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• Annual Meeting of Members

  • When
    06/15/2023
  •  
    7:00 PM - 7:45 PM
  • Location
    Virtual

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  This year, Women & Hi Tech's Annual Meeting of Members will be virtual! 
  
  Let's meet online at 7pm Thursday, June 15th to review and vote on the 2023 board slate, explore our three year strategic plan, and hear from some of our directors about their committee work and volunteer needs. 

  Event Agenda

  7:05 - 7:15 pm: Presentation of and vote on board slate

  7:15 -7:25 pm: Presentation of three-year strategic plan

  7:25 - 7:40 pm: Committee presentations and volunteer opportunities

  If you cannot attend this event, you will have the opportunity to review the board slate individually and cast your vote electronically in the week leading up to the event. 
  

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• ClickSide Chat: Workplace Male Allyship Open Mic

  • When
    06/21/2023
  •  
    4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual
  • Spaces left
    19

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  Women have faced many obstacles in the workplace such as confidence hurdles, exclusion from professional and social networking, multiple forms of harassment, lower wages and less opportunities of promotion to name a few. With the continuous struggle to find support and advocacy in the work environment, how do we know who we can count on as an ally?

  Male Allies that recognize the importance of an inclusive and equitable workplace culture can help break down these barriers and help give women their voices again in situations where they felt they had less of one. However, a 2019 report revealed that while 77% of men reported doing “everything they can” to achieve gender fairness, 59% of women believed more could be done.

  Join Women & Hi Tech members Dave Meeker of Bringing Tech 2 You and Shabbir Qutbuddin of Ivy Tech alongside ClickSide Chat Facilitator Tori Harper Mercado for an OPEN-MIC discussion on what it means to be an ally, how can we identify allies, and what can allies do to advocate for women in the future. Tune in to this month’s ClickSide Chat to listen and share experiences with other fellow members who have battled gender inequality in the workforce.

  Shabbir Qutbuddin is the Assistant Vice President - School of IT at Ivy Tech Community College. He is responsible for tech partnerships, IT pathways, program marketing, curriculum enhancement, industry reports, community engagement, grant management, cross-functional initiatives, faculty professional development, designation efforts, and campus support. Shabbir was previously the Director of "IT Sector Partnership" at Ivy Tech South Bend Campus.

  He pursued his Master's in Human Resource Management from Purdue University and his Bachelor's in Civil Engineering from the National Institute of Technology. Shabbir is passionate about innovating things that would positively impact our tech community and workforce. His hobbies include traveling, filmmaking, and adventure sports.

  Dave Meeker is a Healthcare Cyber Consultant for Bringing Tech 2 You that helps top-level executives understand proactive methods to protect their cyber security and data. He brings over 35 years of experience in the healthcare/architectural and clinical/biomedical sectors. Dave earned his bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in a unique biomedical engineering program that involved introductory courses to five different engineering disciplines as well as premed.

  Dave is a board member for InSPN (Indiana Security and Privacy Network), has been a volunteer mentor and summer camp counselor for 30 years at YMCA Camp Eberhart, and is a past male president of the Indy Chapter of Women and Communications Inc.

  The driving force behind Dave’s role as a male ally started in the early 80’s when his wife said no to a promotion that had “inappropriate strings attached” via her male boss. In the 90’s Dave also guided his three daughters through non-inclusive situations with their male coworkers and/ or bosses. Dave and his wife currently live in New Palestine.

  The event is FREE and exclusive to Women & Hi Tech members! Space is extremely limited, and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Once registration is filled, no wait list will be initiated. Registration for ClickSide Chat is required in order to provide you with the final login instructions.

  Women & Hi Tech’s ClickSide Chats are monthly, virtual discussions amongst our members to share ideas, resources, and perspectives about the professional and personal challenges we are facing and serve to build new connections with fellow members. ClickSide Chats are held on the third Wednesday of each month, except July, from 4-5pm. One or more members serve as co-hosts and share their experiences, advice, talents, and resources for our greater good. ClickSide Chats are presented by the Membership Engagement Committee, led by Women & Hi Tech Board Member Sahara Williams and facilitated by committee member Tori Harper Mercado.

  

  Sahara Williams is an attorney at Koenig, Oelsner, Taylor, Schoenfeld & Gaddis PC (KO Law), focused on data privacy and cybersecurity compliance law as well as general commercial and corporate matters. Previously, she operated her own engineering and construction management firm for nine years and served as the executive director of a nonprofit equestrian learning center for youth for five years.

  Sahara earned her J.D. from the IU McKinney School of Law. She graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and earned a MS in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. She is an alumnus of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series (Class XXXVII), the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series (2012-2013) and the IBJ 2013 Forty Under 40 Class as well as a Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha. 

  Tori Harper-Mercado joined the Women & Hi-Tech organization in October 2022 and joined the tech industry just under two years ago. She has previous experience in civil engineering and sports & entertainment working in a variety of marketing roles. Currently, she works as an Account Executive for Onebridge, a local data and analytics consultancy, that specializes in decision intelligence and helping their customers become heroes in their own organizations.

  Tori participates and involves herself in areas where she feels she can give back to her community such as coaching and mentoring athletes of her high school track and field team and being an active committee member for Rebuilding Together Indianapolis.

  In her spare time, she is a new experience fanatic that thrives off of fun adventures, connectivity, and the love of animals (especially dogs).

  **By registering for this event, you acknowledge that you may be photographed, videotaped, and/or audio-taped during the course of this event and hereby give permission for your image, and/or voice to be used in education, training, promotion, advertisement, and/or trade and communications media by Women & Hi Tech in any and all media outlets throughout the world, without restriction as to frequency or duration of usage.**

  ***PLEASE NOTE: W & HT event registration is non-transferable. ***

  
  

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• Executive Women's Forum: Connections

  • When
    07/20/2023
  •  
    3:00 PM - 5:30 PM
  • Location
    Harrison Center, 1505 N. Delaware, Indianapolis, IN 46202

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  Google defines CONNECTIONS as “a relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else.” Simple enough right?

  For Women & Hi Tech, Connection is about bringing people together, sharing ideas, learning from each other and creating lasting relationships. 

  On Thursday, July 20, we are hosting our first in-person Executive Women’s Forum (EWF) of 2023 at the beautiful Harrison Center For the Arts in downtown Indy to create Connections. 

  We’re hosting 4-5 women-owned businesses so attendees can connect and discover how these businesses can assist in their personal/professional development or entrepreneurial endeavors. We are also excited to have speaker, Alex Perry, CEO of Practically Speaking, help attendees with difficult conversations with her keynote, Communicating Through Conflict. 

  After the event, attendees can connect with each other, women-owned businesses, and browse the art gallery while enjoying a cocktail and beautiful charcuterie. And yes, you can buy art! Bring your credit card or checkbook.

  One lucky attendee will also win an  Individual Executive Leadership Coaching session with Caroline Dowd-Higgins! From high-potential professionals to seasoned executive leaders, Caroline Dowd-Higgins helps clients navigate their unique journey to overcome challenges, hone signature strengths, and mitigate blind spots to perform as an impact player. From building a deep leadership bench for company succession planning to retaining top talent, executive coaching empowers individuals to expand self-awareness, discover solutions, and make and implement better decisions. Certified by the International Coaching Federation, she uses statistically valid psychometric career assessment tools to help clients self-actualize including Clifton Strengths, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Interest Inventory, and custom 360 Assessment Reviews. You must be present at the time of the raffle to win!

  We are so excited to host this in-person event at this beautiful gallery. There’s plenty of free parking behind, in front and across the street from the Center. After the event, if weather permits, the doors to the patio will be open for connecting over charcuterie and chardonnay. 

  Registration is free for Women & Hi Tech members and $25 for non-members. 

  Event Agenda

  • 3:00 pm-3:30 pm  – Registration and Connection with women-owned businesses in Harrison Art Center City Gallery
  • 3:30 pm - 3:40 pm – Words of Welcome from new incoming Women & Hi Tech President and Harrison Art Gallery Manager
  • 3:40 pm -3:45 pm – Introductions, Linda Calvin, Executive Women's Forum Director
  • 3:45 pm - 4:35 pm – Program in Harrison Art Center Speck Gallery, “Communicating Through Conflict” with Alex Perry, CEO, Practically Speaking 
  • 4:35 pm - 4:45 pm – Wrap-Up
  • 4:45 pm - 5:30 pm – Connecting with women-owned businesses, Networking, Happy Hour
  • 5:30 pm – End

  Keynote Topic: Communicating Through Conflict

  Have you ever had a tough conversation and thought, "Dang it, I wish I'd said that differently." Maybe you're avoiding a difficult conversation, hoping your problem will "go away on its own." Are you exhausted from doing verbal gymnastics to "keep the peace" at work? Or even worse, are you considering quitting your job to avoid having a tough conversation? 

