Women in Tech Cluj

Astăzi împărtășim povestea Dianei, (Diana Andritchi), Co-Founder și Chief Business Officer at Synaptiq.io: “✈️Scriu această mică poveste dintr-un zbor de 3,5 ore, la 10.000 de metri altitudine. Destul de simbolic, având în vedere că am fost invitată să scriu despre parcursul meu – despre cât am urcat, câte s-au schimbat, sau poate, câte au rămas la fel. 🐈Un lucru care mă caracteriza când eram mică (și care nu s-a schimbat) era dragostea pentru animale. Iubeam animalele la un nivel greu de explicat și nu-mi puteam imagina ceva pentru care să am un drag mai mare. Visul meu din copilărie era să devin medic veterinar. Crescând, planul s-a estompat, dragostea pentru animale, însă, a ramas neschimbată. La fel de neschimbată a rămas și dorința mea de a face bine, de a avea un impact - doar că am găsit alt drum. 🏥Astăzi sunt cofondatoare și Chief Business Officer la Synaptiq, unde dezvoltăm software bazat pe Inteligență Artificială pentru optimizarea radioterapiei în tratarea cancerului. Rolul meu este să fac cunoscută soluția noastră și să o aduc în cât mai multe spitale, pentru a le oferi medicilor radioterapeuți instrumentele necesare să trateze mai mulți pacienți, mai rapid și mai eficient. ⚕️Un moment cheie care m-a determinat sa aleg cariera actuală, a fost o experiență personală destul de marcantă. În anul 2020, Dragoș, CEO-ul Synaptiq, mi-a povestit despre ideea lui și despre faptul că vrea să formeze o echipă fondatoare cu care să pornească la drum. Mi s-a părut un proiect cu un impact uriaș, eram deja interesată, cu atât mai mult, cu cât în acel moment, sora mea mai mică fusese diagnosticată cu cancer și urma tratament. Atunci am știut că oportunitatea nu era doar o schimbare în carieră, ci și o misiune personală. M-am alăturat acestui proiect pentru a ajuta cât mai mulți pacienți să primească tratamentul de care au nevoie, la timp și la cele mai înalte standarde. 💟Mă bucur că am avut curajul să intru în lumea start-up-urilor, chiar dacă e un mediu imprevizibil și plin de provocări. Sunt mândră de echipa mea și de impactul real pe care îl avem 🪐Dacă i-aș putea da un sfat to my younger self, i-aș spune că nu poți realiza lucruri mărețe de una singură. Înconjoară-te de oameni care te inspiră, cu care poți construi ceva valoros, și investește în relațiile pe care le formezi.” #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow —  Celebration crafted by Women in Tech Cluj.  This campaign is sponsored by Thoughtworks. Each day this month, we will share a story told by a woman in tech. If you have someone who inspires you, recommend her https://lnkd.in/gF5gavMw

Alexandra Simion is a Test Leader at Schneider Electric and today she’s sharing her inspiring story with us: “🩺 When I was little, I dreamed of becoming a doctor. I was passionate about how humans function and how I could "fix" someone, driven by my desire to help people and make a positive impact. 🌱 Growing up in a rural environment with financial challenges motivated me to surround myself with people I could learn from. Though I couldn't pursue medicine due to financial constraints, after graduating from the engineering university, I found new ways to help through technology. I worked on clinical studies, and therapy for children with autism, and eventually took on lead roles in QA and product management across different software fields. 🔎 Now I'm a Test Leader for an IoT product in energy management. I'm a hybrid professional combining QA, software delivery, and product management, focused on quality and client satisfaction. My strengths are attention to detail, organization, and efficiency, built on communication and collaboration. 🔋 I'm proud of all the contributions I've made through technology in medicine, education and improving the efficiency of electrical energy use. Beyond professional achievements, I treasure the strong connections and beautiful memories I've formed with colleagues throughout my journey. Each challenge I've overcome has made me a little wiser, tougher, teaching me valuable lessons. 💜 My advice is to have more patience and confidence. Don't be ashamed to ask for help. Your path may differ from what you imagined, but your desire to help others will find its way through whatever work you do.” #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow —  Celebration crafted by Women in Tech Cluj.  This campaign is sponsored by Thoughtworks. Each day this month, we will share a story told by a woman in tech. If you have someone who inspires you, recommend her https://lnkd.in/gF5gavMw

