Gender Equity Tech sponsorship

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Gender Equity Tech WR

LXCL:Gender Equity Tech (GET) brings together women and gender expansive folks from the local tech community. We GET together, GET connected, and GET inspired through our events and community connection. At our events, attendees experience a nice meal, networking opportunities, and talks from engaging speakers on a variety of topics from technical skills to career growth to hobbies.

Join us for our first event of the 2026-27 season!&nbsp; GET&nbsp;together on September 15th to dive into research about tech ethics and how we can have an impact.GET inspired&nbsp;by our panelists from the University of Waterloo who are researching ethics- and equity-focused issues in the tech sector and developing intervention approaches rooted in policy, public education, community care, and industry.GET connected&nbsp;with fellow attendees and panelists through small-group discussions following the talk. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1788360948/wysiwyg/jvvitss896ddcp5cdhgg.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; max-width: 100%; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> We are official event hosts with Waterloo Tech Week 2026, a celebration of what&rsquo;s been built here, and what&rsquo;s still to come. We&rsquo;re building something great together. September 12-17, 2026.&nbsp;<a fr-original-style="" href="https://waterlootechweek.ca" rel="nofollow noopener" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">waterlootechweek.ca</a> This event is part of IEEE Ethics Week 2026, hosted in collaboration with the IEEE SSIT Broadening Participation Committee and the Computer Society IEEE KW. *** This event brings together researchers from the University of Waterloo &nbsp;who study ethical issues in technology through distinct lenses, including: policy issues related to facial recognition technology; communities of care that counter online hate; and games studies across industry and education. Each will introduce their research and the questions and experiences driving it. Then we dive into how people in the tech community can build on what&#39;s been learned so far to increase awareness and create change. After the panel, we&#39;re moving into small-group discussions and networking. We&#39;ll create space to talk through what you&#39;re actually going to do with what you heard, and to meet others in the community who care about this as much as you do. Built with early and mid-career women and gender diverse people in software, product, marketing, and sales in mind &mdash; and open to university students, developers, AI practitioners, and anyone in the Waterloo tech ecosystem thinking seriously about ethics in their work. Meet our panelDr. Jennifer R. Whitson (she/her) is an Associate Professor in Sociology &amp; Legal Studies and in the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, both at the University of Waterloo. She has a background in surveillance studies. She has been conducting qualitative research (ethnography, interviews, surveys) with game developers since 2012, tracing how social and technological practices shape developers&#39; creative work and influence who exactly can have a sustainable career doing what they love. Other projects focus on how technological shifts, such as adoption of genAI, are impacting education and work. You can find her writing at IndieInterfaces.com, first3yearsproject.com, and jenniferwhitson.com. Dr. Jin Sol Kim (she/her)&nbsp;is a Postdoctoral Fellow and interdisciplinary scholar at the University of Waterloo. Her research focuses on AI governance, with a specialization in ethics and regulation in facial recognition technologies (FRTs) and synthetic images, to determine the implications of image-based AI for the Canadian context. Collaborating with Drs. Lai-Tze Fan (Sociology and Legal Studies) and Elliot Creager (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Jin Sol is the Manager of the U&amp;AI Lab in Sociology and the lead SSH researcher at the SEMI Lab in ECE. She is also an active member of the Arts AI Task Force and the Trust in Research Undertaken in Science and Technology (TRuST) Network at the University of Waterloo. Jin Sol holds a PhD in English - Digital Media Studies from UW. Dr. Lai-Tze Fan (she/her) is the Canada Research Chair in Technology and Social Change, and an Associate Professor of Sociology &amp; Legal Studies and English Literature at the University of Waterloo, Canada. She is the Founder and Director of The U&amp;AI Lab at Waterloo, which uses interdisciplinary methods for responsible AI design and AI literacy. Fan is Co-Director of Waterloo&rsquo;s TRuST scholarly network, with Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland, focusing on improved literacy and informed trust in science, technology, and health. She is also Associate Professor II in the Center for Digital Narrative at the University of Bergen, Norway. Dr. Laura Blanco-Murcia (she/her)&nbsp;is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Waterloo, who is passionate about the intersections between gender, care, sustainability, and the narratives about these topics that circulate in online and offline environments. Through her work, Laura finds insights to foster the emergence and growth of caring communities that prioritize human and more-than-human wellbeing over financial gains. Currently, she is exploring narratives about caring masculinities circulating online, which can provide alternatives to hate-based narratives and enable sustainable futures. Originally from Colombia, Laura lives in Canada with her partner, her wonderful kid, and two crazy dogs. Moderated by Dr. Heather Love (she/her). Heather is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Waterloo, where she conducts interdisciplinary research and teaches courses on topics related to literature, culture, technology, health, and engineering education. She is Vice President for Conferences of the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT), where she also serves on the Publications and the Ethics and Social Responsibility Committees. Heather is an IEEE TechEthics Global Ambassador and member of the Steering Committee for the 2026 IEEE Ethics Week. Her book, Cybernetic Aesthetics: Modernist Networks of Information and Data (Cambridge University Press 2023), was awarded the Gertrude J. Robinson Book Prize from the Canadian Communication Association and was a finalist for the British Society for Literature and Science Book Prize. Her work has appeared in literary studies, medical humanities, and IEEE journals. Agenda5:30pm: Doors open. Join us at the Builder&#39;s Club event space on the 3rd floor. Dinner is available as you arrive. Childminding is available by pre-registration.6:00pm: Welcome messages from GET.6:15pm: Panel discussion.7:15pm: Discussion session with our panelists and fellow attendees.8:00pm: Event wrap-up.&nbsp; Childminding closed. Please pick up your kids! Childminding is available by advance registration for this event!Children 1 and older can have their own GET together in a supervised play area. You must remain in the building and available to respond if the childminder contacts you. How to find us:Builder&#39;s Club is on the third floor of 165 King St W.&nbsp; Our entrance door is between Libro Bank and Cocoon Spa&#39;thecary, under the AOK sign. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1765808422/wysiwyg/wjqzy84nxt5tvzbxhcjd.jpg" style="width: 349px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; max-width: 100%; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 349px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">

