LAWYER DEDICATED TO INCREASING WOMEN IN STEM
As a partner at Akerman LLP in New firms’ Data Law Practice, focusing on privacy and technology related litigation, management-side labor and employment litigation, and class action defense. She advises businesses on the legal implications of existing and emerging technologies, including autonomous vehicles, drones, biometrics, cybersecurity, breach response strategies and employee education.
Her dedication to increasing the number of women in STEM and to encouraging girls to consider STEM careers is evidenced by the groups she has founded and runs. Among them are Women in Cyber, the Monica Bay STEM Leadership Committee, the National Association of Women Lawyers’ Intellectual Property and Technology Affinity Group, and Women in eDiscovery. She is a strong voice in support of the need to increase the number of women in STEM careers and to ensure that women in STEM careers can advance and succeed and the importance of educating grade school and middle school girls about the opportunities available to them in STEM. She also does a significant amount of pro bono work.
In the words of Gail Gottehrer:
Where do you see women in STEM in five years?
“I’m optimistic that we will have made progress and that there will be more girl-focused STEM programs in schools and more investment in women-owned or directed technology projects. I expect to see more women in powerful, and visible, positions in STEM-related companies worldwide.”
What barriers are in the way to closing the gender gap in STEM?
“The barriers include the lack of a well-established career path leading to the C-suite for women, concerns about the limited amount of mentorship and sponsorship of women, and wariness about breaking into traditionally male dominated industries.”
How is the world changing with respect to STEM?
“There is an increased awareness about the gender imbalance in STEM, which has led to more conversations about this problem and the need to address it. We are seeing more groups, like Girls Who Code, being formed to get more girls involved in STEM, and the emergence of more women as thought leaders in STEM fields, such as automotive technology, robotics, and cybersecurity.”
What can be done to move women forward in STEM?
“Successful corporate programs can move women forward in STEM. More attention can be given to the studies that show including women in STEM fields increases the productivity and profits of the companies in which they work. Educating girls and young women about the advantages of careers in STEM, increasing recruitment of women for jobs in STEM-related fields, and increasing the number of women who are promoted to senior positions in companies in those fields will also help to address the current gender gap.”
