Inside ChiWitCon: 11 Years of Community and Growth

The Chicago Women in Technology Conference (ChiWitCon) – an annual event founded by the affinity group Women @ Enova – is back this week for its 11th year, returning once again to the Old Post Office. This year’s event carries the theme “Beyond Boundaries, Beyond Expectations,” bringing together keynote speakers, breakout sessions and panels covering everything from career growth to AI in the workplace. Before the talks kick off, we wanted to offer a bit of a sneak peek into what this conference means to the people who show up for it year after year, the sense of community, support and shared growth that keeps people coming back.

Sandy Garcia, technology manager at Enova, has been part of ChiWitCon since the beginning. She signed up to help with speaker audio at the first event back in 2016, not realizing how much that one decision to volunteer would shape the next decade. Since then, she’s watched the conference grow year over year, alongside a community that has become as much a part of her career as her day-to-day work at Enova. Last year, when ChiWitCon celebrated its 10th anniversary, Sandy was the one asked to lead the planning committee, taking on the conference’s biggest milestone yet. Below, she looks back on that journey, from participating as a volunteer at the inaugural event to serving as the designated conference Person in Charge (PIC) 10 years later, and what “Stronger Together” has come to mean to her along the way.

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From Volunteer to PIC: Sandy’s ChiWitCon Journey

Sandy Garcia, Technology Manager

Ten years ago, I volunteered to help coordinate audio for my first Chicago Women in Tech Conference (ChiWitCon). I had only been at Enova for five or six months, and I was simply lending a hand where the planning committee needed it.

While volunteering, I had the opportunity to listen to several of the talks and presentations. What I didn’t expect was how much they would impact me. ChiWitCon opened up a world I didn’t know existed: a community of women in technology sharing experiences, supporting one another and encouraging each other to grow.

I certainly didn’t expect that ten years later, I would be the one asked to lead the planning committee for the conference.

Saying “Why Not Me?”

When I was approached about leading the 10-year anniversary conference, my first thought was pretty simple: “I don’t want to screw it up.” Ten years of something that so many people had worked hard to build, and taking on that responsibility was intimidating.

That initial nervousness eventually gave way to another thought: Why not me? I’m up for the challenge. I saw this as an opportunity to expand my impact, continue to grow my leadership skills and broaden my network. 

Earlier in my career, I probably would have stood back and let someone else take this opportunity. My experiences with ChiWitCon over the years helped change that. Being surrounded by women who share their experiences, take chances, support each other and encourage others to do the same helps you realize you’re capable of more than you expect.

Stronger Together

The theme for our 10th anniversary was “Stronger Together: A Decade of Women in Tech,” and for me, those two words, “Stronger Together,” captured exactly what ChiWitCon represents.

Women need to know that we aren’t alone. There is an entire community of colleagues, mentors, friends and allies who want to see us succeed, and they are willing to cheer us on or lend a hand when we need it.

Our planning committee was a mix of seasoned ChiWitCon volunteers and newcomers. Having experienced volunteers was invaluable. They understood the conference, knew what had worked in previous years and were able to pick things up and run with them without missing a beat. At the same time, our first-time volunteers brought fresh perspectives and new ideas. That combination of experience and new energy helped us continue what worked while still finding ways to make the 10th anniversary our own.

We really were stronger together.

Learning to Lead Differently

One of my biggest challenges throughout the planning process was time management. At the time, I was still relatively new in my new role, participating in a mentorship program and taking on extra duties to cover for someone on leave. There was a lot to keep track of.

What made it manageable was the team around me, including the ChiWitCon Board, many of whom I’ve known for years. Rather than trying to have my hands in every detail, we established regular check-ins and kept a consistent cadence with our planning leads. Having experienced people who could take ownership of their areas, and a Board that cheered me on and made itself available when I needed guidance, made what could have been an overwhelming process feel surprisingly “easy peasy.”

That experience reinforced something I’ve learned throughout my career: leadership doesn’t mean having to do everything yourself. Sometimes good leadership is creating the structure people need, trusting them to do what they do well and knowing when to lean on the people around you.

Leading People Who Want to Make a Difference

There was also something different about leading a group of volunteers. Everyone was choosing to be there.

The level of excitement and passion people brought to ChiWitCon was hard to describe. People genuinely cared about what we were creating. We wanted attendees to walk away having learned something, made a connection, gained confidence or discovered a community they didn’t know existed.

Seeing people bring that kind of energy to their work made me think about my leadership outside of ChiWitCon. In a way, the experience renewed my passion for helping my own team learn and grow. It reminded me how powerful it can be when people feel connected to what they’re doing and know that those around them are invested in their success.

From the Sidelines to Saying Yes

When I think about the journey from volunteer to PIC, I’m proud of the conference we put together and incredibly grateful for the planning committee, Board, speakers, volunteers, sponsors and everyone else who helped make it possible.

But what I’m most proud of is that I said yes.

There’s something very full-circle about knowing that my ChiWitCon journey began in 2016 by simply volunteering to help with speaker audio. Ten years later, I was trusted to help lead that same community through one of its biggest milestones.

That journey represents what ChiWitCon has done for me. It has helped me recognize that sometimes the biggest thing standing between us and an opportunity is our own willingness to step forward. It has shown me that we are capable of more than we sometimes expect from ourselves, and that stepping forward doesn’t mean you step forward alone. Our colleagues, mentors and networks are there to challenge us, cheer us on and lend a hand when we need one.

And perhaps that’s what Stronger Together means to me most: having the courage to step forward because you know there is a community ready to step forward with you.

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ChiWitCon 2026: Beyond Boundaries, Beyond Expectations

Sandy said yes to stepping forward when she didn’t think she was ready, and found a community that stepped forward with her. That’s the spirit ChiWitCon carries into its 11th year. This year’s theme, “Beyond Boundaries, Beyond Expectations,” picks up where her story leaves off: pushing past the limits we set for ourselves and discovering we’re capable of more than we expected. ChiWitCon 2026 kicks off October 1 – we hope to see you there.