July 5, 2012

Canadian Women in Technology (CanWIT) Advisory Council -
Call for Nominations

July 5, 2012

Dr. Catherine Aczel Boivie, CEO and Chair of CanWIT (Founding President of the CIO Association of Canada and recently retired CEO of Inventure Solutions and SVP of Information Technology at Vancity) invites nominations from women leaders in technology related roles to serve as members of the newly created CanWIT Advisory Council (CAC).

The CAC serves as a governing body to provide guidance and advice in relation to the implementation and operation of CanWIT's mandate to support women in Canada's technology sector, and also offers a community network to assess needs, trends, and achievements.

The CAC's goals are to:

  • Lead and actively participate in CanWIT advocacy initiatives
  • Propose new ideas and engage in advocacy to advance Canada's innovation and competitiveness rankings
  • Challenge ideas to lead to improved products and services
  • Engage local chapters and communities to understand their goals and to get more women involved in the delivery of the goals of CanWIT
  • Lead and participate in eMentorship outreach to link seasoned executives with next generation leaders in all fields of endeavor with a focus on the technology sector
  • Spur continuous improvement in the development of themes and issues for local and national business networking and educational events
  • Identify and nurture partner and sponsor relationships to advance the CanWIT Diversity mandate
  • Create synergy in the building of relationships (e.g. - Springboard Enterprises) that educate, source, coach, showcase, and support high growth women-led technology companies seeking equity capital for expansion
  • Enhance communication between CanWIT members and CanWIT management
  • Breed new ideas and provide advice and guidance on the organization's policies and programs relevant to women in technology
  • Consult regularly with the council, operations team, parent organization, and relevant women's organizations on both opportunities and challenges pertaining to women in technology
  • Provide diverse points of view on the impact of programs and services in order to improve and measure member satisfaction
  • Provide advice on matters referred by the parent organization (CATAAlliance) or raised as a result of member consultation

The CanWIT Advisory Council consists of 9 - 12 members who are appointed for a term of two years for a maximum of two terms (4 years). CAC members will consist of local chapter, business, and academic and student representatives. Advisory Council meetings are chaired by CanWIT's CEO. The President and CEO of CATAAlliance and the President of Springboard Enterprises are considered ex-officio members and act as liaisons between CATAAlliance, Springboard Enterprises, and the Advisory Council.

Nominees should ideally have:

– Experience in matters relating to women in Canada's technology sector
– Senior Management and/or Board experience (student representative does not need senior management experience)
– Sufficient time and/or employer support for a 1 hour conference call every 1 - 2 months and to attend in-person council meetings (once or twice a year)
– A strong commitment to governance with a positive and kind disposition
– The ability to discuss and analyze issues relevant to women in Canada's technology sector
Advisory Council members receive access to CanWIT membership benefits. The Membership benefits may be viewed online.

Nominations are encouraged from Aboriginal applicants, culturally and linguistically diverse applicants, and hearing or visually impaired applicants.

All nominees are required to submit their resume and provide three professional references to cboivie@cata.ca or eboucher@cata.ca.

Nominations close at 5 p.m. EST on July 31, 2012.

About CanWIT

Canadian Women in Technology (CanWIT, a division of CATAAlliance) is a national volunteer organization with the aim of: 1) encouraging young women to consider a career in a technology field, 2) help accelerate, retain, and support the careers of women already in the field, and 3) through its partnership with Springboard Enterprises offer a premier platform for entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts to meet and build great women-led technology-based businesses.

CanWIT is aligned with CATAAlliance's National i-CANADA program, a national movement to create a nation of Intelligent Communities large and small, central and remote, all enjoying the economic development, job growth and social prosperity now available in the world's leading Intelligent Communities. i-CANADA provides powerful peer outreach and a network of launch Hubs for CanWIT activities in 30 Canadian communities from coast to coast.

CanWIT National Partners
  CanWIT National Partners