  If so, you're not alone. Research from leadership training company VitalSmarts found that "one in four people have been putting off an uncomfortable conversation for at least six months, and one in 10 have been doing so for a year." Avoiding tough conversations in our workplaces leads to lower engagement, satisfaction, and productivity. 

  But what would happen if you reframed the way you thought about difficult conversations? What would it be like to walk away from a conversation knowing you said what you needed to say the way you wanted to? How much better would work be if we didn't allow the fear of difficult conversations to limit us? 

  In this sixty-minute interactive keynote, Alex uncovers the mindset shift needed to hold difficult conversations with ease. She shares practical and tactical examples of language you can use immediately and helps you navigate challenges along the way. 

  AND WHAT’S IN IT FOR ATTENDEES? 

  You'll create a plan for your next difficult conversation and walk away feeling empowered to tackle difficult conversations confidently. 

  Participants will: 

  1.) Discover the mindset shift needed for productive conversations.
  2.) Learn phrases to help you quickly start and finish a difficult conversation.
  3.) Plan for a difficult conversation using a simple 4-part strategy. 

  About Alex Perry

  Alex is the CEO of Practically Speaking, LLC, host of Crash Courses in Communication podcast and author of Minivan Mogul: A Crash Course in Confidence for Women. Her passion for communication comes from spending nearly two decades as a Speech-Language Pathologist, helping people regain the ability to talk after illness or injury.

  Alex is a motivational TEDx speaker, facilitator, and mentor. She helps others speak and share their stories with confidence using strategies she’s learned the hard way throughout her career. Her background includes advanced work in adult neurology and emotional intelligence. Alex blends her scientific approach speaking with her love of storytelling and humor into her work with individual clients and corporate teams. Most importantly, she’s a mom, minivan driver, and front-row fan of her clients.

  Learn More:
  www.pswithalex.com
  Instagram: @pswithalex
  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-perry-9a62787/
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/251755472650476
  https://www.facebook.com/pswithalex

  FEATURED WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES 

  More info to come, so bookmark this page!

  • Rebecca Bormann Consulting, CEO Rebecca Bormann
  • Goal Fit LLC, CEO Jaylan Fisher
  • BTS Marketing, Founder, Mariah Oliver
  • Practically Speaking, CEO, Alex Perry
  • More to come

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• Special Edition Executive Women's Forum: Design Thinking Professional Development

  • When
    08/24/2023
  •  
    9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Katz, Sapper & Miller, LLP Conference Center – suite 150 (first floor) 800 E 96th St Indianapolis, IN 46240
  • Spaces left
    11

  Register

  

  Design thinking is a process for challenging assumptions. redefining problems, and creating innovative solutions. What are the benefits of design thinking for organizations and leaders? Here are a few words from our Executive Women's Forum presenter, Mark Caswell:

  • 71% of companies surveyed in a global study about design thinking adoption say this process has improved their company culture.
  • Data from McKinsey shows that companies which regularly follow design thinking practices achieve one-third higher revenues and 56% higher returns than those which don't.
  • Forrester found that design thinking companies get their products and solutions to market faster, cutting the costs of initial alignment and prototype design by as much as 75%. 

  The non-linear process of design thinking encourages the innovation and free-thinking necessary to achieve groundbreaking solutions. Plus, this process helps those solutions get to market faster, with more longevity and market fit.
  
  But is design thinking just for designers? How can leaders and other contributors harness the power of this process? 
  
  Join Women & Hi Tech for a special edition Executive Women's Forum professional development session on design thinking. Mark Caswell, CEO of Resultant, will lead us in an all-day session at the Katz Sapper & Miller LLP Conference Center. There is PLENTY of free parking - just make sure to bring a pen and your readiness to learn as we spend all day immersed in the principles and practices of Design Thinking. 

