ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Most information technology departments are often viewed as a boys' club with few women in the mix. But the annual Women in Technology International (WITI) Geek Glam Runway Show aims to change that viewpoint.
"The technology industry is predominantly male," said PSCU's Senior Learning Architect Elizabeth Augustine. "Anyone who wants to debate this fact just needs to walk into their company's IT department and look around. Companies with an almost fifty-fifty split are anomalies, not the norm."
PSCU's hosted the WITI Geek Glam Runway's third annual show at its headquarters earlier this fall. WITI is a global organization that helps tech-savvy women achieve their professional goals
"Geek Glam is our largest fundraiser for the year," said PSCU Recruitment Director Kim Rankin. This year's show attracted nearly 240 attendees, about 100 more people than last year. The event featured a runway show, local vendors for shopping, entertainment and a silent auction. Sponsors included Tampa-area technology organizations, including Accenture, HSN, Tampa Bay Technology Forum and Veredus.
"With women in technology, sometimes there is some stereotyping because it is a male-dominated industry," said Rankin. "We want to send the message that it is okay for women to be IT professionals or a geek."
IT Runway Stars
Augustine coordinated the models for this year's show as well as walked the runway with five other PSCU employees. Models, she explained, met with the sponsor clothing lines a few days before the event to determine outfits and looks.
During the runway show, four Tampa area women in technology leaders were featured as speakers: Lauren Deren, Raymond James; Cary Ortiz, Nielsen Catalina Solutions; Medea Blaskovich, YourMembership; and Suzanne LaProva, PSCU.
"I walked off the runway, and 20 minutes later a female business leader was asking if I was looking for employment," said Augustine.
After eight years working at PSCU, Augustine has no plans on leaving. The event, however, did provide a new professional perspective. When she first began at PSCU, she didn't feel she had a technology-focused position.
For example, part of Augustine's team's job is designing and developing e-learning for credit unions and PSCU's. She often translates new software applications into user-friendly materials, including software simulations. To this end, she has to consider system interactions, application versioning and other technologies that impact the user experience.
"Before the [Geek Glam] event, I didn't identify as a woman in the technology industry. I just always saw myself as a woman who works in the credit union, financial services or learning industry. Yes, I use technology. But am I part of the industry?" said Augustine. "As I started thinking about it more, I realized I am part of the technology industry, because PSCU creates and supports technology solutions for our credit union members."
For Augustine and Rankin, the Geek Glam event is changing the way in which employers and colleagues are viewing women in IT. And with songs like "I'm Every Women" and "Respect" booming over the PA system during the event, the message was underscored.
"This year was an amazing event—very positive," said Rankin who added that 50 PSCU employees donated their time to make the event successful.
As a way to pay the concept of women in technology forward, PSCU donated $5,800 of monies raised to St. Petersburg College and its women in technology program, which provides scholarships and internships.
"An event like this empowers women to realize that there are others out there like them and that we all champion each other," said Augustine. "We also identify with one another and are willing to raise money to encourage women to move into this industry and make a positive impact."
