AnitaB.org Announces Appointment of Dr. Kai Two Feathers Orton as Inaugural Fellow in Residence

BELMONT, Calif., Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AnitaB.org, the global non-profit focused on intersectional gender and pay parity in tech, today announced the appointment of Kai Two Feathers Orton, PhD as the organization's Fellow in Residence, a new position. Effective August, 2, 2021, Dr. Two Feathers Orton will lead AnitaB.org initiatives around strategic partnerships, with the goal of fostering deeper relationships with communities of color and ensuring just futures for all technologists.

Dr. Two Feathers Orton, who will also serve as a Contributor to the Virtual Grace Hopper Celebration, taking place September 27 – October 1, 2021, will be based out of Denver, Colorado, and will report to AnitaB.org COO, Lucia Hicks-Williams.

"Dr. Two Feathers Orton's deep understanding of philanthropy and non-profits, coupled with her vision for the future of inclusive technology, will be tremendous assets as we enter the next chapter of AnitaB.org," said Darden Wilkerson. "She will be key in leading AnitaB.org strategic partnerships as we build upon our efforts to elevate the diversity of all the women and non-binary technologists we serve."

"I'm thrilled to be named  first Fellow In Residence and on Native American Women Equal Pay Day, a significant day to me and so many other women, no less," said Dr. Two Feathers Orton. "I am looking forward to joining the talented leaders and teams at AnitaB.org so we can continue to advance the education and empowerment of women in the technology industry."

Dr. Two Feathers Orton is a First Nations (Innuinait, Cree, Nez Perce, Tlicho) computational scientist, learning technologist, strategic fundraiser, and innovation enthusiast. She is an unyielding advocate for inclusion and equity at the intersections of STEM, social justice, digital societies, and policy.

Prior to joining AnitaB.org, she was the Senior Associate Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Dartmouth College. While there, her portfolio focused on developing  multi-dimensional engagement strategies with foundations and industry enterprises in partnership with faculty across the basic and biomedical sciences, physical sciences, computer science and tech, to advance research development and innovation initiatives.  Dr. Two Feathers Orton was also a Research Assistant Professor at Northwestern University in the School of Education and Social Policy and Faculty Liaison for the Office of STEM Education Partnerships. She founded the Computational Thinking for Girls Clubs (CT4G) to empower girls of color through experiences in computing, technology, and STEM.

In addition to her research, Dr. Two Feathers Orton is a Google Next-Gen Tech Policy Fellow and an active professional member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). She currently serves on numerous research, professional, and non-profit advisory boards including the Women of Color in Computing Collaborative-Expanding CS for Native Girls for AISES and the Indigenous Cultural Heritage-Advancing Pathways for Long-Term Collaboration for the Dartmouth College Hood Museum and Library.

Press Contact: 
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About AnitaB.org
At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. We connect, inspire, and guide women technologists, and organizations that view technology innovation as a strategic imperative. For more than 30 years, this community has grown and changed to become the leading organization for women in technology. Today, AnitaB.org works with women technologists in more than 50 countries, and partners with leading academic institutions and Fortune 500 companies. For more information about AnitaB.org, visit anitab.org or find us on LinkedIn at @anitab-org  and on Instagram at @anitab_org. 

SOURCE AnitaB.org

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