Connect. Collaborate. Contribute.™
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with Michael Ward Jr Austin Urban Technology Movement Matt Stephenson Code2College Elizabeth Quintanilla Marketing Gunslingers Leo Ramirez Encast 6:00pm Log In 6:15pm -7:30pm Presentation 7:30-8:00pm Q&A |
In this special second event on the topic of social justice, equity, and diversity (following our event on August 4), we will address how and why technology companies can be be drivers of change in social justice, equity, and diversity—and why this will be good for their own success (products, services, profits, and more) as well as society.
Technology now enables and empowers most companies and organizations, and most of us as consumers, learners, etc., fueling growth in the technology sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has further increased our dependence on technology. However, the concurrent focus on social injustice in the US has shined a light on the lack of diversity and equity in the tech sector andI on the inequitable access to technology (broadband, computers, smartphones, affordable connectivity, etc.). Our panel of experts will show data on these inequities, then are how tech companies can lead the charge in promoting diversity and equity in the workforce and proving technology accessibility to all people. Please join us and share your own thoughts, experiences, and suggestions in the important forum. We welcome your participation! Please email us with your questions, answers and prognostications in advance.
Admission to the Austin Forum is always free. The Austin Forum accepts donations of used smart phones, tablets, and computers at all our events. Since the events are no online, please let us know via the ‘chat’ window during the event if you have devices to donate. All devices will have a factory reset and be set up as new by the team at Austin Pathways’ nationally-recognized “Unlocking the Connection” initiative, which will connect every public housing resident with a digital device, digital literacy, and a free or very low-cost internet connection. Your donated devices can change lives and help close Austin’s digital divide, thanks to Austin Pathways. |
speaker
Michael Ward Jr. is a social entrepreneur focused on increasing the upward mobility and social capital of underserved communities, specifically people of color. Michael currently lives in Austin, TX and is the president of the Austin Urban Technology Movement (AUTM). AUTM is a nonprofit that bridges the gap between the technology industry and the Black, Brown, and Latinx communities through job placement, career development, and networking opportunities. Michael is also the co-host of Culture Crawl ATX, a podcast that invites random guests to engage in conversations about controversial topics. Originally from Miami, FL, Michael earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Global Studies from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Upon graduating from UNC, Michael started his career at Oracle selling both front-end and back-end enterprise software for cloud and on-premise technology. During his time at Oracle, Michael also led Oracle's Black employee resource group, African-American Business Leaders for Excellence (ABLE), across the United States, Canada, and Brazil. In his free time, Michael enjoys traveling with his wife, eating good food made with love, and anything basketball related.
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Matt Stephenson
Code2College |
Matt Stephenson is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Code2College (www.code2college.org), an Austin-based nonprofit that equips traditionally underrepresented high school students with coding and professional skills towards entering and excelling STEM undergraduate majors and fields. In Fall 2016, Code2College launched as a pilot in two schools serving 30 students. Four years later, Code2College has served nearly 1,000 minority and low-income high school students from across Central Texas. Code2College has continued to place students into highly competitive, technical internships at companies like Indeed and RetailMeNot
Matt started his career in K12 education as a high school math teacher, and later a Leadership Fellow, at Achievement First in New Haven, CT. Next, he joined NewSchools Venture Fund as an Associate Partner and venture investor in high-performing education organization. Prior to his career in K-12 education, Matt was a Financial Analyst at Goldman Sachs as well as an Internship Program Manager for Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO), where he was able to help 93% of the interns in his cohort to receive full-time job offers from their host firms. Matt holds a M.B.A. in Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School and a BS in Finance and Information Systems from the Stern School of Business at New York University. |
Elizabeth Quintanilla is a positive, creative, people-oriented, performance-driven Marketing Gunslinger: As a consultant and speaker, she focuses on understanding the customer perspective and consults on a variety of topics: online technologies and strategies, social business, marketing (traditional, online, social, content, Go-To-Market), product marketing, and demand generation. She has a broad-base of experience in multiple industries including: aerospace, franchise, IT, software, and real estate. As an expert communicator, she explains complex concepts in understandable terms and delivers high-quality creative solutions to ensure product and customer success.
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Leo Ramirez is co-founder and CEO of Encast, which connects people by revolutionizing how relationships are built around shared values. He’s launched and managed social ventures, led multi-disciplinary teams, and built solid relationships with civic and corporate leaders.
His 26-year career has spanned executive management, business development, consulting, nonprofit management, technical support and engineering positions with Southwest Key Programs, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Coremetrics, Trilogy and Apple. He also serves on the City of Austin's Corporate Engagement Council (CEC) Executive Committee, which convenes the private and public sectors to build awareness and alignment and create a platform for best practices sharing, community engagement, and action for a stronger Austin. He co-founded his first non-profit, EDCO Ventures, in 2005 to address job creation in economically underprivileged regions through high-growth, entrepreneurial ventures. He co-founded MiniDonations, whose mission was to make social impact, through micro-giving, a part of everyday life. He also co-founded Copán, LLC, which provided NextDooring services from Latin America. He is a Stanford University Computer Systems Engineering Program from 1992–1996. |