WPT Panel: Closing the Gap May 9

When: Wednesday May 9, 2018 – 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM (EDT)
Where: bitHeads, 1309 Carling Avenue (Westgate Mall), Ottawa On
Cost: $12 early bird, $15 general (includes refreshments)

Register now: wptclosegap.eventbrite.ca

Building on this year’s theme of Changing the Landscape, our May 9 panel discussion will be on Closing the Gap – making change that will promote and support women in tech.

Meet three inspiring panelists who have successfully influenced positive change in the industry. They are involved in bringing about improvements and closing the gap both in and beyond their own workplaces. We will discuss strategies that you too, can use to drive change.

There will be networking time and light refreshments before and after the panel.

Speakers are:

Krista Shibata – Leader Public Affairs and Women in Technology, IBM Canada

Krista is the leader of the IBM Canada strategic initiative focused on closing the gap for Girls in STEM/Women in Technology. In this role she guides IBM’s presence as a leader in driving positive change and engagement for girls in STEM and women in technology. Prior to accepting her current role, Krista has held global leadership roles for IBM and Cognos in the areas of communications and marketing, mergers and acquisitions, as well as sales. Prior to joining high tech, Krista spent time in small business as well as amateur sports. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Queens University.

Alyson Gaffney – VP Marketing and Partnerships, Leonovus Inc and is Owner, Gaffney consulting

Alyson’s skills in business, sales and marketing strategy development, combined with 20+ years global experience helps seasoned business owners and new entrepreneurs accelerate their business success. Alyson assists clients in developing successful and executable business, sales and/or marketing strategies, for new ventures or expansionary projects, either direct to the end customer or indirectly through channel partners. Her clients have varied from one person social enterprise start-ups to mid-size technology companies. She has lived and worked globally, is a former marketing corporate executive of a Fortune 500 company.. Specialties: direct/indirect business models strategy and program development, partner enablement, customer/partner/team management, program project management and critical/entrepreneurial thinking.

Alyson is the founder of Women in Data Science Ottawa. She is a volunteer with Technovation, inspiring girls to consider a STEM career and a founding member of Women for Mental Health, Royal Ottawa Hospital.

Susan Richards – Virtual CFO and Co-Founder Numbercrunch; Givopoly

Susan is equal parts Accountant and Entrepreneur. She provides strategic financial guidance to Startups and SMEs with virtualCFO and accounting support services provided by her team at Numbercrunch.ca, a forward thinking accounting support company featuring cost effective CFO/Controller/Bookkeeping team solutions with a specialty in SaaS. Susan co-founded Givopoly, an online gift delivery marketplace, launched in Ottawa and now delivering in Toronto and Vancouver.

Susan is passionate about addressing gender inequality and getting more women on boards. She provides financial literacy training for Female Founders to ensure they are getting their fair share of available funds. Susan is also on the Board of Directors for Invest Ottawa and Bayview Yards, and has served on Advisory Boards for Algonquin College, AmbiSHEous and Equal Voice.