Mentors & Experts

Mentoring is best described as an educational process when mentors share knowledge with the purpose of surfacing potential in their protégés.

Filter by Category

Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Modesta Jeremičienė, a tech professional with over 13 years of experience in IT and a Women Go Tech IT Project management mentor. Starting […]
Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Modesta Jeremičienė, a tech professional with over 13 years of experience in IT and a Women Go Tech IT Project management mentor. Starting as a full-stack developer, Modesta’s career naturally evolved into leadership roles, leading her to her current position as Development Manager at Visma, where she manages a team across Lithuania and Norway.

Modesta is passionate about sharing her expertise and helping others grow in their tech journeys. In this interview, she reflects on her career milestones, her approach to project management, and the rewarding experience of mentoring aspiring tech professionals.

Can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background in IT project management?

I’m Modesta, I worked as a full-stack developer for 13 years. During that time, it was 6 years with mixed responsibilities – developer, personal manager and team lead. Since then, I’ve been a full-time manager for more than 30 people in Lithuania and Norway.

What initially sparked your interest in pursuing a career in tech and project management?

My initial interest was development 🙂 but after a lot of years in it, I naturally drifted in a management position. My current position wasn’t the goal of my career, but it was a natural path with my skill set.

What moments or roles have shaped your career the most?
1. The first moment was my decision to study information technology after school.
2. The second moment was a perfect internship at my first company (I got a job offer after 2 months of internship).
3. Third moment – Visma. Management in Visma saw my potential and gave me a lot of challenges – PO in an internship, internship coordinator, personal manager (coach), team lead and finally, manager’s position.
What do you find most rewarding and challenging about working as a Development Manager at Visma?

The development manager position is still pretty new for me, so the most challenging thing is to figure out what I need and I can do. I have experience in management, but the scope of development manager is much bigger.

The most rewarding things are trust and respect from colleagues.

What are some of the latest trends or tools in IT project management that you find exciting or promising?

It’s hard to say what the trends are because we are a huge company and most of the tools are part of the Visma group. Personally, for me, Lucid tool was a break dealer for showing different things in a graphical way. The Second most useful tool is Google Spreadsheets 🙂 And for sure Slack 🙂

Do you prefer particular methodologies, and why?

Agile. In today’s world you must be fast. Agile enables us to do that.

Project management is a popular field in tech. What three skills do you think aspiring project managers should focus on developing?
1. Communication – you must work with different people and collaborate with them. Without good communication your work will be much harder.
2. Open-minded mindset – sometimes you must think outside the box and agree with different opinions, consider them and adapt.
3. Delegation – you can’t do everything by yourself.
For someone already in a project management role, what advice would you give to help them progress to a senior or leadership position?

I’m not in such a position yet, but if I could, I would say – stay curious about people, processes, tools, and everything around you.

Are there any courses, books, podcasts, or other resources that have made a difference in your career development?
1. Camille Fournier. The Manager’s Path: A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth and Change
2. Henry Cloud,John Townsend. Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life
You’re currently a mentor. What inspired you to take on this role, and what has been the most fulfilling aspect of mentoring?

I was looking for what else I could do in my life, and Woman Go Tech came at the right time.

During mentoring, I finally understood that I have a lot of experience from different fields, and I just love to share that. The most important thing is that I was able to connect and help two amazing women.

Can you share a highlight from your mentoring experience where you saw your mentee make significant progress?

Curiosity – look at problems from different angles and don’t be scared to try something different.

What advice would you give to others who are considering becoming mentors?

Do it 🙂 If you won’t try you won’t know if it is for you.

What qualities do you think are important for mentors to bring to their relationships with mentees?
1. Punctuality
2. Responsibility
3. Consistency
How have you navigated challenges unique to women in the tech field, and what advice do you have for others facing similar situations?

