Here’s a sneak peek at our new website!

After months in development, we are ecstatic to finally announce the launch of our new website at www.techwomen.org. We have completely revamped and re-coded our website to make it simpler to navigate, more visually appealing, and more engaging. More than anything, we hope our new website enables you to really get to know our program, its mission, and the extraordinary people involved.

We truly hope you enjoy exploring our new website. Please check it out and feel free to send us comments or any feedback you have here!

Are you passionate about empowering the next generation of women in science, technology, engineering, and math? Join the TechWomen network and be part of a global diplomacy effort to support women in STEM from Africa and the Middle East!

Join us at Mentoring Across Borders to hear from inspirational speakers, expand your professional network, and learn how you can give back through mentoring opportunities with TechWomen.

• Who: This event is open to the public. Bay Area women entrepreneurs, innovators, tech enthusiasts, STEM professionals, and others interested in TechWomen are encouraged to attend.
• What: Keynotes, panel, and networking reception. Speakers will include:
  • Lee A. Satterfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
  • Dr. Allan E. Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education
  • Alumnae mentors from the TechWomen program
• Price: Admission to this event is free. Bring your colleagues and friends, and help us spread the word!
• RSVP at http://mentoringacrossborders.eventbrite.com/

Several TechWomen Mentors warmly welcomed a group of seven visiting women leaders in science and technology from the Middle East and North Africa on Wednesday, April 24. The eight Mentors eagerly jumped at the chance to host a dinner for the guests, who were traveling around the country as a part of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. The participants of the IVLP “Women’s Innovations in Science and Engineering” project came from Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Connecting in person with their counterparts from the Middle East and North Africa was a real treat for the Mentors, who all feel deeply connected to that region through their travels, work, and the TechWomen program. Dinner provided a chance for the Mentors to display their cooking skills (including delicious halal chicken and Middle Eastern sweets), practice their beginning Arabic, learn about the work and lives of the seven impressive guests, and catch up with one another. It was a delightful evening of home hospitality for guests and hosts alike.

We feel so fortunate to have such gracious and supportive Mentors in our network. We want to say thank you to our Mentors, and safe travels to the guests traveling back to their home countries!

Are you interested in learning more about becoming a TechWomen Mentor? Apply today!

What is IVLP?

Since 1972, the Institute of International Education (IIE) has been one of seven private, nonprofit organizations that design and implement the IVLP, coordinating projects for over 18,000 International Visitors. 

The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ (ECA) premier professional exchange program. Since 1940, nearly 200,000 International Visitors have engaged with Americans through the IVLP. The program seeks to build mutual understanding between the U.S. and other nations through short-term visits to the United States. Learn more about IVLP.

In September 2011, I had the good fortune to participate in the first-ever Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women in the Economy Summit. This historic event was driven by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and like so many initiatives launched during her time in office, it was designed not only to inspire, but to spur action for change. As I listened to Secretary Clinton and other dynamic speakers–women who had achieved the highest levels of success and impact in business, government, and civil society–the idea for a book was born.

One year ago, I began with a blank sheet of paper and considered an outline. What eight topics could form a book about women and their place in the global economy? I thought about the many topics and women leaders that inspire me and might also inspire others. As the book’s outline began to take shape, I reached out to a handful of incredible women, some new and some familiar. Whether we’d met before or were speaking for the first time, what amazed me about these women–aside from their intelligence and achievements–was their eagerness to sign on, to write a chapter, to add more work to their already full plates–all with the common goal of making a difference by sharing their experiences.

“Women in the Global Economy: Leading Social Change” explores the landscape of women’s participation in the economy and the key role women’s involvement plays in fueling economic growth through the creation of stable societies. It covers the transformation that has gained a foothold in recent years, where investing in women is increasingly seen as a driver for social and economic development. In publishing this book, the IIE aims to teach corporate leaders, policy makers, and educators best practices, while also encouraging them to promote women’s economic and social participation through the implementation of effective programs.

The book draws its strength from its diverse array of voices, including that of former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer, who opens the conversation with a call for “more knowledge on best practices to further our investment in women and girls.”

Later, Mary Ellen Iskenderian, president and CEO of Women’s World Banking, addresses the progress made in terms of women’s access to microfinance. She highlights tools such as mobile banking as a means to enhance the financial future of women.

Offering a grassroots perspective, Arwa Othman, a Yemeni activist, recounts joining protests in the heart of the Arab Spring in Sana’a, and addresses the status of women in a changing region.

And a chapter on market-based approaches, authored by CGI’s Associate Director of Commitments and Head of Girls & Women Penny Abeywardena, highlights how public-private partnerships are expanding markets, and in turn, opportunities for women as well.

The willingness of the authors to take on yet another project in their very busy lives made me consider just how collaborative and happy to give back most of us are at our core. In fact, I encountered similar enthusiasm and generosity during my conversations with women in Silicon Valley about their experiences as mentors to emerging women entrepreneurs in the Middle East and Africa through IIE’s work onTechWomen. This led me to begin designing an initiative promoting women’s participation in information communications technology (ICT) last fall.

In partnership with Senior Advisor for Women and Technology at the U.S. Department of State Ann Mei Chang, and working with an array of partners from the corporate and NGO sectors, our goal is to build the pipeline of girls and women entering ICT studies and careers, and at the same time, address this pipeline’s leaks, focusing on India, Kenya, and Brazil. We hope to accomplish this by establishing a strong support network of women in ICT, locally and across borders; by offering additional trainings and job opportunities; and by creating a more woman-friendly academic and corporate ICT culture, ultimately improving the retention and advancement of women in the field.

This project is crucial: In emerging economies, the rise of ICT as a new sector offers the opportunity to recast the perception of the field in gender-neutral–or even women-oriented–terms. Breaking the male-dominated bastion is important to attract and retain more women in the ICT field, meet the growing talent needs of the sector, and in so doing, drive overall economic growth. With computer-related positions growing at twice the rate of others, ICT offers the jobs of today, and of tomorrow. The time to build that pipeline is now.

It’s still early, but we have established an exciting consortium of companies, governments, and NGOs dedicated to leveraging our collective ideas and resources to impact women and girls on three different continents. After editing this latest book–and due to our work through CGI, which recognizes the opportunity to elevate and promote women in high-growth sectors like ICT–I’m more confident than ever that organizations across sectors are invested in making an impact. As leaders, giving back is in our nature. And as global citizens, it’s in our best interests.

To purchase IIE’s book “Women in the Global Economy: Leading Social Change,” visit www.iiebooks.org.

About the Author

Trish Tierney is executive director of the Institute of International Education (IIE) in San Francisco, where she founded IIE’s Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives, and manages a diverse portfolio of global leadership, education, and exchange programs in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, women-led NGOs, and private sector partners. Tierney has led the growth of IIE’s women-focused programs, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math. She began her international education career as a WorldTeach volunteer in Namibia, followed by positions at the World Bank and Cisco Systems. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master of Arts from Johns’ Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Originally posted on the Clinton Global Initiative Blog and IIE’s Opening Minds Blog.

The TechWomen Professional Mentor Application is now open! We are seeking women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) working at companies in the San Francisco Bay Area to mentor emerging women leaders from the Middle East and Africa. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2013.

Apply to become a Professional Mentor:

• Inspire emerging women leaders to become change agents in their communities
• Build relationships with professional women across the world
• Gain cross-cultural perspective on aspects of your daily work
• Give back and share your experiences with others

What is a TechWomen Professional Mentor?

A Professional Mentor is a TechWomen volunteer who works closely with an Emerging Leader to help her grow and thrive professionally. The Mentor coaches the participant on a mutually beneficial project at the Mentor’s company during the month of October 2013 and provides daily guidance and feedback on her work. Professional Mentors will be matched with one Emerging Leader.

TechWomen Mentors have the opportunity to attend many TechWomen events in the San Francisco Bay Area, travel to Washington, D.C. in November 2013 to visit the U.S. Department of State, and travel to the Middle East and Africa for the TechWomen delegation trips in winter 2014.

Are there mentoring opportunities if I don’t work in STEM or cannot host a participant at my company’s site?

Yes! TechWomen Emerging Leaders are also matched with a Cultural Mentor. To learn more about becoming a Cultural Mentor, please visit our website. The TechWomen Cultural Mentor Application will open on June 1, 2013.

• Apply now
• Learn more about TechWomen
• Who are the TechWomen Emerging Leaders?

After a rich and memorable week of professional meetings, I came home and reflected on my time in Jordan with the TechWomen delegation. As a Program Officer for the program, I was honored and fortunate to participate alongside mentors from the United States and emerging leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa on a ten-day adventure in Jordan, including Amman, Irbid, Koura, the Dead Sea, and Petra.

With a packed schedule, each day was filled with opportunities to learn about the digital environment in Jordan and the greater Arab region. Companies such as Yahoo, HP, Palma, and N2V opened their doors and candidly spoke of the opportunities and challenges before them. We heard pitches from ambitious female technopreneurs eagerly seeking funding to grow their online platforms. While Silicon Valley may be at the center of tech innovation, countries such as Jordan are quickly becoming industry leaders in their own right.

We also connected with teenagers and young women interested in pursuing careers in STEM fields. The delegation members inspired these ladies with personal accounts of courage and sacrifice needed to succeed in their careers. Vibrant and meaningful discussions covered a wide-range of topics such as receiving parental approval, maintaining work-life balance and the intersection of faith and technology.

But it was outside the meetings where the magic really happened. The TechWomen program is a true cultural exchange program, where women from the Middle East and North Africa travel to the United States and women from the United States travel to the region. Here are my key takeaways:

First, both mentors and emerging leaders had the opportunity to make close connections with one another. Because different cohorts of TechWomen participated on the trip, some mentors and emerging leaders had only met virtually. Although everyone was able to learn a great deal about Jordan, the group also became familiar with the customs and cultures of Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, the United States and Yemen, simply from dining together, striking up conversation on the bus, and shopping alongside one another. These connections are the building blocks for life-long relationships that contribute to the strength and vitality of the TechWomen network.

Second, the trip was an opportunity for the emerging leaders to take the lead and help mentors explore the region; in essence, it was role-reversal. The emerging leaders translated Arabic into English for the mentors. They explained ingredients in hummus, kibbeh, and other delicious Arab nosh and passed along recipes. They showed the mentors how to dance to the exotic beats flowing in the restaurants each evening. With the mentors thousands of miles from California, the emerging leaders made each and every participant from the U.S. feel right at home. That warmth is something we will all strive to give back when it is our turn to welcome the next cohort of TechWomen to the Bay Area.

Finally, this trip helped mentors improve their mentoring skills. Cultural differences are plentiful and expectations and norms vary greatly. We now have a better sense of what we have in common and what we do not, and we will be more patient and tolerant of that which is different. As we open minds to the world, we promote mutual understanding that ultimately deepens relationships, strengthens the TechWomen network, and allows for partnerships and projects to flourish across the globe. Reflecting on it all, I am incredibly lucky to have a job which has allowed me to connect with such an incredible group of women. And I am confident that these new relationships will grow for years to come.

Photo caption: (From Left) Heather Ramsey, Lexi Curtice, and myself (TechWomen program staff) take a moment to enjoy the sunset at the Farewell Dinner at the Dead Sea in Jordan. Below, please find some additional photos from the trip!

Riding a camel in front of the Treasury in Petra

Visiting the ancient ruins in Jerash

Meeting with women and girls in Koura

Enjoying a Fettoush salad in the Dead Sea

]]> http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/the-magic-of-cultural-exchange/feed/ 4 techwomenmena 20130208_180105 IMG_7778 P1030557 P1030595 IMG_7460 http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/less-than-two-hours-to-go/ http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/less-than-two-hours-to-go/#comments Fri, 22 Feb 2013 20:21:52 +0000 TechWomen http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/?p=1217 Continue reading →]]>

The TechWomen application deadline is only hours away and we are doing our best to keep up with all of your email questions! Because of the high volume of emails we are receiving, we are not able to reply to each message immediately. Please allow two to five business days for a reply. Don’t panic if you don’t hear from us right away. In the meantime, many of the answers to your questions can be found below. We appreciate your patience.

I AM HAVING A TECHNICAL ISSUE

Most technical problems occur because of outdated web browsers. We ask that you update your browser and try again. Your application will not be penalized if you are unable to submit due to technical issues.

