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Women of MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) heritage are a growing influence in the tech landscape. Join our inaugural Silicon Valley event to connect with a new powerful female force.
Silicon Valley, February 2018
Our Mission
As technology becomes more integrated in our society and creates a new paradigm, it is up to us to be intentional about equity, inclusion, and diverse representation in the space. The 2018 Women of MENA technology conference is first of its kind, bringing together speakers and attendees that have been powerful catalysts of change, and now will come together to connect and evolve ideas of bettering the technology landscape from within Silicon Valley and beyond. See agenda.
Speakers
Hear from inspiring panelists and speakers influencing the technology industry
Dr. Anousheh Ansari is a Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Prodea Systems a leading Internet of Things (IoT) technology firm. As she launched her new company, in 2006, she also blasted off for an 11-day space expedition and captured headlines around the world as the first female private space explorer, first astronaut of Iranian descent, the first Muslim woman, and the fourth private explorer to visit space. This was the accomplishment of a childhood dream for her.
As a successful serial entrepreneur and active proponent of world-changing technologies she along with her family sponsored the Ansari X Prize, a $10 million cash award ignited a new era in private space industries. Anousheh has published her memoire titled “My Dream of Stars” to use her life story to inspire young woman around the world.
Anousheh is a Vision Circle and Board member of the X Prize Foundation’s. She serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council and has received numerous honors, including the WEF Young Global Leader, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and STEM Leadership Hall of Fame, to name a few.
Anousheh is a UNESCO Good Will Ambassador and serves on the board of Jabil (NYSE: JBL) and Peace First as well as several other not-for-profit organizations focused on STEM education and youth empowerment. She currently works to enable social entrepreneurs to bring about radical change globally, with organizations such as ASHOKA, which supports social entrepreneurship around the world.
Anousheh holds BS in electronics and computer engineering from George Mason University, MS in electrical engineering from George Washington University; honorary doctorate from George Mason University, Utah Valley University, and International Space University.
Yasmine El Baggari, a native of Morocco and San Francisco based, is the founder and CEO of Voyaj, an online platform that connects people from around the globe for one-on-one meaningful exchanges to foster global understanding. Yasmine is committed to creating a safe environment where the exchange of ideas will result in mutual respect and our ability to embrace our differences, to empower each other to become citizens of the world committed to a healthy, peaceful planet.
For the past four years, Yasmine’s reach includes research at Harvard University, and the U.S. State Department as an Youth Moroccan Ambassador to the United States. She has spoken at international conferences, including the World Economic Forum, the Middle East Studies Association, and Obama's Global Entrepreneurship Summit. Her work has appeared in National Geographic, NPR, Forbes, and the Huffington Post. Yasmine has also received the Royal Air Maroc Award from the African Studies Association, Glamour Women of the Year Microsoft's Made Achieving Award, Hampshire College’s $60K Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, The Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, the Sander Thoenes Research Award, and two Ingenuity Awards. Recently, she was invited to the White House as one of the 100 Most Influential Travel Bloggers, and on Forbes 30 Under 30's list as one of of the most inspiring and promising entrepreneurs in Africa.
Yasmine El Baggari
Founder & CEO
Voyaj
Deena Shakir is a partner at GV (formerly Google Ventures), where she is responsible for managing partnerships for GV’s portfolio companies. She helps startups scale and grow by connecting them to the world’s largest companies.
Prior to joining GV, Deena spent five years at Google doing business development for early-stage products in health care, research and machine intelligence, and search. She also spearheaded social impact investments for Google.org.
Deena previously led public-private partnerships with Global 2000 companies as a presidential management fellow in the office of Secretary Clinton at the U.S. State Department. At the U.S. Agency for International Development, Deena was a partnerships advisor where she helped launch President Obama’s first Global Entrepreneurship Summit in 2010.
Deena co-founded her first company at 19, and is an angel investor and startup adviser. She serves as an advisor to the board of TechWadi (after serving as a Board Director for several years), and sits on the boards of the Harvard Alumni Association, the Project on Middle East Democracy, the Arab Film Festival, and the Asian University for Women. She is also a Board Advisor to Girls Who Code.
Deena holds a joint Bachelor of Arts in social studies and Near Eastern languages and civilizations from Harvard College and a master’s degree from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She delivered the 2008 Harvard Class Day speech, “From Baghdad to Boston: Dropping the Global H-Bomb.
Deena Shakir
Partner, GV formerly Google Ventures)
Get Inspired
Join us for the Women Of MENA In Technology Conference to:
- Connect with like-minded professionals from a range of industries within tech and build an unparalleled network
- Find mentors, investors, co-founders, employees, new clients through networking opportunities
- Meet senior executives, business leaders, experts, influencers
- Gain a deeper understanding of the skills, qualities and attributes needed to be a successful leader
- Examine the barriers currently female leaders (and future leaders) are facing in the workplace and hear how to overcome them
- Encounter brands and services targeting professional women
