Women in Data Podcast

Ep.154 - How to Get Hired, Promoted & Paid What You Deserve as a Woman

The hiring system carries bias, and it shows. While efforts are made to solve this, it’s important that we take ownership of our own career.

In this episode, Karen is joined by Nuria Muñoz, Global Talent Leader, to unpack what really happens behind the scenes in hiring, promotions and pay decisions.

They talk about why job descriptions are wish lists, why being a perfect match is actually a red flag, bold interview questions that change the dynamic, and how to handle high-pressure interviews with confidence. Nuria also shares negotiation strategies for salary offers and for promotions. For her, treating your career like a business plan is essential.

If you’ve ever hesitated to apply, struggled to negotiate, or wondered how to fast track your growth, this conversation is your playbook.

You don’t need permission to grow. You need strategy.

 

Ep. 153 - You’re not Failing, you’re new: Starting a new job is hard

Starting a new job is meant to feel exciting but often, it’s also tiring, awkward, and quietly overwhelming. Even when it’s the right move.

In this episode of the Women in Data Podcast, Cecilia is joined by Rianna Kelly to talk honestly about what it really feels like to start somewhere new. From confidence wobbling and long hours without visible output, to rebuilding trust, navigating new relationships, and feeling like the “new person” all over again, even at a senior level.

This isn’t a “how to succeed in 30 days” conversation. It’s about normalising the discomfort, redefining progress in the early months, and learning when to push yourself and when to give yourself grace.

If you’re in a new role, about to start one, or wondering why you don’t feel settled yet, this episode is a reminder that you’re not behind you’re in transition.

Further listening:

This episode builds on earlier Women in Data conversations, including Episode 64 with Neha Wadhawan on establishing yourself in a new role, and Episode 146 with Beth Bauer on the data behind the care.

Ep. 152 - AI Vs My Job

In this episode of the Women in Data Podcast, hosts Cecilia Oliveira and Karen Jean-Francois pull back the curtain on the "dirty little secret" of the data world: exactly how they are using AI to change the way they work.

Moving past the headlines and the hype, Cecilia and Karen share a vulnerable look at their initial skepticism and how they shifted toward an "Augmentation Mindset." They dive into the practicalities of using AI as a junior collaborator—from cleaning messy data and writing SQL to the "meta" moment of using AI to help structure this very podcast episode.

Whether you're feeling "productivity guilt" or pure curiosity, this episode is a guide to making AI work for you, so you can focus on the work only you can do.

Ep.151 - How Data Leaders Build Influence Without Authority

In this episode, Karen is joined by Kinnari Ladha, Chief Data Officer, to explore why great data work often fails to land — and how communication turns data leaders into trusted influencers, making it their superpower. 

 

Drawing on over two decades in data—from hands-on analyst to executive leader—Kinnari shares candid stories of building “perfect” dashboards that didn’t get used, and how those moments reshaped her approach to leadership.

 

She explains why career progression in data requires doing more work bringing people along, how tailoring messages to different audiences and shifting from reporting to storytelling changes impact, and why focusing on outcomes — not outputs — transforms how data is valued.

 

The conversation also dives into the role of trust in influence: how small, consistent actions build credibility, why listening comes before strategy, and how data teams can move from being seen as service providers to true business partners. With practical habits like weekly “highs and lows” and reframing data in business language, this episode is packed with insights you can apply straight away.

Ep.150 - Four Mindsets to Set You Up for a Successful Year

What if the secret to a successful year was a shift in mindset?

In the first episode of the year on the Women in Data Podcast, Karen is joined by Seana Tomlinson, coach, counsellor, and trainer and coach on the Women in Data LEAP programme, to explore four mindsets that can set you up for a more confident, authentic, and sustainable year.

After 18 years in the corporate world, Seana built a portfolio career that truly works for her and her family. On the podcast, she shares her key learnings to help you start the year with clarity and intention. Together, they discuss why confidence isn’t fixed, why authenticity matters more than imitation, how resilience goes far beyond “pushing through,” and how work–life balance evolves across different seasons of life.

