Embracing Equity: Celebrating the Women of Vectorworks

Vectorworks whole-heartedly believes in investing in our team members and maintaining an environment built on our core values of Balance, Collaboration, Innovation, and Inclusion.

With inclusion, we proudly build our team with the best our industries have to offer, regardless of race, gender, sexual preference, or background.

March 8 marks International Women’s Day, a day observed and celebrated around the world since 1911.

Since then, society has seen groundbreaking changes, from demanding voting rights, full access to education, and health equity for women and girls, to seeking more representation in senior positions in the public and private sectors.

In recognition of this year’s International Women’s Day, our DEI Committee held a panel discussion for everyone to hear from some of Vectorworks’ own brilliant, talented, hardworking women. Our women leaders discussed their paths to success in a Q&A and round table discussion.

Vectorworks employees hear from Sales Enablement Director Tamsin Slatter on her career experience.

Many employees were touched and moved to hear from a wide range of female employees on the many sacrifices, hardships and obstacles they have overcome to be successful in their career paths — and how Vectorworks supported them along the way. “There are strong women contributors in all our departments, taking care of daily operations, analyzing our business, and planning for our future. We appreciate your efforts and salute your sincerity and steadfastness. Thank you for all that you do,” said Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar.

As we recently celebrated Women’s History Month, we’d also like to highlight a few of the remarkable women that make Vectorworks an amazing place to work.

With over 10 years at Vectorworks, Nicole Davison has had a unique perspective on our growing commitment to equality and inclusion. Nicole recalled, “When I started at Vectorworks, I noticed right away how diverse the company was, and I really appreciated the deep relationships we had with partners across the world.”

However, at that time, the Vectorworks executive team was predominantly white, middle-aged males. Now, Davison is our chief revenue officer, helping lead a wave of change.

When speaking on women’s equality, Davison passionately shared lessons she hopes to pass on to the twin girls she had last year. “I hope others — including my daughters, one day — see that they, too, can ‘have it all.’”

Rubina (Ruby) Siddiqui, senior director of product marketing, has been a proud member of the Vectorworks team for 10 years. Many in the company look up to Siddiqui; and as a role model, she references “a number of successful women who’ve taught me a lot.” According to Siddiqui, one thing she tries emulating from these role models is genuine respect for others. She said, “Everyone brings something of value to the table, and if you respect that, they’ll respect you for what you bring.

One role model Siddiqui specifically discussed is her mentor, Leslie Louden. “Leslie is not just a smart and successful architect but is also a thought leader in the realm of architecture for higher education. She helped me become a confident architect and to effectively express my ideas and thoughts without compromising creativity in a very male-dominated industry.”

Pam Murphy has been at Vectorworks for three years, serving as an accounting associate. When discussing women’s equality, Murphy shared a powerful perspective of “womanhood.”

“To me, ‘womanhood’ represents strength, perseverance, intelligence, drive, and different views of the world. Over my life, I have encountered so many women who see the world differently and have so many inspiring stories to tell. It’s always amazing to me to see the strength that all women possess.”

Pooja Shah, a devOps engineer, has been a vital member of the Vectorworks team for almost five years now. When we asked Shah if she had any advice for young women, her message was clear: “Just do your own thing.”

Pooja Shah, a devOps engineer, has been a vital member of the Vectorworks team for almost five years now. When we asked Shah if she had any advice for young women, her message was clear: “Just do your own thing.”

Shah said that she never learned enough drums to join the band, but she remains proud that she pursued her passions. “If I had waited for someone to help me or give me a boost, I never would’ve done something I really enjoyed. Break the norms, limitations, and boundaries. Your life is your own. And if you want to play the drums, girl, play the drums.”

Discussions and recognitions like this aim to deepen our understanding and perspectives of one another. To learn more about the beliefs that drive us forward, check out our core values page.