About the
summit
OWN IT started to address the leadership gap. Women have filled the education gap. In fact, they are graduating college at higher rates than men. However, there is still a dearth of women sitting on corporate boards, in science and technology, in C-level positions, representing us in government, and in general leadership roles. We all know you cannot be what you cannot see.
OWN IT seeks to provide young women with an opportunity to not just see, but learn from and connect with women who are living out leadership in a variety of fields and positions. Similarly, OWN IT seeks to provide well-established women with an outlet to give back and share what they have learned with future leaders. OWN IT was started by Helen Brosnan and Kendall Ciesemier, then sophomore and junior in college, respectively, during their time at Georgetown University in 2014. The inaugural OWN IT Summit was held in April 2014.
HISTORY: OWN IT
AT BERKELEY
The Berkeley chapter of OWN IT was founded by Bailey Dunn and Mikaela Toretta in 2018. The OWN IT at Berkeley team hosted our first Summit in April 2019. After two years, we’ve created a strong presence on Cal’s campus and are excited to keep up the work for years to come!is currently planning on hosting small speaker events and panels this academic year in preparation for our day-long OWN IT Summit in the Spring 2019. We plan to continue hosting annual summits every Spring and hope to empower Bay Area women to OWN IT!
LEADERSHIP
We strive to develop leaders. Simply put, we need more women in leadership positions - across all sectors. Think of OWN IT Summits as your basecamp for the next generation of leadership.
ACCESSIBILITY
We are accessible, approachable, and relevant to college women. We strive to be welcoming to all kinds of audiences and we work to make all opportunities affordable and approachable. Leadership shouldn't have barriers to entry.
INTERSECTIONALITY
We reflect the diverse world we live in. We seek to showcase voices of all races, gender identities, sexual identities, ethnicities, abilities, ages, political orientations, and socio-economic backgrounds. OWN IT amplifies a wide array of voices and facilitates conversation around the interplay of identities and interacting systems of oppression that create unique experiences and challenges for womxn leaders.
EMPOWERMENT
OWN IT bridges the gap between aspiring and established womxn leaders in order to equip young womxn with the guidance, skills, and confidence necessary to thrive.
We are a student group acting independently of the University of California. We take full responsibility for our organization and this website.