Member interview with Azadeh Dindayal

What do you do and what is it about your job that gets you out of bed in the morning?

There are so many things about my job that gets me out of bed in the morning. First, I love that I have the opportunity to solve for a trustworthy, informed and transparent way to control our personal information. We need a simple digital identity in so many facets of our digital lives and it’s sorely lacking. Second, I love knowing that I’m contributing to a safer digital future for my children and the next generation. Finally, and most importantly, I love the people I get to share the experience with – the team at IDENTOS, our customers and the identity community continues to humble me.

 

How did you get to where you are today?

Hmm. Hard to say. Where am I today? I am a daughter, a sister, a mom, a tech professional and very grateful for it all. I don’t know how I got here since most of this was likely already planned before my time… but for the moments I had the opportunity to make a choice, I would say that I’ve arrived here thanks to having trust in myself and others who wanted the best for me.

 

What is the most important lesson you have learned along the way?

The most important lesson is to really take stock of the people we interact with, especially the people who share in the same vision and are doing their best to create a better future. The more human and connected we are, the better our solutions will be.

 

What’s your pitch to CEOs in the identity space? What do you suggest they START / STOP / CONTINUE doing and why?

Keeping this focused on identity, I’d say:

  • START joining other innovators in your community and offer to work on complementary identity projects.
  • STOP asking for input from the same groups or people. Surround yourself with different voices and perspectives.
  • CONTINUE bringing your best in identity solutions to build a privacy-respecting, sustainable digital future for citizens, patients, students, parents, children, et al.

 

In one sentence, why does diversity matter to you?

Solutions will fall flat unless we can recognize our blind spots.

 

What book/film/piece of art would you recommend to your fellow members? Why?

In a field that is dreaming up the future, it probably comes as no surprise that I like to spend a lot of time with movies that have done the same. Aside from diversity, Sci-fi movies also have the power to offer different perspectives. Flicks like Gattaca, Ai, Hunger Games, Battlestar Galactica, West World all have an identity component in the plot that’s interesting to observe. I love the impact it has on the characters’ quality of life, not to mention the freedoms and liberties of some.

 

What advice would you give to the teenage ‘you’?

As a teenager, I was full of big dreams and wanted to fulfill them all. Personally, this caused a lot of stress, and after a while it also didn’t leave a lot of room for connecting with the people and things I cared most for. If I had the opportunity, I’d tell my teenage self:  “Continue to dream big and have a compass, but don’t be so hard on yourself. Instead, do your best with what you have while giving yourself space to do the things you find most fulfilling.”

 

Connect with Azadeh on Twitter: @amahinpou and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azadehd/


 April 22, 2021