Guest post by Heather Ramsey
TechWomen Mentees at closing event hosted by Google in Mountain View, CA
Happy New Year! Reading world news headlines each day, it is clear that this is a particularly momentous and pivotal time in history to be a woman. It is a time when women need to come together across borders and cultural barriers. TechWomen affords everyone involved a truly unique and invaluable opportunity to build lifelong friendships and ties. The TechWomen program is not just about technology, professional skills and leadership development. It is also about cultural understanding and exchange. TechWomen Mentors are extraordinary top-notch professional women living in the San Francisco Bay Area who generously volunteer their time because they want to build long lasting connections with our sisters in the Middle East and North Africa. They also want to contribute to the development of a strong cadre of women leaders in technology fields now and into the future.
The inaugural class (2011) of TechWomen Mentees from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine was comprised of some of the most intelligent, ambitious, open minded, generous, flexible, kind and adventurous women I have encountered in my career of working on women’s empowerment programs. This is a group with which you want to be associated! Consider applying for TechWomen in 2012. If you do, you may just be embarking on the biggest, most-rewarding adventure of your life!
To apply for TechWomen 2012, please visit our website.
Heather Ramsey is the director of TechWomen, E-Mediat and Strategic Partnerships at the Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives, based at the Institute of International Education, West Coast Center.
techwomenblog.wordpress.com 
As an alumna of the TechWomen inaugural class (2011)… I would say…TechWomen is a hub for diversity, cultural learning and exchange of knowledge and experience…TechWomen exposes you to women role models and widen your horizon…TechWomen is a great opportunity for building amazing new friendships and professional network…TechWomen is a lifetime experience…I lived this experience and wish I would get the chance to re-live it! Apply to TechWomen 2012 and don’t miss living it :)