Celebrating Women in Tech: An Interview with Qgiv’s Female Leaders

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Melaina Chromy

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In honor of Women’s History Month we’re celebrating the amazing achievements of women in tech. Here at Qgiv, we have dozens of incredible women to celebrate and recognize—their achievements and hard work have helped advance us as a tech company in the nonprofit sector. 

Something you may not realize is that despite women making up almost half (47%) of the US workforce, they hold less than one-third (28%) of the leadership positions in tech. Women also hold only 25% of C-suite positions.

We’re proud to say that women make up 40% of Qgiv’s executive team! ? In addition to devoting ourselves to the professional development of female leaders, we want to take a moment to appreciate the women whose work plays an integral role in Qgiv’s day-to-day operations. Keep reading to be inspired and learn a little more about the women shaping Qgiv!  

Meet Laura Ashley Sank, Human Resources Business Partner ? 

Laura Ashley Sank Headshot

Qgiv: What does it mean to you to be a female leader at Qgiv and a leader in the tech industry?

Laura: It means that I get to fulfill a passion for helping others while also allowing the next generation of little brown girls to see that they can reach their goals. No matter what industry or passion they have, or what the majority looks like in those areas, they can still achieve their goals and become the leader they want to be.

Qgiv: What have you accomplished during your time at Qgiv that you are most proud of? 

Laura: As I think back over my first year with Qgiv, my proud moments are all connected to feeling part of the community our company has.  

When you are in HR people tend to edit themselves when you are around or stop all fun if you walk into a room.  That is far from the case with Qgiv and I love that! I get to be HUMAN but also a resource; this allows me to be effective at fostering the “people” function of my role and become someone that everyone can trust and also be themselves around.   

That is what it’s about for me, having a space where everyone can come to work and just exist—all while while helping so many amazing organizations reach the masses! 

Qgiv: What about Qgiv’s culture do you think helps foster and promote female leadership? 

Laura: There are no traditional corporate politics here. When we discuss leadership or development, gender doesn’t enter the conversation. What we try and focus on is who is best equipped to handle those nonverbal and nuanced tasks that come with being a leader in today’s workplace. We work to develop those who express interest or that we see potential in. Age, race, gender, mental disability —none of that matters. Passion for your discipline and for what we do and the nonprofits we serve is what drives us.

We focus on our 7 core values as a guide, not who you know or how long you have been around. This organically allows us to select individuals that will be the most successful in our space at all levels of the organization—not just leaders.  

Now as you notice, we have quite a few females in our ranks at all levels. It starts with hiring from a diverse pool, which is a recent and intentional practice of ours. The executive leaders are brought into that focus, so it filters down and truly levels the playing field when it comes time for promotions because we have done the work upfront!  

Qgiv: What advice would you give to a woman aspiring to become a tech company leader?  

 Laura: TAKE UP SPACE HONEY!! One of my mentors told me a long time ago that as women we tend to try and give space to others—our spouse, kids, family, coworkers, etc. When you are in your career space, that is NOT the time to give your space away, that is the time to OWN your space! Believe that you bring something to the table/team; so, when you are invited into a space (especially one that you are hired to be “the expert” in) share what you know, show your passion and take up the space in the chair, in the room, or on the Zoom!  

Leadership is changing and those that can speak with passion and knowledge, while also helping bring up those around them, are taking over. Women have long done this work behind the scenes, but we aren’t resigned to that anymore. We are at the heads of tables, so I say to aspiring women: OWN YOUR SPACE!

Meet Jenny Kastancuk, Senior Account Executive ? 

Jenny Kastancuk Headshot

Qgiv: What does it mean to you to be a female leader at Qgiv and a leader in the tech industry?

Jenny: It’s an honor to be considered a female leader at Qgiv. When I started at Qgiv six years ago I was the only woman on the sales team. Since then, our team has almost tripled with more than half of us being women today! It means the world to me and makes me so proud to watch as our team has grown and evolved over the years.

Qgiv: What have you accomplished during your time at Qgiv that you are most proud of? 

Jenny: The professional growth I’ve experienced in my role is absolutely what I’m most proud of. I started as the youngest and only woman on the Sales team as a Business Development Representative setting appointments for the Account Executives. In the past six years, I have worked my way to being one of the most senior Account Executives and recently had the honor of being a speaker at the 2023 Qgiv Conference.

Qgiv: What about Qgiv’s culture do you think helps foster and promote female leadership?  

