Program Overview
Keynotes
WITI/IDC's Women Holiday Shopping Scorecard
Dana Thorat - Research Manager, IDC, Mobility Metrics
Seana Dowling - Director, IDC, Quantitative Research Group
December 8, 8:00am
This session will be based on a recent survey of female technology buyers during the holiday shopping season. It will examine which technologies women are buying this holiday season and who they are buying them for. We'll analyze the shopping experience looking at several different factors including how and where women do their research before making purchase decisions. A complete review of the purchase process will include where women are doing their holiday technology shopping. A summary of who are meeting women's shopping expectations will also be presented.
How Women Can Win in the Workplace
Margaret Heffernan - author of "The Naked Truth: A Working Woman's Manifesto on Business and What Really Matters"
December 8, 12:00pm
Every woman knows that women have a tough time in technology companies not because of some genetic under-development, lack of ability or the distraction of childbearing. The tech space is tough on women because it was built by men, for men in their own image. That doesn't mean women can't succeed there - only that it requires particular kinds of self-awareness, self-management and insight into the roadblocks that, while tough, are not insurmountable. Margaret Heffernan has been CEO of three technology companies; she also writes regularly for Fast Company about workplace challenges and politics. An indomitable optimist, she knows that there are plenty of success strategies - once we get over the feeling that the problem is us.
Reaching Women as Lucrative Customers
Danielle Levitas, VP IDC, Consumer & Broadband Markets
Melissa McVicker, Director, Intel Global Communications Group, Sales & Marketing Group
Barbara Annis, International Gender Expert, Author
Marci Garcia, Senior Corporate Strategic Marketing Manager, Branded Storage Marketing, Sony
December 9, 8:00am
This dynamic panel will comprise manufacturers and marketers of both technology tools and toys as well as industry analysts from IDC. This panel will examine best practices adopted by those seeking to target the female market. We'll highlight several panelists' success stories including how their organization overcame barriers to succeeding in this important market. Panelists will share their challenges from different functional perspectives including adapting new form factors, selling through various channels, providing product support, and marketing products. An interesting discussion about the differences between the development and marketing of technology tools compared to technology toys to women will be part of this session. A question and answer period will follow.
The Art of Simplicity In Leading a Premiere Technology Company
Marissa Mayer, Vice President of Consumer Web Products, Google
December 9, 12:00pm
Get an insider's peek at today's most fascinating company that has effectively and creatively used technology on many dimensions, and not just as a functionality in itself. As vice president of consumer web products, Marissa shares the art of how she keeps things simple at Google as technology becomes more complicated, and discusses the unique challenges she has faced in the process.
Breakout Sessions
Track 1: Professional Development
Attracting And Recruiting Women
Martha Ceja, Manager, Diversity Services - Bernard Hodes Group
The largest growing segment of today's workforce is comprised of women. Companies successful in recruiting and retaining women understand that there are many advantages to be gained by creating unique marketing strategies. Martha Ceja of Bernard Hodes will conduct an informative session covering diversity recruitment and employer branding strategies, the role of community relations and goodwill in attracting women, including women of color, along with best practice examples from corporate leaders. Special focus will be placed on recruitment of African American and Hispanic women, two of the largest minority groups.
Attendees will receive information that will assist them in developing effective diversity recruitment strategies and multicultural communications for their organizations. This is a can't miss session for executives, managers, recruiters and those responsible for diversity outreach, recruitment and communications.
Deeper Power: A New Perspective on Personal Leadership
Patricia Shafer, President - Compel Organizational Excellence Alliance
Carol Anderson, founder of Rebellious Dreamers
The emotional truth of our world is held in and revealed through stories. We have stories within us about power - who has it, who doesn't, if we have it, if we don't - are woven into our believe and mental models socialized by gender, ethnic group, culture and family. "Carol Anderson and Paricia Shafer have spent much of their professional lives examining the essence of personal and organizational power. They bring diverse experiences to the analysis. Carol is an organizational systems artist, who has worked extensively with Fortune 500 firms. Patricia is President of Compel Ltd., an organizational excellence alliance dedicated to evoking courageous leadership and guiding organizational change.
Feminine Principles of Leadership
Bill Lamond
As a woman, you have a way of thinking, working, and doing business, based on the feminine style of getting things done, that gives you a unique opportunity to produce extraordinary results in a brand new way. Though you bring a host of talents and skills to the table, you may also find yourself without an effective way to create a personal strategy outside the male-dominated work model.
Please come and discover the critical elements for creating a personal strategy based on your own unique Natural Genius and the power of the Feminine Principle, i.e. relationship, network, nourishment, growth, acknowledgement, and, dare we say it, real fun, personal enjoyment, and balance. This is ground-breaking information in the field of personal leadership that will revolutionize the way you think about your career and the results you get from it!
