Gini I. 

Senior Technical Talent Acquisition Partner

At Toast, we’re committed to empowering those around us–  including our employees, our customers, and our local communities. One way we do this is through our network of Toast Communities, our version of employee resource groups and clubs.

ToastHER is our community for women at Toast. Their mission is to empower each other to thrive. Rooted in a spirit of inclusivity and belonging, ToastHER provides opportunities to connect, learn, and grow with one another. 

We recently caught up with Gini I., Senior Technical Talent Acquisition Partner and active member of ToastHER Dublin. Gini shared some insight into her local chapter and details about an exciting program she recently hosted. Learn more about this engaging community below!

In your opinion, what are the primary goals of ToastHER Dublin?

ToastHER is on a mission to empower each other. We seek to provide opportunities to connect, learn, and grow with one another. Not only are we building an inclusive community where you can discuss and create awareness around issues women face in the workplace, but we also provide tools and resources to help women thrive. As a part of ToastHER, you have the opportunity to build friendships, develop your career, and foster support among other women at Toast. We host programs, events, and activities not only for members of the community, but also all Toasters. This spreads awareness and creates allyship across the entire company. 

What sort of events and programs has ToastHER hosted recently?

Lots of things! Everything from information sessions on women’s health, to leadership panels, to wine and cheese tastings! We primarily host events geared towards Toasters, but we also look for opportunities to connect with other women in tech around Dublin. Last year, ToastHER was thrilled to partner with Subhasree V., Software Engineer II, on a HackHers Dublin event she hosted. This was a wonderful opportunity for individuals in tech to come together and improve their coding skills. While the event was geared towards women and gender minorities in tech, it was open to anyone who supports our mission of encouraging under-represented groups to explore careers in tech. 

A major highlight for me was helping to organize a recent fireside chat panel focused on women in technology. In November, about 60 internal and external guests joined us in person in Toast’s Dublin office, with more joining us on Zoom, for a panel discussion titled “Growing Your Career in Tech - Architecting Your Tech Career Path.” Moderated with skill and infectious enthusiasm by Jenny M., Principal Program Manager for R&D Enablement at Toast, we heard inspirational real world stories and advice from an amazing set of speakers from Toast and other local tech companies.  We were also lucky to feature Toast’s CTO, Debra C., as a special guest to close off the panel before going into informal networking and mingling. Debra kept it real as always, sharing both wisdom and colorful anecdotes about the challenges we navigate daily as women in this industry.  

We hosted this event because we saw an intersection between ToastHER’s mission and Toast’s wider mission around DEI. Through this event, we had the opportunity to inspire and promote internal career growth, while also creating a stronger connection with the local women in the tech community.