ACT-W stands for Advancing the Careers of Technical Women. We are dedicated to helping technologists of all genders feel empowered and stay educated, with a focus on the needs of women and non-binary folks.

Answering a growing need for community and diversity in tech, ACT-W began in 2013 as a one-day conference in Portland, Oregon. We have since expanded and now host conferences virtually and in eight different cities around the United States, offer standalone webinars and events, and are growing our online membership community. Learn more about our past conferences and the history of ACT-W.

Yes! ACT-W programs are designed with inclusivity and acceptance at center stage. While we focus on the needs of women and non-binary individuals, we welcome people of all genders, backgrounds, races, faiths, and beliefs who support our mission to promote diversity in technology and agree to our Code of Conduct.

We believe in the importance of allyship, and encourage men to join and learn from our community, too! Men attending ACT-W events can look forward to engaging with outstanding content and diverse participants, showing an active commitment to allyship, and supporting ChickTech’s mission of increasing diversity in the technology workforce.

Yes! We welcome students, participants just starting out in tech, people who’ve never been a part of tech at all, unemployed individuals, top level executives, and experienced technical professionals.

Just like our high school students who attend ChickTech youth programs without any previous background in technology, ACT-W strives to make the tech industry more accessible to everyone. Whether you have no experience in technology or are a lifelong coder, ACT-W has something for you. Alongside our technical learning sessions, our speaker tracks also include valuable lessons in career development, diversity, and leadership.

Yes! Our volunteers are a vital part of our work and help us create a welcoming and outstanding experience for event participants and ACT-W members. People of all genders and backgrounds are welcome to volunteer.

Volunteer opportunities range from pre-event planning and marketing to various day-of event duties such as staffing a registration/information booth, crowd management (for in-person events), and assisting speakers.

As a thank-you to their dedication and efforts, our conference volunteers receive a free ticket to their regional ACT-W Conference. You can learn more about becoming a volunteer here.

Yes! It is very important that all participants and members adhere to it. Please take a moment to read our Code of Conduct before you attend an ACT-W event or join our membership community.

We do our best to create in-person events with accessibility in mind, and ensure all our in-person events are wheelchair accessible. Online events include closed-captioning available through Zoom.

If you need other accessibility options or support in order to fully enjoy any of our programs, please let us know! When registering for our events, you’ll have the option to include any accessibility needs. We welcome you to contact us at [email protected] with additional questions or concerns.

All talks, workshops, keynotes, and breakout session options are included with your registration. Depending on the conference, you may need to register separately and/or pay an additional registration fee to attend an in-person conference happy hour.

Each ACT-W conference includes:

• • Engaging and inspiring programming
  • A community of empowerment and support
  • The chance to network with like-minded participants and organizations
  • Breakfasts, lunches, and coffee breaks throughout (in-person conferences only)
  • Opportunities to meet organizations looking for talented technical professionals
  • Individualized career coaching
  • Connections to recruiters and hiring companies

Yes! ChickTech believes that the ACT-W Conference should be a resource for every woman and non-binary person in tech, regardless of income level. That’s why we’re offering sliding-scale tickets—so that every person who wants to attend can have access to our conference’s high-quality workshops and supportive multigenerational community. All ticket levels receive the same access to conference programming and events.

If you need assistance in order to attend, please apply for a conference scholarship to cover the full cost of your participation, generously provided thanks to our partners and sponsors.

We offer ACT-W Conference ticket discounts for groups of 5 or more. Please email [email protected] for more information or to purchase bulk ticket packages.

Yes! We encourage you to share the conference with your network. ACT-W Conference sessions are built to inspire discussion and action, and watch parties absolutely complement this ethos. To help support ACT-W, we ask that all watch party attendees purchase a ticket (or apply for a scholarship). Registering helps us more accurately report on the impact of our conference and directly supports ChickTech’s work fighting inequity in STEM industries.

Refunds are not typically available. If you are unable to join us for the conference or event, you can donate the cost of your tickets to support ChickTech’s work in providing technology empowerment and education to under-served adults and youth. If you choose to donate the cost of your tickets to support ChickTech (thank you so much!), you can contact us at [email protected] to request a donation receipt.

