Meet the Speaker — Jess Menna
Dr. Jess Menna is the Sr. Director, Data Integration & Operations at HealthVerity. She is leading the WITS Spring 2024 Summit session: “Cultivating your career superpower: Using personal strengths for
professional growth”.
Why is speaking at WITS important to you?
I often feel isolated as a woman in the tech industry. Speaking at Women in Tech (WITs) provides the valuable opportunity to make a positive impact on those who may feel similar or who can leverage insights from my experiences to grow in their career. Although we each have unique journeys, there is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration that we can draw from one another.
What or who inspires you?
My daughter is in the midst of learning to walk and it has been full of tiny steps, big tumbles, more than a handful of tears, yet persistent new attempts. I find inspiration in those who acknowledge the likelihood of failure, but courageously persevere despite that awareness.
The most useful article you’ve read in the last month:
Tech companies in particular are rarely satisfied with the status quo; they need to constantly innovate and evolve to be successful. As leaders, we must encourage and support new ideas. This article on organizational mavericks provides some interesting guidance on fostering individual growth for organizational success.
When you were a kid what was your dream job?
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a medical doctor. The ability to help others combined with continuous problem solving were things which resonated with me (they still do though my career has taken a different path).
Tell us something about your session —
We often find ourselves unintentionally comparing our journey and success to others. It’s essential to break free from this conditioned benchmarking and redirect our focus towards recognizing our unique strengths. By embracing our individual abilities, we can contribute distinct value, fostering our personal success.
What other sessions or speakers are you most excited to see?
I am excited to hear Aida Correa-Jackson’s session on the unexplored applications for VR/AR/MR/XR. This is a space that I have little exposure to and yet can appreciate the immense possibilities.
Hear more from Dr. Jess Menna and the other amazing women-identifying and non-binary technologists speaking at WITS Spring 2024 Summit by registering here.
