For every 285 Asian women in technology, only 1 Asian woman is ever promoted to the executive level. Diversity keynote speaker Cathryn Patterson spent 20 years rising through the ranks of the tech and engineering world often as the sole woman or person of color on her team. By rising up the corporate ladder she learned what makes diverse teams work.

The lack of diversity on tech teams is not due to a lack of qualified BIPOC talent — it’s because the job seekers and recruiters often miss each other. For many companies, this means that STEM teams lose out on new voices, innovation, and people-driven development.

With the onset of the pandemic, Cathryn set out to help connect other women, BIPOC, and members of the LGBTQ+ community with tech and engineering jobs. Her edutainment videos on TikTok and YouTube quickly amassed an audience of millions.

Today, Cathryn is a DEI speaker and advises top tech, engineering, and recruiting companies on building diverse teams and workplace cultures that allow for greater inclusion and innovation.