At Sitecore Symposium 2025, the Women in Digital panel delivered a powerful discussion on what it means to lead through transformation in today’s rapidly shifting digital landscape. The conversation centered on how women leaders navigate disruption from pandemic pivots to the rise of AI while scaling trust, driving innovation, and fostering inclusion.
Featured Panelists:
- Sarah Hamilton, SVP Performance Marketing, Sitecore
- Amanda Murawski, Executive Director of Web Strategy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Molly Schnagl, Owner, Tomegan Marketing Group
Megan Mueller Jensen, Senior Solutions Architect in Perficient’s Sitecore practice moderated the panel. MJ guided the conversation with a series of thought-provoking questions on emerging technologies, balancing innovation with daily operations, mentorship and inclusivity, and empowering women to lead confidently in an evolving digital landscape.
Embracing Change as a Constant
The panel emphasized that change is inevitable and often uncomfortable. From pandemic-driven shifts to remote work to today’s rapid adoption of AI, leaders must normalize uncertainty and frame it as an opportunity for growth. Establishing routines, maintaining structure, and leaning on community support were highlighted as essential strategies for sustaining productivity and well-being.
Building Resilient Teams Through Empathy
A central theme: human-first leadership. The pandemic underscored the importance of checking in on people—not just projects. Sarah shared a favorite saying that really resonated with me, “We’re all in different boats, but in the same storm.”
Small gestures, like personal notes or care packages, can go a long way toward building trust and loyalty during challenging times. Creating psychological safety, plus offering resources such as coaching and peer mentoring, remains critical for supporting whole-person growth and retention.
Strategic Imperative for Women Leaders:
Digital transformation isn’t just about technology—it’s about people. Leaders who combine empathy with innovation will not only navigate disruption but set the standard for inclusive, future-ready organizations.
Navigating the AI Revolution with Confidence
AI dominated the conversation as both a disruptor and an enabler. While concerns about job security are real, the panel encouraged viewing AI as a tool that automates low-value tasks and frees teams to focus on strategic work. Sarah reminded attendees, that AI has been around since 1956 and that “marketing is about people relating to people and not just selling products.” She added that she learned a lot more from talking with customers at Sitecore Symposium than from any database or data set.
Leaders were encouraged to promote curiosity, integrate learning into work hours to prevent burnout, and communicate openly about both opportunities and concerns.
Supporting Women Through Life’s Complexities
The panel addressed the realities of managing teams balancing demanding careers with other priorities outside of work. Amanda shared the importance of getting to know your staff and looking at them as friends. She said leaders “…have to acknowledge that there is a life outside of work and that affects how you show up.” Take the opportunity to learn about your people.
Flexibility emerged as a retention strategy, supported by micro-moments of connection such as informal check-ins and weekly newsletters. Organizations that offer compassion during personal crises see loyalty and performance soar. As Molly shared, offering grace during difficult life moments pays dividends: people “show up stronger…come back and are higher producers.”
Next Steps for Industry Leaders
- Identify low-value tasks ripe for AI automation.
- Create learning pathways for emerging tech within business hours.
- Audit your team’s psychological safety and support systems.
- Build a culture of flexibility and trust to retain and grow future female leaders.
Let’s Continue the Conversation
We’re grateful to our partners at Sitecore for helping bring this impactful discussion to the Symposium community. It was wonderful to see both familiar and new faces this year! We left the breakfast inspired and energized.
Thank you to our panelists, attendees, and to our friends at Sitecore for making this event a success and a true highlight of Perficient’s presence at Symposium. We look forward to continuing these important conversations and supporting each other in our digital journeys.
See you at Sitecore Symposium 2026!
