Techsetters

Latest Episodes:

Debbie Sterling, From Idea Brunch to GoldieBlox CEO May 18, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Samantha and Jenny speak to Debra Sterling. Debbie is the founder and CEO of GoldieBlox, a toy company that uses storytelling and games to inspire more young girls to pursue a life in STEM. She’s since been rewarded as a Time Magazine ‘Person of the Moment,’ and a Forbes 40 Under 40. Debbie is also an If / Then Ambassador and as you’ll hear in this episode, an inspiring Brunch Host.

Techsetters is Executive Produced by Kode With Klossy and made possible by If / Then. This episode was recorded in April 2021.

Alexandra Zatarain, Re-Inventing Sleep Fitness May 11, 2021

Show notes

In today’s episode, Samantha and Jenny are speaking to Alexandra Zatarain. Alexandra’s work is all about sleep. She’s the Co-founder and VP of Brand and Marketing at Eight Sleep, the world’s very first sleep fitness company. She works with her team to use the most advanced technology for all their products that help people sleep a little bit better.

Raised in Tijuana, Alexandra has worked in academia, on Wall Street, and for various apps. She’s a Forbes 30 Under 30, an angel investor, and a mentor with WE NYC, an initiative to support female business owners.

Techsetters is Executive Produced by Kode With Klossy and made possible by If / Then. This episode was recorded in March 2021.

Fig O'Reilly, Miss Universe Ireland turned NASA Datanaut May 04, 2021

Show notes

For our season two premiere, Sam and Jenny landed someone extra special. If you don’t know her, Fig is our favorite type of multi-hyphenate. She was the first woman of color to represent Ireland in the international Miss Universe Pageant. As if that wasn’t enough, she’s also a NASA Datanaut, working alongside the agency’s Open Innovation Program to develop new processes, ways of thinking and products. She was our dream first guest, speaking candidly about issues we can allll relate to, whether that’s overcoming imposter syndrome or maintaining her more artistic side in the world of engineering. Should we all go work for NASA? We’ll talk about it later.

Techsetters is Executive Produced by Kode With Klossy and made possible by If / Then. This episode was recorded in April 2021.

Techsetters Season Two Trailer Apr 27, 2021

Show notes

Techsetters is back! This season, hosts Sam and Jenny continue theirmission to uncover the stories and secrets of techsetters everywhere; asking guests’ about their career defining moments and unconventional paths in the world of STEAM. Season two shares 15 new stories from women around the world. Consider this your permanent invitation to your seat at the tech table.

New episodes released every Tuesday, beginning May 4!

Soraya Darabi on the Future of Living Well Sep 29, 2020

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On our season one finale of Techsetters, Sam and Jenny interview Soraya Darabi. Featured by FastCompany as one of their “Most Creative People in Business”, Soraya is a cornerstone of the New York City startup scene. Responsible for helping the NYTimes adopt social media, Soraya is a 2-time entrepreneur, and has been named both a Mentor of the year by TechStars and a Young Global Leader by the World economic Forum. Today, she is the founder and general partner of Trail Mix Ventures, and is dedicated to leveling the playing field, as only 2.2% of VC dollars are invested in female founders. In this episode, Soraya talks about taking risks, investing in resilient founders, and betting on the future of living well.

Techsetters is Executive Produced by Kode With Klossy and made possible by If / Then. This episode was recorded in May 2020.

Peter Boyce II on the Importance of Student Founders Sep 22, 2020

Show notes

If you’re listening to today’s episode of Techsetters, you can thank Peter Boyce! Peter introduced Jenny and Sam when they were both in college and the rest is history. He is a Partner at General Catalyst and the founder of Rough Draft Ventures, a Harvard based organization with a student team building and empowering the largest network of student founders. Peter’s interests extend beyond Venture Capital, he sits on the boards of The Shed and New Inc, both non-profit institutions that foster innovation at the intersection of art and technology. Did we mention he hosts wine tastings over zoom? Even with his busy calendar, he continues to find time to advise and inspire the next generation of founders. On today’s episode, Peter gives incredible insight for first time founders, an understanding of what it means to be in venture capital, and by the end of this episode you’ll understand why Peter is such an inspiration! Techsetters is Executive Produced by Kode With Klossy and made possible by If / Then. This episode was recorded in May 2020.

