Lina Dixon
Director
NEWS: PD mentors young women at Next Tech Fest
We’re proud to announce our sponsorship of Next Tech Fest 2025, part of our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the technology industry.
Next Tech Fest 2025, taking place in London on 28 August, will bring together hundreds of young women exploring future tech careers to participate in talks and practical workshops, giving them the opportunity to connect with role models from across the tech industry.
Members of our consultancy team, Lina Dixon, Jo Garwood-Backshall, Onyeka Onyekwelu and Tess Titmuss will be acting as mentors at the event.
Introducing our Mentors
Next Tech Fest is hosted by Next Tech Girls, a social enterprise inspiring today's girls in education to become tomorrow's women in tech.
Its initiatives in partnership with leading tech companies are part of a broader mission to challenge the gender gaps in the UK tech industry, with a particular focus on supporting young women from ethnic minority and lower income backgrounds to pursue careers in tech.
We believe that the best teams are diverse teams, so we're delighted to have the chance to inspire the next generation of women in tech and help break down barriers to opportunity.
Emma Gawen, Managing Director at Public Digital said:
“Currently, women make up just one in five people working in the UK tech industry. These are rewarding, well-paying jobs in a fast-growing and ever-evolving industry that too many women are not getting access to.
“Something needs to change, and we’re proud to be part of that movement. At Public Digital, we’re looking forward to working with Next Tech for Girls this year to inspire and support more young women to pursue a career in tech.”
Hear from our mentors
Lina Dixon is a director at PD. She said:
"NextTechGirls is a powerful initiative, and I'm excited to join their event. As a Director at PD, I help public sector organisations build better services. I use my expertise in product and technology management to support teams and leaders in reimagining how they use tech - to make service delivery more effective, user-centred, and sustainable.
Technology enables so much of the world around us and it needs the insights from the next generation of women. I can't wait to share my career path into tech, and learn from others in the room about theirs."
Onyeka Onyekwelu is also a director at PD. She said:
"I’ll be joining NextTechGirls for their speed mentoring event at Next Tech Fest 2025.
I work with public and private sector organisations to navigate digital transformation, from shaping strategies to leading complex delivery programmes.
My specialism lies in reimagining digital services so they reflect the people, cultures and communities that use them.
I can’t wait to share my experiences, answer questions, and learn from the incredible young women stepping into tech’s future."
Jo Garwood-Backshall is a Principal Consultant at PD. She said:
"I'm thrilled to be taking part in this event. As a Principal Consultant at PD, I use my delivery and coaching skills to work with health organisations, local government and charities, enabling them to build empowered teams and take a user-centred approach to the products and services they deliver.
I’m passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and I know from my own experience what a huge impact mentors and role models can make, so I can’t wait to share my story and meet the amazing young women taking part in the event."
Tess Titmus is also a Principal Consultant. She said:
"As a Principal Consultant, I draw on my expertise in analysis, user-centred design and digital transformation to help governments and complex organisations solve tough challenges and use data to drive change.
I'm passionate about creating an inclusive, empowering space for women in tech - because diverse voices lead to better outcomes, and women should feel valued and confident shaping our digital future."
