A letter from executive director, Kylie Woods…
As I write this, there’s a sense of gratitude, sadness and reflection in my words. We have arrived at the bittersweet decision to discontinue operations at Chic Geek.
This news may come as a surprise, but honesty and transparency have been our guiding principles throughout Chic Geek's journey, and this moment is no exception. Our decision has been driven by a few crucial factors, particularly our reliance on annual funding cycles. Ultimately, the constant fundraising efforts hindered our long-term capacity and ability to serve our community of women in tech.
This is a common experience for many non-profits of similar size to Chic Geek. Moments like this can look like failure, especially for a recovering perfectionist, like me. But I refuse to look back and diminish what we, as a community, have accomplished and how far we’ve come. From its inception, Chic Geek’s mission was to cultivate a vibrant community that ignited belonging for women in technology. Over time, our mission evolved to encourage and support intermediate-level women in tech, fuelling their drive to forge ahead in this dynamic landscape.
I’m filled with pride as I look back at what we have accomplished.
Since our journey began in 2013, Chic Geek has:
🤝 Connected over 14,000 women in technology and allies in our community
🤓 Introduced Geeky Summit, the pioneering conference for women in technology in Canada, successfully hosted in 2016, 2017 and 2018
🙋🏽♀️ Mobilized 125 committed volunteers for the operating team and board, dedicating more than 3,000 hours of their time
🔥 Designed and launched Career Pathing, a virtual mentorship and strategic networking service to support career development for intermediate women in technology, which saw 59% of mentees advance their careers during 12-months of participation
⭐️ 255 women in tech and allies activated as mentors in Career Pathing
🌱 1,435 connections made for 250 mentees through Career Pathing
🎤 Over 160 events hosted since 2013, with 17 events hosted post-pandemic reaching 1,303 individuals
➕ Demonstrated track record as a collaborative organization with over 40 ecosystem partnerships established in 2023
💻 Featured 391 jobs that were viewed by 3,456 individuals
💜 Played a part in countless stories of confidence-building, networking, and career advancement opportunities for women in tech
Even as Chic Geek closes its doors, the important work of supporting women in technology continues. As equity, diversity, and inclusion continue to be recognized as key values within workplaces, community organizations, funders and government bodies, we know the torch we carried will continue to burn brightly. Organizations like Toast, Women in Tech World, Women in Communication Technology, and She Geeks Out, continue to do remarkable work in this space.
Moreover, every single one of you is instrumental in carrying forward the spirit of Chic Geek. When you support another woman in tech on her career journey, share your time and experience as a mentor or spotlight and recognize the women around you for their ideas and contributions, you continue the work we started at Chic Geek.
Together, we all have the power to continue creating spaces filled with camaraderie and a strong sense of belonging for women in technology.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who has been a part of Chic Geek's journey. Whether you volunteered, advised, or simply spread the word about our work, we could not have achieved what we did without you. To our funders, sponsors, and ecosystem partners, your contributions have made a meaningful impact on our community, and the echoes of your generosity will persist. Special shoutout to the Chic Geek board members, Neetu Sidhu, Stacey McLennan-Waldal, Mong Dang, Sean Ballard, Natasha Gordon and Gena Rotstein for compassionate stewardship of Chic Geek during this time. We have also had the gracious support of Laura James and Suzanne Byrne from Bennett Jones who have helped us navigate the complexities of sunsetting a non-profit seamlessly. Their expertise in non-profit governance has been invaluable.
Although it pains me deeply to bid farewell to Chic Geek, my first 'baby', I am hopeful about what the future holds. Just like a rainforest, where a fallen tree creates room for new growth, this end heralds new beginnings.
And if you'd like to discuss this decision further or explore avenues to access support from other organizations, send me an email.
<3 Kylie
Founder & Executive Director, Chic Geek
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