On this day, six years ago, I met a boy. A cute, smart, sweet handsome man- who made me smile and laugh - until six in the morning! We sat in a crowded room of music and people and just talked and - fell in love. He kissed me, and I knew I was in trouble!
The events that unfolded were more than I could have imagined. We have traveled the world laughing and smiling. We have been by each others side through good times and bad. We made a house into a home- you took a young "moon eyed" girl and made her your wife (wif), and a mother (ma ma).
We have loved, we have lost, we have changed (mostly my hair 💁🏼), we have stayed the same (mostly your hair 💇🏻♂️), we have fought - I have screamed, you've ignored, we make up 😜. "I won't give up on us- even if the tides get rough". You are the calm to my storm ⛈. We lost fur children, and grandparents 😪, we have watched two daughters grow into beautiful smart young women👯, and two babies be born out of our love ❤️ and grow.
Through it all I love exploring the world with you by my side- regardless of the place, language, or reason (50 + countries, countless cities, thousands of water ways, and infinite paths). You share the same spontaneity and zest for life I do to make every day an adventure and make the ordinary extraordinary 😍! We have so many memories in such a short time- a lifetime, and we are just beginning! I cannot wait for our next adventure. Or- just laying on the couch smiling and laughing.
I love holding your hand, kissing you, seeing the amazing father you are, the kind son, the loving partner, the good man you are and always strive to be.
You are the first person I want to run to when I have good news, or shoulder I want to cry on when I have the worst day ever, and everything seems to go wrong. You help make our house a home 🏡- "when you put your arms around me I am home" #WeddingSong it amazes me how we can still talk for 8 hrs on a road trip - and yet few content in silence knowing what the other person is thinking 💭 before they say it. I like you, I love you 😘💕. I will always be here for you, no matter what - you are stuck with me 💋.
Some fun memories and inside jokes for you- "never take the same way twice- assassins", "I was making dinner", "do you want some ... cheese 🧀?" "Meow", "I do, I do that!" , "Schmoo1 and Schmoo 2", from sad love songs to fist pumping anthems, "that's my favorite song", "buffer the buffers", "Roses are red, Violets are Blue", "snuffapus", "I'll always have moon 🌙 eyes for you" and love you under the stars ✨ "Up Above's".
Thank you for choosing me, for loving me, for making me fall in love with you over and over again, for keeping me sane, for loving me even when I'm insane, for opening my door, for bringing me chai tea ☕️, for going out even when you don't feel like it, for changing a diaper or two...(or thousands), for sharing your bed, your heart ❤️, your home, your love. I am blessed - you really are the man of my dreams and I will love you until my last breath! I do, I will, forever! 💗💙
Monday, November 5, 2018
Baby Mine, I will always love you
Deep thoughts 💭
I just laid down with the girls and had Alexa sing us some songs from the lullaby station. The whole album is beautiful but Nick Lachey sings a gorgeous song “Baby Mine” to his son. At 3:31 Baby Mine Song (the whole album is beautiful lullabies he dedicated to his son Camden).
I laid there, squished in the middle of Brooklyn Marie and Cali Rose and began balling my eyes out. To the point where I had to calm myself so I didn’t wake them up.
Today was a beautiful and hard day for me. I took them back with their friends to play for the last time. Not on the weekends, but with most of them. I watched them for 2.5 hours speak their own silly language and laugh and sing. I watched Emma-E (sweet Emily) take her best friends hand and sit under a tree, just the two of them for over half an hour. In toddler world, that is a lifetime.
I thought, this is what God must feel like to know a future which we do not yet know. To watch us with love and want us to be happy, no matter what.
I prayed we were making the right decision. People say, they are just kids, they are adaptable, they will make new friends. But, in that moment my heart broke. For 3.5 hours every day Brooklyn, Cali and Emily play together. They name their toys after each other. Brooklyn said she’s excited for the new school as long as Emily comes too. Also, there were new friends I met today too- so ecstatic to see our girls after a few days of their absence, (and me bitter sweet not knowing if we would ever see them again, but hoping someday we would). Although I’m pretty sure I’ll invite them all to the birthday parties, and play dates... especially Emily, and Jake (Cali’s boyfriend haha 😂).
I begin work next week, after my medical leave. I am thankful I’ve been able to rest and recover and spend the sick days together. I feel blessed I was able to work from home while they were babies...
Babies. And then it hits me, they are not babies anymore? They call themselves baby, I call them my babies... but they are turning 3 and 5 years old. It feels like I blinked and there they sit having a conversation with one another. Starting another school. I know I will blink again and there will be science projects and math homework and book reports. And then again and there will be drivers permits and proms and cheer or sports practice. And again and they will no longer want me to spend 3 hours or even 5 seconds with their friends at school (but I hope that’s not true).
I closed my eyes as I listened to the leaves 🍁 blow in that school yard. The director, Miss Wendy has been there 30 years. I wondered how many children have come and gone and grown. Our very own Emily’s daddy went there when he was a young boy. Where are they now? Where will our girls be? Where will their best friends be? Where will any of us be?
I close my eyes again and I can see myself at that age, walking to school through the changing leafs with my own grandma, Babci. I miss her more than words. She died one month before I met Jay, she never got to meet the girls... but I like to believe she was in that breeze in the trees watching over them today with me.
And my mom who has been a blessing for 8 crazy months with us this year - and we are so thankful. I am sad she is leaving in a month, I know the girls will miss her too- even more change. So much change. They miss their nanny Lori and the only home they ever knew, and all of their grandparents as we start our new life in a new state (with one permanent-season- eternal sunshine ☀️... of the spotless mind). Then of course there was my heart surgery and me being gone in the hospital and different for the past three months, no longer carrying them for a while. Now this- their first school and first friends and their first best friend ... and now a new school a new beginning, once again. 😪
So I laid there in bed, and thought about the past, and the present, and their future. I thought about how being their mommy is the best job I have, and will ever have (and how I dont want to mess it up and I want them to be eternally happy!). I thought about how much they have grown, and how proud I am of them and how much love and hope I have for their future. I thought about enjoying every second with them this week and in the weeks and years ahead. I cried, I smiled, and I cried. I kissed them on their heads, those babies of mine.
PS I have already informed Emily’s mom Cathryn she’s stuck with me 💖
Listen to the song and be reminded of that precious innocence we all once had. I hope we always do, even if only in our memories.💝🖼
I just laid down with the girls and had Alexa sing us some songs from the lullaby station. The whole album is beautiful but Nick Lachey sings a gorgeous song “Baby Mine” to his son. At 3:31 Baby Mine Song (the whole album is beautiful lullabies he dedicated to his son Camden).
I laid there, squished in the middle of Brooklyn Marie and Cali Rose and began balling my eyes out. To the point where I had to calm myself so I didn’t wake them up.
Today was a beautiful and hard day for me. I took them back with their friends to play for the last time. Not on the weekends, but with most of them. I watched them for 2.5 hours speak their own silly language and laugh and sing. I watched Emma-E (sweet Emily) take her best friends hand and sit under a tree, just the two of them for over half an hour. In toddler world, that is a lifetime.
I thought, this is what God must feel like to know a future which we do not yet know. To watch us with love and want us to be happy, no matter what.
I prayed we were making the right decision. People say, they are just kids, they are adaptable, they will make new friends. But, in that moment my heart broke. For 3.5 hours every day Brooklyn, Cali and Emily play together. They name their toys after each other. Brooklyn said she’s excited for the new school as long as Emily comes too. Also, there were new friends I met today too- so ecstatic to see our girls after a few days of their absence, (and me bitter sweet not knowing if we would ever see them again, but hoping someday we would). Although I’m pretty sure I’ll invite them all to the birthday parties, and play dates... especially Emily, and Jake (Cali’s boyfriend haha 😂).
I begin work next week, after my medical leave. I am thankful I’ve been able to rest and recover and spend the sick days together. I feel blessed I was able to work from home while they were babies...
Babies. And then it hits me, they are not babies anymore? They call themselves baby, I call them my babies... but they are turning 3 and 5 years old. It feels like I blinked and there they sit having a conversation with one another. Starting another school. I know I will blink again and there will be science projects and math homework and book reports. And then again and there will be drivers permits and proms and cheer or sports practice. And again and they will no longer want me to spend 3 hours or even 5 seconds with their friends at school (but I hope that’s not true).
