Women in Tech Toronto 2023

What to Expect

Inspiring talks and equal opportunities

Networking with top companies in a casual yet professional and friendly atmosphere

Networking with fellow women in tech

Snacks, drinks and music
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Technology touches everything we do, including where we work -- opening up opportunities for people looking to make a career switch to a more technical role. Rakuten Kobo actively supports and encourages these types of internal transfers from ‘non-tech’ to ‘tech’ roles. Join us for an in-depth conversation on how Kobo does it, and hear from some of the woman who have made the switch within the company.

Women in Tech Toronto Agenda
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6:00 pm 
Registration

6:30 pm
 Finding Tech Talent Where You Least Expect It: Your Own Company
Panel discussion with Elyse Clement (Director, Product), Alyssa Andino (Product Manager, Apps), Yesha Modi (QA Lead),
Stephanie Hosang (Data Science Manager), Wendy Reid (Accessibility & Publishing Standards Lead)
7:10 pm
Q&A

7:30pm
Networking

Women in Tech Toronto Speakers

Elyse Clement is the Sr. Director of Product Management at Rakuten Kobo. She focuses on improving Kobo’s products for purchasing and reading experiences, across web, mobile apps, and within eReaders for cross-platforms capabilities. In addition to her day to day duties, Elyse is involved in the Toronto product community as a mentor and teacher through various organizations such as APM Canada, Colab and previously Brainstation.

Alyssa Andino (they/she) is the Product Manager for Mobile Apps at Rakuten Kobo, where they focus on ensuring people always have access to a world-class reader right in their pocket. On top of their day job, Alyssa also leads Kobo’s Women and Diverse Genders committee and teaches book production and design at Toronto Metropolitan University. Offline, you can find them boxing, playing board games, or (what else is new?) reading.

Yesha Modi is the Quality Assurance Lead & Team Lead at Rakuten Kobo where she oversees Quality aspect of Delivery teams within Research & Development department. Her focus is finding a right balance between Quality process and Product requirements and improving overall delivery from start to finish within R&D. Fun fact : She is a hiker, early riser and her goal is to cover all trails within Ontario and beyond - starting small.

Stephanie Hosang leads the Data Science & Analytics team at Rakuten Kobo. Her team is responsible for statistical and predictive analysis relating to customer behaviour, along with supporting product and marketing initiatives. On the personal side, Stephanie loves to travel and is a big fan of corgis.

Wendy Reid is the Accessibility and Publishing Standards Lead at Rakuten Kobo, where she oversees digital accessibility projects and Kobo’s participation in web standards. Her focus is on improving Kobo’s products and services for people with print disabilities. In addition to her day to day duties, Wendy is the author of a technical specification on audiobooks and unsurprisingly, an avid reader.

Moderato: Tracy Nesdoly – VP of Marketing Communications
Tracy Nesdoly is the VP of Marketing Communications at Rakuten Kobo. Her team is responsible for brand, creative, product marketing, internal and external communications, and social media, with the goal of positioning Kobo as the global expert on everything reading. Outside of work, Tracy is a voracious reader and enjoys hanging out with her two small dogs, Sam and Peri.