Six Years, One Vision: My Unexpected Path to Creating Women in Technology

I still vividly remember how it all started. Four women were grouped together as “technologists” and tasked with completing the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program (DICP) capstone project. I’d like to believe that fate brought the four of us together. I was excited, invigorated, and full of ideas. Initially, I pitched the idea of hosting a "Women in Tech" podcast to highlight the experiences of women in the tech space. But, as we brainstormed together, an unmet need began to unfold. We noticed that there wasn’t a platform at UCSF to bring together women in technology to share ideas, learnings, skills, opportunities for innovation, and ultimately, to help one another navigate this ecosystem. I knew immediately that implementing a pilot program would be a bigger undertaking, but I was drawn to this bold vision. With three other strong women beside me, nothing seemed too big of a challenge. What started as a daunting DICP capstone experiment turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Our unified vision not only allowed this program to grow but to also expand and influence over 400 members. We started with zero budget, but we knew we had the skills to get this program up and running in no time. All we needed was a vision that everyone could get behind, a lot of grit, courage, and remarkable camaraderie. We never compromised on our vision, and I’m glad it still serves as a cornerstone for our program, even in times of uncertainty. Looking back, I can’t believe I went full speed and arranged to meet with IT and women group leaders to ask for guidance and sponsorship! Dare I say I was bold and fearless. But that’s what’s amazing about WIT. It helped me unlock what was always inside me—the courage to follow my gut and go at it full force, no matter the roadblocks, but always with grace and humor.

 

 

As I reflect on the last six years, I am astounded by our accomplishments and our continued influence on women in the technology space, at both senior and junior levels. But my greatest pride is becoming part of something bigger than myself. WIT was founded on the idea of community building and what we could bring together in service of one another and the University. I’d like to believe we’re doing exactly that.

As I bid farewell to being a co-chair, I’m overwhelmed with bittersweet emotions. But, as my fellow WIT co-founder, co-conspirator, and good friend Alyssa said to me, “You’ll always be part of WIT.” I find solace in the fact that I’m leaving this group in good hands. I’m excited for new leaders to bring their ideas to the table, add new perspectives, and create new beginnings. The future is mighty and bright. Thank you to everyone who made this possible. Thank you to my co-founders, co-chairs, volunteers, sponsors, partners, and every single community member who brought joy and inspiration to others. It was an experience of a lifetime.

Here’s to six years of memorable WIT events, birthdays, brainstorming sessions, weekly meetings, in-person get-togethers, surviving the pandemic together, laughing and crying, and many more years of creating something special together. I’ll be cheering from the sidelines, and I’m confident you’ll continue to drive change, inspire, and push the boundaries of what women can achieve in this space.

Thanks for riding with me.

With gratitude,
Ana

PS: Check out our end-of-year wrap up of 2024. I will say that 2025 will have lots of cool and fun stuff for you so stay tuned!