2 July 2026
This event is now full; however, you can still register to be added to our waiting list.
We are pleased to be hosting our next AQ Women in Tech event in partnership with The Law Society – the professional body for solicitors in England and Wales who exist to represent solicitors, and advocate for access to justice and the rule of law – thanks to Kate Evans, Executive Director, Technology and Data, and Judy Howarth, Director of Data & AI for their support.
“Leading change in technology: confidence, influence and impact”
Join us for an engaging panel discussion exploring the realities of leadership in technology and change. From building confidence and increasing your influence to creating visibility in environments where you’re not always the majority, our panellists will share honest reflections on the challenges and opportunities women face throughout their careers.
Overseen by our expert Chair, Femi Otitoju, we’ll discuss what impactful leadership looks like in today’s technology landscape, the moments we’ve had to step forward before feeling ready, and the lessons we wish we’d known earlier.
Whether you’re just starting your leadership journey or are an experienced leader, this conversation will offer practical insights, shared experiences, and inspiration to help you navigate change and make a lasting impact.
Event Details:
Speaker & Panel Bios:
Femi Otitoju (Chair) | Founding Partner at Challenge EDI | LinkedIn
From firefighters to volunteers, moguls to Ministers, Femi Otitoju has inspired them all. Widely acknowledged as among the UK’s leading EDI practitioners, Femi began as an LGBTQ+ campaigner in the 1980s, then started Challenge in 1985, delivering change mostly to the public sector, NGOs and educational organisations.These days big-business also recognise (and measure) the value of diversity & inclusion in the workforce and Femi heads up a talented panel of expert, highly experienced Consultants and Trainers.Femi still trains some days but spends much of her time giving keynote speeches or delivering change by way of mediation, coaching and strategy work at Board level in every type of organisation from Global Multinationals to Universities, Parliaments and Charities of every size.
For clients Femi has written bespoke training films on Harassment and Equality and wrote the acclaimed e-Learning programme “Same Difference”. The UK Passport Office was the first of many organisations to use this as part of their induction programme for new staff. Her highly popular film based resources Fair’s Fair and Talk to Me are distributed globally by Video Arts.
Grace Tattersall | Partner and Technology Practice Lead at Anderson Quigley | LinkedIn
With over twenty years’ recruitment experience, Grace specialises in executive search and selection for C-level and senior technology leadership appointments within the public and not-for-profit sectors. Actively supporting clients to reduce barriers to recruitment and to promote diversity in the workplace, Grace brings tailored solutions for both permanent and interim leadership roles.
Grace joined the AQ team in 2022 to further expand our work in technology & digital and data appointments; prior to joining the team she built an impressive track record recruiting mid to senior level roles for global charities, UK membership bodies, central and local government and leadership teams within the higher education sector. Grace works with personal integrity, vision, energy, and passion to support her clients and candidates through the recruitment process and beyond.Grace’s recent appointments include Interim Director of IT Projects – City University, Head of Applications & Development – St Marys University, Director of IT – Arts/Heritage Organisation, CIO – Arts/Heritage Organisation, Interim CTO – Private Education Group, Director and Assistant Director of IT – Government Body, Assistant Director of IT – University, Assistant Director of Infrastructure – University, Interim Director of Technology Operations- University and Head of IT – National Charity.
Judy Howarth | Director of Data & AI at The Law Society | LinkedIn
Judy is a senior data and AI leader with more than 31 years’ experience in data-driven strategy, customer insight and organisational leadership. As Director of Data & AI at The Law Society, she leads the development of data, analytics and AI capability to support better decision-making, innovation and measurable organisational impact. Her career has focused on building high-performing data functions, transforming greenfield data environments into mature data organisations, and helping teams turn insight into practical business value.
Kate Evans | Executive Director, Technology and Data at The Law Society | LinkedIn
Kate is a senior technology and data leader with more than 20 years’ experience delivering transformation and change across government and public sector organisations. As Executive Director – Technology and Data at the Law Society, she leads technology, data and digital capability to support organisational strategy and improve services for users. Her career has focused on leading complex change, building high-performing teams, and creating clear, practical approaches that help organisations make better use of technology and data to deliver lasting impact.
Laura Dawson | Founder at Leaderly Consulting | LinkedIn
Laura has worked as a CIO of effective Technology and Service Delivery teams for over 25 years in both public and charitable sectors. She started her career as a systems analyst in the Ministry of Defence and a large part of her career leading the technology team and developing actuarial systems for the Government Actuary’s Department. She was then CIO at the RSPB and Save the Children UK, and later global CIO for the British Council. Her last role was as CIO of the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she supported the organisation and the students through the pandemic as well as providing board engagement and technology delivery on their two newest buildings.
Laura’s focus has always been on building effective teams through context-led operating model design and a sharp focus on actionable strategy, helping business leaders move from siloed implementations to enterprise-wide technology solutions.
Her achievements in the roles she has held include:
