Web Analytics

Events


Keynotes & Featured Speakers

Keynote Lunch
Maya Baratz, Senior Product Manager, ABC News
October 4, 12:30 pm - 2:15 pm


Keynote Lunch - Claim Your Career: The 3 Simple Truths to Career Development
Elizabeth Mayo, Head of Department, Laboratory Services, DNV GL
Suchitra Subrahmanyan, Ph.D., Managing Director, Business Development, Applied Materials
Jennifer Sun, Engineering Director, ETCH, Applied Materials
October 3, 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm

A personal "brand," a clear view of your options, and an eye for opportunity can make a significant difference in the path your career will take. This panel will address the key factors to mastering the 3 simple truths of career development and personal success. Panelists will offer immediately applicable advice on how women can best develop a career plan that is both actionable and flexible (hint: be prepared for anything!).


Keynote: The Future of Work - Are We Ready?
Sophie V. Vandebroek, Ph.D., COO, IBM Research
October 4, 9:00 am - 9:50 am

To a large extent our workplace shapes our identity; it's where we develop relationships, apply our passion, creativity and best thinking. It can also be maddening and make us feel insignificant. Whatever the dynamics, "going to work" is vital - to each one of us, to our relationships, and also to the world in which we live. But what if the nature of work changes so dramatically in the future that today's workplace is virtually unrecognizable? What if work is no longer a destination, but a journey? What if people get their work done whenever and wherever they choose - and the era of the traditional office is over?

Xerox Chief Technology Officer Sophie Vandebroek looks at how individuals, information, technology and organizations will interact and evolve in this brand new world of work. She examines key uncertainties that may also materially impact this new reality, such as information structure, intelligent systems, digitization, information availability, and energy, as well as the possible implications associated with such change. Finally, Sophie suggests attitudes and actions individuals can use to prepare for and capitalize on this new and rapidly evolving world of work.


Opening Keynote
Marissa Mayer, CEO, Yahoo
October 2, 4:15 pm - 5:15 pm


Breakout Sessions

Panel Discussion: Lifting the Fog on Cloud Computing
Karen Garcia, IS&T Chief of Staff, BMC Software, Inc.
Nicole Graebner, Senior Account Executive, Key Information Systems
Dina McKinney, Corporate Vice President, Bulldozer Cores Technology Group, AMD
Joanne Moretti, GM, RADIUS INNOVATION & DEVELOPMENT SVP & CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, Jabil Blue Sky
Adrian Ott, CEO, Exponential Edge
October 4, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

It seems the entire tech industry has its head in the Cloud. This panel will discuss the key aspects of transitioning business into the Cloud, from private and 3rd party data storage to data security and accessibility. We'll examine products and solutions paving the way forward and learn how Cloud impacts workflow, the future of business and a better ability to service customers.


Panel Discussion: Starting Your Start-Up: Success Stories from Women Who Took A Chance on Themselves
Tiffani Ashley Bell, CEO & Founder, Pencil You In
Angie Chang, Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Women 2.0
Joselle Ho, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Miso Media
Sandy Jen, Co-Founder, Meebo
October 4, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

WITI loves a good success story! The entrepreneurs in this session will share their experiences from concept to the launch of their companies and the growth challenges, lessons learned and rewards they earned on their way to success.


Schedule Event

Get Bold! How To Capitalize on The Social Enterprise
Sandy Carter, CEO | CMO | Ecosystems | Business Development Information Technology, Silicon Blitz
October 3, 3:05 pm - 3:35 pm

Sandy Carter, IBM Vice President, Social Business Solutions Sales and Evangelism is leading a successful career living and advocating in the social enterprise. Consulting with executives from around the globe, Sandy learned there are many gaps in the way businesses engage online. As a result, they miss valuable customer engagement opportunities. During this session, Sandy will share anecdotes from her own experience interacting with customers and executives using social tools as well as share data and insights from her new book "Get Bold!", a roadmap text for companies as they develop and execute their social business plans.


