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www.WomenWhoTech.com

DC Media Makers

Women Who Tech

July 22, 2009

By:Allyson Kapin


Dedicated to Jill Foster.

Because she powerpoints!


Houston We Have A Problem!

Does this meanwomen don’t really exist in tech and social media?

By kottke.org


Houston We Have A Problem!

Only 1 Woman? Future of Web AppsConference - 2006


Did Things Change in 2008-2009?Tech Conference Panelists

Gender Breakdown:

Disruptive by Design: By Wired Magazine 0 women, 12 men - 100% men

Graphing Social Patterns West 2008 3 women, 59 men – >5% women, <95% men

Web 2.0 Summit5 women, 26 men – 16% women, 84% men

Ted 2009: 63 Speakers18 women, 45 men – 28% women, 72% men.

What do tech conferences need more of? Women orporn?


Did Things Change in 2008-2009?Blog post by Dave McClure

Hi Robert,Don’t you know any women?

Dear Dave,Can’t you make your pointwithout showing women’s asses?


I Take Action To Create Change.Women Who Tech Launches in Fall of 2007 With 4 Goals:

1. Produce a TeleSummit which brings together talented and renowned women breaking new ground in technology who use their tech and social media savvy skills to transform the world and inspire change.

2. To provide a supportive network for the vibrant and thriving community of women in tech and social media by giving women an open platform to share their talents, experiences, and insights.

3. To mobilize a network of women in tech and social media.

4. To generate more media coverage for women in tech and lobby conference organizers to include more women on panels and serve as keynote speakers.


Putting WWT On The Radar!1. Establish Advisory Committee

2. Launch website and call for panel submissions.

3. Promote WWT on women based tech listservs - DC Web Women, LinuxChix and non-gender specific lists like Radical Techies, etc.

4. Social Networking: Twitter @WomenWhoTech - Following builds quickly because I’m active and I engage

people. I’m also not afraid of controversy. Also started popular hashtag #Women2Follow on Wednesdays.

Facebook Group Delicious LinkedIn Groups SlideShare (new)

5. Connect with rawk star women in tech and social media like Arianna Huffington, Susan Mernit (former VP at Yahoo, AOL, Netscape, etc), Rashmi Sinha (CEO of SlideShare), Kaliya Hamlin (Founder of She’s Geeky UnConference), Lynne D. Johnson (Fast Company), Tara Hunt, Joan Blades, (founder of MoveOn.org) etc.


Putting WWT On The Radar!6. Secure sponsorships to make TeleSummit free for all women across the US and

abroad. Sponsors included Google, Care2.com, NTEN, BlogHer, etc. Year 2 we charged $10.

7. First Women Who Tech TeleSummit filled up in about 36 hours. Over 650 women from across the US, Italy, India, UK, etc. participated for a day long TeleSummit filled with 10 thought-provoking panels such as:

Women and Open Source Breaking Through the Digital Ceiling Women and Social Capital

8. WWT after-parties and brunches held in Chicago, DC, SF, NYC, London, Atlanta, and Austin.

9. Generated press coverage in FastCompany, National Journal, Minnesota Post, BlogHer, Huffington Post, Linux Magazine, tons of blogs etc.


What’s Next For WWT1. Office Hours: Online monthly Q&A’s led by seasoned women in tech

and social media. Tool: CoverItLive.com

2. Listserv

3. Experiment with Ning

4. Build database of women in tech and social media.

5. 3rd Annual Women Who Tech TeleSummit


My #Women2Follow

1. @susanmernit - Susan Mernit2. @rashmi - Rashmi Sinha3. @digitalsista - Shireen Mitchell4. @jillfoster - Jill Foster5. @maryhodder - Mary Hodder6. @randomedeanna - Deanna Zandt7. @pearlbear - Michelle Murrain8. @charleneli - Charlene Li9. @lynneluvah - Lynne D. Johnson10.@anitaborg_org - Anita Borg Institute

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