2026 Career Mentorship Sessions
Leading When the System Is Changing: Human Skills for Technical Leaders in Uncertain Times
Data science is practiced inside systems that are constantly evolving — reorganizations, new technologies, shifting expectations, and accelerating timelines. While tools and models change quickly, the human demands placed on professionals often go unnamed: leading without authority, navigating ambiguity, and making ethical decisions when certainty is unavailable.
This session centers the human skills required to lead well when the system itself is changing.
Drawing from leadership development, organizational change work, and lived experience supporting professionals in high-impact environments, this session explores how data practitioners can cultivate discernment, clarity, and steadiness amid ongoing transformation. This session offers practical leadership lenses that help individuals remain effective during periods of uncertainty.
Participants will learn how unspoken expectations create invisible pressure, and explore how narrative, boundaries, and ethical self-trust function as stabilizing forces in rapidly shifting environments. The emphasis is not on “doing more,” but on leading with greater intentionality and sustainability.
Learning Objectives:
Language to name what is actually difficult about leading through change
A simple framework for navigating uncertainty without burning out
Greater clarity about how their presence and decisions influence systems, even without formal authority
This session is designed for women and gender-diverse professionals in data and adjacent technical fields who are stepping into influence — whether or not their role formally reflects it. It complements technical learning by strengthening the human foundations that allow professionals to adapt, communicate, and lead with integrity as the landscape continues to evolve.
About our Mentor:
Tiffany Dedeaux is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) and leadership development practitioner working at the intersection of organizational change, professional identity, and career transition. She is the founder of **[Sacred Time](https://sacred-time.com/)**, where she partners with professionals navigating complexity, ambiguity, and evolving systems — including leaders and practitioners in technical and data-adjacent fields.
With over 15 years of experience, Tiffany supports individuals and groups as they step into influence, clarify their professional narratives, and lead through change with integrity. Her work prioritizes discernment, clear thinking, and sustainable leadership presence over performance for performance’s sake.
Tiffany holds a Master of Arts in Ecopsychology and Cultural Transformation, grounding her work in a systems-level understanding of how people, roles, and environments shape one another. In addition to her coaching practice, she has held senior volunteer and governance leadership roles within professional associations, leading through restructuring, crisis response, and strategic realignment.
She is a frequent speaker and facilitator for conferences and professional communities, including Women in Data Science events, PyData chapters, and career-focused organizations. Tiffany’s work resonates especially with women and gender-diverse professionals navigating transition, visibility, and influence in data-driven and technical environments
Rethinking Career Planning and Technical Resumes in the Age of AI
AI has changed both the technology job market and how resumes are screened, with employers relying on a mix of applicant tracking systems, human reviewers, and AI‑assisted tools—while many candidates now use AI to generate generic, look‑alike resumes.
This interactive session helps data professionals rethink how they present their work. Instead of long lists of tools and duties, participants will learn how to communicate outcomes, real‑world impact, and capabilities in ways that make sense to both technical and non‑technical reviewers.
Attendees will practice articulating their unique capabilities—the combination of skills, talents, interests, and knowledge that drive their best work—so they can craft resumes and LinkedIn profiles that stand out in an AI‑influenced hiring environment.
Learning Objectives:
In a competitive job market, explore practical career paths that help them build strong data skills over time and move confidently toward a data science role.
Identify the specific capabilities that differentiate them as data professionals and express those clearly on their resumes.
Tailor resume content for different data‑oriented roles (data science, analytics, data engineering, data management, AI/ML, etc.) by providing context for projects and results.
About our Mentor:
Jennifer Hay is a career coach and resume writer specializing in technology, data, and analytics careers. As the founder of Tech Career Services and IT Resume Service, she combines technical expertise with career development experience to help clients define goals, create actionable plans, and present their strengths with confidence. She uses a proprietary career assessment and planning methodology (STIK) to guide students, recent graduates, and mid-career professionals in navigating the tech job market. Jennifer is certified in IT Resume Writing (CRS+IT), Student Career Coaching (CSCC), and holds CBIP credentials in Data Analysis and Business Analytics.
