Women Who Code Sofia Kick-Off Event

Dear Women, the Tech Industry needs you! Join the movement of Women Who Code and accelerate your technology career!

What’s WWCode?

Women Who Code (WWCode) is a global nonprofit dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers. The organization works to support the current generation of women in being and becoming leaders and role models in the tech industry.

Why WWCode in Bulgaria?

Because Tech is better with women in it. Everywhere in the world.

The WWCode City Directors Vanya Kiritzova – Sr. Manager Information Experience at VMware, and Evelina Krumova – Product Manager at VMware, believe that an inclusive community and a supporting network are critical to the career development of women in tech. The local WWCode chapter supports the global WWCode philosophy and goals – to inspire women to excel in technology careers. The local chapter and its members will become part of one global movement – that of the Women Who Code and advance in their chosen career in technology.

What to expect?

The first WWCode event in Bulgaria will feature a bright palette of prominent local and international industry leaders and influencers. You will have the opportunity to hear from inspiring female IT trend setters, who empower women around the globe to accelerate their careers in engineering. We have several panel discussions and presentations in store for you, as well as networking opportunities.

Kick-off Event Agenda:

18:45 Opening
Words from the sponsor -- Diana Stefanova, VMware (http://www.vmware.com/)
19:00 Women Who Code Overview
Alaina Percival, CEO WWCode
19:20 Dare to be a Leader Panel
20:00 Women in Tech Panel
20:40 Closing & cocktail

Some of the speakers at the first WWCode event in Sofia include:

Alaina Percival – Women Who Code (https://www.womenwhocode.com/) CEO and Board Chair
Diana Stefanova – Managing Site Director at VMware (http://www.vmware.com/) Bulgaria
Sasha Bezuhanova – founder and chairperson of BCWT (http://www.bgwomeninict.org/), initiator and founder of the civil platform for democracy MoveBG (https://move.bg/)
Ivelina Nikolova – Global Operations Manager at HPE (https://www.hpe.com/us/en/home.html)
Ina Ivanova – Product Owner, HANA Cloud Platform, SAPBiliana Petrova – Staff Engineer, VMware (http://www.vmware.com/)
Kyoko Kerr – Sr. Globalization Program Manager, VMware (http://www.vmware.com/)
Sabina Panayotova – Blogger and founder of TEDxMladostWomen (http://www.tedxmladostwomen.com/teams/sabina-panayotova/)
Dimitar Dimitrov – Developer, TEDxMladostWomen presenter, and driving force behind Rails Girls Sofia (http://www.investor.bg/imenata-na-biznesa/263/a/d-dimitrov-v-sferata-na-tehnologiite-jenite-ne-otstypvat-na-myjete--195614/)

Going forward, WWCode Sofia will hold free monthly events for all women interested in technology, offering ample opportunities to its membership base to cultivate their technical and leadership skills and advance their career development.

More about WWCode:

Over 4200 free WWCode tech related events have been organized around the globe since 2011. The organization has given away over USD 1,000,000 as scholarships and admissions to tech conferences and seminars. The WWCode members have invested over 50 000 hours in delivering tech presentations, educating, and mentoring women around the globe how to become leaders and how to catalyze their careers in the tech industry.

Industry Facts & Stats:

• 1 400 000 software engineering jobs will be available in 2020
• 1 000 000 jobs are expected to go unfilled by traditional avenues
• Women hold 57% of all professional occupations, but only 26% of tech jobs
• 80% of all WWCode participants relayed that participating in WWCode has advanced their careers
• 97% would refer a friend or a colleague to WWCode’s programs, due to impact surrounding career and industry leadership goals