GET together: Tech ethics - What we know and where we go from here

Ship Your First AI-Powered App in 60 Minutes! GET&nbsp;together on June 4th for a hands on workshop.GET inspired&nbsp;by workshop leader Heather Gawel (she/her), founder of Momentum Product Co.GET connected&nbsp;with fellow attendees by building together. This workshop is built for anyone who&#39;s been watching the AI conversation from the sidelines and wants a way in. In 60 minutes, you&#39;ll go from an idea to a working, AI-powered app or website. No coding experience required. We&#39;ll walk you through how to plan your build using Claude, then ship something real using a vibe coding tool. By the end, you&#39;ll have a prototype you made yourself and enough context to follow what other people in the community are building. Who this is for:You&#39;re new to AI tools, or you&#39;ve played around with ChatGPT or Claude but never built anything. You&#39;re a solopreneur, marketer, product person, or just AI-curious, and you want a practical on-ramp rather than another theoretical talk. You want to walk into future AI conversations and events feeling informed, not overwhelmed. What you&#39;ll build:A simple, AI-powered app or website tailored to something you actually need &mdash; a landing page for a side project, a course registration flow, an automated email helper, or your own idea. We&#39;ll provide a starter concept if you don&#39;t have one. Already technical? Join to support others and grow your skills!If you&#39;re a developer or further along in your AI journey, come as a mentor, partner up with someone new, or use the time to explore how to push your prototype toward production. Part of why this workshop exists is to get more women+ into the AI community and your presence helps build that. What to expect:A working session, not a lecture. Pre-work instructions will go out ahead of time (tools to install, accounts to create) so everyone arrives ready to build. Food and community throughout. Come if:<ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">You want to build something you&#39;ve been thinking about</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">You want to feel confident in AI conversations</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">You want to meet other women and gender diverse people building with AI</li></ul>Agenda5:30pm:&nbsp;Doors open. Join us at the Builder&#39;s Club on the third floor. Dinner is available as you arrive. Childminding is available by advanced booking.&nbsp;6:00pm: Introductions and announcements.6:15pm: Heather Gawel introduces us to our workshop topic and structure.&nbsp;6:30pm: Get building! &nbsp;7:45pm: Workshop wrap up.8:30pm: Childminding closed. Please pick up your kids! <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1776970273/wysiwyg/tke7pxselq0eg5szaxhl.jpg" style="width: 278px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 5px; text-align: center; max-width: calc(100% - 10px); cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; position: relative; box-sizing: inherit; background-clip: padding-box; border-radius: 10px;" fr-original-style="width: 278px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: bottom; margin-right: 5px; margin-left: 5px; text-align: center; max-width: calc(100% - 10px);" fr-original-class="fr-draggable fr-rounded"> Meet our workshop leader<a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathergawel/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Heather Gawel</a> (she/her) is the founder of <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.momentumproductco.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">Momentum Product Co.</a>, a former VP of Product, a practitioner at the intersection of AI, product, and execution, having led teams managing $100M+ portfolios. Through Momentum, she runs hands-on AI workshops for product managers, founders, and cross-functional teams across Waterloo, Toronto and the US, and brings a practitioner&#39;s perspective &mdash; these are workflows she uses daily. She&#39;s passionate about creating on-ramps for people who want to build with AI &mdash; especially women+ new to the AI community. [Alt text for photo above: Headshot of Heather, a white woman with long red-blond hair wearing a black shirt and grey vest. She is looking at the camera and smiling.]

GET together: Your On-Ramp to AI with Heather Gawel from Momentum Product Co.

Join us for a special April event with our friends at CivicTechWR GET&nbsp;together on April 8th as we join a CivicTech Hacknight.GET inspired&nbsp;by guest speaker Kristy Guthrie (she/her) of municiPal AI.GET connected&nbsp;with fellow attendees through breakout groups to discuss the topic and its connection to active Civic Tech projects. CivicTechWR is a community group that brings together people from different sectors and backgrounds to actively solve civic challenges in our local community using design and technology. People of all backgrounds and skill levels are welcome to participate! Meet our guest speakerKristy is the co-founder of municiPal AI, an AI-powered search tool built to reimagine how people interact with municipal websites. municiPal AI is helping cities unlock buried digital content, reduce operational inefficiencies, and create better digital experiences for constituents. Agenda5:30pm:&nbsp;Doors open. Join us at the Builder&#39;s Club on the third floor. Dinner is available as you arrive. Childminding is available by request.6:00pm: Introductions and announcements.6:15pm: Guest speaker Kristy Guthrie (15 minute presentation, 15 minute Q&amp;A)6:45pm: Breakout groups. Discuss topics from the panel and learn about the projects CivicTech members have been building this season.&nbsp;7:45pm: Project recap and wrap up.8:00pm: Childminding closed. Please pick up your kids! Current CivicTech ProjectsAccessible apartment listings - A portal to share listings of accessible units when they become available in a format that answers key questions and meets the needs of prospective tenants. Lonely No More (LOMO) - Most apps want your attention. LoMo wants your intention. A mutual aid app to coordinate volunteers and requests for support. Waterloo Region Votes - Website with local municipal election information. <strong fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;" style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;">Childminding is available by advance registration for this event!Children 1 and older can have their own GET together in a supervised play area. You must remain in the building and available to respond if the childminder contacts you.

GET together with CivicTechWR - Featuring Kristy Guthrie of MuniciPal AI

For our first GET together of 2026, we&#39;ve partnered with our friends at Toast. GET&nbsp;together on January 21st to learn more about the local MedTech and HealthTech landscape.GET inspired&nbsp;by our panelists - women from several local startups focused on the medicine, health, and wellness.&nbsp;GET connected&nbsp;with fellow attendees through networking following the panel. This month&#39;s Women Doing Cool $h!t&nbsp;panel brings together Christy Lee, Ellyn Winters-Robinson, Jacqui Murphy, and Saba Oji &mdash; four founders and innovators building at the intersection of women&rsquo;s health, AI, and patient-centered impact. Listen to their stories, learn about the growing opportunities in the local Med/Health/Wellness Tech sector, and get excited about solutions that can impact women and gender-expansive people and our loved ones. Christy Lee is the Co-Founder and CEO of PatientCompanion, a digital platform designed to enhance communication between nurses and patients. Inspired by her volunteer work in hospitals and long-term care homes, Christy recognized how communication gaps can affect quality of care. With a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Waterloo and professional experience at companies like Amazon and KA Imaging, she blends technical expertise with empathy-driven design to bridge healthcare and technology. Ellyn Winters-Robinson is a breast cancer survivor, health rebel, and patient innovator, and the Co-Creator of AskEllyn.ai&nbsp;&mdash; the world&rsquo;s first non-medical AI companion for those impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis. Since launching two years ago, AskEllyn has supported individuals in over 100 countries and 50+ languages and is now the subject of a national clinical evidence study funded by the Canadian Cancer Society and led by researchers at Brock University. Ellyn is redefining what patient-led innovation looks like in women&rsquo;s health. Jacqui Murphy is co-founder of Elderella&nbsp;- an AI-native platform that lifts the weight off your shoulders by bringing your circle of care together in one coordinated system. Jacqui&#39;s career in tech began just before the Internet boom in the late 90s, leading marketing communications for PixStream, a company acquired by Cisco Systems in one of the largest tech company acquisitions in Canadian history. That experience led to a decade-long adventure as a venture capital investor, partnering with technology company executives to shape go-to-market strategies, expand into new markets, and accelerate growth across a wide variety of industries. She&#39;s also served on the boards of several venture-backed companies and not-for-profit organizations. Saba Oji (she/her) is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Health at the University of Waterloo and the Founder &amp; CEO of HolisticMindAI Inc., a Canadian startup recently named one of Canada&rsquo;s Top 100 AI Startups. HolisticMindAI builds therapist-guided AI tools that support mental health providers with documentation and extend safe, ethical care to clients between sessions. Deeply engaged in equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives, Saba was recently nominated for Women of the Year &ndash; Rising Star in Waterloo Region. Grounded in lived experience and community mentorship, she brings a people-first lens to responsible AI and mental health innovation. Moderated by Rebecca Lyons, Toast Community Manager and Founder of HerSay. Agenda5:30pm: Doors open. Join us at the Builder&#39;s Club event space on the 3rd floor. Dinner is available as you arrive. Childminding is available by pre-registration.6:00pm: Welcome messages from GET and Toast.6:15pm: Panel discussion.7:15pm: Networking time - with some helpful facilitation by GET and Toast volunteers.&nbsp;8:00pm: Childminding closed. Please pick up your kids! Childminding is available by advance registration for this event!Children 1 and older can have their own GET together in a supervised play area. You must remain in the building and available to respond if the childminder contacts you. How to find us:Builder&#39;s Club is on the third floor of 165 King St W.&nbsp; Our entrance door is between Libro Bank and Cocoon Spa&#39;thecary, under the AOK sign. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1765808422/wysiwyg/wjqzy84nxt5tvzbxhcjd.jpg" style="width: 349px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 349px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> About Toast:&nbsp;Toast is a collective for women in tech by women in tech. We work with mission- and impact-driven companies committed to gender diversity to help women get the jobs they want, the pay they deserve, and a community that supports them. Become a Toast member here: https://www.trytoast.ca/membership

