Empower Tech,

Empower Women

SpeakUp. Inspire. Lead

Partner with us

Our Mission

Join The Event

The newest initiative of DevTalks Romania

EMPOWER is an initiative dedicated to creating a more inclusive, supportive and actionable environment for women in technology & in business. An event concept with one day agenda and an innovative exhibition area, built as a learning environment and designed to cover a wide range of aspects that women face every day, professionally.

As an attendee and a supporter of Empower, you'll be able to explore career coaching sessions, leadership talks, upgrade your negotiation skills or meet worldwide known speakers.

EMPOWER welcomes all women in tech, C-level executives, entrepreneurs and young professionals. All men are welcomed as well and we encourage their presence.

Join The Event

Event Speakers

Steliana Moraru

Stage Moderator
@Empower

Marian Andrei

Stage Moderator
@Empower

Audrey Colle

Partner Director of Engineering in Microsoft Azure
@Microsoft

Alexandra Stancu

Talent Attraction and Employer Branding Expert
@Catalyst Solutions

Alina Pacurar

Principal Quality Assurance Engineer
@Thoughtworks

Alexandra Bogdanescu

SAP Delivery Excellence Lead
@MHP Romania

Amy Lynch

Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Europe
@Thoughtworks

Anca Florea

Head of Consulting
@Trend Consult Group

Claudia Manescu

Engineering Manager
@Electronic Arts Romania

Georgiana Flamindu

Diversity & Inclusion, Dual Education Project Manager
@Renault Group Romania

Glenn Anderson

Professional Public Speaker
@Glenn Anderson Speaks

Lavinia Neagoe

Director of Engineering & Bucharest Technology Site Lead / Chapter Director Women in Tech Romania
@Google

Dragos Gheban

Managing Partner
@Catalyst Solution

Roxana Elena Vasile

Development Director
@Finastra

Toni Collis

CEO
@Toni Collis Executive Coaching

Andreea Balaci Buncianu

Delivery Area Manager
@Catalyst Solutions

Andrei Dodan

Senior Consultant, Master Trainer Fearless Organization Scan
@Trend Consult Group

Agenda

10:00 to 10:10

Opening Speech

— 10 minutes

Marian Andrei [Stage Moderator — Empower]
Steliana Moraru [Stage Moderator — Empower]

10:10 to 10:15

Intro speech on behalf of organizing team

— 5 minutes

Andreea Balaci Buncianu [Delivery Area Manager — Catalyst Solutions]

10:15 to 10:30

Surprise Activation

— 15 minutes

10:30 to 11:00

Breaking Barriers: What got you here, won't get you there

— 30 minutes

"Breaking Barriers", is about the challenges women face in the tech industry. Lavinia will share her experiences and insights on how to overcome these obstacles, introducing the current context of women in tech in Romania, the barriers faced by girls and professionals, and the importance of a growth mindset

Lavinia Neagoe [Director of Engineering & Bucharest Technology Site Lead / Chapter Director Women in Tech Romania — Google]

11:00 to 11:40

Fireside Chat: Women in Tech Data

— 40 minutes

Dragos Gheban [Managing Partner — Catalyst Solution]
Alexandra Stancu [Talent Attraction and Employer Branding Expert — Catalyst Solutions]

11:40 to 13:00

Speed Sessions

— 1 hour

Join us for three engaging speed sessions presented by Microsoft, Finastra, and Thoughtworks.

Session 1 powered by Microsoft – Navigating career transitions with mentorship and networking
Session 2 powered by Finastra – Steps towards happy, high performing teams
Session 3 powered by Thoughtworks – How do we get the next generation into tech?

These sessions will feature introductions and dynamic Q&A segments, all moderated by Marian Andrei. Don't miss out on this opportunity to explore, debate, and learn.

Marian Andrei [Stage Moderator — Empower]
Alina Pacurar [Principal Quality Assurance Engineer — Thoughtworks]
Amy Lynch [Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Europe — Thoughtworks]
Roxana Elena Vasile [Development Director — Finastra]
Audrey Colle [Partner Director of Engineering in Microsoft Azure — Microsoft]

13:00 to 14:00

Lunch Break

— 1 hour

14:00 to 14:40

From setback to comeback: how embracing discomfort and failure fuels leadership growth

— 40 minutes

Imagine the last time you faced rejection or failure—did it make you feel small, or did it ignite a fire within you to come back stronger? In leadership, setbacks are not roadblocks but rather the building blocks of true success.

