The Driving WinTech Tour Stops in Saskatoon
By: Aileen Cham
“There is a strong emphasis on getting women into STEM roles, but a lack of support once they are there. More needs to be done to allow women to speak out on the issues they face and discrimination they experience. Dealing with comments on my gender instead of my accomplishments can be very discouraging.”
-Saskatoon Community Conversation participant
In 2017, WiTWorld Founder and CEO, Ali Close and COO, Melanie Ewan drove across Canada to ask women in tech about their experiences in the industry, challenges they’ve faced and what actions can be taken to advance and support women in tech in their communities. These conversations helped create Canada’s Gender Equity Roadmap. This is the Community Conversation from Saskatoon.
Saskatoon welcomes Driving WinTech’s Community Conversation
On the evening of September 25, 2017 Driving WinTech brought the Community Conversation to a full house of Saskatoon women in tech at Innovation Place! It was an upbeat event full of laughs and insightful discussion led by a panel of captivating speakers. The panel included Jacqueline Cook, Chief Strategy Officer at Vendasta Technologies; Serese Selanders, Founder & CEO of ORA; and Katherine Regnier, CEO & Founder of Coconut Calendar.
Great thanks to event partners Innovation Place Saskatoon and Drift Cafe.
Katrina German, Manager of Technology Startups and Commercialization for Innovation Saskatchewan, moderated. She kickstarted the discussion by asking the women how they started in entrepreneurship in tech. Katherine and Serese both began with a need and the drive to fulfill the need. Katherine explained, “I was working at one of my first jobs at a tech company and realized I could book a major flight but I couldn’t book my massage therapist down the hall.” This was the idea behind her company, Coconut Calendar. Seeing her aging parents face certain challenges, Serese wanted a better way of living for them, so she plunged into the tech sector with only a background in business.
When asked about any profound learning experiences and opportunities, the three panelists agreed that it was impossible to pinpoint a single moment since their career journeys involved constant learning. The consensus was, as Katherine noted, “You learn as you go.”
Jacqueline Cook brought to light a real, yet hidden inhibition that is often averted among women in the tech community. “Women are often threatened by one another,” Cook stated. She offered a vital piece of advice, “Help others, give them an opportunity. Women are often threatened by one another, so just put that aside. You’re on the same team.”
Katherine Regnier paused the discussion to point out an attendee who had brought her young daughter to the Community Conversation, saying, “I love that you brought your daughter – that’s how you start.”
A huge thank you to the amazing attendees that filled the event space to capacity, and to our panelists, who motivated us to never stop learning. We are also grateful for our community partners:
