UCISA WiT23

I fell into my Higher Education IT (and overall tech) career at the University of Leeds IT Service Desk in 2012, transitioned to Application Support as an IT Operational Lead in 2021 and now Interim Application Support Manager as of March 2023. From my career and life experiences, I am passionate about customer service, mental health, equality, equity and diversity within the HE and Tech community (and beyond!)

Vicky has 14 years of experience at the University of York, initially as a library assistant then moving to IT. With a diverse background spanning roles such as museum guide, barista, and ear piercer, she brings a unique perspective to her strong focus on customer service and advocacy for diversity within IT. As co-chair of the Gender Equality Group, Vicky is dedicated to implementing a range of strategies to enhance diversity within the IT sector.

I joined Westminster in 2006 in a temporary role, and so many opportunities came up that I took advantage of I’m still here in 2023. Having started in Registry and student-facing roles, I’ve moved into IT and now can’t picture doing anything else.

IT Service Desk Manager with over 18 years’ experience in delivering customer service. Over 10 years’ experience in Higher Education, operating and managing a complex IT Service Desk based on the ITIL framework, supporting circa 34,000 students and 3500 plus staff.

Tanaz is the Chief Revenue Officer at Roc, where she is responsible for driving the company's revenue and growth strategy. With a career spanning over 20 years in the IT industry, she has worked in various roles such as training and consulting, engineering, solution architecture, operations, sales, and general management. Before joining Roc, Tanaz was the Commercial and Solutions Director for Claranet UK's cloud business, where she led a diverse team of customer-facing sales, portfolio, and technical professionals. Tanaz is passionate about technology and an advocate for women in the industry. She mentors members of the Girls' Network and speaks at schools to encourage young women to pursue careers in tech. She firmly believes in the power of technology to transform businesses and society for the better. Originally from Germany, Tanaz moved to the UK in 2007, where she currently resides with her husband and children in SW London

Katie is the Head of Digital Research at the University of Aberdeen, part of Digital and Information Services with a remit of supporting Researchers with their digital needs, as well as being HDRUK Scottish Node Co-Director. She was a key player in setting up the ISO27001 Accredited Grampian Safe Haven (DaSH) TRE.

Having started as an “accidental” project manager, Kristiane found her calling in this profession. With the intention to keep things ticking over in a safe role when returning from maternity leave, Kristiane realised that motherhood could be a career-enabler as much as a blocker. Following a move into the Higher Education sector, she is now Assistant Director for Project and Programme Delivery at the University of Sussex.

I’ve been working in IT since 1993 starting off as a Microsoft application trainer, moving into desktop support, server support and virtual environments. I’ve been in my current role for the last 4 years. My teams are responsible for the virtual and physical infrastructure at UWE, including Unified Communications.

Becca Ferrari is an educational leader at the University of Nottingham, focusing on transforming higher education through the integration of digital capabilities and EDI principles in higher education. She holds leadership roles aimed at enhancing educational experiences with a strong emphasis on sustainable design and digital innovation. Her work in developing team-based educational strategies and fostering digital readiness prepares students for the dynamic demands of the modern workplace, positioning her at the forefront of educational development and innovation.

I am Business Systems Manager, working in Leeds Beckett University, West Yorkshire. I am managing a team of software developers and system analysts by day and doing freelancing photography on weekends. Throughout my career I have worked on all sides of software development, although Relational Databases have always been my passion.

After finishing a BA in textiles and some facilities & PA work I found myself at Leeds University in 2010 managing faculty timetables. I snuck into IT after a restructure in 2016 and completed a whirlwind course of shadowing most teams and then settled in Client IT for a few years. I joined the Server team in 2019 and then M365 team in 2021. I then made the leap to management as IT operational Lead 9 months later. I can't help but be enthusiastic about understanding people, building others self-confidence, Halloween, communication and creative problem solving.