Speed Sessions

— 1 hour

Join us for three engaging speed sessions presented by Electronic Arts Romania, MHP - A Porsche Company, Renault Group Romania.

Session 1 powered Electronic Arts Romania - Diversity and Inclusion in the Modern-day IT organisation
Session 2 powered by MHP Romania - Core values: A path to self-development and professional success
Session 3 powered by Renault Group Romania - How to build successful career as women in tech

These sessions will feature introductions and dynamic Q&A segments, all moderated by Steliana Moraru. Don't miss out on this opportunity to explore, debate, and learn.

Steliana Moraru [Stage Moderator — Empower]
Claudia Manescu [Engineering Manager — Electronic Arts Romania]
Georgiana Flamindu [Diversity & Inclusion, Dual Education Project Manager — Renault Group Romania]
Alexandra Bogdanescu [SAP Delivery Excellence Lead — MHP Romania]

16:00 to 16:40

From ZERO to C-level while saving your sanity

— 40 minutes

Job burnout is a lot like burning your toast or burning through money repairing your home. Little or no control over your work. Surrounded by chaos. Unrealistic deadlines. Before you know it, your toast is burned, your home is a money pit, and you are running on empty!

Psychological Safety (The keynote will be held in Romanian)

— 30 minutes

Psychological safety is not about being always nice and avoiding conflict. It's not about ruinous empathy or lowering standards. It's about performance, agility and innovation in times of ambiguity and engaged and loyal teams.

Meet Our Partners

Lounge Partners

Women in Tech Lounge

Women in Leadership Lounge

Diversity & Inclusion Lounge

Supporting Partners

Registration Partner

Production Partners

Official Hydration Partner

Official Coffee Partner

Comfort Area Partner

Experience Partner

Refreshments Partner

Connectivity Partner

Gifts Partner

Relaxing Area Partner

Photobooth with AI Partner

Main Media Partner

Community Partners

Media & Strategic Partners

Tickets

^€ 159.00

Early Registration

9^th Aug - 8^th Oct

Event Access

Expo Area Access

^€ 179.00

Regular Registration

9^th Oct - 7^th Nov

Event Access

Expo Area Access

^€ 199.00

Late Registration

8^th - 21^st Nov

Event Access

Expo Area Access

We are encouraging you to set an example to support women in tech and to bring challenges on table and what it means to reach full potential.

We are creating an inclusive environment that welcomes women from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets.

We are facilitating meaningful networking opportunities to build connections within the tech community.

We are raising awareness about gender biases and the importance of creating a more equitable and balanced workplace.

Toni Collis

CEO @Toni Collis Executive Coaching

Dr. Toni Collis is the CEO of Collis-Holmes Innovations and an award-winning executive coach specializing in women's leadership in tech around the world. She has coached over 1,000 women globally and trained over 25 coaches who focus on women in tech.

Glenn Anderson

Professional Public Speaker @Glenn Anderson Speaks

Glenn Anderson is a professional public speaker. Glenn helps team leaders and aspiring leaders solve their team's communication and collaboration problems. Glenn's presentations combine decades of corporate experience and teaching with his passion for performing improvisational comedy. The result - your audience is energized and equipped to surpass their team goals.

Marian Andrei

Stage Moderator @Empower

Steliana Moraru

Stage Moderator @Empower

Alina Pacurar

Principal Quality Assurance Engineer @Thoughtworks

Alina Pacurar, Principal Quality Assurance Engineer at Thoughtworks, is a passionate and dedicated Principal Quality Assurance Engineer with more than 17 years of experience in the IT industry, working on both desktop and mobile projects, both web-based and server-side. Along the years, she has been able to work as a leader / manager, on her own initiatives and as part of a team as well. She is dedicated to maintaining high quality standards and she's always willing to improve her skills and become part of a team of professionals in the field.

Lavinia Neagoe

Director of Engineering & Bucharest Technology Site Lead / Chapter Director Women in Tech Romania @Google

Lavinia Neagoe is Director of Engineering & Bucharest Technology Site Lead at Google, with +15 years of experience in leading global engineering teams. Her mission is to drive excellence in building new technology for businesses and customers. Her ultimate goal is to impact people’s lives in a positive way through technology and innovation. Lavinia is also an active member of the business community, driving education initiatives and bringing in her passion for technology at a very early age.

Amy Lynch

Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Europe @Thoughtworks

Amy (she/her) has been working with technology teams for over 12 years and currently works for global tech consultancy, Thoughtworks, leading diversity, equity & inclusion across Europe.