I closed my eyes as I listened to the leaves 🍁 blow in that school yard. The director, Miss Wendy has been there 30 years. I wondered how many children have come and gone and grown. Our very own Emily’s daddy went there when he was a young boy. Where are they now? Where will our girls be? Where will their best friends be? Where will any of us be?
I close my eyes again and I can see myself at that age, walking to school through the changing leafs with my own grandma, Babci. I miss her more than words. She died one month before I met Jay, she never got to meet the girls... but I like to believe she was in that breeze in the trees watching over them today with me.
And my mom who has been a blessing for 8 crazy months with us this year - and we are so thankful. I am sad she is leaving in a month, I know the girls will miss her too- even more change. So much change. They miss their nanny Lori and the only home they ever knew, and all of their grandparents as we start our new life in a new state (with one permanent-season- eternal sunshine ☀️... of the spotless mind). Then of course there was my heart surgery and me being gone in the hospital and different for the past three months, no longer carrying them for a while. Now this- their first school and first friends and their first best friend ... and now a new school a new beginning, once again. 😪
So I laid there in bed, and thought about the past, and the present, and their future. I thought about how being their mommy is the best job I have, and will ever have (and how I dont want to mess it up and I want them to be eternally happy!). I thought about how much they have grown, and how proud I am of them and how much love and hope I have for their future. I thought about enjoying every second with them this week and in the weeks and years ahead. I cried, I smiled, and I cried. I kissed them on their heads, those babies of mine.
PS I have already informed Emily’s mom Cathryn she’s stuck with me 💖
Listen to the song and be reminded of that precious innocence we all once had. I hope we always do, even if only in our memories.💝🖼
Sunday, December 18, 2016
The top 100 Global Women in Tech Communities that should not be missed!
As Chair of CompTIA's Advancing Women in Tech Executive Community, I am proud to work towards a powerful mission:
- Empower women with resources and information to positively impact their technology careers
- Inspire women to choose careers in technology
- Help technology businesses create cultures that support a diverse workforce
Recently my husband Jay McBain joined our wonderful council and we decided to do some research (credit to him for the idea, vision) to see how many other women in Tech Groups there were out there, and how we can connect and unite forces.
This is the most comprehensive listing of Women in Technology groups found anywhere on the internet.
The research was focused on 8 categories:
1. Professional Organizations
2. Media & Community
3. Empowering Younger Women
4. Regional Groups
5. Coding
6. Education
7. Accelerators / Investors
8. Creative Spaces
Additionally, these Top 100 Women in Technology Organizations can be followed in this Twitter list.
If you are female and thinking about entering the technology field, this is the place to start! Each of these organizations have shown success utilizing innovative methods of encouraging, enabling and empowering women in technology.
Here are the Top 100 Global Women in Technology Organizations:
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
IEEE Women In Engineering (WIE)
The mission of IEEE Women In Engineering (WIE) is to facilitate the global inspiration, engagement and advancement of women in technical disciplines. IEEE WIE envisions a vibrant community of IEEE women and men collectively using their diverse talents to innovate for the benefit of humanity.
Contact 1: Takako Hashimoto
Contact 2: Nita Patel
Contact 3: Bozenna Pasik-Duncan
Website: http://www.ieee.org/women
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ieeewomeninengineering/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ieeewie
Scope: International
Employees: 5802
United Nations Women
All human development and human rights issues have gender dimensions. UN Women focuses on priority areas that are fundamental to women’s equality, and that can unlock progress across the board.
Contact 1: Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Contact 2: Lakshmi Puri
Contact 3: Yannick Glemarec
Website: http://www.unwomen.org/en
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/unwomen
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/UN_Women
Scope: International
Employees: 1573
CompTIA Advancing Women in Technology
The Advancing Women in Technology Community works to: Empower women with resources and information to positively impact their technology careers. Inspire women to choose careers in technology. Help technology businesses create cultures that support a diverse workforce
Contact 1: Michelle Ragusa-McBain
Contact 2: Cristina Greysman
Contact 3: Cathy Alper
Website: https://www.comptia.org/communities/advancing-women-in-it
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/advancingITwomen/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CompTIA_AWIT
Scope: International
Employees: 609
Association for Computing Machinery – Women (ACM-W)
ACM-W supports, celebrates, and advocates internationally for the full engagement of women in all aspects of the computing field, providing a wide range of programs and services to Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) members and working in the larger community to advance the contributions of technical women.
Contact 1: Valerie Barr
Contact 2: Jodi TIms
Contact 3: Yuqing Melanie Wu
Website: http://women.acm.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/11368693644/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACMwomENcourage
Scope: International
Employees: 286
AAUW
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is the nation’s leading voice promoting equity and education for women and girls. Since our founding in 1881, AAUW members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political
Contact 1: Mark Hopkins
Contact 2: Christy Jones
Contact 3: Cordy Galligan
Website: http://www.aauw.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AAUW.National
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aauw
Scope: International
Employees: 263
Educause Women in IT Constituent Group
The Women in IT Constituent Group collects and disseminates effective practices in the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in higher education IT. Through both virtual and face-to-face networking opportunities and by making good use of its affiliation with the National Center for Women & IT, this group provides a venue for addressing a wide range of issues affecting women IT professionals in colleges and universities, including securing high level leadership roles in higher education.
Contact 1: Brenda Spychalla
Contact 2: Bernadette Williams
Website: https://www.educause.edu/discuss/women-in-it-constituent-group
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EDUCAUSE
Twitter: https://twitter.com/educause
Scope: International
Employees: 127
Society for Info Management (SIM) Women
SIM is an association of over 3500 senior IT executives, prominent academicians, selected consultants, and other IT thought leaders built on the foundation of local chapters, who come together to share and enhance their rich intellectual capital for the benefit of its members and their organizations.
Contact 1: Kristen Lamoreau
Contact 2: Deborah Decorrevont
Contact 3: Nanci Schimizzi
Website: http://www.simnet.org/default.asp?page=SIM_Women
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/societyforinformationmanagement/
Scope: North American
Employees: 73
Colorado Technology Association
Founded in 1994, the Colorado Technology Association is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the technology industry. Their mission is to foster growth and opportunity for the technology industry
Contact 1: Andrea Young
Contact 2: Monica Coughlin
Contact 3: Amy Regnier
Website: http://www.coloradotechnology.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ColoradoTechnologyAssociation
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ColoTechAsn
Scope: Colorado
Employees: 62
Women in Technology International
A network of women working in technology fields who provide support to each other through networking meetups, career services, events, and other offerings.
Contact 1: Carolyn Leighton
Contact 2: David Leighton
Contact 3: Lisa Flom
Website: http://www.witi.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WomeninTech
Twitter: https://twitter.com/witi
Scope: International
Employees: 60
TechWomen
TechWomen empowers, connects and supports the next generation of women leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East by providing them the access and opportunity needed to advance their careers, pursue their dreams, and inspire women and girls in their communities.
Contact 1: Arezoo Riahi
Contact 2: Jillian Scott
Contact 3: Joanne Liou
Website: http://www.techwomen.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TechWomen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/techwomen
Scope: International
Employees: 56
Women in Technology
A not-for-profit organization that aims to help women advance in technology fields. They provide education in technology and leadership, networking events, mentoring, and awards.
Contact 1: Kathryn Harris
Contact 2: Lisa Dezzutti
Contact 3: Trish Barber
Website: http://www.womenintechnology.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WITWomenDC/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WITWomen
Scope: International
Employees: 53
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a non-profit educational and service organization that gives women the tools they need to succeed and advance in the field of engineering, and to be recognized for their contributions as engineers and leaders. SWE provides an array of training and development programs, networking opportunities, scholarships, and outreach and advocacy activities that help make engineering a desirable career choice for women.
Contact 1: Jessica Rannow
Contact 2: Jonna Gerken
Contact 3: Karen Horting
Website: http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Society-of-Women-Engineers/29752126120
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SWETalk
Scope: International
Employees: 50
National Center for Women & Info Tech (NCWIT)
The National Center for Women & Information Technology is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization chartered in 2004 by the National Science Foundation. NCWIT is a “collective impact” effort, a community of more than 700 prominent corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and non-profits working to increase girls' and women's participation in technology and computing.
