A partnership, a podcast, a presentation, and more…
The NCWIT Regional Initiatives team recently joined partners in Pittsburgh for a presentation and event series hosted by the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Fortyx80. In early September, program lead Stephanie Weber also joined a podcast hosted by partner organizations to talk about what NCWIT does locally and nationally, along with Paige Frank, a national NCWIT Aspirations in Computing High School Award winner who is currently studying computing at the University of Pittsburgh, an NCWIT Higher Ed Alliance member institution.
Listen: One Mic Stand Podcast with NCWIT
Originally aired on September 5, 2023 – 24 minInterview by Jonathan Kersting and Marie Pelloni
Following the Innovation, Culture, and You presentation for members, there was a Sit With Me reception hosted by RedChairPGH, a non-profit committed to gender equity in the regional tech sector. Attendees of the NCWIT workshop were also invited and encouraged to join, listen, and share their stories and experiences as inclusive change agents within the technology workforce. The annual event aims to address the challenges women face in tech fields, as well as offer support and encouragement to those already within the workforce to help them stay.Â
An article published by Technical.ly on September 21, 2023, cites data showing that women leave tech careers at faster rates than men, which is why RedChairPGH intends to support those who remain and help boost regional retention. In fact, RedChairPGH board chairs Julia Poepping and Lou Camerlengo said the organization was inspired in part by NCWIT’s research into equity in tech. Poepping was a member of a women’s networking group with the Pittsburgh Tech Council in 2015, and asked for assistance. Ultimately, that led to the very first #sitwithme event being held at the University of Pittsburgh – and it was a resounding success that has since inspired similar campaigns across the country.
NCWIT Regional Initiatives bundle research-backed programs and practices to increase the local participation of women and girls in tech fields and careers. To achieve this goal, NCWIT also partners with local community stakeholders to build awareness, inspire participation, and connect women to like-minded peers, role models, and opportunities. This regional approach was expanded to Pittsburgh in April 2022, thanks to generous support from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation.
