Lift-Off: The Hidden Barriers for Womxn in the Drone Industry
Watch On-Demand Now
Join industry experts Mira Marquez of Skydio, Kimberly Penn of Women and Drones, and Rebecca Lehman of DroneDeploy in a discussion on breaking down barriers for womxn in the drone industry.
Gain better understanding and insight into:
- Understanding our own assumptions and biases around drones and robotics
- Strategies for targeting and recruiting Womxn
- What you can do in the workplace to create an inclusive workplace
- How to create support systems and mentorship programs
- Lessons from the female entrepreneurs in the drone industry
- Discussion on intersectionality and identity in the workplace
The webinar will be 60 minutes and will include time for questions.
Speakers
Mira Marquez
Mira is a Senior Design Producer and the program lead for Skydio’s social impact program, Skydio For All. At Skydio, she previously developed interfaces and user experiences for a wide range of products before shifting to her current responsibilities. Prior to joining Skydio, she has a near decade of experience as a developer in the game industry. She has worked on platforms and game engines from Mobile to VR, Unity to CryEngine, and worked with clients ranging from DARPA to Ellen DeGeneres. Mira previously worked with studios to develop UI/UX pipelines and educate on UX branding practices. In addition to her Product Design skillset, she has a background in 3D modeling and animation with a B.F.A. in Animation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. In her spare time she runs an online chocolate shop based in San Francisco called One-Up Chocolates that focuses on video game themed chocolates.
Kimberly Penn
Kimberly Penn is the Chief Strategist of Women and Drones. She works to create strategies for the organization’s core mission to increase female participation in the economic opportunities of the industry. Her professional background which includes technology and project management, data analytics, programming, risk mitigation, diversity, equity and inclusion, and entrepreneurship further enhances her ability to serve the strategic needs of the Women & Drones. She teaches the current drone technology course related to aviation at HCC. She recently designed the curriculum for a five-course UAS certificate program: the UAS Technology Program which launched in Spring 2022. As a lifelong learner who values education, Kimberly has earned a double B.A. in Computer Systems Information & Psychology from Houston Baptist University, a M.A. in Sociology from the University of Houston, and a M.P.S. in Technology Management from Georgetown University. She has spent over 15years teaching at the community college and university level. Kimberly has earned several local, state and national teaching awards at the collegiate level. She is also the proud mother of her daughter, Carly, a doctoral student at LSU.
Rebecca Lehman
Rebecca finds innovative ways to leverage technology in addressing social and environmental problems. At DroneDeploy she manages both the nonprofit and education programs. She works with nonprofits and social impact organizations to enable the power of mapping and new technology to reach those who need it most. She has a master's degree in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment.