Empowering women in tech: 12 years of Women Leading in Technology in the Twin Cities

In 2012, a handful of visionary leaders held their first ever Women Leading in Technology event with the goal of building community, sharing knowledge, and advancing women in their careers. Fast forward to 2024, and Women Leading in Technology – more commonly known as WLiT (pronounced “double-you-lit”) – has evolved into a thriving community that operates within the umbrella of the Minnesota Technology Association (MnTech). This community of women technology leaders, practitioners, sales and service providers, and aspiring technologists come together quarterly to promote, educate, and empower women in technology across Minnesota, sharing in the WLiT mission to connect, educate, and reach back. For me personally, it’s been an exciting ride that’s resulted in numerous benefits over the years.

Good things generally happen due to hard work, timing, and luck, and suffice it to say, I was fortunate to be one of the 50 or so women in the room for that first WLiT event. I was hooked! I immediately signed up to serve on the WLiT Reach Back committee, where we partnered with various STEM non-profits in support of girls and young women pursuing education and careers in tech. Today, I have the benefit of serving as an advisory board member, supporting programming and educational speakers and panels for the quarterly WLiT events that now see 200+ attendees (even 300+ pre-Covid!). Through my volunteerism with WLiT, I’ve had the benefit of supporting events that are valuable to my clients, colleagues, and broader network. Through WLiT reach back efforts, we’ve helped many aspiring and early career technologists as they make their forays into tech careers.

My involvement in WLiT and MnTech has also enabled me to pull in a few of my employers over the years. This April will mark my fifth year with Turnberry Solutions, and five years of appreciation and support for my efforts with WLiT and MnTech. While the work my fellow WLiT board colleagues and I do is often done outside of business hours, there’s work that happens during business hours, too. It’s incredibly advantageous to work for Turnberry and know my efforts with WLiT and MnTech are not only appreciated, but also encouraged AND bolstered. Turnberry has been a MnTech member and has also been a WLiT sponsor over the years, promoting my ongoing participation while also investing money, time, and talents of other Turnberry employees, in addition to myself, to impact the broader Minnesota technology ecosystem – including women in technology! It’s been a fantastic match these last five years working with a company and leadership team that share my own values of investing and giving back. What’s more, it’s been a fulfilling 12 years working alongside so many other dedicated technology and business professionals who share the same passion for WLiT and MnTech!