Elena Simion is Product Manager at eMAG and Co-founder of Tressori Space. Check out her story: “👩⚕️In my childhood I dreamed of becoming a doctor. Then the choice of university was inspired by my high school math teacher, who encouraged me by saying that I had an analytical mind, that I was good at math, and that Cybernetics was a field of the future that would suit me. His belief in me meant a lot. Later, after finishing university, my older sister, who was working in HR, encouraged me to apply for a business analyst position at the IT company she worked for, so that's how my journey in the IT field began. 🖥️Today, I am a Product Manager at eMAG and the co-founder of the Tressori Space startup with 11 years of experience in the IT field, having worked in both corporations and startups, holding various roles. I describe myself as a creative, analytical person, with initiative, a problem solver, a good negotiator, and a communicator. In the early stages of my career, I focused a lot on execution, deliverables, and the final result. Today, I enjoy the creative process more, the progress, and I value collaboration and teamwork. 🚀I am specifically proud of my ability to adapt to change, work with limited resources, overcome challenges, my decision-making and organizational skills, and last but not least, my ability to learn from mistakes. I am excited by all the successful demos I presented to clients, the successful migration of a project from Paris to Bucharest, and the support from the development teams without which I wouldn't have succeeded. I am also proud that I organized a Hackathon together with Women in Tech Romania, featuring entrepreneurs and IT teams, and that I had the courage to step into the world of freelancing and IT entrepreneurship. 👉My best advice is to expose yourself to as many experiences as possible to learn and find out what suits you best. Ask as many questions as needed to understand. Trust that your effort will always be rewarded. Have the courage to try, even if you don't know everything—you’ll discover it along the way.” #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow —  Celebration crafted by Women in Tech Cluj.  This campaign is sponsored by Thoughtworks. Each day this month, we will share a story told by a woman in tech. If you have someone who inspires you, recommend her https://lnkd.in/gF5gavMw

We’re exploring Eva Marina’s story today, as she is the founder of 20robots and an organizational development consultant: “🩰When I was a child, I dreamed of a colorful world filled with movement, where every step on the stage felt like flying free – I wanted to be a ballerina. But as I grew up, life opened up new paths and my dreams changed with my experiences. 👩🎓In high school, I wanted to be a veterinarian, and later I wished to help people and bring them comfort. In this maze of life, I ended up studying law; even though I never practiced law, I met teachers and friends who made me fall in love with it as if it were a living story. I realized that human resources was the place where I could combine my interest in law, my desire to help others, and my passion for growth. In 2014, I entered the IT world as an HR manager. Learning became a part of who I am—I took in everything I could, and during technical interviews, when questions like those about the HTTP protocol came up, I knew exactly what answer was expected. 🗺️Today, as an organizational consultant, I work on mapping processes, setting up procedures, and supporting cultural and digital change in companies. I bring together business strategy with the right technology—not just as a tool, but as a meaningful change. My journey led me to complete an MBA, join the GM Masterclass Academy, and earn a certification in Career Essentials in Generative AI from Microsoft. 💫I am proud of every step I have taken in this journey. My advice to my younger self? Embrace every change and don't be afraid of the unknown—through learning, you will always find your way.” #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow —  Celebration crafted by Women in Tech Cluj.  This campaign is sponsored by Thoughtworks. Each day this month, we will share a story told by a woman in tech. If you have someone who inspires you, recommend her https://lnkd.in/gF5gavMw

Cristina Barnutiu is working for the Council of the European Union as a Test Lead, and this is her journey: “⛹️♀️For me, being part of the IT world has been a transformative but not a straightforward journey. I was a child with boundless energy and a love for play. I grew up in a non-tech world, spending my days outside and dreaming of becoming a gymnast or working in a chocolate factory. My first interactions with computers were recreational. I remember playing games on my sister's Pentium or exploring the online world in Internet Cafés. My high school passion for the French language and culture guided me to pursue a degree in foreign languages, leading to diverse roles in multinational corporations, from call centers to finance. 💻A pivotal moment came when I transitioned into IT support, inspired by training colleagues on payment tools. With encouragement from my husband, also a tester, I joined the world of software testing, a field where I found the challenge and creativity I needed. 📚Motherhood further motivated me to seek personal and professional growth. Fifteen years after my initial degree, I was determined to earn a Computer Science degree. Balancing a job, studies, and family was challenging and I couldn’t have done it without support from my family. ♻️I believe in lifelong learning, and I can say my journey was a constant cycle of learning new things and mentoring others. Among my most rewarding experiences were volunteering with Cartea Daliei to teach children programming and becoming a certified trainer at Azimut Vision, empowering future testers with the skills needed to excel in the industry. 💡Today, as a freelance Test Lead at the European Council, I feel accomplished and happy to have embraced this journey. To my younger self and others embarking on similar paths, I would highlight the importance of finding a motivation, pursuing it with dedication, embracing adaptability and practicing kindness. In both technology and life, resilience, flexibility, and empathy are indispensable.” #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow —  Celebration crafted by Women in Tech Cluj.  This campaign is sponsored by Thoughtworks. Each day this month, we will share a story told by a woman in tech. If you have someone who inspires you, recommend her https://lnkd.in/gF5gavMw

