TechWomen 2013: Creating a Network of Female Innovators in the Middle East and Africa

California (PRWEB) October 04, 2013

Beginning next week, leading Bay Area and Silicon Valley companies will host 78 women from 15 countries and the Palestinian Territories for TechWomen—a program that uses technology as a means to empower emerging women leaders from the Middle East and North Africa, and beginning this year, from Sub-Saharan Africa, for five weeks of mentoring and professional networking. An initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, TechWomen is implemented by the Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives of the Institute of International Education, and supports the United States’ global commitment to advancing the rights and participation of women and girls around the world.

This year’s TechWomen work in the science, technology, mathematics, and technology (STEM) fields in Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Yemen and Zimbabwe. The program will launch on October 1, 2013 and concludes on November 6, 2013.

Juniper Networks will kick off the program with a professional and cultural mentoring event on October 7, 2013, in Sunnyvale, CA. The TechWomen will hear from women leaders at Juniper, entrepreneur and investor, Meera Kaul, and Deena Shakir from Google’s Tech for Social Impact initiative. Trish Tierney, Executive Director of IIE’s Center for Women’s Leadership Initiatives, will moderate the discussion. The event will include 166 women from 105 Bay Area companies who will serve as professional and cultural mentors.

During the month of October, TechWomen will take part in professional networking events and workshops hosted by partners including Facebook, Juniper Networks, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, LinkedIn, Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe L.L.P, Twitter, and Walmart eCommerce.

Representatives from 47 technology companies in the Silicon Valley and Greater San Francisco Bay Area will host professional mentorships. The companies include: Adobe, AT&T, Autodesk, BlogHer, Calix, Cisco, Citrix, Civic Insight, CSR, CyArk, Disney Interactive, EFactor, EMC, Ericsson, Flurry, Inc., Genentech, Inc., Google, Hub Oakland, Intel, Juniper Networks, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, LinkedIn, Mendel Biotechnology, Inc., Mozilla, NestGSV, NetApp, Net Optics, Northgate Environmental Management, Inc., NuvoSun, Inc., Oracle Corporation, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pandora Music, PayPal, Primus Power, Salesforce.com, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Sungevity, SunRun, Swinerton Builders, Symantec Corporation, Thismoment, Inc., Twitter, VMware, Walmart eCommerce, Xerox and Zillow.

TechWomen was launched by the U.S. Department of State in 2011.

Join the conversation on Twitter @TechWomen or stay tuned for updates on Facebook.

Note to editors: Media are invited to attend events at Juniper Networks on October 7th by advance RSVP. Main event and speakers: 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Reception: 4:00 p.m – 5:00 p.m.

Contact Heather Ramsey to request a full schedule or arrange an interview: hramsey(at)iie(dot)org; Phone: (415) 362-6520 ext. 207 or Mobile (415) 308-5462.

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