journey, overcoming challenges, and what she enjoys most about working at Ford. I truly appreciated how open and encouraging she was. Her insight about taking initiative and learning to lead really stayed with me. 🚘
One of the most inspiring moments of the conference was attending the SHPEtinas Luncheon, where I had the chance to connect with empowering Latinas in STEM and hear from Nikki Barua. She shared three powerful lessons that deeply resonated with me:
🌟 Be comfortable with uncertainty.
🌟 Don’t let fear or failure define you; let setbacks fuel you.
🌟 Embrace your authenticity; you can’t be confident being someone else. Lead with pride.
I’m so thankful to Taft College MESA for making this amazing experience possible. 💛🖤
#SHPE2025
#SHPEFamilia
#STEM
#Engineering
#Networking
#ProfessionalGrowth
#Familia
#Leadership
Alondra Ostolaza León
3rd Year Neuroscience & Psychological Science Student @RPI | Undergraduate Research Assitant
This past weekend, I attended the SHPE 2025 National Convention in Philadelphia 🎊
It was an amazing experience where I had the opportunity to network, hear from incredible leaders, like Suzanna Valdez Wolfe, SHPE CEO, and learn extensively about companies and leadership through inspiring workshops. I had the chance to connect with amazing professionals and recruiters from companies like Merck, Medtronic, Eli Lilly and Company, Regeneron, and many more.
I attended a Merck workshop that had an amazing panel, including two RPI alumni, Christian Franquiz Santos and Jo-Ann Diaz Hernandez, and three other accomplished leaders: James Totten, Priscilla Robinson, and Pablo Botero. They explored how to successfully transition from academia to industry, emphasizing that meaningful connections are crucial. I also had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with Ruben Moore, and I’m thankful for all his help and valuable insights.
I also attended a GE HealthCare workshop that discussed how to assert yourself in the workplace as a minority and how to battle imposter syndrome. Jose Robles, Tino Parra, Marina Jimenez, Andres Flores-Martinez, and Jessica shared personal stories that highlighted the importance of mentorship in professional growth and how practical networking opportunities with industry professionals can shape the future of health.
Another great moment was the Sisterly Love Workshops with SHPEtinas. It reminded me how important supporting each other is and how impactful it is to connect and share stories among inspiring women.
Lastly, I had the opportunity to attend the Excellence in STEM Luncheon and hear about those in STEM who are changing lives through their community outreach, work, and research, as well as the SHPEtinas Luncheon: Rise Together – The Power of Sisterhood in the Age of AI, where I heard Nikki Barua share motivating stories about helping leaders and organizations adapt to the AI-driven transformation of work and leadership, while inspiring us to never be afraid to speak up in male-dominated spaces.
I’m thankful for SHPE - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for allowing me to attend my first SHPE Convention and for allowing me to rePResent both RPI and my beautiful island of Puerto Rico. 🇵🇷
I’m grateful for all the people I met, the new friends I made, and all the speakers and recruiters who made this experience unforgettable! 🎉🌎
#SHPE2025
#Region4
#SHPERPI
#FAMILIA
This past weekend, I attended the SHPE 2025 National Convention in Philadelphia 🎊
It was an amazing experience where I had the opportunity to network, hear from incredible leaders, like Suzanna Valdez Wolfe, SHPE CEO, and learn extensively about companies and leadership through inspiring workshops. I had the chance to connect with amazing professionals and recruiters from companies like Merck, Medtronic, Eli Lilly and Company, Regeneron, and many more.
I attended a Merck workshop that had an amazing panel, including two RPI alumni, Christian Franquiz Santos and Jo-Ann Diaz Hernandez, and three other accomplished leaders: James Totten, Priscilla Robinson, and Pablo Botero. They explored how to successfully transition from academia to industry, emphasizing that meaningful connections are crucial. I also had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with Ruben Moore, and I’m thankful for all his help and valuable insights.
I also attended a GE HealthCare workshop that discussed how to assert yourself in the workplace as a minority and how to battle imposter syndrome. Jose Robles, Tino Parra, Marina Jimenez, Andres Flores-Martinez, and Jessica shared personal stories that highlighted the importance of mentorship in professional growth and how practical networking opportunities with industry professionals can shape the future of health.
Another great moment was the Sisterly Love Workshops with SHPEtinas. It reminded me how important supporting each other is and how impactful it is to connect and share stories among inspiring women.
Lastly, I had the opportunity to attend the Excellence in STEM Luncheon and hear about those in STEM who are changing lives through their community outreach, work, and research, as well as the SHPEtinas Luncheon: Rise Together – The Power of Sisterhood in the Age of AI, where I heard Nikki Barua share motivating stories about helping leaders and organizations adapt to the AI-driven transformation of work and leadership, while inspiring us to never be afraid to speak up in male-dominated spaces.