Image and Power - Building credibility in a male paradigm without sacrificing your authenticity
Barbara Annis
Barbara Annis will show us a film about the research reflecting the differences in the way men and women process tasks, approach projects, etc. and then take us through some incredible exercises that help us shift and improve the way we communicate with the other side.
The Power of Reflective Leadership: Cultivating the Still Point
Ellen Wingard
Based on groundbreaking neuroscience and 25 years of application in the workplace, participants in this session will learn three methods for generating an unwavering "center" in the midst of increasing complexity. Come to this session prepared to experience centering practices, dialogue and application.
Specifically, participants will learn "still point" practices to observe and shift perceptual filters to expand leadership capacities; create a daily mindfulness practice to embody strength and emotional equilibrium under pressure; set a tone of transparency, conviction and candor to ignite high performance and well-being for yourself and those you lead.
Stand for Results: A Leader's Perspective
Tracy Warson, Executive Vice President - Wells Fargo Bank
A style of leadership which includes maintaining consistency in your messages and values, leading with authenticity and energy and treating all people the same regardless of status.
Success Strategies for Life - "What Do You Really Want?"
Kathy Hill, Professional Coach
Successful achievers know that they must take 100% responsibility for achieving the lifestyle, relationships, financial freedom, and opportunities that they want in life. What are their secrets? During this workshop, we will explore the different strategies and tools that they use. In order to be successful, we must be "really specific" about what we want and why we want it. We will discuss how to get this clarity and how to put a successful plan together. Your goals can be about anything - career, relationships, health, or finances. You will leave with a much deeper understanding of yourself, what is holding you back, and with steps that you can begin to implement immediately.
The Female Advantage to Effective Leadership
Shellye Archambeau, CEO - MetricStream
This session will focus on the critical capabilities effective leaders must have and how women can leverage their socialized advantages. When you boil down all the attributes of Leadership to it's core, leadership is mostly about relating to other people. In general, women have been socialized to excel in this area.
The format of the session will be a 20 minute presentation followed by a 10 minute Q&A and a 20 minute interactive session where the audience will be broken into groups to discuss topics relating to the female advantage in effective leadership.
The Power of One
Judith Lukomski, Transitions Today
Are you committed to making a difference in this world, but feel completely overwhelmed just managing life? How can you use technology to make a difference? This workshop deals with how you can start with your job tomorrow and make a difference in your company, your society, and your life.
The Power of Shifting Context: Becoming a Contextual Leader
Rayona Sharpnack, CEO/ Founder - Women's Leadership Institute
The ability to define and create new and better possibilities is the mark of high-impact leadership, a capacity that is in high demand in our orgnizations and society today.
Track 2: Business Toolkit
Boardroom Bound
Linda K. Bolliger, Founder & CEO - Boardroom Bound
This panel will cover what skill sets and experience board service requires, the real roles and responsibilities of a directorship, how boards and search firms locate qualified candidates, how to apply your non-profit board experience to the for-profit arena, and who can help you prepare for corporate board service.
The Global Way: Owning Your Future in a Fiercely Competitive World
Marian Cook, President, Ageos Enterprises, Inc.
Barbara Bauer, Vice President of Software Engineering and Development, Sun Microsystems
Globalization, sophisticated technologies, downsizing, outsourcing, astounding productivity expectations and the retirement wave are just some of the changes and trends profoundly impacting work as we know it. In this session we will answer questions such as: How do you capitalize on the global supply chain? How do you successfully lead? How do you and others in your company develop the highest value career, skill-set and mindset for the global economy?
How to Consult and Make Money
Joey Tamer, Consultant
Natalie L. Petouhoff, Senior Manager, Customer & Channel Solutions, Hitachi Consulting
Joey Tamer and Natalie Petouhoff ("Dr. Nat") will reveal the inside secrets of the exciting world of consulting. This session will explore how to start, grow and succeed in building your own consulting firm - needed capital, networking and marketing, closing clients and contracts, getting paid, and handling time, isolation and balance with the rest of your life. And if you are not sure you are ready to start your own company, but think you have what it takes to guide companies to success, this session will also show you how to enter, fast track and succeed in working inside a large consulting firm, including how to carve out a niche "firm within a firm" of your own inside a larger company.
Making Money in New Market Niches
Sheryl Root, President and CEO, RootAnalysis
Maha Ibrahim, Canaan Partners
There are always new technologies, new market niches. How do you capitalize on all that and make money?
