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.