Women have come a long way in the world of tech and business. Although there is still a notable gap between women and men in the industry, several high-profile women are working hard to narrow that divide.
In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re turning our attention to five women who are making a remarkable difference in the industry, not only through their own achievements, but also by opening the door for other women to follow in their footsteps.
Sheryl Sandberg—Facebook COO
Since taking on the role of COO at Facebook in 2008, Sheryl Sandberg has been a strong supporter of the women-in-tech movement. Following her TED talk, “Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders,” she released her popular book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, and started a global initiative to assist women entrepreneurs. Last December, Sandberg gave $31 million in Facebook stock to the Sheryl Sandberg Philanthropy Fund, which will help promote her Lean In nonprofit—a group dedicated to inspiring women to chase their tech goals.
Reshma Saujani—CEO and founder of Girls Who Code
After a career in law and politics, including a role as Deputy Public Advocate in New York City, Saujani focused on the growing gender gap in tech by starting Girls Who Code in 2012. What began as a small nonprofit aimed at teaching girls the basics of coding and computer science has rapidly evolved into a significant organization with summer programs and clubs nationwide. According to the organization, ninety percent of girls who take part in the summer immersion program pursue a major in computer science or a related field.
Susan Wojcicki—CEO of YouTube
Did you know that the CEO of YouTube is a Silicon Valley native? Born and raised in Santa Clara County, Susan Wojcicki was Google’s sixteenth employee—in fact, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin initially set up shop in her garage! In 2006, Wojcicki spearheaded the company’s purchase of YouTube, and in 2014, became its CEO. As a mother to five children, she serves as an advocate for paid maternity leave, a policy she believes could help more women succeed in tech.
Ursula Burns—Chairman and CEO of Xerox
Ursula Burns is the first African-American woman to serve as CEO of a Fortune 500 company – and she’s determined to make sure plenty of women of color follow in her footsteps. Burns started at Xerox as an intern in 1980 and worked her way up through the ranks before finally being appointed CEO in 2009. Along the way, she’s been a champion of STEM education and opportunities for women of color. In 2010 President Obama appointed her to the board of Change the Equation, a STEM literacy program that works to educate students about science, technology and engineering opportunities.
Whitney Wolfe—Tinder Cofounder/Bumble founder
After cofounding Tinder, which quickly became one of the most popular dating apps around, and then enduring a very public falling out, Whitney Wolfe has landed on her feet. In December 2014, she launched another dating app called Bumble, which only allows women to initiate conversations with potential love interests. With over 3 million users in only 15 months, the 26-year-old Wolfe seems to be on to something. She’s also leading by example to promote women in tech. Out of the company’s 13 employees, 12 are women, and Wolfe proudly describes her latest venture as a “feminist company” that is determined to foster gender equality.