Podcasts about anita borg institute

Marco Polo CEO, Vlada Borthnik, almost said no to being on our podcast. It wasn't that she wasn't a fan of AnitaB.org or didn't believe in its mission, it was that we'd asked her to talk about failure… and Vlada almost totally rejects the notion of “failure” on principle. Instead, Vlada advocates for throwing away the binary lens of “success” and “failure” and instead to reframe things as experiments and their outcomes.  Because even when the outcome isn't what you'd hoped for, you can still learn from it. And maybe that learning will set you up for a different outcome next time. Fortunately for us, Vlada came around. In this episode, she talks to Brenda about why she feels so strongly that it's time for us all to stop fearing failure and embrace the idea it's all about experimentation and learning from outcomes - whether they're good or bad. Vlada also shares how the challenges of coming to the US as a refuge when she was 11 set her up for her future as an entrepreneur, why you should worry less about communication at work being messy, and focus instead on making sure you have systems in place to clean those messes up, and how Marco Polo's culture of constant experimentation has led to its success. Plus, Brenda's top three takeaways from the conversion. For more, check out Vlada... On LinkedIn - /in/vlada/ On Facebook - /onmarcopolo On Instagram - @marcopoloapp And if you're curious about Marco Polo, you can download the app for iOS or Android. --- At our heart, AnitaB.org is a connector: we connect women in tech to the organizations, opportunities, and tools they need to advance, thrive, and transform the future of technology. We convene transformative events, lead essential discussions, produce groundbreaking research and white papers, and support the tech ecosystem to shape the future for women in tech.  --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

In 2014, former teacher turned recruiter, April Christina Curley, got offered her dream job - a major tech company asked her to come on board specifically to create a talent pipeline for overlooked tech talent at historically black colleges and universities. Without hesitation, April said yes, packed up her things, and moved from Baltimore to NY. At first, things were great - the program April helped create was a success. She was driving real change and making a real difference. But it didn't last. Despite its good intentions, April saw policies and practices within the company itself that were rooted in historic biases.  And when she spoke out, she was increasingly chastised by management for being “angry, insubordinate, uncooperative, unwelcoming” and more. This despite the fact that her work was objectively successful and her peers had no problem with her. By 2020 April's dream job had become a nightmare.  And then, just like that, she was let go. In this episode, April opens up to Brenda about what it's like when you speak truth to power at the office and months later find yourself out of a job. You'll also find out how to pick yourself back up after you've lost what was supposed to be the perfect opportunity. For more on April and her work check out... LinkedIn - /aprilchristinacurley Bluesky - @realabril.bsky.social --- At our heart, AnitaB.org is a connector: we connect women in tech to the organizations, opportunities, and tools they need to advance, thrive, and transform the future of technology. We convene transformative events, lead essential discussions, produce groundbreaking research and white papers, and support the tech ecosystem to shape the future for women in tech.  --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

“Talking to people from different disciplines pushes your thinking about your assumptions, going out and listening to what other people are doing helps inform the way that you creatively solve the problem that's in front of you. Leaders often are scared by some of these ideas that are coming out of their workforce and that's why they're shutting them down. But if you can demonstrate yourself to be receptive to ideas, then you can help guide a creative future.” Telle Whitney on Electric Ladies Podcast Massive innovation is crucial to meet the scale of the climate crisis, but achieving this is increasingly challenging due to current political and social undercurrents. How can organizations innovate, and how can people within these organizations come together to brainstorm, bringing ideas of their own and improving on others? According to Telle Whitney, innovation must be an intentional, concerted effort that organizations actively adopt. Listen to Telle Whitney, Cofounder of the renowned Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology & the Grace Hopper Conference – and one of Fast Company's most influential women in technology – on Electric Ladies Podcast. Launching her latest book, Rebooting Tech Culture: How to Ignite Innovation and Build Organizations Where Everyone Can Thrive, Telle joins Joan to discuss how organizations and leaders can cultivate the culture of innovation and creativity so critical to addressing the climate crisis. You'll hear about: The critical role culture plays in driving innovation. Why we must dispel the myth of the "lone genius". Telle's 6Cs for building a culture of innovation. How leaders can encourage courage and risk-taking. Plus, career advice specifically for women in engineering. “To take your career to the next level, learning how to tell your story and what you want is an important skill. [One thing] I probably get from mid-career women more than anything else is the belief that ‘if I do good work, it will be recognised'. That is simply not true. Being able to say, I did this great work, and to be able to tell that to your manager or to the company leader – it is as important as the product development itself.”  Telle Whitney on Electric Ladies Podcast Read Joan's Forbes articles here. Zara Summers, Chief Science Officer at LanzaTech about innovative ways that recovered carbon is making its way back into our daily lives. Autumn Huskins, Finance Director at Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), a waste-to-energy plant converting agricultural and food waste into electricity. Doreen Harris, President/CEO of New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), on energy innovation for decades into the future. Sue Ozdemir, CEO of Exro Technologies, on whether big companies can innovate. Read: Insights from women about driving innovation in a purpose-led economy. More from Electric Ladies Podcast! HAPPENING NEXT WEEK! Join us at The Earth Day Women's Summit on April 22, 2025, in Dallas, Texas! Register today with the code “EDWS” for the Women's Summit and a special rate. Elevate your career with expert coaching and ESG advisory with Electric Ladies Podcast. Unlock new opportunities, gain confidence, and achieve your career goals with the right guidance. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, articles, events and career advice – and special coaching offers. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio and Spotify and leaving us a review! Don't forget to follow us on our socials Twitter: @joanmichelson LinkedIn: Electric Ladies Podcast with Joan Michelson Twitter: @joanmichelson Facebook: Green Connections Radio

The second half of season 2 is all about the view from the bottom: what does it feel like to fail, and more importantly, how do you come back from it? We're creating a safe space for women tech leaders to talk about the worst day of their career — a project gone wrong, a lay-off that came out of nowhere, a startup that shutdown — and how they got through it. Because we never learned anything from the days it all went right.  To kick off this series, Better Allies® series Author and former Adobe VP of Engineering, Karen Catlin joins Brenda to talk about a rocky transition she made from the corporate world to self-employment. Karen had a reality check when she left her cushy VP job at Adobe to start her own coaching company for women in tech. After making only $17,000 her first year (a far cry from her goal of $10K per month), she was embarrassed, and ready to call it quits. But with some encouragement from her husband and mentors, she saw it through, and has since become an accomplished author, speaker and coach on creating inclusive workspaces.  You'll learn how to see things through even when you feel like you failed, the power of a good ‘mentor walk,' and how naivete can sometimes be a blessing in disguise when taking a big risk. For more, check out Karen and her work... On LinkedIn - /kecatlin On Bluesky - @betterallies.bsky.social On Instagram - @BetterAllies On Threads - @BetterAllies On YouTube - Better Allies On the Web - www.karencatlin.com & www.betterallies.com And subscriber to the 5 Ally Actions Newsletter! --- At our heart, AnitaB.org is a connector: we connect women in tech to the organizations, opportunities, and tools they need to advance, thrive, and transform the future of technology. We convene transformative events, lead essential discussions, produce groundbreaking research and white papers, and support the tech ecosystem to shape the future for women in tech.  --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org 

Welcome to B The Way Forward Interludes - a series of conversations that don't necessarily fit in our regular season, but are just too good to not share. This week, a very special episode for Women's History Month.  Telle Whitney was already a trailblazing woman in the field of semiconductors when she moved to  Silicon Valley in the 1980s. Anita Borg had already made a name for herself in systems. The two met at a party and became fast friends. Among all the things they bonded over was, of course, their shared experiences as women in tech. And the ways they both tried to deal with the glaring disparity between men and women in the industry. But Anita and Telle weren't content to just commiserate. They were determined to do something about it. Out of that determination and that friendship, the Grace Hopper Celebration and the Institute for Women and Technology - which became AnitaB.org - were born. Anita Borg and Tell Whitney saw a need and decided  to do something about it - and the tech space would never be the same.  Telle - Co-Founder of AnitaB.org and Brenda's predecessor as President and CEO - pulls back the curtain on the early days of AnitaB.org, the secret origin of Anita's pioneering networking group Systers, and what it was like at the very first GHC in 1994. Plus, Telle helps us get to know who Anita Borg was in the ways only a close friend can. For from of Telle and her work check her out... On LinkedIn - /telle-whitney On X - @TelleWhitney --- At our heart, AnitaB.org is a connector: we connect women in tech to the organizations, opportunities, and tools they need to advance, thrive, and transform the future of technology. We convene transformative events, lead essential discussions, produce groundbreaking research and white papers, and support the tech ecosystem to shape the future for women in tech.  --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Over the first half of Season 2, we've been exploring the best ways to create meaningful change - and whether it happens within our systems or on the outside. But no matter which approach you take, you have to be able to effectively communicate with others  - and that can be hard, especially when you need to speak up in spaces that may not seem as open to hearing from you.  How do you read the room and communicate more strongly to achieve our goals? And how do you do it without ever compromising our own values or sense of self? That's precisely what Jeanne Sparrow is helping people discover. Author, actor, radio host, podcast host - not to mention a valued member of the AnitaB.org family - Jeanne's book Fearless Authenticity is a guide to identifying and embracing your unique experience, perspective, and opinions, in order to chart a path that can serve you and others. It's a skill that's more crucial than ever, now, when there's so much resistance to challenging the status quo.  Jeanne and Brenda talk about letting go of our own wrong assumptions - the ones about ourselves, the difference between being “fearless” and just being a jerk, and how the goal of fearless authenticity isn't an inflated sense of a self, but a deeper connection with others. For more on Jeanne and her work check out... Instagram - @jmsparrow Facebook - /msjeannesparrow Threads - @jmsparrow X - @JMSparrow LinkedIn - /jeanne-sparrow-7409053/ YouTube - @msjeannesparrow Find out more about Jeanne's book, Fearlessly Authentic, here, and check out her podcast! Might we humbly suggest you start with Brenda's episode? --- At our heart, AnitaB.org is a connector: we connect women in tech to the organizations, opportunities, and tools they need to advance, thrive, and transform the future of technology. We convene transformative events, lead essential discussions, produce groundbreaking research and white papers, and support the tech ecosystem to shape the future for women in tech.  --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Welcome to B The Way Forward Interludes - a series of conversations that don't necessarily fit in our regular season, but are just too good to not share.  Today, we're bringing you a conversation with one of our favorite kinds of people; A BFF. No, not a “best friend forever,” a Badass Female Founder.  Shelley Gupta took her own culinary and cultural curiosity and channeled it into BāKIT Box, a unique subscription service delivering STEM-based baking activity kits that bring the world's flavors and traditions to your kitchen. On the menu for our conversation? The art of pitching - your product, your company, and even yourself.  And Shelley knows what she's talking about. Not only has she successfully pitched her company to investors, she's a two-time pitch competition winner, including taking top prize at the 2024 PitcHer competition at Grace Hopper Celebration. Shelley talks with Brenda about how BĀKIT Box evolved from pitch to product, the realities of being a female founder when VCs are still underinvesting in women-led companies, and of course, what she's learned about crafting a winning pitch - and how she's still refining it, even today, 50 versions later. For more check out Shelley and BāKIT BOX... Instagram - @bakitbox Facebook - /therealbakitbox X - @bakitbox TikTok - @bakitbox YouTube - @bakitbox LinkedIn - /bakitbox Pinterest - /bkitbox --- At our heart, AnitaB.org is a connector: we connect women in tech to the organizations, opportunities, and tools they need to advance, thrive, and transform the future of technology. We convene transformative events, lead essential discussions, produce groundbreaking research and white papers, and support the tech ecosystem to shape the future for women in tech.  --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Here's a question; how much water do you think a single query of ChatGPT consumes? What about Carbon Emissions? How many round trip flights between New York and San Francisco equal the Co2 emitted by training one Large Language Model? And maybe this is the most important one - how would you even figure those numbers out when the big AI companies don't make them public? Concerns about AI's impact on Climate Change aren't new, but as extreme weather events like the floods in North Carolina and the wild fires in L.A. become more and more frequent, a lot of us are wondering just how much blame we should lay at AI's doorstep. How can we make sure that we take our planet into account while continuing to develop this technology? To help us understand the real cost of all our ChatGPT queries and Dall-E diversions, we're talking to two women who are both fighting for more transparency around these very questions. Dr. Sasha Luccioni, the Climate Lead at AI company Hugging Face, has chosen to fight for more sustainable AI from within an AI company. On the other hand, Yoca Arditi-Rocha, executive director at the CLEO Institute is deeply skeptical that businesses will choose to put the planet above profit on their own accord.  Can an Insider approach lead to climate-safe AI? Or is it up to activists and outsiders to make sure that all those AI prompts we thought were saving us so much time don't end up meaning our planet's time is up that much sooner. For more check out Dr. Luccioni... On Bluesky - @sashamtl.bsky.social On X - @SashaMTL On LinkedIn - /sashaluccioniphd And for more from Yoca and the CLEO Institute find them... On X - @Yoca1000 | @CLEOInstitute On Instagram - @cleoinstitute On Facebook - /CLEOInstitute On LinkedIn - /yocamille | /the-cleo-institute On the Web - cleoinstitute.org --- At AnitaB.org, our mission is to enable and equip women technologists with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to thrive. Through innovative programs and initiatives, we empower women to chart new paths, better prepared to lead, advance, and achieve equitable compensation. Because when women succeed, they uplift their communities and redefine success on their terms, both professionally and personally.​ --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Let's start with the obvious - There is no putting the AI genie back in the bottle. And frankly, as an organization run by technologists and dedicated to advancing women in tech, we wouldn't necessarily want to. We believe in the promise of technology. But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to be concerned about with how AI has been developing so far.  Near the top of that list for almost everyone is the question “Is AI going to steal my job?”  For many creatives, that reality of being replaced by generative AI is already feeling frighteningly possible. So in this episode we take a look at the possible impact of AI on our careers through their eyes. How do we create an ethical world where human workers are valued while still developing AI as a powerful force for good? Can we trust that world to be built by AI companies themselves? Or do activists on the outside of Silicon Valley have to fight to make it real? First up, we talk with Dr. Moiya McTier, an astronomer and Senior Advisor for the Human Artistry CampAIgn, where she advocates for protection and guardrails against AI fraud and cloning among the creative community. Next we talk to award-winning voice over artist and the founder of AI Voice company EthoVox. Instead of waiting for the big AI companies to decimate the artform and community she loves - she created her own company to show how it can be done right. For more, check out Dr. McTier... On Bluesky - @goastromo On Instagram - @goastromo On TikTok - @goastromo On Youtube - @dr.moiyamctier7326 And to learn more about the Human Artistry Campaign check them out... On - X - @human_artistry On Bluesky - @humanartistry On Instagram - @humanartistrycampaign TikTok - @humanartistrycampaign On the Web - humanartistrycampaign.com --- At AnitaB.org, our mission is to enable and equip women technologists with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to thrive. Through innovative programs and initiatives, we empower women to chart new paths, better prepared to lead, advance, and achieve equitable compensation. Because when women succeed, they uplift their communities and redefine success on their terms, both professionally and personally.​ --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

We started this season by asking what's the best way to create real change - inside or outside of the established system? But sometimes it feels like the systems we're trying to improve are just too entrenched; it can be hard to imagine any approach being successful. And there might not be anyplace where that feels more true than in our politics. But Jennifer Knox, the National Director of Organizing and Tech for the Working Families Party doesn't believe we have to be stuck with the system we have.  WFP is a third party that recruits and runs their own candidates. But they're also an activist organization that advocates for election reforms and supports major party candidates when they see it as the most effective path for change. In a sense, the Working Families Party is both outside and inside the system. And what's more, they're at the forefront of using better tech and better data to do the one thing that really matters in any election - win. We talk about balancing sweeping change with practical realities, Fusion Tickets, Ranked Choice Voting and how WFP responded when the major parties blocked their access to the main voter data platform — naturally, they built their very own from the ground up.  Most of us can't imagine a day when we'll have more than two political parties in the U.S… but after this conversation with Jennifer, you just might change your mind. For more, check out Jennifer... On Instagram On Facebook On LinkedIn And follow WFP... On X On Instagram On Facebook --- At AnitaB.org, our mission is to enable and equip women technologists with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to thrive. Through innovative programs and initiatives, we empower women to chart new paths, better prepared to lead, advance, and achieve equitable compensation. Because when women succeed, they uplift their communities and redefine success on their terms, both professionally and personally.​ --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

When Americans went to the polls in November of 2024 it felt like in many ways, alongside the presidential candidates, tech was at the top of the ticket. So what will advocacy in this world look like as Donald Trump begins his second term? And what can be done to ensure that the change we've worked so hard to create for women and non-binary folks around the country isn't reversed?    To unpack those questions, and explore how activists and advocacy organizations like AnitaB.org adapt to the tidal shifts of a new administration, we're doing something different. Normally Brenda asks the questions - but in this episode, she's the one in the hot seat. AnitaB.org Deputy Chief of Staff, Quinton Sprull, joins Brenda to ask her about our reality over the next four years, and get her thoughts on how you can continue to lead for good in your home, life and career.  Plus, after 40 episodes, the tables are turned and Brenda finally answers the two questions she's asked every single one of her guests.  --- At AnitaB.org, our mission is to enable and equip women technologists with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to thrive. Through innovative programs and initiatives, we empower women to chart new paths, better prepared to lead, advance, and achieve equitable compensation. Because when women succeed, they uplift their communities and redefine success on their terms, both professionally and personally.​ --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

