‍This Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating the 2025 International Women’s Day theme, #AccelerateAction, by spotlighting the power of women to inspire and lead change. We’re proud to support the next generation of leaders by giving our young talent on the team the opportunity to take the reins on this week’s content.

English Literature student Kashvi Cox has bold dreams to find a career in feature writing. So, throughout the week, she will share five insightful pieces - one each day - focused on how women are advancing equity, innovation, and progress across industries. This project reflects our commitment to fostering growth, creativity, and leadership at every level.

Follow along as we explore her powerful stories and celebrate the actions that are shaping a brighter, more inclusive future. Let’s accelerate action together!..

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‍‘Do It Afraid and Be Curious’: An Interview with Tiffany Benitez

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Women make up 25% of the technology industry workforce. This statistic is worrying, but just looking at it will not make things change.

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This is what Tiffany Benitez, president and founder of the Women in Technology of Northwest Arkansas (WIT NWA), intends to do. And if you are looking for some advice? 'Do it afraid and be curious'...

What does ‘Accelerate Action’ mean to you?

Accelerate action means that we don’t just think of realise there is a problem, but we use data to back it. We need to step away from just talking about it as a problem and create some solutions that will drive change and have impact.

I run a national Women in Technology chapter and in that organisation our goal is to make this kind of change. We are tired of the fact that there is only 28% of women in technology, but we are not just going to sit around and complain about it; we must put real solutions in place.

For example, we run certification programmes. These programmes have trained more than 8 million Americans on digital skills, as well as investing in building tools and trainings, to help create pathways to high-quality jobs.

How can we encourage young women to see a career in technology as an option?

We must make sure that girls know early on that technology is not just about computer science or coding. There is a broad spectrum of technology and if young women are not aware of what else is out there then they are going to go ahead and choose something else.

So we work to bring the full spectrum of technology to them at an early age, so they can make informed decisions when choosing their careers.

At WIT NWA we run mentorship programmes which pair young women with leaders in the community. This helps them to figure out what may be of interest to them. This mentorship programme is so beneficial to these women as it allows them to see what is out there.

The programme works on a six-month rotation basis, which allows these girls to build their networks and experience different aspects of the technology industry.

We also run programmes in schools called Tech4All. We provide the speakers and resources, but it is run by the students to bring them in and show them all the different areas of technology in a fun way, including how it relates back to the things they used to love at those younger ages.

How can we foster a positive working environment in male-dominated fields?

It starts with talking about it. It is not men’s fault that it is male dominated, and if you are not walking in a woman’s shoes then you might not even know there is a problem. It does not feel real until it is your own experience.

“We must start by bringing more awareness and education to our male allies, so they understand the journey we are on.”

As women, we pretend to be strong and tuck it away, but we must start by bringing more awareness and education to our male allies, so they understand the journey we are on. We must bring our allies on this journey with us because this is part of how we are going to make change.

What led you into the technology industry and into positions of leadership?

Growing up, we did not have the type of technology we do now, so I never knew that was an option for me. I knew I was going to college, but again I did not know that technology was an option.

I was going to be an attorney, and that is what I studied for, but I got tired of it right before I was about to start law school and decided to go into business instead.

I did my first six years in business and got really curious about how things work in the background. I wanted to understand it and so I asked lots of questions. This led to someone telling me I should move over and work in technology.

I have now been in technology for 23 years and I have worked at the largest bank, the Bank of America, and the largest retailer, Walmart, as well as Tyson Foods, Lowe’s, and now I am at Compass Group.

"We live in a selfish world, so you have to help others and bring them along."

The key to moving around in technology and in my career was that I really wanted to understand, and the curiosity never left me. I wanted to understand how different areas of technology played fed into each other and that is part of what led me into a leadership role.

As a leader you need to know more than just your niche area, you need to be able to think strategically and think about how all the pieces come together. You also must have compassion, and to have a desire to help people grow. We live in a selfish world, so you have to help others and bring them along.

What can women bring to the technology industry?

“It is the tables that have the most diversity and the most voices that have the strongest teams.”

Women bring a diverse perspective. It is the tables that have the most diversity and the most voices that have the strongest teams. Women offer this other perspective and can therefore provide a way to strategically bring things together.

Also, women typically analyse a lot. The problem is we like to analyse whether or not we should apply for the job rather than just applying for it. I think we can use our analysis skills in terms of making important business decisions.

It is all about redirecting these skills that women have to fit the purpose and make the table stronger. The more diversity we have, the better business decisions we make, and ultimately this results in bringing in more money.

What advice would you give to young women looking to start a career in tech?

Do it and do it afraid. Knowing that our national average of women in technology is only 28%, you are probably going to be part of the minority. You are going to be one of the only few women in any workplace environment and so it is going to be uncomfortable.

“Pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone, saying yes, and showing up anyway is what earns us our seat at the table.”

Pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone, saying yes, and showing up anyway is what earns us our seat at the table. And once you have that seat, don’t sit there quietly. Use your voice and make sure it is an educated voice.

Don’t just talk to be talking, make sure that you are intentional about making seats for others so you can bring more women to the table with you.

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