A landmark gathering in Robinhood’s ongoing effort to democratize finance, the 2023 Women In Tech conference built on a vision that blends technology, education, and inclusive leadership. With hundreds of attendees from within Robinhood and across the broader financial and tech landscapes, the event underscored the company’s commitment to fostering a robust community where women in technical roles can grow, connect, and lead with confidence. The conference showcased the power of collaboration between employees and external partners, highlighting Robinhood’s pursuit of a future where diverse perspectives drive innovation and shape a more accessible financial ecosystem for everyone.
Background and the evolution of Robinhood’s Women In Tech conference
Sejal Parmar (Backend Software Engineer and WIT Lead) explains that the WIT initiative began in 2021, with the inaugural conference taking place in 2022 exclusively for Robinhood’s internal audience. This year marked a deliberate expansion beyond the company’s walls, signaling a broader commitment to creating opportunities for women at all levels of the tech community. The goal was twofold: to demonstrate that Robinhood is a welcoming environment for women to grow and succeed, and to position the organization as an employer of choice for women pursuing technical careers across the industry.
The event’s scale reflected a deliberate mobilization of internal resources. A dedicated committee, comprising forty Robinhood colleagues, brought the conference to life. Their collective effort enabled a carefully curated program, robust logistical support, and a sense of shared ownership that resonated with participants. Lahari Katam (Senior Technical Program Manager and WIT Board Member) highlights how this year’s edition sought to create a connective tissue that binds Robinhood’s internal talent with the broader external tech ecosystem. The intention was not merely to host a conference, but to cultivate an enduring network where women engineers can find mentors, collaborators, and opportunities long after the final keynote.
A central theme of this evolution was the decision to emphasize empowerment through leadership and collaboration. Loni Olazaba (Director, Talent Acquisition and WIT Partner) points to the conference’s role as a showcase for Robinhood’s WIT Employee Resource Group (ERG) and as a platform to highlight women who contribute across a spectrum of technical disciplines. The aspiration was to demonstrate to the global tech community that Robinhood is a hospitable, dynamic environment where women can thrive—inside the company and beyond. The outward-facing intent complemented internal efforts by illustrating how Robinhood can be a magnet for top talent seeking inclusive workplaces and meaningful opportunities to shape products that touch millions of users.
The explicit aim to broaden reach is also reflected in the attendee mix. In addition to 148 Robinhood employees, the event drew nearly 100 external participants from more than 70 different companies. This external participation signaled a strategic shift toward fostering cross-company collaboration and knowledge exchange. It also reinforced the premise that women’s technical leadership is not a Robinhood-specific concern but a sector-wide imperative. The diverse audience created a dynamic environment where perspectives from fintech, software engineering, product development, security, and other domains converged to drive dialogue, learning, and relationship-building.
A recurring thread throughout the discussions was the sense of momentum that comes from nurturing communities that empower women to pursue technical careers with confidence. The leadership team framed the conference as a catalyst for long-term career development, recognizing that sustaining progress requires ongoing programming, mentorship opportunities, and consistent attention to the needs of women engineers, product professionals, and security specialists. The theme chosen for the event—“Empowering Innovation: Women Leading the Digital Future”—reflected a forward-looking posture that aligned with Robinhood’s mission to democratize finance and to ensure that a broad range of talents can contribute to this mission in meaningful ways.
Historical context and the shift toward broader impact
To appreciate the significance of this year’s edition, it helps to revisit the historical context of Women In Tech at Robinhood. The initial conference served as a proving ground for the idea that women could and should occupy leadership roles in technical domains within the company. The 2022 internal-only edition provided valuable insights into content preferences, formats, and logistical needs, which informed the 2023 planning process. The decision to open the conference to external participants was taken with careful consideration of capacity, content relevance, and the potential for positive spillover into the broader tech community. The planning team believed that expanding access would maximize impact: it would create a more inclusive event experience, foster new partnerships, and help connect Robinhood’s internal talent with mentors and peers who could accelerate career trajectories across the industry.
