PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Theranos, Inc., a consumer health technology and medical laboratory services company, announced that founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes, along with many of the company’s executives and Bay area employees, hosted a day-long “Action Planning” workshop with the U.S. Department of State’s TechWomen program at Theranos Headquarters today, where program participants engaged with Theranos leaders on a range of topics aimed towards bolstering their business planning and leadership skills.
The workshop convened nearly 100 women entrepreneurs, from Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia along with experts from Theranos and other Bay area companies to mentor the emerging STEM leaders on Saturday, October 10 at Theranos’ campus in Palo Alto.
Holmes welcomed the women to Theranos with an emphasis on the importance of women helping women, and participants heard from Holmes and Theranos leaders on such topics as fostering a collaborative and innovative culture, go-to-market strategies, brand marketing and social media, maximizing revenue and impact, effective strategies for reinforcing social change through business, and tackling the challenges of leadership in STEM as women.
As a special surprise appearance, Holmes invited entrepreneur and investor Marc Andreessen to address the global emerging leaders in STEM, providing insights into entrepreneurial strategies, strengths, and pitfalls.
“A core piece of Theranos’ mission is to nurture a culture of innovation and collaboration in science and technology. Our team was honored to work with this extraordinary group of entrepreneurs and the TechWomen program to help promote a new generation of global woman leaders in STEM,” said Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos. “I am personally inspired by the hard work and incredible commitment of the TechWomen entrepreneurs. As we all execute on this #ironsisters pledge to help 100 other women, 10,000 will be impacted just from the women in the room together today.”
Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Evan Ryan, who oversees the TechWomen program for the U.S. State Department, said, “TechWomen is as much about a shared community experience as it is about science and innovation. The inclusive culture Elizabeth Holmes has built at Theranos and her experiences as an inventor, scientist, and leader are precisely the kind of example of leadership that these TechWomen came to the U.S. to experience. We are delighted that Theranos employees spent this time working with our women leaders and that Elizabeth shared her passion for progress through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”
Several Theranos employees spoke about their experience working in a woman-led business and in a company in which women are encouraged to have leadership roles in STEM. Theranos software senior product manager Angela Ha said, “Being on the Theranos team is not just about our shared commitment to changing the health care paradigm, it’s about being able to work at a place dedicated to cutting edge science and tech, where a lot of the senior people are women and its led by a woman who has invented more at the age of 31 than most engineers do in a lifetime.”
Many of the program participants asked questions over the course of the day-long workshop regarding the challenges of being a woman in the STEM field, and program organizers offered a series of insights and advice aimed towards overcoming obstacles related to gender. “Be the smartest and hardest working person in the room,” said Mona Atallah, also a software senior product manager at Theranos. “That's how you build a place like Theranos. We all watch Elizabeth work harder than anyone. It’s motivating, because she’s there in the trenches with us day in and day out.”
Holmes is working with the TechWomen program as part of her Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) initiative. In addition to TechWomen, Holmes’ PAGE Initiative will work to address global health care problems, connect women and girls, and enfranchise entrepreneurs.
About Theranos
Theranos, Inc. is a consumer health technology company founded in 2003 by Elizabeth Holmes. Theranos’ mission is to make actionable information accessible to everyone at the time it matters most. By doing so, Theranos is working to facilitate the early detection and prevention of disease and to empower people everywhere to live their best lives. Theranos offers lab tests in convenient locations in its Wellness Centers in Arizona, Pennsylvania and California, with plans to expand throughout the country. www.Theranos.com
About TechWomen
TechWomen is an Initiative of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, administered by the Institute for International Education. TechWomen empowers, connects, and supports the next generation of women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East by providing them the access and opportunity needed to advance their careers, pursue their dreams, and inspire women and girls in their communities. Through mentorship and exchange, TechWomen strengthens participants’ professional capacity, increases mutual understanding between key networks of professionals, and expands girls’ interest in STEM careers by exposing them to female role models. www.techwomen.org
About the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education is a world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,200 member institutions. IIE also conducts policy research and program evaluations, and provides advising and counseling on international education and opportunities abroad.