T200: Empowering women to build C-level IT careers

CIOs and other digital leaders play a critical role in shaping the future of their organizations. Now more than ever, future-proofing the business requires developing a robust pipeline of IT leaders prepared to step up as the next generation of strategic partners and innovation anticipators.

A number of nonprofits are working to help prepare these emerging leaders for the next phases in their career journeys, providing the connections, education, mentorship, and professional support they need to move up into executive and C-suite roles. Through the Tech4Good initiative we launched in conjunction with the Tech Whisperers podcast, I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the impact these nonprofits are having on the technology leadership community, the individual leaders themselves, and their organizations.

Each podcast guest is invited to designate a nonprofit to receive a scholarship for one of its members to participate in TechLX, Ouellette & Associates’ 9-month, cohort-based IT leadership development program. To date, we’ve committed more than $400,000 in scholarships to a variety of nonprofits, including Girls Who Code, NPower, YearUp, and T200, that have been repeat recipients, a testament to the great work they’re doing.

“T200 was founded with a bold vision: to unite and elevate at least 200 women C-level technology executives from large-cap companies,” says Mamatha Chamarthi, co-founder and chair of T200 and chief digital officer at Goodyear. “Achieving that goal only reinforced a deeper challenge — the urgent need to strengthen the pipeline of women rising into executive leadership roles.”

To help address this, T200Lift was launched in 2021, expanding the mission beyond the C-suite to support women at all leadership levels, particularly those aspiring to their first C-level role.

“T200Lift is about fostering growth through mentorship, networking, and professional development — creating an ecosystem where women in technology can learn, connect, and accelerate their paths to leadership,” Chamarthi explains. “By building a stronger, more inclusive leadership pipeline, we are not only advancing individual careers but also shaping the future of technology leadership as a whole.”

I recently had a chance to catch up with four remarkable women who participated in the TechLX program through scholarships designated for T200: Lavanya Bobba, product owner at The Hartford; Gela Guiuo, digital and ecommerce program leader at Abbott; Emily (Pineiro) Hurff, vulnerability management service lead and senior manager at Zoetis; and Corrine Ptacek, SMO-ITSM catalog service manager at McDonald’s. They discussed their leadership aspirations and how connecting with nonprofits and gaining training opportunities have impacted their career journeys.

The T200: Empowering women in tech

Over decades of working with technology leaders, I’ve found that the most successful ones embody the notion of “leader as learner.” No matter their tenure or position, they are driven by a conviction that there’s always more to learn. Each of these women are terrific examples of that continual learning mindset, which has fueled their developmental paths and led them to T200.

Hurff says she was inspired to join in part by the passion and enthusiasm of co-founder Wafaa Mamilli, who was an executive at Zoetis at the time, and by the organization’s mission of advancing women in technology. The impact on her personal and professional journey has been profound. “Being a part of the organization has been transformative for me,” she says. “It showed me that my goals are achievable, and that I have this network of support to learn and connect with.”

Bobba, who was introduced to the organization by one of her mentors at The Hartford, says she was drawn to the organization’s motto, “We are better together.” Having been with The Hartford for 11 years, she has found immense value in connecting with leaders and mentors outside the organization to help broaden her perspectives.

“What I love about them is that they have programs that are relevant to women that are looking to move up,” says Ptacek, who adds that, through learning opportunities and conferences, “they really are pushing where we should go as far as what’s next in technology. It’s also reinforcing the importance of always being curious and helping and mentoring one another.”

That reciprocal relationship is another key value of T200 and other nonprofit and volunteer experiences, and it’s one that can create many positive ripple effects. As Guiuo observes, giving back “fosters empathy, broadens our perspectives, and strengthens leadership skills in ways that traditional business environments don’t always offer. Being intentional about service helps us grow — not just as leaders, but as people.”

Learning from industry trailblazers and trusted networks

These women are also drawing inspiration from the leaders they work with and admire on a daily basis. Bobba praises Deepa Soni, The Hartford’s chief information and operations officer, as a visionary and a role model. “It’s incredible how she pushes herself outside her comfort zone and is open to continuous learning.”

Guiuo describes working under the leadership of Abbott SVP and CIO Sabina Ewing as “a masterclass in what it means to be a forward-thinking, people-first CIO,” adding that Ewing “has a rare ability to balance strategic vision with a deep understanding of people, ensuring that leadership is not just about technology, but about creating lasting impact.”

Among other things, Hurff has learned from Mamilli not to sell herself short. “I never had ‘CIO’ on my list as a leadership goal until Wafaa said, ‘Why only CISO? Why stop there?’” That conversation spurred Hurff to meet with Zoetis EVP and Chief Digital and Technology Officer Keith Sarbaugh to learn more about the role and consider all the potential paths she might pursue.

Regardless of where that path ultimately takes her, she is seeing firsthand the kind of leader she wants to be. “I don’t want to go to work every day feeling like I’m putting this fake persona on. I want to be authentic. Working for people like Kristin [Peck, CEO of Zoetis] and all the other wonderful women leaders we have has made me realize how genuinely authentic and comfortable they are. It makes me believe that my goals are possible.”

Growing into the leader you aspire to become takes a healthy dose of self-awareness. Through the T200 community and as part of the TechLX experience, these women have had the opportunity to identify and build proficiency in critical core IT leadership competencies and connect with peers and mentors to build their confidence and chart their course.

True to her leader-as-learner mentality, when Ptacek reflects on the “Leader Amongst Leaders” award she was presented by her peers in the TechLX, she says it’s also pushed her to think about what areas she should be working on. “I’m always asking people, what can I improve on? Now I’m also asking, what are my strengths? Where do you see that I’m really leaning in?”

She has also taken to heart some key lessons from the training sessions. “Something one of the facilitators said really had an impact on how I’m approaching my projects: If you don’t like the initiative, just get it done and don’t take things personally. I think part of being a leader, and I see that with [McDonald’s CIO] Whitney McGuiness, is having a positive attitude: Let’s just keep moving forward.”

The women also noted that having an external network through the peer connections components of TechLX has provided value both in their current positions and their ongoing development. Ptacek, who says her peer group cohort still meets weekly, likens it to a “board of directors outside of your company circle. We talk about leadership topics and work through different issues and get the chance to learn what different industries are doing.”

Bobba, whose sub-cohort peer group also continues to meet, says it’s been extremely beneficial to discuss how to solve problems in real-time, particularly for someone who’s been at their organization for a long time and typically only sees her own organization’s point of view.

Even for a self-professed introvert, Guiuo says the connections are a powerful step in growing into the leader you want to be. 

“I’ve learned that some of my biggest career breakthroughs, insights, and opportunities didn’t come from what I knew but from who I knew and who I learned from,” she shares. “Engaging with peers beyond my company has helped me see challenges from different perspectives, exchange ideas, and even find solutions I never would have considered alone.”

As Hurff says, “The world is way too complex. There is simply too much for any one person to know or do by yourself. Strong leaders have to build those communities of peers, of mentors, of teams that strengthen their own capabilities and also enable that ability to collectively grow and innovate the industry in a way that brings everyone with you.”

Charting the course for next-gen tech leadership 

IT is constantly evolving, and roles are expanding to suit. The era of AI is creating new opportunities for driving innovation, efficiencies, and customer value, and along with them, new complexities and risks. From my conversations with these four leaders, it’s clear they are energized by the possibilities and challenges and are thinking strategically about how to leverage the learning opportunities afforded them through T200.

“As leaders, we must embrace ambiguity, experiment with new ideas, and remain resilient in the face of disruption,” says Guiuo. “Through mentorship, peer discussions, and real-world case studies, the TechLX helped me refine my ability to balance execution with strategic foresight, ensuring that technology investments drive measurable business outcomes.”

