Girls in Tech Announces New Appointments to Board of Advisors — Girls in Tech

SAN FRANCISCO – June 24, 2020 – PRLog — Girls in Tech, a global non-profit bringing the world together through education and experiences, today announced new additions to the company’s board of directors. The ActOne Group Founder and Chief Executive Officer Janice Bryant Howroyd, Guidewire Software’s Chief Evangelist Laura Drabik, and Twitter Vice President of Diversity Partnership Strategy & Engagement Candi Castleberry Singleton all join the board effective immediately. Seasoned public relations professional Julie Mathis has also joined to drive the organization’s communications strategy.

“Girls in Tech relies on our extremely accomplished board members to help the organization chart a course that empowers women to be successful in their passions and careers,” said Adriana Gascoigne, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Girls in Tech. “We are grateful to Janice, Laura and Candi for being so committed to the Girls in Tech mission of closing the gender gap in STEM. We look forward to working with them as we evolve our organization to make it even more relevant during these trying times brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and fight for racial equality.”

Howroyd is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The ActOne Group, a global leader providing customized cutting-edge solutions in the human resources industry. The ActOne Group is a multi-­billion dollar,  award-­winning, international Talent and Talent Technology enterprise with multiple divisions that each service unique areas of employment and provide talent management solutions. Howroyd is currently #39 on Forbes list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women. In 2014, Howroyd was recognized by Black Enterprise as the first black woman to own and operate a billion‐dollar company. She was BET’s first ever BET Honors Entrepreneur of the Year and has received Black Enterprise’s Business of the Year award. In 2013, she was appointed a USA Ambassador of Energy at the White House.

“STEM proficiencies profoundly impact every sector of our world. Encouraging all generations of women to embrace STEM is critical to ensuring women’s voices are heard and that opportunities grow in our increasingly technology-driven world. As a board member, it’s my honor to support our Girls in Tech mission to work toward the creation of a universal future that includes everyone,” said Howroyd, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, The ActOne Group.

As the Chief Evangelist at Guidewire, Drabik is the key spokeswoman for Guidewire in the marketplace. She keeps her finger on the pulse of insurance industry disruption to coach insurers on ways to innovate their business and achieve a competitive advantage. An experienced executive, presenter, and product strategist, Drabik brings technological ideas from the field to life. She also inspires the next generation’s passion for insurance by advising insurtechs (100% of funds earned go to charity), organizing and judging community hackathons, and mentoring students in the community. Her highly respected “Driving Insurance Innovation” blog series highlights the latest technological trends that are rapidly transforming the P&C landscape. She recently delivered a TEDx Talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em4r9QBy3rM) on how technology is changing the insurance industry. Drabik was named to Insurance Business America’s “Elite Women 2019” list, and she is also one of the winners of the Silicon Valley Business Journal “Women of Influence” award for 2019.

“I am honored to join the Girls in Tech Board, an organization deeply committed to empowering women in technology,” said Drabik, Chief Evangelist, Guidewire Software. “The goals of the organization closely align with my own ideals and work, and I am looking forward to collaborating with them to nurture the female leaders of tomorrow.”

Candi Castleberry Singleton is the Vice President of Diversity Partnership Strategy & Engagement at Twitter. She is also the founder of the award-winning Dignity & Respect Campaign, which has helped organizations create more inclusive work environments. As an experienced diversity and inclusion leader, she created The BoltOn to Built-In Model™ featured in her chapter of Crossing the Divide: Intergroup Leadership in a World of Difference. She has developed successful strategies and initiatives in technology, telecommunications, and healthcare including Xerox, Sun Microsystems, Motorola, and UPMC. Candi has served as adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University. She received an MBA from Pepperdine, a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, and completed the Stanford Executive Human Resources program.

Singleton said, “I am grateful to join the Girls in Tech board who shares my passion and commitment to inclusive workplaces, especially in tech. They work daily to develop girls for stem careers,  inspire inclusion, and eliminate the gender gap in tech. I look forward to doing my part. Together, we’ll help girls believe that they belong in tech!”

Additionally, seasoned executive Julie Mathis joins the board to oversee the organization’s communications strategy. Mathis has held leadership positions at 42 West, Hill + Knowlton Strategies, Warner Bros. and more.

Girls in Tech regularly evaluates the composition of its board to ensure it includes the appropriate skills, experience and perspective needed to advance the organization’s mission.

These women join an impressive board of respected leaders, including Sandy Carter, Girls in Tech Board Chair & Vice President at Amazon Web Services; Alyson Welch, Vice President of Sales at Twilio; Stephen Snyder, CFO at Addepar; Sastry Durvasula, Global Head of Technology and Digital at McKinsey & Company; Darrell Mockus, CTO of The Myers-Briggs Company’s Innovation Labs; Donna Boyer, Vice President Product at Stitch Fix; Jonathan Abrams, Co-founder and General Partner of 8-Bit Capital; Kim DeCarlis, CMO of PerimeterX; Mayumi Hiramatsu, Vice President at Amazon Web Services; Susie Wee, CTO at Cisco’s DevNet; communications strategist Julie Mathis; and, Adriana Gascoigne, Founder & CEO.

About Girls in Tech

Girls in Tech works to erase the gender gap in tech. Today, every industry is a tech industry, with a need for people of all skills and backgrounds. We offer education and experiences to help people discover their unique superpower and hone it. We aim to see every woman accepted, confident, and valued in tech—just as they are.