WITI Summit Speakers, Panelists and Moderators

Panel Discussion: Effective Social Media and the Social Enterprise
Sheigh Crabtree, VP of Audience Development, Perfect Market
April Dembosky, San Francisco Correspondent, Financial Times
Miriam McLemore, CIO, Market Facing Functions, Coca-Cola
Heather Meeker, VP of Corporate Communications, GOGII
Donna Morris, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Adobe Systems Incorporated
October 4, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Setting up a Facebook page, LinkedIn account and Twitter handle are components of a successful social strategy but in order to truly reap the benefits of social engagement you must have compelling content, consistent brand messaging and cross-platform communication as well as a succinct corporate and executive strategy. This panel will review all of the key factors for success in the many facets of the Social Enterprise including tips and pitfalls to avoid.


Panel Discussion: Expanding Business to New Territories and Securing the Best Talent Internationally
Kathy Curtis, Senior Manager, Global Relocation, Cisco
Deborah Davy, Senior Counsel, Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty, LLP
Margie Jones, American Immigration Manager, Intel Corporation
Cheree McAlpine, General Counsel, Wyse Technology Inc
Minal Shah, Senior Counsel, Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty, LLP.
October 4, 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

As the nation struggles with economic uncertainty and unemployment, the IT industry faces unique challenges in the global marketplace. As some sectors face layoffs and reductions in force, other sectors struggle to find skilled workers and manage global talent. In this panel, we explore solutions for recruiting, retaining and managing an international workforce. We look at obstacles to hiring foreign nationals in the United States, discuss international assignment and travel policies, and compare various models and solutions for global mobility executives. In addition, we explore how companies are addressing the challenges of opening overseas offices and working with various immigration and regulatory schemes in emerging markets. Our panel includes experts in human resources and global mobility as well as corporate legal counsel.


Panel Discussion: Money Matters: Getting the Right Funding
Mona DeFrawi, CEO, Equidity
Joey Tamer, Consultant, Expert, JoeyTamer.com
Pemo Theodore, Media Producer & Startup Coach, EZebis
October 4, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

In order for ideas to come to life they need the right financial support. This panel discussion will outline and debate all forms of funding, including venture capital, angel investments and alternative strategic funding from licensing to international deals to strategic alliances and more. The panel will give attendees insights into deciphering the best solutions for any business concept.


Panel Discussion: Moving Target - The Mobile Enterprise
Cheemin Bo-Linn, President and CEO, Peritus Partners
Laura Chambers, Senior Director, Paypal Mobile
Cheryl Goodman, Senior Director, Qualcomm Inc
Amanda McConnell, Head of Product, rent.com
October 4, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Thriving in today's marketplace means you must conduct business on the go and capture your audience wherever they may be. This panel will dive into the mobile landscape to discuss the hardware, applications, content and practices that are cultivating progress and efficiency in an increasingly mobile world.


eMentoring: Boon or Bane?
Diane Pozefsky, Ph.D., Research Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina
October 3, 1:45 pm - 2:15 pm

As the world becomes more dependent on electronic communication, human interactions have changed. How significant are these changes? What has been lost and what gained? What issues should you be aware of as you mentor or are mentored electronically? How should you think about social networks in relationship to mentoring?


Engineer to CEO and the Survival Skills In Between
Julie Schoenfeld, CEO, PerfectMarket
October 4, 10:10 am - 10:40 am

While we may not be born engineers or CEOs, with hard work and lots of determination, we can train ourselves to excel at any discipline. Julie Schoenfeld, CEO and President at Perfect Market, will reveal her insights as to how, despite the odds, she survived and thrived in engineering school and then went on to become a founding member and CEO of two other successful venture-backed startups, later selling one of her companies to Ask Jeeves Inc. for more than $288 million. Today Schoenfeld runs a new media startup, and she will address the importance of spanning the divide between technology and journalism in a disruptive online news environment.


Executive Roundtables: The Business Case for Hiring/Advancing More Women - and Why
Sheryl Root, Director/Assoc. Professor, Carnegie Mellon, President and CEO, RootAnalysis
October 4, 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

This event will launch a series of WITI-hosted Executive Roundtables designed to create dialog between industry executives to gain a better understanding of the steps required to facilitate more women accepting Board Room and Executive level leadership positions.


Film Screening:
LeAnn Erickson, Associate Professor of Film and Video Production, Temple University
October 2, 2:30 pm - 4:15 pm

Documentary film screening and Interactive Discussion with Director LeAnn Erickson will launch the WITI Summit on Sunday October 2, 2011. Top Secret Rosies tells the story of a group of female mathematicians who, in 1942, helped win a war and usher in the modern computer age.