Roxana Elena Vasile

Development Director @Finastra

Anca Florea

Head of Consulting @Trend Consult Group

Anca is an ASE graduate in Management, and afterwards in psychology, with expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Schema Therapy. After years of experience in human resources, Anca became a consultant specialized in individual and organizational development projects. She works mainly in projects with leaders, starting from the evaluation stage and continuing with guiding them in the process of personal and professional growth, through counseling and individual coaching.

Dragos Gheban

Managing Partner @Catalyst Solution

Co-founder of Catalyst Solutions, Dragos has over 12 years of experience in Human Resources field, Employer Branding and Recruitment Marketing. During his career, he has worked with local and multinational companies from various industries: telecommunications and technology, FMCG, consulting, banking, engineering, retail and BPO. He has a deep understanding of business dynamics and challenges and has the capacity to design tailored solutions in order to meet the company’s employer branding and recruitment needs.

Audrey Colle

Partner Director of Engineering in Microsoft Azure @Microsoft

Audrey Colle is Partner Director of Engineering and for 24 years at Microsoft, she has learnt, developed and applied new technologies in the areas of speech recognition, search and advertising relevance as well as core cloud services. She aims to be a selfless leader and is active in various women in tech forums.

Claudia Manescu

Engineering Manager @Electronic Arts Romania

Claudia Manescu is an Engineering Manager at Frostbite, the innovative game engine developed by Electronic Arts. Recently joining the Frostbite team, Claudia brings nine years of experience from her previous role as a software engineer at EA IT, as part of the Game Creation and Infrastructure Services Department. She is the Chapter Lead of Mosaic, an Employee Resource Group (ERG), and an active member of WUT (Women Ultimate Team). Claudia also partners closely with the local Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) workstream, showcasing her dedication to promoting an inclusive workplace.

Georgiana Flamindu

Diversity & Inclusion, Dual Education Project Manager @Renault Group Romania

Alexandra Bogdanescu

SAP Delivery Excellence Lead @MHP Romania

Andreea Balaci Buncianu

Delivery Area Manager @Catalyst Solutions

Andrei Dodan

Senior Consultant, Master Trainer Fearless Organization Scan @Trend Consult Group

Andrei is a graduate of the Academy of Economic Studies (ASE), with a degree in Marketing, as well as Psychology, and has over ten years of experience in the banking, training, and consulting sectors. He has trained thousands of people in soft skills, management, leadership, and personal development through individual and group sessions. Andrei is also a master trainer for the Fearless Organization Scan, the most widely used tool for assessing psychological safety within a team, developed by Amy Edmondson. In this role, he has trained the first cohorts of practitioners in psychological safety in Romania, including employees from companies concerned with this topic and external consultants.

Alexandra Stancu

Talent Attraction and Employer Branding Expert @Catalyst Solutions

A true Employer Branding enthusiast! Alexandra has more than 10 years of experience in Employer Branding and Recruitment Marketing. She has worked on more than 60 recruitment marketing campaigns and employer branding projects for clients from different industries: Technology, FMCG, BPO, Banking and Engineering.

Our Mission

Event Speakers

Steliana Moraru

Marian Andrei

Audrey Colle

Alexandra Stancu

Alina Pacurar

Alexandra Bogdanescu

Amy Lynch

Anca Florea

Claudia Manescu

Georgiana Flamindu

Glenn Anderson

Lavinia Neagoe

Dragos Gheban

Roxana Elena Vasile

Toni Collis

Andreea Balaci Buncianu

Andrei Dodan

Agenda

Opening Speech

Intro speech on behalf of organizing team

Surprise Activation

Breaking Barriers: What got you here, won't get you there

Fireside Chat: Women in Tech Data

Speed Sessions

Lunch Break

From setback to comeback: how embracing discomfort and failure fuels leadership growth

Speed Sessions

From ZERO to C-level while saving your sanity

Psychological Safety (The keynote will be held in Romanian)

Meet Our Partners

Lounge Partners

Women in Tech Lounge

Women in Leadership Lounge

Diversity & Inclusion Lounge

Supporting Partners

Registration Partner

Production Partners

Official Hydration Partner

Official Coffee Partner

Comfort Area Partner

Experience Partner

Refreshments Partner

Connectivity Partner

Gifts Partner

Relaxing Area Partner

Photobooth with AI Partner

Main Media Partner

Community Partners

Media & Strategic Partners

Tickets

€ 159.00

Early Registration

€ 179.00

Regular Registration

€ 199.00

Late Registration

Subscribe to our newsletter

^€ 159.00

^€ 179.00

^€ 199.00