Find Your Path: WIT Campus Career Exploration Day

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This September, WIT Campus Career Exploration Day will give 100 college students the chance to see what working in tech really looks like. 

At host companies across the Atlanta metro area, they’ll get a firsthand look at the day-to-day experience of working in technology roles across industries. That kind of immersion is one of the best ways to help women at the beginning of their careers build confidence, understand their options, and see real evidence that they belong. Our confirmed host companies include: Cox Enterprises, Fiserv, Norfolk Southern, Salesforce, State Farm, and The Coca-Cola Company.

What to Look Forward to

The full-day experience includes:

  • Hands-on problem solving: A chance to work together on a real-world challenge and present their findings and ideas.
  • Office and lab tours: A behind-the-scenes look at the spaces where tech innovation happens and the teams and processes that make it possible.
  • Inspiring conversations: Time to talk with and learn from women from all stages of the tech career journey.
  • Career guidance and insight: Valuable discussions about internships, skill-building, career paths, and workplace culture.

Details

September 25, 2026

8:30 a.m – 2 pm

Locations of host companies: Cox Enterprises, Fiserv, Norfolk Southern, Salesforce, State Farm, and The Coca-Cola Company

Attendees are responsible for their own transportation

How to Apply

WIT Campus Career Exploration Day is open to women currently attending colleges and universities in Georgia with an interest in pursuing tech careers. It’s a great way to connect with other women in tech, potential employers, and the broader WIT Community. 

Fill out our interest form or send it to any college students you know who may be interested! Eligible participants will then be invited to apply.

Introducing the 2026 WIT Awards Honoree Class

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A collage of diverse women in professional attire on a purple background, with WIT Awards 2024 logo at the bottom left.

We’re thrilled to introduce the women who make up the 2026 WIT Awards honoree class! 

This year’s honorees represent every stage of the career journey, from rising leaders just starting to make their mark to executives shaping strategy at the highest level. They have inspired their teams, innovated new products and services, and opened up new possibilities for other women in their field. 

Nominated by others and by themselves alike, each is being celebrated for the impact they’ve already made in their community.

Meet the 2026 Honorees

Woman of the Year

This is WIT’s highest honor. The award recognizes executive-level leaders who are accountable for significant, measurable outcomes, and whose leadership has created change that extends well beyond themselves.  

Emerging Executive Impact

For executives who are early in their executive leadership journey but are already delivering results that significantly exceed what would be expected at their tenure level. 

Organizational Executive Impact

For executives driving meaningful, measurable transformation within their organization, regardless of company size. 

Enterprise Executive Impact

For executives who have delivered sustained, large-scale impact within a major or highly complex organization. 

  • Stephanie Arnette, Principal, Deloitte
  • Arati Chavan, Vice President, Cyber Security, Mckesson
  • Julie Elmore, SVP, Technology, Inspire Brands
  • Sharay Erskine, Chief Information Officer, National Multiple Sclerosis Society 
  • Jenny Fotia, VP, Digital & Data, North America, The Coca-Cola Company
  • Dianne Kokotoff, Executive Director, Enterprise Solutions and Automation, Wellstar Health Systems
  • Naomi Lariviere, Chief Product Owner, VP Product Management, ADP
  • Missy Lawson, SVP, Technology; Cyber, Risk, & Business Operations, Fiserv
  • Wandia Mbuvi, Senior Vice President, Head of Strategic Risk & Remediation and Interim Head of CSBB Business Management Office, Truist
  • Ashlea Mitchell, Global Technology Leader – Engineering, Infrastructure, Operations, Revinate

Woman to Watch

This award recognizes a mid-career leader in technology who has already delivered measurable results beyond her formal role, expanded her scope of influence over time, and made a deliberate, visible investment in advancing others.

Early Career Excellence Award

This award recognizes an early-career professional in technology whose initiative, creativity, and investment in others significantly exceed what is typical at her stage.

