A nationwide group is making big connections.
The concept of business networking for women is not new, but what about the vast number of lesbians who work in the tech industries—from big corporations to small start-ups? How do they make impactful personal and professional connections?
Founder of Lesbians Who Tech, Leanne Pittsford, is an entrepreneur, technology strategist, UX designer, and tech investor. Perplexed by the lack of professional role models for lesbians—after all, Ellen and Melissa can only do so much for a girl’s prospects in real life—Pittsford went in search of attracting other lesbian role models for us to emulate. Lesbians in the workspace and in business need more tangible examples of lesbian leaders in order to foster a sense of success in our community.
As the Founder and CEO of digital agency Start Somewhere, Pittsford helps nonprofits and social enterprises use technology to build better relationships with donors. Before beginning Start Somewhere, Pittsford spearheaded database design and management, and led operations for Equality California, the largest statewide LGBT nonprofit organization in the U.S. She then was the co-founder of the Lesbian Entrepreneur Mentoring Program, and she’s leading one of Start Somewhere’s new ventures, a community called Lean Impact: a community helping nonprofits and social enterprises using Lean Startup principles for social good.
It’s no wonder that the San Francisco, California-based tech whiz is the right person to build a nationwide network of business-minded women.
Lesbians Who Tech provides lesbians with the opportunity to meet others in similar professions, make conversation and connections with the end objective being to build a network of colleagues, associates and friends in the industry.
While an increasing number of women are entering the tech field, women still only account for 1 in 15 people in STEM fields. There are many LGBT groups fighting for our rights, but only Lesbians Who Tech provides a platform to raise awareness of this underserviced career segment and to connect queer women in the tech community.
The next Lesbians Who Tech gatherings are: March 27 San Diego, San Francisco, April 15 San Francisco, April 17 New York and Portland.