EWTAlliance Spotlight: Uplifting Leadership Through Recognition – A Conversation with Sara Jetta

Lily
May 9
11 min read

An Interview with Sara Jetta, Chief Diversity Advisor at #EWTAlliance

EWTA Spotlight: Uplifting Leadership Through Recognition

Recognition isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a catalyst for cultural change. As the Chief Diversity Advisor at the Empower Women in Tech Alliance (#EWTAlliance), Sara Jetta is leading efforts to weave appreciation, empowerment, and visibility into the core of how organizations operate. We sat down with her to explore the impact of recognition in the workplace, her inspiring career journey, and her powerful vision for advancing inclusive leadership.

A Word About Neelima Mangal, EWTAlliance Founder

If I could describe Neelima in one word, Pioneer. She’s bold, thoughtful, and always pushing boundaries.

Meet Sara Jetta: Driving Innovation, Empowering Teams, and Building Inclusive Futures

A Journey Rooted in Purpose

Can you share your journey, including your hobbies and how you started your career? What pivotal moments or experiences have shaped your path as a seasoned executive leader?

My career has been a dynamic journey shaped by a passion for driving digital transformation and leveraging the power of AI and data to achieve strategic business outcomes. It began with a strong foundation in business analysis at Scotiabank, where I honed my skills in defining business needs, consolidating technology solutions, and leading stakeholder workshops to improve processes and customer experience. This early experience instilled in me the importance of clear communication, collaboration, and a customer-centric approach.

A pivotal moment arrived during my time at Metrolinx, where I led the creation of the Digital Mobile Channel strategy. This initiative allowed me to streamline and integrate digital capabilities, resulting in significant cost savings and growth. This experience underscored the transformative potential of technology to drive efficiency and create new business opportunities. Later, at Loblaw, I established and chaired the Innovation Council, which further solidified my understanding of how to scale innovation and drive growth.

These experiences have shaped my leadership style, emphasizing the importance of strategic vision, executive engagement, and delivering measurable results. As Vice President of Strategic Enablement at Purolator, I orchestrated AI strategy sessions with the C-suite and Board, securing buy-in for AI adoption and defining high-impact initiatives. This reflects my commitment to aligning technology with business strategy to drive tangible value.

Outside of my core professional activities, I am deeply committed to fostering inclusion within the technology sector, as demonstrated by my role as Chief Diversity Advisor for Empower Women in Tech Alliance (EWTAlliance). This passion fuels my belief in the power of diverse perspectives to drive innovation and create a more equitable future.

Throughout my journey, I've learned that successful executive leadership requires a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and a dedication to building high-performing teams. I am driven by a desire to continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible with technology and to empower organizations to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

How Working Across Industries Shapes Innovation

Having held leadership roles across industries such as technology, healthcare, and transportation, how has this diverse experience influenced your approach to driving innovation and transformational change?

My diverse experience across industries has given me a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities for driving innovation and transformation. I've learned that successful innovation requires a deep understanding of the specific needs and constraints of each industry, as well as the ability to adapt and apply best practices from other sectors.

In the technology sector, I've seen the importance of staying ahead of the curve and embracing new technologies to remain competitive. In healthcare, I've experienced the need to balance innovation with patient safety and regulatory compliance. And in financial services, I've learned the importance of risk management and ensuring that new initiatives are aligned with business goals.

This diverse experience has taught me to be adaptable, to think critically, and to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams. I've also learned the importance of empathy and understanding the needs of end users.

Overall, my diverse experience has given me a well-rounded perspective and a set of skills that I can apply to any industry. I believe that this experience allows me to bring fresh ideas and innovative approaches to driving transformation and creating value.

On AI, Emerging Tech, and Ethics

With your expertise in AI and disruptive technologies, what do you see as their most significant impact on industries over the next five years?

Over the next five years, I anticipate AI and disruptive technologies will fundamentally reshape industries through a confluence of interconnected impacts. Foremost, we'll see a significant augmentation of human capabilities across sectors. AI-powered tools will empower professionals with enhanced insights, automate routine tasks, and enable more strategic decision-making, leading to substantial gains in productivity and efficiency – as we've already begun to see with the 30% operational efficiency boost achieved through AI and automation strategies.

Secondly, personalized and predictive experiences will become the norm. AI's ability to analyze vast datasets will drive hyper-customization in areas like customer service, healthcare, and product development, creating significant competitive advantages. The groundwork for this is evident in the emphasis on data analytics and customer experience improvement throughout my career.

Thirdly, we'll witness the emergence of entirely new business models and revenue streams driven by these technologies. Automation, coupled with AI-driven insights, will unlock opportunities for innovation that were previously unimaginable, potentially disrupting established value chains – a principle I've observed firsthand in leading digital mobile channel strategy and fostering innovation.

Finally, data-driven decision-making will become even more deeply ingrained across all levels of organizations. The ability to extract actionable insights from data, facilitated by advanced analytics and AI, will be crucial for strategic agility and risk mitigation – a principle underscored by the enterprise-wide data governance framework I established at many of the organizations I have had the pleasure of leading change.

