WITS 2024 - Inspire. Educate. Connect.
Exclusive Interview from the 2024 Women in Tech Summit
Access the full episode on YouTube HERE (In case embedded video not working)
The Women in Tech Summit (WITS), held on May 3, 2024, at the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, PA, was a remarkable event celebrating its 13th year of fostering connections and growth among women in the tech industry. The Science History Museum venue, rich in science and tech history, provided a fitting backdrop for this inspiring gathering. I had the privilege of interviewing Gloria Bell, one of the founders of WITS, who shared her journey and the evolution of this impactful event.
Inspiration Behind WITS
Gloria, along with a group of women in tech and entrepreneurship, founded WITS out of a desire to connect and support women in the tech space. They realized that despite the growing number of women in tech, opportunities to network and share experiences were scarce and often siloed. This inspired them to create an environment where women could come together for a day of learning, workshops, and idea-sharing.
The inaugural event years ago attracted 125 enthusiastic attendees, who immediately began asking about the next summit. This overwhelming response marked the beginning of WITS, which saw explosive growth within just four years.
Mission and Vision
WITS aims to educate, inspire, and connect women in technical and non-technical roles across various organizations. The summit offers forward-looking, actionable skills through its programming, helping women advance their careers and build meaningful networks.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, WITS adapted by incorporating virtual programming, ensuring continued support for women in tech. In 2024, they hosted two in-person events, while maintaining a robust virtual presence.
WITS is dedicated to addressing the needs of women and non-binary individuals in tech, while also welcoming allies who support and empower these groups. Gloria encourages participants to step out of their comfort zones to forge new connections and gain fresh perspectives.
Gloria Bell’s Journey
Gloria's career trajectory is nothing short of inspiring. After a 20-year corporate career in insurance, she decided to follow her passion for technology, a field she was introduced to at a young age by her father, a data processor in the military. Despite early challenges in education and career guidance, Gloria remained involved in tech through various roles.
Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to start her own company, where she leveraged her passion for tech project management and process consulting for tech startups. Gloria's experiences with equity and equality issues in the workplace fueled her determination to create change and support female founders.
For Gloria, WITS is about creating a better society and economy through hands-on support.. She emphasizes the importance of reaching back to help those behind us, building an inclusive community that makes a tangible difference.
WITS features three core tracks: Innovate Yourself (professional and career development), Trends in Technology (current tech trends and their applications), and Hands-On Workshops (both technical and non-technical). These tracks provide attendees with practical skills and knowledge to advance their careers.
Looking Forward
Gloria envisions a future where WITS continues to expand to more cities, while maintaining an intimate conference size of 500-600 attendees to ensure meaningful interactions. She dreams of increased funding support to keep this valuable platform accessible to all women in tech.
One of Gloria's favorite aspects of WITS is witnessing the growth of speakers who initially attended as participants. She cherishes the success stories of attendees who make new connections, find jobs, or even start companies as a result of the summit. The mentoring sessions are particularly impactful, fostering deep and supportive relationships.
Defining Success
For Gloria, a successful conference means at least one person leaving with a valuable connection and newfound knowledge. The ticket assistance program, which helps women who might not otherwise be able to attend, is especially meaningful to her, as it amplifies the summit's impact.
Gloria encourages everyone to keep showing up, doing great work, and claiming their space in the tech world. She believes in the power of inspiring the next generation through our successes and volunteer efforts. She is also involved with Tech Girls and Philly Startup Leaders, further demonstrating her commitment to the community.
It’s clear that Gloria Bell’s contributions to the tech community through WITS are truly transformative. Her dedication to supporting women in tech and creating an inclusive, empowering environment is an inspiration to us all. I invite you to join us at future Women in Tech Summits and be a part of this incredible journey and see for yourself the magic of Gloria Bell and the tech diva community!
My Conference Takeaways:
Learn from failures, not success
Establish clear norms and expectations
Make it clear WHY employees voices matter
Admit your own failability, even if just to yourself
Actively invite input
Respond productively
Psychological safety remains key! Does your team offer psychological safety? How can you help that be a clear yes from how you welcome authenticity and get to know your team?
Own it. Plan it. Hold your head up and do it!
Evaluate the cost of the inner critic by finding a compassionate center between believing we are better than others and believing we are not good enough
Mentorship matter! Be a mentor. Get a mentor.
AI and Innovation thrives in safe spaces with cultural collaboration (like in some of the AI sessions)
Women in tech speaker are needed (Hint: Check out Innovation Women for stages!)
Make sure to find and follow these great related organizations:
If you would like to support Tech Diva Success, check out our new Self Care app at DIVAScore.app or check out our online SHOP