Getting Women to Think Big
Sharon Kan, Co-Founder and General Manager, Tikatok.com at Barnes & Noble
October 4, 9:50 am - 10:10 am

While women have certainly made major strides with leadership in business, it's been largely limited to small businesses. According to data projections from The Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute, future job growth will be created primarily by women-owned small businesses. However, Fortune Magazine reports that only 15 of the Fortune 500 firms in 2010 are run by women.

Why are there too few women leaders of large firms? What keeps women from "thinking big", from scaling their creative ideas and setting their sights on bigger goals, broader business opportunities and bolder mission statements for their businesses?

For example, think about Mark Zuckerberg's mission for Facebook – to connect people on the Internet from all over the world; an audacious mission for a college undergraduate...

Why are there not more young women developing such bold, gutsy mission statements for their original business ideas?

Sharon Kan, Co-Founder and General Manager of Tikatok (a Barnes & Noble company) will speak with attendees about how women can start to think bigger and bolder, beginning with choosing your mission statement, offering examples from her own experience leading startups and now her experience at Barnes & Noble, the world's largest bookseller. She'll explore the importance of core values and culture of a company, how to size the market opportunity, understand your customer base, structure your business model, measure results, and most importantly know your own strengths and assets as a leader of your business.

Her view is that it often takes the same amount of work to build your business, set up your infrastructure and win new customers whether it's a small business or large, so why not be ambitious and "think big."


Giving STEM Roots: Fostering Interest and Overcoming Obstacles
Jocelyn Goldfein, Director of Engineering, Facebook
October 3, 10:15 am - 10:50 am

In this WITI session, Facebook Director of Engineering Jocelyn Goldfein will discuss the importance of getting more women into STEM, what the key obstacles are, and some changes that would make a difference in growing the number of women in tech. Jocelyn will also talk about the path to her current position and the impact of various experiences on her career decisions.


Intrapreneur/Entrepreneur: What Are The Lessons in Creating a Startup, either Externally or Within a Company?
Martha Lyons, Enterprise Services - Distinguished Technologist, Hewlett-Packard
Cindy Padnos, Founder and Managing Partner, Illuminate Ventures
Ana Pinczuk, Vice President, Cisco Systems
Sheryl Root, Director/Assoc. Professor, Carnegie Mellon, President and CEO, RootAnalysis
Steve Rosenberg, Associate Director, Silicon Valley Campus, Carnegie Mellon University
Scott Russell, Adjunct Professor; Managing Director, eCarnegie Tech
October 3, 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm

Carnegie Mellon University - Silicon Valley will host this session featuring projects and new business that were either company- or VC-funded. The panel will share challenges and experiences to consider when taking an idea to the marketplace. CMUSV will share its experiences in educating innovators, through its Masters program in Software Management - Entrepreneurship, which has resulted in new business creations such as the two in this session.


Re-inventing Education
Lynda Weinman, Co-Founder and Executive Chair, lynda.com
October 3, 2:15 pm - 2:45 pm

The Internet age has brought about many changes to business as usual, yet education is one of the last industries to shift. Lynda Weinman shares her story of how she leveraged her passion for technology and teaching into a thriving resource that helps millions of people throughout the world. In describing her journey, she will share her views on how technology is changing the role of education, educators and schools, while touching on many challenges that our society faces today.


Sweet Serendipity or Shrewd Strategy?
Alicia Abella, Ph.D., Executive Director, Innovative Services Research, AT&T Labs
October 3, 11:00 am - 11:30 am

As the adage suggests, luck is when preparation meets opportunity. And, once we put ourselves in a position to take advantage of opportunities, new ones often present themselves. If you've ever thought "He is so lucky," or "She was just at the right place at the right time" and you're waiting for Lady Luck to swoop in with a gracious reward, then perhaps it is time to change your approach. In this presentation, Alicia Abella will review several techniques that have helped her, and can help you, to recognize and take advantage of opportunities that can transform strategy into what the external world may view as serendipity. Alicia will share examples from her own career, like when a chance conversation led to a meeting with a corporate board of directors and an impromptu panel moderator role led to a Presidential Advisory appointment.