SMP Excellence Award

Recognizes a graduate of WIT’s Single Mothers’ Program who is thriving in her technology career, growing her skills, delivering real results, and showing what is possible when determination meets opportunity.

Why the WIT Awards Matter

The WIT Awards recognize women and girls whose leadership and achievements are shaping technology today. By making their stories visible, the event creates role models for the next generation to follow into tech careers.

Reserve Your Table

The 2026 WIT Awards take place October 22 at the Georgia Aquarium. If someone on this list is part of your team, this is your chance to celebrate with them in person. 

Reserve your table

Introducing WIT’s Careers in Action Summit

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We’re doing something new this fall, and you don’t want to miss it!

On October 9, we are hosting the WIT Careers in Action Summit: a half-day experience that brings together everything you love about our programming. Think of it as a WIT Forum, WIT Technology Uncorked, and WIT Career Exploration program rolled into one morning of professional development, community, and intentional career advancement at every stage.

What the Summit includes

Breakfast & Networking kicks off the morning. Grab a plate and connect with fellow women and allies in tech before the programming begins.

The Mainstage Panel:  “The Future of Women’s Careers: Leading Through Change in a New World of Work” opens the programming. Executives, technologists, and talent leaders join a moderated conversation on the new landscape of tech careers in an AI-driven world, how companies are redefining pathways to leadership, and practical advice for navigating change, growth, and visibility. 

Coaching Corners are one-on-one sessions to give your personalized feedback on telling your career story and communicating your accomplishments and goals with confidence.

Skill Sparks are 40-minute breakout sessions designed to be practical and build momentum for your professional development:

9:45 am – 10:25 am

Respond Without Retreating – Learn how to respond in the moment when you’re interrupted, talked over, or challenged at work, and leave with a plan you can use right away

Design Your Next Chapter – Work through a structured exercise to get clear on your next career move and write it down before you leave

Your LinkedIn Profile Is Your First Interview – Take a close look at how your LinkedIn profile represents your personal brand, and get advice about what to change so it works harder for you

10:25 am – 11:05 am

Get Credit for What You Already Do – Do a visibility audit on the work you’re already doing, and learn how to reposition it so it gets the recognition it deserves

Build a Network That Actually Works for You – Leave with a 90-day plan for who to reach out to, what to say, and when

AI Won’t Replace You – But Someone Who Uses It Well Might – Get practical advice on how to use AI more effectively at work, including how to build prompts that actually get you useful results

Industry Insights area features direct conversations with select WIT corporate partners about what careers and growth actually look like inside their organizations. It’s a chance to talk directly with companies actively investing in women in tech. You can learn about real career paths, the skills they value, their workplace culture, and what growth actually looks like inside their organizations. These organizations include: CDW, Fiserv, Georgia-Pacific, Infor, QTS, State Farm, The Coca-Cola Company, The Home Depot, and Truist.

Who this is for

Whether you’re just starting, exploring a transition, returning to the field, or working toward a leadership role, WIT’s Careers in Action Summit was built for you. We designed it to serve women in tech across every career stage.

What you get

Breakfast & Networking. The Future of Women’s Careers Panel. Coaching Corners. Skill Sparks. The Industry Insights Room. You’ll get all of this, valued at $500, for just a $125 investment in yourself!

Date: Friday, October 9, 2026

Time: 8 am – 12 pm ET

Location: Kimberly-Clark, 1400 Holcomb Bridge Rd., Roswell, GA 30076

Space is limited. Register today to reserve your spot.

Register now

Whether you’re making the case to your manager or deciding for yourself, we’ve put together a resource to help you make it happen. Click here to access.

Participating Corporate Partners

The image shows the CDW logo with bold red letters and a red swoosh circling the letters on a white background.
The image shows the word fiserv. in bold, lowercase, orange letters on a white background.
Georgia-Pacific logo with a blue triangle containing white GP letters above the black text Georgia-Pacific on a white background.
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QTS
State Farm logo with three red ovals forming a triangle on the left and the words State Farm in bold red letters on the right, all on a white background.
The Coca-Cola Company logo features THE above Coca-Cola in cursive script and COMPANY below, all in black text on a white background.
The Home Depot logo in orange and white above the word CAREERS in bold black letters.
Truist logo with the word TRUIST in bold, dark purple letters and a stylized T and H inside a square to the right.

