From a trophy-winning musician in a big brass band to reshaping the future of tech in the education sector, Karina Foley has never feared the unconventional. And, as a leader of IT for Western Sydney University and an advocate for inclusivity, her journey is nothing short of inspiring. Here’s how this game changing mother of two, who started building home computers with her dad in kindergarten, has navigated a journey marked by milestones, medical challenges and a mission to make a difference to women in tech.
From music to marketing to making tech waves
Karina’s journey into technology began with her father, who recognised his daughter’s passion and pulled her out of kindergarten one day to help build their first home computer. This hands-on experience at a young age sparked her interest in technology and taught her not to fear it. Despite having two siblings, it was Karina who was drawn to the world of computers, while her sisters pursued different interests.
Throughout primary school, Karina’s father continued to nurture her interest by providing coding books. While her love for music blossomed during her school years, she found a way to merge her passions. Karina’s exploration of music technology led to an innovative project where she and her father successfully recorded music onto CDs. A feat manufacturers deemed impossible at the time. This blend of creativity and technical problem-solving laid a strong foundation for her future career.
Karina’s leadership style is people-centric, which has helped her maintain a cohesive and motivated team for nearly a decade. Her approach focuses on nurturing her team’s growth and success, emphasizing the importance of building confidence and skills.
Karina’s first career was in marketing, fundraising, and event management. However, she soon realised she wanted a career with more upward mobility. Noticing the lack of women in tech, she saw an opportunity to make a difference and decided to pivot into technology. This shift was driven by her belief that she could add value and her desire to see more women in the sector.
Overcoming adversity and promoting inclusivity
In her current role at Western Sydney University, Karina leads a team of software application developers. Despite her efforts, hiring women in tech remains a significant challenge. To address this, she implements programs to hire students, ensuring an equal mix of male and female interns. These initiatives aim to inspire and provide opportunities for young women passionate about technology.
The power of partnerships
Karina’s recent partnership with Logicalis has been instrumental in her team’s achievements, particularly their migration to the Azure Cloud. The collaboration has been marked by mutual respect and a seamless blending of processes, showcasing the power of teamwork and adaptability.
This week also resulted in Logicalis Australia being named Microsoft ANZ 2024 Azure Partner of the Year for work carried out with Karina and Western Sydney University, demonstrating their excellent work in cloud migration, and digital transformation.
Karina has benefited from strong female mentors throughout her career and now pays it forward by mentoring others and providing internships. Her focus is on empowering her team and driving success at Western Sydney University, with a broader vision of encouraging more women to join the tech sector.
Watch Karina Foley share more about her journey as a Game Changers.
