Virbela’s Post

Thanks so much for sharing LAMINA1 I'm honored to be mentioned by Dr. Ayesha Khanna alongside inspiring women like Cathy Hackl Joanna Popper and Asmita Dubey! "Positive change is achievable, but we need to work collectively to build an inclusive and meritocratic environment that benefits everyone." Check out Dr. Khanna's latest blog post on empowering women in the digital era to learn what you and your organization can do to help break barriers and create more opportunities for diversity in this space. #empowerment #DigitalTransformation

—>>> Tonight @ 9:30 EST - Women in Horizon! Inclusion Revolution Summit Alison Morano: Leveraging Virtual Reality to Build Inclusive Business Spaces "Leveraging Virtual Reality to Build Inclusive Business Spaces,"" we'll discuss how XR can help make businesses more welcoming for everyone, no matter their background or abilities. Including: how VR can create spaces that are easy for everyone to use, connect people from different parts of the world, and help leaders understand and value everyone's unique perspective. VR is not just about technology but about bringing people together in a diverse and fair way, for a more inclusive world." #inclusionrevolution Full Schedule: https://lnkd.in/eb-RmXG5

From Margins to Mainstream: Women's Empowerment in the Digital Era – Web 3.0 may offer inclusion for all, but it's still rare for women to be included at the table in key #metaverse, #blockchain, and virtual technologies. As AI entrepreneur, advisor, and thought leader Dr. Ayesha Khanna writes: "Despite women making up 49.5% of the world’s population, they only hold 26.7% of tech-related jobs. Only 8.8% of Fortune 500 CEOs are female, while female-only start-ups receive as little as 2% of investment capital each year. Additionally, the number of women in the tech industry decreased by 2.1% between 2020 and 2021. With this, you can observe that the playing field is certainly not level for women in the tech industry, and that pattern is now following into the metaverse. The fact that there is a gender gap in organizations that aim to create the 'framework' for the metaverse indicates that the same biases will also be present in the framework. For example, the Open Metaverse Alliance for Web 3.0 and the Metaverse Standards Forum are examples of such bodies, with only 8-10% of member organizations being led by female executives. In December 2021, out of the 121 listed founders of crypto’s big names, only 5 were female. Hence, Web 3.0 and the metaverse have also been locking out women." But the future isn't entirely bleak. In the article, Dr. Khanna shouts out to LAMINA1 CEO Rebecca Barkin as a rare exception to the rule, alongside fellow industry powerhouses Mariam Nusrat, Cathy Hackl, Asmita Dubey, Vanessa Mullin & Joanna Popper. Not only that, but recent data shows that today, women are actually more active in the metaverse, and more likely to adopt it. As per McKinsey, 41% of women, compared to 34% of men, participated in or used a primary metaverse or digital world. Compared to men, they are also 20% more likely to carry out a variety of metaverse-related efforts. Read more about what it will take to create a more diverse, inclusive, and representative online world at: https://lnkd.in/gzzbfMZC

What are you most proud of achieving in 2023? Here at Tangra, we're championing a diverse and inclusive metaverse, where collaboration fuels innovation. We're celebrating women making waves in this new digital realm. 👩⚕️ Share your story in the comments. #womenempoweringwomen #womeninleadership #femalefounders #womeninscience #womeninweb3 #innovativetechnology #metaverse #womenintech #tangralink #celebratingwomen

👩💼 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗼: 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗫𝗥 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 With over three decades in tech, including roles at Microsoft and Verizon, Lani Bertino now excels at Trigger, a leading XR agency, as VP of Production. Her journey underscores professional adaptability and a commitment to promoting diversity in STEM fields. Lani is a strong advocate for women in technology, mentoring women in XR and promoting diversity on speaking panels. “When I started at Microsoft in 1995, women made up a fraction of the tech workforce. That number remained unchanged 23 years later, despite a strong recruiting effort by the company. Attracting and retaining are two different things.” Lani reflects. “We women need all the support we can get, which is why mentoring women in XR is so important to me.” ⭐️ 𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Lani’s career began at Microsoft, where she worked on key products like Windows, Internet Explorer, and MSN. She later joined Verizon to explore XR applications in the healthcare and enterprise industries, laying the groundwork for her role at Trigger. “One key factor in Trigger’s success is our commitment to quality and adaptability,” Lani explains. “We’ve been early adopters in XR and continuously evolve with the industry. Nothing goes out the door unless it meets our high standards.” 📲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗫𝗥 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 At Trigger, Lani integrates AI into XR experiences, enhancing user interactions. Projects like AI-driven NPCs for the Alpine audio Roblox experience and Molson Coors’ WebAR BigFoot showcase this blend of technology and user experience. “Integrating AI is a core tenet for Trigger,” Lani says. “For Alpine, we created AI-driven NPCs that interact with users about products and music passions.” Lani also has a personal passion for game design. She developed a card game, “Zeus’s Revenge,” inspired by Greek mythology. “Creating ‘Zeus’s Revenge’ was a labor of love,” Lani shares. “The hardest part isn’t making the game—it’s selling it.” Despite its near completion, marketing challenges remain. “Be open and unafraid of change. Embrace a diverse set of skills, and articulate what makes you unique. The industry is evolving, and a broad perspective will make you valuable.” — Lani Bertino #Trigger #WomenInXR #STEM #XR #Inclusion #XRWiki #STEMLeadership #WomenInTech #XRInnovation #MentorshipInTech #DiversityInSTEM #TechAdvocate #AIAndXR #CareerInTech #WomenEmpowerment #GameDesign

