Guest post by Natarajan Gayathri TechWomen Mentor, Program Manager at Synopsys, based in the San Francisco Bay Area
Opportunities are like sunrises: If you wait too long, you miss them. – William Arthur Ward
If we go by this, serving as a Professional Mentor for Techwomen 2024 felt like basking in golden sunshine for over three weeks! I first heard about Techwomen just a week before the application deadline, from my wonderful co-worker and long-time Techwomen superstar, Rita Horner (Sr. Director, Product Marketing at Synopsys). After our conversation, I took a few minutes in the breakroom to reflect.
Techwomen is such a brilliant program—an initiative by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs—where women leaders in STEM from Africa, Central/South Asia, and the Middle East are empowered by working with mentors from tech companies. And me?
The first thought that came to mind was: What have I achieved in my life that qualifies me to be someone’s mentor? I tried to answer this question, but my ‘Thought GPT’ kept countering every answer:
- My education? Eh… Everyone has similar degrees.
- My work experience? Hello, I work with a floor full of professionals who are more senior and experienced.
- My experience founding/leading women’s resource groups? Erm… So? How is that mentor-like?
- My experience with Toastmasters? Well, it’s an international organization with 350K members, what makes me special?
- My life as an immigrant in the U.S.? Well, 13% of people in the U.S. are immigrants… So what?
I went back to Rita and said, “I don’t think I’d qualify to be anyone’s mentor—forget these inspiring Emerging Leaders (ELs), who are brilliant representatives of their countries!” She then told me, “The beauty of the Techwomen program is that, as a mentor, not only do you offer something to the ELs, but you also gain so much by interacting with them.” That sealed the deal for me. I thought, well, I may not have much to give, but I can definitely learn from these amazing Emerging Leaders. Thus began my Techwomen journey. I received the email that I’d been selected as a Professional Mentor, met with my fellow co-mentors from Synopsys, attended mentor networking events in the Silicon Valley chapter, and decided: This sunrise of opportunity has arrived—I’m not missing this chance to capture the most beautiful selfie with it!
From Day 1 of the program—welcoming the Emerging Leaders who would work with us, to the final day when we sent them off—Techwomen transformed my professional career.
4 Things I Learned in 4 Weeks with Techwomen:
- Thirst to Learn: My EL came from an architecture/communications background, so I was initially skeptical about how I, from a semiconductor/HW engineering/PMO background, could help her. But every EL came prepared with thoughtful questions for each session and presenter. They connected the dots in contexts they didn’t have prior experience with, and their enthusiasm to learn was infectious.
- Fighting Spirit: Every story I heard from the ELs showed their incredible fighting spirit—how they overcame obstacles, proved doubters wrong, and returned home determined to create lasting change in their countries.
- Clarity in Goals: The ELs were incredibly focused. They knew where they stood, what they wanted out of the program, and they had a full calendar of goals and events. Their sense of purpose was truly inspiring.
- Pride in Their Culture and Identity: The ELs brought rich stories from their cultures, sharing their food, traditions, and personal experiences. Their pride in their heritage was evident, and it helped me realize the strength one can draw from their identity to overcome adversity in life.
4 Tips for New Mentors in the Techwomen Program:
- Your Network is Key: Tap into your network to help your EL. This could be within your organization or your social circle. You can also take them to visit companies or events in your area to help them gain more insights into the tech world.
- Open Up Your Personal Experiences: Share your own stories, what challenges you’ve faced, what’s worked for you, and what hasn’t. Personal stories often resonate more with ELs and spark meaningful conversations that benefit both sides.
- Have Fun While Mentoring: Techwomen mentoring isn’t just about professional growth, it’s also about cultural exchange. Invite the ELs to your cultural experiences, team-building activities, or local tourist spots. For example, I invited my ELs to my home for a South Indian feast during Navaratri, a festival celebrating the Divine Feminine.
- Record Memories and Stay in Touch: This is the age of social media—capture as many photos or videos as you can from the sessions and experiences. Share them online to inspire other mentors and encourage others to apply for the Techwomen program. Keep spreading the joy, the message, and the words about this incredible program.
Techwomen may end after four weeks, but the community it creates continues. I stay in touch with my ELs on LinkedIn and Instagram, exchanging life updates and encouraging each other. This mentorship doesn’t just end with the program; it starts your own circle of support. 
If you’re a new mentor, I hope this write-up encourages you to take the leap and join the Techwomen mentorship program this year. And if you’re an experienced mentor, I hope you can relate to my words.
Opportunities are like sunrises- after almost missing it, I made it right on time. The sun has just risen!
All in all, I started this journey this year, and I see myself continuing this in the years to come!
Natarajan Gayathri is a Program Manager at Synopsys, with a background in electrical and electronics engineering and experience in IC design. She transitioned from a backend physical design engineer role to program management, specializing in areas like synthesis, place and route, static timing analysis, and more. She’s also a certified software product manager and scrum master. Beyond her professional life, Gayathri is an advocate for women in STEM, actively involved in mentorship and leadership roles within professional and community groups like QWomen Bay Area and Toastmasters. She also enjoys singing, crafting, and writing, with a background in classical Carnatic music.
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