You can find the latest versions of the following web browsers at the links provided below:

• Mozilla Firefox (Version 18): http://www.mozilla.org
• Google Chrome: https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/
• Internet Explorer (9): http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/internet-explorer/download-ie

CAN MY RECOMMENDER SUBMIT THE LETTER NEXT WEEK?

Yes! We will be accepting recommendation letters through 23:59 Cairo time, March 1, 2013. Please note that it may take up to five business days for your recommendation letters to be processed and appear on your application status page.

MY RECOMMENDER IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE UPLOAD LINK

Because the deadline is approaching quickly, please forward the following information to your recommenders so that they can send their recommendation letters directly to us:

TechWomen Recommendation Letter Submission Instructions for Recommenders

1. On your organization’s letterhead, please tell us why the applicant is a good fit for the TechWomen program.
2. You may write your recommendation letter in English, Arabic, or French.
3. Send your recommendation letter as a PDF document.

Please send your recommendation letter to us at techwomen@iie.org. We will be accepting recommendation letters until 23:59 Cairo time, March 1, 2013. Note that the letter may take up to five business days to be reflected in the applicant’s file.

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF MY APPLICATION AND/OR RECOMMENDATION LETTER?

Unfortunately, we cannot answer individual questions regarding recommendation and application status. To check the status of your application and recommendation letters at any time, please log in to your application at https://www.techwomen.org/application/. Please note that recommendation letters may take up to five days to process and update on your application status page. You will know your application has been successfully submitted when there is a green check mark present next to “Application Submission Date.” 

CAN I SUBMIT MY APPLICATION NOW, OR DO I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL FOR MY RECOMMENDERS TO SUBMIT THEIR LETTERS FIRST?

Yes! Please submit your application as soon as you have filled out all of the required fields and uploaded your CV. Your recommendation letters will be automatically added to your application as soon as they are received. You will be able to continue to login to your application to check on the status of your recommendations throughout the process.

Against the backdrop of Petra, a wonder of the ancient world, forty-five women from eight countries said their goodbyes last week. The TechWomen delegation concluded with stronger bonds and increased cultural understanding between mentors and emerging leaders.

“Exciting,” and “inspired,” were some of the words used by participants to describe the events and opportunities for connectivity during the journey. The delegation participated in a networking conference at Princess Sumaya University for Technology, where Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya delivered welcoming remarks. The participants also met with N2V, one of the largest internet holding groups in Arabia focused on value creation through building and investing in Arabic consumer web and mobile ventures; INJAZ, an independent non-profit that was founded under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah with the mission to inspire and prepare young Jordanians to become productive members in their society and succeed globally; Amman Tech Tuesday, a monthly event that brings industry experts, local technologists, entrepreneurs and idea generators together in a casual setting to meet and learn from one another; and Oasis 500, a leading early stage and seed investment company, the first of its kind in Jordan and the MENA region.

TechWomen delegates also met with women and girls to encourage their participation in STEM education and careers. Inspirational talks, roundtable discussions and one to one meetings with mentors and emerging leaders provided an opportunity for girls to ask questions.

In addition to professional activities, the participants were immersed in Jordanian culture. They learned to make cuisine such as Knafeh, Freakeh, Moutabbal, Galayet Bandoora, and Hummus, at Beit Sitti, an authentic Arabic cooking school. The delegation also had the opportunity to visit some of Jordan’s most cherished sites: Jerash, the Dead Sea and Petra.

Twitter, Facebook and Blogs were buzzing with the voices of TechWomen and other participants chronicling their journey and interactions:

“The TechWomen delegation members who are mentors and our IIE staff arrived safely today in Amman Jordan – traveling from San Francisco by way of Paris,” Katy, a 2011 and 2012 Mentor, blogged on Katy’s Blog. “Tomorrow we start orientation, connect up with some of the TechWomen Emerging Leaders from MENA and our U.S. State Department, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs delegation members, and discuss our presentations and workshops for next week.”

“Many of us began Monday morning sleep deprived and jetlagged, however it didn’t take long for the excitement, inspiration, joy and love for the work that we were doing in Jordan to re-energize us,” Ayori, a 2012 Mentor, blogged on Hugging Yuri. “The agenda was packed with a visit to N2V, a technology investment holdings company, followed by visits to different companies, then presentations at Amman Tech Tuesdays (yes, Tech Tuesday happened on a Monday). It turned out to be a day of learning what Entrepreneurship and ICT (Information Communications Technology) mean for the people of Jordan and sharing our knowledge of technology, resources and connections.”

“TechWomen’s discussion of Hawaaworld women’s Arabic network. Big topics are food recipes, social events, family topics. Mostly Saudi usage,” Katy, a 2011 and 2012 Mentor, tweeted.

“Rawan Mubarak from Mjalati is talking about the contributions of the mjalati team that is 90% women to the Arabic digital world,” N2V, a delegation host site, tweeted.

“I had a fabulous, inspiring day with lots of inspiring people… TechWomen is simply amazing!” Jessica, a 2012 Emerging Leader, tweeted.

“Hosting great TechWomen mentors and mentees at Yahoo Maktoob office in Amman,” Katie, a host from Yahoo Maktoob in Amman, tweeted.

“On the way to Petra with wonderful and lovely women, I didn’t want this trip to end,” Dareen, a 2011 Emerging Leader, facebooked.

“To our beloved TechWomen delegation to Jordan… it was so lovely seeing you again, and meeting some of you for the first time! I am so grateful for the precious time we spent together this past week. I wish you all a safe trip home and hope Jordan will always be associated with good memories,” Nour, a 2012 Emerging Leader, facebooked.

Although the activities for the 2012 TechWomen program have officially concluded, the bonds, professional exchange, and cross-cultural dialogue that were initiated, continue to flourish among program participants. Next year, the TechWomen delegation trips will include countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

For more information about becoming a TechWomen Cultural or Professional Mentor, please visit www.techwomen.org.

The TechWomen Professional Mentor application will be open from April 1^st- June 1^st, 2013.

The TechWomen Cultural Mentor application will be open from June 1^st- August 1^st, 2013.

TechWomen Mentor, Ayori Selassie, visited mosque in Jordan.

TechWomen met with women and girls in Jordan.

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Professional and Cultural Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Lee Satterfield, addressed TechWomen and other program participants at Princess Sumaya University for Technology.

Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya delivered welcoming remarks at Princess Sumaya University for Technology.

TechWomen attended meetings and learned about various programs during their trip in Jordan.

TechWomen Mentors and Emerging Leaders participated in panel discussions during the delegation to Jordan.

]]> http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/collaborate-code-connect/feed/ 6 techwomenmena 20130206-tw077 62-DSC_0236-1 20130206-tw026 20130206-tw031 20130206-tw067-2 20130206-tw117 20130206-tw155 http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/only-10-days-left-to-apply-to-the-2013-techwomen-program/ http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/only-10-days-left-to-apply-to-the-2013-techwomen-program/#comments Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:52:11 +0000 TechWomen http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/?p=1172 Continue reading →]]>

The application deadline for the 2013 TechWomen program is quickly approaching!

With the deadline only 10 days away, here are a few tips to ensure that your application is complete:

1. The deadline to submit your application is 23:59 Cairo time, February 22, 2013.

All application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted by this deadline.

2. A complete application consists of:

• A submitted online application;
• CV/Resume; and
• Two letters of recommendation (a third letter is optional).

3. All application materials must be submitted electronically.

4. All application materials, except recommendation letters, must be submitted in English.

5. Don’t forget to submit your application! Your application will NOT be considered complete until it is submitted.

To check the status of your application and recommendations, please log in to your application and go to the Application Status page. There, you will be able to see if your recommenders have submitted their letters, and if your application has been submitted.

Lastly, please take a moment to check out the blog post we published exactly one year ago, “Last Minute Tips for the TechWomen Mentee Application,” for more tips.

If you have any questions about the TechWomen application or program, please don’t hesitate to email us at techwomen@iie.org. Good luck, everyone!

First official day of volunteer work with the TechWomen for the U.S. Department of State Delegation to Jordanwas incredible. Many of us began Monday morning sleep deprived and jetlagged, however it didn’t take long for the excitement, inspiration, joy and love for the work that we were doing in Jordan to re-energize us. The agenda was packed with a visit to N2V, a technology investment holdings company, followed by visits to different companies, then presentations at Amman Tech Tuesdays (yes, Tech Tuesday happened on a Monday).It turned out to be a day of learning what Entrepreneurship and ICT (Information Communications Technology) mean for the people of Jordan and sharing our knowledge of technology, resources and connections.

Rami Al-Karmi kicked us off with presentations and pitches from local entrepreneurs in Jordan, followed by talking about what N2V does, and allowing us to ask questions. He was such a good sport when he was grilled on how he planned to provide strategy and support for women in technology and even offered to setup an online network where women can contribute and facilitate technical discussions, collaboration and strategy for the advancement of women. Kudos to Rami!

Continue reading →

Although we generally loathe dwelling on the woulda, coulda, shoulda moments in life, we can’t deny that sometimes, hindsight can be a very insightful form of wisdom. What better way to prepare for the future than learning from the experience of others?

In an effort to tap into the secrets of remarkable women with successful careers in STEM, we reached out to the TechWomen community of past emerging leaders, mentors, female tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, investors and role models through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and asked, “What career advice would you give to your younger self?”

The response was tremendous. Here are 10 of the most powerful insights they shared:

1. Don’t limit yourself to one industry or line of work.

If your Computer Science degree is the only reason you are a programmer, it’s time to re-explore your options. Likewise, if you think you can’t successfully launch a tech startup because you don’t have a background in tech, think again. The scope of fields in STEM is broad, and the types of jobs found in these fields are diverse. These innovative industries are dynamic and always changing. The trick is finding a cozy niche that allows you to exercise your strengths while tickling the curiosity and whims of your playful inner child.

2. Be patient.

At one time or another, we’ve all got to pay our dues. You may not get your dream job right out of college. That’s okay. There are lots of things to be learned, if you listen and open your mind. Learn as much as you can from each job, as it will prepare you for better opportunities in the future. It may be a long, tough journey to get to where you want to be, but isn’t that what makes life fun? Enjoy the adventure, and learn from it. You’ll grow.

3. Be patient, but don’t settle.

Don’t wait passively. Life doesn’t wait for you. Seize opportunities that come your way. Decide what you want to do with your life and determine the things you need to do to get there. Start doing, now. Even if you take small steps, these steps will bring you closer to your goals, wherever they may be.

4. Be focused and do the work.

Being good at something requires some effort. Being really good at something requires a little more effort. But being great at something requires lots of focused effort. Sure, we’ve all heard about the overnight successes, underdog geniuses and college dropouts who made it to the top in the blink of an eye, but scratch beneath the surface of any individual with rare talent, and you’ll find someone who has put in thousands of hours honing their skills. There are no shortcuts.

5. Know what you’re worth.

Don’t underestimate your capabilities. Others will regard you the same way you regard yourself. If you don’t value yourself, others will undervalue you as well. Value yourself highly, and others will follow. Be more confident in your abilities and ask for more.

6. Be a role model.

Role models are people who possess the qualities we would like to have; they make us want to be better. Aim to be a role model for others, and be the best one you can be. Your little sisters, the kids you used to babysit, the new college hires—they’re all watching. Show them your best side. Be inspirational.

7. Be humble and cultivate relationships.

Never be too proud to admit that you’ve made a mistake, to ask for help, to apologize, or to thank others. Even in data-driven, results-oriented high-tech professions, people matter. Cultivate good relationships with a wide variety of people.

8. Have a personal advisory board.

It’s a myth that you can do it all on your own. You don’t know everything. Accept it. Find people who know the things you don’t know, or people who may think differently about the things you think you have mastered, and ask for their feedback. You don’t have to suit up and hold weekly board meetings, but everyone—no matter where they are in life—should have their own inner circle of trusted advisors to support them and help guide them through life’s decisions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Someone has to have your back.

9. Never give up!

Your willpower is one of the few things in life you can control. When doubts slip in, don’t get bogged down. Motivate yourself to keep going!

10. Take risks. Don’t fear failure.

Don’t be afraid to fail, or to try again. As Maya Angelou once wrote:

Courage allows the successful woman to fail-
and learn powerful lessons-
from the failure-
so that in the end,
she didn’t fail at all.

We hope these snippets of wisdom galvanize you to take action and work towards achieving your dreams!

Do you have any advice to share? Please leave a comment!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – U.S. Author, Mark Twain

Calling women around the world!

Calling leaders in technology!

Calling entrepreneurs!

Calling dreamers and adventurers!

We are currently seeking candidates for the next cohort of TechWomen Emerging Leaders from across the Middle East and Africa. We invite you to apply for the fall 2013 program. The application deadline is less than a month away.

TechWomen is not your average mentoring program. This is a hands-on, transformative experience that aims to build the power of the next generation of women leaders in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) to deeply impact their field and the world.

TechWomen alumnae are indeed changing the world – past participants have returned home to launch and grow businesses, create nonprofit organizations, develop mentoring initiatives, and share their experiences in the international news. TechWomen are turning their dreams into reality.

In 2013, we’re expanding the program and recruiting from sixteen countries in the Middle East and Africa. Our alumnae are actively spreading the word about the program to their friends and networks in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, and Yemen. We’ve also been using social media and other outlets to reach women in the new program countries – Cameroon, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

In the last two years, we have seen magic happen when women from different countries, cultures and backgrounds connect and gather together through the TechWomen program. This year, with more countries and more participants, we can only imagine the endless possibilities for collaboration, creativity and inspiration.

We invite you to review our eligibility requirements and apply online by February 22^nd. Please spread the word to other dreamers and doers in the Middle East and Africa. The TechWomen community is waiting for you!

Last week I joined more than 75 thought leaders from 20 countries working in civil society, academia, government, the private sector, and the UN who convened at IIE in Washington, DC, for the first international Working Forum on Women, Information and Communication Technologies and Development (WICTAD), co-hosted by the Department of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and UN Women. During the two-day forum, we explored opportunities for increased collaboration to expand women’s and girls’ access to and opportunities in information and communication technologies (ICTs). Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, Melanne Verveer, gave opening remarks at the event, stating that, “Technology is one of the highest potential ways to address development challenges. It is the great equalizer for women and we must improve access to ICT and close the Internet gender gap”.

Ambassador Verveer highlighted the importance of programs such as TechWomen, an initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, managed by IIE, that connects emerging women leaders in tech from the Middle East and Africa to their counterparts in Silicon Valley through an exchange and mentorship program.

During the opening plenary, Intel launched its new “Women in the Web” report. The report found that only 21% or 600 million women in the world are online today. The report set an ambitious, yet achievable, goal of doubling the number of women online to 1.2 billion in the next three years, which set the stage for the WICTAD discussion groups.

Opening panels included representatives from Grameen Foundation, World Bank, UN Women, International Telecommunications Union and GSMA.  Following the plenary, participants worked in breakout groups to identify action items related to priority areas such as ICT Careers, Political Participation, Digital Literacy, Entrepreneurship and Content Production.

On the second day of the forum, I co-facilitated an informal discussion with Ann Mei Chang, Senior Advisor for Women and Technology in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, about the Women Leading Women in ICT (WLW-ICT) commitment for the Clinton Global Initiative. The WLW-ICT is co-led by IIE, the Office of Global Women’s Issues and the Global Fund for Women and includes private sector, NGO, government and academic partners.

Lastly, at the forum, I was once again reminded of the small interconnected world in which we live and the impact of programs such as Fulbright (administered by IIE on behalf of the US Department of State). I had the great pleasure of meeting Dorothy Okello, Founder of Women of Uganda Network, Lecturer at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, and recipient of numerous prestigious awards in the ICT sector. Dorothy was a Fulbright student in the early nineties when she met my dear IIE colleague, Laurie Stevens. Laurie invited Dorothy to spend the Christmas holiday with her family after meeting her at a Fulbright pre-academic orientation in DC. Spending the holidays with Laurie gave Dorothy a new understanding and appreciation of Americans and our diversity. Dorothy told me that she considered her Fulbright experience to be the launching pad for all that she has achieved since.

Heather Ramsey with Dorothy Okello.

Heather Ramsey is the Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at IIE’s Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives in San Francisco, CA
Twitter: @iiewomen ; @techwomen ; @hramseyiiesf ; #WICTAD

Photo Courtesy of WES

“It was amazing,” posted a 2012 TechWomen Emerging Leader on a photograph of her on Facebook where she was reflecting on the ideas shared by other participants at the six-day Women’s Enterprise for Sustainability (WES) Training of Trainers (TOT) in Tunisia.

The 2012 Tunisian TechWomen alumnae participated in a training that started with a three-day Innovative Leadership TOT led by Barbara Fittipaldi from Center for New Futures. Participants gained skills to support women in their communities and develop as leaders, entrepreneurs, and managers in a climate of rapid change. On day four, trainer Beth Kanter and co-trainer Stephanie Rudat facilitated a workshop, Becoming a Networked NGO: Using Social Media Effectively, which exposed participants to concepts around transparency, openness and what it means to be a networked NGO.

WES is an entrepreneurship and business capacity building program developed in response to the U.S. State Department’s Office of Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)’s Tunisia: Supporting a Democratic Transition Annual Program Statement. The program provides training on business sustainability for women’s organizations and entrepreneurship for individual women in Tunisia.

The Women’s Enterprise for Sustainability (WES) program undertakes a two-pronged approach and provides targeted training in the areas of leadership, entrepreneurship, and social media to both local Tunisian organizations that operate WES centers and individual Tunisian women entrepreneurs who launch, build and grow their businesses.

2012 TechWomen Emerging Leaders from Tunisia

Painting by Fabiola Addamo entitled TechWomen

Reflections of a TechWoman Mentor from Catania 

I believe in courage. And, I believe that everything is possible in life.

In the city of Catania I was an unemployed girl, full of dreams. I finished my degree in piano performance at the Vincenzo Bellini Musical Institute in 1996. Despite the fact that I was a young, award winning, talented pianist, I was never able to secure concrete job opportunities. I also attended law school and completed 11 out of 22 exams required to finish the degree. This was before I took off on a trip to the United States.

In my household I am the first person who attended university. I was never exposed to professional career options at home. My dad worked in a bank and my mom was a housewife. We were an average Sicilian family. During my youth, I often felt like a bird with clipped wings. I was never able to understand the reason why life was predictably flat.

My future looked like this: Become a lawyer or marry a man to provide me with support. Because I did not know the right people, if I went into law, I would have ended up either underpaid or unemployed. If I became a lawyer, I could have aspired, at best, to buy an apartment one day. I elected to do neither. Instead, one day, I decided to start an English program based on The Callan Method. I completed the first Cambridge level examination. The exam opened the way to the beautiful option of an, “Unpredictable future.”

With a luggage full of dreams, I arrived in San Francisco, CA in April 2001. I worked in a pastry shop in North Beach. I attended San Francisco State University (SFSU) and paid my own way through my studies. One day, in 2003, I received a life altering phone call from Italy informing me that my father had suddenly passed. The news transformed me into a focused and determined woman. I developed a plan to finish a quick B.A. and start Law School. But I soon learned that plans don’t always go the way you want them.

In 2005, I obtained a degree in Italian with a minor in Anthropology. At this time, I was also hired into my first tech job in Silicon Valley. At first I worked as a translator. I was soon able to join the marketing team. On weekends, I also worked as a quality rater for Google. Soon after, I started working at Google as a contractor. There, I completed my first great work experience. At Google, I was finally part of big structured company with innovative ideas. The environment was perfect for my ambitious mind. I worked there at different intervals for 1-2 years. Through this job, I was introduced to another brief opportunity in Europe where I worked for company called Lionbridge.

After I felt I had gained adequate on-the-job experience, I elected to leave Google. In 2007 I started working at Yahoo! For 5-years, Yahoo! Provided me with full professional growth. I gained experience many receive when they attend a high-priced MBA program. I turned myself into an expert of corporate tech. My ambitious and curious mind was exposed to the most innovative products and business contacts. At Yahoo! I met people I deeply admire and formed long lasting friendships. Yahoo! allowed me to discover a world of opportunities that I never found in my hometown. It provided me with options I have always sought. These were opportunities based on a culture of meritocracy.

In 2010, I joined the TechWomen as a mentor. This experience changed my life. I learned and listened to the success stories of other women—women that have the ability to improve the diplomatic interaction between countries. I found myself intertwined in a wonderful network of professional women, mentees and mentors.

Briefly following my mentorship, Yahoo! provided me the opportunity to be a speaker in the city of Cairo, Egypt, for the Yahoo! Business and Human Rights Conference on Women where I met incredible and inspiring women.

In August 2010 I had an unusual and unexpected dream. My dad visited me during my sleep and told me to sketch and paint. When I woke up, I sketched the dream in my secret diary. I was surprised to notice the beauty and uniqueness of this sketch. I have never stopped sketching and painting since then. Following the dream, I started painting lessons a few blocks away from my home in San Francisco.

In 2012 I lost my job at Yahoo!. I was part of a big wave of layoffs. This experience gave me the courage to try one more change in life. I decided to show my paintings to an art gallery in Saratoga, and after being juried, my art became exposed there.

At this juncture in my life, I decided to follow my dreams to the fullest.

In 2012, I found the need to assist others. I wanted to give back. As a result, I joined the San Francisco chapter of the United Nations Associations where I met amazing people. Through the United Nations Association, I was given the opportunity to visit Washington, DC for their national annual meeting. In DC, I connected with minds as curious as mine. I made new friends and discussed initiatives for women with the American political representatives.

I found myself talking about other career options—options that I always wanted to have for myself in my country. I talked about original solutions for our society that would start welcoming women as equal to men. A woman listened to my ideas and shared with me the opportunity to join a program at Santa Clara University called Women Leaders for the World. I applied and got a scholarship. Last summer I completed the GWLN program.

I continued painting and a gallery of fine arts in Saratoga offered me to have a monthly exhibit. This group of strangers provided me with the opportunity to make my art known.

At the end of Summer 2012, I received a phone call from an old friend from when I was working in the pastry shop 2001. He proposed to create the website for my art free of charge. As a result, I was able to have my first art exhibit and my first website.

After my art exhibit, I took off for another visit to Washington, DC as part of the 2012 TechWomen program. There another opportunity appeared. A fellow mentor shared the chance to join a group, Geeks on a Plane. I applied and I was accepted to join a new adventure that allowed me to meet start-ups, investors, and executives to learn about technology markets worldwide. In Washington, DC I was also introduced to the Cherie Blair Foundation where I had the valuable opportunity to join their program.

In mid-October I received the opportunity to have my art displayed as part of the San Francisco open studios in an art gallery in North Beach. While traveling with the Geeks on a Plane initiative, I received an email from an English woman that informed me that their art curator liked my art. The curator gave me the opportunity to have my art exhibited in New York City and Miami.

The Middle East brought me good luck. It was there that I also signed a 6-month contract with an art gallery in Scottsdale and had the opportunity to have my art exposed at Calvin Charles Gallery for an exhibit. They became my first exclusive agents in Arizona.

I am now writing this blog post from Italy. I am writing this to tell the TechWomen community that I create and continue to create the life of my dreams. My story is the story of a woman who is ready to reinvent herself, and to create an unpredictable future. As a result of my experience, I am conceptualizing a mentorship program for women called, “Mentorship Without Borders”.

Dreams do not die at sunrise. That is when they become reality.

Photo courtesy of Katy Dickinson

Melanne S. Verveer, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues is co-hosting the inaugural international forum on Women, Information and Communication Technologies and Development (WICTAD), today at the Institute of International Education (IIE) office in Washington, D.C.

The two-day forum, co-hosted by the Department of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and UN Women, has brought together representatives from civil society, academia, government, the private sector, and the UN to assess the social, economic, and political implications of the gender gap in internet access, according to the press notice released by the Department of State on January 8, 2013.

Ambassador Melanne S. Verveer addressed the 2012 TechWomen Delegation at a luncheon hosted at the Department of State in October.

Read more regarding the inaugural international forum on women, information and communication technologies and development.

The TechWomen Emerging Leader application is open until February 22, 2013.

