#empowHER50 – Santhi Thammineni

For Santhi Thammineni, innovation isn’t just about what we build; it’s about who we build it for.  

From small-town roots to the global tech stage, Santhi’s journey has been fueled by resilience, curiosity, and purpose. A first-generation immigrant and lifelong learner, she has spent over 20 years bridging technical excellence with human impact, rising from software engineer to senior AI leader at Microsoft.  

Her career spans roles at Cyient, Deloitte, T-Mobile, King County, and Snohomish County, with a consistent throughline: using data and AI to create access, solve problems, and empower others. At Microsoft, she leads initiatives that democratize enterprise AI through agent-based solutions, transforming how organizations interact with and leverage their data. She’s also driven adoption of modern data platforms like Synapse and Fabric, unlocking insights at scale and embedding responsible AI practices at every layer.  

“True innovation isn’t measured by code or models—it’s measured by the access we create, the people we uplift, and the lasting impact we leave behind.” — Santhi Thammineni  

Beyond the systems she builds, Santhi invests deeply in people. She founded the Women in Data & AI community, making AI approachable and amplifying diverse perspectives. As Co-Director of Microsoft’s Exploring Leadership Program, she helped over 1,500 employees grow their leadership skills, training facilitators to spread learning across the organization.  

Her approach to impact is anchored in three principles: building inclusive communities where diverse voices thrive, designing accessible AI solutions that empower more people to benefit from technology, and investing in mentorship programs that nurture the next generation of leaders. Through it all, Santhi is proving that the most enduring innovations are measured not in lines of code, but in the lives they transform. 

 
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 – 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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