Juliana Smith

Shifting mindsets, raising awareness, and paving the way for a more equitable data community

Part of the Tech Women Celebration 50 – a curated list of some of the most inspirational women working at all levels of tech

Juliana Smith is a multi-award-winning Chartered IT Professional and a recognised leader in digital accessibility within data visualisation. With over 15 years of experience across global projects, she uses Power BI to turn complex data into clear, inclusive insights that drive action and informed decision-making.

A Microsoft Power BI Certified Professional, Juliana integrates WCAG accessibility standards into her dashboards, ensuring her visualisations are not only insightful but usable by all. Her technical expertise spans DAX, SQL, and stakeholder engagement, paired with a passion for inclusive design that challenges the status quo of traditional reporting.

Juliana also serves as a Board Member of NorthWest Women in STEM, a community interest group advocating for gender equity and representation across science, technology, engineering and maths. Through community outreach, workshops, and mentorship, she works to empower women and inspire the next generation of STEM professionals.

Juliana is also a sought-after speaker, delivering sessions on Power BI, accessible design, and keynote talks on careers in tech, making data and technology more approachable, inclusive, and inspiring for all.

What does the nominee consider her biggest achievement to date?

One of Juliana's most significant achievements to date is her ongoing leadership in championing digital accessibility in data visualisation, particularly within the Power BI community. Her passion for inclusion has driven her to become a sought-after speaker at Microsoft User Groups and data conferences around the world, where she consistently brings accessibility to the forefront of the conversation.

Through her advocacy, Juliana has helped shift how professionals think about data, ensuring it's not just accurate and visually appealing, but truly accessible to all. Her work empowers others to recognise that inclusive design isn't just good practice; it's essential to creating equal opportunities for understanding, decision-making, and participation.

A standout milestone in her journey was the creation and implementation of an Accessibility Badge for the global data visualisation challenge platform DataDNA, which reaches over 27,000 members worldwide. This initiative embedded accessibility as a valued part of the judging process and encouraged thousands of participants to consider inclusion in their design choices.

Juliana's influence goes beyond technical skills, she is shifting mindsets, raising awareness, and paving the way for a more equitable data community where no one is left behind.

What is the most significant challenge the nominee has overcome?

One of the most significant challenges Juliana has overcome is navigating a long career in male-dominated industries without allies or visible role models, all while carrying the constant pressure to prove herself.

For nearly a decade, Juliana worked in the oil and gas sector—often the only woman in the room, frequently underestimated, and regularly required to go above and beyond to be taken seriously. It was a high-pressure environment where resilience was essential, but the lack of support made it an isolating experience. She endured, succeeded, and built an impressive technical career, but the cost was heavy.

Then, a life-changing injury turned her world upside down. Nerve damage in both hands meant that continuing in the same field was no longer possible. With her career suddenly cut short, Juliana faced a daunting reality—rebuilding her skills, her confidence, and her professional identity from scratch.

But rather than letting this define her, Juliana used it as a turning point. She retrained, upskilled, and re-entered the tech world on her own terms—this time with purpose and clarity. Today, she is not only a respected professional in data and digital accessibility, but also a passionate advocate for women in STEM, determined to ensure others don't have to walk the same difficult path alone.

Through her work with NorthWest Women in STEM, public speaking, and mentoring, Juliana now creates the supportive spaces she never had—sharing her story to break down barriers and empower women to thrive in industries where they are still underrepresented. Her story is one of strength, reinvention, and using adversity as a force for collective change.

Tell us something about the nominee that people would find surprising?

Something people often find surprising about Juliana is that she was halfway through her crane operation certification when her career took an unexpected turn.

While working as a Navigator in the offshore oil and gas industry, she regularly had to develop additional operational skills to support her team. Operating heavy machinery was one of them, and she was well on her way to becoming a certified crane operator.

When a life-changing injury forced her to rethink her career, her first instinct wasn't tech or data, it was actually to complete her crane certification and fully transition into that role.

Ultimately, she chose a different path, one that would allow her to channel her analytical skills, creativity, and passion for inclusive design. But her story is a reminder that Juliana's career journey has never followed a straight line, and her ability to adapt, rebuild, and thrive in completely different fields is part of what makes her stand out.