With a new administration about to take office, we're kicking off our second season of B The Way Forward by talking about one of the most powerful tools for change we have access to -- our vote. And digging into why - in the most recent presidential election -less than 40% of young voters showed up, compared to a record-breaking 50% in 2020. GenZ and Millennials make up the largest voting bloc in the country. Re-engaging this slice of the electorate will be crucial for preserving our democracy for years to come. But can the major political parties do it? Or is it up to outside groups to find new ways to rally young voters without relying on the goodwill and political fortune of these institutions? For a perspective on the inside approach, we chat with Paul Jones, President of the Young Democrats of Illinois to see why he thinks young people - traditionally a strong part of the party's base - stayed home and how the party can get them back. Then we talk to Lucille Wenegieme, Executive Director non-partisan voter-advocacy group HeadCount to learn why she thinks that to really get young people engaged, you have to meet them where they are - without the baggage of entrenched political parties. For more from our guests, check out... Paul Jones on Instagram - @Jonesy630 Threads - @Jonesy630 Young Democrats of Illinois on Instagram - @ilyoungdems HeadCount on On X - @headcountorg On Instagram - @headcountorg On TikTok - @headcountorg On Facebook - /HeadCountOrg On the Web - headcount.org --- At AnitaB.org, our mission is to enable and equip women technologists with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to thrive. Through innovative programs and initiatives, we empower women to chart new paths, better prepared to lead, advance, and achieve equitable compensation. Because when women succeed, they uplift their communities and redefine success on their terms, both professionally and personally.​ --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Welcome to B The Way Forward: Interludes - a mini series of special episodes and conversations that stand apart from our regular season, but are just too good not to share. Dr. Rebecca Anderson, Kendall Holbrook, and Supriya Gupta. All three are leaders within the technology, business and career development spaces. They are all working on truly innovative products, research, and technological solutions to pressing problems. We could do entire episodes with each of them individually about their work - and we just might! But in this episode, recorded live at Grace Hopper Celebration 2024, we've invited all three to talk about an important common thread, a shared passion they all have, and that we knowI know you do too if you're listening. How do we drive innovation while also promoting inclusivity and equity?     Because we all know that those values contribute to more innovation, better outcomes, and thriving workforces… and that isn't just vibes, there's data that backs that up. A study by McKinsey and Company found that Tech companies with diverse workforces are 35% more likely to outperform their non-diverse counterparts. And yet, according to another study by Deloitte, women make up only 29% of senior management positions globally and the numbers are similar for historically minoritized individuals.     So can we change that? And how do their fields - human-centric AI, STEM career development, financial technology, and leadership, create opportunities for underrepresented groups and support sustainable, purpose-driven solutions in today's rapidly evolving industries?    Listen in and find out! "Stop asking women and non-binary folks to conform to a male gender ideal of leadership. And yet when then we conform to those male ideals, we are punished for acting in ways that are incongruent with our female presenting stereotypes. We're asked to be strong, confident, decisive, but if we do, then we're looked at as aggressive, leading beyond our competence, insensitive. This double bind of having to be both confident and decisive and yet warm and friendly is something we need to get rid of. And I think a lot of that does come from stepping into our acceptance and being really transparent with it." -- Dr. Rebecca Anderson --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Welcome to B The Way Forward: Interludes - a mini series of special episodes and conversations that stand apart from our regular season, but are just too good not to share. These days, the headlines can sometimes mostly focus on the challenges in tech - issues  like AI ethics and data breaches. But in this special conversation, taped live at Grace Hopper Celebration 2024, Brenda wanted to shift gears! Because Grace Hopper Celebration is about the belief that when used by the right people, for the right reasons, technology can be one of the greatest forces for good in the world. And that's what this conversation is all about - the ways in which some of the best minds in tech are innovating, creating groundbreaking platforms and tech to address the most critical social issues of our time.    In this episode, Brenda brings together three friends of the pod - Jimmy Chen (Propel), Dr. Fallon Wilson (VP, Tech Policy, Multicultural Media and Telecom Internet Council), and Devshi Mehrotra (CEO, JusticeText) - to talk about how to leverage technology for good and how you do that ethically, while balancing purpose and profit. And most importantly, to highlight real-world examples of how these solutions make a real difference.  "I think we give for-profit businesses too much of a break and let them off easy and say 'it's just about making money' as opposed to caring about what impact they create on the world. And so if you work at a for-profit, if you are starting a for-profit, if you think about for-profits, hold them accountable to think about what is the impact that they create on the world, not just how much money do they make."  -- Jimmy Chen --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Welcome to B The Way Forward: Interludes - a mini series of special episodes and conversations that stand apart from our regular season, but are just too good not to share. Last night was election night in America, and as we publish this episode today (November 6th, 2024) we can say that it was historic - but not because the US elected its first female president. Once again, the highest glass ceiling was cracked but not shattered.  Kamala Harris wasn't the only woman on the ballot this election. According to the Center for American Women and Politics, 289 women ran for the House, Senate, and Governorships and hundreds more ran in state and city elections. And yet, CAWP's analysis shows that women made up only about 27% of candidates this cycle. That's actually down 2% from 2020. How can our government represent us all when 51% of the population isn't equally represented in public office? And in our current era of intense polarization and heated political rhetoric, how do you even convince women that running for office is worth it? On this episode of B The Way Forward, Brenda sits down with She Should Run Founder and CEO Erin Loos Cutraro to unpack those questions. They talk about the forces stacked against women who might otherwise run, how they can be overcome, and how to respond to the bad faith arguments leveled at attempts to diversify public office.  “I couldn't get over the fact that the research, and it's still true today, shows that when women run for office, they win at the same rate as men. And I couldn't stand the fact of knowing there were so many women who weren't even in this space to consider their own leadership and that we just needed some kind of effort that would speak to them.” --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Welcome to B The Way Forward: Interludes - a mini series of special episodes and conversations that stand apart from our regular season, but are just too good not to share. A lot of things probably spring to mind when you hear the words “Federal Government.”  “Innovation, understanding, adoption, and regulation of new technology” is likely not one of them.  More likely, citizen-facing government technology brings to mind websites that feel outdated - like something still stuck in the era of dial up. But in this special episode of B The Way Forward, recorded live at Grace Hopper Celebration 2024, Brenda speaks to two incredible leaders working to change that - Clare Martorana, the President's Federal Chief Information Officer and Noreen Hecmanczuk, the Senior Advisor to the Federal Chief Information Officer. Together with the rest of the staff of the OFCIO, Clare and Noreen are doing so much more than merely pushing for the adoption of new technology. They're working to save taxpayer dollars, make sure that it's easier for all of us to interact with our government, and streamline citizen participation. In this conversation, Clare and Noreen talk about the challenges and opportunities of driving digital transformation in government, from navigating complex agency processes to ensuring AI governance. Plus, how they harness talent - maybe even talent like you -  to deliver more efficient, secure, and user-friendly government services.  “We have federal employees doing extraordinary things. We not only need to meet our federal employees and make it easier for them to do their jobs, but we also owe it to the American public for us to be able to use the incredible technology - that we've mostly invented in America - to benefit the public. Like that is the most simple thing. So to me, digital transformation is just inherently American. And it is something that we can continue to advance and streamline. But what it takes, is people like you joining.” --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Hosted and Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson. Produced by Avi Glijansky Associate Produced by Kelli Kyle Sound design and editing by Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Additional Producing help from Faith Krogulecki Operations Coordination for AnitaB.org by Quinton Sprull. Creative Director for AnitaB.org is Deandra Coleman Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Frequency Machine  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell with Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by AI and digital technology expert, Suchi Srinivasan. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Suchi is extremely sought after for her expertise and knowledge and is currently managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group. Suchi sits at the helm of the artificial intelligence space where she is passionate about using technology to solve some of the world's most complex problems. Suchi tells Brenda about her personal career journey and how her own engineer father inspired the path she's on today. Together, they chat through their tech industry experiences and why we need more representation in the building of AI technology. Suchi gives listeners critical advice for familiarizing yourself with new AI technology and how she keeps an optimistic view for the future of emerging technologies. Brenda and Suchi also reminisce on their shared experiences as podcast hosts and the importance of sharing these stories. You can find Suchi co-hosting Boston Consulting Group's “In Her Ellement” Podcast, showcasing women at the vanguard of business, digital, and technology.  “Tech has to make our human existence better. It's not the other way around. And it's really important for us to remember that and bring that perspective into whatever our job is. Whether we're a designer, whether we're a software engineer, whether we're a business decision maker, it doesn't matter. But it's all in service of humanity.” For more, check out Sushi and Boston Consulting Group... On LinkedIn - /boston-consulting-group & /bcg-X On X - @BCG & @bcgx_ On Instagram - @bcg & @bcgx_ On Facebook - /BostonConsultingGroup And listen to Suchi's podcast, In Her Ellement --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson talks with multi-tasker extraordinaire Trishala Pillai. Outside of Trishala's day job as senior product manager of supply chain innovation and automation at Walmart, she also serves as a board member at AnitaB.org and a producer at the media company she founded called Jugaad Community. Together, Brenda and Trishala talk through how to bring creativity to your career and how to find new opportunities in emerging technologies. Their conversation is sure to get your creative juices flowing and Trishala offers helpful advice for anyone looking toward the next chapter of their career.  “A lot of the time, it's not that you don't have the skills to be impactful in a new role, it's that you don't know the story to tell around your experiences and your career so far. So, when I speak with folks who reach out to me for conversations, the second thing I tell them after orienting themselves and understanding what the landscape looks like is: connect the dots in your own experience, and not just your professional experiences, but also your personal experiences.” For more, check out Trishala and her work... On LinkedIn - /trishalapillai On Instagram - @_trishalapillai One YouTube -@_trishalapillai/videos --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Devshi Mehrotra and Leslie Jones-Dove join host Brenda Darden Wilkerson on this inspiring episode of “B The Way Forward.” Devshi and Leslie are the CEO and CTO, respectively, and co-founders of JusticeText, an MIT and Google-backed startup that is building technology to better improve the criminal justice system. They talk Brenda through the mission of their company – to hold law enforcement accountable and ensure that low-income criminal defendants get their chance at an equal and fair trial. JusticeText started as a college capstone project and has now grown into a successful California-based startup. Devshi and Leslie explain how their program takes media files and evidence and creates transcriptions that help public defenders analyze data before trials. They share personal and emotional stories with Brenda about the positive impact that JusticeText has had on public defenders, their clients and families. Plus, they share business insights into how they started their company and what it's been like to fundraise, work with investors, and build their brand. Devshi and Leslie's passions to improve the criminal justice system shine through this episode and you will leave the conversation feeling motivated to pursue dreams that can make the world a better place. “I think there's no excuse in this day and age for our government systems to be relying on such inadequate technology systems. So, I think there's a lot for us to be wary of when it comes to facial recognition, gang databases, things like that, but I think we should also just focus on: how do we build tools for the people who are advocating for everyday people?” --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by speaker, author, founder, and DEI advocate, Yai Vargas, in this episode of “B the Way Forward.” Yai's big belief that “women are the heart and soul of an organization” rings true in everything she does and stands for. Yai tells Brenda about her personal journey as a woman from the Dominican Republic who immigrated to the United States at an early age and realized quickly how important it was to connect with her Latin roots. After landing what she thought was her dream job, Yai opens up about her disappointment when noticing the gap of diversity in her workplace. She tells Brenda that executive roles need to be more representative of the US population – only about 5% of corporate board positions are held by Hispanics. This experience led Yai to make a professional career change, pivot entirely to the world of DEI, and build “The Latinista,” a national network for professional Latinas and women of color invested in skills development and career mobility. Yai is known as the “LinkedIn Networking Ninja” and together, Yai and Brenda discuss the importance of community and how to use your own network to bring people together.  “We all start from somewhere. And even though some corporations have been around for 150 years, it's our journey of figuring out how our business is evolving with the inclusion of what demographic is going to work with us, in our community.” For more, check out Yai and the Latanista ... On LinkedIn - /yaivargas On the Web - www.TheLatinista.com | www.YaiVargas.com --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson has a powerful conversation with Susie Jaramillo, an Emmy nominated director, artist, storyteller and entrepreneur who uses the power of media to introduce diverse cultures to children. Influenced by her Venezuelan roots, Susie noticed a lack of inclusive representation in storytelling for her two young kids. According to the US Census, Gen Alpha will be the most diverse generation in history, yet they remain severely underrepresented in the media. Susie hopes to change that as the Co-founder and CEO of Encantos, a children's entertainment company that tells purpose-driven stories inspired by cultures all over the world. Encantos features books, puzzles and games, and an app called Canticos, which allows children to learn both English and Spanish through vibrant storytelling and songs. As the first Latina CEO of a children's entertainment company, Susie shares how storytelling can inspire, teach and help us understand other cultures. Through her work, Susie is encouraged to unite families through culture, and draw together communities. “It's so rich. It's so fun. It's the spice of life. And so, I kind of have made it my mission to really just showcase how gorgeous all the different aspects of our culture are and to use that in media, and in children's media.” For more, check out Susie and her work on... Instagram - @sujaramillo & @canticosworld X - @sujaramillo & @canticosworld TikTok - @sujaramillo & @canticosworld LinkedIn - /susanjaramillo --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” you'll receive a master class in soft power strategies with Forbes Columnist and leadership expert, Penny Abeywardena. Penny introduces us to her new company, Soft Power Strategies, and tells host Brenda Darden Wilkerson why the use of soft power is beneficial on a variety of issues. As the former Commissioner for International Affairs of the city of New York, Penny talks about her experiences leading the agency and what it was like to serve the largest diplomatic corps in the world. Penny's successful career spans across philanthropy, non-profit, government, and more. She and Brenda talk about their personal journeys facing up against certain power dynamics and Penny offers advice on how to strategize and combat those situations. In this episode, you'll learn how to identify strategies of influence and persuasion when there is little or no perceived power. Plus, Brenda and Penny discuss the importance of registering to vote and how you can prepare to vote meaningfully in this election year.  “These are conversations we need to have with our friends, with our religious community, with whoever you feel you can talk to. But do not think that there's nothing you can do. There is a way to activate and it's up to us to help you get there. And I hope you keep these channels of information open so that you can see and align yourself with how you want to be the change you want to see.” For more, check out Penny and her work on... X - @PAbeywardena Instagram - @pabeywardena LinkedIn - /pennyabeywardena On the Web - pennyabeywardena.com | softpowerstrategies.com --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” Host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by Beena Ammanath, an executive, author, advocate, AnitaB.org board member, and nonprofit founder, who aims to increase awareness on the use, risks, and benefits of artificial intelligence, all while promoting diversity in this niche tech space. Beena is the Executive Director at the Deloitte Global AI Institute, where she helps companies and businesses learn how to leverage AI in the most practical and safe ways possible. Through this conversation, Beena offers listeners insight on how to utilize AI in every aspect of business and in our own personal career paths. As a computer scientist by trade, there was nothing in Beena's education or curriculum about ethics in the AI space, which led her into forging her own unique path to incorporate them into her career. Beena penned Trustworthy AI, a book that bridges the gap for readers on ethics and AI, and Zero Latency Leadership, which looks at other new emerging technologies that are on the horizon. Through all of this work, she also became an advocate for women and minorities in the AI realm, knowing that in order for AI to be successful, it needs to have diverse voices at the table. Brenda and Beena discuss how more people can become “AI Fluent”, why diversity in technology is crucial, and how to raise your voice to make the best use of these technologies. “Diversity has so many different angles. It's the culture, the experience, the education, age, the geographic location you come from. There are so many nuances to diversity, and for your AI products to be robust, you have to factor in. Start with the largest demographic, but try to bring in as much diversity to your AI teams as you can, because it's only going to make your product better and make more profit.” For more, check out Been and Delloitte... On LinkedIn - /bammanath | /delloitte On the Web - https://beenammanath.com/ | Deloitte AI Institute - AI Insights --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

In this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by Girls Who Code CEO, Tarika Barrett. Tarika took over the helm at Girls Who Code in 2021 and has been the driving force behind the nonprofit that aims to close the gender gap in technology careers by inspiring, educating and equipping students with computing skills to take on 21st century opportunities. Since Girls Who Code was launched in 2012, they have reached over 600,000 young people with their educational programming - and Tarika is continuing to expand that reach. A proud daughter of Jamaican immigrants, Tarika's mother instilled values of equality and positive change in her life. Since then, Tarika's career has been dedicated to addressing education inequities, in terms of race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Brenda and Tarika discuss the importance of diversity in the tech space and why giving equal representation inspires the next generation to see themselves in the tech industry, too. With women comprising only roughly 25 percent of computing roles, and Black and Latinx women just a little over 5 percent of that, Tarika and Girls Who Code are working to change those statistics. “When we see our women, our girls, our people of color seek out tech jobs, they become the creators and the change makers. They can advocate for the kinds of tech that keeps our needs and our safety and our interests top of mind.” For more, check out Tarika and her work... On LinkedIn - /tarikabarrett & /girlswhocode On X - @DrTarikaBarrett & @GirlsWhoCode On Instagram - @GirlsWhoCode --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

