I had the absolute honour of serving as a Dragon in the Dragonโs Den segment at the Cisco Girls in IT Day, hosted at Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge campus โ a brilliant initiative aimed at breaking stereotypes and encouraging young girls to see themselves as future leaders in tech.
This inspiring event was part of a national programme that reached:
๐600 students
๐ Across 11 locations
๐From 44 schools โ 39 of them attending for the first time
๐ Supported by 172 volunteers who contributed over 1,000 hours
๐ In partnership with 27 organisations
It was an incredible experience seeing students from local schools confidently pitch their innovative tech solutions โ a clear sign that the future of technology is bright, diverse, and female.
This opportunity meant even more to me because of my own journey. I was raised by a highly learned and deeply supportive father who raised four daughters to lead with purpose and integrity. He taught us to believe in ourselves and in our responsibility to empower others โ a mindset that continues to guide me.
A heartfelt thank you to Dr Erika Sanchez, the head of my doctoral research supervisory team, for nominating me to be a Dragon and for recognising my passion for empowering others.
Huge appreciation to Louise Mills and Elizabeth Barr for choosing ARU as one of the host sites, and to Karen Bell, Jin Zhang, and Priyanka Sharma โ your support made this event possible.
Special thanks to Dr Ronak Al-Haddad (ุฑููุงู ุงูุญุฏุงุฏ), representing ARU and Women in IES, for delivering a powerful talk and interactive activity that truly resonated with the students.
It was an honour to serve alongside such inspiring women as fellow Dragons โ Silvia Cirstea, Cindy, and Helen. Iโm proud to work with you all.
Letโs keep building these platforms where girls are inspired, equipped, and empowered to shape the digital future. Together, we are creating pathways that change lives and industries.