GET together with Toast: Women Doing Cool $h!t panel, Kitchener-Waterloo Edition 🍞

Join us for our November event! GET&nbsp;together on November 19th for a very special night of networking.GET inspired&nbsp;by our mentors - women from across the tech community with stories to tell and wisdom to share.&nbsp;GET connected&nbsp;with fellow attendees as you engage in dynamic conversations.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1759843383/wysiwyg/knok5uvll3mqli5jeqob.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Stay tuned - more details to be announced! <strong fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;" style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;">Childminding is available by advance registration for this event!Children 1 and older can have their own GET together in a supervised play area. You must remain in the building and available to respond if the childminder contacts you.

GET together: Mentoring Speakeasy

Join us for our September event! GET&nbsp;together on September 24th for dinner and networking at the Builder&#39;s Club in downtown Kitchener.GET inspired&nbsp;by our speaker and workshop facilitator, Lisa Bauman (she/her).GET connected&nbsp;with fellow attendees through&nbsp;Speed Networking&nbsp;following the talk. Embracing Chaos in your CareerThe world threw us a curveball with 2025&#39;s unexpected trade tensions. What surprise will 2026 bring? While others scramble to keep up with constant change, you&#39;ll learn to use disruption as fuel for career growth.This workshop reveals how to transform uncertainty from a roadblock into your greatest professional asset. You&#39;ll walk away with practical tools that work whether the next disruption is AI, economic shifts, or something no one saw coming.What You&#39;ll Gain:Master the chaos advantage &ndash; Apply proven theories like happenstance and chaos frameworks to real workplace challengesBuild your career toolkit &ndash; Identify specific strategies that turn unpredictable moments into opportunitiesCreate your personal playbook &ndash; Design a customized approach that helps you thrive through any future disruptionJoin us to learn how to stop reacting to change and start leveraging it. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1757261224/wysiwyg/kugsmdklmy5djqcxgzwm.jpg" style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 600px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> Meet our Speaker!&nbsp;Lisa Bauman is an advisor, consultant, podcast host, and facilitator who brings a unique blend of coaching expertise, academic leadership, and innovative content creation to help organizations build future-ready talent strategies. As founder of Future Ready Coaching and Consulting and a professor at a local college since 2016, she shapes the next generation through courses such as Career Management, Career Success, and Group Training and Facilitation while partnering with leaders to navigate transitions with clarity and purpose. Her award-winning podcast &quot;Let&#39;s Talk Careers&quot; explores diverse career journeys, sharing insights that help professionals thrive in today&#39;s evolving workplace. Lisa&#39;s approach combines philosophical inquiry with practical application&mdash;shaped by her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from York University, Post Graduate Certificate in Career Development from Conestoga College, Master&#39;s in Adult Education from the University of Calgary, and Organizational Coaching Certificate from UBC. Agenda5:30pm:&nbsp;Doors open. Join us at the Builder&#39;s Club workshop space in the basement. Dinner is available as you arrive. Childminding is available by request.6:00pm: Welcome messages from GET.6:15pm: Speaker-led workshop.7:15pm: Networking time! For something a little different, we&#39;ll do some guided Speed Networking.&nbsp;8:00pm: Childminding closed. Please pick up your kids! <strong fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;" style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;">Childminding is available by advance registration for this event!Children 1 and older can have their own GET together in a supervised play area. You must remain in the building and available to respond if the childminder contacts you.

