About the Alumnae Advisory Council (AAC)
Since January 2021, Legacy International has been supporting, and training TechGirls alumnae to serve as members of the TechGirls Alumnae Advisory Council. The TechGirls Alumnae Advisory Council (AAC) is a year-long, active commitment. In this role, TechGirls Alumnae Advisory Council Members actively engage in community educational programming and help activate other TechGirls alumnae. In addition to this role, Alumnae Advisory Council Officers elect to complete Professional Development Training which includes STEM Training, Mentorship, Advocacy, and Service. The 2024 council comprises 42 alumnae from 25 countries and territories representing every region of the TechGirls program.
TechGirls Alumnae Advisory Council Members exemplify the following:
- Are active mentors in their communities;
- Advocate for and exemplify the impact of investing in women as STEM leaders; and
- Build opportunities for youth engagement through STEM trainings, workshops and service activities.
Highlights from Past & Present Alumnae Officers
Over the past few years, AAC members have led and participated in a range of engagement areas:
- Hanaa (Morocco, 2018), Abiha (Pakistan, 2022), Joud (Jordan, 2022), Sophia (USA, 2021), and Sofia (Costa Rica, 2022) planned and facilitated a TechTalk featuring Reema Diab, a 2019 TechWomen Fellow from Jordan. The event focused on the connection between social entrepreneurship and STEM.
- Jahayra (Honduras, 2022), Christa (USA, 2022), Shanika (Suriname, 2022), and Kreeshna (Kenya, 2022) hosted a pre-departure session for 2023 TechGirls finalists.
- Aoniya (Indonesia, 2022), Emna (Tunisia, 2022), Asude (Türkiye, 2022), Jahayra (Honduras, 2022), Christa (USA, 2022), and Shanika (Suriname, 2022) supported the 2023 TechGirls through the Community Action Project phase.
- Yasmina (Lebanon 2019), Adya (USA, 2020), Sadyia (Uzbekistan, 2019), and Zaineb (Tunisia, 2019) hosted TechGirls Instagram takeovers the week of International Women's Day to honor Women’s History Month/International Women’s Day 2021.
- Farah (Jordan, 2017) hosted a C++ introductory Coding course for TechGirls alumnae.
- Sura (Jordan, 2017) spearheaded a one-to-one mentorship program for the Jordanian TechWomen-TechGirls club between TechWomen and TechGirls.
- Tayma (Palestinian Territories, 2017) and Asmaa (Morocco, 2017) hosted a LinkedIn webinar for TechGirls alumnae to teach them best practices in developing a profile, growing their network, and enhancing their own personal brand.
- TechGirls hosted a panel on female STEM leaders at the World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2021, which represents the world’s largest annual gathering of the ‘ICT for development’ community. The TechGirls alumnae council officers who participated: Asmaa (Morocco, 2017), Tayma (Palestinian Territories, 2017), Ruhee (USA, 2020), Yasmina (Lebanon, 2020), Sevara (Uzbekistan, 2019), Lara (Palestinian Territories, 2012), and Haoua (Algeria, 2016). The WSIS Forum is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD. The theme of the Forum was ICTs for Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Societies and Economies (WSIS Action Lines for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals).
- During the 2022 Celebrating 10 Years of the TechGirls Multiplier Effect! conference, TechGirls Alumnae Advisory Council members introduced computer science, underlying bias present in programming, and ran through examples of C++ and Java. The TechGirls alumnae council officers who participated: Ikram (Morocco, 2020), Gulasal (Uzbekistan, 2021), Ellie (USA, 2021), and Nada (Egypt, 2020).