Follow the conference hashtag #WICTAD and TechWomen Director Heather Ramsey (@hramseyiiesf) for updates from Washington, DC.

The TechWomen team wishes you a successful and prosperous 2013!

As we enter the New Year, we continue to think of the 41 TechWomen Emerging Leaders and their mentors who participated in the 2012 program from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Tunisia and Yemen.

2013 holds many adventures for our team as we expand to include women from Cameroon, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe. We look forward to collecting applications from yet another set of uniquely talented women who are shaping the worlds in which they live.

To apply for the 2013 TechWomen program please visit www.techwomen.org. The Emerging Leader Application deadline is February 22^nd, 2013.

Photo courtesy of IVLP program

Divine Ndhlukula, Juliana Rotich and Mariéme Jamme are a few inspirational African women at the forefront of technology and entrepreneurship. They are paving the way for other women in their countries. They are leaders in their communities who are helping initiate change and create greater prosperity. According to recent article in the New York Times, in 21^st-century Africa, businesswomen are pushing into the national scenes of their countries as movers and shakers of industry.

Recently, Forbes magazine compiled a list of 20 impressive young African women. “These women are unconflicted about themselves, who they are and the role they play, not only within their families but in their countries and the world at large,” the article stated.

The accomplishments of these women are impressive and inspirational. Divine Ndhlukula is the founder of Securio, an industry leader in providing custom guard services and cutting-edge electronic security solutions based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Julia Rotich is one of the founders of Ushahidi, a Nairobi-based tech company that specializes in developing free and open source software. Mariéme Jamme, a social entrepreneur and technologist, co-founded Africa Gathering, the first global platform where entrepreneurs and experts meet and share ideas about development in Africa.

Africa’s encouragement of women to pursue education and careers in the science and technology sector is widely acknowledged. Innovation in science and technology are key factors in achieving growth, and women need to be included. Many women and men have come to realize that empowering women through technology and education will transform countries.

Mentorship can have a very positive impact on women.  The 2011 and 2012 TechWomen participants testify to this fact. Recently, the International Business Times (IB Times) wrote an article highlighting the achievements of ten 2012 TechWomen participants. The article spoke about the impact the TechWomen program has had on the participants. “The world needs people courageous enough, determined enough and smart enough to make it better. And women have it all and much more. I would say, never let anyone put you down, follow your dream and you’ll figure along the way how to get there,” the article quoted Jessica Obeid, 2012 TechWomen Emerging Leader.

In recognition of the impact women in technology and women entrepreneurs are having in Africa, the Department of State announced in March that the TechWomen program will expand to eight new countries in 2013. These countries include seven from Sub-Saharan Africa. Eligible women from Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe who are looking for an opportunity to be mentored by women at leading companies in Silicon Valley are encouraged to apply.

For more information on eligibility criteria and how to apply, please visit www.techwomen.org

The application deadline is February 22^nd, 2013.

Jessica Obeid, 2012 TechWomen participant, and Fabiola Addamo, a TechWomen Cultural Mentor, at the Department of State luncheon.

This video provides detailed information regarding the TechWomen application process. Eligible candidates should watch the video in its entirety prior to applying for the TechWomen program.

The TechWomen Emerging Leader application deadline is February 22nd, 2013. For more information, please visit http://www.techwomen.org.

Photo Courtesy of Tatyana Kanzaveli

“Do you have fire?” Desiree Burch asked the crowd. “Discover that fire – do not push it away. It is who you are!”

Desiree was one of many speakers at the TEDxBayArea Global Women Entrepreneurs Event held on December 1^st at the LinkedIn Headquarters in Mountain View, CA.  The event featured talks by inspirational women and men encouraging women entrepreneurs to dream big and take risks. Arezoo Miot, TechWomen Program Officer, attended the event to connect with the local community of women entrepreneurs.

One of the main focuses of the event was to encourage women entrepreneurs. A number of the featured presenters spoke about the importance of following dreams, being persistent and believing in onesself in the face of adversity–all qualities the TechWomen program is looking for when selecting participants.

This year, the TechWomen program is placing an even bigger emphasis on finding candidates who have demonstrated entrepreneurialism and innovation in their careers and/or communities.

A talk given by Zhanna Sharipova, co-founder of Dish.fm, perfectly summed up a message all women entrepreneurs should take to heart. She talked about her journey as an entrepreneur, reminding the crowd, “not be afraid to fail – only be afraid of not having an opportunity to learn. The only way to learn is to try; do not be afraid of dying – be afraid not to live. Pursue your dreams!”

The TechWomen program has inspired its 2011 and 2012 participants with this same message and will do so again in 2013 for participants from Africa and the Middle East.

Arezoo noted that TechWomen is becoming a well-known name in the local women entrepreneur community. A number of people involved with the TechWomen program attended the event; Francine Gordon, 2011 and 2012 TechWomen mentor, was one of the event’s co-organizers, and other TechWomen mentors such as Laura Yecies, Shannon McElyea and Lucie Newcomb could be found amongst the crowd.

It was not just in the Bay Area that TechWomen were present. TechWomen from other parts of the world had the opportunity to attend and speak at their local TEDxWomen Event.  2012 Emerging Leader Rajaa Khouimi talked about her TechWomen experience at the TEDxWomen event in Rabat, Morocco, where she spread the word about the program and encouraged eligible applicants to apply for TechWomen 2013.

TechWomen is looking forward to receiving applications from inspiring candidates. The deadline for the 2013 Emerging Leader application is February 22nd, 2013. To apply, please visit www.techwomen.org.

Photo Courtesy of Tatyana Kanzaveli

Photo Courtesy of Tatyana Kanzaveli

When 27-year-old Noha Abousonna returned home from the TechWomen program, her start-up quickly took notice of her newly developed skills and provided her with additional responsibilities. “My company understood that I now have connections with investors. I have promoted my company well. They know I could more.”

Months earlier, Noha applied to the TechWomen program as an entrepreneur who understood the importance of expressed cultural connectivity. Her plan was to record and take notes of her experiences and make them available for everyone to read through social media. But she was shy, reluctant and fearful. “Before I came to TechWomen I had stage phobia,” said Noha. “I couldn’t do a presentation in front of small groups of people or a large audience.”

In January 2009, prior to joining the TechWomen program, Noha developed a desire to build her own company. She craved an innovative space where she would have the freedom to turn her dream application ideas into reality. It was her appetite for innovation that helped her begin the journey that led her to the TechWomen program. At the time, she had secure employment. However, her drive to produce something new was stronger than her desire to fit in with the norm, so she left behind the known for the unknown and went to start her own company. “Everyone around me called me crazy and unrealistic to think about leaving my job,” she wrote in her TechWomen application. But Noha imagined being part of building and enabling an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Egypt.

Continue reading →

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

TechWomen brings emerging women leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) from the Middle East and Africa together with their counterparts in the United States for a professional mentorship and exchange program. TechWomen connects and supports the next generation of women entrepreneurs in STEM fields by providing them access and opportunity to advance their careers and pursue their dreams.

During the five-week program, participants engage in project-based mentorships at leading companies in Silicon Valley, participate in workshops and networking events throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and travel to Washington, D.C. for targeted meetings and special events to conclude the program.

EMERGING LEADER APPLICATION

Participants are women who are engaged or rising in professional careers that require significant expertise and knowledge of STEM fields and/or innovative application of these skills, and who already are –or show promise of being—role models for others in their countries, particularly for women.

TechWomen is accepting applications for the 2013 program from women who are permanent residents of Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

U.S.-BASED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Professional Enrichment

Each Emerging Leader is paired with a Professional Mentor who works closely with the participant to design and implement a mutually beneficial project at the host company. The Professional Mentor offers guidance and support throughout the mentorship. Emerging Leaders also participate in professional enrichment activities that include leadership and entrepreneurship workshops, technology seminars and networking events.

Cultural Enrichment

Each TechWomen Emerging Leader is paired with a Cultural Mentor who facilitates activities to deepen mutual understanding and help the participant acclimate to the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley culture. Past activities have included sightseeing, art exhibits, sporting events, and visits to local universities. Participants will also have the opportunity to tour national landmarks while in Washington, D.C.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

An applicant must:

• Be a woman with a minimum of two years of full-time professional experience in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and/or a career requiring significant expertise/knowledge/application of technology;
• Have a university degree;
• Be proficient in written and spoken English;
• Demonstrate a willingness to participate in exchange programs, welcome opportunities for mentoring and new partnership development, and exhibit confidence and maturity;
• Be citizens or permanent residents of Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Yemen or Zimbabwe at the time of application, and while participating in the program;
• Not have applied for an immigrant visa to the United States, or participated in a visa lottery in the past five years;
• Be able to obtain a U.S. visa;
• Not hold U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. legal permanent resident.

Preference will be given to applicants who:

• Have demonstrated themselves as emerging leaders in STEM fields;
• Have limited or no prior experience in the United States;
• Have a record of voluntary or public service in their communities;
• Have demonstrated entrepreneurialism and commitment to innovation.

TechWomen is Seeking Applicants for the Fall 2013 Program! To apply to be a 2013 TechWomen Emerging Leader, please visit www.TechWomen.org

Application deadline: February 22nd, 2013

When Evelyn Zoubi applied to the 2012 TechWomen program, she did not believe she would be accepted. As a 25-year-old Jordanian entrepreneur, she faced a myriad of obstacles. Some even laughed at her ideas. But she did not give up.

In 2007, Evelyn was a visionary student at a top Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) university in the Middle East. During her time as a student, she often mulled about the impression she made on people. In her opinion, wardrobe plays a big part in creating lasting imprints on people’s minds. “At the time, I often did not know what to wear and I would take a moment to remember if I had worn something twice in a row with the same person,” said Evelyn. “It was at this time that I began experimenting with digitizing my wardrobe. Most investment panelists underestimated the need women had for clothing related technologies. But to her surprise, the most supportive individuals were the ones that comprehended the concept of digitizing wardrobe the least, her professors. “My professor thought it was a great idea and strongly encouraged me to pursue it,” said Evelyn.

Continue reading »

An engraved cedar wood business card holder from Lebanon serves as a souvenir from the 2012 TechWomen program for Lexi Curtice, Program Coordinator. The gift is a small reminder of the larger impact the women who departed the United States three weeks prior, left behind, on staff. “Being part of TechWomen is a very rewarding and enriching experience. The program is really intense. You learn a lot from the participants and you give them a piece of yourself,” said Lexi. “Everyone crossed borders and created new networks. My eyes were opened to a lot of possibilities.”

The TechWomen team spends eleven months preparing to welcome the Emerging Leaders to the United States. With their arrival, the team embraces an intense pace partially dictated by logistics to ensure that every moment spent within the program enhances the lives of those involved. In the process, friendships are built between staff and program participants that leave lifelong impressions. “I was not expecting it to touch me this much,” said Arezoo Miot, Program Officer. “It went beyond just being my job; I was affected on a personal level. There was a strong connection with the women, and I was really sad to see them leave. These women are so strong. They leave their families behind to enrich themselves professionally and to return as leaders to their countries.”

The strength and ambition exuded by the women is contagious. The Emerging Leaders bring to surface how much all professional women, globally, share in common. “This was the best month of my professional life so far,” said Beth Garriott, Senior Program Officer. Beth had only been with the TechWomen program a few days prior to the Emerging Leader’s arrival. “I bonded with the women right from day one. I talked to some of them about my new baby and their experiences with motherhood. They were so friendly and warm. The experience was amazing and unexpected.”

The 2012 TechWomen have managed to inspire the team with their dedication. They helped break down barriers, proving that the program influences everyone that is involved.  “I knew all the participants’ names because of the work I had done with processing the applications. It was very rewarding to get to know them personally and to see how inspiring they are,” said Diana Guan, Program Associate. “They made me realize what I can become and that I am capable of achieving great things. They are fantastic role models!”

The TechWomen’s display of dedication to professional growth encouraged team members to think differently about the availability of opportunities in the United States. “They helped me appreciate what I have accessible to me as far as education is concerned,” said Mizgon Darby, Communications Officer.  “The women were strong and resilient. One of them told us about how she defended her thesis after an explosion back home.  Their courage is addicting.”

The TechWomen team has started preparations for the 2013 program which will welcome Emerging Leaders from 16 countries, eight more than this year. The program’s expansion is an exciting prospect that will require a lot of preparation and the staff looks forward to once again being inspired.  “I am in such awe of the bravery, openness, energy and ambition of the Emerging Leaders,” said Heather Ramsey, Director of Strategic Partnerships.  “This experience is not easy, but the women take it on with grace, tenacity, a spirit of curiosity and a desire to build real understanding. I am so grateful to be a part of TechWomen!”

Heather Ramsey, Arezoo Miot and Beth Garriott at TechWomen Twitter Community Celebration.

Beth Garriott, Arezoo Miot, Lexi Curtice and Diana Guan pose for a photograph with the 2012 TechWomen at the Mozilla Farewell Celebration in San Francisco.

Heather Ramsey with 2012 TechWomen Emerging Leader at Mozilla Farewell Celebration in San Francisco. Photograph courtesy of Katy Dickinson.

During their journey in the United States, the TechWomen participants left their footprints in many places. One of the stops along the path for three TechWomen from Lebanon, Egypt and Algeria was the Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough, CA. The TechWomen’s intent for this visit was to learn more about education and everyday life in the United States. What they did not expect was that this exchange would capture the hearts and minds of the students they encountered.

Upon their arrival to the school, the TechWomen took part in panel discussions with the students. One discussion was attended by thirteen well-informed eleventh and twelfth grade pupils who asked questions about topics ranging from politics and economics to society and religion. They listened intently to gain a deeper understanding of the Middle East and North Africa region. The second panel took place with an audience of thirty-seven curious seventh grade students who mulled about complex questions and vocalized their opinions about misinformed news.

Following the panel, the TechWomen had an opportunity to explore the school campus and observe lunchtime activities. One was surprised to see a group of middle school students assist during clean-up activities. Similar to the students, the TechWomen admitted that they too had arrived at the visit with a set of expectations and prejudices that were quickly dissolved.

After the visit, the students were given an assignment to reflect on the topic of stereotypes. They were asked to recall when they either stereotyped individuals or had someone typecast them.

In response to the assignment, one seventh grader wrote:

Stereotypes are dangerous because you can offend someone and then they might hold a grudge against you. When the three women from the Middle East came to our school, I assumed they would not have a lot of technology. I also thought they would not speak a lot of English. I was surprised when three businesswomen came inside Ms. Wade’s classroom. Then, they talked about how their country was almost the same as America. They also spoke about education in their countries. Surprisingly, most women chose to go to college and to work for well-known companies. I think I should not stereotype anyone because if you do not know them, then do not assume they are something because you are probably wrong.

This experience undoubtedly changed the lives of both the Emerging Leaders and the students they encountered at Crystals Springs. The TechWomen program made the world a little smaller for both of them.

TechWomen at Crystal Springs Uplands School

TechWomen with Crystal Springs Uplands School Staff

About the Crystal Springs Uplands School

Crystal Springs Uplands School is an independent is a co-ed college preparatory school for grades six through twelve. It has a student population of approximately 350.

About the Event Organizers

The event was organized by Rekha Pai-Kamath and Ms. Nicole Sorger. Rekha served as a TechWomen Professional Mentor at Juniper Networks for the 2012 TechWomen program. Her daughter attends Crystal Springs.

Nicole Sorger is a history teacher at Crystal Springs. She has a remarkable background in international development, Middle Eastern affairs, and conflict resolution. Before her career as an educator, Nicole traveled extensively in Israel and Palestine consulting on democracy assistance programs for the Palestinian Legislative Council and worked with nonprofit organizations in Ramallah.

The TechWomen 2012 delegation concluded its journey with the TechWomen program in Washington, DC on October 11th. “Every one of us followed the same path this last month, but none of our actual journeys were the same. They only shared one commonality, it was life-changing,” said one program participant from Lebanon.

From October 6th to 11th, the TechWomen traveled to the nation’s capital, as a finale to their six-week long immersion experience in the United States. Upon arrival, their first stop was to the White House. “I can’t believe we are here,” said one Mentor. “Anything is possible,” responded an Emerging Leader.

The next day, the TechWomen continued their journey by partaking in a city tour by morning and a monuments tour by evening. “I was crying at the Lincoln Memorial,” said one Emerging Leader. “I can’t believe I have this opportunity right now. I’m in disbelief.”

On October 8th, the TechWomen attended the second-half of a full-day “Innovative Leadership” workshop led by Barbara Fittipaldi, Chief Executive Officer for the Center for New Futures, in Washington D.C. Barbara is an inspirational speaker who addressed the group of professionals and led them through interactive, hands-on training. “I believe I can do things now that I never believed I was able to do before,” claimed one Emerging Leader. “This workshop has taken down barriers that stood in the way of me thinking I could accomplish things in life,” said another Emerging Leader.

On October 9th, the TechWomen Emerging Leaders began their morning with a breakfast meeting at Facebook featuring Marne Levine, Vice President of Global Public Policy.

Following their time at Facebook, the TechWomen Emerging Leaders and Mentors were hosted by the Department of State for a presentation that featured a panel presentation by Victoria Esser, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State; Katie Dowd, Innovation Advisor to the Secretary of State; and Macon Phillips, White House New Media Director. The panelists openly discussed their social media strategies and the platforms that they use to make a difference in the political sphere. The TechWomen had an opportunity to engage in discussions and ask questions surrounding censorship, open platforms and usage of social media tools.

In the evening, the TechWomen attended a presentation regarding how the U.S. government and Non-Profits leverage technology for a social good hosted by the New America Foundation.

The last day of the TechWomen program commenced with a stirring elections panel. “When I got back to my room, I quickly revised everything I had prepared for our political party back home and I used the input that was provided by the elections panel to revise the way we think,” said one Emerging Leader. “I am a voter, and I did not have such important information about how the elections process works,” said an American Mentor.

The day continued with a luncheon featuring Ann Stock, Assistant Secretary of State. Assistant Secretary Stock welcomed the Tech Women and congratulated them on completing the program. The luncheon continued with a panel moderated by Dee Dee Myers, former White House Press Secretary, featuring TechWomen Mentors and Emerging Leaders.

“Through this experience, I realized that as women in the mid-east we have the same problems as the women here. Women here have the same problems with men. Before, I thought we needed 90 years for a woman in Oracle in the Middle East to be a VP. Now I know I can do it when I go home,” said an Emerging Leader.

Following the events at the Department of State, the day – and the TechWomen program – concluded with a farewell dinner celebration.

One TechWomen participant proclaimed, “Imagine if we had a UN that operated like this. I don’t think you really realize the enormous difference that this project is making. Clearly, utterly and absolutely changing the world.”

TechWomen at the Department of State Elections Panel

TechWomen attend luncheon at Department of State

TechWomen with Assistant Secretary Ann Stock

TechWomen attend Barbara Fittipaldi Workshop at Georgetown University

TechWomen engage in cultural immersion by visiting Washington monuments.

The 2012 TechWomen Emerging Leaders kicked off the second phase of the program with the TechWomen Entrepreneurship Workshop on October 1st. The workshop occurred after completing three weeks of professional mentorships at technology companies in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The full-day event was hosted at the Mountain View office of Fenwick and West LLP, a major technology and life sciences law firm whose clients include tech giants Apple, Facebook, Virgin Group, Google, Twitter, and Hewlett Packard.

The event was organized by the Institute of International Education and the TechWomen Entrepreneurship Advisory Committee comprised of Jill Finlayson, Menekse Gencer, and Anar Simpson. The Advisory Committee members are all currently serving their second year as TechWomen Mentors. While the first three weeks of the TechWomen program focused on projects-based professional development and cultural enrichment, the last two weeks of the program focused on building leadership skills, entrepreneurship, and innovation.  

The workshop included lively panel discussions and practical breakout sessions led by accomplished entrepreneurs and experts in the field. The event featured 15 speakers:

• Susan Burns, Global Footprint Network
• Pascal Finette, Mozilla
• Jill Finlayson, Dallant Networks
• Megan Gardner, Plum District
• Menekse Gencer, mPay Connect
• Dylan Higgins, KopoKopo
• Ben Horowitz, Andreessen Horowitz
• Lila Ibrahim, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
• Maha Ibrahim, Canaan Partners
• Sandy Jen, Meebo
• Meera Kaul, Optimus
• Sepideh Nasiri, Women 2.0
• Hiten Shah, KISSmetrics
• Anar Simpson, Parallel Earth
• Mark Straub, Khosla Impact Fund

In her opening keynote Megan Gardner emphasized the role of risk in entrepreneurship. She cited voices of discouragement from society, tradition, upbringing, education, and the human mind as sources of risk. “Starting a business is like riding a rollercoaster,” she explained, describing the ups, downs, fear, anticipation, doubt, and adrenaline that flood the body before hopping aboard a rollercoaster. Nevertheless, when it’s all over, one can’t wait to experience the thrill of doing it all again. According to Megan, in these instances risk becomes opportunity.

Megan’s speech was followed by a Founders Panel featuring Susan Burns, Menekse Gencer, Dylan Higgins, and Sandy Jen and moderated by Sepideh Nasiri. “Entrepreneurship is like raising a baby,” said Susan. She went on to explain that although starting a business is rife with challenges and doubt, it is fun and rewarding to see it grow and succeed after risking so much and putting in so much effort.

The panelists offered words of wisdom and encouragement to the TechWomen. “Know your market. To begin a successful business in a market, you must be in the market,” said Dylan. “Don’t feel like you’re not as special as the person next to you; don’t underestimate yourself,” echoed Jen. “Price yourself higher; people will pay two to three times more than what you ask for, and they’ll value you more, because people value what they pay for. It’s okay to walk away from something if you feel that you deserve more,” said Menekse.

After the Founders Panel, the Emerging Leaders had the unique opportunity to participate in breakout sessions led by founders to speak more intimately on topics that interested them. Breakout topics included mobile payments, social media and social entrepreneurship.

After the breakout sessions, Pascal Finette of Mozilla spoke on entrepreneurship on the open web. He praised the merits of open source and sharing. He shared his “Rules for Revolutionaries,” a short list of insights and lessons he learned through his years in the tech field.

Pascal’s talk was followed by a Venture Capital Panel featuring Lila Ibrahim, Maha Ibrahim, Meera Kaul, and Mark Straub. The panel provided tips on pitching business plans to investors and provided valuable insights regarding business between the US and MENA markets. According to Meera (who has extensive experience with startups in the Middle East) the most profitable companies in the MENA markets cater to the same, small customer base. Mark noted that Silicon Valley entrepreneurs tend to focus too heavily on acquiring users, while entrepreneurs in emerging markets tend to focus more on revenue. “If only they could find some middle ground,” said Mark. Both Meera and Mark praised the TechWomen participants for their daring visions of starting successful businesses in the volatile MENA markets. The consensus from the panel was that there are not enough women pitching their ideas.

One of the highlights of the day was when emerging leaders Evelyn Zoubi and Noha Abousonna addressed the panel and pitched their startups. The feedback they received from the panel was encouraging and constructive.

After the pitches, Hiten Shah provided a primer on the basics of startups, giving examples of the use of social media as an invaluable, zero-budget marketing tool to build a customer base and the foundation for a company before presenting a pitch to investors.

The Emerging Leaders had another opportunity to participate in a second round of breakout sessions which included topics such as launching “Founder Fridays” and pitching business plans.

The day concluded with a closing keynote with Ben Horowitz, the co-founder and general partner of the successful venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. In addition to early-stage startups, Ben has invested in major tech companies such as Facebook and Twitter.

The TechWomen emerging leaders left Fenwick & West with their minds full of insights on making their dreams come one step closer to reality.

Panelist addresses the audience at Entrepreneurship Workshop

Most of us living in the Bay Area have heard the buzz about the Google campus. What a cool, fun and even magical place to work (and play!). The buzz had also spread to the 41 TechWomen participants early on during their time in and around Silicon Valley. They were all looking forward to October 2^nd – the day they would get to experience Google firsthand.Google graciously hosted the TechWomen Emerging Leaders for a day of learning, sharing and exploring last Tuesday. The day started off with a workshop focused on mentoring girls. The Emerging Leaders heard four presentations from U.S.-based organizations that are using innovative models to engage more girls in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Female leaders from Techbridge, MAGIC (More Active Girls in Computing), Telecentre.org Foundation and Iridescent offered techniques and approaches for the Emerging Leaders to get more girls in their home countries excited about these typically male-dominated sectors from a young age.

After the morning workshop, the TechWomen had the chance to speak with representatives from Google’s Emerging Markets team and hear about particular Google tools that have been useful to entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as other regions outside of the U.S.

The highlight of the day for many was the visit to the Google store and tour of the campus in the afternoon. Many of the TechWomen were already impressed with Google simply from their daily use of their notable tools and web-based applications, but nothing impressed them more than the perks that were offered to Google staff and guests – the indoor 2-story slide, outdoor beach volleyball court, fanciful office decorations, colorful bicycles and delicious food and drinks. Some of the women declared that “this was even better than Disneyland!” (which several of them could say from firsthand experience after a trip to Los Angeles one weekend during their stay in California).

It was truly a fabulous way for the Emerging Leaders to spend their very last day in the Bay Area before traveling to the East Coast for the close of the 2012 TechWomen program.

Tara Chklovski of the Technovation Challenge with TechWomen

Ira Pramanick of MAGIC speaking to TechWomen group

Linda Kekelis and Molly Larkin of Techbridge

During their visit in San Francisco, California, three TechWomen Emerging Leaders and their mentors engaged in an opportunity to participate in recording a piece of history at the Contemporary Jewish Museum for the StoryCorps project. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived more than 40,000 interviews from nearly 80,000 participants.

TechWomen become the 2000^th story recorded at the Contemporary Jewish Museum. The women sat within the booth and held conversations regarding their experiences during the project based mentorships—some of them even cried as they reminisced about their time together in the U.S. and the families they have left back home. StoryCorp provided the TechWomen an opportunity to share and preserve the moments during this trip that have changed their lives. The stories collected will be stored at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

TechWomen Emerging Leaders were invited to tour the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on Thursday in order to learn more about the work of the lab and research programs. Specifically, TechWomen visited the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), where computing is used to solve some of today’s most fundamental scientific questions.

The highlight of the afternoon was visiting the Hopper Supercomputer – one of the most powerful computers in the world. To put it in perspective, if the computational power of earth is equal to each human solving one arithmetic equation every couple minutes, Hopper is like 1,000,000 earths!

To put it simply, the TechWomen were in awe. One of the emerging leaders said, “I’m blown away. It’s like I’m watching a sci-fi movie.”

Copyright 2012: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover Photography. All Rights Reserved.

On September 25^th, the new Twitter headquarters was vibrant with the voices of the TechWomen community. A special event, held in collaboration with Twitter, welcomed the TechWomen Emerging Leaders, 2011 and 2012 mentors, and other program supporters for an evening of discussion and networking.

Upon arrival, guests were met with a Twitter-fall that projected their live conversations on the screen overhead. Using the hash-tag #twtwitter, the participants documented their visit at the company. “Just love tweeting: tweeting from twitter… This is just crazy!!!,” tweeted an Emerging Leader. “So excited to be at the Twitter HQ for the Techwomen Community Event, Woo hoo!!!,” tweeted a mentor.

The evening commenced with remarks from Heather Ramsey (@hramseyiiesf), Director of Strategic Partnerships at Institute of International Education. “ It’s these person-to-person connections that make a huge difference towards ensuring a peaceful and just world for ours and future generations,”  said Heather when she spoke of the importance of the mentor – emerging leader relationships.

The welcome was followed by a keynote discussion with Jana Messerschmidt (@janamal), Vice President of Business Development at Twitter. Jana recalled a moment during her academic career when an individual questioned her aspirations and said, “Aren’t you getting your M.R.S. Degree?” She quickly came to realize that it was a remark against her gender. As lonely as it felt to be a woman engineer, Jana continued to pursue her career ambitions.

After Jana’s inspiring address, several TechWomen Emerging Leaders and their mentors were featured in an engaging and informative panel discussion. The panel opened with the emerging leaders expressing why they applied for the TechWomen program, “I applied for TechWomen because I knew it would strengthen my technical abilities and it would help me build bridges between different countries,” stated an emerging leader from Algeria. The panelists continued by talking about how their preconceived ideas changed as a result of this experience, “What surprised me was how friendly the men and women are in the U.S., that was beyond my expectations,” said an emerging leader. Another emerging leader was surprised at how much input employees have regarding new products at companies. She expressed how surprised she was to walk in on a product introduction storyboarding session at her host company, “Showing the product to the CEO is not in my culture. In my culture, the CEO shows me the product.”

The mentors have experienced just as many surprises as the emerging leaders. Through TechWomen, they are building friendships that open channels of dialogue not only around the San Francisco Bay Area, but around the world.

To learn more about the TechWomen Twitter event, follow the conversation at #twtwitter.

Copyright 2012: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2012: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright 2012: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover Photography. All Rights Reserved.

TechWomen Emerging Leaders are making the Bay Area world their classroom by learning about professional and cultural practices in the United States.  However, the emerging leaders are not the only ones gaining experience and knowledge.  “I am learning more from them,” said one mentor who is a VP of a well-known technology company.

Cultural immersion has proven to be an effective method to achieve tolerance, understanding and remove preconceived notions about races and cultures. This week, the TechWomen Emerging Leaders continued their second week of project-based mentorships at host companies. Their days have been packed with meetings with high-level executives from numerous technology companies, and their evenings have been bustling with cultural activities.  Most importantly, through dialogue and conversation they have been able to both teach and learn.

On September 15, TechWomen participants were introduced to the sights and sounds of the Bay Area through a land and sea city tour. They were able to visit historical landmarks and scenery that most had only experienced through movies. Some of the women even elected to visit Alcatraz on their free time. On September 17, the TechWomen attended a San Francisco Giants Baseball game, where they absorbed the culture of American sporting events.

As the exchange of ideas continues between the emerging leaders and their mentors, everyone whom they touch through this experience creates a learning opportunity that makes the world a smaller place.

The 2012 TechWomen Emerging Leaders began their project-based mentorships at host companies on Monday, September 10.

This year, thirty-one companies are hosting the forty-one women at their site. In addition to their host companies, cultural mentors represent an additional thirty-one companies.  “We’re excited to welcome the TechWomen program to Salesforce today. Can’t wait to meet our future leaders!” tweeted salesforce.com.

The TechWomen are being exposed to unique experiences. One said, “Yesterday I met with Maya Strelar-Migotti, CEO of Ericsson’s IP and Broadband Development Unit. I was honored that she made the time to meet me and hear more about me, my country, and the project I will work on. She is a professional, strong woman, yet so nice and calm. She even gave me a book and wrote me her own personal message. This was the highlight of my day!”

The mentorships last approximately three-weeks and offer a myriad of opportunities to the participants, including meeting with highly influential people at their host companies. “A big thanks to my professional mentor. I had an interesting day. I’m so happy for the lovely evening and very [much] appreciated [the opportunity],” wrote another Emerging Leader.

On September 7, the TechWomen Emerging Leaders were greeted at salesforce.com where they engaged in workshops and dialogue by Beth Kanter and Sepideh Nasiri.

Sepideh, Director of All Things Offline at Women 2.0, addressed the 2012 cohort with a  motivational speech regarding how she embarked on her entrepreneurial journey as a young adult. She began her career as a Managing Editor of a Los Angeles Global magazine. Today, she advises early stage startups and is an avid technology enthusiast. “I wrote Oprah and asked her to be my mentor,” said Sepideh as she recounted how difficult it was to secure an influential mentor during her youth. Sepideh went on to speak regarding the 2010 launch of her first app, The Date Server Platinum in 2010. At the end of her talk she extended an invitation to the TechWomen to participate in Founder Friday, a Women 2.0 event to promote the creation of new networks among aspiring entrepreneurs, current entrepreneurs and investors in innovative cities globally. Heather Ramsey, Director, Strategic Partnerships at Institute of International Education, was a featured speaker at the event.

Following Sepideh, Beth Kanter, author of Beth’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media, one of the longest running and most popular blogs for nonprofits, led a workshop. Beth addressed many common concerns and questions shared globally regarding privacy, safety, connectivity and networking. The 2012 TechWomen engaged in conversations regarding how they started social movements through social media and what they do to safeguard their information. Beth is the co-author of the book titled The Networked Nonprofit, with Allison Fine, published in 2010. Beth has over 30 years working in the nonprofit sector in technology, training, capacity building, evaluation, fundraising, and marketing. Her second book, Measuring the Networked Nonprofit, with Co-Author K.D. Paine, will be published next month.

Beth extended an invitation to the TechWomen to continue to keep in contact with her. The women gladly accepted.

Sepideh Nasiri introduces Women 2.0.

TechWomen training with Beth Kanter.

Beth Kanter introduces the social media platforms to the participants.

TechWomen network and exchange ideas.

Five TechWomen Emerging Leaders receive Beth Kanter’s book, The Networked Nonprofit.

On September 6, ambitious and powerful emerging leaders and mentors gathered at Oracle for the 2012 TechWomen Welcome Orientation. Many of the attendees live worlds apart, however, they encompass one vision—to share knowledge and change the way conversations are had.

Trish Tierney, Executive Director at Institute of International Education, and Liz Snyder, VP Human Resources at Oracle, welcomed the participants. Sheila Casey, Deputy Director, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Citizen Exchanges, gave opening remarks and presented the TechWomen with a letter from Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton. “This month, we all get to be diplomats,” said Sheila. She went on to emphasize that the TechWomen program pairs Secretary Clinton’s vision of, “smart power diplomacy,” with “ 21^st Century Statecraft”. Sheila then went around the room and introduced each of the TechWomen and their Professional and Cultural Mentors to the audience.

Hosted by Oracle Corporation and the Oracle Women’s Leadership (OWL) group, the attendees listened intently as keynote Meg Bear, VP Cloud Social Platform, shared her experience and offered words of wisdom. “Reaching your potential is not an aspiration, it is an obligation,” said Meg. “To build your aspirations, you need to help others.” Meg has been a technology professional for approximately 20-years. She has experience being both a mentor and a mentee. “You achieve the most when you are not comfortable. You have to take risks and accept that failure is part of the journey. Wherever your comfort zone ends is where you should start pushing.”

The TechWomen are doing just that, pushing far beyond their comfort zone to gain both experience and knowledge that they can then communicate with others.

Mimi Hills, Director Software Localization at Research In Motion, has served as a mentor for both the 2011 and 2012 TechWomen program. She said, “The mentorship program is about us providing the TechWomen information and also about us learning from [the TechWomen],” said Mimi. She continued by saying she is happy to be participating in something that is, “changing the world.”

Sheila Casey, U.S. Department of State, speaking at TechWomen Highlights Panel

TechWomen Emerging Leader Mariam Ouaniem from Morocco

Oracle Conference Center

2012 Professional Mentor Stefanie Pavis Medious, Recology

Keynote speaker Meg Bear, VP Cloud Social Platform at Oracle, addresses the audience

Gencer is the Founder of mPay Connect, a San Francisco-based company which seeks to change the landscape of financial services by helping clients in emerging markets launch mobile money services.

In addition to facilitating payments, Gencer gives farmers access to services such as insurance and credit, which they might otherwise find only in cities. These services mitigate the effects of catastrophic events such as droughts or floods, creating vital safety nets for farmers whose livelihoods depend on the whims of nature.

Why the mobile phone? In a recent video posted by FastCompany, Gencer explains, “More people in the world have access to mobile phones than they have to running water, electricity, or even toilets…[Shareholder farmers] are the ones who live the furthest away from everything. Therefore, the only access they’re going to get to financial services is not going to be with the bank branch, but through the mobile phone.”

While small farmers have generally been skeptical of mobile money in the past, stories of success have inspired increasing confidence in microfinance and technology, spreading mobile payments services globally. Through technology, companies like mPay Connect are creating new opportunities for people in simple, innovative ways. 

Source: Cell Phone As Farm Tool

]]> http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/techwomen-mentor-uses-mobile-payments-to-empower-rural-farmers/feed/ 0 techwomenmena Cell Phone As Farm Tool http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/meeting-the-2012-techwomen-mentors/ http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/meeting-the-2012-techwomen-mentors/#comments Fri, 10 Aug 2012 20:15:26 +0000 TechWomen http://techwomenblog.wordpress.com/?p=690 Continue reading →]]>

Heather Ramsey, Director of TechWomen at IIESF, presents the TechWomen emerging leaders stats to a crowd of 2012 Professional and Cultural Mentors.

The 2012 TechWomen season has officially begun! We opened with a fantastic Mentor Workshop on Tuesday, August 7^th hosted by Walmart Global eCommerce in San Bruno, CA. The workshop aimed to prepare the new TechWomen mentors for the three weeks they will spend mentoring emerging women leaders in technology from the Middle East and North Africa. More than 60 mentors attended the event, representing 50+ leading technology companies in the San Francisco Bay Area. The participants were welcomed by Walmart Global eCommerce CTO, Jeremy King, followed by Trish Tierney, Executive Director of IIE San Francisco. Representatives from the U.S. Department of State—Lee Satterfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, and Sheila Casey, Deputy Director of the Office of Citizen Exchanges, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs—also spoke to the mentors via live video conference.

Katy Dickinson, a local mentoring expert and Professional Mentor for TechWomen, presented best and worst mentoring practices and challenged the audience to think about the concept of being a change agent. Among the participants were mentors from the 2011 TechWomen program, who participated in a Q&A panel. Panelist Fabiola Addamo presented her formula for TechWomen success: “Connect, listen, understand. This is all you need to succeed as a TechWomen Mentor.”

Fabiola Addamo, pictured speaking, shares her experience during Q&A. Also pictured are Larissa Shapiro, Christine Duran, Taghrid Samak, and Trish Tierney (from left to right).

After the general panel, alumni mentors led breakout sessions specifically geared toward Cultural and Professional Mentors. The Twittersphere was abuzz with excitement for the program:

@techwomen: “I think the thing that struck me most was the impact the program had on the American participants” DAS Lee Satterfield #tw2012 @StateDept

@jfinlayson: #Techwomen will make you “want to step into new roles” and help you “reconnect with what matters” @TechWomenMENA alumni on #mentor rewards

@taliareyesortiz: @NetApp is very excited to be a @TechWomen technical #mentor for the 2nd year in a row  #TW2012 #NetAppCTO

@stephanieblock: Super excited to kick off #TechWomen #tw2012 my mentee is from Yemen yay! @IIESF @StateDept

@katy_dickinson: In mentor training for 80 @TechWomen, 12 of whom were with me for 2011 initial program.  Exciting and heart warming to see so many friends.

@ericalockheimer: Looking forward to being a mentor for @TechWomen. Thanks @LinkedIn #in :-) pic.twitter.com/G2QoPYdv

Stay tuned for more TechWomen updates. The Mentees arrive in less than four weeks!

Cultural Mentor Breakout Session

The 2011 TechWomen were also honored at last year’s GHC Conference in Portland, Oregon.

We are thrilled to announce that the TechWomen Emerging Leaders will participate in the 2012 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing in Baltimore this fall, after their three-week mentorship in the Bay Area.

The Anita Borg Institute’s Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) Of Women In Computing Conference is the largest technical conference for women in computing. It aims to recognize the contributions of women in computing and bring their research to the forefront in order to help them engage in collaborative networking and mentoring opportunities. Conference presenters are leaders in their respective fields, representing industry, academia and government. Top researchers present their work while special sessions focus on the role of women in today’s technology fields.

This year’s theme, “Are We There Yet,” features innovative sessions focused on helping women impact many domains, including key technology areas such as Big Data, security, and social collaboration. This year’s confirmed keynote speakers are Nora Denzel, Senior Vice President of Intuit and Professor Anita K. Jones from the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. The Conference will take place in Baltimore, Maryland, October 3-6, 2012.

Esra Said (pictured far left) with fellow TechWomen Alumni on the Fourth of July 2011 at the U.S. Department of State.

Twenty-five girls from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, and Yemen were selected to participate in the inaugural year of the TechGirls initiative. In honor of the first cohort, we asked our Alumni to offer a bit of advice to the TechGirls. Read on for words of wisdom from three 2011 TechWomen Alumni.

Esra Said:

I’m very excited about TechGirls, I believe this program will affect their personalities, way of thinking and dreaming for a long term. Within the TechWomen experience, I learned many things, and I would like offer each one of TechGirls the following piece of advice so they can benefit maximally from their stay in the US:

1. Do not be afraid to ask questions,
2. Take more risks in your life, and
3. Push yourself into the community to make your voice heard.

Also, within TechWomen I realized that the ability to listen to one another is a miracle; you have to design what you want to learn from others, then you can shape your future and be what you want to become! << Try to be a good listener >>

Maysoun Ibrahim & Sukaina Al-Nasrawi

Dear TechGirls ,

You are embarking on a wonderful lifetime experience, which you will only live once – but if you live it right then once would be enough! Live it right by learning, exposing your fellows and mentors to your culture and explore theirs, and most importantly building and maintaining new friendships from the Arab region and the US.

We believe that everything happens for a REASON and you are part of TechGirls for a REASON. You are part of TechGirls to soon become technical women role models in the Arab region. Dream Big and be Confident!

• To read a letter from Maysoun to the TechGirls, visit her guest blog post.
• Learn more about TechGirls here and follow them on Twitter: @TechGirls.

Maysoun Ibrahim (third from right) at the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing. Maysoun won a TechWomen Change Agent Scholarship to return to the US for the conference.

Dear Techgirls,

I am happy to be given the opportunity to address you and share my thoughts with you. As a Techwomen 2011 alumna, I want you to know that your participation in this program will empower you in different ways and help you make the first few steps towards your future.

Being selected as TechGirls is an amazing achievement. It is a program that will not only build your technical skills, it will allow give an opportunity to expose US citizens to your culture and learn more about theirs.

We all know that being part of the technical field in the Arab region is challenging as it is still men dominated, but with your will, patience, and desire for change you will be able to change the future.

From experience, I can tell you “Never allow anyone to stop you from pursuing your dreams”. Should you decide to major in Technology, you will always have opponents and supporters. Have faith in yourselves and keep strong relations with your TechGirls family as it will help you grow.

Techwomen 2011 program was full of benefits. To summarize, the program:

1. Exposed me to different means to empower and support women and girls in my region in the field of technology;
2. Expanded my professional network;
3. Expanded my circle of friends from the Arab region and the US;
4. Provided me the opportunity to attend and participate in international technical conferences.

TechWomen 2011 opened my window to the future and TechGirls will for sure do the same to all of you. Go ahead TechGirls, we are waiting to hear your amazing stories!

Maysoun Ibrahim, Techwomen 2011 Alumna

• Read more: Alumni Offer Words of Wisdom to TechGirls
• Learn more about TechGirls here and follow them on Twitter: @TechGirls.

Sukaina Al-Nasrawi, 2011 TechWomen Alumna

In the summer of 2011, TechWomen Mentee Sukaina Al Nasrawi passed the worldwide 2010 United Nations (UN) examination for recruitment to the professional category in web design/development. This is a highly competitive process within the UN Secretariat aimed at recruiting young, high-caliber professionals from around the globe. Sukaina, who is Iraqi and lives in Lebanon, ranked among the top candidates and was the only staff member at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) to pass the examination for 2010. 

Sukaina, who holds a BSc and MSc in Computer Science from the American University of Beirut, started her career at ESCWA in 2003 as a researcher in the Information and Communication Technology Division (ICTD). She contributed to ESCWA’s publications, meetings, and regional projects, covering issues related to the Information and Knowledge Societies. Later on, she started providing technical training to concerned ministries and national statistics offices in ESCWA member countries in the context of ICT capacity building in measuring the Information Society. Shortly after the exam results were announced, the ESCWA Centre for Women (ECW) invited Sukaina to join their team. The Centre focuses on women’s economic, social and political empowerment and concentrates its efforts on sensitizing society to gender-related issues, monitoring developments and analyzing the situation of Arab women in the ESCWA region. Sukaina, who discovered a passion for issues related to women in technology during her TechWomen experience, quickly accepted the offer. She responded, “I would be honored to contribute to the empowerment of women in technology in the region.”

During her mentorship with Linda Schneider at Huawei Technologies, Sukaina worked on the Cloud Computing Team and played an active role in developing the initial design document of the project. Her experience, however, went far beyond technology. “The TechWomen program was not just about technology, professional skills and leadership development. It was also a hub for diversity, cultural learning and exchange of knowledge and experience,” Sukaina explains. Through her TechWomen experience, Sukaina met distinguished engineers such as her mentor, company presidents and CEOs, and board members of international bodies — and they were all women. “This reassured me that women can excel in the field of technology and can make a difference,” she states. In addition to meeting women leaders in the field of technology, Sukaina says that Techwomen also showed her the power of technology in regards to development and empowerment issues for girls and women. “Being exposed to this made me realize that not only am I interested in this topic, but I would also like to make a contribution in this field that would benefit the humanity as a whole and specifically the women and girls in my region.”

Sukaina now has a vision of how she wants to support women. “The women in our region do not have adequate support to venture into life as so many cultural and traditional concerns hinder their aspirations,” Sukaina says. She believes that technology can make a difference by enhancing their socio-economic status. “In this regard my hopes are high! I always believed that the very least we can do in our lives is to figure out what we hope for and try to attain it, not just admire it from distance.” Sukaina is in a great position to make her vision a reality. At ECW, she will be primarily responsible for activities, programs and projects tackling the empowerment and advancement of women through ICT in the region.

“For me, life is a series of experiences; each one of them makes us get the bigger picture,” Sukaina explains. TechWomen was a “lifetime experience,” that helped her “grow at different levels” and “view things in broader terms.” “It made me even analyze and think of social issues from a different perspective,” Sukaina explains. “As a technical person, I am not anymore solely interested in keeping abreast of new technologies but also in harnessing the use of technology for the socio-economic empowerment of Arab women.”

Explore other TechWomen Alumnae features here.

TechWomen Mentees visit YouTube for the Innovative Leadership Workshop with Barbara Fittipaldi in June 2011.

This month marks one year since the inaugural class of TechWomen Mentees arrived in the United States. Thirty-seven emerging women leaders landed in San Francisco in June 2011 to begin a five-week journey through the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, DC. The TechWomen Mentees traveled to California from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and the Palestinian Territories. TechWomen Director Heather Ramsey reminisces, “There’s not a day that goes by this month that I am not thinking about the TechWomen who were here with us last June. They have left their mark on me, the TechWomen team and, of course, their Mentors and host companies. Fortunately, we are staying in touch and still see this past year as only the beginning of lifelong collaboration.”

TechWomen program staff retrieved each group of arriving Mentees from the San Francisco International Airport until all of the women had successfully reached their accommodations. “I think it was almost more exciting for us [the program staff] than it was for the Mentees,” recalled Lexi Curtice, TechWomen Program Associate, “The Mentees immediately recognized us from our photos and we felt an instant sense of family.”

It is hard to believe that a whole year has gone by since the arrival of the 37 women who undeniably touched the lives of Mentors, fellow Mentees, and everyone involved with TechWomen. At IIESF, the TechWomen listservs and social media groups are buzzing with memories of last summer’s events. To give you a sense of the feelings surrounding this anniversary, we have collected a brief sampling of the many sentiments that have been passed around.

It is astonishing to realize a whole year has gone by since the launch of our Cohort.  I am sure I speak for the other mentors – we miss all the mentees and the fun, learning and growing we did together. You have all been and continue to be such an important part of our daily thoughts and fond memories.  Meeting you changed my life, and I know also had a life-time impact on the lives of the other mentors. – TechWomen Mentor

The happiest moments my heart knows are “Techwomen days”; the biggest smile my face knows gets drawn when I remember “Techwomen days” and the biggest satisfaction I feel is when I realize how our friendships have grown despite the distances. I value the friendship of every single mentee and mentor of the TechWomen family and I am indeed so lucky and blessed to have known you all. We currently share wonderful memories and I am sure with time we will share more and more. Let us, hand in hand, fortify our friendship and professionally excel my dear ladies. – TechWomen alumna Mentee from Lebanon

You all are surely in my thoughts. The TechWomen experience was unforgettable. I met extraordinary women and I hope we will continue to inspire each other (and more) in years to come. – TechWomen Mentor

June the 2nd. Does it ring a bell?! It definitely does from my side. It rings a bell of unforgettable family, unforgettable moments, and unforgettable experiences. Just like today a year ago we met, we traveled made the decision to spend a whole month and a week with people we have just met, we decided to leave everything behind for the sake of knowing and trying new things. – TechWomen alumna Mentee from Egypt

Would you like to share your TechWomen experience? We want to hear from you! If you are a member of the TechWomen family and would like to write a guest blog post, please send an email to Techwomen(at)iie.org.