GET together: Embracing Chaos in your Career

Join us for our May event! GET&nbsp;together on May 22nd for dinner and networking at the Skywatch office in downtown Kitchener.GET inspired&nbsp;by our speaker, Joan Ngatia (she/her).GET connected&nbsp;with fellow attendees through open networking following the talk.&nbsp; A Coffee with My Younger Self - Innovation, Growth &amp; Advocating for Your Evolving Self<div fr-original-style="width:100%;line-height:1.5;box-sizing:inherit;" id="isPasted" style="width:100%;line-height:1.5;box-sizing:inherit;">If you could sit down for coffee with your younger self, what would you say? Joan will explore the intersection of innovation, personal growth, and self-advocacy&mdash;examining how both technology and our evolving sense of self shape the way we navigate work, health, and identity. Through reflections on lessons learned and the advancements empowering women+ today, she&rsquo;ll share her experiences and insights on how we can advocate for ourselves at every stage of our journey.</div> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1745330233/wysiwyg/csdy7n0v2qvtbofww2sg.jpg" style="width: 317px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 317px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> Meet our Speaker!&nbsp;Joan is a Technical Team Lead at Skywatch Space Applications, with an unconventional path into the industry. Having once envisioned careers in teaching, engineering, and journalism, she studied Geospatial Science for her undergraduate degree but transitioned into software development on a whim&mdash;only to find that her current role beautifully blends all her early interests. She mentors junior developers, builds innovative solutions, and tells stories&mdash;whether in project meetings or to her child. Originally from a little&mdash;but not so little&mdash;city in Kenya, Joan is passionate about the progress women have made in owning their choices. She draws inspiration from both traditional and modern experiences of womanhood, exploring the ways they shape identity, independence, and empowerment. Agenda5:30pm:&nbsp;Doors open. Join us at the Skywatch event space on the 3rd floor. Dinner is available as you arrive. Childminding is available by request.6:00pm: Welcome messages from GET and our sponsor Skywatch.6:15pm: Speaker presentation.7:15pm: Networking time!&nbsp;8:00pm: Childminding closed. Please pick up your kids! <strong fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;" style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;">Childminding is available by advance registration for this event!Children 1 and older can have their own GET together in the play area of our event space. You must remain in the building and available to respond if the childminder contacts you. About our sponsorSkywatch is on a mission to democratize remote-sensing data through a simple user experience. We created SkyWatch to empower our customers to use geospatial data to solve their most critical business challenges. We believe that the best way to understand our planet is to look at it from space. Geospatial data provides the insights we need to solve some of the world&rsquo;s most challenging problems. But anyone who had never used satellite data before was going to struggle. We realized the real opportunity in remote sensing was making this data easily accessible and affordable to all. Our goal is to make this powerful data accessible so we can make the planet a better place.

GET together: A Coffee with My Younger Self - Innovation, Growth & Advocating for Your Evolving Self

Join us for our April event! GET&nbsp;together on April 24th for dinner and networking at the Builder&#39;s Club in Kitchener.GET inspired&nbsp;by our speaker, Rebecca Lyons.GET connected&nbsp;unconference-style as we pitch and organize around topics that pique our interest.&nbsp; Bridging the Confidence Gap: Negotiation Skills for Women+ in Tech<div fr-original-style="width:100%;line-height:1.5;box-sizing:inherit;" style="width:100%;line-height:1.5;box-sizing:inherit;">Rebecca will address the confidence gap that women and gender diverse people often face in self-advocacy, salary negotiations, and leadership roles. From imposter syndrome to bias in promotions and hiring, she&rsquo;ll be sharing insights from her own career and leadership journey and how these challenges can be overcome, empowering women+ to step into their full potential in the tech industry! #WomenInTech #GenderEquity #Leadership #ConfidenceGap #NegotiationSkills&nbsp;</div> Meet our Speaker!&nbsp;Rebecca Lyons is a visionary leader at the intersection of sales strategy, human capability development and digital transformation. As the CEO of Orgpath, she is revolutionizing the way organizations measure and develop human capabilities (soft skills) through research-backed assessments and actionable learning plans. She also leads Exera, a cutting-edge business intelligence system designed to empower HR leaders with data-driven insights. With over a decade of experience in sales enablement, leadership coaching and strategic growth, Rebecca has helped global organizations optimize performance, drive revenue, and build high-impact teams. She currently serves as a fractional CRO, applying her expertise to accelerate business growth for her clients. Rebecca&rsquo;s insights have been featured in leadership forums, business publications and high-profile industry events. Her mission? To equip professionals with the confidence, skills and strategies they need to thrive in competitive environments. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1742321273/lgc2mltp7vodjspelqmr.jpg" style="width: 302px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 302px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> Agenda5:30pm:&nbsp;Doors open. Join us at the Builders Club on the 3rd floor. Dinner is available as you arrive. Childminding is available by request.6:00pm: Welcome messages from GET and our sponsors.6:15pm: Speaker presentation.7:15pm: Networking time!&nbsp;8:00pm: Childminding closed. Please pick up your kids! <strong fr-original-style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;" style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;">Childminding is available by advance request for this event!Children 1 and older can have their own GET together in the play area of our event space. You must remain in the building and available to respond if the childminder contacts you. About our sponsors <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1742321553/j7qgdx7w128xsju9qawn.png" style="width: 281px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 281px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Orgpath&nbsp;The Future of Work is Human: Unlocking Soft Skills with Data-Driven Intelligence&nbsp;In an era where AI is automating tasks, but human skills drive success, Orgpath is leading the charge in human capability development. Our proprietary research-backed soft skills assessment provides real-time insights into employees&rsquo; adaptability, communication, leadership and problem-solving abilities&mdash;the critical skills that fuel innovation and business growth. Orgpath doesn&rsquo;t just measure human skills; it elevates them. By delivering personalized, actionable learning plans through a seamless LinkedIn Learning integration, Orgpath helps organizations build future-ready teams, drive higher retention and create resilient, high-performing cultures. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1742321742/volar08vfpjdo83evqj1.png" style="width: 280px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-style="width: 280px; display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto 5px 0px; text-align: left; position: relative; max-width: 100%; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Exera&nbsp;The Business Intelligence Engine That Transforms HR Data into Strategy&nbsp;HR leaders sit on a goldmine of workforce data, yet many struggle to connect the dots across their tech stack. Exera changes that. As the first-of-its-kind Business Intelligence System for HR, Exera aggregates, analyzes and delivers real-time, actionable workforce insights&mdash;so HR teams can make smarter decisions, faster. A little about our venue sponsor Builders ClubBuilders Club is a space where ambitious individuals come together to connect with like-minded people. We&rsquo;re changing the way people work together while figuring out the future as we go. The only real cheat code to success is learning from and being supported by a community. Our membership is intentionally diverse. We don&#39;t want anyone to feel like they wouldn&#39;t belong here. Our community includes PhDs, current students, professionals, founders, coders, marketers, artists, and more. The age range is just as broad, including people at the start of their careers, mid-career professionals, and everything in between. This group is constantly evolving and shaping the space they share.