To request a refund, please contact us at [email protected] and provide the ticket purchaser’s first and last name, as well as the reason for the refund request.

Conference registrants will receive a follow-up email within two weeks of the conference with an access link to the recordings and any additional materials from the presenter. Recordings are available for one month after this email has been sent. ACT-W Premium Members can access all conference sessions (and much more!) from our on-demand library of content for the duration of their membership.

Speaking opportunities are currently available through our ACT-W Conference and stand-alone webinars and events through our ACT-W Membership platform. You can apply to speak here.

We are proud to offer a well-rounded selection of content to our community. Our content generally falls into four categories: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); Leadership; Career Development; and Technical Skills. If you have any other ideas, we would be more than happy to hear them!

We require all events to be scheduled least a month in advance to ensure we have enough time to effectively communicate the event to our community. You can choose between doing a live webinar or a pre-recorded video.

We will provide suggested days and times for you to choose from if you would like to do a live webinar through our ACT-W Membership platform. We’re very flexible, and can schedule sessions in the daytime or evening. ACT-W Conference sessions follow a more rigid schedule, and must be presented during the days of the conference.

Pre-recorded videos can be made on your time, whenever and however it is convenient for you, and can be posted onto our platform at any time.

Please note that a ChickTech volunteer or staff member will be present for all live webinars and conference sessions to introduce you and help navigate and operate logistics in real time.

Unless you request otherwise, all ACT-W webinars and conference sessions are recorded and stored in the ACT-W on-demand video library. Event registrants receive access to the event’s recording for 30 days after receiving access. ACT-W Premium Members receive on-demand, free access to view all recorded sessions and videos for the duration of their membership.

If you choose to share your screen or presentation throughout your talk, your screen will be visible and included in the recorded video. If you’re willing to provide your slides or any additional resources for participants to view at a later date, that is more than welcome! Please reach out to [email protected] with your materials or any copy you’d like us to include in our post-event email to attendees.

After the webinar, you can request a copy of your presentation at any time or request to withdraw it from the ACT-W membership platform on-demand library by emailing [email protected] with a 30 day notice.

The ChickTech community is comprised of students and professionals of all genders, ages, and technical skill-sets. Our programs focus on the needs of women and non-binary individuals, but we welcome allies of all genders into our community as we fight to create more opportunities and empowerment in the technology industry.

The audience size for our events range widely depending on the format, content, and date/time. You can expect anywhere from 10 to 100 participants at your session. We are happy to provide registration numbers to you leading up to (and after) your event upon request.

This is up to you! If you decide to have a Q&A portion, the audience can address their questions through the Zoom chat function or by un-muting themselves at that time. You can also choose to take questions throughout the presentation.

It is strongly encouraged that our speakers save about 15 minutes at the end of the session to answer any questions from audience members. We also welcome you to share your contact information (LinkedIn, email, website, etc.) for attendees who wish to connect with you outside of the session.

You will need a device that can download Zoom Video Conferencing software. This will require internet access, speakers, webcam, and a mic. We recommend a laptop/desktop computer. A tablet or smart phone will also work, but the screen sharing feature (to share presentation slides) may not be available.

We encourage our speakers to practice their session to get familiar with Zoom software and configure their setup. Once a date and time is selected, a Zoom link will be provided to you. From there, you are free to test it and do a practice run at any time prior to the scheduled meeting.

We also ask that live presenters jump onto the Zoom link about 15-20 minutes before the scheduled live webinar to ensure everything is working properly.

At ChickTech, we strongly believe that you own your recorded content. You can request a copy of your presentation at any time or request to withdraw it from the ACT-W membership platform on-demand library by emailing [email protected] with a 30 day notice.

As part of the speaker agreement, you must agree to not copy or modify in whole or in part, the material or branding of the ChickTech and ACT-W programming and not rent, lease, distribute, sell, or create any derivative works of ChickTech-owned material, beyond your recorded talk.

Information shared during your talk will stay yours and will not be shared by ChickTech beyond ACT-W+ without your written approval and consent.

All session recordings will include a watermark to prevent redistribution. Additionally, our members must agree to our terms of use which includes agreeing to not copy, modify, distribute or sell ACT-W+ content in part or whole.