2026 WIT Early Career Mentorship Program

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Connecting early-career women in tech with the mentors, community, and clarity to move forward with confidence.

The early years of a technology career are full of possibility, and full of questions. Who do you turn to when you’re navigating a difficult workplace dynamic, figuring out your next move, or simply trying to understand what you’re capable of? Having the right people in your corner makes all the difference.

That’s what the WIT Early Career Small Group Mentorship Program is built for.

Women in Technology (WIT) connects early-career women with experienced industry professionals who are genuinely invested in helping them grow, not just professionally, but as leaders and as members of a community that will continue to support them long after the program ends. Over five months, participants gain more than guidance. They gain relationships, perspective, and a network of peers who want to see them thrive.

How it works

The program is structured around small groups: one experienced mentor paired with four mentees for a focused, five-month journey together. That intimacy is intentional. It creates space for the kind of honest, practical conversations that don’t happen in a large workshop or a one-time networking event.

Each group completes four one-hour sessions over the course of the program, meeting virtually, in-person, or in a hybrid format that works for everyone. WIT provides discussion guides and resources to give every group a strong foundation, and the groups themselves bring the energy, experience, and insight that make those conversations meaningful.

The journey, June through November

Kickoff: June 11 The program kicks off with an in-person event where mentors and mentees meet, small groups come together, and the five months ahead start to take shape. It’s an evening of introductions, shared goals, and that particular energy that comes from being in a room full of people who are ready to invest in each other.

Small-Group Mentoring: June 15 through November 2 Over the program window, each group meets four times on a schedule and in a format they choose together. Conversations are grounded in WIT-provided discussion resources and shaped by what each group needs most: building confidence, developing leadership skills, gaining career clarity, and strengthening the professional connections that support long-term growth.

Closing Session: November 12 The program closes the way it opened: together, in person, and with intention. Each mentorship group shares a brief reflection through the Mentorship Experience Capstone Showcase, a five-minute “show and tell” celebrating the growth, insights, and moments that defined their experience. After the showcase, the evening transitions into open networking, giving partners, mentors, and mentees space to continue the conversations that matter. Certificates are issued to all program completers.

Meet the 2026 mentors

Ten women leaders are shown in headshot photos, each with their name, title, and company below. They represent various industries, including hospitality, tech, engineering, retail, and consulting.

Thank you to our 2026 WIT Early Career program partners

Programs like this are made possible by the companies and individuals who believe in the power of investing in early-career women in tech. We’re deeply grateful to the partners whose support brings the WIT Early Career Mentorship Program to life each year.

Southwire logo with stylized copper wire graphic on the left and Southwire text in black serif font on the right.
The Truist logo with the word TRUIST in bold purple letters next to a purple square containing a stylized double T symbol.

To learn about partnership opportunities, reach out to us at partnerships@mywit.org.

Stay connected

Interested in joining a future cohort as a mentee or a mentor? Reach out to programs@mywit.org to learn more.

WIT Campus Spring 2026 Cohort Closes: By the Numbers and in Their Own Words

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WIT Campus Mentorship Program · Spring 2026

Nine weeks. Fifty-five college women. Fourteen industry mentors. And results that speak for themselves.

The WIT Campus Mentorship Program wrapped its Spring 2026 cohort on May 4, 2026, and we’re proud to share what happened when we brought college women and technology industry professionals together across a fully virtual, nine-week experience built for exactly this moment in a student’s career.

What the program set out to do

WIT Campus connects college women pursuing technology careers with industry professionals from the WIT community. Over nine weeks (March 9 through May 4, 2026), participants engaged in structured virtual small-group mentoring sessions with a clear mission: build job readiness, expand career awareness, grow professional networks, and strengthen the sense of belonging that keeps women in technology.

