Women in tech: In conversation with Christine Gallagher
Welcome to the start of our ‘Women in Tech’ series.
We wanted to do this series to highlight some amazing women working in the SaaS industry, speaking to them about what it means to them to be a woman in tech, as well as their experiences in a space that’s long been more male-dominated.
All of these interviews were conducted by Dan Watson, who we welcomed into the team as a researcher over the summer whilst he was on break from university.
A huge thanks to every single woman who was happy to talk to us as part of this series, and to Dan for expertly coordinating the interviews and writing of these pieces.
So without further ado, first up, we have Christine Gallagher. She’s a distinguished leader whose career has spanned technology, packaging, and beyond.
Her story to date
When asked about the beginnings of her journey in this industry, she reflected on how her earlier experiences in graphics management helped her start out. She witnessed first-hand how manual, time-intensive processes had transformed with technology over time. And it was this intersection where creativity met innovation that sparked a passion inside of her and would guide the future of her career.
As she carried on with her career, advancing further and further at every step, Christine grew to deeply value the strengths that women bring to an industry that has historically been dominated by men. Not only do they have a natural aptitude for sales, but she also highlights the ability of women to foster collaborative, uplifting cultures in the workplace. In her view, the power of women in leadership lies in building communities where everyone’s success is shared, not separate.
Equity at work
Christine spoke very candidly around equity in the workplace, including around parental leave and career opportunities. 10 or 20 years ago, things like paternity leave and programs designed to encourage young women to pursue a career in tech were a rarity. Progress has been made, but there are still some organisations that lean too heavily on outdated models and metrics.
She referenced that simply striving for a 50/50 gender split in a company reduces people down to statistics, overlooking the unique contributions and qualities that everyone brings with them. As Christine put it: “I am capable, without needing charity or tokenism.”
Christine also emphasised that career pauses for parenting or caregiving should not carry a stigma along with them. Yes, industries move and evolve rapidly and those returning after a career pause will need time to catch up on those changes, but a career pause can also bring with it new perspectives when back at work. Invaluable qualities like empathy, resilience, active listening, and other skills are cultivated during career pauses. And these are qualities that help to strengthen teams and enhance leadership capabilities.
A final thanks to Christine
Throughout our conversations with Christine, it became clear that she embodies the qualities and values of an inclusive, visionary leader in the SaaS industry. Her career mirrors the rapid evolution of the tech and packaging industries she’s been part of. We believe she stands as a role model for what ambitious leaders can aspire to be – innovative, collaborative, and unapologetically authentic.
We’d like to thank Christine Gallagher again for her time. We hope her words and story can be a source of inspiration to those looking to build a career in the ever-evolving SaaS space, regardless of gender.
Look out for the next in the series
Our conversation with Christine was the first of five conversations we’ve carried out, so keep an eye out for four more stories from women who have pushed the boundaries in their industries.