I can’t remember any challenges in the IT industry just because I’m a woman. If you are doing your job well it doesn’t matter the gender. Main advice from me – don’t give a shit and try to be the best version of yourself.
Jolita Jezukevičiūtė, Chapter Lead (Tech. Product Owner) at Danske Bank, Women Go Tech ambassador and a mentor in the IT Project Management track is making a significant impact in the […]
Jolita Jezukevičiūtė, Chapter Lead (Tech. Product Owner) at Danske Bank, Women Go Tech ambassador and a mentor in the IT Project Management track is making a significant impact in the tech industry. Beyond her professional achievements, she is deeply committed to mentoring and empowering others. We’re talking to Jolita about her journey as a mentor and the valuable lessons and rewarding experiences she has encountering along the way.

What drove you to become a mentor?

To be honest, I started looking for what would truly inspire me, and mentorship has always meant a lot to me. I was a mentor in previous companies and later in a UK IT program. It was natural for me to continue mentoring because it offers a chance to make someone’s life easier by guiding them into IT. Helping even one person is a huge achievement + you improve yourself along the way.

Last year, I saw on LinkedIn that Women Go Tech was looking for mentors for the Acceleration program, which also supported Ukrainian women. This attracted me even more, so I immediately applied. I love how this community grows with our mentees and constantly improves by seeking feedback. That’s how real trust is built, in my opinion.

What are the top three things you learned from mentoring?

Based on my WGT mentoring experience, I can highlight three key aspects:
1. Listening: Mentoring has taught me to truly listen and understand my mentees. Our sessions are focused on them, creating an open and supportive environment where they can shine. During our sessions with mentees, I mostly listen to them and only interject when they have a question or if it is necessary to introduce a new topic. Also, our feedback sessions are actually pretty awesome!
2. Quality: The importance of dedicating quality time to each mentee is critical. Last year, I had three mentees, but this year I limited myself to one to ensure I could provide the best support. It’s not about taking on as many mentees as possible, it’s about taking on as many as you can give quality time to. Rushing through meetings doesn’t do anyone any favors.
3. Self-motivation: Sometimes, things don’t go as planned. I had a mentee who disappeared at the start of the program. It was disappointing, but I learned that you can’t force someone to be motivated. I reached out a couple of times, but when there was no response, I let it go. It’s important to understand that no one else is responsible for our happiness, motivation, and professional growth. We are responsible for that, and we can’t do the work for our mentees.
What surprised you most, and what was your favorite mentorship moment?

We’re all so different, and that’s what makes mentoring special. One size definitely doesn’t fit all. I thought it would be beneficial to start a project from scratch, combining theory with practice to make it more real-world.

The concept remained the same, but its implementation was very different. For instance, with one mentee, we focused only on theoretical discussions using tools like Miro, while with another, we jumped straight into hands-on practice by using Jira, User story mapping, and Roadmap.

Life has a funny way of surprising you, doesn’t it? It’s also a rewarding feeling to see your mentee progressing. It easily became my favorite part of mentoring.

What advice would you give to new mentors, and is there a mentorship myth you’d like to dispel?

Have confidence in your knowledge. It’s only when we begin sharing it with others that we realize how much we’ve already gathered. While some believe that mentorship is all about the mentor sharing knowledge with the mentee, it’s actually more like a fun exchange where both sides learn and grow together. It’s all about creating a cozy vibe and making teamwork feel as easy as a breeze.

Can you share a mentee success story, and how did it make you feel seeing that success?

Transitioning to a career isn’t easy. Saying goodbye to the past while building the way for a bright future can be tough. That transitional phase simply requires patience, learning, and faith in one’s choices.

