#empowHER50 – Kathryn Courtney

What if the key to high performance isn’t pressure but permission? Kathryn Courtney is proving that inclusion and impact can thrive side by side. 

At the peak of the pandemic, Kathryn led a high-stakes project with Microsoft OCP —7,000 customized documents, 7 languages, delivered in just 8 weeks. But instead of hiring traditional tech marketers, she chose a different path: assembling a team of 12 recently displaced workers, none with experience in tech or marketing. The project doubled as a crash-course reskilling bootcamp, and not only did the team deliver, but over half transitioned into tech roles afterward many still working with her today. 

This ethos now fuels her work as President and CEO of Mix Consulting, where she’s built a business model that centers humanity without compromising results. Her team has grown 4x, maintained a 90%+ client retention rate, and delivered on global initiatives for companies like Intuit and Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC strategy all while allowing team members to prioritize family, wellness, and life outside the screen. 

“Access to opportunity isn’t just about skill-building; it’s about system-bending creating structures where people who don’t fit the dominant mold can thrive on their own terms.” — Kathryn Courtney 

Kathryn’s formula for success is rooted in values and radical transparency. She builds collaborative systems that flex around people’s lives, uses values like “Grace + Accountability” as a compass for every decision, and maintains open financial models with shared upside and accountability. 

Through it all, she’s showing what’s possible when inclusion is designed into the business model not added on as an afterthought. 

About #empowHER50 campaign

This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50 

To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/  

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#empowHER50 – Trish Millines Dziko

When education is rooted in justice, it doesn’t just teach students—it transforms futures. 

Trish Millines Dziko was a trailblazer long before she became a changemaker. Graduating with a computer science degree in the 1970s—a time when few Black women were seen in tech—she went on to build a successful career in the industry. But in 1996, she walked away from it all to answer a deeper calling: equity in education. 

That leap of faith gave rise to the Technology Access Foundation (TAF)—a nonprofit born from Trish’s belief that students of color deserved full access to the opportunities exploding in tech. What started as an after-school program evolved into a powerful movement for systemic change in public education. 

Under her leadership, TAF created Washington State’s only public school co-managed by a nonprofit and district (Federal Way Public Schools), launched programs to recruit and support teachers of color, and transformed teaching models in public schools across the state. Today, TAF reaches over 33,000 students annually, achieves a 93% graduation rate, and boasts alumni thriving in fields from medicine and law to engineering and entrepreneurship. 

“Centering student voice enables them to chart their own futures.” — Trish Millines Dziko 

Trish’s legacy is rooted in her refusal to accept “good enough” for the next generation. Her three core strategies—partnering with equity-driven organizations, backing bold educators, and engaging students in real-world problem solving—have redefined what inclusive education can look like. 

This is more than a career. It’s her life’s work. 

About #empowHER50 campaign

This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50 

To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/  

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#empowHER50 – Lotte Cordt Ihlemann

When access meets scale, transformation isn’t just possible—it’s unstoppable. 

When the world shifted, Lotte Cordt Ihlemann leaned in with purpose, clarity, and care. As Principal Product Manager for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Lotte has redefined what it means to lead from behind the scenes: not by seeking visibility, but by ensuring that 3,500+ partners across 175 countries have it. 

During the pandemic, when community events were paused, Lotte launched a groundbreaking digital readiness event, expanding reach from 3,000 in-person attendees to over 10,000 global participants. What began as a crisis solution has since evolved into a robust, always-on platform: a living library of product updates, AI innovation, and technical resources now used by partners for internal training and go-to-market readiness. 

“Resources and collaboration transform partners into catalysts for collective impact.” — Lotte Cordt Ihlemann 

From creating Office Hours and launching dynamic YouTube training playlists to nurturing partner dialogue on Viva Engage and LinkedIn, Lotte’s work isn’t just about information—it’s about inclusion. Her approach bridges the gap between Microsoft’s engineering depth and the real-world needs of its global partner community. 

At flagship events like Directions and DynamicsMinds, Lotte continues to spotlight innovation and inclusivity, supporting the Women in Dynamics initiative to amplify gender equity in the partner ecosystem through mentorship and visibility. Most recently, she piloted the Red Carpet initiative, empowering 20 top global partners to integrate AI into their Business Central apps—now scaling to a global audience. 

