Microsoft Spotlight Podcast

The Microsoft Spotlight shines brightly today as it welcomes Rakhi Sachdeva, a dynamic force within Microsoft. Hailing from a background rich in culture and tradition, Rakhi's journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and the power of familial influence. Born into a family deeply rooted in values, Rakhi credits much of her success to the strong model provided by her mother. Her moth...

Tune in to a special episode of the Microsoft Spotlight podcast as we honor International Women's Day by featuring a remarkable guest, Umayal Palaniappan from Rolls Royce. In this inspiring episode, Umayal takes us on a journey from her roots in Malaysia to her current role in Derby, reflecting on her impressive 19-year career with the prestigious company. Join us as Umayal shares insights, ch...

Welcome to the latest episode of the Microsoft Spotlight podcast! In this episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Rachel Irabar, a remarkable individual with a unique journey from her native Nigeria to the picturesque island of Malta. Rachel brings to light her experiences and insights into the dynamic world of the Microsoft Student Ambassador program, showcasing her deep affection for the Micros...

Dive into the heart of innovation with Chris Wheeler, a Senior Technical Specialist at Microsoft, as he takes center stage in the latest installment of the Microsoft Spotlight series. Hailing from the picturesque landscapes of southwest England, Chris's journey into the dynamic realm of Information Technology. In his candid interview, Chris unveils the path that led him from his upbringing in...

Step into the dynamic world of IT with Peter Rising, a trailblazer in the field, as he takes center stage in the 2023 Microsoft Spotlight. In a captivating interview, Peter shares his remarkable journey into the realm of Information Technology, shaped by a Women In Tech at his first organisation. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, he has actively recruited and mentored a significan...

In our final episode of 2023 we were joined by Alejandra Leon, industry Solutions World-wide Delivery Lead  @Microsoft  in Australia.

In today's episode, Andrew interviewed Harpreet Kaur, a Principal Technical Program Manager from Microsoft. In this episode, we discussed her move from India to the United States with her husband and young child and her side hustle as a Speaker/Career Coach.

In today's episode, Andrew was joined by Priyanka Sharma from Microsoft. This was her very first time speaking on a podcast episode and she was incredibly nervous but once we got going the conversation was very natural. Priyanka talks about her move from her native India to the UK and childcare challenges as her support network from family is back home in India.

In today's episode which was recorded a while ago but we seem to have lost the recording for some time. We welcome our biggest fan Areti Iles to the show. Areti is now Head of Professional Service at Incremental Group and knows for about our podcast history than Andrew/Jon together.

In today's episode we are joined by Onyinye Madubuko, she is a Consultant in Modern Workplace at Avanade Irelands. Onyinye shares with us her drivers for moving from her native Nigeria to Ireland and the reasons why she got involved in the Microsoft Community. Note:

In today's episode we are joined by Shachi Agarwal, she is a Technical Specialist in Security at Microsoft with a big passion for Diversity and Inclusion. Check out this brilliant episode as we diving deep into her career and understand her passions for D&I. Note:

In today's episode we are joined by a fellow podcast Jeevantika Lingalwar, she is a Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft with a big passion for Women In Tech. Check out this brilliant episode as we diving deep into her career and understand why she setup the International Women In Tech group on LinkedIn Note: LinkedIn Group - International Women In Tech Podcast: The Unplanned Journey

Lilia Geogieva is our guest in this podcast episode, where she talks about how she became interested in IT and pursued a career in this field. She also shares her insights on the challenges and opportunities for women in tech, and how she advocates for more diversity and inclusion in the industry.

In this episode, Andrew and Jon are joined by Vishakha Ghosh a Customer Experience Engineer in Security at Microsoft. Being passionate about something does not mean it distracts us from our goals. Instead, it enhances our abilities and propels us forward. Vishakha's story is a reminder that our diverse interests can complement and strengthen our professional journeys. 🚀as she took her love of...

Today, we are joined by Linda Monahan, who is an accountability and habit coach. Linda tells us her story of how she became a coach and how she helps other women in tech achieve their goals and overcome their challenges. Notes: Linda's Website: https://shor.by/CorporatetoCalm TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@corporatetocalm

Excited to welcome back Corinna Lins on Episode 64 of our podcast! Corinna first featured on Episode 3, and in this episode, she shares her personal journey of returning to work after maternity leave. She sheds light on the real-world challenges of childcare and illness that many working parents face. Corinna's story serves as a reminder that we need to continue advocating for policies that su...

Exciting news, I have decided to drop Episode 63 early! Listen in as we interview Mohana Bhattacharya from Microsoft in the Netherlands. She shares fascinating stories of her childhood moving around India and how it shaped her career. Mohana's biggest career highlight was joining Microsoft, but she has also worked for other big corporate organizations. Don't miss out on this insightful epi...

In this episode, we welcome Brittany Saylor, Digital Advisor for Sustainability at Avanade. Andrew and Jon dive into Brittany's fascinating career path, which took her from the US to multiple countries. They also discuss the importance of sustainability and share their love of grassroots football and the women's game in the UK Show Notes: About Pledgeball - Tackling climate change requires...

Today, we welcome Holly Rae, M365 Architect at CPS. Andrew and Jon discussed Holly's career path from making custom wedding invitations to her taking control of our career path and becoming an Architect. It was great to finally have her on our show as she has been nominated by so many in the community. Show Notes: N/a

Today, we welcome Kristi Robison CEO, Strategic Advisor from Paintrock Consulting. Jon had to run this episode on his own due to Andy being ill and Sophie being unavailable. In this episode, Jon and Kristi discussed her IT career path and their love of IT Conferences. Show Notes: N/a

Today, we welcome Briana Brady Senior Program Manager for Viva Goals at Microsoft. Alev returns as guest co-host to help discuss all things Microsoft, as we learn how Briana was inspired to start a career in IT via her older brother which led to her working at Microsoft. Show Notes:

Today, we welcome Stephanie Stasey Healthcare Transformation Lead at Microsoft. Stephanie shares with us her passion for the Healthcare industry and how a Microsoft PowerApp she created to help triage patients suffering from Mental Health led to her being headhunted for Microsoft. Show Notes:

And we are back with another after a bit of an unscheduled break due to calendar conflicts. Today, we welcomed Elena Branet CEO and Founder of Digital Camp a brilliant incentive to get more young people real-world experience within the IT Market. Even during the podcast both Andrew and Jon signed up to be tech mentors as it is something they both massively believe in. Show Notes: Students – Get Cr...

Today, we welcome Cathrine Wilhelmsen Data & Analytics Solutions Architect in Evidi and Microsoft Data Platform MVP. Cathrine shared with us her love of the Microsoft Community and how she got involved to become the first female Microsoft MVP in Norway. Show Notes: Pete Rising - What does it take to become MVP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BwTGd87ppQ

In episode 55 of the Microsoft Spotlight podcast, we were joined by Michelle Wong who is Microsoft MVP and Power Platform Consultant. Michelle shares with us her life experiences within the community and why she got involved. Michelle's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellewongnl/ Microsoft Women In Tech: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9053874/ Spotlight User Group: https://www.meetu...