The 4th annual Women Who Tech TeleSummit took place on May 23rd. Image credit: Women in Tech infographic.

May 23^rd marked the 4^th annual Women Who Tech TeleSummit, featuring panels designed to “break down barriers and showcase the brilliant talents of women who tech.” The Women Who Tech Globally panel was moderated by Author and Trainer Beth Kanter and featured Director of Strategic Partnerships at IIESF Heather Ramsey, Communications and Marketing Associate at Akili Dada, Mary Patton Davis, and the Executive Director of Akili Dada, Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, along with program participants from each organization. The event involved over 600 participants from across the nation, showcasing the remarkable power of technology to bring people together.

According to Beth Kanter on her blog, the panel was able to add a global twist to the conference by bringing in participants from San Francisco, Rwanda, Kenya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt. This group included TechWomen alumna Mentee Loubna Lahmici from Algeria who discussed the challenges of being a woman founder in North Africa. Loubna successfully launched the first online coupon website in Algeria. Read more about how Loubna is transforming internet shopping in Algeria here.

Chema Gargouri, Director of E-Mediat and WES Tunisia, and Ghada Bahig, TechWomen 2011 Mentee from Egypt, discussed Women’s Empowerment, Social Media, and Revolution. Ghada explained, “Social media has changed the way leadership works for women in Egypt.” Similarly regarding Tunisia, stated Chema, “Tunisian women used their blogs, twitters during the revolution. Our participation was not a shy participation.” Sukaina Al-Nasrawi, Associate Social Affairs Officer at UN ESCWA and TechWomen alumna, also participated.

During the panel, Heather also discussed IIE’s Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives (WLI), TechWomen, E-Mediat, Women in Technology (WIT) and the newly launched Women’s Enterprise for Sustainability (WES) Tunisia.

According to an infographic recently published on Women Who Tech’s website, women make up over half the professional work force and hold more Bachelors and graduate degrees than men, but they hold only 11% of executive positions at Fortune 500 companies and own only 5% of technology start-ups. Moreover, although women have made significant advances in the tech world, they are rarely quoted as experts by the mainstream media, and they are significantly underrepresented on panels at major technology conferences.

Women Who Tech’s goal is not only to provide women in technology professions an open platform to share their experiences and insights, but also to give them greater visibility and create a vibrant community through which they can find support for their creative and professional aspirations.

To learn more about TechWomen’s participation at Women Who Tech, please contact us.

Larissa (right) is a Project Manager at Internet Systems Consortium. In 2011, Larissa served as a Mentor to 2011 TechWomen Mentee, Sanae (left) from Morocco.

When Larissa Shapiro first heard about the TechWomen program, the Arab Spring had already begun to rock the MENA region. A firm believer in the power of technology to change the world and peoples’ lives in positive ways, and inspired by the dynamic role of courageous women in these uprisings, Larissa saw TechWomen as a unique opportunity to contribute to the movement. “I feel such a strong draw toward using technology as a tool for promotion of democratic and open societies,” she explains, adding, “I think that’s what TechWomen is all about.”

Larissa knew the power of mentorship from her own experience. “The mentoring and support I received as a student at a women’s college gave me the confidence to pursue a career in the male-dominated field of software development, and specifically within the open source, software community” Larissa explains. She was immediately drawn to TechWomen as a way to give back. “I really embraced that opportunity from a woman-to-woman perspective and from a technology perspective,” she says.

Yet, Larissa didn’t expect her own life to be so profoundly impacted by the program. She admits, “One of the biggest surprises was that I learned so much about myself, and about working with people from the Middle East and North Africa.”

Larissa says that her Mentee, Sanae, “had a really profound and lovely impact” on her company. “She brought a lot of perspective—fresh perspective—to what we were doing,” she explains. “She would have things to see and say that none of us would’ve thought of,” she adds. Thinking back on the experience, Larissa laments, “We got to know each other so well, and then we missed her so much when she was gone.”

Even a year after her participation in the 2011 program as a Professional Mentor, Larissa’s relationship with Sanae continues to deepen. The two often talk about topics ranging from running a small business to work-life balance to a new topic: motherhood.

In addition to maintaining personal relationships with several TechWomen Mentees, Larissa offers them career advice and collaborates with them professionally. She fields questions from Mentees about everything from coping with gender discrimination, to getting technology jobs, to navigating the projects pool world, to more technical questions about open source software. During her visit to Morocco with the TechWomen delegation last year, she partnered with 2011 Mentee Lamia Ben Hiba to give a speech at Lamia’s alma mater in Morocco. The two also periodically exchange drafts of papers and presentations for peer review, tapping into each other’s different insights and perspective.

During a delegation trip to Morocco last year, Larissa and other TechWomen Mentors visited an orphanage in Marrakesh.

“I love it that they know that they can continue to network with us like that,” she says, adding, “That’s one of the real strengths of the project; if they didn’t already have a strong sense of a network of professional women whom they can turn to, I think that they do now, coming out of [TechWomen].”

The program has also opened more doors for Larissa to build lasting relationships and collaborate professionally with other women passionate about technology. She stays in touch with a few of the graduate students she met at Lamia’s university and contributes to various projects related to her area of expertise. She is also partnering with IIE’s Heather Ramsey and fellow Mentor Katy Dickinson to help an organization to set up computer labs for children in Morocco. Larissa is also planning to collaborate with TechWomen Mentees and women’s groups in Morocco to provide web-based training to empower women in the MENA through technology.

For Larissa, the most fulfilling part of being a TechWomen Mentor was seeing the possibilities for future collaboration and the great potential in these creative, ongoing partnerships. She reflects:

TechWomen really inspires all of us to figure out what we can do through our connections. The entire thing is about connecting people, and then when we do that, we just start to have all of these ideas for improving the situation for women and girls, most certainly in MENA, but it ends up improving our situation. It’s hard for me to explain how much it’s impacted me. It’s just one of the most beautiful things I’ve done in my professional life.

We’ve put together a new video from 2011 Professional and Cultural Mentors about their experience with the TechWomen program. We hope you enjoy their stories as much as we do!

Don’t forget, the deadline to become a Mentor is coming up quickly. Apply before May 15 to be considered in the first round of selection. Applications will be accepted after May 15 on a rolling basis. Additional information about the mentorship is available on our website. We look forward to receiving your application soon!

Thanks to Women 2.0 for spreading the word about the TechWomen Mentor Application!

TechWomen is seeking San Francisco Bay Area Mentors for women from the Middle East and North Africa. To learn more, read this great blog post that originally appeared on the Women 2.0 blog. Women 2.0 is an emerging global media company for aspiring and current female entrepreneurs to launch successful scalable, innovative ventures.The mission of Women 2.0 is to increase the number of female founders of technology startups. 

Call For Applications: Apply By May 15 To Mentor In San Francisco Bay Area For TechWomen From The Middle East, North Africa

Published on: April 10, 2012

TechWomen offers professional mentorship in San Francisco for women from the Middle East and North Africa.

By Heather Ramsey (Director, TechWomen & Strategic Partnerships, Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives, IIE)

TechWomen is seeking women in the San Francisco Bay Area to serve as Professional and Cultural Mentors to the 2012 cohort of TechWomen Mentees from the Middle East and North Africa.

Harnessing the power of business, technology and innovation, TechWomen brings emerging women leaders and entrepreneurs in technology together with their U.S. counterparts for a professional mentorship and exchange program with innovative companies, entrepreneurs and startups in San Francisco, Silicon Valley and the greater Bay Area.

Last year’s TechWomen have returned to their home countries to start businesses, launch initiatives and mentor women and girls. Loubna Lahmici, TechWomen Mentee 2011, launched the first online coupon website in Algeria!

Thekra Dwairi from Jordan is developing an NGO focused on empowering girls and Rayane Hazimeh from Lebanon is using the power of comics to encourage girls’ involvement in STEM. Exposure to the innovative spirit of the Bay Area and new networks of entrepreneurial women encouraged these amazing women to pursue their dreams back home.

The TechWomen program is based on a framework supported by two types of Mentors: Professional and Cultural. Professional Mentors are women who work in technology fields in the San Francisco Bay Area and host Mentees at their companies. Professional Mentors coach Mentees on projects of mutual benefit for the Mentee and host company.

Past project goals range from setting up mobile payment platforms, enhancing technical knowledge of soil remediation, exploring cloud computing, investigating the globalization of gestures on touch devices, and performing a product positioning analysis. Mentors and Mentees develop an engaging and relevant project together prior to the Mentee’s arrival in the U.S.

Cultural Mentors are also women who live and work in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mentees are matched with Cultural Mentors based on common interests to facilitate opportunities for mutual understanding. Mentee-Mentor pairs participate in activities together such as neighborhood festivals, sightseeing trips, shopping, family dinners, book readings, professional networking and enrichment, art exhibits, dance performances and community service opportunities.

Mentorships will take place in September 2012. Mentors will be invited to participate in optional activities such as Bay Area TechTalks and workshops, a TechWomen luncheon and debrief at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. and the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing in Baltimore, Maryland. TechWomen Mentors continue to develop cross-cultural ties during the optional TechWomen delegation trips to the Middle East and North Africa.

In 2011, the TechWomen delegation visited Morocco, where Mentors reconnected with Mentees and led workshops encouraging girls to consider career opportunities in technical fields. The delegation of Mentees and Mentors spoke to women’s cooperatives about the power of e-commerce and participated in a conference focused on expanding networks of women in technology sectors, among other events. This year’s Mentors will be invited to travel to Jordan and Tunisia for similar professional networking activities in early 2013.

If you are interested in fostering the next generation of women leaders from the Middle East and North Africa,apply now!

Questions? Please contact TechWomen at mentor@techwomen.org or (415) 362-6520 Ext. 207.

Editor’s note: Got a question for our guest blogger? Leave a message in the comments below.

About the guest blogger: Heather Ramsey is Director of TechWomen and Strategic Partnerships at the Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives at IIE in San Francisco. She designed and led Women in Technology MENA, E-Mediat and a new program launched this month for women entrepreneurs in Tunisia, Women’s Enterprise for Sustainability. Heather has initiated and managed international training programs for 18 years with a strong focus on NGO capacity building, social enterprise development, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, social media and technology in emerging markets and developing countries.

Beth Kanter, E-Mediat curricular designer and trainer, facilitated sessions on advanced social media and spoke on a variety of topics including content curation and measurement. (Read more about Kanter’s experience at the conference here.) Representatives from local NGOs discussed their social media strategies, success stories and the lessons learned while using social media to promote their organization’s work.

Among those in attendance were three Alumnae TechWomen Mentees from Jordan, who were moved by the concept of using technology and social media to promote social good. Afnan Ali reflects:

E-Mediat gave me some insights about the social work in Jordan and Lebanon, and how social media tools like Twitter and Facebook can really improve the efficiency of NGOs.

Fellow Mentee Thekra Dwairi, who plans to start her own nonprofit organization, was similarly inspired by the potential of social media to enhance the work of NGOs:

The most amazing thing was learning how many powerful NGOs we have in Jordan and Lebanon, and how E-Mediat is helping to educate the founders and employees in such NGOs so they can utilize social media tools properly. During the conference, we enlarged our knowledge about the best practices to launch an effective NGO in Jordan. I hope that this will be our next step.

Both Afnan and Thekra enjoyed reconnecting with familiar faces from the TechWomen 2011 cohort and IIE. Afnan recalls, “It was a true pleasure to meet again…and spend some time together talking about beautiful days we spent last year during the program.” Thekra confirmed, “It was absolutely amazing to meet Heather again in Jordan. We were very happy and had a fruitful time there.”

Learn more about E-Mediat.