We’re excited to see everyone on October 6 & 7 at The Information's WTF Summit. Our masterclass breakout sessions are an important part of the Summit. At this year’s event, we’ll have two sets of 45-minute breakout sessions, one on each day. Here’s a preview of this year’s topics.
For sponsorship and group ticket information, please email [email protected].
Day 1 - October 6
Disrupting Bias, Prejudice and Bullying
Moderator: Sylvia Varnham O’Regan, Reporter, The Information
Speakers:
Kim Scott & Trier Bryant, Just Work author & Co-founders, Just Work
Bias, prejudice and bullying aren’t just societal ills; they also prevent healthy performance, collaboration and decision-making. In the workplace, part of the problem is we don't have clear definitions, let alone ways to distinguish between them—and so we don't know how to respond. What can we do as leaders and concerned citizens to help put an end to these negative forces in our work and lives? How can we figure out what to say when we don’t know what to say? This session will offer specific tools and tactics, depending on what your role is and what you’re confronting.
New Seats, Same Tables: How Women Can Harness Boards for Personal Advancement and a Better Future
Moderator: Sarah Krouse, Reporter, The Information
Speakers:
Laurie Yoler, General Partner, Playground
Jenny Fleiss, Co-founder, Rent the Runway & Jetblack, Venture Partner, Volition Capital
Barbara Messing, Chief Marketing & People Experience Officer, Roblox
Boards matter—whether for venture-backed startups, major corporations or nonprofits. The nation’s reckonings with race, gender and inequality writ large have opened up new opportunities for women, people of color and other historically underrepresented groups to sit on boards. But what does that look like in practice? Whether you’re looking to join, create or diversify a board, you’ll be able to ask panelists your most-pressing questions, and benefit from their experience serving as board or advisory members for companies like Bose, Tesla, Zoox, Overstock, XO Group, Rent the Runway and more.
Crypto 101: WTF is Bitcoin, and How Do I Get Started?
Moderator: Hannah Miller, Reporter, The Information
Speakers
Juthica Chou, Head of OTC Options Trading, Kraken
Bitcoin Frankie, Entrepreneur & Bitcoin Investor
Digital money is reshaping tech and finance, from Silicon Valley to Wall Street to Asia. If you’ve been curious about investing in bitcoin and don’t know where to begin, this session will help. Juthica Chou, head of OTC options trading at Kraken, and Bitcoin Frankie, an entrepreneur & bitcoin investor, will answer your questions and share tips on how to get started.
Day 2 - October 7
The Rise of E-Commerce and Shoppable Media
Moderator: Jessica Lessin, Founder & CEO, The Information
Speakers:
Rachel Tipograph, Founder & CEO, MikMak
Susan Goldsmith, Principal, Deloitte Consulting
Covid-19 accelerated changes in consumer behavior that resulted in surges in e-commerce transactions and digital media consumption. As a result, media platforms have super charged their focus on product features to make their experiences shoppable. We’ll dig into the latest trends in e-commerce and shoppable media and find out what they mean for companies marketing their products through these channels and how platforms are attempting compelling, low friction shopping experiences.
Pay Equity in the New Normal: Closing Gaps with a Distributed Workforce
Moderator: Sarah Krouse, Reporter, The Information
Speakers:
Maria Colacurcio, CEO, Syndio
Sharmadean Reid, Founder, The Stack World
It’s a term that some workers dread, and others can’t welcome quickly enough: “Back to the office.” As changes to workplace policy that once seemed only temporary become permanent, tech executives are grappling with a major challenge: How do they ensure pay equity when employees have wildly different costs of living—and working? It’s not a simple question. There’s geography to contend with, but also long-standing, and increasingly apparent, gaps across gender, racial, ethnic and other lines, too. Our panel will grapple with the complexities of compensation in a post-pandemic, distributed world.
Changing Careers in a Pandemic: Tips and Considerations for Making the Move
Moderator: Paris Martineau, Reporter, The Information
Speakers:
Christina Hall, Chief Human Resources Officer, Instacart
Danielle Brown, Chief People Officer, Gusto
Anna Binder, Head of People, Asana
In record numbers, working professionals are leaving jobs they don’t like, or perhaps rethinking their careers entirely. If that describes you—whether you’re actively looking to pivot or simply contemplating what’s next—you won’t want to miss this session. Our expert panel will focus specifically on what women need to keep in mind when considering switching industries or changing paths—from learning new skills and negotiation tactics to understanding how the recruiting landscape has shifted. You’ll walk away with fresh insights into how you can pursue what matters most to you.