Each group completed five small-group sessions, with mentees grouped across institutions to encourage cross-campus connection. Standardized mentor guides and discussion prompts ensured every cohort had a consistent, high-quality foundation, while still leaving room for the real, honest conversations that make mentorship matter.

The numbers

We set ambitious targets. The Spring 2026 cohort didn’t just meet most of them. It exceeded them.

By program close, 94% of participants reported stronger job readiness confidence, and 84.6% said the program broadened their understanding of career paths in technology. Nearly nine in ten (88.1%) came away with a stronger sense of belonging in the tech community, and 83.3% grew their network of professional connections through the program.

The belonging score may be the most striking of all. Entering the program, only half of participants reported feeling a sense of belonging within the technology community. By close, that number had climbed to 88.1%, a 38-point gain that represents something more than a metric. It reflects what community actually feels like when it’s built intentionally.

On professional networks: at program start, nearly one in three participants (30.8%) reported zero personal connections to technology professionals. By the end, 83.3% said their network had grown, with the majority adding two or more new connections through the program.

In their own words

Data tells one story. The 24 mentee testimonials and 7 mentor reflections from this cohort tell another. Together, they give you the full picture.

On finding direction:

“I came into this program somewhat lost about my field and not knowing anyone. I wanted to learn more about the different ways I could stand out with my resume, and this mentorship program has helped me learn what recruiters are looking for.”

“I joined the WIT Campus Mentorship Program looking for direction, but I left with something much more valuable: confidence and clarity. As a computer science student, I had the technical skills, but I wasn’t always sure how to apply them or where I truly fit in the tech industry.”

On belonging:

“The WIT Campus Mentorship Program made me feel seen. As a woman pursuing a career in technology, I was looking for a sense of community and belonging in a field where women are often underrepresented… it became much more than that.”

“I feel a sense of belonging with other women in tech, and I feel better about networking and improving my skills. I feel much more confident in defining who I am in tech.”

On expanding what’s possible:

“I joined the WIT Campus Mentorship Program with a limited idea of what I could do in my technology career. I used to think I could only follow the path related to my major. Through this program, I realized there are many more roles I can explore.”

“I’ve become more concrete in my pathway, developed ways to make myself stand out on LinkedIn and in interviews, and I know where to seek help even when I feel like I don’t have someone to contact.”

On real outcomes:

“I would also like to give credit to this program for helping me develop myself professionally in such a way that I was able to secure an internship for this summer.”

From the mentors who made it happen:

“Mentoring has broadened my perspective by reminding me that everyone’s path into technology is different, and diverse experiences and viewpoints make our industry stronger.”

“What surprised me most was how much I learned from my mentees. Their resilience, curiosity, and openness pushed me to reflect on my own journey and reminded me why this work matters.”

“Many students are more capable than they realize, and thoughtful conversations can shift how they see themselves and their future in tech.”

What comes next

The Spring 2026 cohort is closed, but the momentum it built is not. The connections made, the confidence earned, and the career paths clarified over these nine weeks will carry forward into internship applications, job searches, and eventually into the next generation of women who mentor others.

That’s the arc WIT has always believed in: mentees become mentors, students become industry leaders, and communities grow stronger when the people who’ve found their footing turn around to help the next person find theirs.

Interested in mentoring the next cohort of college women in tech, or connecting your company with the WIT Campus program? Reach out to us at programs@mywit.org.

Women in Technology (WIT) creates possibilities for more women to explore, pursue, persist, and lead in technology. Est. 1992.

The Meetings Before the Meetings

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There’s a moment most of us have experienced: You walk into a room thinking a decision is still on the table, and you quickly realize it was made before anyone sat down. The meeting was a formality. You just didn’t know it.

The women who shape decisions, the ones who actually move things forward, know something the rest of the room doesn’t always see. The real work happens before the calendar invite goes out.

At a recent Women in Technology (WIT) Technology Uncorked event, a panel of senior leaders in technology and strategy gathered to talk about navigating power, pushback, and decision- making. And across every story they shared, one strategy surfaced again and again: Do the meetings before the meetings.

What that actually means

It’s not about going around people or playing political games. It’s about doing the relationship work that makes the formal meeting matter.

One panelist described leading a new product initiative at The Coca-Cola Company. She walked in with a room full of longtime employees who immediately pushed back. “We tried it. It won’t work. There’s a white paper that says so.” Instead of defending the idea on the spot, she paused. She went back and had individual conversations. She found out who had reservations, and more important, she learned why. She identified her champions. She understood the history.

Then she came back with a real business case, answers to the objections, and with the people in the room already partially won over.

“I had the meetings before the meetings,” she said. “And I love hearing the pushback, because that way you can position it when you’re in the real meeting. You can say, I heard you. This is what we’re doing about it.“

Influence doesn’t live in your title

Another panelist made a point that reframes how most of us think about organizational power. She had grown up in her company, risen through the ranks, earned her C-level seat, and discovered that one director in a finance support function had more influence over hiring decisions than anyone with a formal title.

“It wasn’t me with my C title or the CEO who told me it was approved. Ultimately, she had the influence and helped drive that for the entire organization.”

The lesson: Influence is informal and distributed. It lives in relationships, in trust, in who people call when they need to think something through. And you don’t find that out from an org chart. You find it by paying attention, building relationships across levels, and as one panelist put it, going to the food court.

“You start to see who hangs out with each other, whose kids go to school together, who’s neighbors with who. And then you start to understand how influence actually moves.”

Resistance Is data

Every panelist had experienced pushback. The kind that’s obvious, and the kind that isn’t. Silence in a meeting. An idea attributed to someone else. A decision quietly reversed after you leave the room.

Their advice wasn’t to avoid conflict or push harder. It was to get curious.

“When I find resistance, I say: ‘I feel some tension here. Tell me what I’ve missed. Help me understand what you see as a blocker.” One panelist described this as turning resistance into information. “The resistors give you so much data. They show you the path. They tell you exactly what you need to address.”

That reframe matters. Pushback isn’t a wall. It’s a map.

Building alignment is the job

As careers advance, the work shifts. It’s less about executing tasks and more about building consensus, removing obstacles, and moving ideas through people.

“When we’re younger in our careers, it’s all about the task,” one panelist reflected. “The further we progress, all of my time is spent shaping, influencing, working with peers, and helping move ideas forward.”

That’s not a soft skill. That’s leadership. And it requires a different kind of preparation than most of us were taught.

The meeting before the meeting isn’t a trick. It’s the practice of showing up to formal moments with the relationships, information, and alignment already built. It’s how decisions get made, and how you get to be part of making them.

Try it this week

Before your next important meeting, ask yourself:

  • Who in this room hasn’t been heard yet?
  • Who are my potential champions, and have I talked to them?
  • What’s the real resistance, and what does it tell me about what I still need to address?
  • Is there a conversation I can have before that would make the formal meeting more productive?

The goal isn’t to predetermine the outcome. It’s to show up prepared, to bring people along, and to lead in a way that makes the work, and the people doing it, better.

This insight was drawn from a WIT Technology Uncorked event on navigating power, pushback, and decision-making. Women in Technology (WIT) creates possibilities for more women to explore, pursue, persist, and lead in technology. Learn more at mywit.org.

Who’s in Your Corner? The Sponsorship Conversations That Actually Change Careers

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May Virtual WIT Forum | May 20 | 8–9 am ET | Virtual via Zoom

Most women in technology have done everything right. They’ve sought out mentors. They’ve raised their hands, made their work visible, and built their networks. And many have still found themselves stalling, watching peers advance while wondering what they’re missing.

The missing piece is rarely a matter of skill or effort. It is often sponsorship.

This May, Women in Technology (WIT) is bringing that conversation into the open.

What This Forum Is About

The May Virtual WIT Forum, presented by Tier4 Group, goes beyond career advice to examine the advocacy relationships that actually change trajectories.

