Awakening the Mature Geek

#sxsw #maturegeek

While women make up 46.7% of the U.S. workforce, they represent less than 25% of S.T.E.M. Workers.

Want to get more women involved in technology careers and bridge the gender gap? Throw away the boring power point presentations, stop with all the “techie jargon,” and engage women looking to re-career into the field of technology. Essentially, it’s time to “Awaken the Mature Geek.”

Sisters Code’s founder, Marlin Page, was an aspiring Mortician until she unconventionally learned to code in seven languages, and her life literally changed overnight. Sister’s Code mission is to educate, empower, and entice women ages 25 – 85 to explore the world of coding and technology.

Our approach is totally unconventional, disruptive, and has been labeled “impossible” by some. This “crazy” approach is transforming the lives of women, providing corporations with a greater pipeline to diverse talent while building a community of practice and philanthropy. It’s worth the conversation.

Presenters

Marlin Page

Founder & CEO

Sisters Code and Knowledge Brokers

Marlin Page is a Globetrotting Speaker, Founder of Sisters Code, a Technology Strategist empowering women and girls in S.T.E.M. and Life, and CEO of Knowledge Broker’s IT staffing firm.

Marlin is a Former Coder, Deputy Chief Information Officer for the City of Detroit, Organizational Development Leader and Global Diversity and Inclusion Executive for a Fortune 500 Technology Corporation.

As the founder of Sisters Code, Marlin wanted other women to experience the “awesomeness” that a career in technology had afforded her. At the age of 25, Marlin was an aspiring Mortician until she learned to code in seven different languages in a 13-week corporate program. She was living proof that a career in technology could transform your life and open the door to endless opportunities. Marlin began the movement of “Awakening the Mature Geek,” by founding Sisters Code. Sisters Code’s mission is to educate, empower, and entice women ages 25 – 85 to explore the world of coding and technology with the ultimate goal of building a pipeline of women ready to re-career into the field of technology.

As Deputy CIO for the City of Detroit, Marlin and her team successfully developed the City’s first e-government initiative, enabling citizens to engage government via the Internet and lead the collaboration across 10 unique agencies to support the technology and infrastructure required for Super Bowl XL. Marlin’s work has also included the development and implementation of the first Global Diversity and Inclusion and Organizational Development Department in a Fortune 500 Company’s 30-year history.

Utilizing her expertise as a Technology Strategist, Marlin partners with organizations to develop, manage, and support their internal and external technology outreach initiatives around S.T.E.M., Diversity, and Recruiting.

Marlin was recently selected to serve as a keynote speaker for Microsoft Corporation’s Global DigiGirlz Programs in multiple locations. Marlin has also had an opportunity to speak at Techonomy, SXSW, and other national platforms.

Marlin’s book and music CD, “Always Believe,” motivates girls to believe in themselves.

Marlo Rencher

Co-Founder

Snapsure

Marlo Rencher is an anthropologist and social entrepreneur with deep experience in small business development. Marlo sold cereal for Kellogg, marketed Kool-Aid for Kraft, and researched cars and trucks for Ford. She worked for more than seven years in Detroit tech incubators and entrepreneurial development agencies. She serves on the board of directors for Urban Innovation, a Detroit-based 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to diversifying the pool of technology employees, entrepreneurs, and employers.

A Michigan State University graduate with a BA in marketing, Marlo also has a MBA from the Ross Business School at the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Wayne State University. Her research interests exist at the intersection of entrepreneurship, design, technology and culture. Marlo has founded or co-founded three tech companies. She was a winner of the 2011 Enterprising Health Business Competition sponsored by Ascension Health Alliance. She is an alum of Bizdom, a business accelerator backed by Dan Gilbert. She is also a digitalundivided FOCUS Fellow and a member of the digitalundivided Advisory Board.

Marlo is a co-founder of Snapsure (snapsure.it), a mobile platform for savvy shoppers to get instant feedback about the things they are about to buy from the people they trust.

See more about Marlo at www.marlorencher.com.