Martina Vollmer’s Post

🌈 Celebrating Unity and #Diversity Last Saturday, I proudly attended in the #Pride Parade in Munich. It was heartwarming to connect with my new colleagues from Siemens and reconnect with old colleagues from Microsoft, as we are sharing our commitment to inclusivity and acceptance. Growing up in a Christian environment, I often heard the phrase, “It’s Adam and Eva, not Adam and Peter.” My response as a kid was simple: “The bible says do not judge; they’re not hurting anyone.” But in 2024, our conversation should go beyond this. 👩🚀 This year’s theme, “United in Diversity: Together Against Right,” (in German: “Vereint in Vielfalt - gemeinsam gegen Rechts”) reminds us that we must stand up against intolerance and embrace our differences.  It reflects the importance of our collective fight against intolerance and discrimination. 💚 💫 This theme encourages us to: Reflect: Consider the challenges we’ve overcome together. Empower: Take action to shape our collective future. Unite: Stand strong against forces that seek to suppress our existence. #Siemenspride

Excited to share my recent experience attending the European Identity & Cloud Conference! 🌍💡 As a new member of Siemens, I had the incredible opportunity to attend this amazing event in the digital identity and cloud space. One of the highlights was witnessing, Thomas Mueller-Lynch & André Sousa present on Siemens' innovative multitenant strategy with Okta. The insights and strategies shared were truly inspiring and a testament to Siemens' leadership in the industry. 🚀 A huge thank you to Mister Kuppinger and the entire KuppingerCole Analysts AG team for organizing such a fantastic conference. The sessions were incredibly informative and the networking opportunities invaluable. Looking forward to applying the knowledge gained and continuing to contribute to our efforts at Siemens. Here's to many more such enriching experiences! 🙌 #EIC2024 #DigitalIdentity #Innovation

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Cyber Security Lead Architect Digital Identity at Siemens!

How We Started Hack4Good to Promote Diversity and Representation in Tech 🌎 We are immigrants and people with immigration backgrounds who work at Microsoft and are part of the Multiculturals ERG. We understand the importance of representation in the tech industry, and we also see the lack of diversity that starts from the education system. 🎓 That’s why Miriam, Ekrem and I had the idea of the Hack4Good, a series of three hackathons to inspire students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in IT. Our team, Milad, Ece, Sinem, Luise, Truong and Habib, wanted to show them that IT is not as hard as they might think, or at least give them a glimpse of what a job in tech could be like. I'm grateful for their amazing ideas, support, and belief in this project. We also thank Hussain, our Executive sponsor, thank you for making it happen, and sharing your path with the students. 💡 We partnered with InteGREATer e.V., a non-profit organization that supports integration and education for immigrants and refugees in Germany. Thank you Arian and Merve helping us host the hackathons, which focused on AI with Copilot and no-code/low-code Power Platform solutions. We chose these topics because they are easy and creative ways to solve problems with technology, and because they are some of the hottest skills in the tech industry today. 🔥 The hackathons were a huge success. We had over 40 high school students from different cultures and backgrounds. They formed teams, learned new skills, and built amazing projects that tackled real-world challenges. Some of the projects were: a chatbot that helps students find information and resources, a web app that connects teachers and students for sharing material for homework and projects. We thank Daniela for supporting us in the jury. It was not easy to choose the winners among so many different and creative solutions. 🙌 But the best part was the feedback we received from the students and parents. They told us how much they enjoyed the hackathons, how much they learned, and how much they valued seeing people like them in the tech industry. They said that before the hackathons, they didn’t know what IT really meant, or what kind of opportunities it offered. But after the hackathons, they felt more confident and motivated to follow their dreams in tech. 💯 We are so proud of what we achieved with Hack4Good, and special thank you to Milad building the bridge between the Integreater e.V. and the Multiculturals @Microsoft ERG. We believe that representation matters, and that diversity is a strength, not a weakness. We hope that our story will inspire others to join us in our mission to make tech more inclusive and accessible for everyone. 🌍 #Hack4Good, #DiversityInTech, #Microsoft, #AI

Have you ever felt like writing is not your thing? I know that feeling 🥴 Writing has always been a challenge for me. I remember getting bad grades in German and feeling frustrated with every assignment. But I never let that stop me. I pursued my passion for Tech and learned how to express myself through code and logic. 👩🏾💻👩🏾🎓 One of the turning points in my writing journey was when I wrote my bachelor thesis on programming courses for Gen Z, a topic that I was deeply interested in. It was a long and intense process, but it taught me a lot about research and writing. I still remember the day when I got my thesis back with glowing feedback from my supervisor. He praised my work and said it was one of the best he had ever seen. I was over the moon! 🌙 That’s when I realized that writing can be fun and rewarding if you find your voice and your niche. Thank you for your support along the process Peter Salhofer Furthermore, when I've joined Porsche as an IT-auditor and continued to improve my writing skills by creating reports and proposals. I also started journaling and writing LinkedIn posts to share my insights and experiences. ✍🏾💌And now, I have achieved something that I never dreamed of. I have written a magazine article for GURLZ WITH CURLZ Studio UG, a platform that empowers women of color. It is a letter to my younger self, exploring my identity and my Ghanaian German roots. It was an emotional and cathartic experience to draft this article. I hope it resonates with you and helps you find your own voice. I am so thankful for this opportunity, and I hope it inspires you to never give up on your goals and dreams. You never know what you can do if you believe in yourself. 🌱🔥 And don’t forget to check out Gurlz with Curlz; this is the fifth anniversary magazine issue. The thoughts around identity and self-recognition have always followed me. Thank you Linda, Joana Strickland for your support and making this happen 💓 #WritingChallenges #FindingMyVoice #Identity