I was pleasantly impressed by one of my mentee’s proactivity. She actively contributed by suggesting tasks and engaging in discussions on topics that interested her. I’m incredibly proud of the progress she made during the program. Prior to the program, she was unemployed. After completing it, she found a job at an IT company in Kyiv, Ukraine. Despite the challenging circumstances in the region, her hard work and proactive attitude truly paid off. It’s so inspiring!
Janina Kulikian. Head of Smart Metering. AB „Energijos skirstymo operatorius“ (ESO)

Linkedin Profile

Janina Kulikian

Head of Smart Metering

AB „Energijos skirstymo operatorius“ (ESO)

I was still a business management student when I applied for an entry-level ERP system sales manager job. Although, instantly I found that more engaging for me was not to sell the system but to configure, consult clients and analyze the solutions. Therefore I switched to junior consultant for the ERP system. And this decision, 12 years back, was a real-life changer – from that time I never doubted that Tech is my path. Currently, I work in the energy sector, for the Energijos skirstymo operatorius – the company is responsible for the electricity and gas distribution in Lithuania. For the last 3 years, I am responsible for the smart meter deployment program – which involves both energy solutions and IT solutions.
I joined the Women Go Tech because I know that having by your side someone who can, by sharing experience and knowledge, help make it happen motivates me and encourages to be part of the program. Besides, I believe that I will get a lot of experience from the participants – they are bright and enthusiastic so this will add many colours to my experience.
Paulius Petravičius. Project Manager. Luminor Group.

Linkedin Profile

Paulius Petravičius

Project Manager

Luminor Group

Project Manager with experience gained in banking and asset management, London and Lithuania. Companies included Barclay, Aviva Investors and currently Luminor. Passionate about helping businesses to innovate by implementing new technologies or enhancing processes. Working with organisations’ people, processes & IT to deliver the business change, provide insights and improve operations. Also, running a quite successful Project Management blog https://insightspotter.com/
Arunas Bytautas. Delivery Director. Genius Sports

Linkedin Profile

Arunas Bytautas

Delivery Director

Genius Sports

I am Arunas. With more than 20 years of experience in IT field I have been involved in various tech roles, with the last 15 years – in management and leadership. Management and leadership is my passion – empowering others to deliver results via coaching, mentoring, best agile practices and just working together to reach the goals. What makes me happy is when I see others grow and achieve their goals. I can guide you through the paths of project management, leadership, HR practices, Agile, team empowerment, strategic thinking and much more. Let’s start the journey!
Agnė Kelminskienė. Agile Coach. Revel Systems

Linkedin Profile

Agnė Kelminskienė

Agile Coach

Revel Systems

I believe that there are no non-transferable skills. In the last five years, I changed my profession three times. From communication expert to product analyst, to agile coach and manager. I understood how finding synergies between different people and organizations can be as valuable as having deep knowledge in one field. Working with a team requires complementary talent and a different background or unique experience is a way to gain it. But many times you need a perspective to see the value you can bring. And this is where the mentorship shines!
Marius Ivanauskas. CEO. Telia Global Services Lithuania

Linkedin Profile

Marius Ivanauskas

CEO

Telia Global Services Lithuania

Driven and passionate leader with a proven track record of implementing organizational, technical, process and cultural change within organizations and functions of different scale. Over the course of 15-year career in large multi-national companies I have been leading teams from 50 to 1000 people across different continents, establishing leading organizations from the start, over-turning underperforming into successful at the same time driving positive change to customer satisfaction and employee engagement.
Vaida Vaižmužytė. IT director. Ermitažas

Linkedin Profile

Vaida Vaižmužytė

IT director

Ermitažas

Vaida Vaižmužytė is a Project Management Professional PMP. Starting in the IT sector, she held various career positions for more than ten years and now is able to manage different projects and teams.

Vaida has implemented an unprecedented multi-million-dollar data center construction project managed by a leading Scandinavian IT company, while connecting it to the existing infrastructure. Vaida was responsible for managing the entire project, including infrastructure and construction components, specification, changes in technological data center project, procurement bidding process, procurement management, budget management, as well as management for changing stakeholders and their expectations. Thanks to Vaida’s project management skills and diplomacy, the project was successfully managed on time, budget and scope for the first time, both Design and Facility certificates were obtained.

Vaida is also a Co-Founder and General Manager of artwork’s liquidity and finance start up artXchange Global, which is poised to become the second Lithuanian unicorn. Vaida is responsible for the process management and business development for the start-up, which allows it to start providing sustainable services for the collective investment in the artworks and ensuring the guaranteed price of works of art.

