Monday, May 8
6:00 - 7:00 PM
SIM Women Welcome Reception
Guggenheim Foyer
Tuesday, May 9
8:00 - 8:30 AM
Mentoring Circles
Guggenheim Ballroom
Breakfast
Guggenheim Foyer
8:30 - 9:30
Keynote: What does the future hold for women in tech?
Brenda Darden Wilkerson, President & CEO, AnitaB.org
Guggenheim Ballroom
Addressing the root of the problem asking why there aren’t more women in tech, let’s admit that tech was fashioned by us but then wasn’t made for us. As clearly outlined in Brotopia, there was a concerted effort to change the culture to one not conducive to women. When we have a culture that’s specifically and purposefully made to not include you, it’s not surprising when it doesn’t. That puts a whole different spin on our accomplishments - and they are huge! Let’s take back our power! Let’s applaud all the women who went in and contributed anyway, our way. And then, let’s get down to the business of scaling our impact.
Looking to the future for women in tech (and not just tech), we need to start with 3 things:
· Better data capture on who we are, what we need, our impact on the world - Invisible Women
· Unity against the barriers and support for the “people-archy” - family leave, equal pay, and true meritocracies.
· Let’s redefine success. Our Sheroes have shown us how. We can and we will build on their lead!
9:35 - 10:00
Breakouts
EXEMPLIFY | Board Pursuit - Top Mistakes & Top Tips | Sherry Aaholm & Lili Gil Valletta
Louvre 1
Enjoy a fireside chat with two leaders who sit on public company boards – insights and real experiences of being the “first woman” on the board to now “one of a few.” Learn from their missteps so you avoid the most frequent mistakes and get the insider scoop and top tips on securing your board seat!
EMPOWER | Modern Management Mentor | Christine Sandman Stone
Guggenheim Ballroom
The ‘broken rung’ on the career ladder for women is leading teams, (Women In The Workplace Study 2023). Whether you inspire and lead managers or you are managing a team for the first time – this high-impact session is for you. Our session together will focus on three key strategies especially effective for hybrid managers – managing work by outcome, impact of strengths-based work alignment, and a new way to think about work priority.
EDUCATE | Business Architecture Powered Digital Transformation | Whynde Kuehn
Louvre 2
Business architecture is increasingly being leveraged by organizations to underpin successful digital enterprises and digital transformation. This session will explore how the discipline is used to translate digital strategies into action, create connected experiences, and design for agility and effectiveness. We will also discuss how technology leaders can leverage business architecture as a way to enhance strategic partnership and value to the business. Finally, we will discuss practical next steps to move into action.
10:00 - 10:20
Networking Break
Guggenheim Foyer
10:20 - 10:55
Breakouts
EXEMPLIFY | Technical Debt - How NOT to be a Case Study | Anjana Harve
Louvre 2
We’re all aware of the phrase “good debt” as it relates to our personal fiscal responsibilities, but technical debt is a tightrope leaders walk daily – one slip and you end up in the news and the latest case study in what NOT to do.
Learn from a global leader who will candidly discuss their thoughts on untangling technical debt while balancing innovation and growth initiatives.
EMPOWER | Recruiting Top Talent - Should you Compromise?
Moderator: Judy Balaban Panelists: Erica Hausheer, Mel Reyes
Guggenheim Ballroom
A CIO once said, “You get the team you deserve. Hire quickly and compromise, you’ll get the team you deserve. Stay thoughtful and focused, you’ll get the team you deserve.” Incredibly insightful, but this was said twenty years ago.
Whether you are a Fortune 100 or a Fortune 1000, if you’re hiring within tech, you’re competing. The days of “Post & Sort the first 200 applicants” are over – “Post & Hope” isn’t an option today. Even when you have a great story to tell, the spike in compensation packages can keep you from getting the talent you want. How do you prioritize the skills you need? How far should you stretch your “culture add” mentality? How can you make your hybrid workplace policy equitable, yet still attractive?
We’ve gathered technology leaders to share their stories and lessons learned. Heads up: There’s no ONE WAY to be successful, but you can learn new ideas and methodologies to enhance - or in some cases, rework – your recruitment strategy!
EDUCATE | Fireside Chat on Data Governance | Carole Gatsch & Leona Thomas
Louvre 1
We know that our data is the oil that furthers our growth, intellectual property, competitive advantage, customer engagement, but we also have to be cognizant of the governance, risk, and compliance side of the equation. Our fireside chat will explore multiple facets of data governance and navigating the balance between what's demanded and what's allowed.
11:00 - 11:25
Breakouts
Security, Risk & Resilience | Rosa Smothers
Sponsored by KnowBe4
Louvre 2
In line with the SIM Women Leadership Summit theme of “Question Everything!” Rosa Smothers, a CIA-trained C-level cybersecurity leader, will bring her significant experience leading highly complex and sensitive enterprise-scale information security operations to her session on Security, Risk & Resilience.
My Journey in Tech | Titania Nash
Sponsored by ConvergeOne + Extreme Networks
Louvre 1
Session Description Coming Soon!
11:30 - 11:55
Breakouts
EXEMPLIFY | You are Worthy of Wellness | Myra Herring
Guggenheim Ballroom
Often as ambitious women, we pour so much of ourselves into others that we do not take the same amount of time or effort to restore ourselves - without guilt or compromise! This transformational experience will give you the insight into what may cause this behavior and tools to radically modify your relationship with wellness and self-care, so that you can continue to excel!
EMPOWER | Increasing Visibility and Driving Impact at Work | Angela Harris
Louvre 2
As women in tech, visibility at work is critical for career advancement. By the end of this session, you will have a clear understanding of how to stand out and get noticed in your industry, build your personal brand, and drive meaningful impact in your organization.
EDUCATE | Big Power of Tiny Connections | Jen Nash
Louvre 1
How do you create a more connected office culture despite a disconnected/remote workplace? Supporting a connected workplace culture results in greater employee happiness, improved productivity, and a lower attrition rate… which means less stress all around. You’ll leave this session armed with easy-to-implement initiatives that will powerfully support your team’s connection and efficacy.
12:00 - 12:50
Luncheon & Keynote
Guggenheim Ballroom
12:50 - 1:10
Networking Break
Guggenheim Foyer
1:10 - 2:15
KEYNOTE: (Un)Common Ground Storytelling Series with ITSMF and HITEC
Storytellers:
Tessa Flippin, Founder and Managing Partner of Capitalize VC
Kristen Sonday, Co-founder at Paladin, Partner at LongJump
Betsy Ziegler, CEO of 1871
Moderator: Myra Herring, Wellness Coach & CEO of Capri Brand, LLC
Welcome: Johanna Jones, CEO of ITSMF & Mark Taylor, CEO of SIM
Guggenheim Ballroom
The social injustice tragedies that took place in 2020 crystalized an existing need within the technology community to empower all leaders to have conversations about race in the workplace. The Society for Information Management (SIM) and Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) have partnered on a quarterly webinar series titled (Un)Common Ground bringing together members from our organizations to share their personal narratives surrounding career origins and journeys, leadership development and advancement, and the impact of race, bias, and lack of inclusion. In 2023, we welcome the Hispanice Technology Executive Council (HITEC) to our partnership and storytelling series lineup.
This (Un)Common Ground session will feature three venture capitalists – one Black, one White, one Latina – who will share their personal stories and then participate in a moderated Q&A. They will share career journeys and mission to make a difference among Black, LGBTQ, and Latinx founders as we continue to explore "(Un)Common Ground."
