From Attendee to Speaker: Shreya Singh’s Grace Hopper Conference Journey

Early in her career, Shreya Singh '22 MS MIS sought sponsorship to virtually attend the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC), an annual conference that brings together women in tech and their allies. A few years later, she was invited to be a speaker at the very same conference.

It was “an experience that felt incredibly full circle and deeply validating,” Singh said of speaking at the conference in 2025 in Chicago.

Named after Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, one of the first women to earn a doctorate in mathematics, GHC is the flagship event of AnitaB.org, a global nonprofit organization that provides women and non-binary individuals with resources, events and other opportunities to develop careers in tech.

As a panelist at GHC last fall, Singh discussed how product managers utilize AI to create better products and be more efficient. 

“Standing on that stage reminded me how consistency, curiosity and showing up—especially when it feels uncomfortable—can completely change the trajectory of your career,” she said.

The invitation to speak at GHC came through Singh’s job. After starting as an intern, Singh now serves as a technical program manager at Microsoft, where she works on the cloud computing platform Azure. Her role involves working with various stakeholders to ensure customers’ needs are met.

She credits the Eller College of Management’s curriculum with helping her gain the skills required for product management.

After growing up in Varanasi, India—one of the world’s oldest living cities—Singh finished her undergraduate degree and worked as a Python developer for more than three years. While in that role, she discovered her desire to learn about the business aspect of technology.

“I wanted to move beyond execution and contribute to decision-making—using data, critical thinking and customer insights to shape products end to end,” she said. “That pushed me to strengthen my business and managerial skills without losing my technical foundation.”

When selecting a university to further her education, Eller ultimately emerged as her top choice. As she pursued her master’s in MIS, Singh built her consulting skills while strengthening her technical abilities through classes in data mining and database systems. But one of the most impactful experiences was working as a graduate research assistant with John Moeller, the director of the MIS Department’s Academic and Research Technologies Group.

“Our weekly one-on-one discussions went beyond research and played a key role in my personal and professional growth, helping me build confidence and prepare for the U.S. corporate environment,” she said.

After graduating in 2022 and beginning her corporate role at Microsoft, Singh took time to reflect on words of wisdom for current Eller MIS students. She encouraged students to have fun but stay committed to searching for a job and getting involved on campus.

“Put yourself out there, even when it feels intimidating,” she said. “Eller changed my life, and I genuinely believe yours can be better if you keep putting in that little extra effort every day.”