Finding a Place in Technology

Mutual of Omaha’s Information Services team continues to elevate women in STEM by speaking at programs geared toward young tech talent, such as the University of Nebraska at Omaha's CodeCrush program in October 2023. Speakers included Alicia Huntington, Sharmila Shrestha, Dori Stanfield, Leo Gerlock and Melissa Pruch.

For some people, choosing a career in IT was a natural choice or what they studied in school. For others, it came after finding new interests or wanting to try something different. Regardless of how they get here, Mutual of Omaha encourages our IT associates to be at their best and find a role that allows them to do that.

Globally, the World Bank estimates that women make up less than a third of the workers in technology-related fields. Mutual of Omaha is dedicated to changing this statistic by helping women on our Information Services team share their stories and connect with the next generation. While the path for some women into technology is not always straightforward, many enjoy the excitement their job brings.

Inspiring the next generation

Mutual of Omaha recently sponsored the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s CodeCrush program, hosting a career panel and speaker session on cybersecurity. The program included a series of iSTEM immersion experiences for eighth- and ninth-grade female students and their educators to introduce them to the dynamic landscape of computing and IT.

“How I got into IT was an accident,” said career panelist Melissa Pruch, vice president of Information Services Performance and Operations. “To me, IT was an exciting place to be. Think about how often a new iPhone comes out or how we talk about AI every day. Technology changes faster than anything else.”

Sharmila Shrestha’s career at Mutual of Omaha didn’t always include writing code as an application developer. After serving as an intern on the business side, she realized there was more in technology she wanted to explore.

“I began to think that rather than finding out what’s wrong with the product and solving problems from there, I wanted to be a part of creating and coding the solution. That’s how I started thinking about becoming an application developer,” Shrestha said.

Dori Stanfield, a business systems consultant on the Quality Assurance and Test Solutions team, also found her way to Information Services after working several years in other areas at Mutual of Omaha.

“A lot of working in Information Services is problem-solving,” Stanfield said. “I started on the business side here at Mutual of Omaha, which was a great foundation for the work I do now working with developers. Having the knowledge from the business side helps me keep those working with customers and those creating the solutions communicating.”

Regardless of how they got into technology, all three associates echoed the sentiment that technology’s perpetual growth is a constant source of excitement.

Trailblazing in hot topics

Women at Mutual are also leading the way in areas experiencing high growth, such as information security. During the 2023 CodeCrush program, Leo Gerlock, a senior information security analyst, presented on the growing field of cybersecurity.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, cybersecurity careers are expected to grow 32% over the next decade, much faster than other areas. In her session, Gerlock shared how she discovered the field and the various career opportunities in the rapidly evolving sector. She also spoke on the creative aspects of her work, such as supporting Mutual of Omaha’s Security, Education, Training and Awareness program.

“Over the past five years I’ve been in the industry, I’ve continued to see the demand for jobs in cybersecurity grow — and it will only grow in the future,” Gerlock said.

Carrying the momentum forward

For more than two decades, Mutual of Omaha has invested in young tech talent through its community partnerships in Nebraska and beyond. In the last quarter of 2023 alone, Information Services collaborated with UNO, the Millard North High School robotics team and the Omaha Central High School Career Pathways program to meet with students interested in IT.

Mutual of Omaha is excited to continue elevating women in STEM and encouraging the growth of young talent in technology.

To learn more about educator partnership opportunities with Mutual of Omaha Information Services, contact IT intern coordinator Alicia Huntington at alicia.huntington@mutualofomaha.com.