  Event Agenda

  • 9:30 am -9:55 am - Registration and Coffee
  • 10:00 am - Welcome by Linda Calvin, Women & Hi Tech Executive Women's Forum Director (We will start PROMPTLY at 10 as this is an important session).
  • 10:10 am - Design Thinking Class begins
  • Noon - 12:30 pm - Lunch time, provided by Women & Hi Tech
  • 12:30 pm - 2:45 pm - Design Thinking Class continues
  • 2:50 pm - 3:00 pm - Wrap up

  Immediately following the event, there will be a networking happy hour with members of the Women & Hi Tech Board at Firebirds (96th and Meridian, just five minutes from the class venue). Please plan to join us there until 4:30 pm if you are able!

  Please note this session is in-person only and will not be recorded or redistributed in any way. The only way to get access to this content is to attend the session on Thursday, August 24th! 
  
  Registration for this event will be exclusive to Women & Hi Tech members until July 20th. At that time, if spots are still available we will open registration to non-members at the rate of $100 per attendee. 

  Registration fees are non-refundable but your registration may be transferred to another attendee should the need for a cancellation arise. 

  About Mark Caswell

  Mark Caswell has led Resultant’s exceptional growth as CEO since 2019 and served as a leader throughout the organization, including for the technology services and professional services teams, since 2014. With his guidance, Resultant has grown to more than 400 employees while continuing to deliver mission-critical outcomes to its clients.

  Mark is passionate about helping teams and organizations achieve their goals and deliver results in the face of complexity. To achieve this, he deploys a unique blend of business leadership, strategic thinking, innovation expertise, and technical depth. He firmly believes in Resultant’s mission of “helping clients, coworkers, and communities thrive,” and works diligently to ensure that Resultant’s teams are empowered to fulfill that mission.

  A practitioner and supporter of continuous learning, driven by deep curiosity, Mark believes that ongoing development of the team is critical to the success of any organization. This is evident not only in his own learning path and leadership of Resultant, but also in his passion to teach and coach others. Mark is part of the EDGE Mentoring program, helping young professionals across Indianapolis develop their careers and leadership. He frequently speaks at conferences, sharing thought leadership on a broad range of topics. Mark has made it a personal mission to train as many people as possible in Design Thinking—from K-12 students to seasoned professionals, including the Resultant team.

  **By registering for this event, you acknowledge that you may be photographed during this event and hereby give permission for your image to be used in education, training, promotion, advertisement, and/or trade and communications media by Women & Hi Tech in any and all media outlets throughout the world, without restriction as to frequency or duration of usage.**

  ***PLEASE NOTE: Women & Hi Tech event registration, including all associated registration fee(s), is non-refundable. Registration may be transferred to another attendee in the event of a need for cancellation.  ***

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• Women & Hi Tech Fall Retreat 2023

  • Start
    09/22/2023
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • End
    09/23/2023
  •  
    3:00 PM
  • Location
    French Lick Resort 8670 West State Road 56, French Lick, Indiana 47432
  • Spaces left
    32

  Register

  

  The 2023 Women & Hi Tech Fall Retreat is here and it’s time to recharge our inner SUPERPOWERS.

  Join us at the French Lick Resort & Casino as we explore and celebrate our individual and collective work to change the narrative around women working in STEM fields. The daily effort we each make to show up and show out in our professions, to support and mentor women along their journey, and to impact the broader community for the benefit of all is making a difference and gives SUPERPOWER to our work to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. So, let’s reignite our SUPERPOWERS while we celebrate female heroes with good food, good wine, good company, and a good time.

  General Registration is $285.00 per member (includes one night's stay in a single room at the French Lick Resort and admittance to the Networking Reception, Themed Dinner, and Keynote Brunch)

  The event is exclusive to Women & Hi Tech members! Space is extremely limited, and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Ten spots have been reserved for first-time attendees through June 30th. 

  • First Time Attendees Registration is available through June 30, 2023
  • General Member Registration is available through July 31, 2023 (First Time Attendees may also register here, however spots will no longer be set aside exclusively for New Attendees)
  • After July 31, we will open Late Registration at $325 per attendee until  September 5, 2023 or the event is full.

  Event Agenda

  Friday, September 22nd

  • 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Optional activities (on your own)
  • 4:00 pm - Hotel Check-in
  • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Networking Reception (Come dressed for the evening)
  • 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm - Female Hero-themed Dinner
    Dress to represent your favorite female hero--a superhero or an everyday female hero; a costume, a cape, or a t-shirt--express yourself however you feel comfortable, but there will be a contest!

