Three of our leaders speak about their career journeys and experiences

The FinTech sector needs diverse thinking and experiences to foster greater innovation. Fortunately, elementary school STEM programs and expanding college curriculums are helping lead more girls and young women into once male-dominated tech careers. And forward-thinking companies like InComm Payments are beginning to mine these programs for star performers. To get a personal perspective on the women in technology movement, we spoke to three InComm Payments leaders who are living it every day.

Lakshmi Vitthanala, Senior Vice President, InComm Incentives

Growing up in India, my parents are my true heroes. Though investing in a female child’s higher education was not encouraged in those days, they provided me all the opportunities to explore and excel. Their sacrifice and support shaped my work ethic. I went on to pursue a master’s in mechanical engineering and was a design engineer for several years in India and Singapore. I transitioned to technology as it offered me the flexibility to stay close to my family.

What excites me about technology is that it can create innovative solutions at scale with speed. It enables automation, saving time, effort and money. For technology to move forward, we need diverse perspectives, and that is only possible by increasing women’s participation. I encourage young women to explore careers in technology – there are opportunities, along with support and role models to help them achieve their ambitions.

In my 18 years with InComm Payments, I have been fortunate to lead in multiple roles, delivering on technology and business strategies. I am impressed with our drive to innovate and look forward to seeing more females get out of their comfort zones and participate.

Pam Anderson, Director, I.T. Business Relationships

I’ve always been a problem solver and have worked in technology most of my career. InComm Payments recruited me for positions where I could utilize my skills as a facilitator, communicator and manager to drive I.T. initiatives, and it has been a rewarding eight years here.

Women bring skills to I.T. that make for better collaboration, more innovation and more effective communications. Diversity in the workforce enhances our ability to drive technology. I would definitely encourage young women to go into I.T., knowing you can thrive there. Don’t wait for the perfect fit – go for it and know you will learn as you go. I am truly grateful to those who encouraged and helped me develop.

There are certainly more women in leadership positions now than when I started, and it continues to improve. I think there are more opportunities, particularly in management roles. As we continue our concerted effort to cultivate female talent, it will be a win for technology. As Sheryl Sandberg said, “In the future there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.”

Pragnya Gangapuram, Senior Director, InComm InCentives

I grew up in India and obviously Indira Gandhi was my first hero. I learned through my dad about her leadership, courage, and her ability to transform India into a strong democratic country.

From childhood, I was always passionate about mathematics and science. I wanted to build a career in astronomy. But the Internet boom in the 1990s helped shift my interest toward computer science. I also figured out that everything requires code to work! Technology is the backbone for every field and being a part of that excites me.

Women are going into technology at a greater rate these days. I expect to see more women in leadership roles in the next few years. Kudos to all the leaders who invested in women’s growth in the technology industry. People are seeing that women are equally competent and have great talent to lead the technology transformation.

InComm Payments is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace and is especially proud of these three women leaders who are helping drive innovation every day.

To learn about job opportunities at InComm Payments, visit our careers page.