In this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson speaks with Chelsey Glasson about pregnancy discrimination in the workplace and why your voice matters. Chelsey, author of, “Black Box: A Pregnancy Discrimination Memoir,” gives us an inside look at how companies may perpetuate harassment in the workplace, and offers tools and resources to navigate these scenarios. In this conversation, Chelsey explains the pregnancy discrimination that she faced at a large tech company and shares advice for people who may find themselves in similar situations. Now, Chelsey is on her healing journey and shares how her experience led her to become a writer, advocate and future attorney. Together, Brenda and Chelsey hope that sharing more of these stories will inspire others to speak out against these types of injustices.  “You have to do what's right for you in terms of healing. And it's okay to prioritize that. And for me, the right thing is to transition away from tech. But, because I went through this journey, because I'm a researcher and I love being in the space of innovation, I realize all of these opportunities within the legal system to better support people who have experienced workplace misconduct.” For more, check out Chelsey and her work... On LinkedIn - /chelsey-glasson Watch the Book Trailer for her memoir, Black Box, and find out more at blackboxthebook.com Read Chelsey's most recent Op-Ed on Pregnancy Discrimination at Fast Company. --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by Linda Kamau, Founder & Executive Director of AkiraChix, a Kenya-based company dedicated to providing training, mentorship and outreach programs to increase the number of skilled women in technology. As a champion for women in tech, Linda hopes to bring more women to the center of the growing technology ecosystem in African communities and beyond. When women come together to participate in AkiraChix programs like CodeHive and CodeHiveX, they not only learn more STEM skills, but they also create a sisterhood and strong community. Linda tells Brenda that so far, AkiraChix has graduated 485 young women and 80% of them are employed and earning money. They also discuss the development of soft skills, barriers that women continue to face in Africa and why having hands-on experience is so important. Linda challenges more companies to focus on inclusion and invest in the talented pool of women in tech. This conversation will leave you feeling inspired and optimistic by the work Linda is doing across the world. “There's still some parts, even in our country, that don't advocate for girls' education. And so, pushing back on that and being able to show them that when you educate a young woman, our whole society changes. And so being able to do that really, really means that we can get more young women in tech.” For more, check out Linda and AkiraChix on... X - @lkamau | @akirachix Instagram - @lkamau | @akirachix Facebook - /AkiraChix LinkedIn - /linda-kamau-a5288125 | /akirachix --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by Mariana Carvalho, a computer scientist, author, career mentor, DEI advocate and so much more. Mariana is a great example of the success that comes from networking and finding community for women in tech – She's a Grace Hopper Celebration Scholar, a Systers Pass it On Award winner, an AnitaB.org scholarship reviewer and mentor. She's used her successful experiences to empower other women through sisterhood, self advocacy, and her career mentorship programs. As the Co-Founder of Brazilians in Tech, Mariana tells Brenda about her career journey into technology and how she found her footing in the corporate world. Brenda and Mariana also do a mini career mentor session, where listeners can gain insight on how best to approach the job market, network, interview, and more. Mariana, who was named the Mentor of the Year in 2023 by the WomenTech Network, is also an author and the Editor in Chief of Women in Technology Publication. Together, Brenda and Mariana share how their personal passions drive their careers and offer advice for listeners who might be looking to make an impactful change. “You feel that you are alone, but when you close your laptop, just know that you have your community behind you. They are going to be there for you. You might feel that you are alone, but you are not. You need to remember that every single day.” For more of Mariana and her work check out... LinkedIn - /mari  Instagram: @hellomariworld X - @hellomariworld Threads - @hellomariworld On the Web - hellomariworld.com --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson sits down with career coach and DEI professional, Aaron Fung, to talk about balancing your personal passions with your career goals. Aaron's career coaching business, CoachingAF, helps people find a career path that actually resonates with them. As someone who moved around jobs and industries in the past, Aaron hopes to help others feeling the same way he did – stuck or lost – to find their true passions. Brenda and Aaron open up about the valuable information they've both gleaned from trying work in different spaces that didn't suit their personal goals. Plus, Aaron shares some of his career coaching advice like the powerful questions he asks to get his clients thinking more deeply: “How did you get into your first job?” “What do you really want from work?” Aaron, who once thought he'd be working in financial planning forever, also talks about his latest role at startup company, Crew, where he focuses on coaching operations and business development. Brenda and Aaron also discuss how personal family experience impacts what they do in the workplace. Aaron was previously a diversity and inclusion manager at Pinterest, and he's passionate about bringing inclusivity into all the new work that he does. “If you can have some perspective to help people who are in a different identity segment, you are establishing your character as recognizing that there are differences in the ways people are perceived. And, we should do better to open the doors wider. So that more underrepresented founders can have that chance to get funded because their idea really could be world changing.” For more, check out Aaron... On LinkedIn - /aaronlfung, /coachingaf and /inclusionaf On Instagram - @goseetheworldfung/ On the Web - coachingaf.com and aaronfung.me ---- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On today's episode of “B The Way Forward” we're busting some common menopause myths with Dr. Mary Claire Haver. Host Brenda Darden Wilkerson sits down with Dr. Haver who not only is a board-certified OB/GYN, physician, and entrepreneur but she's also amassed over 3 million followers on her social media platforms. Dr. Haver uses her voice as a resource for women to better understand both perimenopause and menopause symptoms and solutions for improved health. She's also founder of the “Pause Life,” a comprehensive approach to menopause education and founder of “The Galveston Diet,” a nutrition program for women in menopause. Brenda and Dr. Haver talk about the shocking misconceptions and cliche symptoms – hot flashes, weight gain – that don't always complete the big picture for every woman. Their conversation hopes to bring attention to and normalize conversations around women's health. Plus, Dr. Haver opens up about all the wrong information she was once taught and why that inspired her to become a resource for women everywhere. Dr. Haver's second book, “The New Menopause,” is out now. “I'd go digging, digging, digging in the research and find, oh my gosh, there is a connection here and no one's talking about it. So, I start talking about it just so I can educate others so we stop being gaslit and feel so crazy with no explanation of how we went from healthy to suffering with no answers.” Find more of Dr. Haver and her work... On TikTok - @drmaryclaire On Instagram - @drmaryclaire & @the.galveston.diet On Facebook - /drmaryclaire On YouTube - /@maryclairehavermd8473 On LinkedIn - /the-pause-life --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson and guest Jhillika Kumar discuss her passion to empower the neurodivergent community. Jhillika's list of accolades started at a young age including the AnitaB.org Student of Vision Award, her inspiring Ted Talk and Forbes 30 Under 30 recognition. Jhillka is the CEO and founder of Mentra, an employment network committed to matching neurodivergent individuals with employers. From a young age, Jhillika was inspired to build an inclusive world and place for her non-speaking, autistic brother to thrive. Now, she's offering advice and guidance to communities of students and neurodivergent individuals and helping them find opportunities in the workforce. Jhillika's company has found great success so far with around 44,000 neurodivergent job seekers on their platform today and an investment from OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman. Jhillika and Brenda discuss why it's important for hiring managers to understand intersectionality and learn how people can have differences ranging from life experiences, cultures, gender identities, and more. Plus, Jhillika offers her advice for other young entrepreneurs looking to make a change in the world.  “Our company serves as Mentors to both job seekers, because we empower them through the journey to find a job, to navigate interviews and all the executive functioning involved in that complicated process, to mentoring the recruiters on how do you communicate with someone who's neurodivergent and thinks differently? How do you evaluate talent? How do you overcome the bias that you might have because someone behaves a certain different way or speaks differently?” For more of Jhillika and her work check out: LinkedIn - /jhillika Instagram - @jhillika X - @Jhillika Facebook - /jhillika --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

This episode of “B The Way Forward,” explores how to take action and overcome bias with world renowned diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant, Vernā Myers. Vernā has spent over 25 years in DEI consulting, helping companies find value and focus on more inclusive environments. She tells Brenda about her early career journey – as a Harvard educated lawyer – and why she ultimately founded The Vernā Myers Company for building more inclusive and culturally competent work environments. Vernā also served as Netflix's first head of inclusion strategy where she was instrumental in leading initiatives that moved DEI to the forefront of the company. In this episode, Brenda and Vernā look back at civil rights leaders and the moments that led towards positive social change, and what lessons we can learn from them today. Plus, Vernā shares more about her podcast, Sundays With Vernā which features powerful conversations about bridging our divided society. This conversation offers insight into why we should all use reflection and compassion to play a role in making our world better.  “DEI is saying we need to create a place where people feel that they are expected, that they are reflected, and that they are respected. Like all of those things that were not happening because we created organizations to really fit around a certain, powerful status group.” Check out more of Verna and her work... On X - @VernaMyers On Instagram - @VernaMyers On LinkedIn - /Verna Myers On Facebook - /VernaMyers.SpeakerPage --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

In today's digital age, there's been a massive shift in the way we're teaching and learning in the classroom. On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” Dr. Monica Burns, author of EdTech Essentials, joins host Brenda Darden Wilkerson to unpack the unique ways to use technology in education. Monica is an EdTech consultant and expert who started the online platform, Class Tech Tips. She helps students, teachers, administrators and parents alike learn how they can benefit from and integrate new digital tools in their education journeys. Monica talks with Brenda about what types of tools and features are assisting with student engagement, how to integrate technology in varying educational settings and tips for how to successfully adopt EdTech in the classroom. They also discuss equity in education and how EdTech can help provide a voice to all people in all communities such as through accessibility features within particular tools. Monica hopes that everyone walks away with the knowledge and inspiration to integrate EdTech in their respective educational settings.  “The biggest way to make an impact is to listen and take action on what you're hearing. Not what you wish you heard, or what you sort of heard, but what you're actually hearing from people. What they need, what their pain points are, what they're asking for without saying. What are they telling you?” For more of Dr. Burns and her work check out... Class Tech Tips on the web, X, Pinterest, and Instagram. Sign up for the Class Tech Tips Newsletter Listen to the Easy EdTech Podcast Connect with Dr. Burns on LinkedIn. --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson explores what it means to be more than your job description. Our guest, Liz Fong-Jones is the perfect example of a talented tech employee who engages in workplace activism for employee rights while also excelling in her day job as an engineer. Liz began a lot of her activism while she was a site reliability engineer at Google. As a trans woman, Liz discusses the importance of workplace inclusion and why she fights so hard for marginalized groups in the workplace. Liz offers listeners all sorts of helpful tips from finding success despite an untraditional education – Liz was a college dropout herself – to how to best garner support for your own petitions and activism at work. Liz is now Field CTO at the female-led software company Honeycomb.io.  “The fight is going to take various shapes over the next several years. But I think intersectionality is the most important thing that we can and should be doing. I think that means that we should reach out and build intersectional allyship, that we should think about people who sit at the intersections, who sit at those margins, right? If someone is a transgender person and they are a person of color, especially if they're black, that dramatically increases the likelihood that they are going to become the victim of violence that is transphobic. I think the number one power that we have right now is we need to think about protecting people's privacy.” For more on Liz and her work, check out... Linkedin - /efong Twitter - @honeycombio --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by Ruthe Farmer, activist and policymaker, who has trailblazed a path toward increasing diversity, building inclusion, and prioritizing gender equity in technology. In Ruthe's illustrious career, she has leveraged successful and current infrastructures to promote girls' and womens' participation in these fields. Ruthe continues to be a champion in this space - ushering in, and supporting, a new wave of women in technology. Ruthe's advocacy work led her to found “The Last Mile Education Fund”, a gap-fund organization that invests in individuals already committed to STEM careers, by supporting them when unconventional circumstances challenge them otherwise. Ruthe shares the true battles women face while in higher education today - and spoiler alert, most of the time it isn't in the classroom! The intimate stories of the lives touched by the Last Mile Education Fund help inform educational institutions, employers, and recruiters, about the daily challenges students are faced with before entering the professional workforce. With the average grant request being $956, it reveals how a little in someone's world can be so impactful in another's. Brenda and Ruthe's conversation offers a broader perspective on how we can encourage young technologists to continue on their successful paths, starting with empathy and understanding. “Just last week we got a donation from a grantee and she said, ‘I'm happy to be now a donor instead of a grantee, please pay it forward on my behalf,' and it really is a virtuous circle that is not only going to bring up the diversity of computing, but increase economic mobility for underrepresented people, but it's also incubating givers. And putting people into the ecosystem who are just the kind of people who are grateful and they want to pay it forward and pull the others up behind them.” For more about Ruthe and the work of The Last Mile Education Fund, check out... LinkedIn - /RutheF & /lastmilefund Facebook - /LastMileFund --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

This episode of “B The Way Forward” brings the ideas of intersectional inclusivity and visibility to the forefront. Host Brenda Darden Wilkerson speaks with disability rights advocate, Tiffany Yu, about moving disability inclusion forward and why finding community is so important. Did you know that there are an estimated one billion people with disabilities worldwide? This statistic drives Tiffany's important work, particularly as the CEO and Founder of her company, Diversability. In this episode, you'll hear some of Tiffany's own personal experiences, including where her story began at the age of 9 when she became disabled as a result of a car accident that took her father's life. Now, she's become a powerful voice and trailblazer for the disability community and is author of her new book, “The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World.” Brenda and Tiffany discuss why inclusion needs to be intentional and how representation in books and movies is a powerful tool for change – they even talk about Barbie! Tiffany's powerful message will leave our listeners feeling inspired and confident to challenge the norms and make a change.  "One of the things we talk about in the disability community is we don't like being seen as inspiring just because we exist as disabled people. But, if I can inspire you to take action and change the trajectory of your career to fight for disability equity, I'm all about that type of inspiration." For more about Tiffany and her work, check out... Tiffany's Website - tiffanyyu.com Facebook - /imtiffanyyu X: @imtiffanyyu Instagram - @imtiffanyyu TikTok - @imtiffanyyu LinkedIn - /tiffanyayu Threads - @imtiffanyyu Clubhouse - @imtiffanyyu And for more about Diversability, check out... On the web - mydiversability.com Facebook - /diversability Twitter - @diversability Instagram - @diversability TikTok - @diversability LinkedIn - /diversabilitycommmunity --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by Jimmy Chen, founder and CEO at Propel, a tech company whose app was created to help low-income individuals and their families manage government benefits. Jimmy's work empowers vulnerable individuals, particularly those who rely on food stamps, to improve their financial health. Brenda and Jimmy discuss the biases in tech entrepreneurship, particularly around how founders and investors tend to build technology that solves problems from their personal experiences. Without diversity in tech entrepreneurship and funding common problems for minoritized people are often overlooked. We hear Jimmy's story and how he found a gap in technology and why he felt drawn to help solve meaningful financial problems that serve people using the safety net. Jimmy saw an opportunity: Around 40 million people in the U.S. who receive food stamp benefits on an EBT debit card have to constantly call a 1-800 number to find out their balance. So, his company Propel built the country's first mobile banking app for the EBT card. Jimmy talks to Brenda about what it means to create impact and how he's been working to really listen to the people his product is serving. Jimmy also opens up about being a male ally in the tech industry and the goals he has for Propel to continue building a product that reflects the demographics of the people they are serving. “I really think of respect as a core foundational design element to how we think about our relationship with people who use our products and what we are trying to do alongside them. I think it's part of the same conversation of, look, we're not building for people, we're building with people in many cases because we respect that they know what's best for themselves.” For more from Jimmy and Propel, check out... X -@jimmychen and @joinproviders Instagram - @providersapp Facebook - /ProvidersApp LinkedIn - /propel-inc, and /jimmychen1 --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson talks with Nate Shalev, whose inspiring social impact work emphasizes the importance of inclusion in the workplace. As both a trans and neurodivergent individual, Nate founded Revel Impact, a consultancy that focuses on creating workplaces where all people can thrive. Nate's work involves everything from building frameworks for more inclusive environments to recommending workplace policies for businesses and executives. Brenda and Nate discuss the best types of language to use for inclusivity, how to be an ally to your peers and why small changes can have a big impact. Nate, who was named a LinkedIn Top Voice, also explores the importance of storytelling and why they use social platforms like LinkedIn to open up and tell personal stories to a large audience.  “Often when I speak to companies they're talking about, ‘Well, how do we account for everyone? If everyone is so different and everyone has unique experiences, what does that mean?' And so, I think if you have this framework and you can practice that muscle of being intentional, of being able to create those structures around it, then you'll be able to approach each situation, even though each person is unique. If you already have that framework, that foundation, then you'll be much, much better set up for success.” For more of Nate and their work check out... LinkedIn - /nshalev --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

This episode of “B The Way Forward,” is all about advice as host Brenda Darden Wilkerson explores the many paths and entry points into the tech industry. Our guest, Hosanna Hali aka the Fairy Tech Mother, has been working to demystify the tech space by offering tips and tricks across her social media channels. As a young woman in tech who spent 5 years working at Microsoft, Hosanna leads by example and uses her voice to empower other young people looking to pursue careers in technology. This thoughtful conversation pushes us to think about the career paths we choose and encourages everyone to continue toward the goals they wish to pursue in tech. Brenda and Hosanna discuss the tricky feelings around imposter syndrome and why you belong in the tech space despite what external voices might be telling you. Plus, Hosanna offers unique advice to our listeners like how to stand out from the crowd, why it's important to understand your individual value and why your degree doesn't have to define you. She also explains why she founded her very own platform called “The Tech Cornr,” where she posts video and content to help others learn more about careers in tech.  "Yes, the degree that you have will make a real difference in some of the jobs that you apply for, but don't let that stop you. Your career doesn't start and end by your degree, it's just one part of it." For more of Hosanna Hali and her work check out... Instagram - @thetechcornr TikTok - @thetechcornr YouTube - @thetechcornr9187 --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson takes listeners through a unique and mission-driven type of venture capitalism. Our guest Sunita Grote leads UNICEF's Venture Fund which provides seed funding to early-stage ventures in emerging markets. Through her work at UNICEF, Sunita builds a portfolio of emerging technologies that help children around the world. Brenda and Sunita talk about what types of technologies the Venture Fund is investing in from AI and machine learning to blockchain, cryptocurrency and drones. Sunita shows us how these investments drive impact for example: Education solutions that make it easier for children to consume math; A medical records platform that has helped boost child vaccination rates by over 8%; And even blockchain cash and voucher systems that improve the speed and transparency which cash assistance is delivered to families in need. They also talk about the importance of changing power dynamics by being thoughtful about which solutions are selected and investing in technology founded by women. Together, Brenda and Sunita dive into the importance of mission-driven venture funding and what we can look forward to from Sunita and UNICEF in the future.  “How we do things when it comes to technology and innovation, to me, is as important as the ‘what' we do. It's not really okay to compromise on the ‘how' for the sake of the next big technology solution. That's not really going to get us to changing some of those fundamental imbalances that we're seeing and those injustices that we're seeing.” To find out more about UNICEF's Office of Innovation and their work check out... LinkedIn - /unicef-innovation X - @UNICEFinnovate Instagram - @unicefinnovate --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