Yamilée! Beach on Empowering Young Women with STEM and Dance Sep 15, 2020

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On this episode of Techsetters, co-hosts Samantha Wiener and Jenny Wang interview AAAS / If / Then Ambassador and STEM From Dance Founder, Yamilee Beach.Yamilée has personally experienced the extraordinary benefits of a STEM education and dance. After studying mechanical engineering at MIT and being an avid dancer for 21 years, she switched gears to teach high school algebra in an under-served community in East New York, Brooklyn through Teach For America. As a teacher, her eyes were opened to the multitude of opportunities her students didn’t have access to; there was an abundance of potential that would never be unleashed. Therefore, she set out to provide students with something greater than what the school system could provide. She started STEM From Dance with the hope that a strong dance and STEM supplemental education would help to increase the number of under-represented minority high school girls across the nation who pursue a STEM undergraduate education.

Techsetters is Executive Produced by Kode With Klossy and made possible by If / Then. This episode was recorded in May 2020.

Brenda Darden Wilkerson on Fighting For Social Justice in Education and taking Grace Hopper Virtual Sep 08, 2020

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On this episode of Techsetters, co-hosts Samantha Wiener and Jenny Wang interview Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Brenda is a pioneering thought leader working on the urgent need for intersectional equity in technology. She leads AnitaB.org as the CEO and President, working as an unwavering advocate for access, opportunity, and social justice for underrepresented communities in technology. AnitaB.org is a nonprofit organization working to shape public opinion about issues of critical importance to women technologists in academia, industry, and government. Brenda founded the original Computer Science for All program, building computer science classes into the curriculum for every student in the Chicago Public Schools system, and serving as the inspiration for the Obama administration’s national CS4All initiatives.

Techsetters is Executive Produced by Kode With Klossy and made possible by If / Then. This episode was recorded in September 2020.

Camille Fournier on the Role of Engineering Leaders Sep 01, 2020

Show notes

On this episode of Techsetters, co-hosts Samantha Wiener and Jenny Wang interview Camille Fournier. Camille, currently managing director at Two Sigma, a hedge fund, shares thoughtful advice on leadership on engineering culture, how tech transforms industries and the importance of understanding data. Before joining Two Sigma, Camille was CTO at Rent the Runway, where she spearheaded the technology to rent clothing from a “closet in the cloud”. Camille has published two books on management. The Manager's Path: A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth and Change, and her most recent book 97 Things Every Engineering Manager Should Know. Camille doesn’t just talk about management tips, she shares advice that you can use wherever you are in your career.

Techsetters is Executive Produced by Kode With Klossy and made possible by If / Then. This episode was recorded in May 2020.

Deborah Berebichez, PhD. on Defying the Odds of Physics Aug 25, 2020

Show notes

On this episode of Techsetters, co-hosts Samantha Wiener and Jenny Wang interview Dr. Deborah Berebichez, PhD. Debbie is the first Mexican woman to graduate from Stanford University with a PhD in Physics, and she uses her education and background to make science approachable to a wide range of audiences. Debbie co-hosts Discovery Channel’s Outrageous Acts of Science TV show, is the Chief Data Scientist at Metis where she leads the creation and growth of exceptional data science training opportunities, and complete two postdoctoral fellowships at Columbia University's Applied Math and Physics Department and at NYU's Courant Institute for Mathematical Sciences where she carried out research in the area of acoustic waves. She has recently been recognized as an AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador for inspiring and empowering young women to learn science and to improve the state of STEM education in the world. Did we mention she has worked in TWO Nobel Peace Prize Labs?

Techsetters is Executive Produced by Kode With Klossy and made possible by If / Then. This episode was recorded in May 2020.