Our conference is currently seeking speakers for the following format:

### General Talk + This talk is a breakout talk offered to attendees throughout the day. + The talk may be offered to all attendees or may share a time slot with other breakout talks. + The talk is about 25 minutes long with a 5 minute Q&A session at the end, totaling to a 30 minute session. + The talk may be technical or non-technical as long as it relates to the theme. Technical talks should be accessible for different roles in the tech industry.

What makes you a good fit for CHIWITCON™:

• You are located in the Chicagoland area.
• You are looking for an opportunity to volunteer and give back to the technology community.
• You are passionate and have a topic relevant to this year’s theme.
• You are looking for an excellent networking opportunity to meet Chicago’s Women in Tech community and be a part of the community.

This Year’s Theme:

• Fearless Forward: This year, we are embracing the ‘Fearless Forward’ theme as a testament to the resilience, innovation, and courage of women in the tech industry. Join us as we celebrate our achievements, confront challenges head-on, and propel ourselves fearlessly into the future of technology. Together, let’s pave the way for a more inclusive and fearless tech community.

Submission Guidelines

• By submitting a proposal, you agree to follow our Code of Conduct.
• You are located in the Chicagoland area.
• Your talk is about 25 minutes long.
• Your talk should allow for a 5-minute Q&A at the end.

Your submission should include:

• Title = This will be shown in the schedule and should be representative of your talk
• Elevator Pitch = A 300-character abstract of your talk
• Description = A more in-depth explanation of your talk containing an outline with key takeaways
• Speaker Profile = Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. We want to hear why you’re interested in speaking at the conference. Let us know if you have past speaking experience and submit some relevant examples if you have them. Share any links or social media that may showcase youshowcase you if you have any.

Review Process

Your submission will be reviewed using a rubric by a panel from diverse backgrounds and experience levels. The reviewers will select proposals for the required number of talks, with a wait-list in case it is needed. We will conduct phone and video calls for a selected group of candidates, and you can expect to hear back through email about whether or not you have been selected or have been placed on the wait-list by the end of July.

Successful talks typically

• Are delivered by passionate speakers
• Tell coherent and relatable stories
• Have relevant takeaways
• Inspire us to share the experience with our networks

Compensation

Please note that CHIWITCON™ is a non-profit, volunteer effort. Because of this, we are unable to offer any compensation or reimbursement for travel expenses to any selected speakers. Selected speakers will receive a free ticket and an additional free ticket for a guest.