In this episode of B The Way Forward, host Brenda Darden Wilkerson talks with CEO of Black Girls Code, Cristina Jones about her work to solve the lack of representation of Black women in technology. Only 2% of the STEM workforce are Black women, and Cristina is hoping to change that. She tells our listeners how she plans to achieve the mission of Black Girls Code, which is to launch 1 million girls into technology by 2040. Her unique perspective as a former Hollywood executive makes her a powerful new force in the tech space, telling a more inclusive story that encourages black girls to join the tech industry. Brenda and Cristina dive into terminology and tech talk and why language in the industry is so important for young girls to feel empowered and welcome into the space. Cristina's breadth of advice is endless. You'll learn why it's crucial to know and articulate your value proposition and the strengths you have to offer in the workforce.  “The hardest notion to break is a preconceived notion, especially the ones that are made about yourself.” For more of Cristina Jones and her work check out... Instagram - @blackgirlscode LinkedIn - /Black-Girls-Code Facebook - /BlackGirlsCodeOrg X - @BlackGirlsCode TikTok - /@blackgirlscode YouTube - /BlackGirlsCode --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Our guest on today's episode of “B The Way Forward” is dreaming of a black tech future that makes digital infrastructure more inclusive for everybody. Host Brenda Darden Wilkerson talks with Vice President of Policy at the Multicultural Media and Telecommunication Internet Council (MMTC) and creator of #BlackTechFutures Research Institute, Dr. Fallon Wilson, about ways to close the digital divide. Together, they address the disparities in Internet access across black communities and why Fallon is fighting for actionable change like getting computers in the hands of all school children and creating better access for people to do remote work at home. You'll hear some really shocking facts around who has Internet access – and who doesn't– while Brenda and Fallon talk through some major misconceptions around technology gaps. Plus, we learn why Fallon is sick and tired of the conversation around Artificial Intelligence and why she's working to humanize an index that measures disparities in cities.  “When we think about data science or data scientists, I always think about Ida B. Wells and her ability to develop a type of data set to talk about lynching and lynching of Black bodies, and what does that look like, and what are the policy implications for it? I think Black people have always, I think with every new type of tool to tell story, or a new type of technology to tell narrative, we have always been at the forefront of crafting our story and trying to show this is injustice.” For more of Dr. Fallon Wilson and her work check out... X - @SistahWilson | @mmtconline | @BlackChurchesDE Instagram - @mmtconline | @blackchurches4digitalequity Facebook - /mmtconline | /blackchurches4digitalequity Linkedin - /fallonwilson | /mmtconline --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

In this episode of "B The Way Forward," recorded live at Grace Hopper Celebration 2023, host Brenda Darden Wilkerson sits down with her friend and colleague, Bo Young Lee, a transformative and inspirational voice in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Bo is currently serving as President of Advisory and Interim Chief Impact Officer at AnitaB.org and previously served as Uber's first Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. Brenda and Bo, both dedicated to empowering women and underrepresented voices, get down to the realities surrounding diversity and inclusion in the workplace and how we can break down the myths about what a diverse culture really means. Bo describes how her upbringing and education helped shape her journey in the DEI space. She quickly realized that she had to reach outside of the cookie-cutter processes for inclusion and explore how each person's own experiences and backgrounds impact the work that we all do. This eye-opening conversation will not only change the way you view and interact with others, but it'll challenge you to look within yourself and acknowledge and improve the way you respond to your own biases and assumptions. “You don't really create true diversity if you don't have inclusion first. Because if you have a very diverse organization but it's not very inclusive, you actually have just basically compliance. You have quotas. That kind of compliance, quota-oriented way to diversifying an organization, that's actually what breeds the backlash.”  --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

In this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined live, onstage by artificial intelligence expert Dr. Joy Buolamwini. There's a reason why she was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in AI in 2023. Founder and Artist-in-Chief of the Algorithmic Justice League, Dr. Buolamwini questions the responsibility that comes with new technology and sounds the alarm about the implications for our future. Think about all the moments you are confronted with artificial intelligence at places like the airport or on your cell phones. Dr. Buolamwini, who recently authored “Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect what is Human in a World of Machines, is an essential voice uncovering the existential risks that come with AI technology. She'll show you how real-world data meant for efficiency and convenience can end up being used against you and how her work at the Algorithmic Justice League encourages everyone to speak up if something feels wrong.  “You think about training new models on synthetic data because maybe we started resisting and we said, no more scraping our data. Then you get even more skewed data sets going into the next generation. And I'm using images as one example, but you can think of this with text, you can think of it with a voice and so forth. So I think it's really important that one, we don't set our current status quo as the target, higher aspirations, right. But also, knowing that the systems as they exist are making things worse.” For more of Dr. Dr. Buolamwini... Newsletter - poetofcode.substack.com  X - @jovialjoy LinkedIn - /buolamwini --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Arlan Hamilton for Arlan Was Here Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions Photo of Dr. Joy Buolamwini by Naima Green For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Join host Brenda Darden Wilkerson for a “Game On” conversation with Kellee Santiago, a video game creative director, consultant and a builder of worlds. Kellee knows first-hand that games are more than entertainment – they are powerful engines for empathy. And in this episode, Kellee takes us through her remarkable journey from making indie games, at a time when women made up only 4-5% of the gaming workforce, to her successful work with industry giants like Google and Niantic. Together, Brenda and Kellee explore why games are such an important cornerstone of our culture and even our global conversation. This wide ranging discussion looks at the industry's evolution, ongoing challenges, and Kellee's approach to fostering inclusive and innovative game development. Plus, tune in for some myth-busting facts about gaming history, including the stories of some women who were actually at the forefront of building original games. So press play and learn the transformative power of gaming and how you can be part of creating empathetic, engaging worlds that resonate with diverse audiences. “The immersion into a different world and a different perspective, is just such a cool capacity of games that I would love to continue to see more of, and more people engaging with.” For more of Kellee Santiago check out... LinkedIn - /kelleesantiago/ --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Arlan Hamilton for Arlan Was Here Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

If you're not entirely sure what it takes to become an entrepreneur or how venture capital funds really work, you're not alone. Arlan Hamilton has an inspiring story to share about how she built her very own venture capital fund while she was homeless. One statistic changed Arlan's life: Less than 10% of venture funding goes to anyone who is not a straight white man in the U.S.  In this powerful conversation between host Brenda Darden Wilkerson and Arlan Hamilton, you'll learn the same lessons Arlan did about becoming a good investor and how she built a venture capital fund that invests in underrepresented startup founders. Together, Brenda and Arlan dive into the feelings of being on the outside of an industry, why representation is key, and how even Mark Cuban ended up investing in Arlan's startup.  “I was homeless for much of that beginning part of starting Backstage. And there were many, many days that I went hungry. But what I knew at the time was, there were a lot of things outside of my control everyday. And days went by very slowly back then. But one thing that people could not take from me, you couldn't take from me, no matter what happened, no matter what my bank account said, was information and knowledge that I had.” For more of Arlan Hamilton check out... Instagram: @arlanwashere  Linkedin: /arlanhamilton --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Arlan Hamilton for Arlan Was Here Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org   Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Did you know that a meager 4% of pharma R&D targets women's health? Or that there are no published statistics on PMS-related work absences? These startling realities take center stage as host Brenda Darden-Wilkerson chats with FemTech pioneer Dr. Brittany Barreto, host of "The FemTech Focus Podcast.” Together, they define what FemTech actually means and how it impacts all of our lives. They dig deep into FemTech's overlooked goldmine and unpack its vital, often life-or-death implications. In a conversation full of incredible insights, urgency, and opportunity — Dr. Barreto delivers a powerful wake-up call about the price of avoiding those ‘uncomfortable' conversations about women's health and bodies and offers practical ways to be part of the coming FemTech revolution. “This is really critical because, on the most extreme sense, women's lives are on the line. They're literally dying due to the lack of diagnostics or accurate treatments to help them.” For more of Dr. Barreto check out... Instagram - @drbrittanybarreto & @femtechfocus X - @DrBrittB, @FemTech_Focus & @FHInsights LinkedIn - @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D., @FemTech Focus & @FemHealth Insights On the Web - drbrittanybarreto.com --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine  Executive Produced by Arlan Hamilton for Arlan Was Here Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

In this episode of "B The Way Forward," recorded live at Grace Hopper Celebration 2023, host Brenda Darden Wilkerson talks with creative dynamo Janelle Monáe, exploring the intersection between art and technology. Janelle delves into her journey as a multi-hyphenate actress, musician, author, and activist and her poignant roles in films like “Moonlight”, “Glass Onion”, and “Hidden Figures”. And they discuss how art serves as a powerful tool for change, illuminating and amplifying the narratives of women, especially women of color, in tech. As Janelle reflects on forging her identity through her craft, she also shares some pearls of wisdom for those eager to find their own voice. “Erasure of identities is just dangerous. It's just so dangerous to omit the truth. And we just need more truth tellers. And more people in the position of power fighting back against that... Using your power and your influence to combat ignorance is really going to be one of the ways forward.” X -@JanelleMonae Instagram - @janellemonae Facebook - /janellemonae YouTube - @janellemonae On the web - jmonae.com --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine Executive Produced by Arlan Hamilton for Arlan Was Here  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Join host Brenda Darden Wilkerson as she chats with Bridget Todd, the powerhouse behind the hit podcast "There are No Girls on the Internet" and a leading voice in the fight for digital inclusion. Together, they dissect the biases in tech and explore the industry's encroachment on our power and privacy in even the most intimate parts of our lives. Then, they go beyond the problems and dive into the paradigm shift needed if we are to change the status quo. Bridget pushes us all to reject the notion that tech is too complicated for most folks to understand or that its founders and leaders are too powerful to challenge. She isn't having it, and neither are we.  “I think that we need to get to a place where tech leaders understand that even if I'm not an engineer, even if I'm not like a techie, I still am an expert in my experience. I use this technology every day and this technology uses me every day… I am the expert of my experience and I am allowed to take up space and say that these people have tricked us into thinking that they are smarter than us.” For more of Bridget Todd check out… The Are No Girls on the Internet Unbossed Creative On X On Instagram --- At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations. --- Connect with AnitaB.org Instagram - @anitab_org Facebook - /anitab.0rg LinkedIn - /anitab-org On the web - anitab.org  --- Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services. --- B The Way Forward Is… Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond  Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski  Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine Executive Produced by Arlan Hamilton for Arlan Was Here  Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

Our Living to 100 Club conversation today takes a close look at gender ageism. This are the ageist societal views held against older women – the views that older women are irrelevant. Our guest is Dr. Sara Hart, the developer of Prime Spark, an organization that encourages senior women to find the spark deep inside that “ignites the way forward.” Sara discusses why the second women's revolution is here, and what she describes as a time of the ascendancy of older women. What is the impact of gender ageism on women? How do older women build on their past contributions, leadership, and decision-making? And who are some examples? How do we find that spark deep inside to step proudly into advancing years? Be sure to tune in to this engaging conversation about gender ageism and be part of the movement to change the way society sees older women. Mini Bio Dr. Hart earned her Ph.D. at Northwestern University and then taught at Queens College in New York City. She spent 20 years at Pfizer where she was responsible for leadership, team, and organization development for the research division in the US. She also was head of HR at the research center in the UK. After Pfizer, she founded Hartcom, a management consulting company. She also became Executive Director of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. This is an advanced research and advocacy group increasing the impact of women on all aspects of technology. She also served as an Executive Director with Association Management Solutions which provides forum management services to some the most innovative technology associations. Sara received formal coaching training at the prestigious Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara. She and is one of only two certified Thinking Environment instructors in the United States. For Our Listeners Sara's Website: PrimeSparkWomen See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Living to 100 Club conversation today takes a close look at gender ageism. This are the ageist societal views held against older women – the views that older women are irrelevant. Our guest is Dr. Sara Hart, the developer of Prime Spark, an organization that encourages senior women to find the spark deep inside that “ignites the way forward.” Sara discusses why the second women's revolution is here, and what she describes as a time of the ascendancy of older women. What is the impact of gender ageism on women? How do older women build on their past contributions, leadership, and decision-making? And who are some examples? How do we find that spark deep inside to step proudly into advancing years? Be sure to tune in to this engaging conversation about gender ageism and be part of the movement to change the way society sees older women. Mini Bio Dr. Hart earned her Ph.D. at Northwestern University and then taught at Queens College in New York City. She spent 20 years at Pfizer where she was responsible for leadership, team, and organization development for the research division in the US. She also was head of HR at the research center in the UK. After Pfizer, she founded Hartcom, a management consulting company. She also became Executive Director of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. This is an advanced research and advocacy group increasing the impact of women on all aspects of technology. She also served as an Executive Director with Association Management Solutions which provides forum management services to some the most innovative technology associations. Sara received formal coaching training at the prestigious Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara. She and is one of only two certified Thinking Environment™ instructors in the United States. For Our Listeners Sara's Website: PrimeSparkWomen SELECT EITHER PLAYER:

Our Living to 100 Club conversation today takes a close look at gender ageism. This are the ageist societal views held against older women – the views that older women are irrelevant. Our guest is Dr. Sara Hart, the developer of Prime Spark, an organization that encourages senior women to find the spark deep inside that “ignites the way forward.” Sara discusses why the second women's revolution is here, and what she describes as a time of the ascendancy of older women. What is the impact of gender ageism on women? How do older women build on their past contributions, leadership, and decision-making? And who are some examples? How do we find that spark deep inside to step proudly into advancing years? Be sure to tune in to this engaging conversation about gender ageism and be part of the movement to change the way society sees older women. Mini Bio Dr. Hart earned her Ph.D. at Northwestern University and then taught at Queens College in New York City. She spent 20 years at Pfizer where she was responsible for leadership, team, and organization development for the research division in the US. She also was head of HR at the research center in the UK. After Pfizer, she founded Hartcom, a management consulting company. She also became Executive Director of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. This is an advanced research and advocacy group increasing the impact of women on all aspects of technology. She also served as an Executive Director with Association Management Solutions which provides forum management services to some the most innovative technology associations. Sara received formal coaching training at the prestigious Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara. She and is one of only two certified Thinking Environment instructors in the United States. For Our Listeners Sara's Website: PrimeSparkWomen See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Living to 100 Club conversation today takes a close look at gender ageism. This are the ageist societal views held against older women – the views that older women are irrelevant. Our guest is Dr. Sara Hart, the developer of Prime Spark, an organization that encourages senior women to find the spark deep inside that “ignites the way forward.” Sara discusses why the second women's revolution is here, and what she describes as a time of the ascendancy of older women. What is the impact of gender ageism on women? How do older women build on their past contributions, leadership, and decision-making? And who are some examples? How do we find that spark deep inside to step proudly into advancing years? Be sure to tune in to this engaging conversation about gender ageism and be part of the movement to change the way society sees older women. Mini Bio Dr. Hart earned her Ph.D. at Northwestern University and then taught at Queens College in New York City. She spent 20 years at Pfizer where she was responsible for leadership, team, and organization development for the research division in the US. She also was head of HR at the research center in the UK. After Pfizer, she founded Hartcom, a management consulting company. She also became Executive Director of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. This is an advanced research and advocacy group increasing the impact of women on all aspects of technology. She also served as an Executive Director with Association Management Solutions which provides forum management services to some the most innovative technology associations. Sara received formal coaching training at the prestigious Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara. She and is one of only two certified Thinking Environment™ instructors in the United States. For Our Listeners Sara's Website: PrimeSparkWomen SELECT EITHER PLAYER:

0:00 -- Intro.1:38 -- Start of interview.2:06 -- Nora's "origin story". 4:33 -- How she got started on her board journey. 6:25 --  The distinctions between serving on advisory boards and private venture-backed company boards.11:27 --  On serving on non-profit company boards. Nora has served on the boards of NACD, YWCA of Silicon Valley and the Anita Borg Institute.13:50 -- On serving on private equity (PE) backed company boards. *Prof Ron Gilson's article on Boards 3.0.16:34 -- On serving on public company boards. The evolution of shareholder primacy vs stakeholder capitalism.18:05 -- Distinctions between serving on U.S. boards vs international boards. "The 'what' is very similar or the same, however the biggest distinction is the 'how'." "When I started on my first board in Europe 10 years ago there was a strong focus on 'double materiality' (a more stakeholder driven approach) which was not discussed on US boards." Nora currently serves on boards of Ericson and SUSE Linux. Thoughts on employees serving on boards.23:17 -- The new NACD report "The Future of the American Board" (released on Sept 27, 2022). Nora served as one of the Commissioners for this report. "This initiative was created to reassess and, where needed, redefine the effectiveness of the board in response to the seismic societal, economic, technology and climate changes affecting business. "NACD established a diverse, influential group of directors and notable governance practitioners drawn from the investor, regulatory and academic communities to issue guiding principles that will help boards achieve high performance in a much more turbulent future."26:21 -- Why all the principles flow from Principle #1: Corporate Purpose. "Shareholders are value based, not values based." "The noise is in the media."34:02  -- Thoughts on founder-control and dual-class share structures in tech companies. "It serves a purpose at a certain time, but once you meet a threshold is it really that important? It's not one-size-fits-all. Maybe it's milestone-based or time-based sunsets." *CII's "reasonable 7-year sunset provision" position.38:53  -- On the rise of ESG and more recent "anti-ESG" movement.  "The investors are doing what's right in the long term, and I think it will prevail in the long term." 41:51  -- On the growing influence of large institutional investors in corporate governance. "Communication [both during and outside the proxy season] is the key, these investors (and the companies) are rational."44:05 -- On the evolution of boardroom diversity. "Europe took the lead with quotas, and their representation of women on boards was surpassing the U.S." "This year about 500 board positions opened up and ~50% went to diverse (gender and minorities) candidates." "Boards are valuing heterogeneous composition."46:29 -- The books she recommends: Factfulness, by Hans Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund and Ola Rosling (2018)Talent, Strategy, Risk, by Dennis C Carey, Bill McNabb and Ram Charan (2021)NACD's "The Future of the American Board" (2022)47:25 -- Who were your mentors, and what did you learn from them? Lynn M. Yates, her first mentor at IBM.48:19 -- Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by? "Everyone dies, but not everyone Lives" (you want to Live with a capital L)50:23 --  An unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love: "I'm extraordinarily talented at finding things that I'm not extraordinarily talented at." 52:55 --  The person(s) she most admires: after pandemic, the front line workers.Nora Denzel is a Silicon Valley technology executive who has served on eight public company boards and is currently an independent director of AMD, Ericsson, SUSE Linux and NortonLifeLock. She also serves on the board of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) in Washington, D.C.__ You can follow Evan on social media at:Twitter: @evanepsteinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/epsteinevan/ Substack: https://evanepstein.substack.com/__Music/Soundtrack (found via Free Music Archive): Seeing The Future by Dexter Britain is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License

The Buzz 1: Women in technical roles are less likely than men to win promotions early in their careers, and many are exiting the field. Only 86 women are promoted to manager for every 100 men at the same level…in technical roles, only 52 women per 100 men. Diversity is crucial to help de-bias the technologies in our modern life. [McKinsey's Women in the Workplace 2021 report, coauthored with LeanIn.org] The Buzz 2: The label 'woman in tech' seems redundant…how many women would refer to themselves as ‘a female engineer' or ‘the company's female CTO'? However, there still exists a disparity in the pay scales and ability to climb the career ladder between men and women in the technology sector. [codemotion.com] The Buzz 3: At current rates, it will take 100 years for women in technical and non-technical roles to reach parity with men at the C-level [Anita Borg Institute, ‘Advancing Women Technologists into Positions of Leadership'. [content.techgig.com] We'll ask Lisa Dalesandro DiChristofer, Kylie Woods, Debbie Scott and Lori Rosano for their take on The Future of Women in Tech Careers: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The Buzz 1: Women in technical roles are less likely than men to win promotions early in their careers, and many are exiting the field. Only 86 women are promoted to manager for every 100 men at the same level…in technical roles, only 52 women per 100 men. Diversity is crucial to help de-bias the technologies in our modern life. [McKinsey's Women in the Workplace 2021 report, coauthored with LeanIn.org] The Buzz 2: The label 'woman in tech' seems redundant…how many women would refer to themselves as ‘a female engineer' or ‘the company's female CTO'? However, there still exists a disparity in the pay scales and ability to climb the career ladder between men and women in the technology sector. [codemotion.com] The Buzz 3: At current rates, it will take 100 years for women in technical and non-technical roles to reach parity with men at the C-level [Anita Borg Institute, ‘Advancing Women Technologists into Positions of Leadership'. [content.techgig.com] We'll ask Lisa Dalesandro DiChristofer, Kylie Woods, Debbie Scott and Lori Rosano for their take on The Future of Women in Tech Careers: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

The Buzz 1: Women in technical roles are less likely than men to win promotions early in their careers, and many are exiting the field. Only 86 women are promoted to manager for every 100 men at the same level…in technical roles, only 52 women per 100 men. Diversity is crucial to help de-bias the technologies in our modern life. [McKinsey's Women in the Workplace 2021 report, coauthored with LeanIn.org] The Buzz 2: The label 'woman in tech' seems redundant…how many women would refer to themselves as ‘a female engineer' or ‘the company's female CTO'? However, there still exists a disparity in the pay scales and ability to climb the career ladder between men and women in the technology sector. [codemotion.com] The Buzz 3: At current rates, it will take 100 years for women in technical and non-technical roles to reach parity with men at the C-level [Anita Borg Institute, ‘Advancing Women Technologists into Positions of Leadership'. [content.techgig.com] We'll ask Lisa Dalesandro DiChristofer, Kylie Woods, Debbie Scott and Lori Rosano for their take on The Future of Women in Tech Careers: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

"(G)ratitude raises our level of energy and there are things to be grateful for even when everything's falling apart around us...(and) when you focus on helping others too, it kind of gets your mind off of yourself...and better ideas come to you." Emily Harman on Electric Ladies Podcast With the war raging in Ukraine, many of us are very stressed, maybe feeling helpless to stop the suffering, angry, and sad. How can we cope when things feel overwhelming? Listen to Emily Harman, a retired Navy Officer now a coach, who has seen her share of trauma and now coaches people to get through it and hosts a podcast on doing so. Originally recorded to help people coping with great loss in a natural disaster, as those become more common, insights in Emily's conversation with Electric Ladies podcast host Joan Michelson are timely to help us cope with watching the war in Ukraine. You'll hear: How taking small steps and being grateful are critical to getting through stress and trauma (and every day). Why being vulnerable and honest about your feelings is critical to healing. How people ask for help who never needed it before - and find new resources. How becoming an activist is healing and can also help you get new ideas. Plus, great career advice.... "As you're trying to get ahead, know what 'get ahead' means for you and why you want to get ahead. And two...know who you're being while you're doing that. 'Cause...hyper achievers can tend to, um, make it tough on relationships." Emily Harman on Electric Ladies Podcast Read Joan's Forbes article here. You'll also want to listen to (some of these are under the name Green Connections Radio): Michele Wucker, thought leaders and author of “You Are What You Risk: The New Art & Science to Navigating an Uncertain World.” Sandrine Dixson, Co-president of the Club of Rome (global leaders) Angela Duckworth, Author of “Grit” on how passion and perseverance are more valuable than talent, whose TED Talk has been viewed over 21 million times. Jill Wine-Banks, Former Watergate Prosecutor, General Counsel, U.S. Army and Fortune 500 executive, Author, “The Watergate Girl” Telle Whitney, Former CEO of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Cofounder of the Grace Hopper Conference   Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson   and @electricgalspod

In honor of Women's History Month, we'll be amplifying the voices and career stories of amazing female leaders throughout March with Women On Brand! Check out LeadWithYourBrand.com/WomenOnBrand for all of the incredible shows from the past three seasons. Jayzen is thrilled to welcome Rebecca Norlander to the show! Rebecca is the Global Head and Vice President of Software Engineering for HP's Personal Systems business group. With her guidance, the Personal Systems Software team is responsible for developing meaningful customer experiences that amaze and delight, across HP personal computing devices. Rebecca has always had a passion for developing the next generation of technical talent. She has led efforts to advance primary and secondary school STEM education to address the underrepresentation of women and people of color in computer science. Guest Bio Rebecca Norlander Global Head & Vice President, Personal Systems Software Engineering HP Inc Rebecca Norlander is the Global Head and Vice President of Software Engineering for HP's Personal Systems business group. She has worldwide responsibility for the PS Software strategy as well as the PS Software Engineering Center of Excellence. With her guidance, the Personal Systems Software team is responsible for developing meaningful customer experiences that amaze and delight, across HP personal computing devices. Prior to joining HP, Rebecca was CEO and co-founder of Health123, a Seattle-based Healthcare IT company. She previously spent nearly 20 years at Microsoft that culminated in several senior software leadership roles, including Technical Strategist to Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie and General Manager of Windows Security. Rebecca has always had a passion for developing the next generation of technical talent. She has led efforts to advance primary and secondary school STEM education to address the underrepresentation of women and people of color in computer science. Her contributions include serving on the board of the Technology Access Foundation, the National Board of the American Association of University Women, and the Board of Advisors for the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. She has appeared as a keynote speaker and panelist at various conferences, including the Grace Hopper Women in Computing conference. Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Boston University (BU), where she received the 2015 Distinguished Alumna Award from the BU College of Arts and Sciences, the first woman to earn this distinction. She also received the 2008 Distinguished Alumna Links To learn more about Lead With Your Brand system, please visit: LeadWithyYourBrand.com To book Jayzen for a speaking engagement or workshop at your company, visit: JayzenPatria.com

“To me an exciting industry, the auto industry, so I wondered ‘why aren't more women, particularly young women interested in the automotive industry?'…So this is why I conducted a quantitative-qualitative correlational study looking at relationships between all these things the experts say you should do…. I wanted to know, ‘is that really true?' … And if it IS accurate, then why don't we have more women at least in middle management?” Lisa Brown on Electric Ladies Podcast Electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, hydrogen vehicles. Ride-sharing. The automotive sector is being transformed. Car companies are even calling themselves “mobility” companies now. Yet, they are still largely dominated by men, and white men at that. They say they have diversity programs, and career planning and mentorship programs and other strategies to support women's advancement in the industry. And yet…the numbers don't change. Why? Listen to Lisa Brown, Ph.D. explain her findings in her ground-breaking new quantitative and qualitative research on this issue in this enlightening interview by Electric Ladies host Joan Michelson. (Electric Ladies was formerly known as Green Connections Radio.) You'll hear: What she studied and why she chose it. Whether she found that diversity programs actually work – and why or why not. What she discovered about career planning programs in corporates and where they succeed and fail. What you should ask for to get what you need from these programs Plus, insightful career advice for your own career, no matter what sector you're in. And much more! “Have a plan. I think sometimes, we have ideas, but we don't take the time to plan….Get out of your comfort zone. If you're an introvert, take that step to get to know folks. If you're an extrovert, sometimes take that time to be quiet and to listen, to be that fly on the wall. And I would also say, invest in yourself. A lot of times, self-care is something that we don't do. But invest in yourself, take the time, whether it's just a self-help book, or taking a course to improve certain skill sets…. And last, but not least. Offer yourself some grace. Don't be so hard on yourself.“ Lisa Brown on Electric Ladies podcast Read Joan's Forbes articles here. You'll also want to listen to: Bonnie Gwin, Vice Chair, Heidrick & Struggles, on the new type of CEO companies are hiring. Michele Wucker, thought leaders and author of “You Are What You Risk: The New Art & Science to Navigating an Uncertain World.” Roberta Rincon, Society of Women Engineers, Director of Research, on the status and careers of women in various types of engineering roles. Barbara Whye, Chief Diversity Officer of Apple, and former VP of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer of Intel. Telle Whitney, Former CEO of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Cofounder of the Grace Hopper Conference Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson   and @electricgalspod  

Show Notes: Bonnie Gwin, Heidrick & Struggles Twice As Many Women Appointed CEO In 2021 - Bonnie Gwin, Heidrick & Struggles “Diversity matters. Building diverse boards, building diverse suites, ensuring you have diversity. And I mean, in the broadest sense, it's not just gender, it's every aspect. It's life experience, it's geographic it's age. I mean, there's a wide range of things that go into diversity. I think diversity matters and companies realize that very clearly.” Bonnie Gwin on Electric Ladies Podcast All the shifts in 2020-2021 – from covid to climate change to social pressures – caused “a lot of turnover in the CEO suite” this year, as Heidrick & Struggles Vice Chair Bonnie Gwin explained to host Joan Michelson on Electric Ladies podcast. It's caused a greater focus on “resilience, empathy, agility, ability to articulate, communicate, inspire people, keep people moving forward in very difficult times. All those are skills that a lot of CEOs have had in the past, but they've really moved to the forefront.” And that seems to have caused a spike in women appointed as CEO in the first half of 2021, according to a new Heidrick report. Listen to Bonnie Gwin explain these trends and findings in this fascinating interview. You'll hear about: Why empathy and resilience and communication are no longer considered “soft skills” but are prerequisites for the C-suite Where these women – and all the new CEOs are coming from and how they're being recruited. Why this matters at all. What we can all learn from these trends for our own careers. Plus, insightful career advice …. Build a foundation of skills and, and get sponsors, not just mentors but people who will advocate for you, and make sure that you rotate through different roles. Career advice from Bonnie Gwin on the Electric Ladies podcast   Read Joan's related Forbes articles here too. You'll also want to listen to: Michele Wucker, thought leaders and author of “You Are What You Risk: The New Art & Science to Navigating an Uncertain World.” Barbara Whye, Chief Diversity Officer of Apple, and former VP of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer of Intel. Roberta Rincon, Society of Women Engineers, Director of Research, on the status and careers of women in various types of engineering roles. Telle Whitney, Former CEO of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Cofounder of the Grace Hopper Conference Angela Duckworth, Author of “Grit” on how passion and perseverance are more valuable than talent, whose TED Talk has been viewed over 21 million times. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

Joining Vikram on the podcast today is the CEO of Women in Product, Elizabeth Ames. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has been a strong advocate of women technologists, and has held various leadership positions in marketing and strategy at such companies as Apple, Verifone, Plastic Logic, and RETHINK Partners, where she was Founder and CEO. In her work as Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing at the Anita Borg Institute prior to her current role, Elizabeth was instrumental in both scaling up their revenue and establishing it as a platform to help women in tech voice their views.In today's interview, Elizabeth begins by describing her organization, Women in Product, reviewing the importance of having more women in product and technology, and offering advice to help companies become more inclusive. She then goes on to explain collaborative leadership, fixed vs. learning mindsets, and how to create an inclusive culture and build community. Elizabeth draws the conversation to a close by sharing words of wisdom for those at 3 particular points in their careers. Elizabeth Ames' extensive knowledge and experience are on full display in her conversation with Vikram here today, rendering this yet another episode you simply can't afford to miss.

“The biggest problem with the official surveys that we rely on a lot… [by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS], is that…the number of women isn’t plentiful enough yet to have enough data on an annual basis to come up with reliable estimates.” Ariane Hegewisch on Green Connections Radio There’s a little secret about the pandemic-economic recession that economists are not talking about much: that women in STEM jobs actually did pretty well. Why? Because STEM jobs are what economists call “professional” jobs and they have been in demand and therefore, not cut for the most part.   Listen to Ariane Hegewisch, Program Director for Employment and Earnings at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research explain why and how women in STEM fields can benefit in this engaging conversation with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson.   You'll learn: Why the problem with data is related the number of women in each field – and how they get classified. Which STEM fields hired more women in 2020 (and still are). How to read BLS and other data on women in STEM fields. ..great career advice, especially for women in STEM career. And more!   "It’s reasonably easy to get to middle management, but then if you want to get above that, suddenly it’s elbows and you need to be prepared for that…Write your own pathway, take yourself seriously" Ariane Hegewisch on Green Connections Radio podcast Read my Forbes blog about this issue here too. You'll also like: Roberta Rincon, Society of Women Engineers, on data on women in STEM fields Brenda Darden Wilkerson, CEO of Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology Barbara Whye, new Chief Diversity Officer of Apple, formerly CDO and VP of HR at Intel. Telle Whitney, former CEO, Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology, cofounder of Grace Hopper Conference Maggi Reiss, on a new GCM study on women achievers Heather Metcalf, head of Research, Assn. of Women in Science on how to get more women in STEM Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Also, join our Facebook Page  and share your insights! Join our mailing list to stay up to date on the top podcasts and special offers! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson    

“The reason their (men’s) participation in that last decade (before ratification of the 19th Amendment) was so important, was because they had the means and the will to help the movement financially and politically.” Brooke Kroeger on Green Connections Radio podcast As we commemorate Women's History Month in this tumultuous year, just as President Joe Biden chose Kamala Harris as his VP, it's important to remember the pivotal role men have played in women's advances over time. Listen to Brooke Kroeger, author of "The Suffragents" about the men who supported ratification of the 19th Amendment, confirming that women have the right to vote, explain more in this fascinating interview on Green Connections Radio podcast with host Joan Michelson. Kroeger is also a professor at New York University School of Journalism and developer of an extensive database on the suffrage movement. You'll hear: How women built alliances with men in positions of power and influence. Why male support is so important to women’s advancement. How women leveraged the (male-owned) media to drive public opinion and pressure lawmakers. Why women’s roles in wartime were so important to securing women’s rights. Lessons for women today from the fight for women’s suffrage. And, great career advice too! Read my Forbes blog about my interview with Brooke too.  “I never had any connections for any of the jobs I’ve had in life...” and, about finding the right job, “you find it when it feels right. ” Brooke Kroeger on Green Connections Radio podcast You may also like: Lori Harrison-Kahan, author, “The Superwoman” on suffrage journalist Miriam Michelson and how she helped win women the vote. Commemorating the 19th Amendment Centennial – video and podcast of event at the Newseum Telle Whitney, Former CEO of Anita Borg Institute for Women in Tech and top diversity expert Wanda Lloyd, former senior editor of USA Today and local newspapers, author of “Coming Full Circle: From Jim Crow to Journalism.” Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts and leaving us a review! Also, join our Facebook Page  and share your insights! Join our mailing list to stay up to date on the top podcasts and special coaching offers! Email us or follow/DM us @joanmichelson

Many companies collect diversity and jobs data and review it internally, but don’t want to release it publicly, “because it doesn’t always make them look very good,” But, she added, different sources collect and report data on gender differently, and others lack the resources or incentives to either collect or report it. Roberta Rincon on Green Connections Radio podcast We bemoan Big Data because it seems they have every possible piece of data about us. But, when it comes to data we need on women in STEM, somehow the systems are not there to collect consistent data over time, I discovered. Not even the federal government. The Bureau of Labor Statistics collects some, but it seems every organization has its own definitions.   Listen to Roberta Rincon, head of Research at the Society of Women Engineers explain the issues on data, and that women engineers face in this engaging conversation with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson.   You'll learn: Why the data is so bad when it comes to women in STEM and what we can do about it. What we can learn from other countries. The different types of bias women engineers face, like “prove it again bias,” and how they are disguised. What we can do in our own organizations to help reduce bias and drive inclusion. ..great career advice for women in any career. And more!   "Think of your career as more of a jungle gym, go sideways or down to go up…(and) Most of the time, (the problem) is not you." Roberta Rincon on Green Connections Radio podcast Read my Forbes blog about this issue here too. You'll also like: Brenda Darden Wilkerson, CEO of Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology Barbara Whye, new Chief Diversity Officer of Apple, formerly CDO and VP of HR at Intel. Telle Whitney, former CEO, Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology, cofounder of Grace Hopper Conference Maggi Reiss, on a new GCM study on women achievers Heather Metcalf, head of Research, Assn. of Women in Science on how to get more women in STEM Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Also, join our Facebook Page  and share your insights! Join our mailing list to stay up to date on the top podcasts and special offers! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson    

Dr. Marie desJardins joined Simmons University as the Inaugural Dean of the College of Organizational, Computational, and Information Sciences in 2018. Previously, she was a member of the computer science faculty at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, from 2001 to 2018, most recently as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Engineering and Information Technology. Before joining the faculty at UMBC, she was a Senior Computer Scientist at SRI International. She earned her A.B. in Engineering from Harvard University and her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley.  Her research is in artificial intelligence, focusing on the areas of machine learning, multi-agent systems, decision making, and interactive AI. She was named one of the "Ten AI Researchers to Follow on Twitter" by TechRepublic and one of "14 Women in AI You Should Follow on Twitter" by craigconnects. She has published over 135 scientific papers on AI and CS education, and has been PI or co-PI on nearly $12,000,000 of external research funding, including a prestigious NSF CAREER Award. She has mentored 13 Ph.D. students, 27 M.S. students, and nearly 100 undergraduate researchers. She is known on campus and throughout her professional community for her dedication to mentoring, diversity, outreach, and innovative educational practices. Dr. desJardins is a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and a Distinguished Member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). She is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in Computer Science from UC Berkeley; the A. Richard Newton Educator ABIE Award from the Anita Borg Institute; the NCWIT Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award; and the CRA Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award. She was the 2014-2017 UMBC Distinguished Teaching Professor, was an inaugural UMBC Hrabowski Innovation Fellow, and was named one of UMBC's ten "Professors Not to Miss" in 2011.  Dr. desJardins is known nationally for her support of and commitment to improving student diversity, access, and quality of computer science courses at the high school level, and received multiple NSF awards to support her efforts in this area. She was the lead PI on the NSF-sponsored "CS Matters in Maryland" project, which created curriculum and trained high school teachers to teach the AP CS Principles course.  She built a statewide coalition in Maryland to increase access to K-12 CS education, with a focus on inclusion and diversity, and cofounded the Maryland Center for Computing Education, which received $5,000,000 in state funding for teacher preparation and advocacy. She was the Maryland team leader for the Exploring Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance and a founding member of the Maryland chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association.