Jenny: Its Qgiv’s inclusivity! Having multiple powerful women in leadership roles at Qgiv since the day I started, in my opinion, helps foster/promote female leadership. It has been invaluable to me to have women like our VP of Customer Experience, Jennifer Mansfield, and our VP of Marketing, Jessica Cronk, in leadership roles that I can look up to and have as mentors guiding me and helping me grow personally and professionally.

Qgiv: What advice would you give to a woman aspiring to become a tech company leader?  

Jenny: Be confident in your voice. Be direct in your communication. Go for what you want and do not be afraid to ask for the opportunity to prove yourself.  Know that being a woman has nothing to do with your ability to be successful or to be a leader.

Meet Valerie Mantz, Customer Experience Manager ? 

Valerie Mantz

Qgiv: What does it mean to you to be a female leader at Qgiv and a leader in the tech industry?

Valerie: Being a female leader in tech means to me that we’re continually moving in the right direction – at the end of the day, female leaders in tech are simply leaders in tech. However, I’m so thankful to see female leaders receiving the celebration they deserve! Transitioning into this leadership position means so much to me – it’s a manifestation of the challenges I’ve faced that have helped mold me into the person I am today. It’s a representation of the passion, drive, and persistence I’ve invested into myself through years of education and experience. And lastly, it’s a sign of courage. Leadership can be really hard, especially as a woman – it’s pushed me and empowered me in ways I never expected it to – but those challenges end up either the most satisfying wins or essential learning opportunities – I’m grateful for both!

Qgiv: What have you accomplished during your time at Qgiv that you are most proud of? 

Valerie: I’m so proud of the team that I’ve helped build and develop, as well as the team culture that’s developed organically! I meet 1:1 with each team member consistently to dig into granular coaching opportunities, and to discuss overall growth and development. This team pushes themselves and each other without prompts, proactively asks for feedback, shares their wins and celebrate the wins of their teammates, and are always collaborating or sharing mistakes to improve the group – all of this, and they do it with a smile on their face. Being a leader to this team, experiencing and facilitating their growth, and recognizing their achievements inspires me daily and I’m immensely grateful.

Qgiv: What about Qgiv’s culture do you think helps foster and promote female leadership? 

Valerie: Qgiv culture IS kindness and inclusion, it’s what brought me to Qgiv! We don’t see people for their gender, age, race – we see what insight and diversity they can bring to the table, and how aligned with our core values they are. One specific element that I think helps foster female leadership is how we all recognize ALL wins, because we know the wins of others don’t diminish our own. As a woman, many of us grew up learning to compare ourselves to everyone else. Qgiv is full of women supporting women, and humans supporting humans, and I think that’s a huge factor here.

Qgiv: What advice would you give to a woman aspiring to become a tech company leader?  

Valerie: My advice to a woman aspiring to become a tech company leader is be confident, be introspective, and set BOUNDARIES! As a young adult that worked mostly in male-dominated industries and companies, looking back, I was quiet, reserved, and lacked respect for myself for WAY too long. After lots of self-work, I’ve finally been able to unravel the stigmas I grew up believing and am re-learning how powerful and valuable my opinion is, the importance of looking inward and applying feedback, and the absolute need for boundaries! It can be so easy to skip lunch or overwork yourself as a leader, especially if you’ve ever felt the need to prove yourself – but taking care of yourself allows you to show up and perform the way you were intended long term.

Meet Sandra Munoz, Director of Product – Fundraising ? 

Sandra Munoz Headshot

Qgiv: How did you end up working in the tech industry?  

Sandra: Since I was little, I have always been interested in computers. They intrigued me and I was good at it naturally. I had family members who were electrical engineers that encouraged me to follow the engineering path. I ended up choosing software engineering over electrical because of my interest in computers. 

Qgiv: What advice would you give to a young woman interested in software engineering? 

Sandra: My biggest advice would be to not get intimidated by the field. Seeing a field that’s dominated by men can be very intimidating and make you second guess yourself. If you’re interested in software engineering, jump in–you’ll be good at it! Women can bring a different viewpoint and a problem-solving skillset that’s needed within the field. I’m already seeing so many more women enter the field, and I hope to see this shift even more! 

Qgiv: What have you accomplished during your time at Qgiv that you are most proud of? 

Sandra: One of the things I’m most proud of is helping develop Qgiv’s original peer-to-peer fundraising system. When I came on board, our peer-to-peer system didn’t exist. It was my first big project. I was just out of school and there was so much I had to learn. When we released it, it was one of the proudest moments of my career.  