Vaida is actively interested in martial arts and also practices meditation, which allows her to maintain high emotional intelligence and focus skills. The constant research for further knowledge has led Vaida to Process Management studies at ISM University.
Ieva Lapinskienė. Senior poject manager. carVertical

Linkedin Profile

Ieva Lapinskienė

Senior poject manager

carVertical

I have some great experience while working as an IT project manager in complex long-term mobile app projects while experimenting and introducing new solutions to the market. I loved working with those projects! It was hard but I have grown as a person and as a professional. I cherish that experience so much, that I would like to share my knowledge, passion and inspire others to pursue this career path as it is so dynamic, challenging and never boring!
Mindaugas Girdvainis. Team Leader. Metasite Business Solutions

Linkedin Profile

Mindaugas Girdvainis

Team Leader

Metasite Business Solutions

IT and tech has been a part of my life since I was in school. 15+ years in various roles related to Software Development gives me a chance to embrace it from different perspectives. A creative approach to project and people management by applying a mix of various methods, frameworks and tools to help teams work more efficiently. It’s really amazing to work with people and teams, help them grow and perform by adopting an agile mindset. I’m always happy to share my knowledge and experience, especially in project and team management, agile mindset, personal and professional growth.
Tomas Konovalovas. Director, Software Engineering. Juvare

Linkedin Profile

Tomas Konovalovas

Director, Software Engineering

Juvare

I fell in love with IT science since my school days and have been working in it for more than 20 years. During my career I had an incredible journey from entry positions to management roles and worked with fantastic leaders who shaped my career a lot and inspired me to become who I am today. I have been working in people management area for the last 5 years, my biggest passion and personal joy is to work together with people, identify their strengths and to support their growth. In the recent years I led internal testing academy, internship and mentorship initiatives and had a great chance to be one of WGT mentors last year which was unbelievable experience!
Kim Leandersson. Head of Baltic delivery centers. Cognizant

Linkedin Profile

Kim Leandersson

Head of Baltic delivery centers

Cognizant

Long and wide experience for a variety of areas and roles. Starting with hands on IT support and system administration around both infrastructure and applications. Have done some project management, group management roles as well as leading departments and companies. Todays role is less technical, more a mix involving people management, business development and commercial aspects. Having tried both the hardcore technology side and the other side with only people allows me to understand that I do like the mix of technology and people. Staying to long in either end will sooner or later have we working towards the other end. When you mix talented people with good technology then often you will see great developments and amazing results.
Silvija Junevičiūtė-Kukštienė. DB & Integrations Team Lead in LT/ DBA Team Lead in Baltics. SEB IT

Linkedin Profile

Silvija Junevičiūtė-Kukštienė

DB & Integrations Team Lead in LT/ DBA Team Lead in Baltics

SEB IT

During my 20 years career within SEB Baltic IT, I gained a lot of experience both in IT operations and IT development fields. It gave me an opportunity to grow as Professional and the Leader.

Participating in and managing different projects in the Baltics I gained priceless experience in planning and managing workflows and time schedules, building architecture, solving technical questions. I gained a lot of experience working with different people in different countries and managing International Team. In incident/problem handling area I learned to take decision in a timely manner with highest possible quality for our customers and to work well under high pressure. I’m technician from beginning to the end. Positive approach and focus on everyday tasks, this is who I am.

