Arpita Dacy

I attribute my success to having the right people in my life - the right mentorship, positive people, and supporters. I wouldn't be able to do what I do without the most amazing family that I have, friends, and community, and so many supporters all over the world. This has been a big journey, and I wouldn't be able to do it by myself. There is no way. Time management and organization have been crucial, as well as giving gratitude. That is the biggest thing I have noticed in every field - giving gratitude to the people who help us get to where we are. There are so many people who take their time of the day, time and resources from their family, to come help us out, and we should never forget to thank them and show gratitude. My involvement with Women Engineers Rise has also been instrumental, as I have been part of this organization for 16 years, first as an undergraduate and now as a mentor on the Professional Advisory Board. Being intentional with my work and having clear goals and milestones for what I want to achieve each year has helped me continue to push forward and think one step ahead.

Find your niche, because IT is huge. There are so many things you can do in IT, from being an engineer to data analyst, to data science, to technical program management, to product management. Find what brings you happiness, where you find joy, where you are excited to work for. When you wake up in the morning, what excites you the most? Continue to work at it, and I know interview processes can be draining, but don't give up. It is basically you marketing and selling your capabilities and what you bring to the table. I think the interview process should be taken as a two-way street. Even when you are in a current position, I never say stop interviewing. I always say continue to constantly interview, whether it is in your own company or in another company, because the world is evolving so fast. In order to continue to grow, you always have to see what's out there, and don't just stop at a point and be like, okay, this is it, because the world is evolving. You never know how soon your position can get automated. It's better to think a step forward and continue to see what you bring to the table that cannot be automated yet. Continue to hone your skills, see what new things, new certifications, or degrees, or any skills that you can acquire, and continue to push for that next step and work towards the next goals. Having milestones for women who are trying to get into tech or excel in tech is something that has worked for me - having a goal every year for what I'm trying to achieve and working towards it and thinking one step ahead. I cannot agree more with networking. Continue to mentor people, and also be a mentee. I still believe that even growing professionals who are in their early career, mid-career, or senior, you never know when you need help. Never stop learning. Tech conferences for women like Grace Hopper are a fantastic way to meet new people, new employers, learn about new skills and techniques, see what projects are out there, what new pilot things and products people are launching. And again, network. I even learn so much about public speaking when I hear how others are speaking and how they speak with authority. If you want people to take you seriously, we have to see what we need to change about the way we're expressing ourselves. That you can do by mentorship, by being mentored, or mentoring, or even networking. Networking is key.

The rapid adoption of AI and automation presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Roles can become automated, which requires staying current through continuous learning, but there is also a significant opportunity to lead in generative AI and responsible AI initiatives. Remaining proactive and adaptable is critical to maintaining relevance and impact in this evolving field.

The most important values to me are empowering women - empowered women empower women - and giving gratitude. I believe that giving gratitude is the biggest thing in every field, because there are so many people who help us get to where we are, and we should never forget to thank them and show gratitude. When we forget to give gratitude, we do a disservice to people who take their time of the day, time and resources from their family, to come help us out. Time management and organization are crucial, as well as being intentional with my work and making sure that my words have weight. It's important to take a step back and really focus on what I'm saying, because there are so many eyes on me at all times, especially as a pageant queen. What I say, what I do, what I post, it all matters and is being watched. The message that I send has to be very positive and help young women or young girls who are looking up to me learn from my own journey. I also believe in using cross-learning from different fields - whether it's my work, my modeling, or being a mother - and applying those lessons across all areas of my life. Having the right people in my life, the right mentorship and positive people, is essential. And finally, showing my daughter that women don't have to constrict themselves to only one thing - we can do whatever we want, we can dream big, and we can achieve our goals as long as we have a clear vision and the right milestones.