Women in Technology Provides Resources, Networking Opportunities

When a chapter of the national professional association Women in Technology (WIT) was forming at Columbia University in 2017, Columbia had already made addressing the challenge of attracting and retaining female employees in technical positions a priority.

Tonya Richards, a human resources client manager at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), became the inaugural co-chair of the chapter’s Great Place to Work committee, which, along with the Community Outreach and Professional Development committees, offer resources for women.

“We regularly hold networking events, seminars, conferences, and panel discussions where women who work here can talk about their challenges and share the successes that they’ve had,” Richards said. “They really enjoy the exchange of ideas and are happy to support each other.”

On several occasions at such events, Richards said she has seen women form mentor-mentee relationships that benefit both over time. “Such encounters can be vital to our employees’ satisfaction, and that’s what we want.”

For more information about WIT, including links to free online training programs and a schedule of events, visit the website or write to womenintechnology-admin@columbia.edu.