WoTech Gets A Breath of Fresh Air!

Hey Everyone - I want to say a special thanks to Ruth, one of our new members, for volunteering to update the blog. Please let us know if you have anything specific you want to see featured, or submit an article or a topic, and one of us here at WoTech will do our best to write about it.

Wanna write for our blog? Excellent! Would love to have you!

I got a note from Ben Montgomery at the Bend Bulletin's U-Magazine, a special publication that features stories about and for women. He'd like to know more about us for a possible article. This seems like a good time to redefine who we are and what we're all about.

Here are some things that came up in our last, impromptu meeting:

WoTech is a social group where women who work in technology can come together to network and establish friendships and business contacts. We want to support women in their tech careers.

Several members would like to do some outreach in the local schools and hopefully start a “GirlTech” group soon to work with high school girls.

We have about 60 people in the group, although we’ve fallen off on regular meetings and are now working to start meeting again and infusing new energy into the group.

We want to meet monthly, on the first Monday of each month for lunch (let's say we'll meet at Jackson's Corner until further notice!)

That means: Next Meeting March 2, 2009!

Some members would like a quarterly meeting where we invite guest speakers. Last year, Amy Tykeson, the CEO of BendBroadband spoke at a WoTech event, and we'd like to get more tech leaders to share their stories and talk about their companies.

I am also on the newly formed board of Tech Alliance: Central Oregon’s Tech Association with other tech group leaders, business leaders, and EDCO. We are working with the Software Association of Oregon to help grow the tech initiative in Central Oregon. The Tech Alliance will support WoTech's efforts and help with events.

Thanks so much for your interest in our group, and feel free to email me with questions or ask about volunteer opportunities!

Cheers,

Julie