Global Engagement

The panel was followed by the opening of a photo exhibition on extraordinary Georgetown women and the launch of a social media campaign about putting women #onthemap. The Gelardin New Media Center demonstrated the role of technology in enriching education by taking participants on an immersive virtual reality journey.

The event centered on the importance of increasing women’s participation in technology and careers of global impact as part of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 5.

Amplifying Women’s Voices

Vice President for Global Engagement Thomas Banchoff offered opening remarks on the importance of gender equality to Georgetown’s mission, while Zoe Dauth, founder and director of WOMAP, and Lisa Krim, chair of GWA and senior advisor to the president for faculty relations, spoke of their collaborative efforts to amplify women’s voices both on campus and at a global scale.

"One of the best things about tonight’s event is its origins in the passion and activism of our students,” said Banchoff. “Women on the Map, an effort to advance women to reach their full potential as global leaders, goes back to the initiative, creativity, and drive of Zoe and other impressive Hoyas, including Jilanne Doom, Rasheed Hamdan, and Fadia Tuma."

Gwen K. Young, director of the Global Women’s Leadership Initiative and the Women in Public Service Project at the Wilson Center, moderated the panel discussion, which featured Georgetown alumnae including Ria Bailey Galvis of the Global Economic Policy Team at Google; Victoria Espinel, president and CEO of BSA | The Software Alliance; Lisa Singh, professor in Georgetown’s Department of Computer Science; and Prachi Vakharia, managing director of Womanium.

A Network and Platform

Women on the Map started as a photo exhibition but grew into much more, inspiring the launch of an organization to encourage women and girls to share their journeys in which their ideas and dreams led to accomplishment and a seat at the table where decisions are made. Today, WOMAP is an intergenerational organization dedicated to global citizenship and the full inclusion of the voices and perspectives of women and girls in decisions and policies affecting societies worldwide.

The photographic exhibition celebrated Georgetown women from around the world who have made significant contributions to women’s rights, peace, and security, as well as international business, development, diplomacy, and public service. The team used visual storytelling to highlight and celebrate the strength of female students, faculty, and alumni to create a platform for the exchange of ideas. Women’s stories are also lifted up on WOMAP’s blog "At the Table."

By expanding and digitally interlinking women’s networks, WOMAP aims to create a platform to break down barriers to women’s advancement, while facilitating exchange between aspiring and accomplished women in technology and international affairs.

This event was supported by the Office of the Vice President of Global Engagement, Gelardin New Media Center, the Landegger Program in International Business Diplomacy, the Walsh School of Foreign Service Global Career Center, and the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship.