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“At first, I didn’t think I was going to like the job because I didn’t think IT would interest me,” says Leana. “It’s a very male-dominated industry and you usually need a lot of skills and experience to get in—and I didn’t have any of that.” But curiosity won.

Now at BMC Software, Leana Barbion’s thriving in the kind of environment that rewards initiative. “It felt like solving a puzzle, not work,” she says. The role isn’t about hype or image—it’s about depth, patience, and discovery. “I like being unpredictable. I don’t like people putting me in boxes.”

What does life in tech really look like?

At BMC Software, Leana discovered that success in tech doesn’t always look the way you expect. “BMC works in IT services. It’s not a sexy industry at all,” she says with a laugh. “You see people in their forties, usually married with children; they’re much older. When you go to companies like AWS, everyone is in their twenties or thirties—that’s how you envision your first job.”

But it’s OK. Leana found that working as an Associate Solution Engineer brought out a healthy contrast to the norm. “Being the kid of the team, everyone wants to help you out. You’re never going to be wrong. Everyone has so much patience because they know you’re new and it’s your first job.”

Leana studied the Master in Management combined with the Master in Computer Science & Business Transformation. And the more she learns, the more she values the foundation she was building.

“I’m learning so much on the tech level. Everything I learned in my computer science master I’m covering now—RPA, SAP, cloud, Kubernetes. I’m touching everything that I’ve learned.” It’s an environment that rewards curiosity over certainty, where mentorship and humility carry you further than titles. “I’m loving it so much that I’m not considering leaving anytime soon. For someone in my generation where job-hopping is common, that says a lot.”

How do you forge your path as a girl in STEM?

“I didn’t grow up with a mother or a mother figure,” says Leana. “In my family we’re all very masculine because our education is very masculine. So when I walk in, I’m more comfortable; I have less comfort navigating with women because I don’t have that experience growing up.”

Bridging that gap has been possible largely due to an unusual amount of self-knowledge. “I’m not into fashion,” says Leana. “I’m not into marketing or HR, either. I grew up with a dad telling me, you’re a go-getter, you have to push, go for the hard things. So I turned toward tech. People saw me as feminine, and I liked going against that. With writing code, people imagine a guy in a basement. And I push against that image.”

That sense of purpose also comes from how Leana’s learned to grow inside challenge.

“As long as you do your work and do it well, there’s no reason for anyone to tell you not to do what you’re doing,” says Leana. And she’s finding a freedom at BMC Software which complements her sense of independence: “I can work from anywhere; I can go to the office as much as I want—or not at all. ”

What did the Master in Management offer Leana?

“Honestly, the Master in Management was my first option,” says Leana. “IE is known to be a really good school. The experience the teachers bring—in content and how they teach—is much better than what I experienced in the US. It’s entertaining; they know what they’re talking about, they have real practice.”

“I learned how to present, how to write,” Leana continues. “I learned technical skills too—things in Excel I hadn’t done before. When you put all the classes together—yes, there’s finance and economics—but for someone who’s never done business, everything is new. I had basics, but I learned so much more.”

In fact, there was one area which Leana found personally groundbreaking. “I’ve always been self-conscious about my speaking,” she explains. “English isn’t my first language, and even in French or Spanish I don’t really enunciate. It requires more energy. I struggle to say words so everyone can understand, no matter how loud I speak. I wanted to work on that—to transmit my content not just through body language but through how I speak.”

But Leana found a way to make the most of her time at IE Business School, which has had a lasting impact.

“In pre-sales I present every other day,” says Leana. “I have to deliver presentations in a way people will remember. During the program, we did so many presentations. We had communication skills classes; professors told us exercises to do before presentations. I took part in a lot of initiatives: clubs, Venture Lab, events, interviews. Every time, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone—managing events, being the one presenting, interviewing people. For Venture Lab, I insisted on presenting in front of hundreds of people looking at our startup—to push myself and build confidence in speaking.”

Why do a Dual Degree with tech?

Leana also chose to combine her Master in Management with the Master in Computer Science & Business Technology. The decision to upgrade to a dual degree came from a mix of motivations. “When I graduated from uni in the US, I knew I wanted a master in computer science, and the dual degree was a perfect fit because it gave me more time. Nine months felt too short,” says Leana. “Then having something in business—the Master in Management—was smart for the future as I didn’t know where I’d end up working.”

What’s more, the depth of her education across two programs is paying off dividends as she blends across different teams. “My company is international—from the US to Israel to Europe to Asia,” says Leana. “I have to adapt to all types of people. You have to balance everyone’s ideas and develop soft skills.”

Opting for the Dual Degree Master in Management + Master in Computer Science & Business Technology gives you the strategic mindset of a business leader alongside the technical fluency of an engineer. This allows you to see both the system and the solution. Students graduate ready to turn innovation into impact, leading teams that understand data, design, and decision-making in equal measure. As with Leana, it’s an opportunity to speak both languages of business and technology fluently—and shaping the future where they meet.

What can you learn from Leana’s story of working in STEM?

First, you don’t need a “sexy” logo to do meaningful tech. “BMC Software works in IT services. It’s not a sexy industry at all. But the company is warm, welcoming and strong.”

Second, stay open. “You have to adapt to all types of people. With the Master in Management, you know, the diversity is just through the roof. Now I work with different types of departments. I work with customer success, with sales, with human resources, with product and marketing. Everyone has their own objective. And you have to adapt to that.”

Third, and most importantly, think big. Because breaking the mold is working for Leana.

And if you have any lingering doubts, just know that Leana gives the program her full endorsement: “I show IE to everyone who might be interested. In fact, I have a twin brother who’s doing the Master in Management right now. ”