This episode offers practical reflections on:

• Building confidence before you feel ready
• Leading and showing up as yourself
• Strengthening resilience without burning out
• Creating balance that works for you, right now
  
  

If you’re ready to start the year with self-belief, clarity, and intention, this conversation will help you lay the foundations for a successful year.

Ep.149 - Do We Really Need Another Meeting?

Karen and Cecilia tackle a pain point every data professional knows: trying to stay aligned without packing your calendar with even more meetings. From hybrid work and endless notifications to navigating Slack vs. Teams, they explore why the answer isn’t more communication — it’s better communication.

They share real stories, practical strategies, and the tools that actually help: async updates, stand-ups, dashboards, wrap-up messages, and ways to protect your deep-work time. They also reveal the tactics they’re trying next and invite you to share your own.

If you’ve ever left “a meeting to join a meeting about meetings,” this episode is for you.

Ep. 148 - Startup Speed vs. Corporate Scale: Navigating AI Transformation

Are we getting AI transformation all wrong?

Organisations are racing to adopt AI, but the gap between ambition and execution is wider than ever. In this Women in Data episode, host Cecilia Oliveira speaks with technology leader Saloni Thanki about turning strategy into tangible business outcomes.

Saloni, who advises both nimble startups and global corporates, cuts through the hype to explore the dual realities of AI adoption:

• The fast-paced, "defensible moat" challenge for startups.

• The budget and regulation hurdles for large enterprises.

But the real question isn't about tech; it's about people. Saloni argues that the cultural transformation plan must be an equal priority with the technology plan—or your AI initiative could be set up to fail.

Learn Saloni's practical leadership strategies, including how to define accountability, why to streamline processes before automating, and why AI transformation can create a fear of loss for employees rather than fear of change.

Ep.147 - Building trust in data & AI: how data observability powers agents

In this episode, Karen is joined by Barr Moses, CEO and Co-founder of Monte Carlo, to explore how AI agents are transforming how data teams work — and why trust must sit at the heart of every data and AI initiative.

 

Barr shares how troubleshooting agents save days of work mimic human reasoning to identify and fix data incidents, how teams can “operationalize trust” in their data and/or AI systems, and what it really takes to bridge the gap between hype and reliable business value.

 

Together, they unpack the pressure data teams face to deliver AI quickly, the realities of observability, and why technology alone isn’t enough .

 

Whether you’re building AI systems, leading a data function, or simply trying to make sense of the fast-changing landscape, this episode will help you understand what it takes to build data and AI you can trust.

Ep. 146 - The Data Behind better Care

In this episode of the Women in Data Podcast, Cecilia chats with Beth Bauer, a healthcare data leader with nearly four decades of experience bringing data, people, and purpose together.

Beth introduces the idea of positive friction — those intentional pauses that invite reflection, discussion, and sometimes disagreement — as a way to make better decisions in healthcare. She explains how this approach helps achieve the Healthcare Quintuple Aim, balancing patient outcomes, provider wellbeing, community health, financial sustainability, and truly personalised care.

It’s a thoughtful and uplifting conversation about listening, empathy, and how creating space for diverse voices can lead to more meaningful impact — in healthcare and beyond.

Ep.145 - Thriving on the technical path in data

Progress in data careers doesn’t have to mean management!

In this episode, Karen speaks with Niruta Talwekar, Staff Data Engineer,  about carving out a fulfilling career on the technical track — and why progress doesn’t always look like a new job title.

 

Niruta shares her perspective on:

• Why a technical career path could be a better option for many data professionals
• Why slow title changes don’t mean stagnation — true progress comes from building expertise and impact
• The importance of having more visible technical leaders
• How visibility and recognition strengthen credibility as a technical leader
• The underrated role of patience in career growth — trusting that skills compound over time

 

The best piece of career advice she ever received: it’s not only about how you see yourself, but how you help others see you.

 

Whether you’re an aspiring data professional, or an experienced IC wondering what your career could look like, this episode is packed with insights to help you define success on your own terms.