3 Takeaways from Xplore’s Women’s History Month Panel

In October we marked Women’s History Month in Canada, a time to celebrate the women who are contributing to a better, more inclusive Canada. At Xplore, we celebrated this special month with a panel discussion around this year’s theme, “Women at Work: Economic Growth Past, Present, and Future.” Hosted at Xplore’s corporate office, and broadcasted to our offices across the country, this event was a fantastic opportunity for staff to learn from the experiences of our very own women leaders.

Cathy MacDonald, our Chief Operating Officer (COO), Karthiga Vasudevan, Manager of Application Development, and Nancy Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), shared their journeys, challenges, and insights, all moderated by Indrani Ray, Xplore’s Director of Corporate Communications. The panel provided a platform for rich conversations and valuable lessons.

Accept Challenges and Know Your Facts: Cathy Macdonald

Cathy MacDonald, our COO, ensures that Xplore runs like a well-oiled machine so that we are consistently delivering reliable Internet services to our customers. She took us back to her high school days to highlight her love for math, science, and solving problems which set the foundation for her career. Her passion for solving problems led her all the way to the top, working directly with Ted Rogers, well known in Canada as a businessman, philanthropist, and the former CEO of Rogers Communications. She shared one of the secrets to her success: knowing her facts. “You have to know your facts. You’re not going to succeed, especially in the world of IT and Operations, if you don’t know your facts.” Her journey from Nabisco to Rogers and eventually to Xplore is a testament to her determination and love for finding solutions to even the most difficult challenges.

Connect to Community and Embrace Delegation: Karthiga Vasudevan

As Manager of Application Development, Karthiga Vasudevan oversees all development projects, ensuring smoother operations and a better customer experience. Her proudest career moment was launching the Xplore Activation process in 2014, a self-serve feature that significantly improved customer service. Kart shared the unique challenges of moving countries and facing cultural differences, including going from a big city in India with lots of opportunity to Woodstock, New Brunswick where she couldn’t even go to the grocery store without someone recognizing her. After four years there, Kart had built a wonderful community around her. Kart didn’t hesitate to lean into her community as needed as she became a mother and juggled a demanding career as a new Canadian. She relocated to the Greater Toronto Area but stayed deeply connected to her community in Woodstock.

Like most women in leadership roles, Kart knows that life is a balancing act. Her advice is to embrace delegation and maintain an organized schedule. “Keeping that balance doesn’t mean you have that 100% balance every day. It differs based on the priorities and the things that happen in your schedule.” In sharing her journey from a junior programmer in India to a manager at Xplore she highlighted the importance of flexibility, support from the team and determination. “I proved to everyone that age and gender don’t matter as long as you have the hard work, passion, and determination to do what you want and strive for your goals.”

Find the Right Role and Learn from Failures: Nancy Thomas

Nancy Thomas, Xplore’s CMO, spends her days leading the Sales and Marketing team responsible for connecting customers in rural communities with fast, reliable Xplore Internet. Outside of her work at Xplore, she’s enthusiastically involved with the extracurricular activities of her three teenage daughters. Nancy candidly spoke about the importance of authenticity and learning from failures, sharing a personal story about a failed interview early in her career that motivated her to prepare differently for future opportunities. “What LinkedIn doesn’t show you are the times when I reached for a rung on the “corporate ladder” and didn’t get it, or when I actually hung off the side of the ladder to catch a breath and focus on my young family,” Nancy said. Her advice is to be mindful of the season you are in, both personally and professionally, and to find the right role that is a match for you at that time.

Looking Forward

As we proudly celebrate and recognize the women of Xplore, we encourage our staff to bring their whole selves to work and to support each other in our unique journeys. Started in 2024 by a group of passionate employees, Xplore's Diversity & Inclusion Committee is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Read all about Women’s History Month and how you can get involved!

At Xplore, we are dedicated to bringing better, faster Internet to Canadians in rural communities. With our world-class fibre, wireless, and next-generation satellite infrastructure, combined with a network of local dealers and around-the-clock Canadian-based tech support, you get the Internet connection you need.