DORA BOUSSIAS, International Keynote speaker, Career Leadership Coach, Data & AI Advisor
An award-winning thought leader in AI, Data, Leadership, CX, and Career Growth, Dora Boussias is a global keynote speaker, career & leadership coach, and strategic advisor with a passion for business transformation and impact. With 30 years of real-world experience at top firms like GE, Stryker, and Prudential, she has led complex transformations while mentoring and empowering professionals to accelerate success with clarity, confidence, and proven strategies.
Arriving in the US at 17 with limited English, Dora rose through the ranks to executive leadership, gaining expertise across Financial Services, Insurance, Retail, Education, and Healthcare/MedTech. Recognized with numerous industry accolades, including Global Data Power Woman and AI100 Innovation Leader, she serves on multiple boards and has been featured in leading publications, NYC Times Square, and over 30 podcasts.
After transitioning from corporate, Dora’s mission is clear: help professionals in data and tech accelerate success, lead with confidence, and create lasting impact in their careers and organizations. She is also the creator of SOAR with ConfidenceTM, a proven career & leadership framework guiding professionals to chart bold, impactful success.
Contributor: Frederica Bolgouras
1) As an Award-Winning Keynote Speaker, Leader in Technology, and Career Coaching, describe one of your most proud accomplishments.
One year ago, I took one of the boldest steps of my life: leaving a secure executive role to start over – not just for more freedom over my schedule, but to help others SOAR as high as they can.
In that short time, I’ve successfully pivoted: advising and speaking globally on data and AI strategy, while launching a targeted career and leadership program that empowers Women in Tech and high-achieving professionals to lead with clarity and confidence. Today, nothing makes me prouder than seeing my work tangibly boost someone’s momentum – whether it’s landing a dream role, stepping into leadership, or rediscovering a sense of purpose. Knowing that my decision to embrace uncertainty is now helping others shape their future with intention, energizes me every single day.
2) Describe your passion and motivation to create an empathetic pathway to navigate and empower women in Leadership & Technology.
For one, I’ve always led my life rooted in empathy – a value instilled in me from a young age by my mother, my hero. It’s shaped how I lead, how I show up, and why I care so deeply about uplifting others. My passion for creating an empathetic pathway for women in leadership and technology is deeply personal – and now, it’s my mission.
After nearly 30 years in the corporate world as a woman in tech, I’ve seen countless high- achieving professionals believe that hard work alone will open doors. I used to think so too, until I climbed the ladder and learned, often the hard way, that it’s not enough. To lead with impact, you need clarity on where you’re going and the tools to get there – including confidence, presence, visibility, a strong support system, and the strategies to activate them.
For over 15 years now, I’ve embraced and shared this notion: Be the Captain of Your ShipTM. It’s not just a phrase – it’s a mindset. You have to own your path, steer with intention, and lead from a place of self-awareness and strength. At this stage of my career and life, I’ve made it my mission to help others drive strategic impact and accelerate their growth with clarity, purpose, and confidence. I’m deeply committed to helping women in tech and high-achieving professionals rise as high as they can – often higher than they believe possible. Not years from now, but now. Because success shouldn’t take decades. And no one should have to navigate it alone.
3) Share your vision, given the challenges women face today in leadership roles.
Describe an example of “Imposter Syndrome”.
My vision is simple: I want to see high-achievers rewarded for their impactful contributions – and more women in leadership – not just surviving, but leading with clarity, influence, and confidence. Despite women holding nearly half of entry-level roles, in the tech space for instance, their representation drops to just 25–28% in senior leadership, even though they drive 70–85% of household purchasing decisions. The disconnect is staggering. And it’s not just about opportunity; it’s also about perception.
I see it all the time in the women I coach: brilliant professionals who hesitate to present work they’ve led, questioning whether they’re “ready enough.” I’ve been there, too. Early in my career, I often held back – unsure of myself, not yet fluent in the language, assuming everyone else knew more. Later, as I reached mid-career, the pace of my growth slowed – not because I lacked competence, but largely because I was a woman navigating a male-dominated environment.
Imposter syndrome doesn’t reflect our ability – it reflects the weight of isolation and the expectations placed on us, shaped by legacy societal conditioning that starts early. Confidence comes from clarity, not perfection. And leadership grows when we’re encouraged to show up, speak up, and keep going, even when it feels uncomfortable. My vision is to challenge the norms and build a world where people stop questioning whether women are ready or good enough to lead – and where women fully own their space, refusing to let gender or any preconceived notions, whether their own or others’, hold them back.
4) Describe your trajectory and where you made the most impact in developing and coaching others.
