Women in Technology Summit 2019: A Time to Come Together

Thirty years ago Carolyn Leighton had a vision: to unite women under the shared goal of creating equity in the workplace through strong female friendships and professional connections. Women working in technical fields then knew they were worth more than they were being afforded at work and Women In Technology International (WITI) helped give them a place to organize with others who knew the same thing. A few years later, in 1995, those people came together in once place and the annual Women in Technology Summit was born.

Today, over a thousand people who support women’s advancement in the workplace gather in the Silicon Valley each year to take part in a career fair, workshops, and hear prominent keynote speakers. This June 9th - 11th the Women in Technology Summit will be held in San Jose, CA. This year’s conference begins with how to “Maximize Your Seat At the Table” and ends with the keynote speaker, Hannah Beth-Jackson, California State Senator and author of Senate Bill SB-826, which which demands technology firms to bring more women to the boardroom.
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The first ever keynote speaker for the Women in Technology Summit, in 1995 was equality activist, Gloria Steinem, who shared this compelling thought: "What we need to do is, in addition to knocking on the doors, making clear that we (women) fit the current definitions, that we can integrate, be liked, play the same game, compete, excel and do all of this ... We need to change the definitions of the game because technology has been defined in a way that keeps women of all races out of it."

This year’s Women in Technology Summit promises to go above and beyond that first year.
WITI has crafted an exciting three days including discussions, events and professional coaching such as: “Powerful Strategies for Female Founders,” “Standing Your Ground in Emotionally Charged Situations,” and “How To Be Empowered In Male Dominated Arenas.”

In between the scheduled event is the AR/VR cafe, a fully outfitted virtual reality art exhibit featuring Daniel Leighton’s “Art + Tech + Emotion,” demos of cutting edge technology and networking with other influential colleagues.

2019 Women in Technology Summit has been designed for women, and those who believe in gender equality in the workplace to connect, inspire, excite and empower. As Dr. Lynne C. Bracker from Raytheon said after experiencing the Women in Technology Summit, "My employees returned to work energized, enthusiastic and expectant that their careers have real growth potential. I met women from across the country who are making a real and positive difference."

Hope to see you there!

See more testimonials and summit footage here: WITI Testimonial Highlights And Register with more details here: summit #witisummit

Opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of WITI.