While the specific manifestations will vary by industry, the overarching theme will be one of increased efficiency, enhanced personalization, new value creation, and a profound reliance on data-driven intelligence. Organizations that strategically embrace and integrate these technologies will be best positioned for sustained growth and market leadership in the coming decade.

Women in Tech: Progress and Possibility

How do you approach the challenge of harnessing cutting-edge technology while addressing ethical considerations in AI development and implementation?

My approach to harnessing cutting-edge technology, particularly in AI development and implementation, is deeply intertwined with a strong commitment to ethical considerations. I view these not as separate domains, but as integral and mutually reinforcing aspects of responsible innovation.

Firstly, embedding ethical frameworks from the outset is paramount. This involves proactively identifying potential ethical dilemmas – bias in algorithms, data privacy concerns, transparency, and accountability – during the initial stages of strategy development and design. We must move beyond reactive compliance and build ethical considerations into the very fabric of our AI initiatives.

Secondly, fostering a culture of ethical awareness and accountability across the organization is crucial. This requires education, clear guidelines, and empowering teams to raise concerns without fear of reprisal. The establishment of cross-functional ethics review boards, involving legal, compliance, and business stakeholders, ensures a holistic and balanced perspective on ethical implications.

Thirdly, prioritizing transparency and explainability in AI systems is essential for building trust and ensuring accountability. While the complexity of some AI models can be a challenge, investing in explainable AI techniques and providing clear documentation on how decisions are made is non-negotiable. This is particularly critical in high-stakes applications.

Fourthly, rigorous testing and validation for bias are integral to our development lifecycle. We must employ diverse datasets and employ methodologies to actively identify and mitigate potential biases that could lead to unfair or discriminatory outcomes. Continuous monitoring and auditing of AI systems are also necessary to ensure ongoing fairness and accuracy.

Finally, engaging in open dialogue and collaboration with industry peers, regulatory bodies, and the broader community is vital. The ethical landscape of AI is still evolving, and proactive participation in these conversations helps shape best practices and ensures our approach remains informed and responsible.

In essence, my approach is to proactively integrate ethical considerations into every stage of the AI lifecycle, fostering a culture of responsibility and transparency to ensure that technological advancements serve humanity in a fair and equitable manner. This is not just a matter of compliance; it is a fundamental aspect of building sustainable and trustworthy AI solutions.

Empowering Women in Technology

You’ve been actively involved with Women in IT for over a decade. What progress have you observed in the representation of women in technology during this time?

Over the past decade, my involvement with Women in Technology initiatives has offered a valuable vantage point on the evolving landscape of gender representation in our field. While progress has been made, it's been incremental and uneven, highlighting both successes and persistent challenges.

One significant positive shift I've observed is a growing awareness and open dialogue surrounding the importance of diversity and inclusion within technology organizations. There's a greater understanding at the executive level of the business imperative for diverse teams, leading to more intentional efforts in recruitment and retention strategies.

Furthermore, there's been a proliferation of initiatives and communities dedicated to supporting women in tech. These networks provide invaluable mentorship, networking opportunities, and skill-building resources, fostering a greater sense of belonging and empowerment.

However, despite these advancements, significant gaps remain. While entry-level representation has improved in some areas, the pipeline still leaks considerably at mid- and senior leadership levels. The challenges of unconscious bias, lack of sponsorship, and systemic barriers continue to hinder the advancement of women in technology.

Moreover, the pace of change needs to accelerate. While we've seen increased awareness and some positive movement, the overall representation of women, particularly in highly technical roles and leadership positions, still does not reflect the talent pool available.

Looking ahead, it's crucial to move beyond awareness to implementing systemic and sustainable changes. This includes setting measurable targets, ensuring equitable opportunities for growth and advancement, fostering inclusive workplace cultures, and actively challenging unconscious biases. While the progress of the last decade provides a foundation, a more concerted and strategic effort is required to achieve true gender parity in the technology sector.

Is there a particular story or experience from your advocacy work that stands out as especially impactful in advancing women in technology?

One particular experience from my advocacy work that stands out as especially impactful in advancing women in technology was spearheading the 'Women in Tech Initiatives' at both Loblaw and Purolator .When I joined, while there was an awareness of the need for greater gender diversity, there was opportunity to do even better.

We started by conducting a comprehensive assessment to understand the specific challenges and barriers faced by women within the organization's technology teams. This involved surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one conversations to gather firsthand insights. What became clear was the need for targeted interventions across the talent lifecycle, from recruitment to leadership development.

Based on this assessment, we implemented a multi-pronged strategy that included:

Targeted Recruitment: Partnering with organizations focused on women in STEM and actively sourcing female candidates for technical roles.
Mentorship Programs: Pairing senior leaders with aspiring female technologists to provide guidance, support, and sponsorship.
Skills Development Workshops: Offering specialized training and development opportunities focused on areas where women might face systemic disadvantages or perceived skill gaps.
Creating Inclusive Networks: Fostering internal communities and networking events to build a sense of belonging and peer support.

The impact was truly inspiring. Within two years, we achieved a an increase in female participation within the technology teams. Beyond the numbers, what was even more significant was the cultural shift. We saw increased confidence among female colleagues, more women putting themselves forward for leadership roles, and a more inclusive and supportive environment overall.

