IMPACT Podcast Series
IMPACT is FORUM’s signature podcast highlighting the women whose leadership, expertise, and vision are shaping the future of government, technology, and the federal contracting community. Each episode features in-depth, authentic conversations with executives, trailblazers, innovators, and rising leaders who are driving meaningful progress across the public and private sectors.
The podcast explores a wide range of topics essential to modern leadership: building inclusive workplaces, navigating career advancement, leading through change, supporting mission outcomes, and fostering collaboration between government and industry. Guests share real-world experiences, lessons learned, and actionable insights that empower listeners to lead with confidence and drive impact within their organizations.
IMPACT offers more than professional stories—it provides a platform for thoughtful dialogue on mentorship, opportunity, innovation, and the challenges and successes women encounter at every level of the GovCon and federal technology ecosystem. Whether you are an emerging professional, a seasoned executive, or someone passionate about leadership and community, the podcast delivers inspiration and practical guidance you can apply immediately.
About the Host:
Mary Ann Brown hosts IMPACT and brings deep experience supporting government–industry collaboration. As Senior Director of Operations at FORUM, she helps create strategic events, leadership initiatives, and platforms that elevate voices across the federal community and advance meaningful conversations about leadership and mission success.
Subscribe to IMPACT to hear the stories and perspectives of the women shaping the federal landscape—and to be inspired by the leadership driving change across government and industry.
IMPACT Podcast Series
Executing Innovation at Scale: Leading Global Engineering Teams in Cybersecurity
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What does it take to turn bold ideas into real-world impact — at a global cybersecurity company?
In this episode of Impact: Women in Leadership, we sit down with Audra Simons, Vice President of Software Engineering, Global Products at Everfox. Audra is a results-driven technology leader who believes that innovation without execution is just noise.
From startups to global blue-chip organizations, Audra shares the leadership lessons that translated across every environment—and the ones that didn’t.
Everfox delivers mission-critical solutions, including cross-domain security, cyber threat protection, and insider risk technologies. Audra explains how this product-focused structure enables teams to innovate, scale, and deliver secure solutions worldwide—without losing focus or agility.
We explore:
• Her career journey into senior technology leadership
• Leading global product engineering teams across regions
• Building influence in technical and male-dominated spaces
• Turning innovative ideas into executed outcomes
• Relationship management as a leadership superpower
• Creating a culture where innovation is delivered—not just discussed
• Mindset shifts for women pursuing executive roles in technology
If you're interested in women in tech leadership, cybersecurity innovation, global product strategy, or engineering management, this episode delivers practical insights and powerful perspectives.
#ImpactWomenInLeadership #WomenInTech #CybersecurityLeadership #EngineeringLeadership #GlobalProduct #WomenInSTEM #ExecutiveLeadership #InnovationExecution #Everfox #TechLeadership #FORUM
IMPACT: Women in Leadership with Mary Ann Brown features conversations with trailblazing women shaping the future of business, government, and innovation.
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