Management
Cisco Live 2026: CDW and Cisco Leaders Discuss the Value of Mentors and Sponsors in the Workplace
Before the main event kicked off at Cisco Live 2026 in Las Vegas, leaders from CDW and Cisco came together for a Women in Tech breakfast panel to discuss how they’ve navigated career paths in a traditionally male-dominated field.
The panel was moderated by CDW’s Stephanie Hagopian, senior vice president of security solutions, workforce transformation and Augmented Expertise and Intelligent Staffing practices. The featured panelists included CDW’s Audrey Benjamin, vice president of presales for verticals and education, and Sheena Vojta, director of digital experience, as well as Cisco’s Rhonda Henley, vice president of the Americas partner organization, and Courtney Gulley, leader of U.S. commercial security partner sales.
While topics of discussion ranged from creative and humorous uses of artificial intelligence to overcoming imposter syndrome, the focus of conversation was on the value of mentors and sponsors in the workplace. All four panelists shared stories about their own experiences with mentors, mentees and sponsors who have been influential throughout their careers.
To learn more about Cisco Live 2026, visit our conference page.
Participants
Stephanie Hagopian, Senior Vice President of Security Solutions, Workforce Transformation and Augmented Expertise & Intelligent Staffing Practices, CDW
Sheena Vojta, Director of Digital Experience, CDW
Video Highlights
- The panelists all agreed on the importance of not only mentors but sponsors — people who will promote you even when you’re not in the room.
- The rest of the panelists reacted enthusiastically to Rhonda Henley’s recommendation to form a personal board of directors — a group of advisers who you trust to guide and help you advance in your career.
- While all of the speakers agreed that they have experienced imposter syndrome in their careers, they also sought to recharacterize the experience as an opportunity for growth.
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