Contact 1: Lucy Sanders
Contact 2: Terry Morreale
Contact 3: Dori Farah
Website: https://www.ncwit.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ncwit
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NCWIT
Scope: National
Employees: 50
Google Women TechMakers
From 2014 to present, Women Techmakers is continually launching global scalable initiatives and piloting new programs to support and empower women in the industry.
Contact 1: Natalie Villalobos
Website: https://www.womentechmakers.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/womentechmakers
Scope: International
Employees: 10
Association for Women in Computing
The Association for Women in Computing is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in computing profession. Our members are a diverse group of professionals in careers that touch every aspect of the computer industry. You’ll discover a camaraderie with our group that you won’t find in other professional organizations.
Contact 1: Cindy Jones
Contact 2: Katie Bedney
Contact 3: Jane Sheedy
Website: http://www.awctc.org/
Scope: Twin Cities
Employees: 10
EdTechWomen
EdTechWomen is a network of educators, technologists, and business experts focused on leadership development for women in education technology. Its mission is to create an inclusive community of women and their supporters from all aspects of the education technology industry in order to build and enhance the leadership capacity of women.
Contact 1: Sehreen Noor Ali
Contact 2: Margaret Roth
Website: http://edtechwomen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edtechwomen/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/edtechwomen
Scope: International
Employees: 7
ITWomen
ITWomen is a non-profit organization with the mission of increasing the number of girls and women in the fields of technology and engineering and to provide professional development, student education and scholarships through a supportive network.
Contact 1: Claire Marrero
Contact 2: Patricia Mundarain
Website: http://www.itwomen.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ITWomen1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/itwomen
Scope: Florida
Employees: 5
BPDA
BDPA is a global member-focused technology organization that delivers programs and services for the professional well-being of its stakeholders. Founded in 1975, BDPA currently has 2400 members and wishes to be a powerful advocate for their stakeholders' interests within the global technology industry.
Contact 1: Earl Pace
Contact 2: Mike Williams
Contact 3: Pamela Mathews
Website: http://www.bdpa.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NBDPAConference
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BDPA
Scope: National
Employees: 3
Women's High Tech Coalition
The Women’s High Tech Coalition (WHTC) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), non-partisan organization that promotes the exchange of ideas among leaders in the public and private sectors whose focus is technology, innovation and the development of public policy related to technology.
Contact 1: Melissa Foxman
Contact 2: Sarah Akbar
Website: http://www.womenshightech.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Womens-High-Tech-Coalition/351307184947133
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WomensHighTech
Scope: National
Employees: 2
MEDIA & COMMUNITY
Internet Society - Shine the Light
Shine The Light is an international campaign that encourages people to boost the profile of incredible women around the world who are pushing boundaries using technology.
Contact 1: Kathryn Brown
Contact 2: Mark Buell
Contact 3: Karen Rose
Website: http://www.internetsociety.org/shinethelight
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/InternetSociety
Twitter: http://twitter.com/internetsociety
Scope: International
Employees: 270
CRN Women of the Channel
Women of the Channel Online celebrates and fosters female leadership across the IT channel year-round, continuing and building on the conversations and ideas sparked at our industry-leading Women of the Channel events. This site provides a forum for sharing perspectives on life and work, recognizing the unique contributions of the women shaping today’s channel, and finding the tools and knowledge to grow and advance both personally and professionally.
Contact 1: Lisa McKenzie
Contact 2: Doris Branscombe
Contact 3: Robert DeMarzo
Website: http://wotc.crn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/543952052428055/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WOTChannel
Scope: National
Employees: 152
Anita Borg Institute
Organizes conferences for women and awards for influential female leaders. Their goal is to not only help women thrive in technology fields, but make sure technologies are built to help women thrive.
Contact 1: Telle Whitney
Contact 2: James Beck
Contact 3: Elizabeth Ames
Website: http://anitaborg.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/anitaborginstitute
Twitter: http://twitter.com/anitaborg_org
Scope: International
Employees: 124
Girls in Tech
An organization with 60 local chapters around the world that host events. Girls in Tech University brings workshops and resources to female college students pursuing a career in technology, and they also have mentorship programs for grade-school students.
Contact 1: Adriana Gascoigne
Website: http://www.girlsintech.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlsInTech
Twitter: https://twitter.com/girlsintech
Scope: International
Employees: 82
ChickTech
We facilitate hands-on technology-centric events to empower, support, and increase the confidence of women and girls. Through our events, we build community, empower participants to see themselves as leaders, and provide networking and mentoring opportunities in the rapidly growing high tech industry.
Contact 1: Janice Levenhagen
Contact 2: Sally Deck
Contact 3: Ashly Alberto
Website: http://chicktech.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChickTech
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chicktechorg
Scope: Portland / San Fran
Employees: 58
Women in Wireless
An organization that promotes female leaders in mobile and digital through events in DC, New York, and San Francisco and spotlights on influential women.
Contact 1: Aurelie Guerrieri
Contact 2: Emily McInerney
Contact 3: Jeni Gridley
Website: http://womeninwireless.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_172175914802
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WomenInWireless
Scope: International
Employees: 56
Scientista Foundation
The Scientista Foundation is a national organization that empowers pre-professional women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through content, communities, and conferences. Currently the largest network of campus women across STEM disciplines, Scientista serves to connect all communities of women in STEM at campuses across the nation, giving such important organizations more visibility and resources, and building a strong, cohesive network of women in science that can act as one voice.
Contact 1: Julia Tartaglia
Contact 2: Christina Tartaglia
Contact 3: Amanda Applebaum
Website: http://www.scientistafoundation.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/scientistafoundation
Twitter: http://twitter.com/scientista_talk
Scope: National
Employees: 32
Baptie Women's Leadership Council
The Women’s Leadership Council is a community of women who join together regularly to learn how to raise the overall success rate of enabling their success and leadership potential. This council share best practices, hear from industry leaders, and form other initiatives that drive successful women in Technology!
Contact 1: Rod Baptie
Contact 2: Lisa Pavy
Website: http://channelfocuscommunity.net/community-groups/viewgroup/3-the-channel-focus-women-s-leadership-council
Twitter: http://twitter.com/cfocuscommunity
Scope: National
Employees: 29
Opportunity@Work
Based at New America in Washington DC, Opportunity@Work is a civic enterprise whose mission is to re-wire the U.S. labor market to enable more Americans to achieve upward mobility in the job market and workplace, to facilitate actions by U.S. employers to develop the talent they collectively need to succeed and grow, and to scale up innovations that unlock more fully all people’s potential for higher-value, meaningful work as a source of economic opportunity and national competitive advantage.
Contact 1: Byron Auguste
Contact 2: Karan Chopra
Contact 3: Tyra Mariani
Website: http://www.opportunityatwork.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/opportunityatwork/
Scope: National
Employees: 22
Women 2.0
A media organization highlighting female entrepreneurship. Organizers of Founder Friday meetups and the PITCH conferences in Silicon Valley and New York. Their sister organization in Latin America is Ellas 2.0. See our interview with CEO Shaherose Charania.
Contact 1: Kate Brodock
Contact 2: Elisa Miller-Out
Contact 3: Shaherose Charania
Website: http://www.women2.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Women2/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/women2
Scope: International
Employees: 18
Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT)
For us, a feminist approach to technology is a gendered critique of the design, use and impact of technology, as well as empowering women to participate in its future. We believe that equal participation of women in producing and decision-making regarding technology is important to ensure that widely used technologies do not affect women adversely.
Contact 1: Aakriti Gupta
Contact 2: Anita Sonawane
Contact 3: Ankita Rawat
Website: http://www.fat-net.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fatindia/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fattechy
Scope: India
Employees: 16
#BrainBabe
#brainbabe is a thought leadership platform founded by Deidre Kashou Diamond dedicated to increasing the hiring of women in the Cyber Security and Technology professions, while also supporting those already in the professions with a communication framework that will advance and empower both women and men in the workplace.
Contact 1: Deidra Diamond
Contact 2: Kyle Kennedy
Contact 3: Lisa Kendall
Website: http://www.brainbabe.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cybersnbrainbabe/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brain_babe
Scope: National
Employees: 16
Lesbians Who Tech
Lesbians Who Tech is a Community of Queer Women in or around tech (and the people who love them).