How can I help You to discover IT? Believe me once You are in you will love it same way I do!
Rolandas Kičas. Vice President, Technology. Juvare

Linkedin Profile

Rolandas Kičas

Vice President, Technology

Juvare

Currently, I am responsible for engineering operations and country activities at Juvare, worldwide provider of emergency preparedness and response software solutions. Spending 17+ years in software engineering taught me to be a team player, servant leader, and apply agile mindset daily. While gradually moving through various roles from hands on, process to leadership it became evident – when teams and individuals feel empowered they invest into self-development and are eager to share their knowledge. I am excited to become WGT mentor and empower more women to advance their career in IT by sharing my knowledge in software delivery process, development life cycle and leading change.
Silvija Kalinauskaitė. Project Manager. Adform

Linkedin Profile

Silvija Kalinauskaitė

Project Manager

Adform

To me, project management has always been much more than a career – it is, first and foremost, a mindset and an all-round way to get things done. Project management offers universal skills which can be applied in both professional and personal life – problem-solving, communication, psychology, ability to effectively manage time and expectations, deal with uncertainty. Project management has also been my gateway to the IT sector. Since the start of my career in the tech industry, I have been leading strategic commercial and development projects, worked with project portfolio management, built and executed a project management training program for aspiring project managers. Having set foot in the tech industry a bit more than 3 years ago, I still have a vivid memory about the challenges I have faced when entering it and the lessons I have learned along the way. Reflecting back on my experience, I am certain that the key to a successful start and general personal fulfillment at work is all about building meaningful relationships and having the drive to learn. Especially once you start, try to stay open to other people’s advice and guidance, but strive not lose track of your main goal – finding your own individuality and voice as a young professional. If you are looking for someone to help you unlock your potential as a project manager or offer support in your pursuit of entering the tech world – I will do my best to offer a helping hand. I look forward to learning from one another!
Laimonas Lileika. Senior Director, Program Management and Organizational Excellence. Toptal

Linkedin Profile

Laimonas Lileika

Senior Director, Program Management and Organizational Excellence

Toptal

At Toptal Laimonas is responsible for scaling Toptal’s business sustainably through building a culture of modern Agile project and program management, focusing on the implementation of business-oriented delivery frameworks across the Product Management and Engineering functions. He brings over 15 years of experience in the IT industry, working both at hyper-growth startups and Fortune 50 (Microsoft) and 500 (CSC) companies.

Laimonas holds a Bachelor’s in Business Information Management and a Master’s in Communication Science from Vilnius University where he also used to lecture on IT Project Management. He is a co-founder and a board member of “Agile Lithuania” association and speaks at various local and international conferences.
Liudas Gulbinas. Head of Collaboration and Productivity. Danske Bank

Linkedin Profile

Liudas Gulbinas

Head of Collaboration and Productivity

Danske Bank

Leading collaboration tools transformation strategy in Danske Bank – moving towards cloud based workstream and social collaboration solutions. With more than 10 years experience in project management field, even in current role a lot of my focus is dedicated to change delivery and improving employee experience.
Donata Marcevičiūtė. Infrastructure Solution Manager. Blue Bridge MSP

Linkedin Profile

Donata Marcevičiūtė

Infrastructure Solution Manager

Blue Bridge MSP

I am a business-minded IT professional with more than 5 years of experience in IT service providers companies. During my career I have a proven record of working with large and enterprise organizations. The skills of Project Management, Sales Management and Business Development are the ones I am strong at and ready to share with my mentee. As well, this year I am finishing to gain my Master Degree in Innovation and Technology Management at ISM University. As I have my personal experience changing my career towards IT, I will be happy to share it and empower others to do so.
Kotryna Miknevičiūtė. IT Infrastructure automation manager. AmerisourceBergen

Linkedin Profile

Kotryna Miknevičiūtė

IT Infrastructure automation manager

AmerisourceBergen

Being 19 I got my first job in IT as a Mainframe automation engineer. And so I started off my career in a technology whose name I could hardly even spell correctly. That didn’t stop me from falling in love with it though.

After some time as an engineer I became a technical manager, I also tried myself in the roles of a technical project leader and a lecturer at university. Recently after nearly a decade of working with this specific banking technology I moved to an entirely different sector and technology to lead the build-out of automation within the wider IT. And I couldn’t be happier about it!

So throughout my career I have moved between different roles and different technologies and well… now nothing looks as scary anymore. The change might freak us out at first, but it’s always worth it.
Kristina Šaulinskienė. Ignitis IT System Development Team Lead

Linkedin Profile

Kristina Šaulinskienė

IT System Development Team Lead

IGNITIS

I changed my career from Business to IT. I have experience in both Private and Public sectors.