The organizational approach to the conference reflected Robinhood’s broader strategic priorities. The WIT ERG served as a cornerstone in shaping the programming, with volunteers contributing to workshops, lightning talks, and panel discussions. The emphasis on community-building was not an afterthought but a core objective, designed to leave a lasting imprint on attendees. By inviting external speakers and participants, the organizers created a bridge between Robinhood’s internal culture and the wider tech ecosystem, thereby supporting knowledge transfer, collaboration, and career development for women engineers, product leaders, and security professionals.
Thematic focus and leadership narratives
The conference’s theme resonated with the experiences of women in technology who have navigated barriers to reach senior roles. Lahari’s reflections emphasize the evolution she has witnessed over nearly two decades in the tech industry: from a time when one might be the sole woman in the room to a landscape where women are increasingly at the table, contributing to business-critical decisions. As a WIT board member, Lahari contributed to initiatives designed to empower women engineers, encouraging them to pursue technical careers and supporting pathways for career advancement. The group’s alignment around the theme of empowering innovation and enabling women to lead the digital future underscored a shared conviction: when women lead, technology and finance industries advance in more inclusive, innovative directions.
For Sejal, a recent college graduate and WIT participant, the conference represented an opportunity to build a community she wished she had during her internship and early career, particularly during the pandemic. She described the event as a turning point—an occasion for more than 100 attendees from a highly concentrated community to come together in a single space and share experiences, challenges, and aspirations. The gathering was especially meaningful for women pursuing technical roles who sought to uplevel skills across engineering, product, and security disciplines. The feedback from participants illuminated a common thread: the conference helped attendees feel seen, heard, and supported, reinforcing the idea that the tech industry benefits from a diverse and resilient workforce.
Attendees, ERG leadership, and the shape of the community
The event’s success hinged on the careful coordination of internal and external participants, a collaborative effort that highlighted the strength of Robinhood’s WIT ERG and its allied initiatives. The leadership team leveraged the ERG to recruit volunteers for workshops, lightning talks, and panel sessions, ensuring a broad range of topics and experiences could be shared. By creating opportunities for 30+ women engineers to attend the conference at Robinhood’s headquarters, the organizers demonstrated a practical commitment to accessibility and inclusion, ensuring that financial and technical expertise were not concentrated in a narrow circle but distributed across a wide spectrum of contributors.
The programming choices reflected a deliberate balance between technical content and personal development. Lightning talks, in particular, offered concise, high-impact sessions on topics ranging from the evolution of money movement to deep dives into authentication and authorization in Kubernetes. These sessions provided attendees with actionable insights, enabling them to apply new knowledge directly to their current roles or future projects. Workshops on remote development environments and privacy drew strong engagement, highlighting attendees’ appetite for practical, hands-on experience in areas critical to both software development and product security.
Beyond the formal sessions, the conference created space for networking, mentorship, and relationship-building. The design of the program encouraged attendees to connect with peers, identify potential mentors or mentees, and explore collaborative opportunities that transcended company boundaries. The sense of community was amplified by the presence of senior leaders alongside early-career professionals, creating a mentorship ecosystem that could endure well beyond the event itself.
Key voices and insights that shaped the dialogue
Sejal’s perspective on community-building through events like the Women in Tech conference underscored a personal and collective drive: to create the kind of environment she wished she had encountered earlier in her own career. Her experiences as a recent graduate who navigated the pandemic-era transition from education to the workforce highlighted the crucial role that shared spaces can play in fostering confidence, technical growth, and professional networks. The emphasis on women in technical jobs—across engineering, product, and security—demonstrated the conference’s commitment to multidisciplinary inclusion within the tech function of Robinhood and beyond.
Lahari’s contributions as a long-tenured technologist and WIT leader added depth to the conversation about leadership development, career progression, and the importance of visibility for women engineers. Her reflections on the journey from underrepresentation to leadership provided a hopeful blueprint for attendees who might be grappling with impostor syndrome or workplace challenges tied to gender dynamics. The emphasis on universal workplace concerns—such as impostor syndrome and sexism—highlighted the conference’s role as a space where participants could share experiences, learn from one another, and emerge with strategies to navigate similar issues in their own organizations.