Continuăm campania lunii Martie “Then and Now” cu o miniserie specială intitulată „Trailblazing Paths”! Iar astăzi vă aducem primul episod din colaborarea podcastului Conversații 1 la 1 cu sens x Women in Tech Cluj. O miniserie gândită ca o oportunitate de a învăța din experiențele autentice ale unor femei care au transformat lumea din jurul lor, creând sau sprijinind puternic comunități dedicate femeilor. Invitata de astăzi a Mădălina Marincaș este Monica Dumitrescu și îi mulțumim pentru tot ce ne-a împărtășit! Monica este antrenor de performanță pentru adulți prin LeadUp Central (al cărei fondatoare este), unde creează programe personalizate de dezvoltare pentru profesioniștii care vor mai mult. De-a lungul parcursului său, a învățat că performanța și echilibrul merg mână în mână și că succesul nu vine doar din rezultate, ci și din felul în care ne raportăm la noi înșine și la ceilalți. În acest episod, discută despre lecțiile care i-au modelat parcursul: de la conștientizarea impactului vorbelor asupra femeilor, la momentul care i-a schimbat perspectiva asupra vieții. Povestește despre comunitatea nouă Side by Side, despre cum sprijinul și încurajarea pot deveni motor și despre motivația pozitivă ca ingredient-cheie pentru decizii asumate și o viață trăită autentic. O poți găsi pe LinkedIn, Monica Dumitrescu, unde răspunde rapid mesajelor, sau pe pagina Side by Side, comunitatea unde femeile își țin spațiu una alteia, fără judecată, cu sprijin și blândețe. #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow

Today we’re diving into Christine Danielle Abrudan’s story - she is Director of Technology at Betfair Romania Development. “🧒As a kid, I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Most of my family was in medicine, but I knew for sure I didn’t want to be a doctor. I was way too emotional for that kind of work. Little did I know, managing people comes with its own fair share of strong emotions! 📉After studying engineering, then strategy, I didn’t feel drawn to the tech world, so I took my first job in the luxury industry. Think Emily in Paris, but with way less money to spend on designer outfits and handbags. I adored that job. But then the 2008 financial crisis hit, and my fixed-term contract wasn’t renewed. I was devastated. Looking back, I’m actually grateful for how that experience pushed me to decide to move back to Romania, the country I had left with my parents at 6 years old. 👩💻After a few jobs that didn’t quite fit, I landed on an opening for a product owner role and realized it was perfect for me, right at the intersection of business and tech. One rejection and one offer later, I followed a pretty straight trajectory for the next 10 years. That is, until my manager at the time encouraged me to apply for a Director of Tech position, even though I wasn’t sure I was ready. And I got the job. 🌟Who am I now? A work in progress. The moment you stop evolving is the moment you start declining. I like to be available, and approachable, and getting to know the people on my team: their stories, ambitions, favorite vacation spots or music. Work isn’t just about getting the job done, it’s about building relationships, inspiring each other, and lifting each other up. I’m fueled by the connections I make with others, and I love that I can show up as my authentic self at work. I can sense that my colleagues feel the same, and that makes me proud as a leader. 💜 To my younger self, I’d say, “Keep going, you’re doing great. Trust your instincts, allow yourself to feel your emotions, be confident, always move forward. Regrets aren’t worth it.” And to you, if you’ll allow me, I’d say the same.” #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow —  Celebration crafted by Women in Tech Cluj.  This campaign is sponsored by Thoughtworks. Each day this month, we will share a story told by a woman in tech. If you have someone who inspires you, recommend her https://lnkd.in/gF5gavMw

