WMNtech Leaders
A four-month accelerator and mentoring initiative devoted to supporting and uplifting women-identifying professionals in tech through leadership development programming.
The WMNtech Leaders program is designed for mid-career, women-identifying professional currently working in a managerial market-facing or technical role within an organization.
Spring 2024 cohort applications are now open. Apply by 2.2.24!
Built with experts
We have partnered with Ethos, a culture consulting meets diversity, equity, inclusion firm for the development and execution of the program.
About the program
Since 2019...
WMNtech Leaders, formerly Women Influence Chicago (WIC), has been devoted to empowering those that are women-identifying in the workplace, propelling emerging leaders into roles of influence, and creating parity in the business world.
Cohort key details
This upcoming cohort is 100% virtual.
• Dates: Spring 2024
• Two tracks: technical & market-facing
• Time commitment: runs a full day, one Friday/month from 2.16.24 – 6.06.24
• Ends with graduation in June 2024
Eligibility
While the average years of experience will range from 3-10, the most important factor is that participants exhibit exceptional promise in their current roles and would benefit from support in how to translate that promise into promotions or increased responsibilities.
Info session
Learn more about the cohort by attending our next session on 1.17.24 from 9:00 – 10:00 am cst.
Two-track experience
View the following program components and track type to see where fit in.
Technical track
Designed for women-identifying technologists with clear technical roles across the following areas:
• Software engineering and dev
• Data engineering and data science
• UX/UI
• Technical product management.
Market-facing track
Designed for women-identifying professionals working in external facing roles, including individuals that work with clients, customers, or outside stakeholders across the following areas:
• Marketing and communications
• Sales
• Customer success
Program breakdown
Workshops
Cohort members will attend four workshops, one per month. Programming includes topics that are designed to help participants develop their best professional self and leadership skills.
Facilitated forum
Cohort members will be matched with a volunteer “Super Mentor,” meeting four times outside of the designated workshop days to discuss personal and professional development.
Mentoring
Participants will be matched with a “Super Mentor” to partner with regularly before and after the program.
Apply to return as a Super Mentor
Group Coaching
Participants will attend a group coaching session once a month, seperate from the workshop days. These sessions will consist of tailored groups categorized into market-facing and technical groups and aligning with participants’ individual goals within the program.
Pricing
Non-member: $5,000
Members: $3,000
*Need-based scholarship are limited
Sponsorship Letters:
Applicants sending to managers
Managers sending to prospective applicants
Alumni stories
Over 130 women and 50 companies have gone through the program since 2019.
“It is inspiring to see so much support from the Women’s Leadership Accelerator and the Chicago Tech community for a group of women in similar roles, career stages, and with similar levels of drive and passion for what they do. When you bring that group together, it’s magic.”
“As women, we often have very high expectations for ourselves and don’t feel confident about the level of expertise we have. This makes us hesitant from sharing or driving towards aspirations when we aren’t quite ready to achieve them. I learned that having lofty goals and sharing them with a community of women leaders can be an immense motivator and will often help you when you don’t know how to start!”
“My favorite moment of the entire program was the graduation ceremony. It was clear that mentees and mentors alike were enriched and benefitted from the program. Each participant was honored individually during the ceremony and hearing from Alida and my mentors were incredibly uplifting.”