Loni’s leadership framing extended the discussion to talent acquisition and organizational culture, illustrating how external participation in the conference could yield practical value for both attendees and Robinhood’s recruiting ecosystem. By inviting external participants to join Robinhood’s Talent Community, she laid the groundwork for sustained engagement, enabling conversations about job opportunities, mentorship connections, and ongoing events. The Talent Community concept—an ongoing platform for updates, relationships, and recruiting opportunities—was presented as a key vehicle for maintaining momentum between annual conferences.
Building a tangible bridge between internal values and external collaboration
The concerted focus on community-building and knowledge-sharing demonstrated Robinhood’s broader commitment to a culture that recognizes and elevates women in technology. The conference served as a living reflection of the company’s dual emphasis on technology and finance, illustrating how these domains intersect in ways that can benefit underrepresented groups within the tech workforce. By inviting participants from multiple companies and across diverse roles, the event created a peer network that supports career growth, skill development, and practical collaboration on shared challenges.
The programming choices—ranging from high-profile keynote discussions to technical workshops and lightning talks—embodied a pragmatic approach to professional development. Attendees could choose tracks aligned with their interests, whether they sought to deepen their technical expertise, expand their leadership capabilities, or explore the human and organizational dimensions of working in tech. The inclusive design of the conference ensured that the experiences of women at various career stages were acknowledged, validated, and amplified, contributing to a sense of belonging within a fast-moving, high-stakes industry.
As the conference concluded, organizers looked ahead to sustaining the energy and connection that had formed. The next steps involved expanding the Community’s reach, reinforcing mentorship networks, and providing more frequent opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration outside the annual event. The overarching aim was to convert the conference’s immediate gains into long-term momentum, ensuring that the WIT initiative at Robinhood continues to evolve and scale to meet the needs of women across the tech ecosystem.
Programming that delivered value to the WIT community
A cornerstone of the Robinhood WIT conference was the carefully designed program, which combined technical depth with practical insights into leadership, career navigation, and workplace dynamics. The organizers undertook a comprehensive approach to programming, inviting a wide range of voices to share their experiences and expertise. The schedule featured workshops, lightning talks, and panel discussions designed to empower attendees with new skills and perspectives that they could apply directly to their work.
The workshops were particularly notable for their practical orientation. They provided hands-on experiences in areas critical to modern software development and security. The remote development environments workshop, for instance, addressed the realities of distributed teams and the increasing importance of efficient, scalable development workflows. The privacy-focused session offered guidance on data protection, regulatory considerations, and the ethical use of user information, all of which are central to responsible product development in fintech.
Lightning talks offered a rapid cadence of insight, with short presentations that delved into topics with immediate applicability. One talk explored the evolution of money movement, tracing the historical, technical, and policy shifts that have shaped how money flows in the digital age. Another session on authentication and authorization in Kubernetes provided a technical, domain-specific look at securing microservices architectures, highlighting common pitfalls and best practices. These sessions were designed to spark discussion, foster peer learning, and encourage attendees to share their own experiences.
The conference also included a well-structured series of broader discussions and knowledge-sharing opportunities. The event featured a keynote panel that brought together senior leaders from Robinhood, including Erika Dean (Chief Security Officer), Diana MacLean (Senior Engineering Manager of Credit Cards), and Dheerja Kaur (Senior Director of Product). The panel addressed workplace issues that tend to be universal across organizations, emphasizing that many professionals have wrestled with similar challenges, regardless of their role. The participants explored topics such as impostor syndrome, gender bias, and strategies for creating inclusive teams, with a focus on actionable takeaways for attendees.
A significant takeaway from the programming was the emphasis on community-built content. The WIT ERG helped identify topics that mattered most to attendees, ensuring that sessions reflected the real issues women face in tech. This collaborative approach also empowered attendees to contribute as speakers, mentors, and volunteers, reinforcing the sense that the conference was a shared, community-driven effort rather than a top-down event. The result was a program that felt relevant, engaging, and aligned with Robinhood’s broader values of openness, learning, and continuous improvement.
