Women in tech: In conversation with Tara Sherstabetoff

It's the 5th (and currently, final) edition 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.

For this fifth edition, we returned our conversations to the North American region with Tara Sherstabetoff - a high achieving Account Manager currently plying her trade at AVEVA.

Her story to date

With over a decade of experience within the industrial sector and three years in software, Tara brings a unique perspective to her role at AVEVA. Her journey into software actually began with FMC who introduced her to an exciting opportunity to mix her industrial expertise with some cutting-edge technology. And still to this day, she enjoys the challenge and the energy of working in this role that blends the best of both her worlds.

Throughout her career, Tara has benefited from strong mentorship and support from the wider industry and from her leaders at AVEVA. She speaks highly of her managers, both female and male, who have provided her with guidance and constant encouragement as she grew into her current position as Account Manager. Tara says she draws inspiration from her female colleagues, especially those in leadership, who have helped pave the way in a field where women are still widely underrepresented. Their visibility and success have been both motivating and reassuring.

Tara believes it was her curiosity and drive that has led her to succeed within industries that are traditionally male-dominated. Early on in her working life, she often felt like one of the only women in the room, but over the years she has seen meaningful progress in diversity and inclusion to the point where this feeling has dwindled. Companies are putting in the work to create more opportunities, and industry groups that support women in STEM have become increasingly active. For Tara, this shift represents not only progress but an exciting future for women who are considering technical or software careers.

Equity at work

Tara is not afraid to acknowledge that challenges remain in the battle towards true equity at work. When it comes to taking personal career breaks, maternity leave as a prominent example, there can still be both real and perceived consequences for women's career progression. She has colleagues who feel they have lost time and visibility after extended leave. But, Tara believes that as more and more organisations encourage parental leave for men as well as women, then those consequences will lessen. In fact, she argues that embracing diverse experiences helps companies to retain invaluable qualities like emotional intelligence and creativity.

Beyond her role at AVEVA, Tara has found great purpose in her involvement with the non-profit organisation Canadian Women in Energy (CWIE). CWIE is an independent membership society dedicated to promoting, supporting, and empowering women in the energy sector. They have a talented and wide-reaching community, whose work has benefited not only women in the industry but also local communities through other initiatives like food drives and blood banks.

CWIE plays an especially important role in supporting women who may not have access to regular opportunities, whilst also encouraging representation in roles that have historically lacked it, such as female operators in heavy equipment. For Tara, CWIE stands as a shining example of what the industry could look like if all voices were given equal levels of encouragement and opportunity.

Looking back at her career to date, Tara is proud to see how far the industry has come in supporting women, and she's optimistic about where it's heading. For women entering software today, she sees an industry full of opportunity, and a space that is challenging, rewarding, and more inclusive than ever before.

A final thanks to Tara

Our conversation with Tara was truly insightful into the impact that women in visible leadership positions can play in inspiring women in traditionally male-dominated spaces, as well as the importance that non-profit organisations can have in providing opportunities for underrepresented groups.

We’d like to thank Tara Sherstabetoff 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.