GET together: Bridging the Confidence Gap

Join us for our November event - a collaboration between Gender Equity Tech and CivicTech Waterloo Region!<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1715719626/hnnn9mmioabebfxbpukh.jpg" style="width:241px;display:inline-block;vertical-align:bottom;margin:5px 15px 5px 0px;text-align:left;position:relative;max-width:calc(100% - 5px);cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit;float:left" /><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1731007558/iatffgjdjxsxlwsudxwm.png" style="width:169px;display:block;vertical-align:top;margin:5px auto 5px 0px;text-align:left" /> GET together on November 27th for dinner and networking at the Builder's Club in Kitchener.GET inspired by our speaker, Dr. Leia Minaker.GET connected unconference-style as we pitch and organize around topics that pique our interest.  Our topic:Building Tomorrow: Collaborative Research-Driven Solutions for the Future City Meet our Speaker! Leia Minaker is the Director of the Future Cities Institute at the University of Waterloo, and an Associate Professor in the School of Planning in the Faculty of Environment. She holds a PhD in Public Health and her research focuses on designing cities to improve health, with a focus on urban food systems and urban design for mental health. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1731351349/budjsacueevu3n1qi6h9.jpg" style="width:178px;display:block;vertical-align:top;margin:5px auto 5px 0px;text-align:left" /> Agenda5:30pm: Doors open. Join us at the Builders Club on the 3rd floor. Dinner is available as you arrive. Childminding is available on the 2nd floor.6:00pm: Welcome messages from GET, CivicTechWR and our sponsors.6:15pm: Speaker presentation.6:45pm: Pitches and Unconference - A structured spin on networking. What topic or project do you want to talk about? Pitch it to the group or choose the pitch that appeals to you. We'll self-organize around the topics that inspire each of us for conversation and collaboration.7:45pm: We'll reconvene to report back to the group on our conversations and wrap things up.8:00pm: Childminding closed. Please pick up your kids!OPTIONAL post-event hangout: You're welcome to stick around to continue the conversations. Bring your own drinks; we usually have snacks to share! <strong style="box-sizing:inherit;font-weight:700;color:rgb(128, 2, 255);font-family:Roboto;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;letter-spacing:0.25px;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial">Childminding is available for this event!Children 1 and older can have their own GET together in our childminding space. Our childminder, Jasmin, will supervise children in our playroom. You must remain in the building and available to respond if the childminder contacts you. Get to know our sister organization CivicTech Waterloo RegionCivicTechWR brings together people from different sectors and industries to actively solve issues facing our local community. We welcome people with all types and levels of skills. Even though "tech" is in the name, everyone is welcome and everyone has a skill or experience that is valuable. We're here to empower people to work together, exchange ideas and tools to improve the lives of the residents in and around Waterloo Region through civic technology.A little about our venue sponsor Builders ClubBuilders Club is a space where ambitious individuals come together to connect with like-minded people. We’re changing the way people work together while figuring out the future as we go. The only real cheat code to success is learning from and being supported by a community. Our membership is intentionally diverse. We don't want anyone to feel like they wouldn't belong here. Our community includes PhDs, current students, professionals, founders, coders, marketers, artists, and more. The age range is just as broad, including people at the start of their careers, mid-career professionals, and everything in between. This group is constantly evolving and shaping the space they share.

