PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 31, 2017 — Women in Localization (W.L.), the leading professional organization for women in the localization industry, has announced its new Board for 2017. The organization also announced the establishment of Executive Directors and committees, as well as a professional Network Advisory Board to support the Board’s mission, including the strategic evaluation of becoming a non-profit organization.
“Our new leadership structure is structured on the basis of a non-profit organization, which will help us continue to successfully build our organization and promote our go-forward strategy,” says W.L. Chair Allison McDougall. “We currently have 10 global Chapters, with a wait list of 8 more that want to launch. To support this expansion, we are aggressively recruiting volunteers at local and global levels.”
The incoming W.L. Board represents a balance of women from both the customer and vendor side of the localization industry, including consultants. The Advisory Board will be comprised of women – and for the first time, men – who are experts in their respective fields. Women in Localization has augmented its leadership team with the appointment of Dr. Duaine Pryor of Mentor Graphics to the Advisory Council. The W.L. Board will tap this council as needed, to accomplish specific initiatives.
2017 W.L. Board Members:
Allison McDougall, Chair
Loy Searle, Vice Chair
Silvia Avary-Silveira, Treasurer
Eva Klaudinyova, Secretary
Lynda Roslund, Transitions – Partnerships
Anna Schlegel, Global Expansion
Liesl Leary, Marketing
2017 Advisory Council Members:
Mimi Hills
Duaine Pryor
Additionally, W.L. is actively seeking volunteers to lead and staff new Executive Committees. Each committee will be led by an Executive Director, to allow for leadership development and help with succession planning.
“In just a few short years, W.L. has grown its membership by more than 300 percent to include more than 2,200 people,” adds McDougall. “Our outgoing volunteer Board members, chapter leaders and individuals who have contributed their time from around the globe are the foundation of our success. We are indebted to them for their service and grateful for the incoming members who have agreed to join us for this next phase of our growth.”
W.L. regularly hosts educational and networking events at local chapter cities, with an average turnout of 50-150 women and men at every gathering. For more information on how to get involved and attend upcoming events, please visit https://womeninlocalization.com. You can follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WomenInLocalization, on Twitter at @womeninl10n or join their LinkedIn group at W.L. – Women in Localization.
About Women in Localization
Women in Localization (W.L.) was founded in 2008 by Silvia Avary-Silveira, Eva Klaudinyova and Anna Schlegel, and is the leading professional organization for women in the localization industry with thousands of members globally. Its mission is to foster a global community for the advancement of women and the localization industry. It aims to provide an open, collaborative forum where women can share expertise and experience and help each other move forward in their careers. Started in the San Francisco Bay Area, WL has expanded its membership to include women across the globe, encouraging members to meet in other local geographies. To learn more, visit www.womeninlocalization.com or http://www.linkedin.com/groups/WL-Women-in-Localization-911827/about.
Media Contact:
Liesl Leary
Women in Localization
Phone: (415) 203-7179
Email: [email protected]