I’ve worn many hats over the course of my career – from mainframe programmer to data and enterprise architect, transformation leader, and now executive speaker, advisor, and coach. Each chapter built on the last, but the throughline has always been the same: creating meaningful impact and empowering others to rise. Early on, I focused on solving complex challenges with data and technology. But as I stepped into leadership, I realized hard work alone doesn’t drive change – people do. And too often, those people lacked the clarity, support, or confidence to fully show up. That’s when this became a stronger thread in my work. I mentored high-potential team members, took my role as a people manager seriously, led cross-P&L women’s initiatives, volunteered as a WomenInTech (WiT) mentor, and made it a priority to lift others – both through my corporate roles and years of industry mentorship and teaching. For over a decade, it became almost a second job – but one that deeply fulfilled me.
Today, it’s my full focus. I empower data & AI leaders, high-achieving professionals, and women in data & tech to drive strategic impact, whether through their data and AI initiatives or in their careers. I equip them with proven tools and strategies, and coach them to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose. I’m proud to have created the SOAR with ConfidenceTM program, helping women unlock their potential, accelerate their growth, and step fully into leadership – often faster and further than they imagined. For me, the true measure of success isn’t how far you go – it’s how many people you bring with you.
5) Who influenced you the most in your life within your Greek heritage?
Greek values like philotimo, generosity, and humility were deeply rooted in our home – I learned them from both my parents. But without question, the one who influenced me most was my mother. She’s always embodied strength and resilience, showing me what real leadership looks like. Even when she didn’t receive much empathy from others, she led with it anyway. She gave without needing recognition, stood tall through challenges, and taught me to trust my instincts and never forget who I am. That grounding has stayed with me – even in the most high-pressure rooms or while carving new paths in tech and leadership. Her quiet power reminded me that leadership isn’t about titles – it’s about presence, empathy, and purpose. And that’s a lesson I carry with me every day.
6) What advice would you give to Hellenic Professional Women, interested in pursuing a career in “Women in Tech & Leadership” roles?
My advice? Own your voice, trust your brilliance, and don’t wait for permission. As Hellenic women, we carry generations of strength, adaptability, and determination. Lean into that. In tech and leadership – spaces that haven’t always welcomed us – your perspective isn’t a gap to overcome, it’s an advantage. Be exceptionally good at what you do. That’s your foundation, and no one can take that away from you. But don’t let perfectionism hold you back. You don’t need to know everything to lead. Especially now, in the age of AI, it’s less about what you know and more about how you connect the dots, read between the lines, and make complexity feel simple for others.
Even in tech and leadership, communication, influence, and soft skills are often the hardest to master, and the most critical to take you further. Develop them intentionally. They are your force multipliers. Speak up even when your voice shakes. Advocate for yourself and others. And when you find people who see your potential, let them lift you – but don’t forget to lift others, too. And finally: Build your village. Careers are long, and leadership can feel lonely. Surround yourself with trusted mentors, allies, and people who challenge and support you. You don’t have to do this alone. Dare to lead. Dare to rise. And always… Dare to SOAR. Transform Your WorldTM
7) What sets you apart authentically from others in this field?
What sets me apart is that I’ve lived it – from hands-on practitioner to leading global transformations. I don’t speak from theory. I’ve delivered under pressure, across industries, cultures, and executive rooms. And I’ve grown my own career the same way I help others grow theirs – with clarity, intention, and a whole lot of grit. When I pivoted from corporate in 2024 to build my own business, I knew I wanted to lead from the values that mattered most. That’s how HEART – my business’ values – was born: High Standards, Empathy, Authenticity, Results, and Tenacity. These aren’t buzzwords – they represent how I’ve always shown up.
Above all, I genuinely care. It’s not just about helping people reach their goals – it’s about how they feel along the way. I want those who work with me to feel seen, heard, and supported. To know I pushed them, backed them, and gave everything I could to help them SOAR with confidence and integrity.
8) Feel free to add anything else you would like to share with Hellenic Professional Women in today’s world.
To every Hellenic woman navigating today’s world – especially in tech, leadership, or any space where we’re still underrepresented – I want you to know this: You don’t need to change who you are to lead. Early in my career, a more senior colleague advised me to stop speaking with my hands so much. Today, there are studies showing how body language builds trust. The point is: there will always be opinions around you, and you won’t always please everyone. Your empathy, your adaptability, your fire – these are strengths, not traits to dial down. Bring your authentic self into the room. That’s where your power is. I would add that, as a woman of Hellenic heritage, you come from a lineage of resilience, reinvention, and strength. That legacy lives in you – honor it, and draw from it to define what comes next.
Stay grounded. Stay bold. Stay curious. Never stop learning. And don’t forget to lift others as you rise. We’re stronger together. Dare to SOAR. Transform your world.TM