Her success lies in scale without dilution, strategy without exclusion. With every digital touchpoint, she builds not just access, but advocacy. And with every partner she empowers, she multiplies Microsoft’s global impact—quietly, consistently, and with heart. 

About #empowHER50 campaign

This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50 

To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/  

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#empowHER50 – Sonal Mane

When you design with empathy and scale with intention, access becomes the greatest innovation of all. 

Throughout her 19+ year career—including 12 transformative years at Microsoft and now as a Global Growth Strategy and GTM Executive at Databricks—Sonal Mane has dedicated herself to democratizing access to technology and economic opportunity. Her career arc reflects a bold, consistent mission: reduce friction, amplify equity, and empower every user, customer, and partner to thrive. 

At Microsoft, Sonal helped reinvent user experiences through the launch of the Office 2007 Fluent UX, a foundational shift in how users engaged with productivity software. She later joined Microsoft for Startups, where she witnessed the barriers early-stage founders—especially underrepresented ones—faced in scaling. In response, she created the Startup Predictor, a patented, data-driven model built in collaboration with Bing’s data science team that removed bias from investment decisions and generated over $10M in pipeline revenue. 

At Databricks, Sonal continued her equity-driven innovation by launching the digital self-service charter, enabling more than 200,000 users—including non-technical ones—to onboard, engage, and grow through scalable, AI-led content. This initiative alone helped drive revenue growth and activated thousands of new customers. 

Alongside product innovation, she is leading the partnerships focused on high-potential underserved partners—cutting onboarding time and boosting upskilling that opened the door to new market opportunities. 

Her philosophy? “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” she says. “Give it your best. Be bold. And above all, be kind.” It’s a mindset she applies not only to systems, but to people—especially through her mentorship work with Girls in Tech, PLGTM, and the GTM Alliance. 

From designing inclusive UX at Microsoft to pioneering AI-powered growth strategies at Databricks, Sonal Mane’s work proves that democratizing access isn’t just a business strategy—it’s a personal commitment to ensure everyone has the tools and confidence to lead. 

About #empowHER50 campaign

This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50 

To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/  

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#empowHER50 – Joerose Tharakan

When partnerships are grounded in purpose and empathy, they don’t just drive innovation—they open doors for generations to come. 

 
Joerose Tharakan didn’t just find her voice in the tech world—she helped create a stage where others could rise, too. From navigating Wall Street to shaping Microsoft’s global partner strategy, Joerose has always believed in the power of proximity, purpose, and partnership to unlock human potential. 

Today, as Chief of Staff for Global SI & Advisory Partnerships, she’s helping reimagine Microsoft’s engagement with global service providers in the AI era—ensuring that equity, access, and education are never left behind in the pursuit of innovation. 

Joerose’s journey began in the high-stakes world of capital markets, where she worked as a sales-trader at Lehman Brothers and Nomura International in London. When the 2008 financial collapse hit, she was enlisted into crisis response – to help manage the complex transfer of systems and assets between the two firms. That moment of transformation lit a fire in her: she pivoted careers, earned her MBA at Yale, and joined Microsoft in 2012 through the MACH MBA program, ready to channel the resilience she’d built into impact. 

And impact did follow. From shaping Microsoft’s global partnership strategy to advocating for inclusive economic empowerment, Joerose has become a force behind some of Microsoft’s most meaningful initiatives. A highlight of her career thus far has been helping drive a $3 million investment in CodePath.org through a partnership with Cognizant and Walmart Foundation, expanding tech education access for 7,000 students. 

Outside Microsoft, her leadership echoes just as strongly. As a board member of Ivy Child International and Colby College, she uplifts multicultural education, financial aid expansion, and global inclusion. And as a mentor to early-career professionals, particularly Microsoft Aspire hires, she models the power of showing up, lifting others, and creating space where people feel seen. 

“True greatness lies in the audacity to give without expectations of return, to uplift others with grace, and to create ripples of kindness and empowerment that transform lives.” — Joerose Tharakan 

Joerose’s legacy is one of action over optics, of building systems that center people—not just profit. Her leadership reminds us that inclusion must be intentional, opportunity must be shared, and change must be rooted in community. Through every partnership, boardroom, and mentorship conversation, she proves that kindness and strategy are not opposites—they are allies in lasting change. 

About #empowHER50 campaign

This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50 

To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/  

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