Nevertheless, She Persisted

Title: Nevertheless, She Persisted: True Stories of Women Leaders in Tech​
Published by: FriesenPress
Release Date: April 17, 2018
Buy the Book: FriesenPressAmazonBarnes & NobleGoogle PlayiBooksKobo

​It is no secret that the technical world is a male-dominated space. From the cultural belief that Computer Science is a “subject for boys”, to the assumptions and discrimination women experience in the field, it can be challenging for women at every stage to thrive in tech careers.

Nevertheless, some high-performing women persist and succeed as leaders in tech despite the gender biases pitted against them. Pratima Rao Gluckman—a female leader in tech herself—embarked on a project to collect stories of the leadership journeys of such women. She wanted to know the details of these women’s stories, and how they accomplished their achievements. What influenced them during their childhoods? Who were their mentors? What successes and failures did they experience? What magical ingredients helped them thrive in a male-dominated industry?

These questions and more inspired Gluckman to interview twenty-three women leaders in several levels of technology industry, including VPs, CEOs and directors, all of which are collected in this groundbreaking book, Nevertheless, She Persisted. Whether you are a young woman thinking of a career in software, a middle-career or executive woman, a parent, or a man curious about the role gender plays in tech, this book reveals the secrets, successes, and hidden struggles that women have endured to become both highly accomplished in their technical skills and effective senior leaders in their organizations. Their stories are illuminating, intended to inspire generations of women and help free our society from the limiting belief that ability is somehow linked to gender.

Meet the Women

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Reviews

What people are saying about Nevertheless, She Persisted: True Stories of Women Leaders in Tech​...

"Nevertheless, She Persisted is highly readable, extremely insightful, and rewarding. By telling the stories of courageous, successful women who work in high tech, Gluckman validates the essential role of the woman in Silicon Valley in a memorable and very relevant way."
Foreword Clarion Reviews

"The author is a perspicacious interviewer and skillfully extracts illuminating insights and fresh perspectives from her subjects."
Kirkus ​Reviews

"Pratima Rao Gluckman has done enormous work in bringing together these stories told by tremendous women who show not only unwavering determination but also deep heart. Their honesty about their experiences pulls back the curtain and shows what it is truly like to be a woman leader in technology. The stories, along with sage morsels of advice, are made all the stronger by the range of personalities and traits these women exhibit, especially interesting are the ones we don’t always think of as typical leader, or female, traits. [...] We can all use the advice given here, wherever we are in our careers."
Danielle Feinberg, Director of Photography, Lighting, Pixar Animation Studios

"What do you want to be when you grow up? So many of us grapple with the multitude of decisions and turning points along the way as we answer this question. For the women and men considering a career in technology, there is nothing more powerful than worthwhile role models. How do you decide to study computing or engineering? What are the important inflection points you will encounter? What decisions will you have to make? How do you ask for what you want? How do you know what you want?

​Pratima takes you into the lives of the extraordinary women she features. Their stories are personal, but they include relevant life and career lessons for all of us. As I read each story, I found myself feeling their pain, cheering on their successes, and learning from some of their difficult choices. Each story brings insight into career trajectories and highlights the importance of mentors and sponsors."
—​Telle Whitney, Former CEO, Anita Borg Institute; Co-founder, Grace Hopper Celebration

"I would like to give a copy of the book to the women in our team, and I'd also like the guys to read it to gain a greater appreciation of unconscious bias."
Ravi Soundararajan, Principal Engineer, VMware

"She is the definition of a strong, humble, inspirational woman in tech and meeting her has helped me overcome a lot of imposter syndrome I've been feeling lately as a young woman in tech.

Her book, "Nevertheless She Persisted" has inspired me more than I can even communicate and has the ability to make a huge impact."
Yasmeen Jassim, Sophomore, Stanford University

“In a world with so many discouraging stories around the state of diversity in technology, I found your book an important contribution to the conversation. It’s critical to recognize the barrier breakers and share their inspirational stories. I found their lessons learned and your takeaways very actionable.”
—Amber Boyle, Director, Diversity and Inclusion VMinclusion, VMware

"I liked your book very much -- especially the message that the life views of strong women are not built overnight. It is a process that requires the support of family, friends, teachers, and colleagues."
Yael Kidron, Director of Character Education, Santa Clara University