I’m thankful for SHPE - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for allowing me to attend my first SHPE Convention and for allowing me to rePResent both RPI and my beautiful island of Puerto Rico. 🇵🇷
I’m grateful for all the people I met, the new friends I made, and all the speakers and recruiters who made this experience unforgettable! 🎉🌎
#SHPE2025
#Region4
#SHPERPI
#FAMILIA
Vania Guadarrama Kimura
Mechanical Engineering Student at The University of Florida | Seeking Summer 2026 Internships | Passionate about Mathematics, Teaching, Robotics, and the Automotive Industry | Gainesville, FL and Fort Lauderdale, FL
As the week wraps up, I can’t help but express my gratitude to SHPE and everyone that made the
#SHPE2025Convention in
#Philadelphia possible.
For four event-packed days, I met with numerous like-minded peers, nurturing company representatives, and inspiring Latin@ leaders.
From the University of Michigan, I met Ana Agustin-Mazariegos, who not only kept my company at several workshops, but also encouraged me to take courageous leaps into my career and networking. With everyone that I met, I saw a reoccurring pattern: everyone wants the best for you and will provide you with encouragement and resources to see you succeed. It was delightful to meet all of you, and I hope to keep seeing you all succeed!
With a curiosity in CAD and computer simulations, it was exhilarating to hear from Eric Sosa as a CAE Engineer at General Motors. I received amazing suggestions on different software he has used in the industry which I am thrilled to explore moving forward. I met many other company representatives from incredible organizations, like Procter & Gamble, American Honda Motor Company, Inc., and Caterpillar Inc.. It was such a valuable experience to get a glimpse about company values, experience, and culture from current employees.
Lastly, I would love to highlight Nikki Barua for her commendable speech during the SHPEtinas Luncheon hosted by Latinas in Tech. Her presentation stuck with me as a young latina who is developing as a young professional. She encourages us to become comfortable with rejection, but to never let that deter us.
Thank you to everyone for making this convention amazing and unforgettable!
As the week wraps up, I can’t help but express my gratitude to SHPE and everyone that made the
#SHPE2025Convention in
#Philadelphia possible.
For four event-packed days, I met with numerous like-minded peers, nurturing company representatives, and inspiring Latin@ leaders.
From the University of Michigan, I met Ana Agustin-Mazariegos, who not only kept my company at several workshops, but also encouraged me to take courageous leaps into my career and networking. With everyone that I met, I saw a reoccurring pattern: everyone wants the best for you and will provide you with encouragement and resources to see you succeed. It was delightful to meet all of you, and I hope to keep seeing you all succeed!
With a curiosity in CAD and computer simulations, it was exhilarating to hear from Eric Sosa as a CAE Engineer at General Motors. I received amazing suggestions on different software he has used in the industry which I am thrilled to explore moving forward. I met many other company representatives from incredible organizations, like Procter & Gamble, American Honda Motor Company, Inc., and Caterpillar Inc.. It was such a valuable experience to get a glimpse about company values, experience, and culture from current employees.
Lastly, I would love to highlight Nikki Barua for her commendable speech during the SHPEtinas Luncheon hosted by Latinas in Tech. Her presentation stuck with me as a young latina who is developing as a young professional. She encourages us to become comfortable with rejection, but to never let that deter us.
Thank you to everyone for making this convention amazing and unforgettable!
Ivanna Brigido Torres
CS + Math @ Columbia Engineering | C.P Davis Scholar
What a week! I had an incredible experience attending the SHPE National Convention in Philadelphia.
On Thursday, I joined a wonderful Rewriting the Code breakfast, where I connected with fellow RTC members and gained valuable career insights from Constanza Figuerola from Goldman Sachs, as well as recruiters from NVIDIA, Capital One, and GoDaddy.
On Friday, during the career fair, I had the chance to meet with many amazing companies and recruiters. I'm especially grateful to have connected with Angel Porras from Ford Motor Company, who shared a similar background and gave me confidence in what a career in CS & Math can look like.
Later that day, I attended the SHPEtinas Luncheon, "Rise Together: The Power of Sisterhood in the AI Age." I left feeling uplifted, empowered, and deeply inspired. Some key takeaways from Nikki Barua (CEO, Latinas in Tech) that resonated with me:
🌟 Don't let fear define you
🌟 Embrace authenticity: what makes you different is what makes you powerful
🌟 Learn to take bigger risks and dream bigger
On the final day of the convention, I had great conversations with Andres Leonard-Calcano from Honeywell and Santiago Ibarra from Ansys, learning more about their experiences in the tech industry and receiving valuable advice for students like me.
I'm so grateful for all the professionals and students I met this week. I'm excited to bring everything I've learned back to Columbia University and continue growing as an engineer.
#SHPE2025
#SHPEConvention
#SHPEtinas
#LatinasInSTEM
What a week! I had an incredible experience attending the SHPE National Convention in Philadelphia.
On Thursday, I joined a wonderful Rewriting the Code breakfast, where I connected with fellow RTC members and gained valuable career insights from Constanza Figuerola from Goldman Sachs, as well as recruiters from NVIDIA, Capital One, and GoDaddy.