“All great ideas stem from a really good problem. There’s problems all around us….The really good problems are the ones you’re hearing about consistently….and hearing those problems and starting to think about, ‘how can I solve this in a way that nobody else has thought of before?’ or, we can take it a step further. That’s where the great ideas come from.” Lisa DeLuca on Green Connections Radio podcast We hear about people coming up with great new businesses or products or technologies all the time, but we don’t often find out how they did so.  Today you will. Listen to IBM’s most prolific female inventor, Lisa DeLuca, with about 500 patents already and 250 more pending.  Lisa talks about where she gets her ideas, what happens to them, hos she decides which ones to file patents on and more in this truly engaging and entertaining interview with Joan Michelson on Green Connections Radio podcast. You'll hear: How to generate great new ideas for today’s problems. How to work with a team to innovate for new solutions to current challenges Ways to leverage conflict to come up with better solutions. How she manages to be so productive – even while raising four young kids! educator to a CEO. And inspiring career tips for women in STEM. And so much more! "Follow your passions…You can turn your passions into your day job.“ Lisa DeLuca on Green Connections Radio podcast Watch for Joan's upcoming Forbes blog on Lisa. You’ll also like: Brenda Darden Wilkerson, CEO of Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology Barbara Whye, new Chief Diversity Officer of Apple, formerly CDO and VP of HR at Intel. Telle Whitney, former CEO, Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology, cofounder of Grace Hopper Conference Mary Snapp, Corporate VP of Microsoft, CEO of Microsoft Philanthropies and Diversity Leader Sophie Vandebroek, COO of IBM Research, former CTO of Xerox and President of their Innovation Unit Subscribe to our podcasts to receive them right away and to our newsletter to be ahead of the curve. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Reach us on Twitter @joanmichelson

Kriz Bell is local to the San Francisco Bay Area where she spent her childhood before attending Mills College. She brings more than 15 years of professional experience in multimedia, strategic communications, and culture work. She has designed, directed, and produced various initiatives within the corporate and nonprofit sectors focusing on inclusion, diversity, and social change through the strategic use of media and communications for connecting and engaging different audiences. Her skill with strategic communications was instrumental in the expansion and engagement of organizations including the Anita Borg Institute, TechInclusion, MotherCoders, S.H.E. Globl Media, and the Better Man Conference as well as Cisco, Google, and SunPower among others. Her tenure with organizations such as Change Catalyst, Google, Jennifer Brown Consulting, and the Better Man Movement, has increased her understanding of the influence that language, media, and inequity play in our culture, personally and professionally. Knowing the power that community and the corporate arena play in our world, has been the impetus for helping organizations of all sizes to become people-first places that prioritize inclusion and promote belonging. In her latest iteration as a partner with the Better Man Movement, Kriz DEI experience, production, and communication skills to the team. She is excited to share her knowledge to help organizations create and curate the resources relevant to their specific experiences in order to meet innovation goals with inclusive and intersectional teams.

The biggest hurdle for women in tech "Is the same underpinnings of many of the other challenges we face in our society: fear and power…Computer science was…created by the women…to do the things these women were doing. And that was thought to be clerical, until all of a sudden the power of it was recognized by the men and that’s when that power shift occurred.” Brenda Darden Wilkerson on Green Connections Radio podcast Women in technology fields – and STEM fields more broadly – face a variety of challenges, but they also have a lot of opportunities today. They are more in demand. There are more training programs, and there are more resources available to them. One of those resources is the famed Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology, which is the founder of the prestigious Grace Hopper Conference attended by about 26,000 people every year. Listen to Brenda Darden Wilkerson, CEO of the Anita Borg Institute talk about these challenges and opportunities – and tell some great stories – in this truly engaging and entertaining interview with Joan Michelson on Green Connections Radio podcast. Grab a notepad and pen, or your laptop to take notes, because you'll hear: Specific career insights for all of us, especially for women in tech. Tips for organizations seeking to recruit and retain more women in STEM. How we women can get in our own way – like how she nearly missed out on this job How she went from an educator to a CEO. And more career tips for working in tech at any age and stage. And so much more! "Be willing to be an intrapreneur… Bring your passion for what needs to be fixed, because you’re the one who sees it. Work from where you are….You can work within an organization to do amazing things.“ Brenda Darden Wikerson on Green Connections Radio podcast Read Joan's Forbes blogs on Brenda's advice for organizations and for women too. You’ll also like: Barbara Whye, new Chief Diversity Officer of Apple, formerly CDO and VP of HR at Intel. Telle Whitney, former CEO, Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology, cofounder of Grace Hopper Conference Mary Snapp, Corporate VP of Microsoft, CEO of Microsoft Philanthropies and Diversity Leader Sophie Vandebroek, COO of IBM Research, former CTO of Xerox and President of their Innovation Unit Subscribe to our podcasts to receive them right away and to our newsletter to be ahead of the curve. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Reach us on Twitter @joanmichelson  

"Innovation is ...the heartbeat of the company, and as we strive for increasing diversity and inclusion, at the heart of that is... Because when doing so, it actually brings forth the best ideas, the best results, and just a higher level of creativity and solving problems." Barbara Whye, CDO of Intel on Green Connections Radio podcast What do we need to know to recruit, retain and promote truly innovative talent? Diversity! What do we need to look for in a potential employer if we ARE innovative talent? Listen to Barbara Whye, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and Vice President of Human Resources at Intel -- who was just named to that role at Apple -- in this engaging interview with Joan Michelson on Green Connections Radio podcast. Grab a notepad and pen, or your laptop to take notes, because you'll hear: Specific practices Intel uses successfully to recruit, retain and promote innovative diverse talent. Listen between the lines to learn what to look for in a potential employer. How to reframe failing to "fast application of iterative learning." Why engineers are some of the most creative people around. Career tips for moving up the ladder. And so much more! "The first (advice) ...is just to continuously learn and just to continue to have an appetite for always learning.....If you aren’t learning, you should be unlearning and relearning. I think that’s just huge in terms of advancing your career." Barbara Whye, VP of HR, Chief Diversity Officer of Intel - now at Apple - on Green Connections Radio podcast  What strategies are you struggling with? What works? Tweet us @joanmichelson or post it on our Facebook Page (and ask to join our new private Facebook group) You’ll also like: Wanda Lloyd, Former Washington Post & Gannett top executive who led ground-breaking diversity in newsrooms nationwide. Telle Whitney, former CEO, Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology, cofounder of Grace Hopper Conference Mary Snapp, Corporate VP of Microsoft, CEO of Microsoft Philanthropies and Diversity Leader Sophie Vandebroek, COO of IBM Research, former CTO of Xerox and President of their Innovation Unit Subscribe to our newsletter to be ahead of the career, innovation and climate/energy curve. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio (or any podcast platform) and leaving us a review! Reach us on Twitter @joanmichelson

In this episode, we are talking about women in tech with Rupal Gupta. Rupal, a recent graduate from Online MS in CS from Georgia Tech, is a data engineer in the industry and is passionate to help promote women in tech. She also has some great tips and resources for anyone trying to break into data science and tech! In this episode we talk about things that can help promote women in tech, women in tech conferences such as Grace Hopper, looking for jobs, resources to prepare for the interviews etc. If you want to reach out to Rupal for any help or to collaborate with her project womenmentors.co, here is her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupalgupta15/ FREE Women in Tech Conference by Manning Publications on Oct 13th at 12pm ET on Twitch: https://freecontent.manning.com/livemanning-conferences-women-in-tech/

“The reason their (men’s) participation in that last decade (before ratification of the 19th Amendment) was so important, was because they had the means and the will to help the movement financially and politically.” Brooke Kroeger on Green Connections Radio podcast During the fight for women’s right to vote over 100 years ago, male supporters were crucial. Male lawmakers ultimately had to vote to give women that right in 36 states, by ratifying the 19th Amendment in 1920, and women leveraged their financial and political power.  Listen to NYU journalism professor Brooke Kroeger – author of “The Suffragents: How Women Used Men To Get The Vote” – describe it in this fascinating interview with Green Connections Radio podcast host Joan Michelson. As former VP Joe Biden chooses Senator Kamala Harris to be his running mate in this historic and crucial presidential election of 2020, as VP-designate, it’s a great opportunity to replay this episode and learn more about how important men’s support is to women’s advancement. You'll hear: How women built alliances with men in positions of power and influence. Why male support is so important to women’s advancement. How women leveraged the (male-owned) media to drive public opinion and pressure lawmakers. Why women’s roles in wartime were so important to securing women’s rights. Lessons for women today from the fight for women’s suffrage. And, great career advice too! Read my Forbes blog about my interview with Brooke too.  “I never had any connections for any of the jobs I’ve had in life...” and, about finding the right job, “you find it when it feels right. ” Julie Lenzer on Green Connections Radio podcast You may also like: Lori Harrison-Kahan, author, “The Superwoman” on suffrage journalist Miriam Michelson and how she helped win women the vote. Commemorating the 19th Amendment Centennial – video and podcast of event at the Newseum Telle Whitney, Former CEO of Anita Borg Institute for Women in Tech and top diversity expert Wanda Lloyd, former senior editor of USA Today and local newspapers, author of “Coming Full Circle: From Jim Crow to Journalism.” Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts and leaving us a review! Also, join our Facebook Page  and share your insights! Join our mailing list to stay up to date on the top podcasts and special coaching offers! Email us or follow/DM us @joanmichelson

Welcome to another episode of Develomentor. Today's guest is Sona Maniyan.If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to change careers into the tech industry after a long time as a stay at home parent, stay tuned!Sona Maniyan received both her bachelor’s and master’s in accounting and finance. Subsequently, she landed roles ranging from consultant to customer service supervisor and financial analyst. But Sona’s career path took a turn after a few years as a stay-at-home Mom. She decided to go back to school to become a software engineer. In this second phase of her career, Sona has held roles for the likes of Symantec, Target and General Mills. In addition, Sona is also the leader for the Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology and the cofounder of the Social Data Science meetup in Minneapolis. If you are enjoying our content, click here to support us!Episode Summary“I wouldn’t say relaunching my career was just me alone. It took a whole village. Everybody has in some way contributed to help me get to where I am.““I didn’t care so much about grades. I cared more about what I was learning. So I would do the harder projects.““Data science is becoming more of a consultant role where we work very closely with the business. Communication skills and understanding business requirements are becoming a lot more important.”—Sona ManiyanKey MilestonesWhat attracted Sona to finance and accounting at the start?What was it like living in Kuwait during the Gulf War of the 1990s?Why did Sona choose software engineering and tech? Why not go back into finance and accounting?While colleges have certainly gotten better at supporting working adults, they aren’t exactly optimized for it. What was it like going back to school a bit later in life?One of the things we see often on the show is how different backgrounds help people become better more rounded developers, managers and colleagues. How have Sona’s experiences in customer service, finance and consulting shaped her career as a developer and data scientist?Additional ResourcesLearn more about AnitaB and how it is helping women in technology – https://anitab.org/ Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything – by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner – https://www.amazon.com/Freakonomics-Economist-Explores-Hidden-Everything/dp/0060731338Develomentor Ep. 20 JP Sherman – US Army PsyOps turned SEO ExpertYou can find more resources in the show notesTo learn more about our podcast go to https://develomentor.com/To listen to previous episodes go to https://develomentor.com/blog/CONNECT WITH SONA MANIYANLinkedInFollow Develomentor:Twitter: @develomentorFollow Grant IngersollTwitter: @gsingersLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/grantingersoll

Episode 26 - Best Revenge is Your Paper Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Pamela Gibbs Website: http://www.pamelasgibbs.com Instagram: @pamelaDisrupts Twitter: @pameladisrupts LinkedIn: Pamela Gibbs Description: From a young age, Pamela Gibbs wanted to know all the things. As an avid reader, her interest in solving the great mysteries of the world and speaking truth to power led her to pursue a career in research (and to spending a lot of time being grounded). It comes at no surprise that she ended up pursuing degrees in several disciplines, giving her a set of broad perspectives and experiences. Today, Pam is pursuing her doctoral degree while working in human factors engineering at Walmart. In this episode, we discuss family, business, banking, diversity, tech, Beyoncé, and more. Join us as she shares what inspires her to continue to learn and grow and how that's shifted through the years.    Bio: Pamela Gibbs has over a decade of finance, sales, business strategy experience along with 5+ years of technical expertise in the field of computer science. Her background is very diverse, she is currently working as a Technology Design Researcher for Walmart, and completing her doctoral studies in Information and Interaction Design at the University of Baltimore. Prior to that she completed dual bachelor of science degrees in International Business and Marketing as well as a Masters in Business Administration from Penn State University. Combining her technical and business knowledge, Pamela looks forward to helping dismantle some of the barriers to access regarding education, technology, and finance that impact underrepresented groups- particularly black women, while continually shattering the glass ceiling. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, where she uses her platform to inspire and fuel the current and future generation of women in technology.  She is a proud wife, mother, member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, and lover of all things Beyoncé.

Episode 26 - Best Revenge is Your Paper Hosts: Dr. Jeremy Waisome & Dr. Kyla McMullen Guest: Pamela Gibbs Website: http://www.pamelasgibbs.com Instagram: @pamelaDisrupts Twitter: @pameladisrupts LinkedIn: Pamela Gibbs Description: From a young age, Pamela Gibbs wanted to know all the things. As an avid reader, her interest in solving the great mysteries of the world and speaking truth to power led her to pursue a career in research (and to spending a lot of time being grounded). It comes at no surprise that she ended up pursuing degrees in several disciplines, giving her a set of broad perspectives and experiences. Today, Pam is pursuing her doctoral degree while working in human factors engineering at Walmart. In this episode, we discuss family, business, banking, diversity, tech, Beyoncé, and more. Join us as she shares what inspires her to continue to learn and grow and how that’s shifted through the years.    Bio: Pamela Gibbs has over a decade of finance, sales, business strategy experience along with 5+ years of technical expertise in the field of computer science. Her background is very diverse, she is currently working as a Technology Design Researcher for Walmart, and completing her doctoral studies in Information and Interaction Design at the University of Baltimore. Prior to that she completed dual bachelor of science degrees in International Business and Marketing as well as a Masters in Business Administration from Penn State University. Combining her technical and business knowledge, Pamela looks forward to helping dismantle some of the barriers to access regarding education, technology, and finance that impact underrepresented groups- particularly black women, while continually shattering the glass ceiling. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, where she uses her platform to inspire and fuel the current and future generation of women in technology.  She is a proud wife, mother, member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, and lover of all things Beyoncé.