Understanding the Current Diversity Challenges in the Metaverse Overview of the Existing Diversity and Racism Issues within the Tech Industry The tech industry, heralded for its innovative prowess and transformative technologies, continues to grapple with persistent diversity and racism challenges. This sector, responsible for shaping social media platforms and digital landscapes, frequently reflects the systemic […] #Diversity #CombatRacism #Metaverse #Inclusion #Equity #VirtualReality #DigitalInclusion #AntiRacism #TechForGood #SocialJustice #InclusiveTech #MexitNews

Millennial women in the workforce are facing rapid burnout compared to their Gen X and Baby Boomer colleagues. My Conveyor Marketing Group client, Egon Zehnder, recently published a study highlighting the tremendous effects of this burnout on career paths for women, noting that many women may not seek leadership positions due to these burnout trends. So, how can we better support women in the workplace? After sharing this study, Spiceworks expressed interest in this topic as it pertains to women in STEM fields—check out this new byline article by Egon Zehnder's Obinna Onyeagoro and Darria Long Gillespie. https://lnkd.in/e4TUyvZG #PR #publicrelations #womenatwork #women

🚀 👾 TECH ICONS 🌟 💜 💭 We often talk about the low representation of #women in the #technology sector; however, the immersive industry is increasingly populated by women who lead disruptive projects, promote collaboration, and address crucial challenges of the tech sphere. 🚺 On the occasion of International Women's Day, I want to share with you my personal selection of experts, visionaries, and leaders in the immersive sector who, from my point of view, are having a great impact on areas as varied as #education, #ethics, #design, #development, #consulting, #immersivestorytelling, or #communication. 👥 The particularity of this list is that I have had the opportunity to meet all of them, except for one, whose book I have had the pleasure of reading and enjoying 📚 🇪🇸 On the other hand, I have decided to highlight many #professionals in the #SpanishSector, who, despite their remarkable contributions, often go unnoticed in our local community. 🙌 All these visionaries have been a great source of inspiration for me. So, I want to take this opportunity to celebrate them and their impactful work! 🎉 #internationalwomensday #iwd2024 #womenintech #tech #xr #spatialcomputing #web3 #metaverse #ai Lorena González Vicky Vasán Laura Morales Díez Helena Ortiz Gil Amy Peck Patricia M. Val María Martínez Perez Samantha G. Wolfe Evo H. Tarja Stephens Camino López García Cristina Nogales Figueroa Eva Domínguez (PhD) Marta Rodriguez Coronil Elisabet Mainez Villoro Alicia Cañellas-Mayor, PhD Andrea Bravo, PhD Sabrina Bonini

🌟 Exciting Announcement! 🌟 I'll be taking the stage as part of a vital conversation on "Exploring Multicultural Leadership: Perspectives from Female Marketers" at the #CES2024. This insightful panel discussion is hosted by The Female Quotient in the #EqualityLounge. 📅 Date: Tuesday, January 9th ⏰ Time: 2:00 - 2:30 PM 📍 Location: Aria in Las Vegas In an industry where only 2% of VC funding goes to female founders, and with women representing just 12% of AI researchers and 33% of large tech company employees, it's time we reshape the narrative and create the Algorithm for Equality®. We’ll delve into how our diverse backgrounds as women in leadership roles shape our unique approaches to marketing and technology. We'll share personal stories, industry insights, and discuss the challenges and victories we've encountered in our journey. I'm thrilled to share the stage with: • Alexandra Kennedy, EVP, Commercial Strategy, My Code • Shachar Scott, Vice President, Marketing, Reality Labs, Meta • Dara Treseder, Chief Marketing Officer, Autodesk • Tiffany Xingyu WANG, Chief Marketing and Trust Officer, OpenWeb We're not just discussing issues; we're actively shaping the future of tech. It’s time to challenge the status quo, close the gender gap, and lead the charge in creating a more equitable world. Join me and other conscious leaders at this must-attend event. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gCvuzGsm See you at the #EqualityLounge for a transformative discussion! #CES2024 #FemaleLeadership #MulticulturalMarketing #EqualityLounge #FemaleQuotient #MarketingLeaders #PanelDiscussion #AlgorithmForEquality

Kicking off this #MetaMondays with a quote from Maxine Williams, Global Chief Diversity Officer at Meta. "Women's History Month is an important time to celebrate the achievements of women throughout history, but it's also a reminder that there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equality." At Meta, we're proud to be on the forefront of some huge innovations, creating the future with diversity and intentionality at the heart of everything we do. Check out our her blog post to learn more about how we're building the metaverse with diversity and inclusion from the start. #WomenInTech #DiversityandInclusion #Meta #Metaverse