Celebrating Women in Tech: Leaders Who Elevate, Inspire, and Innovate

We’re celebrating yet another year of women being at the forefront of some of the most groundbreaking advancements in technology, leading innovations in AI, cybersecurity, space exploration, and beyond. From AI-driven diagnostic tools capable of early and accurate disease detection to transformations in the production of materials like biodegradable plastics and pesticides, women-driven breakthroughs are shaping the future of industries in powerful ways.

As we wrap up International Women’s Month, we’re excited to shine a light on a few of the incredible women at Mitratech who are driving change in legal tech, marketing, and beyond – all year round. Through their leadership, expertise, and vision, they’re shaping the future of Mitratech and redefining what’s possible in the industry (an impact that ripples far beyond this celebratory month!). 

Breaking Barriers: The Power of Women in Tech

 Across teams, disciplines, and time zones, the women at Mitratech are shaping the future of legal tech, business strategy, and operational excellence every day. They bring bold ideas, challenge the status quo, and drive impact in ways that extend far beyond our company. This commitment is reflected in the work of women like Ashley Estilette, Somya Kaushik, Liz Lugones, and Madeline Reigh – to name a few who are driving meaningful change in their respective fields.

Ashley Estilette: Driving Growth and Transformation

Having overseen a number of acquisitions and product rebrands during her tenure as Chief Marketing Officer, Ashley Estilette knows a thing or two about the importance of collaboration and alignment in a company’s brand, market positioning, and growth strategy. To her, growth is about more than just numbers; it's about bringing people together around a shared vision. 

Integrating acquisitions into your marketing strategy, for example, requires a thoughtful approach that prioritizes collaboration and alignment. It starts with engaging key stakeholders early to ensure a seamless transition, crafting clear messaging to unify brands and teams, and staying flexible enough to adapt to unexpected challenges.

Whether it’s managing a shifting brand strategy or enhancing collaboration between teams, Ashley champions an approach that balances agility with long-term success.

Somya Kaushik: Innovation & Collaboration in Legal Tech

With extensive experience navigating complex compliance landscapes and mitigating risk, Associate General Counsel Somya Kaushik understands what it takes to shape a legal strategy that supports both innovation and business resilience. With over 15 years of experience, she’s witnessed the full spectrum of legal tech adoption – from initial skepticism and resistance to the eventual embrace of its transformative power.

In 2012, she founded EsqMe, Inc., the first legal community and document marketplace built specifically for lawyers, by lawyers. “The concept was straightforward,” she will explain when asked about it. “What if legal professionals could share their work product — not to compete, but to strengthen the profession, making their practices more efficient and impactful?”

This bold vision challenged long-standing norms in an industry rooted in exclusivity, proving that technology could serve as a connector rather than a disruptor.

Now, as a leader of AI and digital transformation at Mitratech and the wider industry, Kaushik champions the early and ethical adoption of artificial intelligence in legal practice. She is passionate about giving teams valuable insights and tools on overcoming AI skepticism, embracing it as a collaborative tool, and shifting perspectives to fully realize its potential in the legal space. She advises legal teams hesitant about tech adoption to start small by automating specific processes such as document assembly or NDA reviews, and to track the resulting time or cost savings. This approach not only demonstrates tangible benefits but also builds momentum and confidence for broader technological integration. 

Liz Lugones: Changing the Legal Ops Mindset

For too long, in-house legal teams have been viewed as cost centers rather than strategic partners in business success. Having led legal departments through transformation, VP of Legal Operations, Liz Lugones, knows what it takes to shift teams from reactive cost centers to proactive, strategic business units. She works closely with in-house legal teams to optimize processes, implement technology solutions, and drive efficiency to help them gain visibility, control costs, and deliver greater business value. 

One approach Liz advocates is the "productization" of legal services – treating legal processes as scalable, repeatable products that align with business needs. Implementing self-service solutions powered by technology can expedite routine legal tasks, positioning the legal department as a partner rather than a bottleneck. This shift allows legal teams to focus on high-value strategic work, transforming legal operations into visible, measurable contributors to the bottom line.

By embracing such strategies, Liz demonstrates how legal departments can evolve from being perceived solely as cost centers to becoming integral components of a company's strategic framework.

Madeline Reigh: Strengthening Risk & Compliance Strategies

As Director of Enterprise Risk Management, Madeline Reigh assists organizations in building stronger, more resilient risk and compliance programs. She ensures that businesses can navigate regulatory challenges, mitigate risks, and implement effective training programs to keep employees informed and engaged. Her expertise empowers clients to create compliance cultures that go beyond just checking a box, helping them stay ahead of evolving risks.

Madeline emphasizes that compliance training is not just a mandatory task but a vital part of fostering a respectful and legally sound workplace. She advocates for creating a risk-aware culture where compliance is viewed as a facilitator of innovation. To achieve this, she recommends engaging employees at all levels, utilizing various training methods to cater to different learning styles, and leveraging technology to keep training fresh and interactive. By reframing compliance training as a net positive, organizations can empower their teams and cultivate an environment where ethical choices are understood and valued.

By championing these strategies, Madeline guides organizations in transforming their compliance training programs into dynamic, engaging initiatives that not only meet regulatory requirements but also promote a culture of integrity and accountability.

Meet These Women and Join Their Conversations at Interact 2025

Women like Ashley, Somya, Liz, and Madeline are redefining legal operations, transforming compliance strategies, pioneering new approaches to marketing, and pushing the boundaries of collaboration in legal tech. Their leadership not only strengthens Mitratech but also empowers our clients and partners to thrive in an evolving business landscape.

Want to hear more from the leaders shaping the future of legal, risk, and compliance? Join us at Interact 2025, where industry experts (including Mitratech’s own thought leaders) will share insights, strategies, and innovations driving change. See you April 14-17th! 

Empowering Women, Driving Change – All Year Long

Research shows that companies with diverse teams perform better, drive greater innovation, and create more inclusive products. Companies with women executives are 30% more likely to outperform others; yet, barriers like limited access to leadership opportunities and persistent biases still exist. While progress has been made, women remain significantly underrepresented in the tech industry, comprising only about 25% of the workforce. This gap is even wider at the leadership level, with women representing only 11% of executive roles.

To close it, the industry must go beyond hiring initiatives and focus on mentorship, career development, and leadership pathways that empower women to thrive. 

Our commitment to amplifying women’s voices, investing in their growth, and creating opportunities for them to lead doesn’t end when the calendar flips to April. It’s a continuous effort and one that’s built into our culture, our leadership, and the way we do business. Because when women rise, businesses, industries, and entire communities rise with them.