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  • Summit 2020

CWIT Summit 2020

Features 3 days of virtual events from 11am-2pm on ​
November 11,12,13
!
The CWIT Summit is a conference supporting women in tech across Virginia. 
rSVP TODAY
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Schedule for the Summit

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DAY 1 : November 11th
Day's Theme: Women in Tech, Developing Your Career in Tech

Co-Presenter of the day: UVA Darden
UVA Darden logo
Time
Content
Speakers
11:00am -
​11:45am
Keynote:
Title: 
Unleash Your Own Story One Ask at a Time
UVA Darden -
Professor Lalin Anik 
Professor Roshni Raveendhran
11:45am -
​12:15pm
Networking Break 
Employer Booths
-
12:15pm -
​1:00pm
Employer Panel: 
Trends in Tech Hiring:  Secrets Revealed!  Panel discussion with hiring Tech leaders
Facilitator: Stephanie Lewandowski
Panelists: Christina Ho, Elder Research; Christy Phillips, WillowTree; Dana German, Information Technology Services, UVA

1:00pm -
​1:45pm
Career Breakout  Options:
​

Breakout #1 – Career Conversations, Practicing Professional Dialog

Breakout #2 - Cultivating Your Career in Tech: Ask a Leader 

Breakout #3 - Inclusive Leadership during COVID-19 and Beyond

Speakers:
Breakout #1 -  

Courtney Christensen and
Shayna Diamond


Breakout #2 -
Jennifer Forrest,
Amanda Makulec,
Mindy Bohannon


Breakout #3 -
​Rebecca Factor


1:45pm - 2:00pm
Reflections and Wrap Up
Kim Wilkens

Time
Content
Speakers
11:00am -
​11:45am
Keynote:
Topic: Create Your Story, Inspiration on Getting Started
Nicole Case -
Career Coach
11:45am -
​12:15pm
Networking Break 
Employer Booths/PVCC
-
12:15pm -
​1:00pm
Non Traditional Educational Panel: 
How to get started without a 4 year degree
Facilitator: Kim Mahan
Panel:

Sherry Martin
Trish Mahan
Chazona Baum
1:00pm -
​1:45pm
Start Career  Breakout  Options:
​

Breakout #1 – Self-Assurance and the Imposter Syndrome: Recognizing and Leaping Over the Hurdles

Breakout #2 - Not all Tech is Programming! Exploring Non Coding Careers 

Breakout #3 - How to get started! Clarity on your Career Transition

Speakers:
Breakout #1 - Dr. Lisa Pastore

Breakout #2 - Ryan Looney
Breakout #3 - Sarah Adams
1:45pm-2:00pm
Reflection and Wrap Up
Kim Wilkens
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DAY 2 : November 12th
Day's Theme: Starting a Career In Tech - How To How we got started. Starting Tech Without a 4 year Technology Degree

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DAY 3 : November 13th
Day's Theme: Thriving in Tech (Diversity in Tech)
Time
Content
Speakers
11:00am -
​11:45am
Keynote:
Topic: Building a strong diversity & inclusion program
Interviewer: Elaine Cheng
Speaker:  Kelli Palmer
11:45am -
​12:15pm
Networking Break 
Employer Booths 
-
12:15pm -
​12:45pm
Lightning Round  Thriving in Tech:
Speakers with less traditional backgrounds give 5-10 minute talk on their experience

Facilitator: Stephanie Lewandowski
​Speakers:
Sarah Lee 
Melissa Phillips
Becky Billingsley

12:45pm -
​1:30pm
Diversity Break Out 

Session #1:  Momentum Technology As a Tool for Narrative Shift 

Breakout #2:  Diversity in Tech, Our Team and Our Clients, and their Customers
Session #1 - Dr. Kilan Ashad Bishop and Dr. Elissia Franklin
Session #2 - Rachel Lee 
1:30pm -
​2:00pm
CWIT Wrap Up
CWIT Board

Day 1 - Keynote & Employer Panel

Title: Unleash Your Own Story One Ask at a Time
Speaker Name: Professor Lalin Anik and Professor Roshni Raveendhran

Title: Trends in Tech Hiring:  Secrets Revealed!  Panel discussion with hiring Tech leaders
Panel Facilitator:  Either Elaine or Stephanie
Speaker Name:  Christina Ho, Elder Research; Christy Phillips, WillowTree; Dana German, Information Technology Services, UVA
Session Description: Hear from local tech leaders who are hiring in Charlottesville about what technical abilities they need and what are the skills of the future.  We will talk frankly about why some people get hired and why some don’t get a call.  And we will explore how much experience your really need!  Come learn all the hiring secrets.  

Day 1 - Breakout Sessions

Title: Cultivating Your Career in Tech: Ask a Leader 
Speaker: Jennifer Forrest
Description: Jenn Forrest will discuss how she's cultivated a rewarding career in technology. She will cover the steps she took to develop her career, explain how you can apply her career strategies as well as other strategies into your career development plan, and answer your real-life questions about how to take your next steps to cultivate your exceptional career. 
Learning Objectives:
1. 
Learn career development strategies and how to select tactics to incorporate into your own career plan
2.
Understand horizontal and vertical growth
3.
Learn tactics to break into leadership roles

Bio: What does a career in tech look like? How do you get started? And how do you move it to the next level? Join Jenn Forrest to discuss career development strategies and refine your own career plan. She will share how she's cultivated a rewarding career in technology moving between roles as a AmeriCorp volunteer to Quality Auditor to ScrumMaster to Atlassian expert and trainer to Product Manager. She will cover the steps she took to develop her career, explain how you can apply her career strategies along with other strategies into your career development plan, and answer your real-life questions about how to take your next steps to cultivate your exceptional career.