Sponsorship is not mentorship. It is not networking. It is someone with organizational power putting their credibility behind your readiness, saying your name in rooms you are not in, creating openings, and following through. For professionals navigating the path to leadership, access to that kind of advocacy is one of the most significant predictors of who advances and who plateaus.

Through candid conversations with leaders and practitioners, this forum will explore what sponsorship looks like in practice, why it is harder for women to access, what sponsors need from the people they champion, and how individuals and organizations can begin to close the advocacy gap.

Who Should Attend

This forum is designed for women and allies at every career stage, and for the leaders who are in a position to sponsor.

Whether you are actively looking for a sponsor, ready to step into the role of sponsor for someone else, or leading an organization that wants to build a more equitable path to advancement, this is a practical, honest conversation built for you.

What You Will Walk Away With

Attendees can expect to leave with:

  • Clarity on what sponsorship actually looks like. Not the concept — the practice. What sponsors do, what they need from you, and how to recognize and cultivate those relationships in your own organization.
  • A deeper understanding of why the gap exists. The advocacy gap is real, and it is not accidental. This forum names why women face greater barriers to accessing sponsorship and what it takes to change that.
  • Concrete next steps. Whether you are seeking a sponsor, becoming one, or building systems that make sponsorship more equitable, you will leave ready to act.

Join Us Virtually on May 20

This forum is completely virtual and open to women and allies everywhere. You do not have to be in Atlanta, or anywhere in particular, to be part of this conversation.

One hour. Real talk. The kind of insight that moves careers forward.

Meet the Panelists

Four professionals stand in individual frames with names and titles: Jennifer Baker, Jeff Afonso, Robby Cullens, and Kateau James, all Chief Information Officers at various organizations. Each is smiling and dressed in business attire.

Thank You to Our Partners

This forum is made possible by the generous support of our partners.

A special thank you to our Presenting Partner, Tier4 Group, for their commitment to advancing women in technology and making conversations like this one possible.

The TIER4 GROUP logo with TIER above GROUP in gray text, and a blue geometric symbol resembling 4 and a person to the right of TIER..

We also extend our gratitude to our WIT Forum Partners:

A grid of 20 company logos, including Cox, Google Cloud, Salesforce, State Farm, Cargill, Norfolk Southern, Coca-Cola, and others, all in various styles on a white background.

Women in Technology (WIT) creates possibilities for more women to explore, pursue, persist, and lead in technology. Learn more at mywit.org.

2026 WIT Awards: Nominations Are Now Open

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The WIT Awards recognize the remarkable women who explore, pursue, persist, and lead in technology — and the organizations making that possible. Nominations are open now. Nominations close May 29, 2026. Awards Night: October 22, 2026.

What’s New in 2026

After hearing from people across the WIT community, we’ve redesigned our awards framework around one core idea: Recognize the individual leader, not the company on her business card. Key changes from 2025 include: no 1-year tenure requirement for Woman of the Year nominees; “Single Mother of the Year” renamed to “SMP Success Award”; company-size categories replaced with impact-based subcategories (Enterprise, Organizational, Emerging Executive); and clearer eligibility criteria throughout.

Award Categories

Early Career Excellence Award

Recognizes an early-career professional in technology whose initiative, creativity, and investment in others significantly exceed what is typical at her stage.

Woman to Watch

Recognizes a mid-career leader in technology who has already delivered measurable results beyond her formal role, expanded her scope of influence over time, and made a deliberate, visible investment in advancing others.

Woman of the Year

WIT’s highest honor. Recognizes executive-level leaders who are accountable for significant, measurable outcomes, and whose leadership has created change that extends well beyond themselves. Subcategories: Enterprise Executive, Organizational Executive, and Emerging Executive.

Girl of the Year

Recognizes a high school student who demonstrates genuine curiosity, initiative, and growing confidence in exploring technology, and who lifts others around her in the process.

Campus Club of the Year

Recognizes an official WIT Campus Club that has created meaningful opportunities for students to connect, develop skills, and build confidence and community in technology.

