Influential Woman · IT

Winnie Mang'eni

Chief Executive Officer, Pawa AI

New York, NY

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Two degrees (specific degrees not named)

Her Story

About Winnie

My career journey has been one of unexpected turns and continuous learning. I started out thinking I would be in banking, but when an opportunity came to shift to tech, I took it. Through my thesis work, I found myself building AI models, and at the same time running a company while also working for large organizations in New York, Seattle, and other places. I have two degrees that helped shape my path, though I never imagined when I started that I would end up in this career. Along the way, I've had incredible mentors who helped me think strategically about where my career could go and how to build and sell technology on both American and global scales. One of the things I'm most passionate about is giving back, especially to women in the executive and leadership space where there are still too few of us. I believe in teaching someone to fish, not just giving them the fish.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Winnie

01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Don't be scared. I feel like the gap with technology is slowly getting easier. Long time ago, to get a developer to build an app would take so much time, but now things are slowly getting easier, so don't get nervous, just dive deep. Sometimes, even with my two degrees, when I started, I didn't know I would end up in this career. I thought I'd be in banking, but an opportunity came and I shifted to tech. Through a thesis, I found myself building AI models and running a company while working for large organizations in New York, Seattle, and other places. To me, it's like, just listen to your gut, and don't be scared. You can never stop learning, so be open to what's coming.

02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I think honesty is a big one. I have to know I can trust you and that I can really believe you, because that's how we get to understand and know each other. One of the hardest things with women is that there's few women in the executive space, and sometimes even in leadership positions there are quite few, so it's hard for them to also bring everybody up. For me, one thing has always been at least just giving back. You need to teach somebody to fish, not give them the fish. Those are the key things that I've seen, truly.

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