On Friday, during the career fair, I had the chance to meet with many amazing companies and recruiters. I'm especially grateful to have connected with Angel Porras from Ford Motor Company, who shared a similar background and gave me confidence in what a career in CS & Math can look like.
Later that day, I attended the SHPEtinas Luncheon, "Rise Together: The Power of Sisterhood in the AI Age." I left feeling uplifted, empowered, and deeply inspired. Some key takeaways from Nikki Barua (CEO, Latinas in Tech) that resonated with me:
🌟 Don't let fear define you
🌟 Embrace authenticity: what makes you different is what makes you powerful
🌟 Learn to take bigger risks and dream bigger
On the final day of the convention, I had great conversations with Andres Leonard-Calcano from Honeywell and Santiago Ibarra from Ansys, learning more about their experiences in the tech industry and receiving valuable advice for students like me.
I'm so grateful for all the professionals and students I met this week. I'm excited to bring everything I've learned back to Columbia University and continue growing as an engineer.
#SHPE2025
#SHPEConvention
#SHPEtinas
#LatinasInSTEM
Suzanna Valdez Wolfe, SHPE CEO
Chief Executive Officer at SHPE
“None of us rise alone - we rise together.”
Thank you, Nikki Barua, for reminding us of this truth at the SHPEtinas Luncheon. On Day 3 of the SHPE National Convention, we celebrated our STAR honorees and Lifetime Members — proof that when one rises, we all rise.
#SHPE2025
“None of us rise alone - we rise together.”
Thank you, Nikki Barua, for reminding us of this truth at the SHPEtinas Luncheon. On Day 3 of the SHPE National Convention, we celebrated our STAR honorees and Lifetime Members — proof that when one rises, we all rise.
#SHPE2025
Emily Roman
Finance Major expected 2026 | Lehman School of Business
✨ Grateful for the opportunity to attend the Citi Bank Networking Event and Panel in collaboration with ALPFA New York yesterday!
It was an incredible experience connecting with Citi employees (Topher Payne, Beth Clemens) fellow ALPFA members, and hearing insights from inspiring professionals like Karen Carter, Monica Marquez, Ramona Ortega, Eugene ☁ I., and Danny Rojas, as well as our amazing ALPFA NY Chapter President, Raquel Polanco.
The event was filled with laughter, meaningful conversations, and valuable discussions on the growing impact of AI in professional spaces.
Most of all, I’m proud to have shared this experience with my ALPFA Lehman peers and alumni — (Marie Marquez, Daniel Santana, Adrian Lucero, Kevin Durjpal, and Diego Romero.)
#ALPFA
#Networking
#ProfessionalGrowth
#AI
#LatinoLeaders
#Community
#LehmanSchoolOfBusiness
#SchoolOfBusiness
✨ Grateful for the opportunity to attend the Citi Bank Networking Event and Panel in collaboration with ALPFA New York yesterday!
It was an incredible experience connecting with Citi employees (Topher Payne, Beth Clemens) fellow ALPFA members, and hearing insights from inspiring professionals like Karen Carter, Monica Marquez, Ramona Ortega, Eugene ☁ I., and Danny Rojas, as well as our amazing ALPFA NY Chapter President, Raquel Polanco.
The event was filled with laughter, meaningful conversations, and valuable discussions on the growing impact of AI in professional spaces.
Most of all, I’m proud to have shared this experience with my ALPFA Lehman peers and alumni — (Marie Marquez, Daniel Santana, Adrian Lucero, Kevin Durjpal, and Diego Romero.)
#ALPFA
#Networking
#ProfessionalGrowth
#AI
#LatinoLeaders
#Community
#LehmanSchoolOfBusiness
#SchoolOfBusiness
Rachel ten Brink
General Partner Red Bike Capital | Y Combinator Founder | Board Member
Go Monica Marquez
DEBORAH BROWN-VOLKMAN
AI Career Reinvention Coach | Futurist | Career Growth Expert | LinkedIn Job Search Strategist | Author 9 Books | Advisor To Fortune 500 Leaders | 20+ Years Helping You Calmly Get Ready For What’s Next
Monica Marquez this is exciting! Congratulations 👏🏼
Andrew Temte
Author of "Balancing Act" and "The Balanced Business"
In this clip from my recent conversation with Monica Marquez on the Balancing Act Podcast, Monica answers the question: You have a young Latina sitting in front of you right now who wants to make a difference in their community and in business - what’s your advice to help them move forward?
With over 20 years of corporate leadership experience, Monica has led teams through transformation in workforce, talent, culture, and systems. She’s worked at Google, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Ernst & Young, building programs that expanded opportunity and created more inclusive environments for high-potential talent.
#mentorship
#coaching
#latinas
#leadershipdevelopment
#careeradvice
In this clip from my recent conversation with Monica Marquez on the Balancing Act Podcast, Monica answers the question: You have a young Latina sitting in front of you right now who wants to make a difference in their community and in business - what’s your advice to help them move forward?
