Pauline Akinyi Otieno, MBA

I attribute my success to hard work, the fierce confidence and believe that I am capable of doing anything and succeeding in it, and that I am a very blessed person. I have pivoted several times in my career and I have been successful because I am not afraid to get in any industry, navigate the environment, learn new skills and become a valuable contributor and leader. I started my career in manufacturing after my Chemical Engineering degree, then transitioned to Oil and Gas, was a Research Tax Consultant in the niche consulting field of R&D Tax credits and Incentives while pursuing my MBA, and then transitioned to Management Consulting after my MBA, with Infosys and Accenture. My work across these industries has provided a strong and diverse foundation that I know is unique, has allowed me to become a subject matter expert across multiple industries and cable me to navigate various roles with ease whether I am working with C-Suite leaders or developers and now leading me to launch my own consulting business, Maziotech LLC.

I have received two great career advices that I think still holds true. the first one one was from a manager who hired in for my Oil and Gas job "Don't chase the money, chase the skills and quality of work. They build credibility. Then the money will follow". "The second one was "the best career rewards are waiting on other side of fear". I think sometimes we tell ourselves no we are are not ready, not because we are not ready but rather because we are afraid of failure or consequences of failure. so I always ask myself, what would I do if I am was not afraid of anything or if I gave myself permission to? so I give myself permission to.

My advice to young women entering the engineering and technology space is to believe in your ability to succeed. I’ve built my career both in engineering and technology spaces and I know that if I didn't believe I would succeed, I would be where I am. And next to believing in yourself, is build a great network of people who will speak your name in rooms you are not in. The latter is going to be just as equally important as you grow in your career. Because that is usually the difference between a promotion, s sponsorship, a great engagement, an exposure, or none. And lastly, learn and get comfortable with the latest new / technologies, understand how they are impacting or disrupting your industry or field of expertise.

One of the biggest opportunities in my field right now is the rapid advancement of AI/Agentic AI, which is fundamentally transforming how we work and solve problems. While this presents some challenges particularly around understanding its limitations and using it responsibly, it also offers incredible potential to enhance and augment many aspects of our work and daily lives. The key is to be intentional about where and how we integrate these technologies, balancing innovation with caution as the space continues to evolve. As a business owner, I working with business leaders to redesign how they reorganize their organizations to deliver work ion this hybrid model of human and Agentic-AI and how govern AI initiatives.

I value professionalism and that is how I show up for my clients. I am of the belief that if you are going to do something, do it right, be reliable and accountable. I am committed to delivering high quality service to my clients and consistently no matter the size of the task, no matter the size of the organization. I also value maintaining a well rounded life by staying active. I love to Pilates and enjoy traveling. At the moment, I am on a quest to explore my 41st state.