The human element: conversations that resonated
Beyond the technical and professional topics, several conversations stood out for their emphasis on personal experiences and communal support. Tam Bain (Senior Staff Software Engineer) delivered a keynote on Robinhood’s 24-hour market, a topic that resonated across roles—from engineers to product managers—by highlighting the relevance of real-time systems and market dynamics to varied career paths. The discussion underscored how technical topics can be broadly applicable, reinforcing the idea that a strong engineering culture benefits a wide audience within the company and the external community.
The panel discussions also drew focus to the everyday realities of women in the workplace. Panelists shared stories about negotiating pathways to leadership, balancing competing responsibilities, and navigating the expectations of different stakeholders. By centering these experiences, the conference created a space where attendees could see themselves reflected in the dialogue and feel empowered to pursue similar trajectories. The aim was to normalize conversations about professional growth, adversity, and resilience, thereby strengthening the community’s capacity to support one another through shared learning and mentorship.
Outcomes and immediate impact for attendees
Feedback from participants indicated a high level of satisfaction and a strong appetite for ongoing engagement. Attendees valued the opportunity to connect with peers who faced similar challenges, as well as the chance to learn from technical experts who shared practical insights that could be directly applied to their work. The program’s balance of technical depth and leadership development ensured that attendees left with both concrete skills and a broader sense of purpose within their roles.
One of the most cited benefits was the sense of belonging that the conference fostered. For many attendees, the event provided a rare space where women in tech could openly discuss issues such as impostor syndrome and sexism without fear of judgement. This kind of candid conversation is vital for building trust, encouraging collaboration, and sustaining long-term engagement in male-dominated fields. The conference’s legacy thus extended beyond the sessions themselves, creating a durable platform for ongoing dialogue, mentorship, and collaboration that would continue to enrich participants’ careers in the years ahead.
Momentum, future plans, and the ongoing Robinhood-WIT journey
As the event concluded, the focus shifted from celebration to momentum-building. The leadership team outlined a clear strategy for maintaining the connection among attendees and converting the conference’s energy into ongoing opportunities for skill development, mentorship, and career advancement. External participants were invited to join Robinhood’s Talent Community, a dedicated channel for sharing updates, events, and opportunities that span recruiting and relationship-building. This approach ensured that the conference could serve as a springboard for continuous engagement, with participants able to access resources, mentors, and potential roles across the Robinhood ecosystem and the broader tech community.
From the perspective of the WIT leadership, sustaining momentum involves a mix of internal initiatives and external partnerships. The plan includes continuing and expanding community-building efforts, with a particular emphasis on creating more structured, recurring events throughout 2024. Rather than limiting engagement to a single annual conference, the team envisions quarterly gatherings that maintain the sense of community and provide regular opportunities for skill-building, knowledge exchange, and networking. The internal focus centers on reinforcing the WIT ERG’s initiatives, expanding mentorship programs, and developing additional content that addresses the evolving needs of women engineers, product professionals, and security specialists at Robinhood.
Practical steps toward sustained engagement
Key practical steps include:
- Expanding the Talent Community’s reach to include more external participants, recruiters, and industry partners who share Robinhood’s commitment to inclusion and diversity.
- Structuring quarterly events that align with the broader strategic plan for 2024, with themes tailored to emerging technology trends, leadership development, and workplace culture.
- Enhancing mentorship opportunities by pairing early-career professionals with senior technologists across disciplines, thereby creating a robust, cross-functional support network.
- Providing ongoing learning experiences through hands-on workshops, online resources, and collaborative projects that enable participants to apply what they learn in real-world settings.
- Maintaining a collaborative feedback loop that captures participant insights after each event, guiding iterative improvements to programming, format, and content.
Community-building as a strategic asset
The WIT conference’s long-term value extends beyond individual development. By fostering a strong, interconnected community, Robinhood positions itself as a destination for women who aspire to lead in technology and finance. The conference serves as a living embodiment of the company’s dedication to democratizing finance through innovation, while also presenting a compelling case for why diverse teams are essential to effective product design, robust security, and competitive business outcomes.
The initiative’s impact also resonates with broader industry trends that recognize the importance of inclusive leadership and equitable opportunity. In an environment where technology and financial services increasingly intersect, organizations that invest in developing female technical leadership are likely to reap benefits in innovation, customer trust, and market responsiveness. Robinhood’s approach demonstrates how a company can integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into its core business strategy, translating social responsibility into tangible outcomes for employees, customers, and partners alike.