With over 20 years of corporate leadership experience, Monica has led teams through transformation in workforce, talent, culture, and systems. She’s worked at Google, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Ernst & Young, building programs that expanded opportunity and created more inclusive environments for high-potential talent.
#mentorship
#coaching
#latinas
#leadershipdevelopment
#careeradvice
Efren Toscano
Experienced Product Leader | Digital Transformation Leader | Agile Methodologies Enthusiast | Driving Growth Through Innovation & Founder of TechZulu
What a Night at
#DTX!
Our October Dallas TechXchange event with Nikki Barua was nothing short of incredible. The audience was fully locked in, and even after the Q&A ended, a line of people remained eager to keep the conversation going.
Nikki’s talk struck a chord with so many. She reminded us that:
- The opposite of burnout isn’t balance — it’s alignment.
- Stress ≠ Burnout. Stress means there’s still hope; burnout means no end in sight.
- Discipline is the only path to real freedom.
Her “3Ws” framework —Workload, Worth, and Wiring — gave us the tools to design our work and lives for sustainable success.
A special shoutout to Lisa Frey for her live visual sketch of the session. A vibrant capture of Nikki’s insights and energy!
Thank you to Lucas Smith for helping keep this community alive and thriving, to Toyota Connected North America for hosting, and to everyone who joined us, shared your stories, and helped make this one of our most impactful DTX sessions yet.
Make sure you stay connected with us so that you don't miss out on all the
#Turbolegit content we produce: lnkd.in/gJjsdg2i
#DallasTechXchange
#Leadership
#Wellbeing
#MentalHealthInTech
#Resilience
#BurnoutPrevention
#TechCommunity
#DallasTech
What a Night at
#DTX!
Our October Dallas TechXchange event with Nikki Barua was nothing short of incredible. The audience was fully locked in, and even after the Q&A ended, a line of people remained eager to keep the conversation going.
Nikki’s talk struck a chord with so many. She reminded us that:
- The opposite of burnout isn’t balance — it’s alignment.
- Stress ≠ Burnout. Stress means there’s still hope; burnout means no end in sight.
- Discipline is the only path to real freedom.
Her “3Ws” framework —Workload, Worth, and Wiring — gave us the tools to design our work and lives for sustainable success.
A special shoutout to Lisa Frey for her live visual sketch of the session. A vibrant capture of Nikki’s insights and energy!
Thank you to Lucas Smith for helping keep this community alive and thriving, to Toyota Connected North America for hosting, and to everyone who joined us, shared your stories, and helped make this one of our most impactful DTX sessions yet.
Make sure you stay connected with us so that you don't miss out on all the
#Turbolegit content we produce: lnkd.in/gJjsdg2i
#DallasTechXchange
#Leadership
#Wellbeing
#MentalHealthInTech
#Resilience
#BurnoutPrevention
#TechCommunity
#DallasTech
Ja'Mesa Dixon MBA, MSF, PSM I, SSM
Agile Practitioner | Scrum Master | Program Manager | Data-Driven Insights | Agile enthusiast, collaboration focused and perpetual continuous improvement nerd🤓
Nikki Barua spoke on the topic "From Burnout to Breakthrough" at the Dallas Tech Exchange. Last night's talk on burnout was exactly what we needed right now.
The game-changer: Stress ≠ Burnout and Become an Executive Athlete🦁
If you're working hard but still see a path forward, that's stress, and you're managing it. However, if you feel hopeless and see no end in sight, that indicates burnout. It's important to pay attention to that signal.
Nikki covered several important points:
- Identifying early burnout triggers such as overload, lack of control, and values conflict.
- Burnout-proofing strategies through the 3 Ws framework: Workload, Worth, and Wiring.
- Designing for peak performance by establishing boundaries, prioritizing recovery, and practicing self-care.
What I learned is the importance of separating our self-worth from our output. We need to focus on being human beings rather than human doings. Additionally, discipline, rather than willpower or motivation, is the pathway to freedom.
Thanks to
#DTX rockstars Efren Toscano, our esteemed host, as well as Lucas Smith and Lisa Frey for their support, and our speaker for bringing this critical topic to life.
Now it's your turn: What keeps you hopeful when work becomes overwhelming?
DallasTech
#BurnoutPrevention
#TechLeadership
#MentalHealthInTech
#DallasTechExchange
Nikki Barua spoke on the topic "From Burnout to Breakthrough" at the Dallas Tech Exchange. Last night's talk on burnout was exactly what we needed right now.
The game-changer: Stress ≠ Burnout and Become an Executive Athlete🦁
If you're working hard but still see a path forward, that's stress, and you're managing it. However, if you feel hopeless and see no end in sight, that indicates burnout. It's important to pay attention to that signal.
Nikki covered several important points:
- Identifying early burnout triggers such as overload, lack of control, and values conflict.
- Burnout-proofing strategies through the 3 Ws framework: Workload, Worth, and Wiring.
- Designing for peak performance by establishing boundaries, prioritizing recovery, and practicing self-care.
