Cal Women's Network (CWN)

Cal Women's Network Logo

Mission 

The Cal Women's Network exists to create a strong community of women* that supports collective learning and growth through social and professional opportunities. 

*All who experience life through the lens of a woman in body, spirit, identity - past, present, future, and fluid.

Vision

A campus community where women are empowered to pursue and achieve their professional and personal goals.

Sponsors

Katherine (Kathy) A. Yelick, Vice Chancellor for Research

Lasana Hotep, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging


CWN Newsletter

Women's History Month

Happy Women's History Month!

The National Women's History Alliance designates a yearly theme for Women's History Month. This year's theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories."

Read the whole CWN newsletter


A complete archive of CWN newsletters is accessible here.

"Events" in large black font, CWN colorful logo in background

Upcoming Events

Women @ Work

Working at a university means working with a broad range of jobs around campus. To help us branch out, learn more about different roles, and meet others in the UC Berkeley community, CWN is hosting a virtual panel to explore different jobs and career paths, by talking to the women who work at Cal. Mark your calendars for noon on Friday, March 24th, for this panel discussion. More information to come!

We acknowledge the correlation between race, class, socio-economic status and the employment roles that we occupy as University employees. It is with intention that we uplift positionality, and the range of factors that contribute to who may fill what role. For this panel, we are aiming to highlight all types of roles from all around campus. CWN recognizes that we are one community, understanding that no position is better than another, and valuing that none of us could do our jobs without every role being filled.


Recent Events

International Women’s Day 2023

We celebrated International Women's Day with three special activities this year. 

The first is in collaboration with the Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). Join us for a tour to experience Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory, the first retrospective exhibition of leading Bay Area Latinx artist Amalia Mesa-Bains at BAMPFA.

BAMPFA is located in downtown Berkeley at 2155 Center Street, between Oxford Street and Shattuck Avenue.

There are two time slots for these special tours:

  • 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
  • 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

The second event is the return of our popular professional headshots! We are hosting a photography event where members can have their headshot taken for free. You'll receive the file (sometime after the event) to use in whatever professional setting you need: LinkedIn, Zoom avatar, speaker's information, or any other way!

Finally, simultaneously with the headshots, we will be hosting three discussion sessions on the hour. The topics are: 

  • 10:00 a.m. - Why do we need more women in leadership?
  • 11:00 a.m. -  What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
  • 12:00 p.m. - What progress have you seen in gender equality in your life and work?

Sign up for a headshot during the hour if you're particularly interested in discussing one of these topics, or just come by and talk with us. We will also have some nibbles and drinks for you to enjoy. It will be an opportunity to discuss different topics while meeting and connecting with each other and us (the CWN steering committee)!

Strategies for professional community building and upward mobility for women* from underrepresented communities

Date / Time: November 1 from noon - 1:00 pm

Format:  Virtual (Zoom)

Speakers: Patricia Juárez, Michelle Hector Branner

Description: 

Research shows that robust professional connections lead to more job opportunities, broader and deeper knowledge and faster advancement. There is a lot of information available discussing networking strategies but not much that specifically focuses on demographics who are not yet adequately represented at higher levels of corporate or institutional ladders. People from marginalized communities often face barriers and experience networking differently from those with dominant or privileged identities. Even the term “networking” has a different and somewhat negative connotation. 

Our guest speakers will explore what authentic and effective approaches to professional community building could look like for UC Berkeley staff from underrepresented communities. They will further discuss how supervisors can provide tangible support, and what staff with privileged identities can do to make professional community building more inclusive and accessible to everybody. The overall goal is to come up with strategies for creating a culture that focuses on humanity and supports access and advancement for all.

*All who experience life through the lens of a woman in body, spirit, identity - past, present, future, and fluid.

The 30 Second Commercial: Communicating Your Best Self w/ Dr. Michelle Branner 

July 13th 12pm - 1pm (Link to view slides)

Join your fellow CWN Members to hear from Michelle Branner, who among many things is a UC Berkeley Extension Professor.  This lunch-hour virtual session will include strategies to maximize how you talk about yourself (and your peers).  Develop skills to give yourself an edge in introductions and other moments that will boost your ability to brand, market, and celebrate your professional identity.  Professor Branner specializes in topics that add to your Power Moves toolbox - this is just one of the many offerings she has for CWN community as we grow together. 

Read more about Professor Branner in this “Making Her Own Power Moves” interview from UC Berkeley Extension’s Voice’s Blog

CWN Headshot Event

June 21st 11am - 3pm 

Ready for your close up? We will next have a photographer available on campus (location TBA) from 11-3pm on Tuesday, June 21st. Come join us for refreshments and fun!

How do you participate? The sign up sheet is available here(link is external), and also includes a waitlist. Email us at calwomxn@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) if you have any questions! 

CWN Steering Committee: Info Sessions

Session 1: Friday, May 6, 2pm-2:50pm | Zoom link: https://berkeley.zoom.us/j/2231336866(link is external) 

Session 2: Friday, May 20, 2pm-2:50pm | Zoom link: https://berkeley.zoom.us/j/2231336866(link is external)

Love CWN and want to support its growth to serve more and more women leaders at Cal? Join us for a brown bag info session on ways to get involved. The CWN Steering Committee currently has openings in key outreach areas (i.e. Diversity & Advocacy, Communications, and Historian/Recorded). Can't make the session and/or have questions? Please feel free to email us at: calwomxn@berkeley.edu

Welcome! We're glad you're here. 

Ways to Connect

Email calwomxn@berkeley.edu

Follow our Events Calendar (bCal)

View the CWN newsletter archive

Join us on LinkedIn

Upcoming Events

Leadership

2022-23 Steering Committee

Co-Chairs
Heidi Wagner
Orsolya Nadasdi

Communications Chair
Adrianne Griffith

Community & Social Programs Chair
Vandana Gandhi

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging & Justice (DEIBJ) Chair
Diane Lang

Membership & Assessment Chair
Ziva Armstrong

Professional Development & Education Chair
Aisha Hamilton

Recorder/Historian Chair
Kristen Monahan