What should be the role of engineering leaders in recruiting? What levers do they have at their disposal? In this fireside chat, you'll hear the perspectives of two recruiting heavy-hitters, Aditya Agarwal & Dan Portillo, on how engineering leaders can optimize for successful hiring outcomes. ADITYA AGARWAL - Former CTO Dropbox; Partner-in-Residence @ South Park Commons (@adityaag) Aditya Agarwal is a Partner-in-Residence at South Park Commons - a collective of technologists, tinkerers, and entrepreneurs who have come together to freely learn, explore new ideas, and help each other launch their next venture. Aditya was the CTO and VP of Engineering at Dropbox. He scaled the Engineering team from 25 to 1000 and was responsible for new product development, infrastructure, and technical operations. Aditya came to Dropbox via the acquisition of Cove, a company that he co-founded. Prior to Cove, Aditya was one of Facebook’s first engineers. He helped build the first versions of key products like Search, NewsFeed and Messenger. He was Facebook’s first director of Product Engineering, overseeing engineering for products like NewsFeed, Profile, Groups and Events. Aditya serves as an independent director on the board of Flipkart, India’s leading e-commerce company, the advisory board of Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science and on the board of trustees of the Anita Borg Institute. He is also an active investor and advisor to Silicon Valley startups. DAN PORTILLO - Talent Partner @ Greylock (@dan_portillo) Dan is Talent Partner at Greylock. Previously, he was VP of Success & Engagement at Rypple, and VP of Organizational Development at Mozilla, creators of Firefox. Earlier in his career Dan spent a decade building out successful early-stage, venture-backed consumer and enterprise companies. Dan also served as a Council member for Code2040.org, a non-profit creating opportunities for underrepresented minorities in tech. SHOWNOTES Have you ever not promoted an engineering leader because they couldn’t recruit a good team? (3:18) What is the role of engineering leaders in the recruiting process? (5:21) Sourcing advantages from Aditya’s experiences from Dropbox and Facebook. (7:34) On taking the long view and thinking long term about recruitment. (9:42) How Aditya closes candidates creatively. (11:21) Aditya’s favorite story from Dropbox closing a talented intern. (14:23) How to leverage compensation, even if you’re a small stack at the table. (18:59) What Aditya tells engineering leaders who are building teams for the first time. (21:48) Does comp asymmetry reward good performers or good negotiators? (23:03) Using comp as a tool to value, reward, and recognize performers not on the sexiest problems. (25:32) Recruiting when you don’t have a brand. (27:58) What engineering managers need to know to effectively sell the company and recruit. (29:53) Join our community of engineering leaders at sfelc.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/engineeringleadership/message

Welcome back. We hope you're staying healthy.This week the Nerds invited Dev-i-Boy on again. He'll be joining us for the next while.First up is a discussion about Indiana Jones 5. Can Indy swing himself back into relevance for a new generation? Not if COVID-19 has anything to say about it. Indiana Jones 5 has been pushed back again due to the pandemic. The Nerds are hoping Actual Cannibal Shia LaBeouf doesn't make another appearance as Indy's son, but we'd be ok with him appearing as a cannibal tribesman. This of course leads into a discussion on Disney's other properties, including the notorious Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise. This looks like a rough year for Disney.Dev-i-Boy has heard that Russians are behind everyone's favourite YouTube channel, Five Minute Crafts. In a story reminiscent of bad Cold War fiction, Russian propaganda is slipped into innocuous seeming YouTube videos. Now we just need a team of teenagers to sneak into the secret Russian video studio lab and uncover their plot.Activision has pulled off a major win in court against the maker of the Humvee. Modern warfare needs modern weapons, and the US courts have ruled in favour of realism over licensing fees. Finally, DJ and Dev-i-Boy can't handle the knowledge. An Australian lizard joins the tiny group of reptiles that both lay eggs and give live birth. This revelation is too much for them to handle though, so we move on to the games of the week.Professor and DJ play Generation Zero, a game about Swedish battle mechs and robot dogs that want to kill you. It's buggy, but generally a good experience. Dev-i played LoZ: Wind Waker again but breaks into a new dimension in VR Chat. Of course, he picked an anime girl avatar. Of course.On to the usual shoutouts and remembrances, and DJ refuses to wrap up the show by performing Waterloo. Maybe next week.Stay safe, and we'll see you all next week.Indiana Jones 5 -https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/indiana-jones-2022/YouTube viral video debunked - https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/how-to-cook-that-creator-ann-reardon-is-debunking-viral-youtube-videos.html/ Call of Duty lawsuit win -https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/call-duty-wins-first-amendment-victory-use-humvees-1287882A lizard can now lay eggs and give live birth -https://theconversation.com/this-lizard-lays-eggs-and-gives-live-birth-we-think-its-undergoing-a-major-evolutionary-transition-133630 - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.15409 Games PlayedProfessor– Generation Zero - https://store.steampowered.com/app/704270/Generation_Zero/Rating : 5/5DJ– Generation Zero - https://store.steampowered.com/app/704270/Generation_Zero/Rating : 4.5/5Dev-i-Boy - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_The_Wind_WakerRating – 5/5- VR Chat - https://store.steampowered.com/app/438100/VRChat/Rating – 3/5Other topics discussedIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and the fourth installment in the Indiana Jones series.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Kingdom_of_the_Crystal_SkullThe timeline of the Indiana Jones films is the chronological order of The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones and the film series.- https://indianajones.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline_of_filmsTransformers film series (Transformers is a series of American science fiction action films based on the Transformers franchise which began in the 1980s. Michael Bay has directed the first five films.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers_(film_series)Harrison Ford survives plane crash - https://money.cnn.com/2017/02/14/news/harrison-ford-plane-mishap/index.htmlDisney’s Artemis Fowl Official Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl2r3Fwxz_oJungle Cruise (The Jungle Cruise is a river boat attraction located in Adventureland at many Disney Parks worldwide, namely Disneyland, Magic Kingdom,Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland. For years, Walt Disney Pictures had been toying with the idea of turning the Jungle Cruise into a full-length action adventure motion picture, which it would be loosely inspired by the theme park attraction of the same name.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_CruiseBruckheimer is very frank about how he almost passed on the project, which is based on the famous Disney theme park ride.- https://web.archive.org/web/20080102184110/http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/425/425848p1.htmlPirates of the Caribbean 6th movie- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates_of_the_Caribbean_(film_series)#Sixth_film How to Cook That (Youtube channel by Ann Reardon)- https://www.youtube.com/user/howtocookthat/videosDebunking Fake Videos & WHO'S behind 5-min crafts? | How To Cook That Ann Reardon- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvqa8dsBtno Lonelygirl15 (lonelygirl15, the first of many shows within the fictional LG15 Universe, tells the ongoing story of a group of young adults fighting against a mysterious secret society called, The Order.)- https://www.youtube.com/user/lonelygirl15Sex-workers - idubbbz complains by iDubbbzTV- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQLzOuwDu_8Elsagate (neologism referring to the controversy surrounding videos on YouTube and YouTube Kids that are categorized as "child-friendly", but which contain themes that are inappropriate for children.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElsagateThe FTC action against YouTube and Google- https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2019/11/youtube-channel-owners-your-content-directed-children Why Youtube doesn’t make any profit - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/4-reasons-youtube-still-doesnt-make-a-profit/ The Simpson – Lionel Hutz vs 10 high priced lawyers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3hhAH4mlQk Donald Trump Violated First Amendment by Blocking Critics on Twitter- https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/donald-trump-violated-first-amendment-twitter-blocking-1203542245/ Temperature-dependent sex determination (a type of environmental sex determination in which the temperatures experienced during embryonic/larval development determine the sex of the offspring.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature-dependent_sex_determinationDogs (Dogs are autonomous robotic quadrupeds, equipped with a series of lethal weapons.)- https://black-mirror.fandom.com/wiki/DogsBoston Dynamics : Spot - https://robots.ieee.org/robots/spotmini/Japanese students hold graduation ceremony in Minecraft amid school cancellation- https://soranews24.com/2020/03/15/japanese-students-hold-graduation-ceremony-in-minecraft-amid-school-cancellation/Katie Bouman: The woman behind the first black hole image- https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47891902 Systers (founded by Anita Borg, is an international electronic mailing list for technical women in computing.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SystersThe Eleventh Hour (The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery is an illustrated children's book by Graeme Base.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eleventh_Hour_(children%27s_book)Hareraiser (video game released in 1984 in the UK in two parts: Prelude and Finale, comedian and computer game historian Stuart Ashen described and showed the game play, and called it "quite possibly the worst video game ever.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HareraiserAnimalia (an animated children's television series based on the 1986 picture book of the same name by illustrator Graeme Base.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animalia_(TV_series) The story behind Jackie Chan’s stunt in Police Story which involved slides several stories down a pole strung with lights, electricity arcing around him as he crashes through multiple panes of glass into a shop stall.- https://observer.com/2019/01/how-jackie-chan-police-story-stunts-changed-movies/Jackie Chan further explains the stunt in Police Story- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZEVz1V-X4w Waterloo ("Waterloo" is the first single from the Swedish pop group ABBA's second album, Waterloo and their first under the Epic and Atlantic labels.- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterloo_(ABBA_song) That’s Not COVID (TNC Podcast)- https://thatsnotcanon.com/thatsnotcovidpodcast Shout Outs 5 April 2020 - Shirley Douglas, actress and mother of Kiefer Sutherland dies at 86 - https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/shirley-douglas-dead-actress-mother-kiefer-sutherland-was-86-1288624Shirley Douglas, an actress in films directed by Stanley Kubrick and David Cronenberg and the mother of actor Kiefer Sutherland. Douglas appeared in Kubrick's Lolita (1962) and Cronenberg's Dead Ringers (1988) and in other movies including Shadow Dancing (1988) and Wind at My Back (1996). In 2003, for her contributions to the performing arts, she was named an Officer of the Order of Canada. Sutherland announced his mother's death on Twitter, saying "My mother was an extraordinary woman who led an extraordinary life," Sutherland wrote. "Sadly she had been battling for her health for quite some time and we, as a family, knew this day was coming. To any families who have lost loved ones unexpectedly to the coronavirus, my heart breaks for you. Please stay safe." She died of complications surrounding pneumonia at the age of 86 in Toronto,Ontario. His son noted her passing was not related to COVID-19. 5 April 2020 – Anime ending this week 10 years ago according to Japanese netizens - https://soranews24.com/2020/04/05/whered-the-time-go-top-anime-series-that-finished-ten-years-ago-ranked-by-japanese-netizens/Here’s the top ten of this decade-old anime! Which ones have you watched recently?10. Kuroshitsuji II9. Durarara!!8. A Certain Scientific Railgun7. Nodame Cantabile Finale6. HeartCatch PreCure!5. Fullmetal Alchemist4. K-On!!3. Inuyasha: The Final Act2. Animal Detective Kiruminzoo1. Hidamari Sketch×☆☆☆6 April 2020 - ‘Jaws’ actress Lee Fierro dead at 91 from coronavirus complications - https://nypost.com/2020/04/06/jaws-actress-lee-fierro-dead-at-91-with-coronavirus-complications/Lee Fierro, best known as Alex Kintner’s mom in Steven Spielberg’s 1975 shark attack classic “Jaws,” In her iconic scene from “Jaws,” an enraged Fierro confronts Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) and slaps him in the face. “I just found out that a girl got killed here last week and you knew, you knew there was a shark out there. You knew it was dangerous, but you let people go swimming anyway,” her character says, sobbing. “You knew all those things and still my boy is dead now, and there’s nothing you can do about it. My boy is dead.” Fierro reportedly had "objected to the profanity" of the scene's dialogue as originally drafted, and the director, Steven Spielberg, wanted dialogue that accorded with Fierro's "everywoman looks," so the scene's dialogue was rewritten the day before it was filmed. Fierro went on to reprise her role in 1987’s subpar “Jaws: The Revenge” opposite Michael Caine. She died from COVID-19 at the age of 91. Remembrances6 April 1520 – Raphael - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur. Together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, he forms the traditional trinity of great masters of that period. Many of his works are found in the Vatican Palace, where the frescoed Raphael Rooms were the central, and the largest, work of his career. The best known work is The School of Athens in the Vatican Stanza della Segnatura. After his early years in Rome, much of his work was executed by his workshop from his drawings, with considerable loss of quality. He was extremely influential in his lifetime, though outside Rome his work was mostly known from his collaborative printmaking. His career falls naturally into three phases and three styles, first described by Giorgio Vasari: his early years in Umbria, then a period of about four years (1504–1508) absorbing the artistic traditions of Florence, followed by his last hectic and triumphant twelve years in Rome, working for two Popes and their close associates. He died from fever at the age of 37 in Rome, Papal States.6 April 1944 - Rose O'Neill - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_O%27NeillRose Cecil O'Neill, American cartoonist, illustrator, artist, and writer. She built a successful career as a magazine and book illustrator and, at a young age, became the best-known and highest- paid female commercial illustrator in the United States. O' Neill earned a fortune and international fame by creating the Kewpie, the most widely known cartoon character until Mickey Mouse. Her Kewpie cartoons, which made their debut in a 1909 issue of Ladies' Home Journal, were later manufactured as bisque dolls in 1912 by J. D. Kestner, a German toy company, followed by composition material and celluloid versions. The dolls were wildly popular in the early twentieth century and are considered to be one of the first mass-marketed toys in the United States. Their name, "Kewpie", derives from Cupid, the Roman god of love. According to O'Neill, she became obsessed with the idea of the cherubic characters, to the point that she had dreams about them: "I thought about the Kewpies so much that I had a dream about them where they were all doing acrobatic pranks on the coverlet of my bed. One sat in my hand." She described them as "a sort of little round fairy whose one idea is to teach people to be merry and kind at the same time". O'Neill also wrote several novels and books of poetry, and was active in the women's suffrage movement. She was for a time the highest-paid female illustrator in the world upon the success of the Kewpie dolls. She died from heart failure at the age of 69 in Springfield, Missouri. 6 April 2003 - Anita Borg - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Borg American computer scientist. She founded the Institute for Women and Technology and the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. In 1997, Borg founded the Institute for Women and Technology (now the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology). Two important goals behind the founding of the organization were to increase the representation of women in technical fields and to enable the creation of more technology by women. The Institute was created to be an experimental R&D organization focusing on increasing the impact of women on technology and increasing the impact of technology on the world's women. It ran a variety of programs to increase the role of technology, build the pipeline of technical women, and ensure that women's voices affected technological developments. Borg passionately believed in working for greater representation of technical women. Her goal was to have 50% representation for women in computing by 2020. She strove for technical fields to be places where women would be equally represented at all levels of the pipeline, and where women could impact, and benefit from, technology. She died from a brain tumour at the age of 54 in Sonoma, California. Famous Birthdays6 April 1958 - Graeme Base - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_BaseAuthor and artist of picture books. He is perhaps best known for his second book, Animalia published in 1986, and third book The Eleventh Hour which was released in 1989. He worked in advertising for two years and then began illustrating children's books, gradually moving to authoring them as well. His first book, My Grandma lived in Gooligulch, was accepted by the first publisher he sent it to. He was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. 6 April 1975 - Zach Braff - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zach_BraffAmerican actor, director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his role as J. D. on the television series Scrubs, for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2005 and for three Golden Globe Awards from 2005 to 2007. He starred in The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy, In Dubious Battle, and has done voice-work for Chicken Little, Oz the Great and Powerful, and the Netflix series Bojack Horseman. In 2004, Braff made his directorial debut with Garden State, which he also wrote, starred in, and compiled the soundtrack album for. He shot the film in his home state of New Jersey for a budget of $2.5 million. The film made over $35 million at the box office and was praised by critics, leading it to gain a cult following. He won numerous awards for his directing work and also won the Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack Album in 2005. Braff directed his second film, Wish I Was Here, which he partially funded with a Kickstarter campaign. He was born in South Orange, New Jersey. 7 April 1954 - Jackie Chan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_ChanChan Kong-sang, known professionally as Jackie Chan, is a Hong Kongese martial artist, actor, film director, producer, stuntman, and singer. He is known in the cinematic world for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts, which he typically performs himself. He has trained in Wushu or Kung Fu and Hapkido, and has been acting since the 1960s, appearing in over 150 films. Chan is one of the most recognisable and influential cinematic personalities in the world, gaining a widespread following in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres, and has received stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has been referenced in various pop songs, cartoons, and video games. He is an operatically trained vocalist and is also a Cantopop and Mandopop star, having released a number of albums and sung many of the theme songs for the films in which he has starred. He is also a globally known philanthropist and has been named as one of the top 10 most charitable celebrities by Forbes magazine. In 2004, film scholar Andrew Willis stated that Chan was "perhaps" the "most recognised star in the world". In 2015, Forbes estimated his net worth to be $350 million, and as of 2016, he was the second-highest paid actor in the world. He was born in Victoria Peak. 7 April 1964 - Russell Crowe - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_CroweRussell Ira Crowe actor, film producer and musician. Although a New Zealand citizen, he has lived most of his life in Australia. He came to international attention for his role as the Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the historical film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which Crowe won an Academy Award, a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award, an Empire Award, and a London Film Critics Circle Award for best actor, along with ten other nominations in the same category. Crowe's other award-winning performances include portrayals of tobacco firm whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand in the drama film The Insider, and John F. Nash in the biopic A Beautiful Mind. Crowe's other films include, L.A. Confidential, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Cinderella Man, 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster, State of Play, Robin Hood, Les Misérables, Man of Steel, Noah, and The Nice Guys. In 2015, Crowe made his directorial debut with The Water Diviner, in which he also starred. Crowe's work has earned him several accolades during his career, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one Golden Globe Award for Best Actor, one BAFTA and one Academy Award out of three consecutive nominations (1999, 2000, and 2001). Crowe has also been the co-owner of the National Rugby League (NRL) team South Sydney Rabbitohs since 2006. He was born in Wellington. Events of Interest 6 April 1896 – In Athens, the opening of the first modern Olympic Games is celebrated, 1,500 years after the original games are banned by Roman emperor Theodosius I. - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-modern-olympic-gamesOn April 6, 1896, the Olympic Games, a long-lost tradition of ancient Greece, are reborn in Athens 1,500 years after being banned by Roman Emperor Theodosius I. At the opening of the Athens Games, King Georgios I of Greece and a crowd of 60,000 spectators welcomed athletes from 13 nations to the international competition. In Athens, 280 participants from 13 nations competed in 43 events, covering track-and-field, swimming, gymnastics, cycling, wrestling, weightlifting, fencing, shooting, and tennis. All the competitors were men, and a few of the entrants were tourists who stumbled upon the Games and could sign up. The track-and-field events were held at the Panathenaic Stadium, which was originally built in 330 B.C. and restored for the 1896 Games. Americans won nine out of 12 of these events. The 1896 Olympics also featured the first marathon competition, which followed the 25-mile route run by a Greek soldier who brought news of a victory over the Persians from Marathon to Athens in 490 B.C. In 1924, the marathon was standardized at 26 miles and 385 yards. Appropriately, a Greek, Spyridon Louis, won the first marathon at the 1896 Athens Games.6 April 1909 - Robert Peary and Matthew Henson become the first people to reach the North Pole; Peary's claim has been disputed because of failings in his navigational ability. - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pearys-expedition-reaches-north-poleOn April 6, 1909, American explorer Robert Peary accomplishes a long elusive dream, when he, assistant Matthew Henson and four Eskimos reach what they determine to be the North Pole. Decades after Peary’s death, however, navigational errors in his travel log surfaced, placing the expedition in all probability a few miles short of its goal. In 1908, the pair travelled to Ellesmere Island by ship and in 1909 raced across hundreds of miles of ice to reach what they calculated as latitude 90 degrees north on April 6, 1909. Although their achievement was widely acclaimed, Dr. Frederick A. Cook challenged their distinction of being the first to reach the North Pole. A former associate of Peary, Cook claimed he had already reached the pole by dogsled the previous year. A major controversy followed, and in 1911 the U.S. Congress formally recognized Peary’s claim. In recent years, further studies of the conflicting claims suggest that neither expedition reached the exact North Pole, but that Peary and Henson came far closer, falling perhaps 30 miles short. On May 3, 1952, U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O. Fletcher of Oklahoma stepped out of a plane and walked to the precise location of the North Pole, the first person to undisputedly do so.6 April 1917 - Americans declares war on Germany - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/america-enters-world-war-iTwo days after the U.S. Senate voted 82 to 6 to declare war against Germany, the U.S. House of Representatives endorses the declaration by a vote of 373 to 50, and America formally enters World War I. Apart from an Anglophile element urging early support for the British and an anti-Tsarist element sympathising with Germany's war against Russia, US public opinion reflected that of the president: the sentiment for neutrality was particularly strong among Irish Americans, German Americans, and Scandinavian Americans, as well as among church leaders and among women in general. On the other hand, even before World War I had broken out, American opinion had been overall more negative toward Germany than toward any other country in Europe. Over time, especially after reports of atrocities in Belgium in 1914 and following the sinking of the passenger liner RMS Lusitania in 1915, American citizens increasingly came to see Germany as the aggressor in Europe. While the country was at peace, American banks made huge loans to Britain and France, which were used mainly to buy munitions, raw materials, and food from across the Atlantic. Wilson made minimal preparations for a land war but he did authorise a major ship-building program for the United States Navy. The president was narrowly re-elected in 1916 on an anti-war ticket.6 April 1974 - The Swedish pop band ABBA wins the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Waterloo", launching their international career. - https://www.mylifetime.com/she-did-that/april-6-1974-abba-won-the-eurovision-song-contest-for-waterloo-launching-their-international-careerSongwriters and musicians Ulvaeus and Andersson first met in 1966. However, it was in 1969 when the seeds of the soon-to-be Swedish supergroup were planted when Björn met his fiancée, Fältskog, and Benny met his fiancée, Lyngstad. Ulvaeus and Andersson knew how to write contagious pop hits. However, Fältskog and Lyngstad’s beautiful harmonies were integral to the global chart-topping ABBA sound. After “Waterloo” won the 19th edition of the Eurovision song competition, the winning tune reached the No. 1 spot on the UK chart and became a top ten hit in the US on the Billboard Hot 100. “Waterloo” sold six million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.Follow us on Facebook - Page - https://www.facebook.com/NerdsAmalgamated/ - Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/440485136816406/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/NAmalgamated Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6Nux69rftdBeeEXwD8GXrS iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/top-shelf-nerds/id1347661094 RSS - http://www.thatsnotcanonproductions.com/topshelfnerdspodcast?format=rssInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/nerds_amalgamated/General Enquiries Email - Nerds.Amalgamated@gmail.comRate & Review us on Podchaser - https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/nerds-amalgamated-623195

