Careers in enterprise technology are rarely linear, and mainframe careers are no exception. At the GS UK Conference, a panel of industry leaders came together to share personal reflections on leadership, career growth, and what it takes to build a meaningful, long-term career in a technology ecosystem that continues to evolve.
In a conversation that was candid, practical, and deeply human, Jenny He of IBM, Sarah Julia Kriesch of Kyndryl, and Deborah Carbo of Broadcom offered insights shaped not just by technical expertise, but by years of navigating change, mentoring others, and stepping into leadership before the title ever appeared.
What emerged was not a formula for success, but a set of consistent themes that resonate well beyond the mainframe community.
Careers Are Built Through Curiosity, Not Careful Planning
None of the panelists described a meticulously planned path into the mainframe world. Instead, each story reflected openness to opportunity and a willingness to follow curiosity.
For Jenny He, the decision was driven by longevity and impact. She was drawn to a platform that mattered, one that powered critical systems and would still be relevant decades later. That sense of purpose, more than trendiness, is what has kept her engaged throughout her career.
“I chose the mainframe because it lasts.
It’s a platform that really matters.” — Jenny He, IBM
Sarah Julia Kriesch came to mainframe from a different direction entirely. With a background in Linux, cloud, and open source, she viewed the mainframe not as a replacement for those skills, but as an addition. Learning another platform, especially one so central to banking and insurance, expanded her perspective and her professional toolkit.
Deborah Carbo’s entry into the mainframe world was the most accidental of all, sparked by a chance personal connection outside of work. What kept her there was the challenge. Early roles demanded constant learning, often under pressure, but that intensity became a feature rather than a flaw. The work was never boring, and that mattered.
Across all three stories, the message was consistent. Careers are shaped less by long-term plans and more by the willingness to say yes, learn fast, and stay engaged.
Leadership Starts Long Before the Job Title
A defining theme of the discussion was that leadership is not something you wait to be granted. It is something you practice.
Jenny described stepping into a leadership role by helping bridge cultural and communication gaps between globally distributed teams. By supporting colleagues who were hesitant to speak up and helping teams collaborate more effectively, she created value well beyond her formal responsibilities.
Sarah’s leadership journey began early through volunteer and open source communities. Taking responsibility, whether founding working groups, coordinating contributors, or serving in elected roles, became a way to learn leadership by doing. These experiences built confidence and credibility long before leadership became part of her job description.
“Leadership is about taking responsibility, even when not everyone wants to.” — Sarah Julia Kriesch, Kyndryl
For Deb, leadership often meant seeing gaps and choosing to fill them. Early in her career, she noticed how overwhelming it could be for new professionals to enter the mainframe space without clear training paths or documentation. Rather than accept that as inevitable, she made it a personal priority to leave every role stronger than she found it.
“I always think about what I leave behind in any role. Leadership means making it easier for the next person to succeed.” — Deborah Carbo, Director, Mainframe Product Management & Strategy, Broadcom
That emphasis on responsibility, continuity, and repeatable success stood out as a defining thread of her leadership philosophy.
Teaching Others Accelerates Your Own Growth
At some point in every career, the balance shifts. You are still learning, but you are also teaching.
Sarah described this transition as central to her own development, particularly through open source and community leadership. Taking on responsibility, often when others hesitated, helped her grow both technically and personally.
For Jenny, teaching emerged as an extension of supporting others. By helping colleagues build confidence and connect across global teams, she found herself developing leadership skills that went far beyond her formal role.
Deb framed teaching and mentorship as a responsibility that comes with experience. Throughout her career, she consistently focused on building training programs, documentation, and development initiatives alongside her core work. In her view, leadership includes an obligation to ensure that others are better equipped than you were when you started.
Teaching, the panelists agreed, is not a detour from career growth. It is one of the fastest ways to deepen it.
Networks Are Built Through Intention, Not Accident
While technical skills matter, relationships shape careers.
Drawing on decades of experience, Deb shared practical guidance on building professional networks rooted in curiosity and follow-through. Meaningful connections, she emphasized, come from genuinely understanding what others do and staying engaged beyond a single interaction.
Jenny echoed this perspective, explaining how intentionally approaching people and preparing for audiences helped her build confidence and expand her network over time.
Sarah added that conferences play a unique role in relationship-building by creating space for informal conversations that often turn into long-term professional connections.
Networking, the panel made clear, does not require extroversion. It requires intention.
Growth Changes the Nature of Responsibility
As careers advance, the challenges change.
Early roles focus on individual contribution and technical mastery. Leadership roles shift attention toward people, systems, and sustainability.
Jenny reflected on the importance of enabling others to succeed through collaboration, documentation, and shared understanding. Sarah highlighted the responsibility leaders have to preserve and transfer knowledge, particularly in long-lived platforms like the mainframe.
Deb reinforced the idea that leadership is less about control and more about stewardship. Success, she suggested, should be measured not only by results achieved, but by what continues to work after you move on.
Advice for the Next Generation
When asked what advice they would give to those just starting out, the panelists’ responses were refreshingly consistent.
- Stay curious.
- Build skills thoughtfully and adjacently.
- Seek out mentors and be one when you can.
- Focus on mastering what is in front of you rather than chasing titles.
Every skill compounds over time. Every connection matters more than it seems in the moment. And every opportunity to help others is also an opportunity to grow.
Leading Forward, Together
The panel made one thing clear. Leadership in the mainframe community is not about preserving the past. It is about carrying forward what works, including curiosity, rigor, mentorship, and responsibility, while remaining open to change.
As enterprise technology continues to evolve, the next generation of leaders will not be defined by the platforms they champion, but by how they support people, build bridges, and create environments where others can succeed.
That, more than anything, is how the mainframe, and those who lead it, move forward.
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