What I learned is the importance of separating our self-worth from our output. We need to focus on being human beings rather than human doings. Additionally, discipline, rather than willpower or motivation, is the pathway to freedom.
Thanks to
#DTX rockstars Efren Toscano, our esteemed host, as well as Lucas Smith and Lisa Frey for their support, and our speaker for bringing this critical topic to life.
Now it's your turn: What keeps you hopeful when work becomes overwhelming?
DallasTech
#BurnoutPrevention
#TechLeadership
#MentalHealthInTech
#DallasTechExchange
Lisa Frey
An agile leader with a passion for people, creativity, and all things visual!
What an amazing night with Nikki Barua at our
#DTX meetup last night! Nikki has an incredible story of the realization of what burnout (hint: It's different than "stress!") can do to the body and the mind. She shared her tips to break through the burnout!
Such an inspirational story and some great perspective as we head into a very busy time of year!
Loved seeing Monica Marquez, an incredible mentoring session facilitator live instead of on camera! Super thrilled to see Sydney Frey attend a professional event and get the chance to see her DTX logo designs LIVE!
Hope to see everyone at our end of year celebration on December 4!
#DallasTechXchange
#MentalHealthInTech
#TechCommunity
What an amazing night with Nikki Barua at our
#DTX meetup last night! Nikki has an incredible story of the realization of what burnout (hint: It's different than "stress!") can do to the body and the mind. She shared her tips to break through the burnout!
Such an inspirational story and some great perspective as we head into a very busy time of year!
Loved seeing Monica Marquez, an incredible mentoring session facilitator live instead of on camera! Super thrilled to see Sydney Frey attend a professional event and get the chance to see her DTX logo designs LIVE!
Hope to see everyone at our end of year celebration on December 4!
#DallasTechXchange
#MentalHealthInTech
#TechCommunity
Jonathan F. Jackson 2nd
GCP | PBI | GTM | DAX | Python | LangChain | OpenAI | FAISS | ETL | Excel | SQL | GMB | VBA |
Last night I attended a meet-up and the City of Plano at Toyota Connected North America to hear Nikki Barua, the founder of Reinvention Roadmap, speak about Burnout.
This is where I make an obligatory joke about how “I'm not young…” and use some Gen-Z term, but she had 100% ‘Aura’ and no negative ‘riz’. But in layman's terms, I am no longer bemused about the factors that cause burnout. She delivered a very passionate intro to her speech about having to go to the hospital and having high blood pressure because of burnout.
Nikki spoke about burnout, maybe at the end; however, the feeling of being overloaded is what led up to the burnout. The causes of overload: Whether it was “Lack Of Control,” which could be no autonomy in the workplace. Values conflict, or the feeling of being disconnected from the values of others. An additional item could be an insufficient reward (doing something for nothing). That (lack of reward) indirectly leads to isolation or feeling excluded from the team. Lastly, a culture of unfairness, lack of trust, or a culture of favoritism can all become added stressors when you’re giving 100%. Throughout all of this, Nikki delivered an antidote, mentioning, “The opposite of burnout isn’t balance. It’s alignment.” She went on to say, “Get fully centered and understand your day; GET INTO YOUR 90-MINUTE FLOW ZONE with 0 distractions!!” as she flashed a picture of her calendar on the display. Then Nikki transmitted a statement I thought should be seared into everyone’s mind: “Discipline is the only path to real freedom.” Essentially, saying that removing external stimulants and getting into a flow zone is how you attain your work goals.
In sum, design the environment that is lower stress and helps you be at your best!! Avoid a stressful environment, and go back to what you loved as a kid (for cognitive relief). Nikki expressed her love for literature and lounging in the library as a child. Which makes complete sense, Nikki is a published author, and her Beyond Barriers Book: How To Unlock Your Limitless Potential is available on Amazon.
Thanks to Efren Toscano, Lisa Frey, and Lucas for being great hosts. It was also great to see some familiar faces like Paula Lipnick, MBA, Ja'Mesa Dixon, MBA, and Manju L.
Last night I attended a meet-up and the City of Plano at Toyota Connected North America to hear Nikki Barua, the founder of Reinvention Roadmap, speak about Burnout.
This is where I make an obligatory joke about how “I'm not young…” and use some Gen-Z term, but she had 100% ‘Aura’ and no negative ‘riz’. But in layman's terms, I am no longer bemused about the factors that cause burnout. She delivered a very passionate intro to her speech about having to go to the hospital and having high blood pressure because of burnout.
Nikki spoke about burnout, maybe at the end; however, the feeling of being overloaded is what led up to the burnout. The causes of overload: Whether it was “Lack Of Control,” which could be no autonomy in the workplace. Values conflict, or the feeling of being disconnected from the values of others. An additional item could be an insufficient reward (doing something for nothing). That (lack of reward) indirectly leads to isolation or feeling excluded from the team. Lastly, a culture of unfairness, lack of trust, or a culture of favoritism can all become added stressors when you’re giving 100%. Throughout all of this, Nikki delivered an antidote, mentioning, “The opposite of burnout isn’t balance. It’s alignment.” She went on to say, “Get fully centered and understand your day; GET INTO YOUR 90-MINUTE FLOW ZONE with 0 distractions!!” as she flashed a picture of her calendar on the display. Then Nikki transmitted a statement I thought should be seared into everyone’s mind: “Discipline is the only path to real freedom.” Essentially, saying that removing external stimulants and getting into a flow zone is how you attain your work goals.
