At the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing event, promoting diversity is the key theme, and Lisa Dugal, chief diversity officer for PwC Advisory, has advice for all industries about how inclusiveness brings about innovation and profitability.

Dugal joined John Furrier and Jeff Frick, cohosts of theCUBE, from the SiliconANGLE’s Media team, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, to discuss how she is helping women to shatter the glass ceiling in technology.

From then to now

Dugal’s career began many years before women were computer scientists. After earning her B.S. with High Honors from Carnegie Mellon University, she went on to a career in computer science. She told our hosts that her thesis was “Decision making using computers,” which proves that forward thinking is not exclusive to any gender.

Currently, Dugal said she is working with retail and consumer clients to address complex and interesting business issues and opportunities from strategy to execution. “How do you parse through what is the data telling you? How do you use it and turn it into useful information?” she said. Using a combination of measurement and predictive analytics, she is advising retail businesses not only how to use the overall data, but to how to use it to personalize the shopping experience.

A new era of engagement between men and women

Energized to see so many young women interested in technology careers, Dugal said, “In my day, there was no place to go. I was trying to fit into a man’s world.” She related how she would watch sports all weekend so she could be part of the conversation on Monday.

Many women are still being mentored by men, so Dugal’s advice to women: “Take guidance from men, but be yourself and be authentic to who you are. Push yourself to be uncomfortable.” Her advice to men: “Engage in the business conversation with women, be an advocate and be involved; know who and how to help.”

Dugal stated that one of the conversations she has with young women today is their ability to combine sector knowledge with computer science. For example, she told a pre-med student that with all the changes in healthcare, the industry needs good coders, providing the student with new insight into her career direction.

The bottom line

Dugal said that you get a better outcome, better products and better profitability when you include women. Having diversity is good for business performance. She believes that the movement should be away from being equal but to being equitable and based on the outcome or objective.

Watch the full video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of Grace Hopper Celebration of Woman In Computing. And join in on the conversation by CrowdChatting with theCUBE hosts to discuss further the importance of women in the industry.

https://youtu.be/qtBvMvr_yL0

Photo by SiliconANGLE