Ellen Pao: Resetting Silicon Valley




Commonwealth Club of California Podcast show

Summary: In 2012, Ellen Pao sent shock waves throughout Silicon Valley when she sued her employer, powerhouse venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, for workplace discrimination against women and other minority groups. While she lost her case in 2015, her fight for change was just beginning. From her work as a founder of Project Include to fighting negative culture as interim CEO of Reddit, Pao dedicates time and energy to making sure others don’t have the same experiences she did, and she recently published her first book, Reset: My Fight for Inclusion and Lasting Change. Pao’s bravery in calling out systemic harassment and other abusive practices within the tech community has inspired others. In the wake of the most recent stories around discrimination and harassment, many mention Pao by name in their accounts. Today, women, people of color and allies in the workplace and beyond are standing up for themselves and their colleagues. They’re pushing back against toxic workplace cultures in Silicon Valley and beyond, galvanizing widespread coverage and advocating for increased accountability of individuals and companies. They’re resetting Silicon Valley. Join Pao and Laura Weidman Powers, co-founder and CEO of Code2040, for an empowering discussion about overcoming the struggle to be heard and raising your voice to create lasting change.