Technology runs the world. But who runs technology?
Not enough Women.

This is an Opportunity.

What are the Challenges Facing Women Trying to Enter
The Technology Field?

Top Barriers Faced by Women in Tech (From ISACA):
  • Lack of mentors
  • Lack of female role models in the field
  • Gender bias in the workplace
  • Lack of females in leadership, hiring, and management roles.
  • Changing sterotypes that women don’t excel in tech
  • Advocating for equal pay for the same skills
Despite extensive research proving that women in leadership roles make considerable contributions to
their organizations, including greater profitability,
Men outnumber women at every level in the technology sector.
With the number of women leaders actually declining, the technology field is losing ground.
That is why ATHENA of the Triangle presents our newest program…

AiS Program Vision: Create a balance in technology roles to drive the global economy.

AiS Program Mission: A strategic initiative created to help solve the lack of women in tech fields. In delivering technology-specific leadership curriculums for all ages and increasing awareness and advocacy for women in tech, our goal is to increase women representation, leadership and sustainable success at all levels,

AiS Program Objective: To apply the proven lessons of the ATHENA Leadership Model® to equip, empower, and encourage women. Women can be a leading voice in the technology sector.

AiS Program Objective: To apply the proven lessons of the ATHENA Leadership Model® to equip, empower, and encourage women. Women can be a leading voice in the technology sector.

By increasing the number of women in technology fields, we reduce the gap of women technology leaders. In creating a pipeline of women with technology business acumen as an influential voice in shaping the trajectory of the fourth industrial revolution, we change the current shortage of capable tech workers.ii

AiS Program Background: Formed in 2018, an Advisory Panel, comprised of leaders from technology, leadership development, education, entrepreneur, and research industries, serve as role models who exemplify the ATHENA Leadership Model®. Fostering collaboration, this Advisory Panel fosters identifies and transforms the network of women into technology fields where the greatest opportunity exists for economic empowerment in the future.

Top Barriers Faced by Women in Tech (From ISACA):
“Our goals are lofty, but the tools we are developing are concrete and substantive.”
CHALLENGE: Entering and navigating a career in technology is a difficult experience for many women. (Women Tech Facts – 2016 Update)
AiT SOLUTION: Build the pipeline of women leaders, starting in the classroom
  • Infuse technology-contextual versions of the ATHENA Leadership Model into middle school/high school curriculums.
  • Develop a virtual curriculum for the “Becoming ATHENA” program, focused on women in technology, that can be applied locally and beyond.
CHALLENGE: Although the number of women and minorities enrolled in tech programs is beginning to increase and many IT organizations have stepped up diversity hiring, there is still much work to do. (US Census Bureau 2017)

AiS SOLUTION: Advocate and raise awareness

  • Host “ATHENA Speaks,” an advocacy speaker series that shares firsthand experiences from local technology leaders.
  • Support emerging leaders in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area through career assistance and networking.
CHALLENGE: The wage gap between women and men in the U.S. averages $0.82 to $1(Breaking Gender Barriers – Institute for Women’s Policy Research )

AiS Partners with like-minded groups

  • Engage with a myriad of local organizations, from collaborative public-school systems to innovative technology companies, to address the gaps in leadership development throughout a woman’s professional journey.

How the AiS Program Measures Success Year 1:

We conduct research to identify the role ATHENA International can play in the expansion of women-owned businesses and founders in the tech sector, as well as filling the tech pipeline with passionate and skilled women.
Specifically, we will find research that intersects the ATHENA Leadership Model and the tech sector. Additionally within the tech sector, we will identify leaders who successfully advance more women in tech, and assist in identifying a stipend for the support of the group.
Year 2:
We assist in identifying funding that helps to bring awareness to the research and the tech role models’ attributes and develop a roll out plan for the initiative.
Year 3:
We celebrate the tech leaders who experience success and bring attention to the impact they have in business and society.
Interested in Joining Us

The AiS Process

Our Advisory panel meets bimonthly with subcommittees meeting on an as-needed basis, led by a member of the ATHENA facilitator body. During these meetings, the aim of the panel is to diversify and best represent and research how to improve success of those interested in the tech sector. For more information on being an Advisory Member or volunteering contact us.
Become a Volunteer