Culture

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Today, March 8th, is International Women’s Day, a global day to celebrate women’s achievements in all fields, and around the world. 

Amanda Merriweather

Mar 08, 2018

In honor of International Women’s Day, we asked Delphixers, men and women alike, to share about women in their life who are role models or who have made an impact on their lives. Here is what they had to say:

Her name is Pamela, but she goes by Pam. She happens to be my former boss, but remains my friend and mentor. When I met her for the very first time during my onsite interview, I was very nervous. VERY nervous. It was a huge leap for me to go from a startup to a big well known company with all of its processes and legacy. She made the interview informal. She gave me a gift of genuine smile before starting the interview. She made me comfortable. That's how it all started. My thank you note goes to Pam!
- Elena Keush, Program Manager

My aunt and godmother Concetta is one of the happiest, most positive, and caring people I know. She is 65 and has worked in the federal government for over 30 years, despite living with spastic cerebral palsy her entire life. She loves to travel, enjoy time with her family, and to frequently call me for technical help I owe her for giving me my first computer when I was 8 (8086 with no hard drive and green on black graphics, super high tech). Now, after her second battle against cancer, she has finally decided to retire from full time work to spend time with her boyfriend, family, and to enjoy the freedom her electric scooter provides. She is a constant source of happiness, strength, and humility in my own life, and is a hero to our entire family.
- Steve Karam, Director, Customer Education and Experience

A former boss and mentor, Hope Nicora, transformed the way I think about the work that I do. She provided opportunities for me to grow in ways that challenged and stretched me, while supporting me every step of the way. My mistakes weren’t failures, but additional opportunities for growth. We no longer work together, but she remains the person whose opinions I most value, to whom I turn when I want to brainstorm. She’s my role model, my mentor, and my friend, and I’ll always be grateful for my time working with her.
- Kate Frost, PR Manager

One of the most memorable and life-changing experiences I've had in college was piano lessons. Empathetic, wise, and my #1 supporter, my piano instructor always had an innovative practice technique to suggest for any tough passage and always believed in me even if I didn't believe in myself. Moreover, she possessed invaluable wisdom on how to have a healthy mindset when performing in front of others. I've since carried her lessons into many other aspects of my life and have grown so much as a person and pianist thanks to her.
- Michele Feng, Software Engineer

My mother, Dr. Omana Mammen has been a role model and a constant influence in my life. She grew up in a quiet village in Kerala and moved to the city to pursue her Engineering degree. At the age of 21, after graduating at the top of her class in Electronics and Communication Engineering, she joined the Indian Space Research Organization and became the first woman rocket scientist in India's Space program. Grounded in her faith and her focus on family, she pursued further studies to get a PhD in Fault Tolerant Computing Systems. She was responsible for the Onboard computing, Ground Checkout and validation of all the rockets, and the Polar and Geostationary Launch Vehicles. As the daughter of such a strong and powerful, but humble, woman, I did not realize how privileged I was to have this role model who led me on the path to work hard and excel in everything I did, setting a high bar on expectations. Impossible is not a word in her vocabulary, as she never gives up once she sets her mind on something. I must have watched her and learned about focus, hard work and work ethics that set her apart as a leader in a male dominated environment. 
- Manju Abraham, Senior Director, Engineering

The list of women who’ve influenced and been an inspiration to me is endless, but professionally speaking, I couldn’t have progressed to where I am now if it weren’t for my manager back at UCSF, who hired me into a role that unofficially reported to other departments (think agency setting), yet fiercely played interference and had my back allowing me to do my work, grow my skillset and operate in an extremely complex institution (the 2nd largest employer in SF). The skills and lessons I learned in that environment because of her grew my professional aptitude exponentially, and her management style was exemplary, serving as my foundation today. 
- Sam Molmud, Director, Digital Marketing

to celebrate International Women’s Day, a few Delphix women went to see “Portraits of Women in Science” at Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco.

to celebrate International Women’s Day, a few Delphix women went to see “Portraits of Women in Science” at Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco.