Bridging the gap: tales from women in tech

To quote Indira Nooyi: "Pull up a chair, you belong at the table. Don’t wait for the invitation!"

Although we are in a time of progress and breaking culturally imposed norms, women still seem to be playing catch up when it comes to representation in the tech industry. Even those who have more experience and tenure in the tech industry can struggle to find a sense of belonging, navigate imposter syndrome or find their voice in the male-dominated environment.

Closing this year’s Women's History Month, we are thrilled to invite you to an evening with an inspiring panel of women sharing their stories and unfiltered insights on exploring nuances and complexities from their experiences in Tech.
We hope that after spending some time together, the next time you feel a little uninspired, unheard or unrepresented, this evening can stand testimony to the many extraordinary journeys of women like you and remind you that you are not alone and we are still on the path of change.

Is this event for me?
Are you looking to join tech or aspire a career change into tech?
Are you trying to rejoin the workforce in tech after a break?
Are you intending to leave tech?
Do you want to become a better ally for women and educate yourself?

If you answered "yes" to one of those questions, this is the event for you!
We are looking forward to welcoming a diverse audience to ignite conversations and learn from one another. Get yourself some drinks and snacks and come spend an evening with your allies.

Agenda:
18:30 Intro by Thoughtworks
18:40 "Why we need you in Tech!?" with Vivianne Bendermacher
19:05 "What does a growth journey in Tech feel like, from graduate to leadership? " with Jenny Wong
19:25 "Rediscovering my career in Tech " with Jeni Deniz Rodriguez
19:35 Time for the audience to share stories/Q&A
20:00 Good bye!

Our speakers:
Vivianne Bendermacher is one of the Managing Directors and co-owner of Techionista. She founded the company in 2014. In the beginning, Techionista was primarily a website where she shared her passion for technology. Together with her co-founder Tamira van Roeyen, she has built the company to where it is today. With Techionista Academy they have (re)trained over 700 women in IT and tech skills. This year Techionista has gone international, retraining women in 13 European countries.

Jenny Wong has been at Thoughtworks for 16 years working across domains in over 60 projects in 10 countries. Starting as a graduate in TWU, she is now the Partnerships Director, aligning Thoughtworks’ core technology values and strengths with other like-minded tech companies. In addition to client impact, she is a strong advocate for technical excellence in her global community leadership role. Outside of Thoughtworks, you can find her speaking at tech conferences around the world, learning and sharing practitioner-driven techniques with the community.

Jeni Deniz Rodriguez is a career changer and initiated her journey into tech in 2021. Before coming into tech, she studied Tourism & Marketing Management and worked in the Tourism Industry as hotel representative, receptionist, customer service agent, etc. In October 2021, she applied to Thoughtworks and attended TWU where she graduated as a Consultant Quality Analyst! She is now consulting on one of the largest programmes in Thoughtworks Germany.

To join us, simply click "Attend online" here on Meetup. The Zoom link will be visible to people who RSVP.
We hope to see you there!