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NZ Tech Rally × Summer of Tech: Growing junior tech talent in the age of AI

  • Creative HQ 7 Dixon Street Wellington Central, Wellington Region, 6011 New Zealand (map)

Join NZ Tech Rally and Summer of Tech for an inspiring evening as we bring together diverse industry voices from Aotearoa for a panel discussion on how to grow and support junior tech talent in the age of AI.

Panellists

 
Portrait of Khushi– an Indian woman with dark eyes and dark hair, wearing a black top and a maroon blazer.

Khushi Chauhan

Khushi is a Technical Product Owner at NZ Police, working with the Data and Analytics team to support technology that enables frontline policing and better community outcomes. With strong Agile and data foundations, she has worked across banking and public sector, moving from developer and analyst roles into product leadership.

An ex–Summer of Tech intern, Khushi is passionate about supporting emerging talent and has contributed to the internship programme at NZ Police. She is known for bringing people together and creating spaces where teams feel valued and can thrive. She was recently recognised with an ICT Award for Culture building and team spirit.

 

Evan Wilson

Evan is a technology enthusiast with 25+ years in data and AI. As VP at DataTorque, he harnesses data and AI to design a smarter future, solving "wicked" problems through data-centric innovation.

A fierce advocate for equity, Evan champions talent pathways ensuring diverse voices lead New Zealand’s technological evolution.

 

Joshua Vial

Joshua is a software developer, educator, and founder who has spent two decades at the intersection of technology and talent
development.

He co-founded Dev Academy Aotearoa in 2013 and spent ten years training junior developers as tech lead. He founded Enspiral in
2010, building one of New Zealand's longest-running experiments in distributed collaboration. Today he runs Code With JV, where his team builds AI applications and delivers education programmes focused on helping professionals adapt to AI. He also co-founded Fundsorter, which helps charities find and manage funding opportunities.

 

Panel moderator

Ruth is a middel aged Caucasian woman with light brown curly hair, wearing glasses and a dark brown blazer, smiling at the camera.

Ruth McDavitt

Ruth is the CEO of Summer of Tech, connecting emerging tech talent with industry across Aotearoa. She champions pathways for graduates into meaningful careers, supports employers to grow diverse teams, and is a strong advocate for building a sustainable, inclusive tech ecosystem in New Zealand today nationwide.

 
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