This blog is part of our on-going Women in Technology series.
Catherine Seiter-Gough joined Consilio in December 2019 and is proud to be a member of the Strategic Client Solutions team, working with clients primarily in the pharmaceutical and financial services industries. She has a technology background, having worked as Senior Director, Corporate Systems for a global privately held pharmaceutical firm. Catherine and her team were responsible for delivering technical solutions for its Legal and Human Resources departments. She launched the Project Management Office, working with colleagues around the world to ensure standardization of practices. She liaised with the corporate attorneys, served as a witness on the company’s behalf, providing depositions on technical policy and practices. Her work with the Legal department opened the door to litigation support and services. Catherine then joined a worldwide Legal Services provider where she focused on Client Services for over 11 years. As Senior Director, Client Services, she worked closely with colleagues across the US, the UK, EU, APAC, and Canada to support several of the company’s largest clients.
How did you get into this industry?
I was a member of the Information Technology team at a large, privately owned pharmaceutical company. My team provided technical solutions and support to the Legal department, where I worked closely with attorneys working on litigation. I coordinated a staff of consultants, internal support teams, outside law firms, and multiple vendors, managing the collection and review of hundreds of millions of documents in response to various litigation matters.
What were some pivotal moments in your career that helped to get you to where you are today?
I was able to seize an opportunity early in my career to work for a large pharmaceutical firm, providing an exciting growth path. I was able to contribute to the company’s success while also continuing to grow personally. Once I joined the legal services provider, with a focus on delivering the best possible services to our clients, I assembled a highly effective team. We handled many of the company’s key clients while contributing to department initiatives and establishing global policies and practices. Working with colleagues around the globe was extremely rewarding.
Have you ever noticed a time in your career where your gender proved to differentiate you?
Yes. I was often the only female manager or director at the table when I would attend departmental meetings or go to client meetings. I felt as though I was representing women in the workplace and worked extremely hard to ensure that I demonstrated that women deserve to be in positions of management and influence.
What is your advice for someone working in a predominately male workplace?
Be confident, take risks, and make a difference. Reach out to women to help them along the way. Share your knowledge, keep moving forward, and bring others with you. Look around for opportunities to create, or be a part of, diverse teams.
What do you think companies could do to motivate more women to pursue careers in technology?
I believe mentorship is extremely important in many varieties and forms, whether through school mentoring programs, serving on technology boards, establishing internship programs, or working with interns. We need to get the word out to young ladies that there are exciting career opportunities in the world of technology. I think reaching out via social media is especially critical today, ensuring our message will resonate, speaking to their concerns about work-life balance while still providing growth opportunities.