Adriana Gascoigne

In 2007, Adriana Gascoigne took a leadership role at a Silicon Valley startup.

On paper, it was a career milestone.

In reality, it was isolating.

She was the only woman at the executive table, surrounded by a culture that made it clear she didn’t belong.

When she reported harassment to HR, they moved her desk. Problem solved.

That moment changed everything.

Adriana didn’t just leave that job. She set out to make sure other women never had to feel as alone as she did.

She launched Girls in Tech, a small gathering in San Francisco that quickly became something bigger.

Today, it’s a global nonprofit with 57 chapters in 42 countries and a network of over 80,000 women… offering mentorship, education, and leadership training to help them thrive in tech.

But Adriana’s impact doesn’t stop there.

She’s helped scale companies like Indiegogo, hi5, Ogilvy & Mather, and Jam City.

She’s written Tech Boss Lady, a roadmap for breaking into male-dominated industries.

And she’s pushed for real change in an industry that still has a long way to go.

Her work has been recognized at the highest levels; she was named one of CNET’s 20 Most Influential Latinos in Tech and won the Pioneer Leadership Award at the Silicon Valley Latino Leadership Summit.

She started Girls in Tech because she knew what it felt like to be alone. Now, 80,000 women know they never have to be.