These female tech leaders in Hawai‘i describe how they navigated through what has been a male-dominated industry and how other women can take advantage of the greater opportunities today.
Filifotu Vaai Executive Director for Consumer Products & Sales, Hawaiian Telcom
“I went to a meeting once with a colleague, and I was his boss, and we flew to meet people at another company. When I went into the office, they asked me if I was his wife,” Vaai says.
“And they welcomed me and asked me if I wanted a cup of tea while I waited outside for them to have a meeting. It really made me think about how people really still can’t quite wrap their heads around” the idea of women leaders in tech, she says.
Vaai says even if it’s an honest mistake, it speaks about pervasive attitudes – even attitudes held by some women. She says many women don’t see themselves in leadership roles, but she hopes to challenge them to rethink their attitudes. She hopes her example and that of other women leaders will normalize society’s attitude about women in decision-making roles.
Early in her career, she was a marketing manager for a wireless internet TV provider in American Samoa. Among her proudest achievements was growing with the company and being promoted to manager of all American Samoa operations.
Continue reading: https://www.hawaiibusiness.com/women-in-tech-industry-glass-ceiling-hawaii/
Filifotu Vaai Executive Director for Consumer Products & Sales, Hawaiian Telcom
“I went to a meeting once with a colleague, and I was his boss, and we flew to meet people at another company. When I went into the office, they asked me if I was his wife,” Vaai says.
“And they welcomed me and asked me if I wanted a cup of tea while I waited outside for them to have a meeting. It really made me think about how people really still can’t quite wrap their heads around” the idea of women leaders in tech, she says.
Vaai says even if it’s an honest mistake, it speaks about pervasive attitudes – even attitudes held by some women. She says many women don’t see themselves in leadership roles, but she hopes to challenge them to rethink their attitudes. She hopes her example and that of other women leaders will normalize society’s attitude about women in decision-making roles.
Early in her career, she was a marketing manager for a wireless internet TV provider in American Samoa. Among her proudest achievements was growing with the company and being promoted to manager of all American Samoa operations.
Continue reading: https://www.hawaiibusiness.com/women-in-tech-industry-glass-ceiling-hawaii/
