Tech Leaders Advocate for Systemic Change in Gender Equity at Acronis Panel

From Awareness to Action in Tech Equity

Industry leaders at Acronis’ “Women in Tech: Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators” panel emphasized that achieving gender equity requires moving beyond theoretical discussions to implementing concrete systemic changes, according to reports from MSP Global 2025 in Tarragona, Spain. The discussion featured four executives who shared practical insights on transforming workplace culture and infrastructure.

From Awareness to Action in Tech Equity
Cybersecurity Veteran Calls for Integrity Over Initiatives
Redefining Resilience and Leadership
Equity as a Leadership Responsibility
Embedding Inclusion in Daily Operations
Closing the Perception Gap Through Action
Systemic Change Requires Designed Environments

Cybersecurity Veteran Calls for Integrity Over Initiatives

Jane Frankland, founder of the first female-owned ethical hacking company with 29 years in cybersecurity, stated that diversity cannot survive on optics alone. “We do not need another initiative; we need integrity,” Frankland said, according to the panel discussion. Sources indicate she challenged the industry to act on existing data rather than collecting more metrics, positioning equity as a fundamental measure of how systems are built, funded, and enforced.

Redefining Resilience and Leadership

Trice Johnson, chief data and AI officer at First Genesis, reframed the concept of resilience for professionals operating within broken systems. Analysts suggest her perspective shifts the focus from enduring unfair conditions to developing the capacity to redesign ineffective structures. “Resilience is not about enduring what is unfair,” Johnson stated during the panel. “It is about building the mental and emotional capacity to redesign what is not working.”

Equity as a Leadership Responsibility

Melyssa Banda, senior vice president of edge storage and services at Seagate Technology, emphasized that equity transcends being merely a women’s issue. “Equity is not a women’s issue. It is a leadership issue,” Banda asserted, according to reports. Her comments reframed allyship as measurable performance rather than personal preference, suggesting that meaningful culture change requires active participation from all leadership positions.

Embedding Inclusion in Daily Operations

Alona Geckler, Acronis’ senior vice president of business operations and chief of staff, highlighted that sustainable progress requires consistent practice rather than periodic campaigns. “You cannot delegate culture,” Geckler noted during the discussion. Sources indicate her leadership within Acronis’ Women in Tech program demonstrates how inclusion becomes operational when embedded into recruitment, decision-making, and recognition processes., according to industry analysis

Closing the Perception Gap Through Action

The panel discussion referenced the “FOMO at Work” report, which reportedly quantifies significant perception gaps between men and women in technology. According to analysts, the conversation demonstrated that the next generation of innovators and allies are prepared to address these disparities through concrete actions rather than aspirational statements. The consensus among panelists suggested that the future of the technology sector will be determined by who builds inclusion directly into leadership structures and daily operations.

Systemic Change Requires Designed Environments

The panel reinforced that advancing intersectional inclusion requires intentionally designed environments rather than default approaches. Reports indicate that sustainable change emerges through deliberate policies, equitable pay structures, and mentorship models that emphasize both advocacy and sponsorship. This approach, according to sources, ensures that leadership development occurs through systematic support rather than isolated inspirational moments.