The intentions behind the (Un)Common Ground series are to:
- Educate and equip our leaders to lead a multi-cultural organization (closing ignorance gap, empathy) and share strategies, data, and tools
- Raise awareness of the challenges for Black & Hispanic leaders in technology - both conscious and unconscious
- Create more sensitivity and openness around the advancement of people of color in tech
- Encourage leaders to have difficult conversations because the understanding and trust that is gained is priceless
We want the result of the series to be a call to action - not one that is demanded, but one that is offered. We're hopeful that attendees will be inspired and strive to remove obstacles and bias from their hiring and promoting practices, be deliberate in their development and inclusion across their teams and have stronger relationships and engagement with their peers and employees.
2:15 - 2:30
DEI Workshop: Race & Grace
Elaine Norman & Kristen Lamoreaux
Guggenheim Ballroom
Following our (Un)Common Ground Keynote, Kristen Lamoreaux, SIM Women and Elaine Norman, ITSMF, will highlight how to give Grace when discussing Race in the workplace. This fast-paced session is a mix of audience surveys and tabletop idea sharing that will empower you!
2:30 - 2:50
Networking Break
Guggenheim Foyer
2:50 - 3:30
Breakouts
EXEMPLIFY | Innovative Storytelling | Susan Lindner
Louvre 1
Every Female IT leader needs to move their agenda forward to help their business succeed. Storytelling is the key to motivating and inspiring fellow employees, the C-Suite and even the board to get others onboard. By learning how to apply innovation storytelling techniques to your communications, you’ll create memorable moments that keep people engaged and sharing your message, long after your meeting, Agile standup, or Town Hall meeting has ended. Susan gives leaders a blueprint for creating their own stories that offer a vision and path that all stakeholders can follow – with religious zeal.
EMPOWER | Navigating Conflicting Priorities
Panelists: Aine Allen & Anjana Harve, Moderator: Angela Harris
Guggenheim Ballroom
The original session title was “Balancing Conflicting Priorities” but as you’ll learn from this session, balance is an illusion. We make the best decision with the information we have, and we move forward. The difference between success and failure is in your “True North,” your reasoning, and communication with partners.
EDUCATE | Talent Development - “How To” in a “We Can’t” Economy
Panelists: Julia Anderson, Risa Fogel, Randi Levin, Moderator: Maryfran Johnson
Louvre 2
As leading indicators and pundits mimic Chicken Little with their “The sky is falling” recession predictions, leaders are faced with defending or justifying every expense and/or cutting programs to the bare bones; unfortunately, the training and development of your teams often falls to the cutting room floor. Though salaries are slowly adjusting downward to saner levels, key facets in IT will remain in high demand. It is still a “candidate market.” How can you compete if you can’t offer new employees further development? How can you retain your current workforce if their skills are going stale? How relevant will your company be if every person is 3 years behind the pace of technology?
We have gathered thought leaders who have continued to cultivate their employees despite budget cuts, overwhelming time demands, and changes in work location structures. Listen and learn “How To” make Talent Development successful in a “We Can’t” economy.
3:35 - 4:30
Closing Keynote - AI: Questioning the Hype & the Reality
Dr. Lisa Palmer
Guggenheim Ballroom
Lisa Palmer, Chief AI Strategist and an AI Doctoral Candidate, will be delivering a captivating and interactive keynote that aligns perfectly with the conference's theme of "Question Everything!" Her presentation, titled "AI - Questioning the Hype and Reality," will provide a comprehensive global overview of the state of AI. She will share insights on what it takes to be an AI leader and how this exploding technology impacts industry, business, and individuals. In addition, Lisa will elevate attendees' awareness of AI issues by examining the legal and regulatory landscape at the global, national, and statewide levels. Lisa's inside-out approach will start with the individual and expand out to the macro environment, providing a complete and well-rounded picture.
Attendees will have exclusive access to downloadable content on Lisa's website, www.drlisa.ai. The keynote will also feature live polling, allowing attendees to engage with Lisa and their peers. The audience's AI knowledge will be gauged, and specific takeaways tailored to each attendee's role will be provided, ensuring that everyone can upskill themselves. This keynote promises to be both exciting, fun, and informative - it is not to be missed!
4:30 - 5:30
Networking Cocktail Reception
Guggenheim Foyer