Looking ahead to the 2024 plan
The 2024 strategic plan remains anchored in the lessons learned from 2023 while seeking new ways to expand impact. The team anticipates refining session formats based on participant feedback, expanding the pool of external speakers and partners, and exploring new topics that reflect the evolving tech landscape. There is particular interest in creating a more explicit pathway from conference participation to ongoing career development, including renewal of mentorship relationships and collaborative projects that cross organizational boundaries. The leadership emphasizes that the conference is not a one-off event but a catalyst for a sustained effort to empower women in technology.
Robinhood’s WIT values in action: aligning culture, talent, and product
The Women In Tech conference at Robinhood serves as a practical demonstration of how the company’s values translate into concrete actions. The focus on accessibility, community, and leadership development aligns with the mission to democratize finance and make it possible for a broader array of people to participate in the financial markets. By actively pursuing a more diverse workforce, Robinhood reinforces its commitment to better product design, comprehensive security, and inclusive customer experiences that reflect the needs of a diverse user base.
The WIT initiative also emphasizes a holistic approach to talent development. Beyond technical upskilling, the conference nurtures leadership capabilities, collaboration across disciplines, and the emotional intelligence required to navigate complex workplace dynamics. This aligns with a broader organizational strategy that recognizes the value of diverse perspectives in solving complex problems and delivering high-quality, user-centric financial products.
In practical terms, the conference demonstrates how internal programs can inspire external engagement. By inviting participants from dozens of external organizations, Robinhood creates value for the wider tech community while simultaneously reinforcing its own ecosystem of talent, partners, and customers. This mutualistic model strengthens the company’s reputation as an employer of choice and a thought leader at the intersection of technology and finance.
The role of the WIT ERG in shaping the conference
The WIT ERG’s leadership and involvement are central to the conference’s content and tone. The ERG’s members bring diverse experiences, technical specialties, and perspectives that inform the selection of topics, speakers, and formats. The ERG’s guidance ensures that programming resonates with attendees’ real-world challenges, from technical hurdles to career advancement and workplace culture issues. This collaborative approach fosters a sense of ownership among participants, reinforcing the belief that the conference is a community-driven effort rather than a top-down initiative.
The broader impact on Robinhood’s employer brand
From an employer branding standpoint, the conference enhances Robinhood’s image as an inclusive, forward-thinking company that values women in technology. The event highlights the company’s commitment to creating a work environment where women can contribute meaningfully, grow their careers, and influence product strategy. Such positioning is not only attractive to potential hires but also reinforces trust among customers, partners, and the broader tech ecosystem who seek collaboration with organizations that demonstrate authentic dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The conference also supports recruiting outcomes by connecting job seekers with immediate opportunities and with recruiters who understand and value the unique contributions that women in tech bring to fintech. The Talent Community serves as a practical mechanism to sustain engagement with external participants, increasing the likelihood of successful talent acquisition and ongoing collaboration with external partners.
Conclusion
The 2023 Women In Tech conference at Robinhood stands as a milestone in the company’s ongoing journey to democratize finance through inclusive technology leadership. By expanding participation beyond Robinhood to include a broad network of industry professionals, the event reinforced the belief that a diverse and empowered community of women in technical roles can accelerate innovation, strengthen security, and shape a more accessible financial system for all. The conference’s programming—combining technical depth with leadership development, community-building, and candid conversations about workplace challenges—demonstrated that meaningful progress requires sustained effort, mentorship, and ongoing collaboration.
Looking ahead, Robinhood’s WIT initiative remains committed to maintaining momentum through a structured plan that emphasizes quarterly engagement, expanded mentorship opportunities, and a dynamic talent ecosystem. The organization’s strategy to invite external participants into a dedicated Talent Community ensures that relationships formed at the conference will continue to grow, contributing to professional development, career opportunities, and cross-company collaboration. By continuing to invest in its WIT ERG, Robinhood reinforces its role as a leader in inclusive tech culture and as a company that actively seeks to empower women to lead the digital future. The result is a robust, resilient community that embodies Robinhood’s mission to democratize finance for all.