This experience underscored the power of data-driven strategies and targeted interventions in driving meaningful change. It also highlighted the critical role of executive sponsorship and organizational commitment in ensuring the success of such initiatives. Seeing tangible results – not just in statistics, but in the growth and empowerment of talented women – solidified my belief in the importance of proactive and strategic advocacy to create a more equitable and innovative technology landscape.

Advice for Aspiring Women in Tech

Looking back on your career, what advice would you offer to young professionals—especially women—who aspire to build successful careers in technology?

Looking back on my career, I would offer several key pieces of advice to young professionals, especially women, aspiring to build successful careers in technology:

Firstly, cultivate a growth mindset and embrace continuous learning. The technology landscape evolves at an incredible pace. Stay curious, be proactive in seeking out new knowledge and skills, and don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone to learn emerging technologies like AI and data analytics, areas where deep expertise is increasingly valuable

Secondly, build a strong network and seek out mentors and sponsors. Connect with peers and senior leaders within and outside your organization. Mentors can provide invaluable guidance and support, while sponsors can advocate for your growth and opportunities. Don't underestimate the power of building genuine relationships and fostering a supportive community.

Thirdly, be bold and advocate for yourself. Don't wait for opportunities to come to you; actively seek them out. Voice your ideas, express your ambitions, and negotiate for what you deserve. Your unique perspective and contributions are valuable. The success we saw with increased female participation at Purolator [cite: 1] underscores the importance of creating environments where women feel empowered to step forward.

Fourthly, develop strong communication and leadership skills. Technical expertise is crucial, but the ability to articulate your ideas clearly, collaborate effectively, and lead teams – regardless of your title – will significantly accelerate your career trajectory. Seek opportunities to develop these skills through projects, workshops, and taking on leadership roles, even in informal settings.

Finally, find your passion and align your career with it. Technology offers a vast array of possibilities. Explore different areas, identify what truly excites you, and focus your energy there. Passion is a powerful driver for success and resilience in the face of challenges.

Remember that building a successful career is a journey, not a sprint. Be patient with yourself, learn from both successes and setbacks, and never stop believing in your potential.

Why Diversity in Leadership Matters

As Chief Diversity Advisor for #EWTAlliance, what are your aspirations for contributing to the collective advancement of women in leadership through initiatives like #EWTAlliance?

As Chief Diversity Advisor for Empower Women in Tech Alliance (EWTAlliance), my aspirations for contributing to the collective advancement of women in leadership are multifaceted and deeply rooted in creating sustainable and systemic change. My primary goal is to leverage the EWTA platform to amplify the voices and visibility of women in technology at all levels, particularly in leadership roles.

Specifically, I aim to contribute by:

Developing and advocating for impactful initiatives that address the key barriers hindering women's advancement. This includes programs focused on mentorship, sponsorship, leadership development, and addressing unconscious bias within organizations.
Fostering a strong and supportive community where women can connect, share experiences, and access resources to empower their leadership journey. EWTA can serve as a vital network for peer support and professional growth.
Collaborating with industry partners and organizations to drive broader systemic change. By building alliances and sharing best practices, we can collectively influence organizational policies and cultures to be more inclusive and equitable.
Championing data-driven approaches to track progress and measure the impact of our initiatives. By establishing clear metrics and regularly evaluating our efforts, we can ensure accountability and continuous improvement in advancing women in leadership.
Mentoring and sponsoring emerging female leaders to help them navigate their career paths and reach their full potential. Sharing my own experiences and advocating for their advancement is a personal commitment.

Ultimately, my aspiration is for EWTAlliance to be a catalyst for creating a technology landscape where women are not only well-represented in leadership but are also empowered to shape the future of the industry. By focusing on impactful initiatives, fostering a strong community, and driving systemic change, we can collectively unlock the immense potential that diverse leadership brings to innovation and business success.

Leadership Lessons from Motherhood

Being a mom has taught me that vulnerability is strength, and that leadership grounded in empathy is leadership that lasts. It’s reminded me that we can be ambitious and compassionate—and we don’t have to choose.

Thank you for being part of my journey. Here’s to building a more inclusive, innovative future—together.

Learn More About Sara Jetta

Sara Jetta is a dynamic executive with over 15 years of experience driving innovation, digital transformation, and inclusive leadership across the technology, transportation, retail, and financial services sectors. She has served as Vice President of Strategic Enablement at Purolator, where she partnered with senior leaders to integrate AI and emerging technologies into core business strategy.

Previously, Sara held leadership roles at Scotiabank, Metrolinx, and Loblaw, where she spearheaded digital transformation initiatives, founded the Innovation Council, and led large-scale programs that enhanced customer experience and operational efficiency. A passionate advocate for inclusive innovation, she also serves as Chief Diversity Advisor at the Empower Women in Tech Alliance (EWTAlliance), helping to shape future-forward programs that elevate diverse voices in tech.

Known for her empathetic leadership, cross-industry expertise, and ability to translate vision into action, Sara is committed to building cultures of curiosity, collaboration, and ethical innovation.