Teressa in the Big Apple

I’m elated to share that I’ve been selected to speak at the 2023 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women event. I’m so honored to have been chosen. The theme of the event is: Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. I am uniquely qualified to speak to this theme because of my educational background in anthropology and network security.

I submitted an application that addresses the theme and more specifically how cybersecurity can empower girls and women. The title of my presentation is: From Second Grade to Second Act: Cybersecurity Promotes Gender Equality.

There is a gap in gender representation within the cybersecurity field that adversely affects equality and empowerment of young women and women seeking to restart their careers, especially during the pandemic. This has been a longstanding issue in the field of technology where women are a small proportion of the workforce.

The objectives that I will address are:

  1. Illustrate ways to advocate for women’s empowerment in cybersecurity

  2. Instill courageous acts of professional bravery when faced with a male-dominated field

  3. Share innovative domiciliary ideas and transfer them into a technological environment

My networking organization, National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs; Business & Professional Women - Colorado, the board of my Denver chapter, and president of the NFBPW, Megan Shellman-Rickard supported and encouraged me to apply. I’m so grateful for the women who support and encourage me.

The event is in March in New York City. There is the UN event and a Leadership Summit the weekend before with NFBPWC that I’d like to attend. I'm calling on my amazing family, friends and colleagues for your support to help me reach more girls and women in exploring the exciting field of cybersecurity and achieving greater financial equity and equality. To get ahead of the cost of travel and lodging in NYC, the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, has set up a funding site to help me. Please visit the website, add my name to the comment box, and select the UN CSW Fund. The donation is tax-deductible. Thank you very much for your ongoing support!

https://www.nfbpwc.org/Donate 

Watch the special announcement!

Teressa Gehrke