Impact Stories from Professional Growth Policy Area

Next Einstein Ambassador
Fellow(s): Sylvia Mukasa
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2014
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Growth
Sylvia Mukasa, 2014 fellow from Kenya, was selected to represent her home country. Since her participation in TechWomen, Sylvia has been active in her community, having launched Technovation in Kenya earlier this year and participating in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.
Report Date...: 12/14/2015

Promotion
Fellow(s): Naira Ayrapetyan
Country: Turkmenistan
Cohort: 2015
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth
During the 2015 TechWomen program, Naira Ayrapetyan completed a professional mentorship certification program at Mentoring Standard. In addition to her certificate of completion from TechWomen, Naira secured her first job promotion since joining her company 10 years ago. She is eager to promote female leadership in Turkmenistan and plans to implement her country cohort’s action plan to support this mission.
Report Date...: 12/7/2015

Mentor(s): Katy Dickinson
Company: Mentoring Standard
Mentor Type: Professional
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth
Katy Dickinson participated in a Microsoft Research Gender Diversity Lecture, speaking to encourage more women to study computer technology. Her lectures aim to educate women about the importance of gender diversity and the benefits that come from gender diversity in field of computer science.
Report Date...: 8/17/2015

Mentor(s): Teresa Zhang
Company: SunEdison
Mentor Type: Professional
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth
Teresa spoke on a Silicon Valley Forum (SVForum) Women in Tech panel encourage women to enter the renewable energy sector. Teresa spoke about emerging technologies in clean tech and the challenges that come with being a woman in the field, along with balancing career and personal goals. Teresa is a senior manager of global design and engineering at SunEdison, a global renewable energy company based in the Bay Area. A strong supporter for women in tech, Teresa mentored with TechWomen in 2014 and participated in the 2015 delegation trip to South Africa.
Report Date...: 8/10/2015

Promotion
Fellow(s): Asal Ibrahim
Country: Jordan
Cohort: 2014
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth
Asal Ibrahim was promoted to project manager at Clean Energy Concepts. She is the only female project manager at her company. Asal’s work, which includes overseeing on-site construction, directly supports Jordan’s energy strategy to increase usage of solar power. Asal credits her mentorship at TechWomen with broadening her technical skills in the solar sector.
Report Date...: 7/20/2015

U.S. Exchange Programs Alumni Reception
Fellow(s): Cameroon cohort
Country: Cameroon
Cohort: 2013 & 2014
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth
Cameroon Alumnae attend a special alumni reception for exchange program participants at the U.S. Embassy Yaounde, Cameroon.Since completing the TechWomen program, the alumnae have been active in supporting youth in their communities, founding initiatives like GetReady, Technovation Cameroon, and Creative Arts for Girls.
Report Date...: 5/25/2015

Mentor(s): Jill Finlayson; Myra Nawabi; Jeannice Samani
Company: Various
Mentor Type: Both
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth
TechWomen Council Members Jeannice Samani, Myra Nawabi, and Jill Finlayson hosted a joint International Women’s Day event with the Palo Alto Lean In Circle. The council shared their experiences mentoring global women leaders, and spread the word about upcoming opportunities for mentorship with TechWomen this fall.
Report Date...: 3/23/2015

Mentor(s): Sarah Kunst
Company: Fortist Partners
Mentor Type: Cultural
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth
Cultural Mentor Sarah was recently honored in Forbes’ annual 30 Under 30 Education list for her fundraising, advising, and mentoring work with Venture for America, Code2040, Technovation, and TechWomen, organizations which work to encourage women and girls to pursue careers in the STEM sector.
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Report Date...: 1/12/2015
Super Mama
Fellow(s): Racha Bia
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2014
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth
Racha participated in the Arab Mobile App Challenge for 2014 as a finalist for her app Super Mama. Racha created the mobile application Super Mama, which provides tools, videos, and resources for new mothers on the go. As product marketer, Racha credits the Leadership workshop she experienced with TechWomen as a major influence of the evolution of SuperMama. This workshop helped her understand the importance of leadership within innovation, and she is excited to continue improving the application.
Read More »Report Date...: 1/5/2015
Promotion
Fellow(s): Nour Alkhalil
Country: Jordan
Cohort: 2012
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth
Nour was promoted to Technical Team lead at her company Bayt.com. After completing her mentorship, Nour recognized her leadership potential and worked to advance her career in order to support women in the field as well.
Report Date...: 1/5/2015