Women triumphed in part "by bringing in elites, both society and social women and men of position, power and influence, and many of them were publishers, editors…and had direct access to the levers of media." Brooke Kroeger on Green Connections Radio podcast As we embark on a crucial presidential election this year, women voters are the largest single voting bloc, but, that right was a hard-fought battle until passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. To commemorate it this Women’s History Month, listen to my fascinating interview with one of the foremost chroniclers of the suffrage movement, Brooke Kroeger, including lessons for today. She is an NYU journalism professor, author of several books, including “The Suffragents: How Women Used Men To Get The Vote,” creator of  SuffrageandtheMedia.org, and a former top journalist.  Including lessons for women today. You'll hear: How women built alliances with men in positions of power and influence. How women leveraged the media to drive public opinion and pressure lawmakers. Why women’s roles in war-time were so important to securing women’s rights more broadly. Lessons for women today from the fight for women’s suffrage. And great career advice too! Read my Forbes blog about my interview with Brooke too.  “I never had any connections for any of the jobs I’ve had in life...” and, about finding the right job, “you find it when it feels right. ” Julie Lenzer on Green Connections Radio podcast You may also like: Lori Harrison-Kahan, author, “The Superwoman” on suffrage journalist Miriam Michelson and how she helped win women the vote. Commemorating the 19th Amendment Centennial – video and podcast of event at the Newseum Telle Whitney, Former CEO of Anita Borg Institute for Women in Tech and top diversity expert Wanda Lloyd, former senior editor of USA Today and local newspapers, author of “Coming Full Circle: From Jim Crow to Journalism.” Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts and leaving us a review! Also, join our Facebook Page  and share your insights! Join our mailing list to stay up to date on the top podcasts and special coaching offers! Email us or follow/DM us @joanmichelson

Natural language processing is used across many different systems that people interact with. It can help us extract information and get insights from data. Thamar Solorio, Associate Professor at the University of Houston explained what Natural Language Processing or NLP consists of. We talked about how systems use it and different approaches of implementing it. Thamar explained how NLP is used to determine the author of a text and some applications for this system. Note: AnitaB.org was formerly known as Anita Borg Institute. Grace Hopper Conference refers to Grace Hopper Celebration.

“The companies that have really made a commitment to creating change, they look at the ways promotions are decided, because often it’s very ad hoc….and consciously or unconsciously, the managers, who are primarily men, just don’t see the characteristics (in women) that they believe you need in order to advance.”  Telle Whitney on Green Connections Radio Pursuing a career in STEM requires investing many years in education and dedication, so why do women leave these fields so often? How can we attract, retain and promote more women in STEM into leadership instead?   Listen to Telle Whitney, diversity expert, former long-time CEO of the Anita Borg Institute and founder of the famed Grace Hopper Conference – that attracts over 18,000 attendees and serves over 750,00 women technologists – in this insightful interview with Green Connections Radio host Joan Michelson. She provides valuable career advice too. You'll hear: Why women tend to leave STEM fields today. How she fell into computer science after studying theatre. How companies advance women in STEM into leadership roles. The gifts of teams with more women, diversity. Specific career advice, especially for women in STEM… and much more! Read my Forbes blogs on my interview with Telle too. You'll want to check out these interviews too: Jennifer Wisdom, psychologist, author and speaker, on managing office politics. Mary Lee Gannon, CEO & Executive Coach, on building an executive career and executive presence. Jennifer Palmieri, former Communications Director for President Obama and Hillary Clinton, on women in leadership Joann Lublin, WSJ Management News Editor on success tips from top women CEOs Joan’s Forbes blog of speaker tips from Emceeing a corporate gala at Lincoln Center recently. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts and leaving us a review! Also, join our Facebook Page  and share your insights! Join our mailing list to stay up to date on the top podcasts and special coaching offers! Email us or follow/DM us @joanmichelson    

Concerned with the ways that AI and machine learning often display biases against already marginalized groups, Laura Gomez created Atipica, a platform that uses those same tools to remove rather than exacerbate bias in the hiring process. Gomez is also a founding member of Project Include, a non-profit that aims to accelerate diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, and a member of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, as well as Code.org's Diversity Council. She describes the trends that have contributed to her company's growth and encourages founders from diverse backgrounds to engage with tech, build confidence, and drive change.

Concerned with the ways that AI and machine learning often display biases against already marginalized groups, Laura Gomez created Atipica, a platform that uses those same tools to remove rather than exacerbate bias in the hiring process. Gomez is also a founding member of Project Include, a non-profit that aims to accelerate diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, and a member of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, as well as Code.org’s Diversity Council. She describes the trends that have contributed to her company’s growth and encourages founders from diverse backgrounds to engage with tech, build confidence, and drive change.

Concerned with the ways that AI and machine learning often display biases against already marginalized groups, Laura Gomez created Atipica, a platform that uses those same tools to remove rather than exacerbate bias in the hiring process. Gomez is also a founding member of Project Include, a non-profit that aims to accelerate diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, and a member of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, as well as Code.org’s Diversity Council. She describes the trends that have contributed to her company’s growth and encourages founders from diverse backgrounds to engage with tech, build confidence, and drive change.

Join us as LinkedIn VP of Engineering Erica Lockheimer sits down with Telle Whitney, former CEO of the Anita Borg Institute and co-founder of the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference, to discuss the successes and challenges women in technology face and how to create cultures where women thrive. Whitney has been a force in the industry, truly changing the trajectory for Women in Technology. When the Grace Hopper Conference started in 1994, there were 500 attendees. Today, it sells out within minutes and has over 20,000 attendees!    Get ready to be inspired by Whitney’s key leadership lessons learned throughout her career, her thoughts on the importance of diversity and career advice that will benefit everyone.

Diva Tech Talk was honored to interview Shuchi Sharma, Global Head and VP, Gender Equality & Intelligence, SAP, the software giant  that creates enterprise software to manage operations and customer relations for Fortune 500 companies all over the world. Shuchi never intended to enter software.  “I studied chemistry, with the aim of being a doctor,” she said “because it explains the ‘why’ behind everything. But I excelled in economics. I combined science and economics and got a degree in public health.”  She obtained her bachelors of science at the College of William and Mary, and her masters of public health at the University of Michigan.  “I took courses in maternal and children’s health and HIV policy,” Shuchi said. “I knew that I wanted to focus on women’s issues, in some form.” She began in management consulting working for The Advisory Board, among others. “I worked with technology for many years. Then I had an opportunity to move overseas to Germany.” She worked, in Heidelberg, for SAS, a leader in software analytics, running software consulting across eastern, central and northern Europe.  “That was great fun.” However, “women were not really helping each other. I saw opportunities missed. I thought ‘what can I do about this?’ “ What Shuchi did, in her personal time, was create The Heidelberg International Professional Women’s Forum (HIP), to bring together women to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and develop skills to enhance success.  “I spent five years, building and leading that organization. It made me realize that this is what I would like my life to be about.”  Among HIP ongoing results were “people finding new opportunities; people starting businesses; people developing new friendships that carried great impact to their lives; creating new ventures they never thought they could achieve.”  There were many new partnerships and businesses, and significant events including “a big summit to fuel entrepreneurship in the community.”  Shuchi is still amazed at “the multiplier effect that something like this can have on lives.” In 2008, Shuchi left SAS to join SAP, to grow the consulting business in northern and southern Europe and the USSR.  “I have been at SAP for 10 years. Now in my fourth role, I feel so blessed,” she said. “I started in business consulting, and after I had my second daughter, I wasn’t ready to travel.”  Shuchi was lucky. Her empathetic boss asked her to build a marketing organization. Over the subsequent 5 years, she built a marketing function for business consulting. Then she was asked to lead a digital transformation team in North America for SAP’s Success Factors, delivering dramatic improvement in the way companies handle their workforces. She had great fun helping customers use design thinking to envision the state of their workforces 5 years in the future.  In her volunteer life, Shuchi became a salary coach for AAUW’s SmartStart Program, and worked with organizations like Moms Rising. “I stayed very involved in women’s topics.” She then evolved into her current position “changing the mix of gender in the organization and creating that very inclusive culture --- a strategic transformation. It was a wonderful opportunity to bring my skills and interests together.” Shuchi is determined to deliver on SAP’s mandate: “to ensure that we, as an organization, can meet our target of having 30% of women in leadership by 2022.” She tackled leadership in process-oriented fashion.  “First we look at data, to see where we are, where we have to go, and how we are going to get there.” SAP has amassed internal data on their own enterprise analytics platform and use dashboards that track many areas:  gender, early talent benchmarks, diversity and inclusion categories, and more. The analytics tools “help us slice and dice the data by so many different dimensions.” Using it, Shuchi’s team drives the revamp of corporate processes and organizations that have implicit bias. “We use data to have discussions with Level 1 managers” to encourage individual plans to reach the 30% goal.   Shuchi’s team has worked on projects including re-certification of SAP under the IMF’s EDGE (Economic Dividends for Gender Equality). “It is very robust analysis that involves data, review of policies and practices, an employee survey, and a third-party audit. Through that, we understand how we are progressing from leadership and development, pay equity, recruitment and promotion, and flexible work culture, perspectives.  That data is going to help us drive change for the next 6 years.” Her team is rolling out programs centered on male allies, sponsorship and mentoring and “return-ship” – recruiting those who dropped out for life reasons, but now want to come back. Nothing can be accomplished in a vacuum, so her team is working on collaborative partnerships with other visionary organizations to help achieve SAP’s target of 30% by 2025. For other companies fielding inclusion programs, Shuchi shared SAP’s ingredients for success: strong executive sponsorship, an effective ecosystem, with diversity and inclusion team members scattered throughout the company, and employee network groups. SAP is thrilled to have received much deserved recognition for their progress in diversity and inclusion. The latest is being named one of the top 5 companies for women technologists  by the Anita Borg Institute. Shuchi offered wonderful wisdom for women.  On pay equity, she said “if you are in university, seek out resources that the AAUW provides. You can find a workshop to  teach you the skills to negotiate salary, which is something you must do in every facet of life. Just become comfortable with asking. JUST ASK.”   She also recommended books including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Why We Should All Be Feminists and watershed works by Dr.  Louann Brizendine, particularly The Female Brain.   In her own career, Shuchi is joyful about her SAP role. “Women are going to change the world…for the better.  If you look across history, women are almost always at the heart of every positive social construct.” But she isn’t free of stress. “I worry that entrenched biases we have seen will continue to exist through our technology. We need to take a very active role to ensure that there is no prejudice; that it is open, available to everyone, and people have opportunities regardless of their race, color, appearance. NOW is the time.”   Shuchi’s two daughters are her personal inspiration. “I want to equip them with everything I can to help them overcome what they might face in the workplace.”  She proudly mentioned that one of her daughters recently beat a boy in a footrace, and when one of his buddies commented that he was beat by a girl, her daughter turned and said: “that’s a normal thing; get used to it!” Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechtalk. And please listen to us on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher and provide an online review.

Microsoft’s approach to delivering a secure and trusted identity solution across platforms and services presented by Joy Chik, CVP of the identity engineering team at Microsoft and joined by Jeremy Chapman. This includes a closer look at your options for eliminating password usage with Azure AD and the latest in password-less solutions with the new authenticator app. As well as how Azure AD minimizes the risk of evolving identity-based attacks and what you can do to take advantage of modern capabilities with your apps and services. To learn more please visit: https://Microsoft.com/identity Session THR2312 - Filmed Wednesday, September 26, 11:20 EDT at Microsoft Ignite in Orlando, Florida. Subject Matter Expert: Joy Chik is Corporate Vice President for the Identity Division in Microsoft’s Cloud + Enterprise group. Her teams are responsible for Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Account (MSA), Microsoft Graph, Information Protection and Forefront Identity Management suites which are delivered to customers as cloud services or on-premises products. Since joining Microsoft in 1998 as a software engineer contributing to Terminal Services in Windows 2000, Joy has steadily risen in the company as an established leader of some of the industry’s most impactful engineering teams. Joy graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Joy is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Anita Borg Institute and is active in charities focused on encouraging women and girls to pursue careers in technology.

Alicia attended the Anita Borg institute Grace Hopper Christmas party and decided to ask the women there about 2017.  The two questions were.  What was your thoughts about what happen to women and what women did this year?  Also as women what was accomplishments or what was this year like for you personally?  Alicia had plenty of diverse views as well as very personal stories. 

Soumow sits with Ross Smith, Director Skype for Good.Ross is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and blogger. Author of The Practical Guide to Defect Prevention and holds seven patents.He has worked at Microsoft for over 25 years and is a Principal Group Engineering Manager. He is a member of the Leadership Council for the Anita Borg Institute, co-chair for Grace Hopper Organizational Transformation track. He is a member of ABI Local in Seattle, and part of the gender partner LT and "male ally" panel discussions at the IEEE Women in Technology and National Center for Women in ​Technology (NCWIT) Summit and TechCrunch. Work with iUrbanTeen and Native Americans at Microsoft. Developed 42projects to promote cultural change, develop organizational trust and improve the lives of the managed. To help develop the next generation's interest in STEAM, he works with the Skype in the Classroom program and events like this recent day at Microsoft .He was invited to the White House for discussion on women in STEM. Keynote speaker for the ARTBA's Transovation 2014-2016.The work of his teams have been mentioned in Forbes, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, PSFK, the American Journal of Play, Harvard Business Review, and the London School of Business. He is a blogger for SHRM has worked on Skype TranslatorCheck out the local Grace Hopper event, here is a linkhttps://community.anitab.org/event/abi-seattle-presents-ghc1-seattle/ GALs is a show about the women who work in Tech (at Microsoft or outside) from three ladies that currently work on the Channel 9 team. Golnaz Alibeigi, Soumow Atitallah, and Kaitlin McKinnon have started a new series featuring women in Tech who work in development, management, marketing and research who have interesting stories to share about their success in the industry and ideas on how to grow diversity in IT.Follow @CH9Follow @Soumow

Soumow sits with Ross Smith, Director Skype for Good.Ross is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and blogger. Author of The Practical Guide to Defect Prevention and holds seven patents.He has worked at Microsoft for over 25 years and is a Principal Group Engineering Manager. He is a member of the Leadership Council for the Anita Borg Institute, co-chair for Grace Hopper Organizational Transformation track. He is a member of ABI Local in Seattle, and part of the gender partner LT and "male ally" panel discussions at the IEEE Women in Technology and National Center for Women in ​Technology (NCWIT) Summit and TechCrunch. Work with iUrbanTeen and Native Americans at Microsoft. Developed 42projects to promote cultural change, develop organizational trust and improve the lives of the managed. To help develop the next generation's interest in STEAM, he works with the Skype in the Classroom program and events like this recent day at Microsoft .He was invited to the White House for discussion on women in STEM. Keynote speaker for the ARTBA's Transovation 2014-2016.The work of his teams have been mentioned in Forbes, The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, PSFK, the American Journal of Play, Harvard Business Review, and the London School of Business. He is a blogger for SHRM has worked on Skype TranslatorCheck out the local Grace Hopper event, here is a linkhttps://community.anitab.org/event/abi-seattle-presents-ghc1-seattle/ GALs is a show about the women who work in Tech (at Microsoft or outside) from three ladies that currently work on the Channel 9 team. Golnaz Alibeigi, Soumow Atitallah, and Kaitlin McKinnon have started a new series featuring women in Tech who work in development, management, marketing and research who have interesting stories to share about their success in the industry and ideas on how to grow diversity in IT.Follow @CH9Follow @Soumow