Dear Women & Hi Tech Members, Sponsors, Partners, and Friends:
Fall is officially upon us! Tis the season where the days draw short, the air turns brisk, and the leaves change to beautiful autumn hues. Notwithstanding the weather, Women & Hi Tech recognizes that there is no off-season or out-of-season for issues related to opportunity, equity, and inclusion of all women in STEM in Indiana. Therefore, Women & Hi Tech continues to provide strong programming and events to address these relevant and current issues.
In September, we convened our Fall Retreat at The French Lick Resort for an overnight educational excursion focused on connection, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Retreat attendees dressed in their best 1920’s flapper or gatsby attire, before arriving at the beautiful West Baden Hotel Veranda offering fall foliage, an exceptional buffet meal, photos in a classic car, dancing, games, and gifts. In the spirit of diversity and inclusion, Women & Hi Tech was pleased to welcome our first male attendee this year at the Fall Retreat!
In October, Women & Hi Tech also hosted over 200 registered attendees at our OperationALLTM event, a training program focused on providing tools for increasing gender inclusion in the workplace. OperationALL is an annual professional development seminar uniquely tailored for male allies, friends, and supporters of Women & Hi Tech to focus on increasing equal opportunities for promotion and advancement of women in STEM fields. This year’s interactive program was facilitated by local and highly-acclaimed leadership trainer, executive coach, and keynote speaker, Julie Kratz. Each attendee also received a complimentary copy of Julie’s book, ONE: How Male Allies Support Women for Gender Equality.
On November 18, 2019, Women & Hi Tech will host our final Executive Women’s Forum (EWF) of 2019 entitled “Putting Confidence and Self-Worth into ACTION!” This program will be facilitated by Jessica Gendron, President of The Center for Leadership Excellence (see more details in the article below). Primarily focused back on the female STEM population, this professional development seminar will provide tools and tips on how to build confidence and remove “limiting beliefs” as an important step in the career advancement of women in STEM.
Finally and in response to overwhelming request following the inaugural program in 2018, this event series by Women & Hi Tech will also include a Special Edition EWF entitled “A Double Whammy or Triple Threat Part II: The Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM.” This program will be held on February 5, 2020 and will feature a privilege exercise, followed by a dynamic panel discussion featuring diverse female leaders across all facets of STEM. Please save the date, as registration will open soon.
Women & Hi Tech is very proud to offer resources that continue to focus on increasing diversity and inclusivity in STEM in Indiana, and this tenth edition of “Grown from STEM” is no exception. Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce you to our board members who manage technology projects and/or products. More specifically, we invite you to meet the Secretary of Women & Hi Tech’s Board of Directors, Kelly Ragle, a product manager for a cybersecurity company. Emeritus Member, Ali Hromis, also manages computer software solutions for her IT company. Both ladies play key roles in how their corporate customers and clients interface with new technology product solutions. Please read more about Kelly and Ali and how their backgrounds, business acumen, and passion for driving inclusion for all women in the technology sector of STEM fuels their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.
Sincerely,
Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D.
Women & Hi Tech President
President@womenandhitech.org
