Science Center Hall B & Gather Streaming Room

Featuring: Karen Akinsanya (President, Head of Therapeutics R&D and Chief Strategy Officer, Partnerships @ Schrödinger, Inc.), Bonnie Titone (EVP and Chief Administrative Officer @ Duke Energy), and Lucina Tse (COO and Co-President @ Dimagi)

Join us for an inspiring discussion featuring distinguished leaders in innovation and entrepreneurship. With perspectives ranging from expertise in fostering invention education, knowledge of the intersection of AI and invention, and advocating for the accessibility of innovation, this panel will empower the next generation of innovators.

Science Center Hall C

Featuring: Edie Cheng (Director of Programs @ NCWIT)(Director of Programs @ NCWIT)

In her role, Edie leads and champions nationally recognized initiatives such as the Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Award, which has empowered thousands of students across the country to pursue and thrive in technology. Edie started her career in software development and has worked in startups, for-profits, and non-profits. In this fireside chat, we explore Edie’s journey to NCWIT, the impact of her work, and why building more inclusive pathways in tech matters now more than ever.

Science Center Hall D

Featuring: Angela Hu (Senior Product Manager at Spotify)

What does it actually mean to build machine learning products at one of the world’s largest personalization platforms? In this talk, Angela Hu, Senior Product Manager on Spotify’s Personalization team, will take you behind the scenes of machine learning product management. Drawing from her experience working on Home recommendation systems and launching new experiences like audiobooks, Angela will break down what ML PMs really do — from defining user problems and shaping experimentation strategy to partnering with engineering, design, and data science. She’ll also share her path into ML product management — starting with a business background, working in telecom, and breaking into tech without a formal technical degree. Attendees will learn how ML product management differs from traditional PM roles, the challenges of working on recommendation systems, when not to use machine learning, and practical advice for breaking into the field. Whether you’re technical, non-technical, or still figuring it out, this session will offer an honest look at building ML products that millions of users interact with every day.

Science Center Hall A

Featuring: Fatima Taj (Senior Software Engineer at Yelp)

The technical interview process is more competitive than ever. Having navigated it myself this year, I’ve seen firsthand just how intense the market has become—and how success often hinges on more than just solving coding problems. At the same time, as someone who has interviewed and coached countless candidates, I know exactly what differentiates those who walk away with offers from those who don’t. This session is the most holistic, end-to-end guide to technical interviews you’ll ever attend. We’ll cover the entire journey: from building your network and preparing before the first recruiter call, to standing out during behavioral, coding, and system design rounds, to handling rejections, multiple offers, and negotiations with confidence. Along the way, I’ll share concrete strategies, templates, and stories—drawn from both sides of the table—that reveal the little things strong candidates do differently to stand out. You’ll leave not just with a roadmap for interview prep, but with the practical tools and confidence to navigate every stage of the process—and maximize your chances of landing the offer.

Gather Speaking Room 1

Featuring: Charity Wanjiku (Senior Project Manager for East Africa at Africa Data Centres)

The technical interview process is more competitive than ever. Having navigated it myself this year, I’ve seen firsthand just how intense the market has become—and how success often hinges on more than just solving coding problems. At the same time, as someone who has interviewed and coached countless candidates, I know exactly what differentiates those who walk away with offers from those who don’t. This session is the most holistic, end-to-end guide to technical interviews you’ll ever attend. We’ll cover the entire journey: from building your network and preparing before the first recruiter call, to standing out during behavioral, coding, and system design rounds, to handling rejections, multiple offers, and negotiations with confidence. Along the way, I’ll share concrete strategies, templates, and stories—drawn from both sides of the table—that reveal the little things strong candidates do differently to stand out. You’ll leave not just with a roadmap for interview prep, but with the practical tools and confidence to navigate every stage of the process—and maximize your chances of landing the offer.

Science Center Hall B & Gather Streaming Room

Featuring: Angela Hu (Senior Product Manager at Spotify), Fatime Taj (Senior Software Engineer at Yelp), Nalia Khan (Software Engineering Manager at Google), Sonia Bendre (Associate Product Manager at Databricks)

Interested in building the products and systems that power today’s most impactful technologies? Join our Software Engineering & Product Management Panel, featuring leaders from across engineering and product! Panelists will share insights into their career paths, day-to-day work, and experiences building scalable, user-focused products – from machine learning platforms to consumer-facing applications.

Science Center Hall C

Featuring: Tammarrian Rogers (Founder/Engineering Leader @ Sarell, LTD)

Join us for an intimate fireside chat with Tammarrian Rogers, Founder of Sarell and former Engineering Leader at Microsoft and SnapSnap, as she shares her journey to founding her own company rooted in trust, safety, and values-driven engineering. In this conversation, Tammarrian will reflect on what inspired her to start Sarell, how her experiences working in big tech shaped her approach to leadership, and what it’s really like to build a team and culture from the ground up. We’ll also explore her broader commitment to creating safer, more equitable spaces in tech, as well as her experiences navigating leadership as a woman in tech.

Science Center Hall D

Featuring: Karen Akinsanya (President, Head of Therapeutics R&D and Chief Strategy Officer, Partnerships @ Schrödinger, Inc.)

Coming Soon…

Featuring: Anita Schjøll Abildgaard (Co-Founder and CEO of Iris.ai)

Gather Speaking Room 1

Anita Schjøll Abildgaard founded Iris.ai, an AI company, over 10 years ago. AI was not something most people know anything about, and at that point, neither did she. 10 years, a lot of ups and downs later, the company is in a unique position globally, Anita has deep and solid experience and will join WECode to talk about the journey, the company today, and some personal reflections on entrepreneurship, AI, leadership - and anything else you’d want to her to talk about. She’d be excited to take questions on the fly and co-create the talk with you in the audience.