Contact 1: Leanne Pittsford
Contact 2: Dom Brassey
Contact 3: Brianna Boles
Website: http://lesbianswhotech.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lesbianswhotech/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lesbiantech
Scope: International
Employees: 12
Girl Geek Dinners
A community that holds dinner events for women in STEM and helps them find inspiration and mentorship.
Contact 1: Sarah Lamb
Website: http://girlgeekdinners.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/girlgeekdinners
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ggdworldwide
Scope: International
Employees: 11
Wonder Women Tech
Wonder Women Tech (WWT) is a non-profit organization which produces an annual conference and series of educational programming and initiatives that highlights, educates, and celebrates women and diversity in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) innovation and entrepreneurialism. Our conferences and programming offer a variety of speakers, panel discussions, coding classes, community inclusion activities and other dynamic initiatives geared towards empowering women and diverse demographics.
Contact 1: Lisa Mae Brunson
Contact 2: Brianna Machado
Contact 3: Kimberly King
Website: https://wonderwomentech.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wonderwomentech/
Scope: International
Employees: 9
Change Catalyst Tech Inclusion
Change Catalyst empowers diverse, inclusive and sustainable tech innovation – through education, mentorship and funding. Our Tech Inclusion programs explore and develop innovative solutions to tech diversity and inclusion. We partner with the tech community to solve diversity and inclusion together through conferences, career fairs, strategic consulting and training. Our work spans the full tech ecosystem, including: Education, Workplace, Entrepreneurship and Policy.
Contact 1: Melinda Epler
Contact 2: Wayne Sutton
Contact 3: Susan Cooney
Website: http://changecatalyst.co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/changecatalysts/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/techinclusionco
Scope: International
Employees: 8
Femgineer
We empower Female Engineers and provide courses and workshops to: educate, encourage professionals in the high-tech industry.
Contact 1: Poornima Vijayashanker
Contact 2: Karen Catlin
Contact 3: Fernando Garrido Vaz
Website: http://femgineer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/femgineer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/femgineer
Scope: International
Employees: 5
STEM for Her
STEM for Her, formerly known as Women in Technology Education Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation, based in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. area that promotes education to create awareness, excitement, and opportunities among girls and young women to pursue successful STEM-related careers.
Contact 1: Marian McKee
Contact 2: Marguerete Luter
Contact 3: Nanci Schimizzi
Website: http://www.stemforher.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/STEMforHer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/STEMForHer
Scope: National
Employees: 5
Webgrrls
A global organization with local chapter events, discussion boards, and job listings. Organizers of TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs, a two-day conference in New York to teach entrepreneurs to communicate with and manage their technical employees.
Contact 1: Kevin Kennedy
Contact 2: Nelly Yusupov
Website: http://www.webgrrls.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Webgrrls
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Webgrrls
Scope: International
Employees: 4
Girl Geek Coffees (GGC)
The sole purpose of Girl Geek Coffees (GGC) is to pursue charitable purposes of advancing the interests of minority females in Information Technology and related Science, Engineering & Mathematics fields, particularly at the development stages of student and early career.
Contact 1: Miriam Hochwald
Contact 2: Felicity Cunningham
Contact 3: Mahtab Mirmomeni
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/girlgeekcoffees/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/girlgeekcoffees/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GirlGeekCoffees
Scope: Australia/US
Employees: 3
Channel Partners Women in the Channel (WIC)
Women in the Channel connects female leaders in the telecom and IT channels for the purpose of collaborating to grow our businesses, support each other as women and mentor each other.
Contact 1: Hilary Gadda
Contact 2: Nancy Ridge
Contact 3: Khali Henderson
Website: https://womeninthechannel.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenInChannel
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WomenInChannel
Scope: National
Employees: 3
Global Tech Women
We are Global Tech Women. Our mission is to create a global network of inspired, connected and self-actualized women in tech.
Contact 1: Deanna Kosaraju
Contact 2: Jerri Barrett
Contact 3: Lisa C. Kaczmarczyk
Website: http://www.globaltechwomen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/globaltechwomen/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlobalTechWomen
Scope: International
Employees: 3
The RAISE Project
Created by the Society for Women’s Health Research, it helps women find and apply for awards and grants in science, technology, engineering, math, and mathematics.
Contact 1: Stephanie Pincus
Contact 2: Donna J. Dean
Contact 3: W. Sue Shafer
Website: http://www.raiseproject.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RaiseProject
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RAISEProject
Scope: International
Employees: 3
Tech LadyMafia
Tech LadyMafia supports women who work in and around the internet. We are astrophysicists and developers, writers and digital strategists. We believe in very inclusive definitions of the words “women” and “ladies”. TLM is open is to anyone who identifies as a woman.
Contact 1: Erie Meyer
Contact 2: Aminatou Sow
Contact 3: Merici Vinton
Website: http://techladymafia.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tech-LadyMafia/737099386323386
Twitter: https://twitter.com/techladymafia
Scope: International
Employees: 3
Women Catalysts
Our events and online community are the place to get motivation, resources, and encouragement to make your dreams a reality. Because you can do it, and you don't have to do it alone.
Contact 1: Kim Hunter
Contact 2: Lindsay Jean Thomson
Contact 3: Leo Hunter Thomson
Website: http://www.womencatalysts.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/womencatalysts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WomenCatalysts
Scope: International
Employees: 3
Blacks in Technology
The Blacks in Technology mission: Deliver the most relevant and beneficial information and network for African Americans in the technology field or pursuing a career in Technology. Focus on creating a community in which African Americans are comfortable, motivated and inspired to pursue careers in Technology.
Contact 1: Greg Greenlee
Contact 2: Jennifer Epperson
Contact 3: Ayori Selassi
Website: http://www.blacksintechnology.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blacksintechnology
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/blkintechnology
Scope: National
Employees: 3
TechWorldsHalf
This is a private group to collaborate on encouraging and keeping half of the total workforce - women - in this amazing industry! Goals: 1. Share best practices to stay in tech. 2. Provide a forum to connect mentors and mentees for women in tech, and connecting them with the right opportunities. 3. Create a group of females in tech who can advocate more programs and services that keep women in the industry.
Contact 1: Janet Schijns
Contact 2: Quinnie Wong
Contact 3: Rokeya Jones/Jo Peterson
Website: https://twitter.com/techworldshalf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/526726030820867/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/techworldshalf
Scope: International
Employees: 3
She's Geeky
Organizes events with an “unconference” format – attendees create and vote on topics, like Barcamp for women. (It’s unclear if they have future events planned.)
Contact 1: Kaliya Hamli
Contact 2: Trina Finton
Contact 3: Andie May
Website: http://www.shesgeeky.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShesGeeky
Twitter: http://twitter.com/@shesgeeky
Scope: International
Employees: 2
Latinas in Computing
A community created by and for the Latinas in computing with a mission of promoting their representation and success in computing-related fields.
Contact 1: Patty Lopez
Contact 2: Gilda Garreton
Website: http://latinasincomputing.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinasincomputing/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LatinasInC
Scope: International
Employees: 2
Chicago Women Developers
Chicago Women Developers is run by a group of women from a variety of backgrounds and technical expertise, who are all passionate about coding and women in technology. They want to provide a place where all questions are OK and where everyone can learn in a supportive environment.
Contact 1: Nicole L.
Website: http://www.meetup.com/WomanDevelopers/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CWDevs
Scope: Chicago
Employees: 1
Tech Savvy Women
Tech Savvy Women is an organization that brings Technology focused Women across various industries and disciplines together to create and foster relationships while enhancing their knowledge of technology.
Contact 1: JJ DiGeronimo
Website: http://www.techsavvywomen.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techsavvywomen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjdigeronimo
Scope: National
Employees: 1
EMPOWERING YOUNGER WOMEN
Girls Who Code
An 8-week summer class teaching programming to high school girls in New York City. The girls take trips to Google,Facebook,Twitter, and Foursquare and work on a final project that tackles a challenge in their community, like recycling.
