Women in Technology - Resources for a Strong, Collaborative Community
Chantal Brine, Akira Evans, and Claire Quirion (Moderator: Emily Boucher)
Presentation Synopsis:
Atlantic organizations are leading the charge to increase the number of women in tech through a collaborative approach to community building. Gain insight on programming and resources actively driving the attraction and retention of women to our region’s growing technology sector. This panel will highlight both organizations and initiatives that continue to support the advancement of women in tech-related careers.
Chantal Brine, Akira Evans, and Claire Quirion (Moderator: Emily Boucher)
Presentation Synopsis:
Atlantic organizations are leading the charge to increase the number of women in tech through a collaborative approach to community building. Gain insight on programming and resources actively driving the attraction and retention of women to our region’s growing technology sector. This panel will highlight both organizations and initiatives that continue to support the advancement of women in tech-related careers.
Speaker Biographies
|
Chantal Brine – Founder and CEO, EnPoint
Chantal Brine is a thought leader on living with purpose. She follows a simple yet powerful mantra while pursuing what makes her happy: “Life is too short to do something that you are not passionate about.” Chantal’s interest in the psychology behind human interaction is what brought her to Saint Mary’s University from Bermuda, where she focused on Psychology and Human Resources. Following graduation, she made Nova Scotia her home and began supporting leaders- including female business owners- in the private and public sector as a Consultant. This work led to her role with North American technology company, Unique Solutions Design Ltd., where she led the development and execution of their human capital strategy. In 2018, Chantal Brine founded her own start-up En Point, with a goal of helping 1,000,000 individuals through the power of mentorship. En Point helps organizations create and maintain high-impact mentorship programs with consultations and through their online mentorship platform. |
|
Akira Evans – Site Facilitator, Women Unlimited
As an immigrant to Canada, Akira who originates from the Bahamas knows firsthand the disappointment and frustration systematic barriers have when working towards achieving career goals. For the past 12+ years, she has taught and mentored numerous students of various ages in a number of areas, including; mathematics, business skills development and career exploration. She received her bachelor degree in Mathematics Education from the University of the Bahamas, as a mathematics teacher taught elementary and high school mathematics, and served as the Training Manager at the Black BusinessInitiative in which she also collaborated with their youth initiative ‘Business is Jammin’. Akira is currently a Site Facilitator with Women Unlimited under the Nova Scotia Community College within the HRM. Through Women Unlimited, she promotes women entering careers in trades and technology, through working within the industry, government, educational institutions and the community, to address systemic barriers that limit the participation of diverse women in these fields. |
|
Claire Quirion - Director, Project and Program Delivery
An Ontario native, turned East Coast enthusiast, Claire has a special place in her heart for Nova Scotia. With over 6 years in the digital space, Claire is thrilled by the innovation that surrounds us and loves being involved in the growth of the technology sector. As an obvious extrovert, her passion for building meaningful relationships has always been the backbone of her career, and her experience in marketing, web development, process creation and project management make her a strong member of the leadership team at Digital Nova Scotia. |
|
Moderator: Emily Boucher – Executive Director, Techsploration
Emily Boucher is the Executive Director for Techsploration, an award-winning, Nova Scotia-based non-profit that encourages young women to explore careers in science, engineering, trades, and technology (SETT). Emily is a passionate advocate for Canada’s SETT sectors and driven to lead initiatives that support the advancement of women, in particular, in these fields. She has led provincial and national initiatives alike to support the growth of both Nova Scotia and Canada’s digital sectors in previous senior-level roles with Digital Nova Scotia and the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA). Emily is a founding member of the Executive Committee for the Atlantic Chapter of Women in Communications and Technology (WCT) and sits on the Program Advisory Council for Algonquin College’s Professional Writing Program. |
