Previous WIT Events

Monica de Jesus spoke about the difficult challenges she faced with her special-needs child.

Maria Ramirez shared her experience and challenges balancing work, studies, and parenting.

Ann Malavet, a former NYU employee, shared advice about prioritizing competing demands.

Monica de Jesus tells to the group about her experience working and raising a son on the autism spectrum.

Anandi Nagarajan responded to the speakers and shared her story.

Addressing issues of importance for many women, the Working Mothers' event was well attended.

NYU Provost Katherine E. Fleming at the podium.

The WIT 2019 Fall Kick Off was fully subscribed.

Katherine E. Fleming addressing the audience.

To close the event, Co-Chair Debbi Litt announced future WIT events.

Pink Collar

Clea Mahoney and Stephanie Gallagher lead this interactive session exploring jobs that are typically held by women.

Industry Map

Clea points out the industries that resonate with her own career track.

All in the Details

Stephanie discusses the overlap of pink collar job types in higher ed, especially in technology.

Exchange of Ideas

Henrietta Paz-Amor shares her insights on the concept of pink collar labor.

Dialog

Participants offer feedback on the industry breakout and how it relates to women working in technology at NYU.

Collaboration

Participants form groups to discuss the current state of pink collar labor at NYU.

Exploring Ideas

Katie Santo and Tamara Santiago imagine an ideal state and what the University can do to achieve it.

Brainstorming

Participants develop action plans for individuals, teams, and senior leadership.

Bridging the Gap

Each group strategizes on combating stereotypes of “women’s work” and creating a more egalitarian workforce at NYU.

Comparing Thoughts

Stephanie and Clea encourage participants to view each other’s work to see the similarities and differences in approach and ideas.

Leslie Giordano, COO of Technology and Digital at McKinsey & Company, and Ilana Intonato, CIO of NYU Steinhardt

(L-R) Katie Santo, Natalie Hidalgo, Leslie Giordano, and Ilana Intonato.

Over 30 attendees joined to celebrate International Women's Day.

Katie Santo from the Digital Communications Group facilitated the conversation.

WIT hosted its second annual leadership panel on International Women's Day, March 8.

WIT Co-chairs Debbi Litt and Tamara Santiago with the panelists.

WIT Steering Committee

Event organizers and WIT Steering Committee members, Tamara Santiago and Debbi Litt

WIT Steering Committee members, Stephanie Gallagher and Nicole Goldkranz

Deb Verhoff speaking with Logan Johnson

Clea Mahoney with others

Clea Mahoney, Philippe Ortanez and Irina Fedorova share a laugh

Katie Santo chats with Frankie Veloz and Steffen Grabowski

Devin Nix, Tamara Santiago, Leah Lattimore, and Minhye Kim (left to right)

Tamara Santiago opened the event and introduced Leah Lattimore.

An animated speaker, Leah Lattimore discussed how to bust assumptions of background and gender, and racial stereotypes

Attendees had small table discussion about recruiting and hiring practices that promote diversity

Leah's talk stimulated many discussions about workplace experiences and challenges faced by women of color

Dr. Coleman suggested mentorship, building networks, and establishing pipeline initiatives to push us toward gender parity in the technology field

56% of professional occupations in the 2017 US workforce are held by woman, but women make up only 26% of the computing occupations.

Tatiana Polunina shared her technology journey, speaking of gender biases she has encountered and how she has overcome them in her career.

The WIT Steering Committee with Dr. Lisa Coleman

Attendees participated in a tabletop exercise and discussed how we can promote diversity and attract diverse talent at NYU.

On March 28, Marina Thomatos, Sarah M. Kaufman, and Jannae Jacks joined WIT for a candid panel on leadership journeys.

Panelists shared their leadership journeys and how they've evolved professionally and personally along the way.

Natalie Hidalgo with panelists Sarah Kaufman, Jannae Jacks, and Marina Thomatos

Natalie Hidalgo with panelists Sarah Kaufman, Jannae Jacks, and Marina Thomatos

Thanks to Amy Hernandez and Lisa Sookbirsingh for helping with event logistics.

Regine Gilbert is a UX designer, educator, and international public speaker.

Regine led a discussion about how accessibility and user experience are connected.

Regine emphasized that making content accessible can improve the user experience of a product or website for everyone.

Groups were asked to consider the needs of a blind person cooking a meal. What would that person say, think, and feel?

Participants then created an empathy map using sticky notes to identify and organize their ideas.

The empathy map detailed the target user’s thoughts, actions, feelings, and speech.

Event participants used the empathy map to guide their thinking while prototyping a cooking product that could solve the problem.

Groups brainstormed potential solutions or devices to assist a blind user in the kitchen.

Some attendees focused on improving or modifying kitchen tools; others generated ideas for new gadgets or smart devices.

One group's idea was a simple thermometer that clipped to an oven and spoke the temperature aloud.

Participants were able to pitch their ideas to Regine and the other attendees.

Low-vision participants provided feedback on the ideas generated by the group.

Product ideas ranged from tactile knobs to a smart oven that operated through a conversational artificial intelligence interface.