Dear OpenStack Board and TCs, OpenStack has become a leader in supporting diversity in open source and Austin will be an exciting conference for this. The Women of OpenStack (WOS) working with the OpenStack Foundation are planning a number of great programs at this year's OpenStack Summit in Austin. We have worked with the National Center for Women and IT Research (NCWIT) a National Science Foundation funded organization to create a workshop and a panel on "The Diversity of Innovation". We have leaders In the OpenStack community like Imad Sousou, Mike Muehl and Dorian Naveh on the panel. Call to action: We would like to invite leaders on the board and the TC community to attend the workshop "Champions for Change" on Tuesday at lunch time and the panel the same day on "Diversity for Innovation". Both are aimed at leaders in the community to help them be champions and to role model inclusive leadership. Details of the workshop are below. You will need to RSVP for the Workshop, so please do so before it fills up. If you have any questions on these events and how you can support them, please feel free to reply to this email. We look forward to seeing you at these workshops and encourage you to share it with your teams at OpenStack. Nithya Ruff for the Women of OpenStack 1. Workshop: Champions for Change: Engaging Male Advocates for Diversity and Inclusion DESCRIPTION: A 2-hour lunch workshop on the research and practice of male advocacy, including why it matters and how to take action. This spirited workshop will involve discussions, activities, resources, and key takeaways for both men and women to advocate for more inclusive environments that foster innovation in the technical environment. Led by National Center for Women and IT research scientist Dr. Brad McLain. * Workshop: https://www.openstack.org/summit/austin-2016/summit-schedule/events/9016 Tuesday, April 26th, 12:05-2:40 PM at the Hilton Austin. Please note that men and women who register for the workshop need to RSVP. And will get an Eventbrite receipt for this. Please encourage men and women on your teams and in influential positions in open stack to register. We want people who want to be a champion for change and will showcase the ally and advocate behavior. We have capacity for 100 people and I will also send an invite to the board and the diversity taskforce. Eventbrite to capture RSVPs for the panel. 2. Panel: The Diversity of Innovation DESCRIPTION: This 1-hour panel will focus on the links between diversity and inclusion strategies with technical innovation, talent recruiting and retention, male advocacy, and the OpenStack community. PANELISTS: Imad Sousou - Intel, Nithya Ruff - SanDisk, Mark Muehl - Comcast, Dorian Naveh - EMC Global Alliances. These people were nominated by the women of open stack. * Panel: https://www.openstack.org/summit/austin-2016/summit-schedule/events/9015 Tuesday, April 26th 4:50-5:20 pm Thank You, Nithya A. Ruff, Director, SanDisk Open Source Strategy Office WIN Board Member SanDisk Corporation 951 SanDisk Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035 T: + (408-801-7068)| M: + (510-378-3159) Nithya.Ruff@SanDisk.com<mailto:Nithya.Ruff@SanDisk.com> Twitter: @nithyaruff<https://twitter.com/nithyaruff> PLEASE NOTE: The information contained in this electronic mail message is intended only for the use of the designated recipient(s) named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this message in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender by telephone or e-mail (as shown above) immediately and destroy any and all copies of this message in your possession (whether hard copies or electronically stored copies).