Contact 1: Reshma Saujani
Contact 2: Mary Ellen Miller
Contact 3: Deborah Singer
Website: https://girlswhocode.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlsWhoCode
Twitter: https://twitter.com/girlswhocode
Scope: International
Employees: 604
npower
Npower is a national nonprofit organization of 23 members providing IT training and services to nonprofits and young adults. Through programs and service, Npower aims to bring the IT community together to do social good.
Contact 1: Bertina Ceccarelli
Contact 2: Shannon Gibbons
Contact 3: Patrick Cohen
Website: http://www.npower.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/NPower/10518342314
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NPowerOrg
Scope: National
Employees: 253
Robogals
Inspire, engage and empower young women into engineering and related fields
Contact 1: Emily Heffernan
Contact 2: Mandy Jor
Contact 3: Julie Boulton
Website: http://www.robogals.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robogals/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/robogals
Scope: International
Employees: 68
Iridescent
A program where high school girls create a prototype for an Android app, write a business plan, and pitch to VCs, while being mentored by women in tech. Created by Iridescent Learning.
Contact 1: Tara Chklovski
Contact 2: Veronica Cavallaro
Contact 3: Wallace Louie
Website: http://iridescentlearning.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImagineInventEngineer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IridescentLA
Scope: International
Employees: 41
Science Club for Girls
SCFG fosters excitement, confidence and literacy in STEM for girls from underrepresented communities by providing free, experiential programs and by maximizing meaningful interactions with women mentors in science, technology, engineering & mathematics
Contact 1: Lonsdale Koester
Contact 2: Kate Pickle
Contact 3: Corrine Jager
Website: http://www.scienceclubforgirls.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SCFGFan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/scfg
Scope: Boston
Employees: 40
Black Girls Code
An organization that helps African-American girls ages 7-17 learn programming and take charge of their future, mainly through workshops across the country.
Contact 1: Kimberly Bryant
Contact 2: Monique Wingard
Contact 3: Tecia Garrett Marshall
Website: http://www.blackgirlscode.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/BlackGirlsCodeOrg
Twitter: http://twitter.com/blackgirlscode
Scope: National
Employees: 27
IT-ology
IT-ology is a non-profit collaboration of businesses, academic institutions and organizations dedicated to growing the IT talent pipeline, fostering economic development and advancing the IT profession.
Contact 1: Tammy Mainwaring
Contact 2: Rachel Barnett
Contact 3: Jamesetta James
Website: http://it-ology.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IToLogy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IT_oLogy
Scope: South Carolina
Employees: 20
TechGirlz
TechGirlz is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to reducing the gender gap in technology occupations. We develop fun and educational hands-on workshops, called TechShopz, and an annual Entrepreneur Summer Camp. These efforts aim to get middle-school age girls interested in different kinds of technology and demonstrate the varied options of careers available.
Contact 1: Tracey Welson-Rossman
Contact 2: Karen Stellabotte
Contact 3: Sarah Johnson
Website: http://www.techgirlz.org/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/techgirlzorg
Twitter: http://twitter.com/techgirlzorg
Scope: National
Employees: 18
MentorNet
MentorNet, a division of Great Minds in STEM, connects STEM students from freshman year through the doctoral level with mentors working in a variety of STEM fields. Any STEM student in an accredited institution of higher education in the U.S. and professionals with STEM degrees may join our new open social network for mentoring at http://www.mentornet.org/join. More than 60% of MentorNet mentees are women and more than 30% are pursuing degrees in computing.
Contact 1: Mary Fernandez
Contact 2: John Cross
Contact 3: Rebecca Rubenstein
Website: http://www.mentornet.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mentornet
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MentorNetTweet
Scope: International
Employees: 17
AkiraChix
AkiraChix is a not for profit organisation that aims to inspire and develop a successful force of women in technology who will change Africa’s future.Founded in April 2010, AkiraChix aims to be the leading women’s network impacting technology in Africa.
Contact 1: Angela O. Lungati
Contact 2: Judith Owigar
Contact 3: Linda Kamau
Website: http://akirachix.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AkiraChix/173842546011090
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AkiraChix
Scope: Africa
Employees: 16
DIY Girls
DIY (“Do-It-Yourself”) Girls’ mission is to increase girls’ interest and success in technology, engineering and making through innovative educational experiences and mentor relationships. We're a supportive community for girls driven by an interest in creating and building with technology.
Contact 1: Luz Rivas
Contact 2: Evelyn Gomez
Contact 3: Keyanay Colvin
Website: http://www.diygirls.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/diygirlsLA
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DIYGirls
Scope: Los Angeles
Employees: 8
Young Rewired State
Young Rewired State (often stylized as YRS) is an organisation based in the United Kingdom, which run events and schemes for technically gifted young people aged 18 and under. It brings together young developers, designers, and those with other technical skills to build projects (mainly phone and web applications) that attempt to solve real world problems.
Contact 1: Emma Mulqueeny
Website: http://www.yrs.io/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youngrewired/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/youngrewired
Scope: UK
Employees: 8
HER Ideas in Motion
HER Ideas in Motion is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation focused on helping girls achieve in technology and media arts. Through hands-on workshops and tech clubs, girls learn technical and creative skills from professionals, while building their own projects. In addition, HER Ideas in Motion has developed a women-led approach that combines female technical and creative professionals teaching and mentoring girls to provide access to female role models in these fields.
Contact 1: Rachel Wilkins Patel
Contact 2: Nicole Capuana
Contact 3: Chrissy Freeman
Website: http://www.herideasinmotion.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HERIdeasinMotion
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HERIdeas
Scope: Ohio
Employees: 6
CodeEd
A program that teaches computer science to girls in underserved communities, starting in middle school. They run classes in Boston, New York, and San Francisco.
Contact 1: Carey Tan
Contact 2: Angie Schiavoni
Contact 3: Sep Kamvar
Website: http://www.codeed.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codeedorg
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/codeedorg
Scope: NYC / San Fran
Employees: 4
Go Girl, Go for IT
Go Girl, Go for IT aims to excite and engage female secondary school students by introducing them to the vast range of global, lucrative and varied career options in IT. The event focuses on inspiring students with fantastic role model speakers, showcasing technology of the future and challenging their preconceptions of a career in IT. There will be access to a wealth of information that will assist students in making informed decisions about a career in IT.
Contact 1: Fi Slaven
Contact 2: Sue Hogg
Contact 3: Sara Ogston
Website: http://www.gogirl.org.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoGirlGo4IT
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoGirlGo4IT
Scope: Australia
Employees: 3
MIT Women's Initiative
High school girls are taking high level math and science courses-with the exception of physics and engineering-at similar rates as their male peers; however, gender disparities begin to emerge at the undergraduate level, where men outnumber women in many STEM fields. Women receive only 18.2% of bachelor degrees awarded in computer science, 19.1% in physics, and 19.2% in engineering.
Contact 1: Yagnaseni Roy
Contact 2: Jennifer Switzer
Contact 3: Aswini Prasad
Website: http://web.mit.edu/wi/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womensinitiativemit/
Scope: National
Employees: 3
Girls Programming Network
The Girls' Programming Network is run by girls for girls. We run workshop every term for high school girls in the Sydney area on programming & awesome IT stuff!
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/girlsprogrammingnetwork/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlsProgrammingNetwork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gpn_sydney
Scope: Australia
Employees: 0
REGIONAL GROUPS
Women & Hi Tech
Women and Hi Tech is an organization of women and men whose goal is to attract, develop, retain, support and promote women who are interested in technology, through networking, role modeling, education and professional development.
Contact 1: Tiffany White
Contact 2: Audrey Taylor
Contact 3: Robin Fleming
Website: http://womenandhitech.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/89845872652/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WomenandHiTech
Scope: Indiana
Employees: 10
RichTech Women In Technology Forum
The Rich Tech Women In Technology Forum is designed to provide networking, mentoring and educational opportunities for women involved at all levels of technology centric businesses or organizations. The mission of the forum is to be a catalyst in growing the interest of science, technology, math and engineering among today’s young women. The council organizes an inaugural Women ETC (Education, Technology, Careers) event that provides professional development, education, and collaboration amongst its participants.
Contact 1: Robby Demeria
Contact 2: Tracy Dickerson
Contact 3: Margaret Taylor
Website: http://rvatechwomen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RVAtechwomen/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Women_etc
Scope: Richmond, VA
Employees: 9
Philly Women in Tech
A community that connects women in technology fields in Philadelphia to learn from and inspire each other. Host of the 2012 Women in Tech Summit.