Negotiating Win/Win Solutions
Judith Lukomski, Transitions Today
Cathryn S. Gawne, Attorney, Silicon Valley Law Group
Being a strong negotiator does not have to compromise your value of win/win. How do you negotiate fair deals that work?
Raising Capital/Financing for Small Business Owners
Christian Payne, President - Kellogg & Andelson
Joey Tamer, Consultant
Christian Payne and Joey Tamer will present the world of capital for small business owners. This session will explore the kinds of capital available, the pros and cons of accepting such capital at various stages of a company's development, and the need to focus on an exit strategy from the earliest days. It will offer expertise on capital raises in debt, equity and strategic alliances; on valuations; and on mergers and acquisitions.
Top 10 Ways Women Shoot Themselves In the Foot In the Workplace
Nora Denzel, Senior Vice President and General Manager of HP's Software Global Business Unit, HP
This exciting talk will acquaint you with the ten most common mistakes women make in trying to climb the corporate career ladder. You will learn first hand what the mistakes are and how to combat them from someone who has been there. Using a lot of humor and personal experience, Nora will share with you what she learned as she climbed the corporate ladder at IBM to become one of their youngest executives by the age of 33! She will talk candidly on how she did it, and how you can do it at an even faster pace. After this session, you will not only be able to recognize what the most common mistakes are, but you will have heard practical experience on how to avoid them.
Sharing Wisdom: Strategies of Successful Entrepreneurs
Sonja Bernhardt, Thoughtware Australia
Tushara Canekeratne, EVP Global Technical Ops, Virtusa Corp
Nilofer Merchant, Founder and Principal, Rubicon
In this session three top entrepreneurs will reveal the wisest thing they know and draw on their experiences to provide hints and tips as they answer the following questions: How did I get to where I am today? What was the impetus for cutting a path? What kept me going? Did Support networks or individuals play a role?
Starting/Building a Successful WITI Network
Marian Cook, President, Ageos Enterprises, Inc.
Have you considered building a WITI Network in your community or your company? Marian Cook, from the successful WITI Chicago Network, will share how Chicago has built a successful WITI Network and how doing so can benefit you and your company.
Succeeding In A Male-Dominated Industry: The Myth-Busting Panel
Joseph Coyle, Raytheon
Lissa V. Young, Raytheon
Amanda Goodson, Raytheon
When you're a woman in a male-dominated industry, do you have to act like a man in order to succeed? Can a woman be taken seriously in such an industry without the "right" credentials? Is there really such a thing as "the good old-boy network"?
This panel is about discussing the differences between men and women in the workplace and understanding how to make the differences work for you in your career. This panel is designed to be interactive with the audience to encourage open dialogue about "real life". The members of this panel have successfully navigated traditionally male-dominated industries and/or work with this challenge as part of their day-to-day leadership responsibilities. This session is designed to inspire you to dispel the myths about "glass ceilings" and limitations and arm participants with the tools to engage and succeed.
Taking the Lead: Breakthrough Tools for Authentic Leadership
Wendy Wallbridge
Randy Methven
Would you like to be able to generate success, enthusiasm and your own well-being, even in the face of opposition and change? In this experiential session, you will learn to become unstoppable in your work and life by reinventing your vision of yourself to reflect your highest standards and ideals. This workshop offers simple, yet powerful tools for overcoming obstacles and removing blind spots that limit achievement and desired results. Participants gain insights that transform leadership by learning to shift from reactive and defensive modes into creative, positive action in any situation.You will gain ignition and traction in achieving what matters to you most.
What New Technologies Can Help Me Grow My Business?
Gayle Crowell, Warburg Pincus
Sandy Carter, Websphere
Sukhinder Singh, Google
Lorraine Harriton
Are you taking advantage of the latest technologies that can help you grow your business - the tools that can help significantly accelerate the growth of your business? This sessions will provide you an overview of this year's most important technologies and give you a platform to ask questions and engage in a lively discussion.
Track 3: Technology Trends and Innovations
Achieving Successful SOX Compliance Sustainability: A Compliance Environment Beyond the 2004 SOX Frenzy
Anthony Ghosn
Mary Turner, Aspen Software Consultants
In this session, Anthony and Mary will discuss evaluating compliance and internal audit methodology in relation to detection, prevention and operational controls. You will learn about tactical and technical aspects of real-life war stories relating to SOX implementations and how the IS enterprise provides value creation in SEC compliance and Internal Control solutions. The speakers will also expose the truth on what SOX implementation means to both private and publicly traded companies and discuss the pivotal role that internal auditors can play in ensuring a successful outcome.
Building A Successful Internet Business - Reaching, Converting and Keeping Online Customers
Marilyn Wilson
Jessica Hardwick, Founder & CEO - SwapThing, Inc.