Title: Career Conversations, Practicing Professional Dialogs
Speaker Name: Courtney Christensen, Shayna Diamond
Learning Objectives: In this interactive workshop you can practice asking - or answering - those tricky questions of professional life. You provide the topics you wish to roleplay, or watch as they are acted out by others. This is the perfect opportunity to practice asking for that raise, providing constructive criticism, or the situation you need to rehearse in a low stakes supportive environment. (Role playing is completely optional. You are welcome to observe and suggest scenarios.)


Title: Inclusive Leadership during COVID-19 and Beyond
Speaker Name: Rebecca Factor

Description: Rebecca Factor is a People and Leadership Advisor at Info-Tech Research Group. Rebecca leverages evidence-based research to develop leaders, talent systems and strategies that are inclusive. She has extensive experience in defining and developing a range of DEI initiatives necessary to foster strong, inclusive talent in technology. A proactive voice in the community, she regularly speaks on the topic of inclusion in DEI and is a contributor to Canada's first Gender Equity Roadmap.
Bio: Rebecca Factor is a People and Leadership Advisor at Info-Tech Research Group. Rebecca leverages evidence-based research to develop leaders, talent systems and strategies that are inclusive. She has extensive experience in defining and developing a range of DEI initiatives necessary to foster strong, inclusive talent in technology. A proactive voice in the community, she regularly speaks on the topic of inclusion in DEI and is a contributor to Canada's first Gender Equity Roadmap.

Day 2 - Keynote & Non-Traditional Panel


Title: Create Your Story.  Inspiration on Getting Started
Speaker Name: Nicole Case 
Session Description:  A pandemic is raging outside, companies have to layoff their best employees, systemic racism continues to impact all of us, and we are both working and teaching from home; it can feel like everything is out of our control.

We may be pausing on things in life or waiting for things to “get better” before we make a big move, make a decision, or plan for the future.   But don’t cancel 2020 just yet - use it to create your new story!  In this keynote, hear stories from Nicole’s career as well as her strategies for using your core values to set boundaries and set your own career path.
​
You’ll learn how setting boundaries at work, at home, and with ourselves is the key to avoiding burnout and increasing your performance.
​You’ll also learn how to use those same core values to identify what you want next in your career whether it’s a promotion or a complete career shift and develop an action plan to get there. With these strategies, you’ll be on your way to your creating a new ideal story in 2021!





Title:  Getting Started.  Fast.  How To From Experts Who Have Done It.  
Facilitator:  Kim Mahan 
Speaker Name: Sherry Martin
Session Description: This panel discussion led by Kim Mahan will explore how to get started in a tech career when you don’t have a 4 year software engineering degree.  The discussion will involve individuals who have already made the transition successfully.  They will provide their tips and roadmap for success.  


Day 2 - Breakout Sessions

Title: Self-Assurance and the Imposter Syndrome: Recognizing and Leaping Over the Hurdles
Speaker Name: Dr. Lisa Pastore
Learning Objectives: Review the gender gap in self-assurance
Share examples of how our language reflects lack of self-assurance
Share research on gender gaps in self-confidence in the workplace
Review what the Imposter Syndrome is and is not
Share helpful solutions

Title: How to get started! Clarity on your Career Transition 
Speaker Name: Sarah Adams
Learning Objectives:
​
1. Participation and Insights from a clarity exercise
2. Practical skills on using clarity to staying motivated 
3. Quick tips on how to receive and ask for feedback from teammates and mentors 

Title: Not all Tech is Programming! Exploring Non Coding Careers  
Speaker Names: Ms. Ryan Looney
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the session, participants will be able to:
--Identify useful skills for non-coding careers in tech
--Identify resources for developing those skills
--Identify jobs and career paths in tech that don't require coding skills
--Express confidence on the path as a non-tech person within a tech-focused environment 

​

Day 3 - Keynote & Lightning Round
​

Title: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: What works, what to do now, trends for the future:  A Conversation with Kelli Palmer
Speaker Name: Kelli Palmer
Session Description: Kelli will share with us her insight and practices in helping a global organization thrive and excel with diversity, equity and inclusion.  She will share with us what works, what trends we are seeing, and what can you can do to help impact your organizations  now.  


​

Title:  Lightning Round:  Stories in Diversity and Inclusion.   
Speakers Name: Sarah Lee, 
Melissa Phillips, Becky Billingsley
Session Description:  In this lightning round, we will hear from women in tech who have succeeded despite not being the typical white male.  We will learn about their challenges and success.  We will find out how we can be better allies, supporters and leaders in hopes to make tech a more welcoming place for all.  

​

Day 3 - Breakout Sessions

Title: Momentum Technology As a Tool for Narrative Shift 
Speaker Name:
Dr. Kilan Ashad Bishop and Dr. Elissia Franklin
Learning Objectives:
​
1) Recognize the value of technology in supplementing institutional lack of diversity
2) Identify and discuss the value of communities that align with their identity and lived experience 
3) Analyze existing and brainstorm new channels of support for these communities


​

Title: Diversity in Tech, Our Team and Our Clients, and their Customers 
Speaker Name: Rachel Lee
Learning Objectives:
​
1. How diverse teams foster technology innovation
2. How input from actual users changes the work
3. Actual examples of technology projects with diverse teams, and its impact on results.

Our Mission

Charlottesville Women in Tech (CWIT) is an organization for emerging and established professionals that provides human connections and resources for women and girls interested in or associated with technology. Our vision is to bridge the gender gap in tech by providing a safe and welcoming environment for women and girls to connect, learn and collaborate in Charlottesville.
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