Contact 1: Gloria BellContact 2: Tracey Welson-RossmanContact 3: Kelly Hoey
Website: http://www.phillywomenintech.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WomenInTechSummit
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WomenTechSummit
Scope: Philadelphia
Employees: 5
Women's Coding Collective
The WCC is a web development community with a mission to narrow the gender gap in technology. We cultivate supportive, no-stupid-questions environments where women can learn, build, and code together.
Contact 1: Nicole Noll
Contact 2: Susan Buck
Website: https://thewcc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearewcc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WeAreWCC
Scope: Boston
Employees: 4
Chicago Women Developers
Classes and events in Chicago for female programmers. They are in the middle of their Summer Apps Program, a series of three courses to transform your idea into a web and mobile app. They also host weekly open hack nights on Thursday (#XXHACK), where anyone can show up and get help on coding.
Contact 1: Melissa Pierce
Contact 2: Alison Stanton
Contact 3: Chelsea Troy
Website: http://cwdevs.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CWDevs
Scope: Chicago
Employees: 3
DC Web Women
A 3,000+ member organization of women in web design and development, IT, and other digital careers (such as blogging and marketing).
Contact 1: Sibyl Edwards
Contact 2: Estela Rueda
Contact 3: Ashley Holtz
Website: http://dcwebwomen.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DCWebWomen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dcww
Scope: Washington DC
Employees: 3
She++
A conference held at Stanford University on the opportunities, challenges, and role models for women in technology, to inspire more “femgineers”: female programmers who use their skills for positive change.
Contact 1: Reynis Vazquez-Guzman
Contact 2: Katherine Van Kirk
Contact 3: Shreya Shankar
Website: http://sheplusplus.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShePlusPlus/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheplusplus
Scope: Stanford
Employees: 3
CODING ORGANIZATIONS
CoderDojo
CoderDojo is a worldwide movement of free, volunteer-led, community-based programming clubs for young people. Anyone aged seven to seventeen can visit a Dojo where they can learn to code, build a website, create an app or a game, and explore technology in an informal, creative, and social environment.
Contact 1: James Whelton
Contact 2: Bill Liao
Contact 3: Giustina Mizzoni
Website: https://coderdojo.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/coderdojo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coderdojo
Scope: International
Employees: 170
Women Who Code
Women Who Code is a global non-profit dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers. We provide an avenue into tech, empower women with skills needed for professional advancement, and provide environments where networking and mentorship are valued. The organization has executed more than 1,200 free events around the world, garnered a membership exceeding 20,000, and has a presence in 15 countries.
Contact 1: Alaina Percival
Contact 2: Jennifer TacheffContact 3: Joey Rosenberg
Website: https://www.womenwhocode.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/womenwhocode
Twitter: https://twitter.com/womenwhocode
Scope: International
Employees: 109
Ladies Learning Code
We are a not-for-profit organization with the mission to be the leading resource for women and youth to become passionate builders - not just consumers - of technology by learning technical skills in a hands-on, social, and collaborative way
Contact 1: Melissa Sariffodeen
Contact 2: Laura Plant
Contact 3: Nicole Belanger
Website: http://ladieslearningcode.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladieslearningcode
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LLCodeDotCom
Scope: Canadian
Employees: 92
Ada Development Academy
Ada Developers Academy is a training program located in Seattle, Washington for women who want to become software developers. Ada is tuition-free and is comprised of 6 months of full-time classroom training followed by 5 months in a paid industry internship.
Contact 1: Scott Case
Contact 2: Elise Worthy
Website: http://adadevelopersacademy.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adadevelopers
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adaacademy
Scope: Seattle
Employees: 63
Ladies that UX
A friendly, welcoming and collaborative community, with a growing number of local groups based in cities worldwide.
Contact 1: Lizzie Dyson
Contact 2: Georgie Bottomley
Website: http://ladiesthatux.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LadiesThatUX
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ladiesthatux
Scope: International
Employees: 26
Django Girls
Django Girls is a non-profit organization and a community that empowers and helps women to organize free, one-day programming workshops by providing tools, resources and support. We are a volunteer run organization with hundreds of people contributing to bring more amazing women into the world of technology.
Contact 1: Kaja Milanowska
Contact 2: Lucie Daeye
Contact 3: Anubha Maneshwar
Website: https://djangogirls.org/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/djangogirls
Twitter: http://twitter.com/djangogirls
Scope: International
Employees: 15
Code It Like A Girl
Code it Like a Girl is a digital media collective that creates content intended to inspire people who self-identify as female to follow their dreams. From technology news and how-to’s to remarkable stories of people all around the world, articles on feminism or just whatever we feel like talking-writing-filming about, we’ll be sharing our POV on anything that can be proven empowering, valuable, informative or entertaining to our audience.
Contact 1: Maria Dermentzi
Contact 2: Anastasia Siapka
Contact 3: Vasiliki-Eleni Provopoulou
Website: http://www.codeitlikeagirl.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codeitlikeagirl
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/codeitlikeagirl
Scope: Greece
Employees: 15
Cloud Girls
Cloud Girls is an open, vendor-neutral, not-for-profit community of female technology advocates dedicated to educating themselves, their organizations and customers about the vast and dynamic cloud ecosystem. By exploring emerging market and technical trends, advocating best practices/reference architectures and building community consensus, Cloud Girls is fostering the next wave of women in technology.
Contact 1: Jo Peterson
Contact 2: Manon Buettner
Contact 3: Michelle Hyde
Website: http://cloudgirls.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cloudgirls
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gocloudgirls
Scope: National
Employees: 10
jduchess
Duchess is a global organization for women in Java technology, currently with 550 members in over 60 countries. Duchess provides a platform through which women who work with Java can connect with each other and get involved in the greater Java community. It aims to make the role of women and the individual women's contributions visible in the Java community and to teach the benefits of diversity in any team environment - whether corporate or open-source.
Contact 1: Linda van der Pal
Website: http://www.jduchess.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jduchess.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jduchess
Scope: International
Employees: 8
Railsbridge
RailsBridge workshops are a free and fun way to get started or level up with Rails, Ruby, and other web technologies. Our events focus on increasing diversity in tech, so that people of all backgrounds can feel welcome and comfortable in our industry.
Contact 1: Kari Bancroft
Contact 2: Coraline Ada Ehmke
Contact 3: Rachel Myers
Website: http://www.railsbridge.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/railsbridge
Twitter: https://twitter.com/railsbridge
Scope: International
Employees: 3
Outreachy
Outreachy helps people from groups underrepresented in free and open source software get involved. We provide a supportive community for beginning to contribute any time throughout the year and offer focused internship opportunities twice a year with a number of free software organizations.
Contact 1: Marina Zhurakhinskaya
Contact 2: Christie Koehler
Contact 3: Sarah Sharp
Website: https://www.gnome.org/outreachy/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/outreachy
Scope: National
Employees: 3
Latina Girls Code
Formed in 2014, Latina Girls Code is a program created to fill the diversity gap between girls who are interested in technology through education and resources. LGC will provide mentors, access to hardware and digital tools as well as internships through various programs and events throughout the year. It is the endeavor of the organization to provide tangible education to those particularly in disadvantaged areas in hopes to spur interest in the technology.
Contact 1: Antonio Garcia
Contact 2: Cindy Agustín
Website: http://latinagirlscode.org/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LatinaGirlsCode/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/latinagirlscode
Scope: Chicago
Employees: 2
Railsgirls
Our aim is to give tools and a community for women to understand technology and to build their ideas. We do this by providing a great experience on building things and by making technology more approachable.
Contact 1: Linda Liukas
Contact 2: Karri Saarinen
Website: http://www.railsgirls.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/railsgirls
Twitter: http://twitter.com/railsgirls
Scope: International
Employees: 2
CodeChix
CodeChix fosters continuous learning through our chapters’ events and workshops. Offerings include hacking sessions, technical talks, and hands-on, developer-led technical workshops. Sample events include Wikipedia’s Operations Infrastructure, Algorithms and Directed Acyclic Graphs, Mobile/Graphic Design for Engineers Workshop, Toy Robotics: My little Pleo, OpenShift Workshop, and Android Instalfest & App Building 101.