GET together: Gender Equity Tech and CivicTech Waterloo

Join us for our Gender Equity Tech event in October!<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1715719626/hnnn9mmioabebfxbpukh.jpg" style="width:241px;display:block;vertical-align:top;margin:5px auto 5px 0px;text-align:left;position:relative;max-width:100%;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit" />GET together on Oct. 16th for dinner and networking at the Den 1880 space in Waterloo.GET inspired by our panellists - Shari Foster, Elikem Deley and Stephanie Cox.GET connected by networking with other women and gender-expansive folks from our local tech community. Answering your questions about finances and lawWorkers, entrepreneurs, and business owners in the technology industry face unique challenges when it comes to financial planning and legal considerations. The reliance on stock-based compensation, high earnings, and career volatility prevalent in the industry means tech workers need professional financial advice that helps them maximize their earnings, reduce their tax burden, protect their intellectual property and maximize their estate to their intended beneficiaries. Tech entrepreneurs and business owners require specialized expertise and a forward-thinking approach to address the distinct financial challenges and opportunities inherent to the tech industry. Each panelist will present on real world situations and solutions relevant to their current environment and participate in a Q&A to answer your questions on these important topics. Agenda5:30pm: Doors open. Dinner is available as you arrive.6:00pm: Welcome messages from GET volunteers and our sponsors.6:15pm: Speaker presentation and Q&A with panelists.7:00pm: Networking time!7:30pm: Event wrap-up. Meet our Panelists!  Shari Foster (she/her)As lead consultant of Shari Foster & Associates Wealth Management and a seasoned CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, Shari has extensive experience working with clients in the tech sector. Shari is committed to helping individuals, families, business owners, entrepreneurs and tech professionals conserve and create wealth. Shari is passionate about providing financial direction for people in a methodical, practical, and sometimes even lighthearted way. Shari has been in the financial services industry since 1994 and holds the Certified Professional Consultant on Aging, Registered Retirement Counselor, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and Certified Health Insurance Specialist designations. She is also highly involved in her community and sits on the Board for Community Care Concepts of Woolwich, Wellesley, and Wilmot. Elikem DeleyElikem is a lawyer in the Wills, Estates and Trusts Group at SorbaraLaw. Her practice focuses exclusively on estate planning, estate administration and estate litigation. Elikem represents clients from a wide range of backgrounds, assisting them in all matters related to estates: including wills and powers of attorney, trusts, elder law, probate applications, guardianship applications, will challenges, and contested estates. She understands the complexity of navigating the legal and personal challenges associated with estates and enjoys advising clients and bringing them peace of mind. Stephanie Cox Bio coming soon! Introducing our Lead Sponsor - Shari Foster and AssociatesIn today’s fast paced world, managing one’s finances can often take a backseat. But what if you had a trusted partner to help you navigate the complex world of financial planning? Welcome to Shari Foster & Associates – IG Wealth Management. Shari’s success in developing long-lasting client relationships is founded in shared values, a thorough understanding of her clients’ goals, and a keen desire to earn their trust and confidence. While Shari’s process works for everyone, she and her team specialize in providing tailored financial solutions to families, tech sector professionals, and women striving for financial independence. Shari’s commitment to providing personalized, holistic, comprehensive financial planning sets her apart. She believes in building long-term relationships with her clients, and her team is dedicated to helping you achieve your financial goals. With their expertise, you can rest assured that your financial future is in safe hands. Introducing our Co-sponsor - SorbaraLawSorbaraLaw provides exceptional legal service to individuals, businesses, institutions, and governmental bodies around the corner and across the world. SorbaraLaw provides corporate and commercial services to the smallest of entrepreneurial start-ups and to fast growing technology-based firms, multi-generational family businesses, some of Canada’s largest multi-national corporations, and important foreign individual and corporate investors. SorbaraLaw also provides personal legal assistance to individuals in many areas of law. Our expertise includes the purchase and sale of real estate, family, matrimonial, and elder law, as well as tax planning and wealth preservation, wills and estates, immigration, and citizenship. Moreover, we deliver these services in several languages with respect, discretion, and a human touch that is uncommon in today’s busy world.

Power Up: Finance & Legal Insights for Tech Professionals!

