International Tech Conference for Womxn
GirlCon
Empowering the next generation of leaders through technology, mentorship, and community — in its ninth year.
Now Recruiting
GirlCon CORE + National team applications are open!
If you are currently in high school, follow this link to apply for the GirlCon Core or National teams and help us plan next year's conference.
Applications close Sunday, October 18th at 11:59PM CST.
Apply Now
About Us
Empowering the next generation of womxn leaders
For our ninth year
GirlCon is an international tech conference (for students, by students), aiming to empower the next generation of leaders. The annual event features breakout, professional development, and keynote sessions from numerous companies and backgrounds.
We focus on how technology is a huge factor in every career field, whether it be science, fashion, or anything that students are passionate about. The lack of diversity in STEM is an issue that everyone on the GirlCon team strives to fix.
Our attendees personally connect with companies from countless career paths and gain mentorship from women in both college and the workforce.
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Total Attendees
Across 8 years of conferences
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Industry Professionals
Incredible women invited over the years
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Countries Represented
Future leaders from around the world
Watch
GirlCon 2026 Sessions
Catch up on our live-streamed sessions from GirlCon 2026.
GirlCon 2026 Virtual Opening Session + Keynote
GirlCon invites you to watch our opening ceremony from our 2026 virtual event.
GirlCon 2026 — Closing Ceremony + Keynote
Join us for the closing ceremony and keynote from GirlCon 2026.
Our Partners
GirlCon Sponsors
GirlCon would not be possible without all of our generous sponsors.
Interested in supporting GirlCon as a corporate sponsor?
The People Behind GirlCon
Leadership
Co-Founders
Molly Graton
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Kyla Guru
Stanford University
Anthropic
GirlCon Futures
Zaryaab Khan
Columbia University
PwC
Ellie Goldsmith
Northwestern University
Microsoft
Ariana Goldstein
University of Southern California
Bloomberg
Sarah Narula
Washington University at St. Louis
Emma Lopez
Stanford University
GirlCon Chapters
Annie Duan
Georgetown University
Prachi Gyanmote
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
United Airlines
Sanya Mahajan
Cornell University
Vidya Bharadwaj
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
RepuWhiz
Sneha Mohan
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
SpaceX
GirlCon Internal
Nisha Salian
Cornell University
Ally Geren
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Netflix
Riddhi Bhagwat
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Deeya Pendharkar
Purdue University
Zoe Mehta
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sophia Zheng
Columbia University
Carissa Chen
Harvard University
Zahra Moosani
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Laasya Manikonda
Stanford University
Ayesha Khan
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Danica Sun
Stanford University
Mia Rubenstein
Washington University in St. Louis
Riya Vijay
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Sumayyah Ismail
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Medha Mamidipaka
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Meet the Co-Directors, Senior VPs, and team heads making GirlCon happen — by highschoolers, for highschoolers.
Anoushka Sandeep
Co-Director
Waubonsie Valley High School
Krithika Bayyapu
Co-Director
Adlai E. Stevenson High School
Alison Fung
Core Team Member
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Saanvika Chikoti
Core Team Member
Adlai E. Stevenson High School
Vivian Hong
Core Team Member
DePaul College Prep
Women who have built their own careers in tech, now helping us build the next generation of leaders with industry insights and guidance.
Misha Sheth
Product Manager
Misha Sheth serves as a Product Manager at Google, driving product strategy and AI-powered data solutions for the world's largest enterprises. Throughout her decade-long career across PwC and Google, she has advised global organizations on multi-million-dollar cloud transformations & published technical thought leadership. Deeply invested in cultivating diverse technical talent, Misha has partnered with GirlCon over multiple years—most notably spearheading and judging the Google Innovation Challenge—and now brings her industry expertise to GirlCon's inaugural Professional Advisory Board. She holds a Master of Science in Information Systems from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and remains dedicated to helping young women demystify emerging technologies and lead boldly in the AI era.
Ramona Ratiu
Global Cyber Resilience & Responsible AI Leader
Zurich Insurance Group
Ramona Ratiu is a globally recognized cybersecurity and responsible AI thought leader, award-winning innovator, and passionate advocate for women in technology. With over 15 years of international experience, she leads the Cyber Resilience Testing Program at Zurich Insurance Group, advancing resilience against emerging cyber and AI threats.
A strategic advisor and champion of inclusive leadership, Ramona serves as ISACA SheLeadsTech Ambassador for North America, Executive Advisor for Global Partnerships & Innovation Strategies at ISACA Chicago, and Chief Resilience Officer to the Global Council for Responsible AI. She is also an adjunct professor at DePaul University and an international speaker with engagements spanning over 30 countries.
Recipient of ISACA's Technology for Humanity and Inspirational Leadership Awards, Ramona is dedicated to breaking barriers, elevating diverse voices, and empowering the next generation of women to lead boldly, innovate fearlessly, and shape the future of technology.
Lori Bilske
Senior Director, Lean Portfolio Management
CME Group
Lori is a technology and business leader with more than 15 years of experience in leadership, program management, cyber resilience, and strategic execution within the financial services industry. Throughout her career, she has led complex, enterprise-wide initiatives that connect technology strategy to business outcomes, while helping organizations navigate change, risk, and growth. She is passionate about developing people and creating opportunities for women and girls to build confidence and pursue careers in technology.
Lori has held leadership roles within Women in Technology (WIT), where she has championed education, mentorship, networking, and advocacy for women across the technology community. She brings this same passion to her role as a Professional Advisor to GirlCon, where she is excited to help inspire the next generation of girls to explore technology, discover their strengths, and see themselves as future leaders. Lori believes that exposure, encouragement, and strong role models can make a lasting difference in a young person's career journey.
Our History
Past Events
Thank you to everyone who helped make GirlCon 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 possible. We couldn't have done it without you.








Got Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
1 How much is GirlCon?
2 When is this event taking place and how can I sign up?
3 I'm not local to Chicago. Can I still attend?
4 What should I bring to online sessions?
5 Do I need any previous experience in coding or technology?
6 Who can come to this event?
7 What if I don't know which sessions I want to attend?
8 Have another question?
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