Maxine Williams - Women in Tech Global Conference

    Motivation to Speak at the Conference

    Are you excited to speak at the Women in Tech Global Conference and what motivated you to join our community of 100,000 women in tech, minorities, and allies?  

    I’m very excited to speak at the Women in Tech Global conference.  For someone who is underrepresented in the tech industry, it’s a real privilege to be in community with others who bring the assets of their experiences, skills, and perspectives to benefit the industry, but who often do so while feeling isolated or alone.  There is a rejuvenation that comes from being in community, seeing others who look like us and learning from each other in an environment of acceptance and understanding. 

    Background and Inspiration

    Share with us about your background, your journey in tech, and what inspired you to develop your career in this direction?  

    I came to the tech industry from non-technical fields like Law, Media and Human Rights.  But of course, technology touches all those fields and so many others.  At Meta, given our mission to connect the world and the diversity of that world, marrying my experience in so many different fields, countries, and communities with the innovation and creativity of technology was an exciting opportunity to have impact at scale.  One of our company principles at Meta is “Serve Everyone” and we do that by building with and for the diverse people of the world.  It has been the most exciting and fulfilling experience to have a career at this company, in this industry. 

    Why is the topic on innovations in immersive technology and AI important to you? 

    Anyone who cares about diversity and opportunity for all has to also care about education. Many of the inequalities we see in our society start in the school system – because not everyone gets the support they need to succeed. We’re at a really exciting time when technology promises to advance what is possible – delivering new tools for teachers and educators. Immersive technology can unlock rich and valuable experiences for more learners – like a field trip to the bottom of the ocean to study marine biology or training nurses in virtual simulations of hospitals. And AI has the potential to help more students receive an education personalized to their individual needs.

    Who would you advise to attend the Women in Tech Global Conference and why? 

    Anyone who is interested in learning about technology from and with others should attend the conference.  The bonus is you also benefit from the community.