presented by: Ashe Dryden

abstract: It's been scientifically proven that more diverse communities and workplaces create better products and the solutions to difficult problems are more complete and diverse themselves. Companies are struggling to find adequate talent. So why do we see so few women, people of color, and LGBTQ people at our events and on the about pages of our websites? Even more curiously, why do 60% of women leave the tech industry within 10 years? Why are fewer women choosing to pursue computer science and related degrees than ever before? Why have stories of active discouragement, dismissal, harassment, or worse become regular news?

In this talk we’ll examine the causes behind the lack of diversity in our communities, events, and workplaces. We’ll discuss what we can do as community members, event organizers, and co-workers to not only combat this problem, but to encourage positive change by contributing to an atmosphere of inclusivity.

bio: Ashe Dryden is an indie ruby developer living in Madison, WI. She's been involved with the web in some form or another over the course of the past 12 years. Ashe is an outspoken educator for diversity, inclusiveness, and empathy. She's currently writing a book on increasing diversity within companies, as well as working on a video series and site to serve as a resource to people who want to get involved. When she isn't discussing technology or it’s intersection with culture, she's cycling, tweeting, playing board games, debating the social implications of Star Trek episodes, being that awkward girl at the party, and waiting for her next burrito fix.