Contact 1: Rupa Dachere
Contact 2: Sabrina Farmer
Contact 3: Rebecca Parsons
Website: http://codechix.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codechix/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/codechix
Scope: International
Employees: 2
Pyladies
We are an international mentorship group with a focus on helping more women become active participants and leaders in the Python open-source community. Our mission is to promote, educate and advance a diverse Python community through outreach, education, conferences, events and social gatherings.
Contact 1: Lynn Root
Website: http://www.pyladies.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pyladies/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pyladies
Scope: International
Employees: 1
EDUCATION
Girl Develop It
Technical workshops for female programmers held around the United States, as well as in Canada and Australia. They aim to create a supportive environment where women can join the discussion and show off their skills. Courses are also available online.
Contact 1: Corinne Warnshuis
Contact 2: Vanessa Hurst
Contact 3: LaVonna Ricketts
Website: http://girldevelopit.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girldevelopit
Twitter: https://twitter.com/girldevelopit
Scope: International
Employees: 127
Skillcrush
A site targeted at women to help them learn technology, including tech terms, Ask Ada (named after the first programmer), and other articles.
Contact 1: Adda Birnir
Contact 2: Aisha Souto-Maior
Contact 3: Ann Cadcarano
Website: http://skillcrush.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Skillcrush
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkillCrush
Scope: International
Employees: 38
Hackbright Academy
A 10-week training program for women in San Francisco – half learning, half doing. Applications for the fall program are due in August, and it costs $6,000.
Contact 1: Sharon Wienbar
Contact 2: Scott Deming
Contact 3: Angie Chang
Website: https://hackbrightacademy.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HackbrightAcademy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hackbright
Scope: San Francisco
Employees: 20
ACCELERATORS / INVESTORS
Golden Seeds
A firm that invests in early-stage companies with a female founder/CEO or executive. They also offer business training to entrepreneurs and investors.
Contact 1: Jo Ann Corkran
Contact 2: Loretta McCarthy
Contact 3: Peggy Wallace
Website: http://goldenseeds.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoldenSeeds
Scope: National
Employees: 193
Astia
A not-for-profit organization that offers paid, week-long programs to help female entrepreneurs in technology, life sciences, and clean tech to learn skills for revenue generation, sales, and fundraising. Includes a support network of over 200 investors and 300 startup executives.
Contact 1: Sharon Vosmek
Contact 2: Victoria Pettibone
Contact 3: Yuka Nagashima
Website: http://www.astia.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astiaglobal
Twitter: https://twitter.com/astiaglobal
Scope: Silicon Valley / Global
Employees: 145
Springboard
Their “Forum Program” is an accelerator with two months of coaching for women-led businesses. They also offer pitch practice and educational programs to learn how to fundraise.
Contact 1: Kay Koplovitz
Contact 2: Amy Millman
Contact 3: Anna Consani
Website: https://www.springboardenterprises.org/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/springboardent
Scope: International
Employees: 46
Bad Girl Ventures
A microlending organization started by Candace Kleinthat helps women-owned startups in Ohio. Borrowers also get a nine-week course on business development.
Contact 1: Nancy Aichholz
Contact 2: Angela Ozar
Contact 3: Caitlin Saia
Website: http://www.badgirlventures.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BadGirlVentures
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BGV_Cincinnati
Scope: Ohio
Employees: 17
Women Who Tech
Organizers of the yearly Women Who Tech TeleSummit, with talks by women in technology, startups, and social media. Creators of the #Women2Follow hashtag onTwitter.
Contact 1: Allyson Kapin
Contact 2: Lisa Stone
Contact 3: Amy Sample Ward
Website: http://www.womenwhotech.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com//groups/254758964539368/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/womenwhotech
Scope: International
Employees: 5
FemaleDev
This year, FemaleDev focuses on producing, mentoring, and nurturing female startup founders in Indonesia’s tech ecosystem.
Contact 1: Alamanda Shantika Santoso
Contact 2: Aulia Jasmine Oktofan
Contact 3: Niki Hidayati
Website: http://femaledev.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FemaleDev/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/femaledev
Scope: Indonesia
Employees: 3
NewME Accelerator
A 12-week mentorship program in Mountain View for startups led by a minority founder (African American, Latino, or female).
Contact 1: Angela Benton
Contact 2: Eva Ho
Website: http://www.newmeaccelerator.com/
Scope: NationalEmployees: 2
CREATIVE SPACES
digitalundivided
digitalundivided uses innovation to foster the economic growth and empowerment of Black and Latina women entrepreneurs.
Contact 1: Kathryn Finney
Contact 2: Darlene Gillard Jones
Contact 3: Danielle Robinson Bell
Website: http://www.digitalundivided.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/digitalundivided/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/digundiv/
Scope: Atlanta
Employees: 7
Double Union
Double Union is a space for your projects - Things women do in this space include sewing, programming, electronics, woodworking, fiber arts of all kinds, and zine making.
Contact 1: Alexsarah Collier
Contact 2: Tina Coles
Contact 3: Daniela Arias
Website: https://www.doubleunion.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doubleunion
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoubleUnionSF
Scope: San Francisco
Employees: 5
Women's Center for Creative Work
Founded in 2013, the Women’s Center for Creative Work, or WCCW, is a not-for-profit organization that cultivates LA’s feminist creative communities and practices. Combining a co-workspace on the LA river in Frogtown, project incubation facilities, residency programs, a rapidly growing network of over 15,000 followers, and a full calendar of artistic and professional development programming for female creatives, WCCW advocates for female-led creative businesses and projects in Los Angeles.
Contact 1: Sarah Williams
Contact 2: Kate Johnston
Contact 3: Emily Walworth
Website: http://womenscenterforcreativework.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womenscenterforcreativework
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WCCWLA
Scope: Los Angeles
Employees: 3
If you have any additions, please let me know miragusa@cisco.com
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Reflections on the friends I have, and may never meet...
Tonight I looked out of our windows and saw in the darkness of 2:00 in the morning a house on the hill with lights on- and was flooded with emotions. Rewind six years ago and Jay and I had just moved in together and we would often take the fur kids on hikes. There was this one hill way atop that had this beautiful view, and a gorgeous house atop it. We sat- overlooking the house on the hill and I looked around at my "family"- Jay, my then boyfriend- Luka, our dog, Mirage - our second dog, and Austin- our cat. I never met the people who lived there- I don't know if they were old or young- if they had just moved in or lived there 20 years or more. I wondered about them, what they looked like, what their family was like...Six years later and I still have never met them; I don't know if I will ever meet them, or if our paths have crossed, will cross, or may never cross. Isn't that such a strange concept? This happens millions a times a day-throughout our entire lives- we are just going by, living our lives while people are living their own lives. Their joys and celebrations, their hear breaks and sorrows, their loves and losses- we are all just living.
My life is so different now from that first hike. Jay proposed- Danica my stepdaughter moved in, Mila - my second stepdaughter would come to visit, and since then -we have had not one but two babies- Brooklyn and Cali. We have since lost two of our fur kids. Sadly Mirage was in a hit and run on a Christmas Eve last year- the saddest christmas of my life- but four sweet days later my gorgeous baby Cali was born- and filled my darkest hour with some light. Austin, our cat got sick, he rapidly began losing weight and getting what appeared to be cancer according to one of the vets. Towards the end he did not leave my side- he even ate and drank which game me hope and then one day- he meowed to go out and has never returned. I read animals do this when it's their time- my heart breaks, but without closure of a final goodbye it does not feel real. I often think I see him in the shadows of the night, only to realize it's not. So odd how I can spend 6-10 years so intimately, working from home, seeing them every day, sleeping with them, thinking of them as my "kids"... and then one day, just like that, they're gone, and my family as I knew it just six short years ago is so different in such a short period of time.
I wonder how those people who live in that houses life might have changed- if at all. Do they ever look up at our house and lights in the night and wonder the same thing?
This area, unlike NYC and RTP is not transient. More often than not the people I meet were born here, have grown old here and will most likely die here. Very few travel outside these areas and even less have plans of moving. Jay and I are nomads, Rolling Stones. Between the two of us we have moved 20 times, multiple statues and even countries. Although I am not shy at making friends, (I always say a stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet") I often am reserved to really truly get close to anyone - - sort of unconscious affect to avoid the pain of losing friendships after I inevitably move as I always have.