The World Cafe
Anne Adams, Ph.D., President, ACS
October 3, 8:00 am - 10:00 am

Led by Anne Adams, Ph.D., the 2011 World Café will engage participants in roundtable Creative Exchange discussions, forming Mastermind teams to strategize best solutions for solving complex business challenges and hot button issues.


Special Events

VIP Networking Reception and Executive Auction
October 4, 5:15 pm - 7:00 pm

Provides an opportunity to network with top executives from a broad cross section of industries, who will be offering one to one meetings to the highest bidder. A fun event and exciting culmination of 3 days of life changing experiences at the WITI Women Powering Technology Summit! The Executive Auction is the WITI Foundation's annual fundraiser and closes the Annual WITI Summit on the evening of October 4, 2011. Participating executives include: Alan Boehme, Director, Enterprise Architecture, The Coca-Cola Company; Tim Campos, CIO, Facebook; Laura Chambers, Senior Director, Paypal Mobile, PayPal; Elinor MacKinnon, SVP & CIO, Blue Shield; Brad Peterson, CIO, Charles Schwab; Tama Ruiz VP Information Systems, GEICO; Randall Spratt, EVP/CIO, McKesson Corp; Ed Steinike, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, The Coca-Cola Company; Hugh Westermeyer, SVP Technology, Charles Schwab.

This event will launch a series of WITI-hosted Executive Roundtables designed to create dialog between industry executives to gain a better understanding of the steps required to facilitate more women accepting Board Room and Executive level leadership positions.


WITI Founder's Reception
Carolyn Leighton, Founder/Chairwoman, WITI
October 2, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

The first evening event on the Opening Night of the Women Powering Technology Summit, October 2, features welcoming words from WITI Founder Carolyn Leighton and offers an intimate, networking environment for attendees to meet Summit speakers, VIP guests and attendees.


WITI Summit Speakers, Panelists and Moderators

WITIStyle Storytelling - THE NO-HOUR WORKWEEK: How To Redesign Your Work to Fit Your Life, Not The Other Way Round
Cindy Gallop, Founder & CEO, IfWeRanTheWorld
October 3, 3:35 pm - 3:45 pm

Are you a woman tech entrepreneur battling to get your venture funded and operational? Or, running a tech company and wondering if you'll ever have a life? Have an idea for a startup but don't think you can face doing what it takes to get it off the ground? Cindy Gallop has some radical ideas for how to redesign your business around the working life you really want to live, and how to reinvent the world of business - in ways that men as well as women will welcome - for the new world order.


WITIStyle Storytelling: From Wharton to CTO of Cloud Computing: The Many Faces of a Technical Career
Lauren States, Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow, Harvard University
October 3, 2:55 pm - 3:05 pm

In this WITIStyle talk, Lauren will describe why it matters to have multi-disciplinary expertise for leadership positions in today's fast paced technology industry . She'll share her journey from business school, to systems engineering, to sales management and building a global technical pre-sales force to working on a corporate transformation. Lauren will discuss how all of these experiences prepared her for my current role as CTO of Cloud Computing on the IBM Corporate Strategy team.


WITIStyle Storytelling: Women Creating a Sustainable Future
Kathrin Winkler, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, EMC Corporation
October 3, 10:50 am - 11:00 am

This talk will focus on the role of women in the growing movement to create a sustainable economy. We'll hear about women whose leadership is defining the opportunities, and about women who are leading companies on their sustainability journeys. And most importantly, Kathrin, herself the Chief Sustainability Officer for the global technology company EMC Corporation, will provide examples of how sustainability is enabling women to add new purpose to their roles in every dimension of the business.


Hall of Fame Reception

16th Annual WITI Hall of Fame Awards Banquet
Jolie O'Dell, Tech Journalist, VentureBeat;, Master of Ceremonies for the 16th Annual WITI Hall of Fame Awards
October 3, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Honoring key women innovators from science and technology on Monday, October 3rd. This year's honorees are: Alicia Abella, Ph.D.; Ms. Evelyn Berezin; Diane Pozefsky, Ph.D.; Sophie Vandebroek, Ph.D.; and Ms. Lynda Weinman


And more to be announced soon!

* Speakers and Sessions are subject to change