In sum, design the environment that is lower stress and helps you be at your best!! Avoid a stressful environment, and go back to what you loved as a kid (for cognitive relief). Nikki expressed her love for literature and lounging in the library as a child. Which makes complete sense, Nikki is a published author, and her Beyond Barriers Book: How To Unlock Your Limitless Potential is available on Amazon.
Thanks to Efren Toscano, Lisa Frey, and Lucas for being great hosts. It was also great to see some familiar faces like Paula Lipnick, MBA, Ja'Mesa Dixon, MBA, and Manju L.
Alan Peavy
Master of Scrum / CSP- Scrum Master / Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
Just attended an incredible Meetup at Toyota Connected North America featuring keynote speaker Nikki Barua — and I’m still reflecting on the impact of her message.
Nikki’s talk on burnout and resilience in the tech industry was nothing short of transformative. What truly resonated with me was her vulnerability in sharing the hidden costs of high performance and the toll that relentless pressure can take.
In an industry that thrives on speed, innovation, and constant change, it’s easy to ignore the early signs of burnout. Nikki reminded us that ambition doesn’t have to come at the expense of well-being. Her framework for sustainable success — built on boundaries, mindfulness, and intentional energy — felt like a roadmap I didn’t know I needed.
As someone who’s passionate about team culture, motivation, and creative leadership, her message hit home. We can be limitless — but only if we lead with curiosity, courage, and contribution.
Huge thanks to Efren Toscano, Lucas Smith, and Lisa Frey for hosting such a thoughtful and energizing event. Grateful for the insights, the inspiration, and the reminder that thriving is just as important as achieving.
Leadership
#Resilience
#TechCulture
#BurnoutPrevention
#ToyotaConnected
#NikkiBarua
#LionFocus
Scrum Alliance, Scrum.org, Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS) Coaching and Training, Leadership First
Just attended an incredible Meetup at Toyota Connected North America featuring keynote speaker Nikki Barua — and I’m still reflecting on the impact of her message.
Nikki’s talk on burnout and resilience in the tech industry was nothing short of transformative. What truly resonated with me was her vulnerability in sharing the hidden costs of high performance and the toll that relentless pressure can take.
In an industry that thrives on speed, innovation, and constant change, it’s easy to ignore the early signs of burnout. Nikki reminded us that ambition doesn’t have to come at the expense of well-being. Her framework for sustainable success — built on boundaries, mindfulness, and intentional energy — felt like a roadmap I didn’t know I needed.
As someone who’s passionate about team culture, motivation, and creative leadership, her message hit home. We can be limitless — but only if we lead with curiosity, courage, and contribution.
Huge thanks to Efren Toscano, Lucas Smith, and Lisa Frey for hosting such a thoughtful and energizing event. Grateful for the insights, the inspiration, and the reminder that thriving is just as important as achieving.
Leadership
#Resilience
#TechCulture
#BurnoutPrevention
#ToyotaConnected
#NikkiBarua
#LionFocus
Scrum Alliance, Scrum.org, Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS) Coaching and Training, Leadership First
Tatiana Carett, PT, MA, MPH, MBA
Healthcare Leader, Clinical Transformation, Booz Allen Hamilton; President, Latinas in Tech NYC Chapter; SHPE Member
Awesome to have you in NYC! Unfortunately, it is already sold out.
Andrew Tempe
Author of "Balancing Act" and "The Balanced Business"
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Andy speaks with Monica Marquez, a seasoned corporate leader with over 20 years of experience in workforce inclusion and talent development. Monica shares her journey as a young Latina in West Texas to leading innovative programs at major firms like Goldman Sachs and Google.
The conversation delves into the importance of creating pathways for underrepresented groups, the evolution of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and the role of AI in shaping the future of work.
Tune into episode 215 to hear Monica's story, her career rocket-booster moment, and her thoughts empowering Latina's in the world of work and the future corporate DEI efforts.
YouTube: lnkd.in/dwD97cTu
See the comments section for links to learn more about the Balancing Act Podcast on Apple Podcasts.
#futureofwork
#returnship
#DEI
#inclusion
#latinasintech
#alpfa
#mentorship
#careeradvice
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, Andy speaks with Monica Marquez, a seasoned corporate leader with over 20 years of experience in workforce inclusion and talent development. Monica shares her journey as a young Latina in West Texas to leading innovative programs at major firms like Goldman Sachs and Google.
The conversation delves into the importance of creating pathways for underrepresented groups, the evolution of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and the role of AI in shaping the future of work.
