Thrive Forward at Pittsburgh WITCON 2025 –
The Premier Pittsburgh Women in Tech Conference by getWITit!
Get ready to experience a day of collaboration, innovation, and connection at WITCON 2025, brought to you by getWITit in Pittsburgh. As the leading organization dedicated to supporting women in technology, getWITit is proud to present an in-person conference event focused on fostering collaboration and breaking boundaries for women and non-gender-conforming individuals in the tech industry.
Join us for inspiring keynote speeches, interactive workshops, and invaluable networking opportunities, all designed to empower and elevate women in tech. At WITCON 2025, you’ll have the chance to connect with fellow professionals, thought leaders, and innovators, and be part of a supportive community committed to driving positive change in the tech industry.
Don’t miss this opportunity to Thrive Forward, learn, and grow with us at Pittsburgh WITCON 2025. Reserve your spot now and be part of the movement to advance women in technology!
2025 Keynote Sessions
Keynote Speaker - Julie Gulick
- Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra – Board of Directors & Jack Heinz Advisory Board Member
- LifeX Greenhouse – Board Member, supporting healthcare innovation
Afternoon Keynote Speaker - Cooper Monroe
Description: In 2004, when Cooper Munroe started her “mom blog,” the tech world dismissed women like her as irrelevant, but those “invisible” networks became the foundation of today’s $16 billion influencer marketing industry. Through the story of building one of the world’s first influencer marketing agencies, Cooper reveals how women didn’t just participate in the digital revolution, we architected it from kitchen tables and coffee shops, one authentic connection at a time. This isn’t about breaking glass ceilings, it’s about recognizing we’ve been building the new infrastructure all along, and claiming the leadership that’s always been ours.
Cooper Munroe, CEO of The Motherhood Inc., is an award-winning influencer marketing expert with 30 years experience working in public relations and marketing for the world’s leading agencies, consumer brands and non-profits. As one of the original “mom bloggers” who started her blog in 2004, Cooper didn’t realize that her efforts would later turn into one of the first influencer marketing agencies: The Motherhood, founded in 2006 before the term “influencer marketing” even existed.
Cooper is a true industry pioneer who helped shape the multi-billion dollar influencer marketing landscape we know today. Parents Magazine listed her as one of the most powerful moms on the web, and as one of the “gamechangers of PR” by PR News, she also played a pivotal role in women getting paid to do influencer work. Her agency has executed major campaigns resulting in hundreds of millions of social media impressions.
Agenda
Visit our conference app for agenda and important day-of information.
| Session | Start Time | End Time | Leadership (Salon C) | Tech (Salon D) | Tech (Salon E) | Panels (Salons 3 & 4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast & Registration | 08:00 | 08:45 | — | — | — | — |
| Welcome | 08:45 | 09:00 | Welcome from getWITit Pittsburgh & National | |||
| Opening Keynote | 09:00 | 10:00 | Keynote Speaker: Julie Gulick, Bally Design From DEI to DIY: Because Inclusion Was Never a Corporate Program Grand Ballroom A & B | |||
| BREAK | 10:00 | 10:15 | — | — | — | — |
| Breakout Session A | 10:15 | 11:00 | Strengthen Your Speaking Skills Sammie Walker Herrera, Speak Y’All | Using AI as a Non-Technical Founder to Find Product-Market Fit Ketaki Desai, DashStrom | No Budget, No Problem: Standout Marketing in the Age of AI Sophia Fang, Peachy Day | Female Founders Are Redefining What Leadership Looks Like April Jackson, Innovate PGH Georgia Crowther, Reclamation Factory Priscilla Prem, Pittsburgh Costal Energy Olivia Suchko, Olive |
| BREAK | 11:00 | 11:15 | — | — | — | — |
| Breakout Session B | 11:15 | 12:00 | The Grit & Grace of Building a Hardware Startup Priscilla Prem Pittsburgh Coastal Energy | Augmenting Intelligence: Identifying Trustworthy Emerging Technologies Carol Smith CMU | Master the Game: Elevating Success with Performance Analytics, AI and Next-Gen Reporting Jordan Fischer Giant Eagle | Journeys, Challenges, and the Future of Tech Diversity Rebecca Gazda Nikki Holter Ja’Quala Bibbens Crawford Pierson Heather Lum Kaylyn Campbell getWITit Pittsburgh |
| LUNCH | 12:00 | 01:00 | Grand Ballrooms A & B | |||
| Afternoon Keynote | 01:00 | 02:00 | Keynote Speaker: Cooper Munroe, The Motherhood From Underestimated Networks to Unstoppable Force | |||
| BREAK | 02:00 | 02:15 | — | — | — | — |
| Breakout Session C | 02:15 | 03:00 | Power with Purpose: Leading Ethically in the Age of Burnout and Bias Ebony Dendy University of Pittsburgh | Work Smart, Not Hard: AI-Driven IAM Reinvents Cyber Defense Kolicia Davis BNY | AI, Ethics, and the Future of Work for Women (and some tips/courses that might be useful) Michele McGough solutions4networks | The Ripple Effect of Thoughtful Design: A Cross-Functional Conversation Antoinette Antonacci Caroline Suh Helena Mancini Swapna Bellamkonda Fivestar |
| BREAK | 03:00 | 03:15 | — | — | — | — |
| Breakout Session D | 03:15 | 04:00 | Mapping Your Influence: How to Build a Network That Actually Works Jess Manual BNY | Your Key to AI Search Success is Human Centered Design Meesha Gerhart RedTree Web Design | Make AI a friend, not a threat: How to spot tasks in your team AI can do Monica Anthony BNY | The Boardroom of One: Every Woman in Tech Needs a Personal Board Shannon Gregg Neysha Arcelay Kelly Fetick |
| Networking Reception | 04:00 | 06:00 | Networking and Happy Hour with our special guest M.A.R.T.Y. | |||
SPONSOR WITCON 2025
Our mission is to inspire more women to enter the field of technology by building a supportive environment where those women can flourish and create opportunities for more women to ascend into leadership roles. As we are a non-profit, we rely on the help of external sponsors to help us unite, support, and promote diversity in tech throughout the Pittsburgh region.