GET Lunch: The Messy Middle of a Tech Career

Join us for our first Gender Equity Tech event!<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1715719626/hnnn9mmioabebfxbpukh.jpg" style="width:241px;display:block;vertical-align:top;margin:5px auto 5px 0px;text-align:left;position:relative;max-width:100%;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit" />GET together for dinner and networking at the PointClickCare offices in Waterloo.GET inspired by our speaker, Dinah Davis.GET connected by networking with other women and gender expansive folks from our local tech community. The Career Building FormulaBuilding a successful career isn’t about one successful project, promotion, or award. Building a successful product isn’t about one great idea. It is about taking small actions every day that help to build a successful career or product over time. The difficult part often is identifying what these actions should be. Over her career, Dinah Davis has found a straight forward formula that helps you identify these actions. This talk is about imparting this knowledge so that you too can easily identify these key opportunities for career building actions. Agenda5:30pm: Doors open. Dinner is available as you arrive.6:00pm: Welcome messages from GET volunteers and PointClickCare staff.6:15pm: Speaker presentation and Q&A with Dinah Davis.7:00pm: Networking time!7:30pm: Event wrap-up. Meet our Speaker, Dinah Davis (she/her)<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1715717955/hzpnk0l8ltg5ldyettvl.jpg" style="width:101px;display:inline-block;vertical-align:bottom;margin:5px 15px 5px 0px;text-align:left;max-width:calc(100% - 5px);position:relative;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit;float:left" />Dinah Davis originally planned to become a math teacher at her high school guidance counsellor’s suggestion because that’s what girls who are good at math do, right?! While at university to become a teacher, Dinah discovered math and computer science. Her co-op experience at the Canadian Security Establishment introduced her to cybersecurity, the perfect mix of math and computer science. She has spent over 20 years working in tech and cybersecurity at BlackBerry, TrustWave, D2L, and Arctic Wolf. In 2015 she founded <a href="http://codelikeagirl.io" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;user-select:auto;font-weight:700;box-sizing:inherit" target="_blank">codelikeagirl.io</a> so that other girls who are good at math are aware of the variety of jobs available for them, not just teaching. Meet our Event Sponsor, PointClickCarePointClickCare is a leading North American healthcare technology platform enabling meaningful care collaboration and real‐time patient insights. For over 20 years, the company has been focused on realizing its vision: to help the world care for vulnerable populations. Since its inception, PointClickCare has grown exponentially, with over 2,200 employees working to impact millions. Recognized by Forbes as one of the top 100 private cloud companies and acknowledged by Waterstone Human Capital as Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures, PointClickCare leads the way in creating cloud-based software. PointClickCare solidifies its position as a high-growth healthcare software provider with more than 27,000 long‐term and post‐acute care providers, 3,600 ambulatory clinics, 2,800 hospitals, 350 risk-bearing providers, 70 state and government agencies, and every major U.S. health plan using PointClickCare for care collaboration and value‐based care delivery for millions across North America. To learn more, visit <a href="http://pointclickcare.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;user-select:auto;font-weight:700;box-sizing:inherit" target="_blank">pointclickcare.com</a>.

Gender Equity Tech: The Career Building Formula

Your sponsorship supports the Gender Equity Tech mission to create space for women and gender expansive folks to GET together, GET connected, GET inspired, and grow in this community. Through this donation we will partner with you to host a GET together with dinner, a speaker, and networking. See below for details. For an accessible version of this document, please email <a href="mailto:genderequitytechwr@gmail.com" style="color:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;user-select:auto;font-weight:700;box-sizing:inherit">genderequitytechwr@gmail.com</a>. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/hxn9dbuhd/image/upload/v1715716134/f4kf8kkzj5qb4qfbzqyx.png" style="width:600px;display:block;vertical-align:top;margin:5px auto;text-align:center;position:relative;max-width:100%;cursor:pointer;padding:0px 1px;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit" />

Your sponsorship supports the Gender Equity Tech mission to create space for women and gender expansive folks to GET together, GET connected, GET inspired, and grow in this community.Through this donation we will partner with you to host a GET together with dinner, a speaker, and networking. See below for details. For an accessible version of this document, please email genderequitytechwr@gmail.com.

Gender Equity Tech WR

Gender Equity Tech WR

Past events

Past events

GET together: Tech ethics - What we know and where we go from here

GET together: Your On-Ramp to AI with Heather Gawel from Momentum Product Co.

GET together with CivicTechWR - Featuring Kristy Guthrie of MuniciPal AI

GET together with Toast: Women Doing Cool $h!t panel, Kitchener-Waterloo Edition 🍞

GET together: Mentoring Speakeasy

GET together: Embracing Chaos in your Career

GET together: A Coffee with My Younger Self - Innovation, Growth & Advocating for Your Evolving Self

GET together: Bridging the Confidence Gap

GET together: Gender Equity Tech and CivicTech Waterloo

Power Up: Finance & Legal Insights for Tech Professionals!

GET Lunch: The Messy Middle of a Tech Career

Gender Equity Tech: The Career Building Formula

More ways to support us

Gender Equity Tech sponsorship

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