And that’s a critical role for tech leaders, who no longer have to convince their CEOs to come on board with digital transformation; the challenge now is making sure the organization doesn’t fall prey to the hype cycle and squander resources where they’re not going to deliver strategic value.

As Ptacek puts it, “There’s so much innovation coming at leadership, and everybody wants that new piece of candy, from AI to bots to cloud services and everything else. You have to balance bringing your company forward with doing it in an intelligent way.”

That means tech leaders need to not only make informed, business-focused decisions but also make the case for those decisions. “One of the most impactful lessons I learned from the TechLX is the importance of marketing,” Hurff says. “It’s about understanding your audience, framing your goals, and crafting a message that’s going to resonate with them.” 

She adds that technology leaders must sharpen their ability to recognize the early signs of significant change. “Big change doesn’t happen overnight. By anticipating and then responding proactively, you can turn opportunities into business value quickly, efficiently, securely, and with a team that understands and is ready to adapt to that.”

In other words, being able to see around corners and recognize opportunity is one part of the leadership story. Just as important: being able to connect the strategic dots, galvanize a collaborative effort, and deliver game-changing value with that technology.

“You need to have the business understanding and the complete enterprise picture to be able to lead successfully,” says Bobba, who is acutely aware of this need for big-picture thinking having worked in a number of different roles across her career at The Hartford.

Looking ahead at the ever-growing influence and importance of strong technology leadership, Guiuo sums it up well: “The future of technology leadership will be defined by the ability to orchestrate AI-driven transformation while balancing innovation, governance, and human-centered leadership. AI is not just another technological shift; it is a fundamental redefinition of how businesses operate, compete, and serve customers.”

It’s a bold agenda with big business consequences, and my optimism for the future of our profession has never been higher after spending time with these four women. They are quite impressive.

Polly Lagana, executive director of T200, shared her optimism about the future of women in technology, emphasizing the strong impact that T200 is making to advance and celebrate women’s leadership in technology.  

“I’m continually inspired by the passion and leadership of our T200 CXOs, who are deeply committed to giving back and paving the way for the next generation of women leaders,” Lagana said. She expressed her gratitude for the opportunities provided by Ouellette & Associates to T200 members, noting, “Their unwavering support, promotion, and investment in T200’s mission has been transformational, allowing our organization to expand our reach and provide unparalleled opportunities for the growth and development of our community. Together, we’re creating a future where women in technology thrive, lead, and drive meaningful change.”

The future of technology leadership is undeniably bright, and much of that optimism is fueled by the brilliant women leaders featured in this article. From their commitment to continual learning and mentorship to their ability to connect strategy with execution, these women embody the very essence of transformative leadership. They are not just navigating the complexities of today’s digital landscape but actively shaping what’s next — proving that the future of our profession is in exceptional hands.

As technology continues to drive change at an unprecedented pace, leaders like Bobba, Guiuo, Hurff, and Ptacek, supported by organizations like T200 and powered by their mentors and peers, will ensure the industry evolves with purpose, inclusivity, and impact. Their journeys remind us all that with collaboration, curiosity, and courage, we can meet any challenge and seize every opportunity the future holds.

Special thanks to my Tech Whisperers podcast guests, all passionate T200 leaders, who gave these four emerging leaders the benefit of this developmental experience: Marina Bellini, president of global business services and enterprise digital technologies, Mars; Deepa Soni, chief information and operations officer at The Hartford; T200 co-founder Wafaa Mamilli, EVP, group chief digital and technology officer at Roche; and Diana McKenzie and Karenann Terrell, two former technology executives who are now involved with a range of executive advisory and board roles.

See also:

• Women IT leaders take center stage
• Women IT leaders on their climb to the top
• 8 obstacles women still face when seeking a leadership role in IT
• 20 organizations advancing women in tech