Qgiv: What about Qgiv’s culture do you think helps foster and promote female leadership? 

Sandra: If you’re good at your job, there’s always a path to leadership within the organization. This really helps foster and promote the growth of female leaders since we have the same chances of growth.  

Meet Jessica Cronk, Vice President of Marketing ?  

Jessica Cronk Headshot

Qgiv: What have you accomplished during your time at Qgiv that you are most proud of? 

Jess: I am most proud of developing a team of stellar marketers to better support our customers and our company’s departmental goals. I take a special interest in coaching and developing young marketing professionals, focusing on expanding their skillsets and wellbeing, as well as leadership skills.  

Qgiv: What advice would you give to a woman aspiring to become a tech company leader? 

Jess: Your voice matters. I want to encourage every woman to dismiss that inner voice or those that say you don’t belong—you do. Ask questions. Bring new ideas to the table. Challenge your colleagues and leaders. Don’t let anyone tell you that you are being “too this” or “too that.” Take “being bossy” as a compliment. Your perspective is unique. The next best idea for your company may come from you! 

Qgiv: What about Qgiv’s culture do you think helps foster and promote female leadership? 

Jess: Our core values at Qgiv foster an inclusive and highly collaborative environment, specifically our values of respect and openness. In addition, Qgiv promotes a flexible work environment to support a healthy work/life balance. Women often take on the role of the primary caretaker within their household, and Qgiv understands that family needs arise when you least expect it.  

I am very passionate about my career, and during my time at Qgiv I became a new mom. Throughout my maternity leave and the years that followed, many team members reached out to offer their support and advice. Qgiv provided an environment where I felt comfortable sharing my challenges with the leadership team, and I always felt like I had the support I needed to navigate this new phase in my life.  

Meet Cristina Ordaz, Senior UI/UX Designer ? 

Cristina Ordaz Headshot

Qgiv: When did you first develop a love for user experience and design? 

Cristina: I was incredibly lucky because early on I had an amazing opportunity to simultaneously work part time with both a marketing agency and with a UX agency. I was the sole designer for many of the websites I worked on with the marketing agency and so I felt this ownership over the projects. That ownership changed my definition of what “design” even meant. I became much more interested in who was using the website, why they were using it, and how.  

Qgiv: What have you accomplished during your time at Qgiv that you are most proud of?  

Cristina: I’m so proud of our redesigned donation forms! The redesign was a product of so much feedback, research, data, collaboration, love, and sweat. We were able to use what we’d learned about charitable giving and combine it with proven best practices to create a new iteration of our form, something modern and effective. 

Qgiv: What about Qgiv’s culture do you think helps foster and promote female leadership? 

Cristina: I think when anyone shows an interest or inclination toward leadership, Qgiv does its best to foster and nurture that drive. Our team has a safe environment to practice and explore different aspects and levels of leadership with support and mentorship readily available.   

Meet Jennifer Mansfield, Vice President of Customer Experience ? 

Jennifer Mansfield Headshot

Qgiv: How did you end up working in the tech industry? 

Jennifer: I was doing marketing for a theme park in 2008 and due to a series of unfortunate events I found myself without a job in 2009 (anyone else?). After a few months without a job, I was open to anything and happened to stumble upon a job at Qgiv. Turns out I landed exactly where I should be and next year I’ll be celebrating 13 years with Qgiv! 

Qgiv: What have you accomplished during your time at Qgiv that you are most proud of? 

Jennifer: When I started at Qgiv there were only seven employees and no REAL Customer Experience department. I was trusted to build this department from the ground up and I have learned so much along the way! Growing with this company has been one of the true joys of my life thus far. 

Qgiv: What about Qgiv’s culture do you think helps foster and promote female leadership? 

Jennifer: Everyone has a voice at the table at Qgiv. On top of that our CEO, Todd, is a phenomenal mentor and has never made me feel like being a female has anything to do with my ability to lead. 

Conclusion 

We’re so proud of all these women and the role they’ve had in shaping Qgiv. To continue to uplift women in technology and women in philanthropy we’ve linked to the websites of some of our favorite collaborators and partners below. Check them out and don’t forget to show the women in your life some extra love this month, and throughout the year! ? 

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About the Author

Melaina Chromy

Melaina is Qgiv's PR & Communications Manager. Before coming to Qgiv, she worked as a director of annual giving and used her digital marketing savvy to lead several successful giving days. When she's not at Qgiv coordinating brand awareness campaigns, she can be found binge-watching Parks and Rec and taking photos of everyone else's pets.

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