Tune into episode 215 to hear Monica's story, her career rocket-booster moment, and her thoughts empowering Latina's in the world of work and the future corporate DEI efforts.
YouTube: lnkd.in/dwD97cTu
See the comments section for links to learn more about the Balancing Act Podcast on Apple Podcasts.
#futureofwork
#returnship
#DEI
#inclusion
#latinasintech
#alpfa
#mentorship
#careeradvice
💃🏽Ceci Hajredinaj
Hispanic History Month Spotlight:
Monica Marquez. A leader who humanizes the future. 🌟
When I think about leaders who’ve changed how I see learning and leadership, Monica Marquez is one of them.
I first met her through the Beyond Barriers leadership program, a community she co-founded to help professionals accelerate their growth and lead with clarity in fast-changing times.
At the time, I was building my consultancy and wrestling with questions of purpose, focus, and impact. The program couldn’t have come at a better moment.
Every week, we dove into powerful exercises that stretched our thinking, partnered with accountability buddies who kept us honest, and came together as a cohort to unpack our wins and challenges. It was learning as it should be ->social, applied, and deeply human.
And that’s what Monica does best.
With over 20 years of experience at companies like Google, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Ernst & Young, she’s built programs that open doors, amplify voices, and create systems where people can thrive.
Her mission now, clear and bold: Humanize AI. Transform work.
She’s helping leaders move from artificial intelligence to authentic intelligence; scaling human potential.
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to honor Monica not only for what she’s achieved, but for how she teaches others to build, lead, and believe bigger.
If you’ve been part of Beyond Barriers or worked with Monica, you know exactly what I mean. She inspires change and equips you to make it happen.
💫 Here’s to Monica, for humanizing AI, transforming work, and reminding us all that growth begins when we choose to go beyond. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
#HispanicHeritageMonth
#LatinaLeaders
#WomenInLeadership
#BeyondBarriers
#LeadershipDevelopment
#Inclusion
#AIandHumanity
Hispanic History Month Spotlight:
Monica Marquez. A leader who humanizes the future. 🌟
When I think about leaders who’ve changed how I see learning and leadership, Monica Marquez is one of them.
I first met her through the Beyond Barriers leadership program, a community she co-founded to help professionals accelerate their growth and lead with clarity in fast-changing times.
At the time, I was building my consultancy and wrestling with questions of purpose, focus, and impact. The program couldn’t have come at a better moment.
Every week, we dove into powerful exercises that stretched our thinking, partnered with accountability buddies who kept us honest, and came together as a cohort to unpack our wins and challenges. It was learning as it should be ->social, applied, and deeply human.
And that’s what Monica does best.
With over 20 years of experience at companies like Google, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Ernst & Young, she’s built programs that open doors, amplify voices, and create systems where people can thrive.
Her mission now, clear and bold: Humanize AI. Transform work.
She’s helping leaders move from artificial intelligence to authentic intelligence; scaling human potential.
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to honor Monica not only for what she’s achieved, but for how she teaches others to build, lead, and believe bigger.
If you’ve been part of Beyond Barriers or worked with Monica, you know exactly what I mean. She inspires change and equips you to make it happen.
💫 Here’s to Monica, for humanizing AI, transforming work, and reminding us all that growth begins when we choose to go beyond. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
#HispanicHeritageMonth
#LatinaLeaders
#WomenInLeadership
#BeyondBarriers
#LeadershipDevelopment
#Inclusion
#AIandHumanity
Trish Lindo
Senior Partnerships & Content Strategy Leader | Connecting Content, Community, and Partnerships to Drive Growth | Creator Economy Enthusiast | Ex-LinkedIn | Creatorpreneur
Let’s go Monica Marquez 🙌🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Jack Lambert
Retired/ Selected Consulting and Advocate for Native Americans
Excellent insight! My experience in central PA would have been similar if it weren't for a Mom that wanted me to explore and investigate despite her 7th grade education and sharecropper background. For that, I owe a debt of gratitude.
Excellent insight! My experience in central PA would have been similar if it weren't for a Mom that wanted me to explore and investigate despite her 7th grade education and sharecropper background. For that, I owe a debt of gratitude.
Dr. Valerie Young
Global Thought Leader on Impostor Syndrome | Co-Founder Impostor Syndrome Institute
If your organization is looking for a compelling and relevant speaker, I highly recommend Monica Marquez
Denise Jaurequi-Orozco, PM
Denise JaurWorkforce Development, Event Marketing & Community Relations
Saw her speak at an ALPFA Inc - Association of Latino Professionals For America convention and immediately proceeded to corner her and pick her brain when the moment arrived. 😂❤️
Highly recommend.
Saw her speak at an ALPFA Inc - Association of Latino Professionals For America convention and immediately proceeded to corner her and pick her brain when the moment arrived. 😂❤️
Highly recommend.
