The Techwomen annual programs to Silicon Valley are intense, thrilling and an enriching experience for everyone.

Since 2012 SFBay Area ISOC Chapter has collaborated with Silicon Valley organizations to participate in TechWomen Emerging Leaders events held annually in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, California.  The SFBay Area ISOC Chapter has had the great opportunity to collaborate with the Mozilla Foundation as the main host of some of these events.  SFBay Area ISOC educates and informs the visiting STEM women from Africa, Middle East and Asia about the role and mission of the Internet Society, the significance of ISOC Regional Chapters and also connects them with local ISOC Chapters in their regions.  Additionally, participation in TechWomen events has presented SFBay Area ISOC Chapter with a valuable avenue to provide a platform for guests with Internet related topics & concerns (in policy, governance, technology and development) to present and discuss them with the local audience as well as with the visiting global guests, adding a valuable international perspective.

In October 2014, SFBay Area ISOC/Mozilla hosted a TechWomen Mixer/Lightening talks at the Mozilla office building in San Francisco. This thought provoking and stimulating event attracted over 70 people in attendance to hear and interact with guest speakers (and each other!) on a variety of important and engaging topics. SFBay Area ISOC guest speaker was Ms. Girma Haben, a Harvard Law Graduate and currently a Skadden Fellowship Attorney at the Disability Rights Act, DRA, advocating for equal access to technology.

To view the full event please click here.

What is TechWomen

TechWomen is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs (ECA).  TechWomen was launched in 2011 and supports the United States’ global commitment toward advancing the rights and participation of women and girls around the world by enabling them to reach their full potential in the tech industry.  Techwomen is managed by the Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives (WLI) at the Institute of International Education.

TechWomen empowers, connects, and supports the next generation of women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East by bringing emerging women leaders in STEM on an annual five-week program to Silicon Valley. During the program the emerging leaders engage in project-based mentorships at leading companies in the San Francisco and Silicon Valley, participate in professional development workshops and networking events, and travel to Washington, D.C. for targeted meetings and special events to conclude the program.

The program focuses on expanding networks of women in the STEM fields, creating and strengthening partnerships, encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers, and ensuring the sustainability of Mentor-Emerging Leader relationships.

Over the past three years, 156 women from Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Yemen, and Zimbabwe have participated in TechWomen. For more information please visit https://www.techwomen.org