SMP Excellence

Recognizes a graduate of WIT’s Single Mothers’ Program who is thriving in her technology career, growing her skills, delivering real results, and showing what is possible when determination meets opportunity.

Key Dates

  • Nominations Close: May 29, 2026
  • Nominee Applications Close: June 12, 2026
  • Honoree Announcement: First week of July
  • Finalist Announcement: Mid-August
  • Finalist In-Person Interviews: September 18, 2026
  • Awards Ceremony: October 22, 2026

WIT Connect 2026 Recap

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WIT Connect 2026 was everything this community stands for: energy, generosity, purpose, and the undeniable power of what happens when Georgia’s technology leaders come together in the same room. On April 29th, more than 550 supporters gathered for an evening that was as inspiring as it was fun—celebrating the women and girls who are shaping the future of technology, and raising critical funds to power WIT’s programs for another year. Thanks to the leadership of our Presenting Sponsor, Cox, and a community that showed up in full force, WIT Connect 2026 raised $339,000 to fuel the year ahead.

An Evening That Delivered

WIT Connect is not a typical gala. It is a high-energy gathering that blends meaningful conversation with friendly competition, peer connection with senior leadership access, and celebration with accountability. Attendees left having made real connections, heard honest perspectives from leaders they admire, and contributed directly to a mission they believe in.

The Silent Auction featured exceptional experiences and items donated by partners across the Atlanta technology community. The energy in the room during bidding was electric, and the generosity on display was a testament to how deeply this community invests in WIT’s work.

Why WIT Connect Matters

Every dollar raised at WIT Connect goes directly to supporting WIT Girls, WIT Campus, WIT YoPros, and the forums and programming that have built this community over three decades. When you show up for WIT Connect, you are not just attending an event. You are funding the scholarship that helps a young woman pursue a computer science degree. You are supporting the middle schooler who just discovered she loves coding. You are backing the early-career professional who needs a community to help her persist.

Save the Date for 2027

Did you miss it this year? Mark your calendar now: WIT Connect 2027 is Thursday, May 6, 2027. Sponsorships and tickets will open in early 2027. In the meantime, stay connected by subscribing to our newsletter and following WIT on social media.

AI and Your Career: Key Takeaways from a Recent WIT Forum

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The conversation about artificial intelligence and career development is no longer hypothetical. It is happening right now, in boardrooms, on factory floors, and in every corner of the technology workforce. At a recent WIT forum, a panel of senior technology leaders came together to share candid perspectives on what the AI moment means for women in tech.

AI Is No Longer Experimental — It Is a Competitive Requirement

When attendees were asked how AI feels in relation to their careers, the most common responses were “competitive advantage” and “skill requirement.” The panelists agreed: this is not hype, and it is not coming someday. AI is already reshaping knowledge work in ways we have not seen before. Those who adopt early will have a distinct edge. Those who wait may find themselves left behind.

Gender Gaps in AI Adoption Are Real — and Worth Naming

Research suggests that women are less likely than men to self-start their AI learning journeys. Imposter syndrome, experienced by a significant majority of women at some point in their careers, plays a real role. The takeaway: culture matters enormously, and not everyone is working in a supportive one.

If Your Organization Is Not Giving You Time, Find It Yourself

The companies leading on AI are intentionally carving out time for their teams to learn, experiment, and fail safely. But for those without that support: do not let your company’s priorities determine your learning. Start small. A ten-minute YouTube video. A podcast on your commute. A few questions typed into a free AI tool on your own time.

Diversity Is Not Separate from AI — It Is Essential to It

Generative AI models are built on data, and that data carries bias. Diverse teams are not just a values-driven priority in the AI era; they are a technical and strategic necessity. Women who step into AI roles are helping to shape technology that will affect everyone.

The Bottom Line: Start Somewhere

AI may not replace your job. But people who understand AI will be more competitive for it. The skill gap is real, the opportunity is real, and the moment to begin is now.