SAN FRANCISCO and CHICAGO, October 8, 2024 — TechWomen, the U.S. Department of State’s flagship exchange program for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), leverages cross-national mentorship to empower emerging global leaders with skills to create positive change in their professions and communities. Implemented by the Institute of International Education (IIE), TechWomen was launched in 2011 in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it was hosted exclusively until 2022. Last year, TechWomen expanded to Chicago, diversifying its powerful community of mentors, partners, and stakeholders in STEM.
From September 12 to October 18, more than one hundred emerging women leaders from the Middle East, Africa, and South and Central Asia, will participate in the TechWomen program in the U.S., where they will spend five weeks engaging in professional mentorship, cultural immersion, and impact coaching with U.S.-based STEM counterparts in Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area before heading to Washington, D.C. for the program finale. Emerging Leaders (ELs) from Algeria, Cameroon, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are trekking to the San Francisco Bay Area, while the remaining ELs from Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe will journey to Chicago.
TechWomen Emerging Leaders represent startup founders, public-sector intrapreneurs, c-suite executives, sustainability champions, and more. They have been matched with hand-selected U.S. STEM professional who will serve as Mentors for the ELs, stewarding them through their local science and tech ecosystems. Mentors are from a range of commercial, public, and educational institutions in STEM, including Apple, Autodesk, AWS (Amazon Web Services), BD Bioscience, Berkeley Labs, BigCommerce, bp, CITRIS and the Banatao Institute, Google, GoDaddy, Intel, Jacobs, LinkedIn, Marvell, Microsoft, PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric), Salesforce, Synopsys, and TotalEnergies.
“I am deeply grateful to all our TechWomen Mentors over the past 13 years and counting who have dedicated their time, expertise, and hearts to fostering a community where women in STEM feel supported and inspired,” shared IIE Co-President Sarah Ilchman after a visit with Mentors in San Francisco earlier this year. “[Their] commitment is not just shaping careers; it’s transforming lives. It is clear that our journey is enriched when we walk it together.”
This diverse pool of ELs and Mentors joining the program in 2024 includes:
- Cynthia Acha Ngwari, a Cameroonian EL who is the founder and CEO of SolarCity Cam, a green technology venture that provides sustainable energy education and services.
- Karima Lakouz, an air traffic control engineer for the Moroccan Aviation Authority who is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion in science and engineering. An EL from Morocco, Karima is also an alumna of TechWomen’s sister program, TechGirls.
- Ifrah Ayoob, an EL from Pakistan who co-founded Digital Marketing Hub, which equips small and mid-sized businesses with digital operations and marketing solutions utilizing generative AI (artificial intelligence).
- Nazneen Ali, an education and communications specialist at Northwestern University. She returns as a Mentor after having taken part in the inaugural Chicago launch last year and joined a TechWomen delegation to Cameroon this spring.
- Queen Denchukwu, Vice President of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Disney Entertainment. She has served as a Mentor with TechWomen since 2014, supporting the program in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as joining delegations to Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Kazakhstan.
The 2024 cohort includes two alumnae of TechGirls, the U.S. State Department’s youth-focused international STEM exchange program. Hala Awkar of Lebanon and Karima Lakouz of Morocco represent the second year of TechGirls alumnae to make it into the ranks of TechWomen, furthering the U.S. Department of State’s aim to empower women and girls by strengthening the connection between the two programs.
“This program is crucial for me because it aligns with my belief in lifelong learning and the power of global collaboration,” expressed EL Zabira Rakhmbay, a geotechnical expert from Kazakhstan who currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of ALIDADA engineering company. “TechWomen offers the opportunity to connect with visionary leaders, expand my horizons, and challenge the boundaries of what I thought possible. My mission is to harness this experience to inspire others, drive innovation in the engineering sector, and mentor the next generation of women.”
About the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA)
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) leads the United States’ global efforts to engage individuals through academic, cultural, professional, sports, film, music, and youth exchanges, thereby promoting peace and increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other nations. Through these people-to-people exchanges and programs, the Bureau supports broader U.S. foreign policy goals, including access to education, economic opportunity and equity, and societal inclusion.
About the Institute of International Education (IIE)
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in designing and implementing international education strategies and program services. We work with governments, policymakers, educators, and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. With support from donors, we also create initiatives that assist students, scholars, and artists whose lives and work are threatened; expand teaching and learning across cultures; and provide opportunities to underserved populations. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 16 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,600 higher education partners.
Public Affairs Contacts:
IIE: Press@iie.org and Zaria Qadafi, zqadafi@iie.org
ECA: ECA-Press@state.gov