The CETPA conference was held earlier this month in San Diego, CA. It featured the usual sessions on IT for school edtech leaders, but this year added a new Women’s Leadership Strand at the conference. The goal was not only to promote leadership from within the organization but to also think about what conditions might better foster younger women to consider careers in technology.
In a Harvard Business Review study, it was shown that men are more likely to stretch themselves and apply for jobs in which they may not know everything in the job description:
Brianne Myers (CTO, Irvine USD), one of the organizers of the series, states that “sometimes all it takes is some encouragement from a colleague to apply for these leadership positions.” Brianne speaks from experience noting that “I applied for my first CTO position because someone I respected encouraged me. At CETPA, we are working to set up the conditions that will foster this support.”
The Power of Dialogue
CETPA recruited some of the most powerful women leaders in business, from Lisa Mttivi, Vice President of IBM, to Educational leaders as Sue Gott, CTO of San Bernardino County Schools. Sessions topics included:
I Wanna be in Charge: Women in IT Leadership
A Gender-Neutral Digital Life
Authentic Leadership - Leading with Purpose
Cultivating Equitable Senior Leadership - Catalyst for Growth
Women in Leadership Ignite Session
Paying it Forward - Giving Women the Skills to Succeed in Tech
Unique Challenges of Women in Technology Leadership
These leaders facilitated discussions and panels that not only explained the struggles but offered practical suggestions to give women skills to succeed in technology. It was a good addition to another helpful CETPA conference.