Fernando Rosario
CPO | CTO | Head of Engineering
Last week, I had the privilege of facilitating the ALPFA L.E.A.D. Program, bringing together executives on an exceptional growth path. The event featured an outstanding lineup of speakers, including Monica Marquez, JoAnn Chávez, Raúl Esquivel, Ileana Musa (she/her/ella), Marcelo De Santis, Steven G., and Jen Ngozi.
During the program, I had the opportunity to reconnect with esteemed friends who are making significant contributions to the community, such as Kaplan Mobray and Robert Rodriguez, PhD.
Moreover, I had the pleasure of meeting new friends who I refer to as Amplifiers in my upcoming book. Individuals like Millie Guzman, Melissa Hotzoglou , CTP (she/ella), and Joey Aviles who are actively shaping and supporting a vibrant community. It was an absolute pleasure and honor to meet them and exchange ideas.
I want to extend a special recognition to Damian Rivera, who is steering the ALPFA organization with exceptional leadership. Damian, along with his dedicated team members like Jennylee Ramos, Dr. Esmeralda Rodriguez Eguía, and Katrina Purcell, are truly raising the bar. You honestly had to be there to experience it. So don't miss convention next year as I am sure they will somehow manage to top this one!
ALPFA Inc - Association of Latino Professionals For America Exeqpath LLC
#Amplifiers
#AmplifiersBook
#Leadership
#alpfacon2025
Last week, I had the privilege of facilitating the ALPFA L.E.A.D. Program, bringing together executives on an exceptional growth path. The event featured an outstanding lineup of speakers, including Monica Marquez, JoAnn Chávez, Raúl Esquivel, Ileana Musa (she/her/ella), Marcelo De Santis, Steven G., and Jen Ngozi.
During the program, I had the opportunity to reconnect with esteemed friends who are making significant contributions to the community, such as Kaplan Mobray and Robert Rodriguez, PhD.
Moreover, I had the pleasure of meeting new friends who I refer to as Amplifiers in my upcoming book. Individuals like Millie Guzman, Melissa Hotzoglou , CTP (she/ella), and Joey Aviles who are actively shaping and supporting a vibrant community. It was an absolute pleasure and honor to meet them and exchange ideas.
I want to extend a special recognition to Damian Rivera, who is steering the ALPFA organization with exceptional leadership. Damian, along with his dedicated team members like Jennylee Ramos, Dr. Esmeralda Rodriguez Eguía, and Katrina Purcell, are truly raising the bar. You honestly had to be there to experience it. So don't miss convention next year as I am sure they will somehow manage to top this one!
ALPFA Inc - Association of Latino Professionals For America Exeqpath LLC
#Amplifiers
#AmplifiersBook
#Leadership
#alpfacon2025
Brandyn Jordan, CPA
Oracle Security & Controls Director
Thank you for your time at Lead, I truly enjoyed your presentation!
Brandyn Jordan, CPA
Oracle Security & Controls Director
Thank you for your time at Lead, I truly enjoyed your presentation!
Rosemary Lopez, PMP
Empowering teams to get aligned, stay focused, and deliver on what matters
Monica Marquez thank you for your time with the LEAD cohort! We appreciate you.
Cliff Fernandes
⤷ Because you’re worth protecting. Cybersecurity | Compliance | GDPR | DTST | Microsoft 365 I EDR (antivirus) | Backups | Websites | Compliance | Automation and more, much, much more.
Incredible blend of leadership, lived experience and cultural insight....
Claribel Herrera-Almonte, PMP
Strategic Change Leader | Chaos Conquerer | Success Enabler | DEI Advocate Enabling growth through change delivery across projects, programs, products & services while effectively managing risks.
Great Newsletter! Thanks for sharing a personal story. Your point on exposure & access being key to growth is fact. “Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how limited exposure — shaped by our environments, cultural norms, or access — can quietly hold back our growth.” Wonderful reminder to lead inclusively, create access and exposure.
…more
Great Newsletter! Thanks for sharing a personal story. Your point on exposure & access being key to growth is fact. “Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how limited exposure — shaped by our environments, cultural norms, or access — can quietly hold back our growth.” Wonderful reminder to lead inclusively, create access and exposure.
…more
ALPFA National
This week, Monica Marquez from Women of ALPFA shares why embracing AI and technology helps us all grow together.
This summer, we’re spotlighting lessons from inspiring women in our network. New to ALPFA? Visit our website to join: lnkd.in/gSnqsaMU
#WomenofALPFA
#WoA
#MomentumLeadersInMotion
#CareerGrowth
#ProfessionalDevelopment
#Networking
#Alpfamilia
#Leadership
#CareerSuccess
#ALPFACon2025
This week, Monica Marquez from Women of ALPFA shares why embracing AI and technology helps us all grow together.
This summer, we’re spotlighting lessons from inspiring women in our network. New to ALPFA? Visit our website to join: lnkd.in/gSnqsaMU
#WomenofALPFA
#WoA
#MomentumLeadersInMotion
#CareerGrowth
#ProfessionalDevelopment
#Networking
#Alpfamilia
#Leadership
#CareerSuccess
#ALPFACon2025