Tech, Rebalanced announces leadership transitions, forms advisory board

Tech, Rebalanced is back with more organizational changes, following its rebrand last year from Tech Lady Hackathon.

The D.C.-based organization provides a noncompetitive space for coding, creativity and civic activism for beginners and advanced professionals alike. It decided to rebrand to become more inclusive in the Washington, D.C., tech community.

Following that major change, the organization is establishing an advisory board, making some leadership shifts and embarking on new goals.

It's a ~big announcement day~ for Tech, Rebalanced!

✨Read our announcement on leadership transitions, an advisory board & our new manifesto: https://t.co/e63CqIZJR1
✨Our new landing page: https://t.co/IiTmxiebJu
✨Our new Patreon: https://t.co/rqcQbE2yHQ

— Tech, Rebalanced (@Tech_Rebalanced) July 10, 2019

Though Tech, Rebalanced has had many informal mentors since its inception in 2013, like Hear me Code Founder Shannon Turner and Tech Lady Hackathon Founder Leah Bannon after her departure, the advisory team will now serve as its official source of guidance. The inaugural board members will include Joy Whitt and Kate Rabinowitz, who formerly served as co-organizers and will be stepping back from day-to-day operations.

“I’m excited to take my commitment to the next level and dedicate time to strategic thinking for continued growth,” Whitt said in a statement. “I look forward to helping spread the word in hopes that more community builders and organizations can use this framework for inclusivity and transparency.”

Meag Doherty, Rekha Tenjarla and Kelly Miller will continue to co-lead the organization. Miller told Technical.ly that these leadership transitions will go into effect immediately and that the organization is looking to add to the board.

“We have an open call for advisory board applications and nominations available,” Miller said. “In addition to this open call, we plan to personally invite some of the tech industry’s groundbreakers in diversity and inclusion.”

As far as the organization’s new goals, Tech, Rebalanced announced this new structure to continue to build an inclusive space for underrepresented genders in tech. Here’s a few things Tech, Rebalanced is doing to represent in D.C. (from the news release):

• Increase its involvement with both the local Washington, D.C., and global tech community through transparent decision making, the advisory board and partnerships
• Align its brand and mission to reflect the community and provide all attendees with a place they feel comfortable, valued and able to grow through gender inclusion by using gender pronoun identifying tools, having access to gender neutral bathrooms and having open lines of communication
• Build a stable, consistent organization and event that can be carried on for years to come through its new annual event called Tech, Rebalanced Hackathon and Training Day, slated to take place October 19

The event will be a day for underrepresented genders in tech to get together for civic hacking, training, and community building in a welcoming environment. Miller said the event’s registration will open up in early October.

“With these changes comes a commitment to building in the open so others can emulate, provide candid feedback in real-time and learn from our mistakes,” Miller told Technical.ly. “As we plan this year’s event, we plan to publish a playbook for inclusive events, open spending and infrastructures.”

Tech, Rebalanced is made possible by financial sponsorships. Miller said the organization also hopes to ramp up its fundraising this year and “set a solid foundation for a sustainable future of Tech, Rebalanced.”