I am thankful to social media - especially facebooked for this reason. So many people get to participate and stay involved in our lives and vice versa- no matter where we live.
On trips -Jay and I have been to 75 countries and countless cities and towns- we often meet people through our adventures. Jay calls these encounters- a reason, a season or a lifetime. You never know how the person you meet- albeit a fleeting period of time in the scheme of your life will impact the rest of your entire life... or, perhaps just a flickering shadow in the memories of your life.
Our most recent example would be our newest friend -Wayne; we met on the ferry from Ireland to Liverpool. He only takes that ferry twice a year- we happened to be on one of those two voyages. Out of thousands of people aboard, we happend to sit next each other. Rather then remain silent- he started a conversation about our accents and inquired where we were from. As an Irish fellow, he happened to live in the states when he was 16. We ended up chatting for the entire three hour voyage- even while Jay fell asleep in between us. I had plans of playing matchmaker with this delightful, polite single young man with the adorable accent to one of my single friends (you know who you are). He even helped me to entertain (and wrangle) some of the mischievous Irish, and UK baby/toddler girls who wandered around and became friends with Brooklyn and Cali to prevent them from waking Jay up while taking selfies while he slept with his IPAD and giggling. We became friends- and then FB friends- -and now somebody who I might never have seen again will forever be our friends.
I am also reminded of Narayan, our tour guide in Nepal- one of our honeymoon destinations. We spent three days with him and we loved it there, and being in his knowledgeable, warm and inviting company... we promised if we ever went back to scale Mt. Everest or simply eat the delicious local cuisine called MoMos- it would be with him. Imagine a few years later how devastated I was when the earthquake hit Nepal- and how relieved I was when he marked his family safe on FB (I would have always wondered and worried had we lost touch).
Perhaps my biggest reminder is my South African friend "Dad Deon"- who was my tour guide in SA the month before I met Jay. During that trip- My grandmother passed away -and I got extremely sick. Deon was more of a dad to me then my real dad ever was. He cared for me, consoled me, took me to the doctors and insured I felt loved and taken care of....even when I was all the way around the world, without my closest family or friends, I was blessed to have my dear friend Jared- as well as the new friends I made. I of course became FB friends with him and his beautiful wife Vinessa and family and think of them all often- all the way on the other side of the world- but just a click away thanks to Facebook. We are like tech savvy new version of pen pals.
Heck I even met my sister and brother thanks to facebook - but that deserves its own blog. :)
Sure, there are many more people I have met that I have not connected with and may never see again. Times like this, when I am feeing melancholy and thoughtful I think of each of them. I wish them health and happiness and hope that one day, someday our paths might cross again. I am thankful for the evolution of technology- and that people I meet along the way I can connect with and share in this crazy journey we call life. There are so many people I have only met a few times but our lives have become interwoven and they have truly earned a place in my heart (and on my newsfeed).
I am not sure if we will grow old here, or move in a few months. I don't know who will enter my life, or who will leave it... or who will cross my path along the way. I do not know when the first time I meet someone if that is the last- or the beginning of a lifelong friendship... but I hope it is. I hope to know you, I hope that my journey is filled with amazing people like the ones I have been blessed to know so far. I don't know where my destination will take me, or any of us... but I am excited for the journey (and to have YOU in my life...be it a reason, a season, or my lifetime).
My life is so different now from that first hike. Jay proposed- Danica my stepdaughter moved in, Mila - my second stepdaughter would come to visit, and since then -we have had not one but two babies- Brooklyn and Cali. We have since lost two of our fur kids. Sadly Mirage was in a hit and run on a Christmas Eve last year- the saddest christmas of my life- but four sweet days later my gorgeous baby Cali was born- and filled my darkest hour with some light. Austin, our cat got sick, he rapidly began losing weight and getting what appeared to be cancer according to one of the vets. Towards the end he did not leave my side- he even ate and drank which game me hope and then one day- he meowed to go out and has never returned. I read animals do this when it's their time- my heart breaks, but without closure of a final goodbye it does not feel real. I often think I see him in the shadows of the night, only to realize it's not. So odd how I can spend 6-10 years so intimately, working from home, seeing them every day, sleeping with them, thinking of them as my "kids"... and then one day, just like that, they're gone, and my family as I knew it just six short years ago is so different in such a short period of time.
I wonder how those people who live in that houses life might have changed- if at all. Do they ever look up at our house and lights in the night and wonder the same thing?
This area, unlike NYC and RTP is not transient. More often than not the people I meet were born here, have grown old here and will most likely die here. Very few travel outside these areas and even less have plans of moving. Jay and I are nomads, Rolling Stones. Between the two of us we have moved 20 times, multiple statues and even countries. Although I am not shy at making friends, (I always say a stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet") I often am reserved to really truly get close to anyone - - sort of unconscious affect to avoid the pain of losing friendships after I inevitably move as I always have.
I am thankful to social media - especially facebooked for this reason. So many people get to participate and stay involved in our lives and vice versa- no matter where we live.
On trips -Jay and I have been to 75 countries and countless cities and towns- we often meet people through our adventures. Jay calls these encounters- a reason, a season or a lifetime. You never know how the person you meet- albeit a fleeting period of time in the scheme of your life will impact the rest of your entire life... or, perhaps just a flickering shadow in the memories of your life.
Our most recent example would be our newest friend -Wayne; we met on the ferry from Ireland to Liverpool. He only takes that ferry twice a year- we happened to be on one of those two voyages. Out of thousands of people aboard, we happend to sit next each other. Rather then remain silent- he started a conversation about our accents and inquired where we were from. As an Irish fellow, he happened to live in the states when he was 16. We ended up chatting for the entire three hour voyage- even while Jay fell asleep in between us. I had plans of playing matchmaker with this delightful, polite single young man with the adorable accent to one of my single friends (you know who you are). He even helped me to entertain (and wrangle) some of the mischievous Irish, and UK baby/toddler girls who wandered around and became friends with Brooklyn and Cali to prevent them from waking Jay up while taking selfies while he slept with his IPAD and giggling. We became friends- and then FB friends- -and now somebody who I might never have seen again will forever be our friends.
I am also reminded of Narayan, our tour guide in Nepal- one of our honeymoon destinations. We spent three days with him and we loved it there, and being in his knowledgeable, warm and inviting company... we promised if we ever went back to scale Mt. Everest or simply eat the delicious local cuisine called MoMos- it would be with him. Imagine a few years later how devastated I was when the earthquake hit Nepal- and how relieved I was when he marked his family safe on FB (I would have always wondered and worried had we lost touch).
Perhaps my biggest reminder is my South African friend "Dad Deon"- who was my tour guide in SA the month before I met Jay. During that trip- My grandmother passed away -and I got extremely sick. Deon was more of a dad to me then my real dad ever was. He cared for me, consoled me, took me to the doctors and insured I felt loved and taken care of....even when I was all the way around the world, without my closest family or friends, I was blessed to have my dear friend Jared- as well as the new friends I made. I of course became FB friends with him and his beautiful wife Vinessa and family and think of them all often- all the way on the other side of the world- but just a click away thanks to Facebook. We are like tech savvy new version of pen pals.
Heck I even met my sister and brother thanks to facebook - but that deserves its own blog. :)
Sure, there are many more people I have met that I have not connected with and may never see again. Times like this, when I am feeing melancholy and thoughtful I think of each of them. I wish them health and happiness and hope that one day, someday our paths might cross again. I am thankful for the evolution of technology- and that people I meet along the way I can connect with and share in this crazy journey we call life. There are so many people I have only met a few times but our lives have become interwoven and they have truly earned a place in my heart (and on my newsfeed).
I am not sure if we will grow old here, or move in a few months. I don't know who will enter my life, or who will leave it... or who will cross my path along the way. I do not know when the first time I meet someone if that is the last- or the beginning of a lifelong friendship... but I hope it is. I hope to know you, I hope that my journey is filled with amazing people like the ones I have been blessed to know so far. I don't know where my destination will take me, or any of us... but I am excited for the journey (and to have YOU in my life...be it a reason, a season, or my lifetime).
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