Elena Manea is an Agile Coach at ING, and her story unfolds like this: “🤸 During my childhood, I was dreaming of becoming Nadia Comaneci. During university (Finance & Banks) I was part of a street dance group, at some point getting to dance with Loredana Groza in a concert, and later on becoming a character in a TV comedy show. So I always dreamt of becoming a dancer or an actress. 💡In 2017, already being an expert in Corporate Banking, I was looking for a new challenge and the ING's CEO at that time, Michal Szczurek, recommended me the position of Agile Coach. I had zero idea about it and no knowledge about IT product development. On my first day with a scrum squad I filled two A4 pages with acronyms, SPA, BE, FE, JBOSS... 💪 Now I am 100% harmonizer, 100% rebel, 100% imaginative, 100% thinker, 81% persister, 76% promoter, as per my profile in Process Communication Model. I am finally ok to be all of these things, and there is no contradiction, only expansion! The Agile Coach journey transformed me so much, that I became not only a professional coach, but a visual thinking practitioner, as I delved into the Lean world! 🎉The courage to try new journeys and to dare was what ultimately shaped me:  Early in my career I accepted a job in a town where I did not know anybody – It was a start up of a new ING branch, and the business community was not taking me seriously as I was too young in their opinion to lead a branch.  The Agile Coach journey - a complete new job for me and for the market at that time, I was part of the transformation team of the Delivery area of the bank, towards BUS DEVOPS.   🧡My advice is that you can achieve whatever you want, so trust yourself! Keep smiling and have fun, as it's a beautiful world out there!” #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow —  Celebration crafted by Women in Tech Cluj.  This campaign is sponsored by Thoughtworks. Each day this month, we will share a story told by a woman in tech. If you have someone who inspires you, recommend her https://lnkd.in/gF5gavMw

Today we’re excited to present Erika K.’s story, a content strategy consultant: “🎨I used to be the quiet kid that would draw a lot. I wanted to become an animator, I was amazed by people who made cell animation. I thought what they were doing was magical. 💡Eventually, I went the Mad Men way with Comms and PR. A couple of years into my first job in a nonprofit, a tech team came to us and said: we want to build you something to help. And I thought that things should work more easily than they did, so I pitched them a volunteer management platform. When they got the scale of it, they sent me to a UX Director in a bigger company, with more resources. And he listened to me describing use cases and process flows and he gave me a book called 'The Elements of Content Strategy'. The rest is history. 🖥️I switched to working in tech, and I started working with content to build user-centric experiences that help businesses grow. I now work on customer-centric buying journeys, websites you like spending time on, content strategy, content assets that you can get something useful out of. A lot of the work I do isn't visible when it's well-done, because it means people have less friction in understanding a service or a product and if it's right for them. You can show off with products you know you've worked on, but it's still the kind of job where seeing results takes time. You need to be able to enjoy the process. 🚀If there's one advice I'd give to my younger self, it's to work more in public. The only way we can all improve the way we interact with digital platforms is if we share how and why we make them work for users. So really, make the messy screenshots and share the work!” #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow —  Celebration crafted by Women in Tech Cluj.  This campaign is sponsored by Thoughtworks. Each day this month, we will share a story told by a woman in tech. If you have someone who inspires you, recommend her https://lnkd.in/gF5gavMw

Raluca A. is a Development Consultant and Community Lead at Endava, and today she shares her story with us: “👩🍳When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a chef. 📐There were several key moments and people in my life that influenced my development. It was my primary school teacher and math teacher, who recognized my talent in math and encouraged my competitive spirit. In high school, a brilliant computer science teacher laid the foundation for my understanding of algorithms and sparked my passion for computer science. I knew then that I would become a skilled developer because I enjoyed tackling problems and exploring multiple solutions. 🏐Another moment was when I joined the volleyball team, where I learned discipline, commitment, and the importance of teamwork. Staying active & healthy is one of my life goals, that's why I participate in running competitions— to push my limits and challenge myself. I’m currently a mobile developer with over 10 years of experience. I wear many hats, from being a team leader and community leader to mentoring young girls. In my personal life, I’m a wife and mother to two amazing kids. 🤱The most transformative period of my life started the day I became a mom. The maternity period was my training ground for self-awareness, stress, and conflict management, building endurance during tough times, and celebrating small wins. I’m proud of who I am today, surrounded by a wonderful family that provides the support I need to be the best version of myself. 📚To my younger self, I would remind her to stay curious and read as many books as possible!” #WomeninTech #WomensMonth #cluj #WomeninTechCluj #celebration #WiTThenAndNow —  Celebration crafted by Women in Tech Cluj.  This campaign is sponsored by Thoughtworks. Each day this month, we will share a story told by a woman in tech. If you have someone who inspires you, recommend her https://lnkd.in/gF5gavMw