The workshop will explore issues in entrepreneurship for women, ranging from early-stage how-to business start-up issues to more advanced issues of intellectual property and capital development. The conference is co-sponsored by the Caltech Women's Center, the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, the city of Pasadena, the JPL Office of Commercialization and Regional Economic Development, and the law firm of McClintock, Weston, Benshoof, Rochefort, Rubalcava and MacCuish in Los Angeles.
Speaker Sheri Syler Adams, president of Chocolate Epicure, will discuss issues involved in starting an e-commerce firm. Elizabeth Charuvastra, RN, president and CEO of Beverly Glen Medical Systems, will discuss the medical services and research sector. Carolyn Siegal, vice president of business development for Xencor, will discuss her strategies in developing Xencor's proprietary protein-design technology.
Denise Brosseau, the executive director of the Silicon Valley–based Forum for Women Entrepreneurs will discuss basics of fund-raising and how the forum (www.fwe.org) has succeeded in developing women entrepreneurs. Patent attorney Roberta Fay will discuss intellectual property issues.
Representatives of various government agencies and private business incubators will give nuts-and-bolts advice about the assistance they can provide.
Because creating a positive, confident, and unique image is important to all entrepreneurs, two speakers will emphasize developing a personal style. Hope Frazier, a former newspaper editor in Miami and Los Angeles, will discuss dealing with the press, and Victoria Boa, a choreographer, dancer, and actress, will cover techniques for projecting a professional presentation style.
The Caltech Women's Center was founded in 1993 to work for the advancement of women in science and engineering. The center works to support the central mission of the California Institute of Technology, which is to promote the education and development of all scientists and engineers.
The Caltech Women's Center operates as a central meeting place, an information resource, a program center, and support for the entire Caltech community. For reservations and information, please contact the Women's Center at (626) 395-3221.
Contact: Kathleen Bartle-Schulweis Director of the Caltech Women's Center (626) 395-3221 wcenter@caltech.edu