Leyla Seka

Leyla Seka is the COO of digital contract platform Ironclad and a founder of the Black Venture Institute, which offers a curriculum-based program dedicated to teaching Black operators how to become angel and venture investors. If that wasn’t impressive enough, she also happens to be on the Board of Directors at Girls Who Code and a Chair at the women-led VC firm Operator Collective. Leyla is a changemaker who talks the talk and walks the walk: during her decade at Salesforce, she pioneered their equal pay initiative, resulting in raises for more than 10% of the women at the company. 

Leyla was nominated to the Hall of Femme by Olivia Johnston, who sang her praises as a force of positivity (with no fear). “She is the future of leadership in America — focused on sustainable solutions to past missteps and creating a future for everyone to thrive,” Olivia says. “She drove pay equity changes at a global tech company, created a VC firm focused on allocating capital to Black founders, is championing education for women in tech through Girls Can Code, and inspires me to fight for what’s right even when I have a tough day. The world would be better with more Leylas.”