Diversity in IT: Interop Las Vegas Dispels the Talent Gap & Brings Focus to Importance of Women in Tech

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Interop Las Vegas, produced by UBM Tech, today features programming that will bring the importance of team diversity within the IT industry to the forefront. As the only independent IT industry event, Interop provides insight into the future of technology, the outlook for the IT industry, and the possibilities of what it means to be in IT. Interop Las Vegas will take place April 27-May 1 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. For more information and to register, visit: http://www.interop.com/lasvegas.

In the high-tech industry, innovation often outweighs diversity. IT teams should be representative of the entire company, yet research points to evidence of ageism and a significant gender gap. Interop Las Vegas will celebrate diversity efforts within the tech community and face its inhibitors head-on. From a unique panel discussion on the myth of the talent gap, to special sessions highlighting the importance of women in IT, Interop's conference speakers include a range of seasoned IT leaders and diversity advocates.

Interop Las Vegas is proud to announce Adobe SVP & CIO Gerri Martin-Flickinger as a keynote speaker, representing and inspiring women in IT executive roles. With more than 20 years of experience leading large-scale global IT organizations in expanding companies, she currently oversees Adobe's global Information Technology team, providing strategic direction and management for the company's IT infrastructure worldwide, including its hosted services. Martin-Flickinger will speak during the opening keynote session, which runs Wednesday, April 29, from 8:30 – 10:15 am.

Closing the Gender Gap:
Interop Las Vegas and the co-located InformationWeek Conference for IT leadership will host special forums for women to celebrate successes, share war stories, network with peers and navigate the path to career advancement. Special programming includes:

• Interop: Women in Technology Panel & Luncheon
  • Wednesday, April 29, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
  • Led by Barbara Horne (Consultant, The Business Channels), Courtney Kissler (Vice President of E-Commerce and Store Technologies, Nordstrom) and Bethany Mayer (President, CEO and Board Member, Ixia)
• InformationWeek Conference: Women in IT Leadership Networking Breakfast
  • Tuesday, April 28, 7:30 – 8:30 am
  • Led by InformationWeek.com Editor In Chief Susan Nunziata and special guests

The Myth of the Talent Gap:
Tech job opportunities appear to be plentiful based on reports from the U.S. Department of Labor and various research institutions. Yet, when asked about the talent pool, IT leaders express difficultly in finding the "right" people to fill key roles. Interop will present a special session aimed at mending this talent gap and the lack of diversity of race, gender, and disability in the IT workforce. A panel of experts will provide practical tools for IT hiring managers to make sure they're not overlooking important candidates, while giving IT employees advancement tips to move up in a system that they may feel is stacked against them. Diversity in IT and the Myth of the Talent Gap will take place Thursday, April 30, 11:45 am - 12:45 pm.

"Interop strongly believes that diverse talent is a key tenet of business success. We're proud to serve as a proponent for the diversity movement in our tech community and will confront the challenges within employees' career development and managements' talent search in an open forum," said Interop General Manager Jennifer Jessup.

Together as co-located events, Interop Las Vegas and the InformationWeek Conference provide content for all roles across the IT spectrum - from network admins to IT managers to CIOs. Interop features a robust schedule of panels, lectures and discussions on critical technology topics, including future innovations that will drive the IT community forward. The InformationWeek Conference consists of two days of high-level education and knowledge sharing led by world-class CIOs and thought leaders. Both Interop and the InformationWeek Conference are produced by UBM Tech.

Follow along on Twitter: @InformationWeek (#InformationWeek, #IWConference) and @Interop (#Interop)

Register for Interop and/or InformationWeek Conference: http://www.interop.com/lasvegas/registration/

Apply for a media pass: http://www.interop.com/lasvegas/media-center/

About Interop®
Interop is the leading independent IT industry event dedicated to providing technology professionals with the unbiased information they need to thrive as new technologies continue to transform the enterprise. Part of UBM Tech's family of global brands, Interop connects all levels of the IT community by showcasing the latest innovations and technologies while providing unique opportunities for networking and career advancement. Through in-depth educational programs, workshops, real-world demonstrations and live technology implementations in its unique InteropNet program, Interop allows attendees to gain insight into the future of technology, the outlook for the IT industry, and the possibilities of what it means to be in IT. Interop Las Vegas is the flagship event held each spring, with annual international events in India, London and Tokyo, all produced by UBM Tech and partners. For more information about these events, visit www.interop.com.

About InformationWeek
InformationWeek is the leading news and analysis media brand for business technology decision-makers, serving CIOs and other IT leaders in a range of industries through its award-winning community website, digital magazines, and live events. For more information, go to http://www.informationweek.com/.

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SOURCE UBM Tech