Editor’s note: The ISACA Foundation awards yearly SheLeadsTech Scholarships for global students who are pursuing a degree in IT audit, risk, security, assurance or cybersecurity. Awardees will receive funding for their undergraduate or graduate degree and a career-building bundle; find out more about how to apply here by 5 May 2026. Learn more about other ISACA scholarship opportunities here.
At a time when artificial intelligence, cybersecurity risks and rapid digital transformation are redefining industries, one truth remains clear: innovation without inclusion and responsibility is incomplete.
This is why SheLeadsTech ISACA Chicago Chapter is proud to partner with WECode 2026 at Harvard University, the largest student-run women-in-tech conference in the world.
This partnership is not symbolic. It is intentional. It is rooted in mentorship, leadership and long-term impact.
What Is WECode?
WECode (Women Engineers Code) is organized annually by undergraduate women at Harvard University as part of Harvard Undergraduate Women in Computer Science. Since its inaugural conference in 2014, WECode has grown into a global movement that has inspired more than 9,000 young women worldwide. There have been participants from 36 countries and 37 US states.
But WECode is more than numbers. It is a global community of female-identifying and nonbinary leaders committed to increasing representation in technical industries and lowering barriers to diverse career paths. Through scholarships, mentorship programs, tech fellow initiatives, career fairs and year-round professional development, WECode creates structured pathways from aspiration to opportunity.
The 2026 conference theme, “Beyond the Frame,” challenges participants to look beyond curated success narratives and redefine what belonging and achievement truly mean in technology.
Why This Partnership Matters
SheLeadsTech, an ISACA global initiative, is dedicated to increasing the representation of women in technology leadership and building inclusive professional communities.
The collaboration between SheLeadsTech Chicago and WECode represents a powerful bridge between:
- Emerging technologists seeking mentorship and direction
- Established leaders ready to invest forward
- A shared mission to build a more inclusive, resilient digital future
Through this partnership, SheLeadsTech leaders engage not only as speakers but as:
- Mentors in structured mentorship circles
- Career advisors at the WECode Career Fair
- Panelists sharing real leadership journeys
- Role models demonstrating resilience in complex technical environments
This engagement reflects ISACA’s broader mission to advance digital trust and empower professionals worldwide.
Mentorship as a Force Multiplier
For many students, WECode is not just a conference; it is a catalytic moment.
Attendees have shared stories of securing internships, building professional networks and gaining the confidence to pursue technical careers because of the connections made at WECode.
Structured mentorship programs create small-group settings where students gain practical career insights, industry exposure and guidance that bridges academia and professional life.
By bringing SheLeadsTech leaders into this ecosystem, the partnership:
- Reduces the confidence gap for early-career technologists
- Bridges industry and academia
- Builds networks early, when they matter most
- Models resilient, ethical leadership
This is not abstract empowerment. It is measurable career acceleration.
None of this impact would be possible without the extraordinary SheLeadsTech mentors who stepped forward when called. To every leader across the globe who said “yes” when I reached out to support this initiative: thank you. You know who you are. Your willingness to invest your time, share your journey and uplift the next generation reflects the very best of our profession. Never underestimate the power of change within you. Mentorship may feel like a single conversation, but its ripple effect can shape careers, and industries, for years to come.
From Innovation to Exploitation: A Critical Conversation
As part of WECode 2026, I spoke on “From Innovation to Exploitation: The Dark Side of AI.”
Artificial intelligence is one of the most transformative forces of our time. Yet the same technologies that drive innovation can also create risk, bias, manipulation and exploitation when not designed with intentional governance.
The responsibility to shape AI ethically does not lie only with today’s executives. It lies with the next generation of builders.
As I share with students:
“The next generation of technologists will not just build AI systems—they will define their boundaries. Responsible innovation is not a constraint; it is the foundation of lasting impact.”
This message aligns directly with the WECode 2026 theme. Stepping “beyond the frame” means questioning not only how we build technology, but why, for whom, and under what guardrails.
Responsible innovation is not a limitation on creativity. It is the architecture of trust.
Beyond the Conference: Building a Long-Term Ecosystem
WECode’s impact extends beyond a two-day event. Through Tech Fellows programs, scholarships, mentorship initiatives, career fairs and ongoing community engagement, it builds sustained support systems for women and nonbinary technologists.
This mirrors ISACA’s own commitment to lifelong professional development through certification, governance frameworks, education and global community.
When student-led innovation intersects with professional leadership, the result is a multi-generational ecosystem, one where emerging technologists are supported not only in technical excellence but in ethical responsibility and resilience.
A Call to the ISACA Community
This partnership is an invitation: an invitation for ISACA members to mentor, to share lived experience, to model ethical decision-making, and to invest in the long-term strength of our profession.
"Mentoring girls in tech, AI, and cybersecurity is one of the most meaningful things I do,” said Ulrika Dellrud, executive leader and strategic board advisor | ISACA Sweden. “These fields are shaping our future — and when girls step into them, they don’t just build careers, they shape how technology serves society. There is something powerful about helping a young woman realize she belongs in the rooms where systems are designed and decisions are made. Mentorship builds confidence, courage, and possibility. And it’s a privilege to contribute to it.
“When we support girls in tech, we’re not just uplifting individuals — we’re building a more inclusive and responsible digital future.”
The future of digital trust depends not only on the systems we design, but on the leaders we develop.
The SheLeadsTech Chicago–WECode partnership demonstrates what happens when intentional leadership meets emerging talent.
Together, we are not only expanding opportunity. We are strengthening the future of technology — beyond the frame.