  Saturday, September 23rd

  • 8:00 am - 11:00 am - Enjoy the resort activities with old friends and new
  • 11:00 am - Hotel check-out (luggage can be left in the back of the brunch room)
  • 11:00 am - 11:30 am - Brunch
  • 11:30 am - 1:30 pm - Fall Retreat Keynote Brunch with remarks by Deborah Pollack-Milgate
  • 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm - Closing remarks and announcements, more networking, last chance for resort activities.

  The retreat programming will begin on the evening of September 22nd with a female hero-themed evening. Join us at the reception dressed to represent your favorite female hero and be prepared to tell her story during our icebreaker game! You won’t want to miss the unique and treasured picture opportunities available. There will be prizes for best dressed and other fun surprises! After our themed dinner, you are free to explore and enjoy the amenities of the resort and casino or stay and network over drinks with fellow members.

  Saturday starts off with personal activity or relaxation time prior to brunch. After checking out at 11am, you will participate in a discussion guided by Parity Podcast founder and co-host and Intellectual Property litigator Deborah Pollack-Milgate.

  This will be an interactive discussion reflecting on the work of real life female heroes and their allies who have shaped work culture in America and how we can use our SUPERPOWERS to continue the effort.

  About Keynote Presenter Deborah Pollack-Milgate

  The Parity Podcast, now heading into its third season, is a podcast for working women and their allies dedicated to accelerating equity in the workplace. Solutions-oriented, the podcast explores strategies that can be widely implemented based on available resources.

  The podcast is guided by six core principles that make up the Parity Prescription, and spell out the word SCRIPT: Stop trying to change women, Create diverse teams, Recognize Unconscious Bias, Intentionally include, Partner with men as allies, and Talk about the issues.

  Deborah’s advocacy for career parity for women was born out of being a woman in the very male-dominated career of Intellectual Property Law. Since 2001, Deborah has assisted and advised clients in complex patent suits across virtually all technical areas, including chemistry, software, mechanical and biotech, ushering her clients through all stages of litigation, including trial.

  In 2020, Deborah became a capital partner at one of Indiana’s largest law firms, Barnes & Thornburg, LLP. During her career at Barnes & Thornburg, Deborah spent an extended stay in Mannheim, Germany, where she worked for and advised an international client in U.S. litigation and patent matters. She routinely presents in the German language on patent matters, and also serves as co-chair of the firm's European Services Practice Group and is Vice Chair of the Indiana Germany Business Council.

  She is the mom of three children, ages 14, 18, and 22, and counts herself fortunate to have a husband equally skeptical of traditional gender roles.

  Over the years, Deborah has moderated panels for various organizations speaking about Intellectual Property, law practice, and gender equality. Her advocacy and community efforts led her to join Women & Hi Tech, where she served as president from 2013-2014. She has continued to be involved with Women & Hi Tech as a member and supporter.

  Women & Hi Tech is extremely grateful and equally excited to have Deborah Pollack-Milgate join us at our 2023 Fall Retreat to share her life experiences and how she has channeled the spirit of female heroes before her and used her SUPERPOWERS to advance parity for women.

  General Registration will be open until July 31, 2023, or until capacity is reached.

  If available, Late Registration will be open until September 5, 2023, at 4pm and may be subject to additional costs assessed by the hotel.

  We look forward to seeing you there!

  **By registering for this event, you acknowledge that you may be photographed, videotaped, and/or audio-taped during this event and hereby give permission for your image, and/or voice to be used in education, training, promotion, advertisement, and/or trade and communications media by Women & Hi Tech in any and all media outlets throughout the world, without restriction as to frequency or duration of usage.**

  ***PLEASE NOTE: Women & Hi Tech event registration, including all associated registration fee(s), is non-refundable and non-transferable. ***

  Women & Hi Tech’s biennial Fall Retreat is an opportunity to connect in an intimate setting to build stronger relationships and talk in depth about progressing the mission of Women & Hi Tech. The Fall Retreat is presented by the Membership Engagement Committee, led by Women & Hi Tech Board Member Sahara Williams.

  

  Sahara Williams is an attorney focused on data privacy and cybersecurity law as well as general commercial transactions. Previously, she operated her own engineering and construction management firm for nine years and served as the executive director of a nonprofit equestrian learning center for youth for five years.

  Sahara earned her J.D. from the IU McKinney School of Law. She graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and earned a MS in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. She is an alumnus of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series (Class XXXVII), the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series (2012-2013) and the IBJ 2013 Forty Under 40 Class as well as a Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

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