Women Who Code Partners with Capital One to Relaunch Chicago Tech Network

Global Non-Profit Teams up with Financial Leader in Supporting Local Engineering Community in Educational and Industry Events

San Francisco, CA – June 19, 2017 — Women Who Code (WWCode), an international 501c3 dedicated to supporting this generation of engineers to become leaders in the industry, has joined with founding partner Capital One to relaunch a Chicago-based Network. Under new leadership and with sponsor support, this group will host technical training events, networking nights, industry conferences and hackathons in order to help local tech professionals achieve career success.

The inaugural event for the new Women Who Code Chicago Network will take place on Thursday, June 22. Leading the efforts of this group will be Directors Joelle Panza, Software Engineer at Capital One, Ann Yeung, Senior Director of Software Engineering at Capital One, Saumya Pandey, Technical Consultant at Infor, and Aseel Addawood, a PhD Candidate at the University of Illinois.

Joelle Panza spoke about her motivation for involvement as a Director of WWCode Chicago, “As a fellow woman in tech and Computer Science major, my mother has always been a strong role model and mentor who inspires me to excel. I want to provide that same encouragement and inspiration to other engineers by sharing my successful journey and experiences as a woman in tech.“

Fellow Director, Ann Yeung noted her aspirations for the local Network, “I'm excited to partner on this relaunch of the WWCode Chicago Network. Advocating for and elevating women technologists across the Chicago tech community and beyond is my passion.”

Women Who Code formed in 2011 and achieved 501c3 status in 2013. Since then they have grown to a membership of 100,000 with groups located in 60 cities and 20 countries. These networks have been responsible for hosting more than 5,000 free educational and tech industry events. The Chicago Network currently has 1,068 enrolled members.

Director Saumya Pandey described her reasons for helping to relaunch the Chicago Network, “I understand the power both technology and women have in making the world a better place. I believe that community support and mentorship will help women reach their full potential in the field. It's their ideas that will create the next big thing in the tech industry.“ Network Director Aseel Addawood echoed those sentiments saying, “Technology careers are the future and we can do it.“

Women Who Code Global Leadership Director, Joey Rosenberg said, “This Network can be a catalyst for good in the city of Chicago, which is amongst the top tech and innovation hubs in the world. Under the talented leadership of Joelle, Ann, Aseel and Saumya, and with the valuable support of our sponsors, I know that we can make a difference for local engineers, businesses, and the economy.“

About Women Who Code
Women Who Code is an international non-profit dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers. Our goal is to empower women with the skills needed for professional advancement, and provide environments for networking and mentorship. The organization has executed more than 5,000 events around the world, garnered a membership exceeding 100,000, and has a presence in 60 cities and 20 countries. Help us to empower even more women to advance in tech with the training and community they need to succeed by supporting our #WWCode networks. Learn more at womenwhocode.com.