It’s no secret that women have long been underrepresented in the tech space.
This issue demands our attention, as it not only limits opportunities for women to work, grow, and thrive but also hinders companies in their pursuit of top talent. Although global organizations, policies and programs to address this issue have gained momentum in recent years, there’s work still left to do. In a recent study, women made up just 27.6% of tech jobs in 2022, and a separate study showed that women identifying as Asian or Pacific Islander make up just 7% of the IT workforce and Black and Hispanic women account for 3% and 2%, respectively. The same study found that senior positions have even less representation, women made up 33.8% of entry-level jobs in tech and just 23% of senior-level jobs.
Simply put, we can and must do better.
To amplify and support women’s voices, Cloudera has introduced the Women Leaders in Technology Initiative. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mary Wells, Chief Marketing Officer at Cloudera, and executive sponsor of WLIT, for a conversation about why Cloudera launched this forum, her own experience working in male-dominated industries, and her advice for the next generation.
Mary, your career spans over 25 years across some of the biggest names in the tech industry. Can you share more about your background?
I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the most transformative brands in the technology industry. Before joining Cloudera in 2023, I served as CMO of ASG Technologies, an enterprise management software provider, where I helped shape its growth and eventual acquisition by Rocket Software in 2021. Prior, I held senior marketing leadership roles at trailblazing companies like HPE, Axeda, Kalido, BEA Systems, BroadVision, and Sybase—each of which has played a pivotal role in shaping the tech landscape.
What stands out about these organizations isn’t just their innovative contributions to the industry but their forward-thinking approaches to equity, diversity, and inclusion. That environment not only enabled me to thrive but also solidified my belief in the importance of fostering a culture where all voices are heard.
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Organizational Behavior from Boston College, which laid the foundation for my career. Outside of work, I’m passionate about giving back, serving on boards focused on animal welfare and elder advocacy. These experiences continually remind me that true leadership is rooted in service—a principle I strive to uphold in every decision I make.
Can you tell us more about Women Leaders in Technology (WLIT)—what inspired its creation, and what are your aspirations for the impact it can have on Cloudera’s culture, and the tech industry as a whole?
WLIT is about creating meaningful connections and opportunities for women and allies in tech leadership through networking and collaboration, and it’s about inspiring the next generation of women and girls to see a place for themselves in the industry. Beyond that, it’s a platform for advocating policies and programs that drive real change, helping to build a stronger, more diverse workforce. By nurturing this conversation and leading these conversations, WLIT aims to serve as a model for other organizations, encouraging them to embrace similar initiatives to address these critical issues. What makes WLIT particularly unique is that it is supplemental to the important work of our internal-facing employee resource group, Women+, and WLIT is not confined to Cloudera or limited to an internal audience, it is an industry-wide initiative designed to bring together people across the tech sector, fostering a collective commitment to inclusivity and progress.
Having launched similar initiatives at HPE and ASG Technologies, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power they can have. I’ve seen women lift each other up in board rooms, in leadership rooms, and in every day meetings. With the imperative on us all to lift up underrepresented voices, an encouraging word or helpful piece of feedback can help supercharge a career and give women the confidence to push themselves further.
One moment that stands out to me happened during a meeting with senior leaders at a previous company. When someone questioned the value of such efforts, a male colleague spoke up, saying, “Look around the room—this is why it matters.” His words highlighted the glaring lack of diversity in leadership and underscored how important allyship is to advance these causes. Moments like that remind me that change comes not just from the efforts of underrepresented groups but from allies who recognize the need for progress and actively support it.
At Cloudera, I’m proud to say we already have a strong foundation of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Every executive leader sponsors initiatives designed to elevate employee voices and ensure representation. WLIT builds on this work, amplifying our commitment to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.
For the tech industry as a whole, I hope to see more women not just entering the field but advancing into leadership roles. Additionally, I’ve seen how initiatives like WLIT can lead to real business opportunities—executives have reached out to me directly because of the visibility WLIT provides. Elevating female voices and fostering inclusivity isn’t just about representation; it’s also a business imperative that opens doors to innovation, partnerships, and growth.
Looking back at the first WLIT event Cloudera hosted, what made it memorable, and how did it set the tone for the initiative’s mission?
Cloudera WLIT held its first event at our EVOLVE24 conference in New York, where we came together for a panel of women leaders from across the industry. The panel included Manasi Vartak of Cloudera, Nichola Hammerton of Deutsche Bank, and Melissa Dougherty of AWS. The moderator of the discussion was Zoya Hasan of Forbes, who covers young leaders and the Forbes 30 Under 30 lists, including U30 U.S., Europe, and Local. She also co-authors a weekly newsletter and writes features on young founders. The panel was an in-depth and meaningful discussion about the real challenges women face entering the technology sector, how they can overcome them and the advice they have for their peers and women looking to enter the field.
Mentorship emerged as another pivotal theme among the panelists, with each crediting a mentor for shaping their career paths. These mentors varied widely in background and timing, appearing at different stages of the panelists’ journeys. Yet, one common thread stood out: every mentor created opportunities for learning in a trusted and empowering environment. They also connected mentees with other people, broadening networks to help build a career path in a competitive workforce. For me, this network of teachers, peers, colleagues has enriched my career path tremendously and it is one of the key values I see a program like WLIT providing for others.
The event was inspiring, informative, and a celebration of the successful careers women can have in tech. I’m looking forward to more events, forums, and conversations coming up in 2025.
Throughout your career, mentorship has clearly played a pivotal role. Can you share a story about a mentor who had an impact on you?
I started my career working on the HR side of a company in their local regional office. I had a double major in HR and marketing, but I was just starting out and still figuring out where I wanted to go. The regional vice president of sales had an office nearby, and we’d often chat in the kitchen. At first, our roles didn’t really overlap, but he found out I went to Boston College and that I was one of the few women in the school of management at the time. That seemed to shift his perspective of me—he realized I had established myself even though I was a junior employee.
Soon after, he started asking me to help with small projects outside of HR. I remember him asking, “Can you help with this database?” I said, “I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out.” That became a pattern—he’d hand me something new, and I’d find a way to make it work. One day, he asked if I knew what a 10-K report was. I deadpanned, “I think it’s a road race.” He started explaining, but I cut him off and said, “I know what a 10-K report is.” That little bit of humor and confidence helped solidify our relationship, and he became my first and best mentor.
He believed in me in ways that gave me the confidence to take on challenges. I remember him asking me to present an insurance sales play to the entire sales team—this was when I had been in marketing for what felt like all of three seconds! But with his support, I felt validated and ready to stretch far beyond my comfort zone.
He saw me for my potential and abilities, and that made all the difference. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had that kind of mentorship so early in my career—it set the tone for how I wanted to lead and mentor others in the years that followed.
For women – and allies – aspiring to build careers in technology, what is the one piece of advice you believe can help them navigate challenges and seize opportunities in the industry?
“Do it afraid.” Whatever “it” is for you—whether it’s speaking up in a meeting, applying for a role you’re not sure you’re qualified for, or taking on a new challenge—don’t let doubt hold you back. Everyone faces moments of self-doubt, and imposter syndrome is something most of us at some point in our careers have felt. Please remember- those feelings don’t define you or your abilities.
To learn more about Cloudera’s WLIT initiative, join the LinkedIn group and get involved, and visit our website, here.
