She Talks Tech

At She Talks Tech, we're breaking barriers and sparking conversations that matter. We invite you to be a part of this groundbreaking panel series presented by remarkable women, where we explore critical topics in the tech world from a unique perspective. But that's not all. We're delving deeper into the issues women face in the tech space today, addressing imposter syndrome and gender biases head-on. Our panelists will share their personal stories, triumphs, and challenges, offering invaluable insights.

• Free Admission: This event is open to the public, so bring your friends, colleagues, and anyone interested in tech!
• Hybrid event, join in-person or via zoom
• Networking: Connect with like-minded individuals passionate about tech.
• Snacks and Refreshments: Enjoy a delightful evening of refreshments and mingling.

Don't miss our winter event, "Disrupting Tech: Innovative Women-Led Projects". Showcasing groundbreaking projects and initiatives led by women in various tech domains, highlighting their impact and potential for change. 

Let's amplify the voices of women in tech together!

Agenda

5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Networking, Light Snacks and Refreshments

5:30 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. | Panel Discussion

6:15 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. | Audeince Q&A

6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Networking

Questions?

For more information, please contact Meghan Gervais, Events and Community Engagement Specialist mgervais@acceleratorcentre.com

Joanna Ma - Moderator

Joanna Ma is an intellectual property (IP) strategist and patent lawyer at Bereskin & Parr LLP. She offers her clients strategic advice on developing and growing IP portfolios that are aligned with their business opportunities and goals. Joanna also assists her clients with commercializing and monetizing these IP rights, and with developing a balanced approach to the enforcement of their IP rights.

Joanna has an electrical engineering background and specializes in patenting software-driven technologies and associated systems in various technologies. She has written on various aspects of patenting software-driven technologies, including co-authoring Canada's Chapter in Intellectual Property in Electronics and Software: A Global Guide to Rights and Their Applications, Second Edition. Joanna is also a co-author of a chapter entitled “Patent and Other IP Protection for Engineering and Technology Startups” in Startup Law 101: A Practical Guide.

Vartika Manasvi - Panelist

Vartika is a serial entrepreneur, who moved to Canada in 2018, on a startup visa, supported by the Govt. of Alberta. She exited her second startup, Stackraft, to a venture studio in L.A. and thereafter dabbled with angel Investing and is an ally for entrepreneurs at MaRS, and Communitech. She is an MBA by education, community builder by passion and an entrepreneur at heart, with 15+ years of hands-on product, marketing and sales experience. She invests in her thesis on Sovereign Internet and Identity, startups that facilitate a mechanical turk economy for a unified, digitally governed, borderless world we want to live in and build collectively.

Juanita Lee Garcia - Panelist

Juanita Lee-Garcia is currently the Executive Director of the Upside Foundation. For five years, she led Venture for Canada’s partnership, social innovation and marketing teams, scaling the organization by 3172% growth in expenditures on charitable activities as a key member of the leadership team serving more than 5000 Canadian youth with 87% of participants expressing increasing career outcomes at 100% satisfaction rate.

Before her not-for-profit career, Juanita had a dual career in sales and academics. Previously, she worked in tech at Loopio in its bootstrapped stage and retail for Aritzia across sales management roles for over nine years.

She holds a BFA from Queen’s University, an MFA from Western University, and an MEd in Higher Leadership and Adult Education and Community Development from the University of Toronto, OISE. She has presented her academic research across Canada and the US.

Juanita is a Latinx refugee-migrant first-generation settler in Canada, an artist, and an educator interested in the intersection of innovation, philanthropy, and large-scale systems change.

Pat Chaisang - Panelist

Pat is the Founder & CEO of Isempower, Canada’s first technology solution for international student success.

Having moved from Thailand, Pat realized how difficult it is for international students to build a successful career and professional network in a new country from the ground up. Her lived experience of being an international student herself, combined with her passion for building community inspired her to found Isempower with a sole purpose to help international students stop settling for less. As a Founder & CEO of Isempower, she is on a mission to help international students build meaningful careers in a new country through integrating the ecosystem closer together using technology. Isempower platform integrates higher education institutions and employers across the nation to help international students learn, connect, and get hired.

Professionally, Pat has experience in product management, marketing, eCommerce, and program management, working with top technology brands and retailers. Previously, she was a Product Manager at TELUS, managing digital products, focusing on personalization strategy and advocating for best-in-class customer experience. Prior to TELUS, she was at Best Buy Canada, overseeing business operations of the advertising & eCommerce programs. Her early career was spent in digital marketing at SAP where she was building a community of developers & evangelists around the world.

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*Please be advised that She Talks Tech will be recorded and may be used on our website and social platforms. By attending this session, you consent to be recorded and your comments may be used at the discretion of the Accelerator Centre.