#shespeaks by Dee Nacar

Furkan Karayel is a multi-award-winning diversity & inclusion leader, author of Inclusive Intelligence, and founder of Diversein.com. With a background in software engineering across global tech organisations, Furkan brings rare credibility at the intersection of technical expertise and inclusive leadership, helping companies build workplaces that are both high-performing and deeply human.

Violet Snell is a machine learning & AI leader whose career bridges rigorous academia and real-world impact. With an Oxford Engineering & Computer Science degree, a PhD in Computer Vision from Surrey’s CVSSP, and hands-on stints across research and software engineering, Violet pairs scientific depth with product pragmatism. She’s led AI for high-stakes domains — from medical imaging and fraud detection to road-safety systems that spot mobile use and seatbelt non-compliance — and brings a clear, ethical lens to how AI is built and deployed.

Magdalene Amegashitsi is a trailblazing Data & AI strategist with 10+ years helping organisations turn complex data into clear strategy. With an academic foundation in econometrics and a career spanning advanced analytics, machine learning, and digital transformation, she pairs technical depth with a values-first lens. She’s also the founder of the Global Queens Community, focused on bridging the gap between the underrepresented and the thriving, and is also now launching her own data & AI venture!

Meri Williams is the CTO at Pleo, a fintech scale-up reimagining how businesses manage spending across teams. With an impressive leadership track record at Monzo, Healx, and in government, Meri brings deep technical expertise and a bold, people-first approach to engineering at scale.

Dr Claire Knight is the VP of Engineering at Odin, a platform redefining how operator-angels and communities invest in early-stage startups. With leadership experience at GitHub, Netlify, and beyond, Claire brings decades of engineering expertise and a refreshingly honest take on what it really means to thrive in tech.

Jessica is the Chief Technology Officer at Puraffinity, where she leads the charge in developing novel media to remove harmful PFAS chemicals from water. Her mission is rooted in impact—using engineering to create real environmental and societal change.

Dr. Paulina Cecula is a physician and entrepreneur, currently co-founder of Dama Health and also works as a doctor at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

Carmel is the CEO of an innovative BioTech company, Bioventure Works, building a number of early stage ventures and job development programs.