A Future Tech Kid I am a Future Tech Kid. That means I am tech savvy and know how to use technology for economic success. I have learned to master various digital skills and tools that help me create value and solve problems. 🚀 What drives me today is the realization that education is a key to fighting poverty. I have benefited from a high-quality education myself and I want to give this opportunity to other young people as well. That’s why I founded my NGO Future Tech Kid, which aims to promote technology and innovation among youth in Africa starting in Ghana. I am proud to be a One Young World Ambassador. I had the honor of attending the #OYW2023 Belfast Summit as a Microsoft delegate and exchanging with other young leaders from around the world. My main takeaway from the summit is: There is a lot to do, but we are not alone. We can make a difference together if we join forces and share our passion. I am grateful for everyone who supports and inspires me on my journey. I am excited about the future and looking forward to new challenges and opportunities. I am a Future Tech Kid - and you can be one too! 😊 #purpose

🌎🌍🌏 I just spent two amazing days at One Young World in Belfast, where I had the opportunity to learn from and connect with some of the most inspiring young leaders from around the world. It was an unforgettable experience that challenged me to think about my values, my legacy, and my role in creating a better future for all. 🌎🌍🌏 One of the topics that resonates with me the most was SDG 4: Quality Education. 📚 As someone who founded an NGO that aims to provide quality education to children in developing countries, I know how important it is to address the root causes of poverty (SDG 1). I was moved by the stories of the speakers who shared their personal journeys of overcoming adversity and making a difference in their communities. One of them was Rupi Kaur , a poet and activist who spoke about the educational inequality she faced as a child of immigrants in Canada. She said: “No one can control the circumstances we were born in!” She also reminded us that we should not let our limitations define us, but rather use them as fuel to achieve our dreams. 💫 Another one was Michael Showunmi, a Nigerian founder of Raising Star Africa Foundation, who said that education can change the narrative and empower people to create positive change in their own lives and in the world. He also shared his inspiring story of how his disability is his super power and became a teacher and a founder. 🙌 I was also impressed by the example of Vietnam, a country that has achieved remarkable educational success despite its challenges, as Lord Dr Michael Hastings CBE, a global leader and philanthropist, pointed out. He also said that progress and innovation are gifts to be given without arguing about costs. 💡 Additionally, I was amazed by Kwame AI, an initiative that makes education accessible through smartphones. 📱 Jojo, the founder, reminded us of the fact that more people in the world have access to a smartphone than to clean water. He and his initiative are an absolute inspiration. 🙌 These are just some of the highlights of my experience at One Young World. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this global community of young leaders who are committed to making a difference. 🙏 I am also thankful for the support of Microsoft, one of the partners of One Young World, who enabled me to attend this summit. 🙌 I look forward to applying what I learned and sharing it with others. 💯 If you are interested in learning more about One Young World, you can visit their website or follow them on social media. You can also check out some of the amazing speakers and sessions on their YouTube channel. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more updates from me! 😊 #OYW23 #philanthropy #SDGs

I am thrilled and honoured to be selected as one of the Microsoft delegates for the One Young World Summit in Belfast ❤️💚💙💛 This is a unique opportunity to join the world’s largest and most impactful youth leadership summit, where I will meet and learn from inspiring speakers, activists, and change-makers from 190+ countries and 250+ organisations. As a One Young World ambassador, I am eager to collaborate with the global community of young leaders to tackle the biggest challenges facing humanity and create positive social impact 💪. I believe that education is a key driver of economic growth and development, as evidenced by many studies , and I am passionate about bridging the digital divide and ensuring equal access to quality education for all 📚. This needs to change and I hope to share my vision and experience at the summit and contribute to the global dialogue on education and economic growth 🌎. #OYW23 #socialimpact #microsoft Thank you for supporting me on my journey of making the world a better place with Future Tech Kid 💖 Celia Magdalena Reinhard Denise Inna Sylke-Helen Hueseyin Inna

Do you feel like a different person when you’re on vacation? 🌴 I know I do. Every time I’m on vacation, there is a moment when I feel completely relaxed and at peace. Vacation for me is not just a break, it’s a transformation. 😌 It feels like a different me, or definitely a different version. An identity that is just enjoying and relaxing. And this is mostly when I come back with a new perspective and a lot of ideas for my projects. 🧠 Which is no wonder, as according to a study by Harvard Business Review, taking time off can boost your creativity, productivity, and happiness. 🙌 If you haven't taken vacation yet. Even thought it's almost autumn, this is your sign - European Sommer is over soon! Go on vacation 🚀 How do you feel when you’re on vacation? Do you have any tips or stories to share? 💬 #identity #summer #productivity