If you have questions for example: Can I? What should I do? Am I really capable? – I am here to help you!
Milda Dzidolikienė. IT Lead, People Tribe. Danske Bank

Linkedin Profile

Milda Dzidolikienė

Leading Product Manager

Vinted

I have been leading IT change and IT transformation for more than 13 years spanning from IT infrastructure to development. I am passionate about making change happen by using IT to achieve desired business outcomes and mostly enjoying the journey together with the teams to get there!
Goda Sadzevičiūtė. Head of Projects. Banking Lab

Linkedin Profile

Goda Sadzevičiūtė

Head of Projects

Banking Lab

Communication is at the core of Project Management. From cross-team cooperation to successfully managing client expectations and mitigating the change in the company’s DNA, it has to be clear, concise and motivating. I believe that asking the right questions no matter how hard they might be, are necessary to manage the risks and achieve results we can all be proud of.

In my career I have learned that no matter how culturally different the people may be, if you happen to work on the same project, you also have to take on the responsibility to create a comfortable environment where thoughts are heard, and the super-powers of each team member are embraced.
Indrė Jurkevičiūtė-Bačkė. Project Manager, HR Technology & Analytics. Western Union

Linkedin Profile

Indrė Jurkevičiūtė-Bačkė

Project Manager, HR Technology & Analytics

Western Union

I am driven to create things, to make the ideas happen. Throughout my career I have tried multiple hats: project manager, teacher, product owner, scrum master, data analyst, instructional designer…

And one constant thing among them all is same me. Today I’m developing technologies for HR and a better employee experience while leading Agile HR transformation adventure.

I hope I could help you see how all your experiences make sense together and become a unique advantage in any path you choose.
Daiva Kaštelionė. Project manager. Zenitech

Linkedin Profile

Daiva Kaštelionė

Project manager

Zenitech

Professional project manager +10 years managed different scale and technologies projects, using Agile and Waterfall project management methodologies. In a world where everyone is hugely busy, a project manager’s job of bringing a team together to work as one is far from easy. You might not have the specific skills or knowledge of each project member, but what is excellent at is seeing the bigger picture of how the jigsaw fits together and moving the right pieces to the right place at the right time. I want to encourage Woman Go Tech participants to dive deeper into PM’s profession and ready to share my experience.

What is Mentoring?

There are many talented people left without professional support, which often results in loss of motivation. Mentors make sure that doesn’t happen!

Mentoring is best described as an educational process when mentors share knowledge with the purpose of surfacing potential in their protégés.

Mentors are not school teachers. They’re voluntary professionals that are motivated to pass on knowledge and contribute to Women Go Tech’s talent pool.

Mentors & Experts

Filter by Category

Can you introduce yourself and share a bit about your background in IT project management?

What initially sparked your interest in pursuing a career in tech and project management?

What moments or roles have shaped your career the most?

What do you find most rewarding and challenging about working as a Development Manager at Visma?

What are some of the latest trends or tools in IT project management that you find exciting or promising?

Do you prefer particular methodologies, and why?

Project management is a popular field in tech. What three skills do you think aspiring project managers should focus on developing?

For someone already in a project management role, what advice would you give to help them progress to a senior or leadership position?

Are there any courses, books, podcasts, or other resources that have made a difference in your career development?

You’re currently a mentor. What inspired you to take on this role, and what has been the most fulfilling aspect of mentoring?

Can you share a highlight from your mentoring experience where you saw your mentee make significant progress?

What advice would you give to others who are considering becoming mentors?

What qualities do you think are important for mentors to bring to their relationships with mentees?

How have you navigated challenges unique to women in the tech field, and what advice do you have for others facing similar situations?

What drove you to become a mentor?

What are the top three things you learned from mentoring?

Can you share a mentee success story, and how did it make you feel seeing that success?

What is Mentoring?