How to be heard through the Internet clutter, convert casual browsers to users, and keep your customers loyal in a highly competitive space. Make sure your product offers something more than the competition, easier, faster, cheaper or all three. Be a unique solution to Internet problems, or solve a real world problem in a way that is only possible on the internet.
Women in High-Tech Channels
Diane Krakora, AmazonConsulting
Rauline Ochs, Group Vice President, North America Alliances and Channels -- Oracle Corporation
Julie Parrish, Vice President, Global Channel Sales and Strategy, Symantec Corporation
A panel of female alliance executives discuss the challenges of running some of today's leading technology channel programs and the role women will play as the channel emerges as one of the key areas for organizational growth opportunities.
Taking the Lead on the Internet...Successful SEO Strategies
Michael Bonfils, HyperInteractive
Georgina Tweedie, Internet Public Affairs Director, Church of Scientology International
Katja Kukovic, Founder, Best Web Promo
Laurel Leone, Founder & Owner, LEONE Advertising
Ani Kortikar, Netramind
Laura Betterly
Whether an individual, a business or a large organization, being seen in the search engine marketplace counts for everything. Like any valuable tool, you must know and understand what you are working with, to make it work for you. Search engines and online marketing can be baffling, confusing and worst of all, once you figure it all out it changes again. This session is a panel of selected professionals from the search engine side, the successful marketing side and the non-profit side who have made the Internet work for them not the other way around. Providing helpful information and tips to surf the waves of the online marketing world, this session should prove to be valuable take-away information you can put to use and increase your prominence (and income) on the Internet.
Technology Changes to the Marketplace
Dr. Carolyn Turbyfill, Principlal Consultant, Cigital
Neerja Raman, Director, Imaging Systems Lab (ISL), Printing & Imaging Research Center, HP Labs
Susan Lucas-Conwell, Clear Day
A panel discussion about Technology changes to the marketplace including Platformization - what it is and how if affects technology in the global environment; technology changes in security/defense; and the future of communications, including wireless, etc.
The Latest Trends in Information Distribution - TV/Online, Video/Podcasting and More
Patricia Brown, Executive Editor, "Optimize"
Alicia Dollard, Ruder Finn
Kim Kapustka, K2pr
Now that broadband is over the 50% mark in the US, the ability to deliver video and audio content in addition to text is growing rapidly. It also represents a new opportunity for marketers -- selling 'emotion' online. Panelists will discuss new technologies such as streaming video, webcasting, television and on-demand videos, distinguishing the best media for specific audiences and how you can make them work for your organization.
The Next Generation Of Technologies
Gayle Crowell, Warburg Pincus
Are you up to speed on all the latest technologies? Do your children know more about blogging or podcasting than you do? Do all of your friends have IPods? Do you have a family webpage? Just what is Bluetooth and how hard is it to set up? Does your family use Wikipedia? Have you lowered your phone bills by using VOIP? Come join this lively session where we will bring you up to speed on this year's hottest technologies and share a holiday gift guide with this year's top ten tech gifts. After attending this session, you will be in a great position to make informed decisions about which of this technologies are "must haves" for you in your personal or business life.
Using Different Mediums to Promote a Key Message
Pamala McGlinchey, Assoc. Publisher, CMP Integrated Marketing Solutions
Amber MacArthur, Co-Host/Co-Producer G4TechTV Canada/HOW-TO Australia, & Web Strategy Manager, iPrimate Strategic Creativity
Stephanie Ann Cota, CEO, Creative Consultants Group
Tara Ryan, Vice President of Marketing, Ketera
Converting prospects into customers is challenging and requires a focused approach. Tailored, integrated marketing programs can help organizations communicate offerings and increase awareness while differentiating their products, services and brands. By controlling the content, context and medium, marketers can successfully deliver their key messages and strengthen brand identity. This session will provide tips and techniques to motivate prospects to take action and collapse the buying cycle.
VoIP (Voice Over IP) - How it Works
Bach Nguyen, Consultant
VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is gaining ground. To benefit from VoIP, it is essential that an IT manager and director understands how: traditional (analog) voice worked; IP works and traditional (analog) voice is modified so that it can be run on IP Networks. The first part of the presentation will review the basics listed above. The second part explains how VoIP works, its components, its benefits and things to an IT Manager or Director must consider when planning or thinking about VoIP deployment.
Taste of Technology Reception
WITI Tech Expo
Whether you are recruiting women or selling products to women, the WITI Tech Expo is designed to generate interest in your organization's products and business opportunities. This expo will feature satellite media tours, products, services and business opportunities for women in technology.
