Mar 01, 2022
D2iQ
D2iQ
5 min read
Featuring:
- Catherine Southard, VP of Engineering
- Margaret Atmar, Program Manager
- Jena Miller, Director of Worldwide Support and Customer Service
- Casie Oxford, Director of Content & Operations
A recent Deloitte report found that while the gender gap is closing in the technology industry, women will only make up 33% of the workforce in 2022. During the past two years, the challenges of the pandemic have disproportionately impacted women. With 83% of women in the 2021 Women @ Work survey reporting that not only had their workloads increased, but a majority were spending more time on household chores and dependent care.
With Women’s History Month on the horizon, we asked a few of our female colleagues to share their experiences working in tech, how their careers have evolved over time, and how organizations can help make the technology industry inclusive. Our VP of Engineering, Catherine Southard, leads these conversations with women from across several departments for the first season of Women of D2iQ. In these videos, the women will discuss their current roles at D2iQ, the challenges they’ve faced in their careers, the complexities of balancing parenthood, and what they hope for the next generation of women in STEM.
This year’s Women of D2iQ features Jena Miller, Director of Worldwide Support and Customer Service, Casie Oxford, Director of Content & Operations, and Margaret Atmar, Program Manager.
A seat at the table
Margaret Atmar makes sure all of D2iQ’s product releases are shipped on time. Starting as an IT manager, she built IT departments from the ground up, training and mentoring women from administrative positions into new technology roles. While she earned the respect of her colleagues, she notes that she had to fight for her seat at the table.
In a program manager role at a former employer, Margaret was left out of decision-making conversations. “I and the other program manager, who was female, were not allowed in the strategy discussions, although the male program manager was.” She remarked. “It took a year of fighting to get a seat at that table, and then of course, everything got better because we knew what the strategy was. We were helping to drive the strategy. It wasn’t just reactive mode, it was proactive mode.”
As Catherine aptly noted in their conversation, Margaret now sits at the “head of the table” at D2iQ.
Working parents
Catherine and Jena Miller both became new moms this past year, learning how to navigate the already complex balance of working and parenting amidst the pandemic. Jena notes that she didn’t feel the gender gap in the industry until she became the only mother on her team.
“Being a new parent in a full-time career is a momentous challenge for anybody,” said Jena. “I’m feeling that more being a mother, as it’s a bit more for a mother (that is) our daughter’s main nutrition and comfort source.”
With D2iQ’s remote working environment and flexible schedule, paired with tips from other moms like Catherine, Jena is able to focus on her daughter while supporting her global team.
The next generation of women in STEM
Casie plays a critical role at D2iQ - in her two years with the company she’s gone from building up the content team to now running operations. She always knew that she wanted to be in tech, despite some of the particular challenges that come with being a woman in the field.
“I knew I could provide value as a different type of face in the room with a different opinion,” she said. “I don’t necessarily need people to tell me it's ok to be there. Sometimes it’s tough but it's worth it.”
As someone with two “women in STEM” at home, every day Casie strives to support the next generation of women in tech. “I make sure that my kids understand what it is I do on a daily basis, who I might lead at a company, and what I might have influence over. And just letting them know that it’s fun and that I love coming to work.”
Want to learn more about our culture? Interested in joining the D2iQ team? Visit our Careers page for more information.
