Pictured left to right: Kristin Gordon, Mallory Giunta, Kelly Nagel Sabree Gamel, Emily Carlson, Ruby Pietruszka
The WIT Network/Buffalo Chapter held a women’s networking event at Roman’s this past week for the first time.
Emily Carlson, of Batavia, runs her own business, PBA Consulting (Powered by Authenticity) and airs a weekly Podcast under the same name created at GoArt! every Thursday.
Link to Podcast on Spotify: Powered by Authenticity | Podcast on Spotify It also can be found on Apple: Powered by Authenticity on Apple Podcasts.
Carlson started the podcast last April. She is hoping to grow and expand the WIT Network locally and to bring women who work in technology from Buffalo and Rochester and in between together in Batavia. At last week’s free event at Roman’s, representatives from Paychex, Chapins and Ingram Micro were in attendance.
Provided photo Ken Carlson
“Through the podcast, I was able to expand and grow my network, which led to other consulting opportunities,” says Carlson.
“You’re not going to get a job or contacts through applying online, it’s really through the conversations that you have, so being a member of WIT you are able to expand and grow yourself.”
Carlson says she found the organization on LinkedIn in 2020 when everyone was trapped at home due to the pandemic.
“I joined in 2020 and was looking for like-minded individuals who I can continue to connect with and bond with remotely, it was a great opportunity for me to get to know people locally and network.”
Carlson(right) with Kelly Nagel
Carlson lost her job as Chief Technology Officer at a healthcare consulting firm in 2022, after a lot of the pandemic funding dried up.
“This (WIT) was a great community to be able to support me so I was able to understand what some vital next steps would be, to provide training, to pursue support and provide mentorship.”
The WIT Network is a global network of women of all ages and stages of their careers. The group offers inspiration, mentoring, networking, education and technical skills from other women locally and around the globe.
Link to more information below.
“I’d love to see GCC students become more involved, because they start to go into the real world and working. Knowing women in the WIT Network is really going to help them get their first jobs or internships. We will be able to support and mentor them as they enter the workforce.”
Carlson says currently women are underrepresented in the tech sector in many jobs like IT, Data Management, Scrum Master and women working in the area of STEAM.
“We start losing girls in middle school because they are afraid that being in some of these STEM Clubs make them feel nerdy and it’s not cool,” says Carlson.
WIT is currently offering a free community membership. The highest paid membership is $95 a year. A person still in school pays $25.
Membership information:
Join Us – Membership Options – The WIT Network
The next networking in person event is a wine tour event that leaves from Buffalo in the fall. Link to webinars: Programs and Events – The WIT Network