Sue Ulintz

I attribute my success to following my gut and not being afraid to take a non-linear path in my career. From the very beginning, I was interested in technology, organizing things, and teaching, which has been a consistent thread throughout my journey. I've always been willing to take chances and pivot when something wasn't working. When I recognized I needed time before settling down, I took a gap year and traveled through Southeast Asia, teaching English in Bangkok. When I realized sales wasn't fulfilling me anymore, I transitioned into technical pre-sales consulting. I've always been focused on building relationships rather than just transactions, which has served me well in B2B environments. I had mentors who took chances on me, like the boss who hired me on the spot when I told him I was willing, capable, and would make it happen. I come from a strong line of women who are teachers, and my mother was my first example of leadership, perseverance, and strength in a woman. She was a strong first-wave feminist back in the early 70s, and I grew up with two sisters in a female-positive environment where we always believed we are capable and can do anything. That foundation gave me the confidence to keep expanding my knowledge and never rest on my laurels. I want to remain relevant to the new directions technology is going, particularly around AI and database management tools that simplify and unify how people work. I don't believe AI will take our jobs, but rather expand our ability, and I'm committed to continuing to learn and making technology accessible to everyone.

The most important lesson I've learned is that mentors will show up throughout your career, and it's up to you to take advantage of access to them, even though they won't necessarily be in your life a long time. Sometimes it's just a very timely moment. I had a boss who took a chance on me and hired me on the spot during my first interview. He asked me to imagine he was the person who could make the decision whether I was hired or not, and what would I say to them. I told him I was willing, capable, and would make it happen. He said okay, and told me HR would call in 20 minutes to make the offer. That guy continued to be my mentor for many years, and even though I don't talk to him frequently, we talk enough and it's worth it. But I would also love to shine a spotlight on my mother, who was truly the most impactful person in my journey. She was the first example of leadership, perseverance, and strength in a woman. In my town, she started a feminist organization back in the early 70s, and we always had this female-positive perspective on life. I grew up with two sisters and was surrounded by successful women. That's why I never questioned that women are capable. I come from a strong line of women who are teachers. All three of us girls have ended up being teachers in some manner. My older sister was a professor of pre-law and has been a divorce lawyer for 40 years and is now a judge. My younger sister built an entire organization based on training where she builds people up. My mom, as dorky as it sounds, really was the most impactful. I'm forever grateful for all the amazing people who have been a support, an inspiration, and who have helped me dream big and attain my goals by never believing I was less than capable.

My advice to young women is that the path you take can absolutely be informed by your gut. You don't have to follow the path the way you see everybody else doing it. You're able to take skills that you've earned and parlay them into a totally different direction that feels more aligned to who you are. That's exactly what I've done. I think it's even more possible now than maybe it was 20 years ago, because there are significantly more women in tech. I don't want to say not a barrier, but it is significantly less of one - take advantage of it! You can absolutely thrive by following your passion and continuing to remain relevant by expanding your own knowledge and expertise. My mantra is: "Make your decision; the rest is details."

The biggest opportunity in my field right now is around AI and how it will transform technology management. I'm focused on database management tools that allow customers to unify and manage multiple databases, whether open source or commercial, from a single location. We're making it possible for people who have specialized skills to also manage things they don't have skills in, which is going to simplify and unify the way people in large organizations do their work. This is going to require and enable AI on both sides. I do not believe that AI is going to take all of our jobs. What I think it's going to do is expand our ability. AI's not going to directly take your job, but someone who knows AI may. That's why I'm interested in continuing to learn and expand my knowledge. My goal is to continue learning how to streamline processes making tools accessible to everybody. I want to learn how to make it easier for people and really connect the technology with the right people. That's why I'm excited about my new role as an advisory board member for the Women in Leadership with AI Driven Engagement business program at the University of New Haven, where I can help others navigate these changes.

The most important values to me are continuous learning, giving back, and making technology accessible to everyone. I'm not interested in just sitting back and resting on any laurels whatsoever. I want to remain relevant to the new directions that technology is going and continue expanding my knowledge. I believe in building relationships rather than just focusing on transactions, which has been central to my approach throughout my career. I value the ability to teach and empower others, which is why my role as a board member for women in technology is so meaningful to me. It's a wonderful feeling that I can give back to people who are interested in being women in technology and making change within their organizations. I also deeply value the strength and perseverance I learned from the women in my family. Growing up in a women-positive environment where we always believed we are capable and can do anything has shaped who I am. I believe in following your gut, taking non-linear paths, and not being limited by traditional expectations. I'm passionate about simplifying complex technology and making tools accessible to everybody, bridging the gap between technical and non-technical audiences. At my core, I value creativity, storytelling, and the ability to synthesize different perspectives to connect technology with the right people.