Lorraine Dodd

‘I've built a career I'm passionate about and can't imagine doing anything else’

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

I am an IS/IT Director with over 15 years' experience, passionate about driving digital transformation and delivering innovative solutions.

Today I lead a talented team responsible for infrastructure, security, digitisation and business intelligence, ensuring that technology drives business growth and efficiency while aligning with strategic goals. I strongly believe in the power of technology to enhance human potential, improve customer experiences and foster innovation.

Beyond my technical leadership, I am deeply committed to creating a more inclusive and diverse tech industry, one where women are not just present but thriving. As a STEM ambassador, primary school governor and dedicated mentor, I have supported many women and girls through various initiatives

What do you consider to be your biggest achievement to date?

My biggest achievement is driving transformation across simplification, support, security and data, with measurable improvements. Using Agile Scrum, we’ve boosted morale, clarified processes and enhanced business collaboration, delivering 92% of our 2024 project roadmap on time. By May 2025 (when this entry was written), 55% of projects were already complete, and we’ve decommissioned 18 legacy applications through simplification, replacement, or removal.

We've increased self-service tool usage from 14% in January 2024 to 75% by May 2025 while maintaining a 100% satisfaction score in staff surveys for incident resolution, consistently echoed in positive feedback. In 2024, we launched knowledge sharing roadshows to help employees build skills and optimise Microsoft 365 and generative AI usage.

In security, mandatory cyber training and increased phishing simulations, paired with town hall follow-ups, have reduced click rates and fostered a no-blame culture.

Click rates have dropped significantly. For those who do click, we offer targeted digital or in-person training in a no-blame culture, recognising that anyone can make a mistake. Our goal is to empower a strong "human firewall" that confidently reports threats.

For data, six newly appointed stewards now champion best practices, bridging IT and business gaps. Trained in our tools and given direct access, they can now create reports themselves and we encourage a sharing environment to remove silos. As a result, we saw a 271% increase in reports reaching production in 2024. This has had a clear impact on employee satisfaction: at the start of 2024, only 61% were "somewhat satisfied" and none "very satisfied." By early 2025, 100% were "somewhat satisfied," with 31% reporting they were "very satisfied."

What is the most significant challenge you have overcome?

One of the biggest personal and professional challenges I've faced came in 2023, when I returned from maternity leave for the second time. I stepped back into work having been promoted to director, leading a brand-new team, in a different building, with a fresh strategy to deliver. All while adjusting to life as a mum of two.

Returning to work after maternity leave is never easy. Even when the nursery drop-offs go smoothly, there are still those moments of feeling like you're not doing enough at home or at work. That tug of guilt. Over time, I've come to believe that being a working mother actually makes me a better one. When I'm home, I'm present. Our time together is focused and full of love.

Despite the pressure, I'm proud of how I found my footing. Crucially, I didn't do it alone. I reached out for mentorship and joined Elevate Women in Tech, where I connected with a mentor. I was also fortunate to continue receiving advice from my former manager.

What struck me most in those early months were the comments on how "lucky" I was to be promoted after maternity leave. It was a stark reminder of how rare that still is and of the lingering stigma women face when returning to work.

That realisation has only deepened my commitment to lifting other women up whether that's through running Insight Days at our offices, serving as a governor at my local school, volunteering as a STEM ambassador or mentoring women already in the industry to help them stay and thrive.

My message is always the same: don't let self-doubt hold you back. Tech is constantly evolving and honestly no one has all the answers. What matters is having the right people around you.

Tell us something about yourself that people would find surprising

I nearly didn't go into tech at all. I studied IT at GCSE and Computing at AS level, but after finishing my A-levels, I took a very different path. I did a secretarial course, worked in a cattery, on reception at a leisure centre, supported a Right to Buy scheme at a claims company, travelled a bit and ended up working in a call centre.

When I joined my current company, it was in the call centre too. But everything changed when I was given the chance to support a project rewriting the back-office systems. That project reconnected me with my love for tech, and from there, I found my way back into IS/IT. Since then, I've never looked back. I've built a career I'm passionate about and can't imagine doing anything else.