Back in July, we blogged about how women are growing their footprint in technology, and that Dreamforce would have even more female-forward content than ever before. With only a few weeks to go, we’re delighted to be able to share all our exciting plans for the event.

As always, our mantra is to harness the power of women in technology to highlight how Dreamforce brings customers, partners and employees together to network, share, and inspire innovation. Here’s a summary of events that all women and men should check out:

1. Salesforce Women’s Network & Girly Geeks Panel and Networking Event

Kick off Dreamforce in style with 500 other attendees for an evening of inspiring discussion, learning & networking. Hosted by Neeracha Taychakhoonavudh, SVP Partner Programs at Salesforce, our theme this year will focus on how to cultivate one's personal brand and leadership style. The panel will feature some amazing women leaders including: Brooks McCorcle, ATT, President, Emerging Business Markets; Wendy Lea, Executive Chairman, Get Satisfaction; and Carolina Ruiz Medina, Principal Developer in Product Innovation at FinancialForce.com.   

The panel discussion will be followed by hosted networking, drinks and appetizers! This session is open to all Dreamforce attendees and takes place from 6-8pm at the Hilton Hotel.  

2. Luminary Keynote Speakers

We’re excited to be hosting a fascinating mix of luminary female speakers. Highlights include:

Hillary Rodham Clinton: After nearly four decades of public service as an advocate for children and families, First Lady, Senator, and U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton now helps lead the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation. This keynote promises to be powerful and thought-provoking. Not to be missed!

Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen is an American philanthropist, philanthropy educator, entrepreneur and author. Her insights into philanthropy and business will be invaluable.

Arianna Huffington is the chair, president, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group; a nationally syndicated columnist; and author of 14 books. She’ll take part in Thursday’s ‘Re-Imagine Everything’ session together with Al Gore, Eckhart Tolle & Neil Young. Wow — what a lineup!

In addition, we've invited six amazing Developer Luminaries to speak in the Developer Zone. They are each addressing various aspects of Diversity in Tech, how that impacts a business's bottom line, and how you can get involved. See the details and register here.

3. Women in Technology Salon

After last year’s first and incredibly successful Women in Technology Salon in the DevZone, we decided to expand and improve our offerings! We surveyed attendees to get their feedback and better understand the women who are a part of the Salesforce developer community to create a killer new experience. The one complaint we heard was that we didn’t have the Salon open long enough. So this year, we’ve decided to plan activities around Diversity in Tech all week. We’ll also have a Community Lounge to serve as a meeting place for different community groups, as well as Community Theater sessions.

Add these community meetups to your schedule:

Salesforce Women in Tech: Meetup

African Interest & Networking Meetup

LatinoForce Meetup

GirlForce Meetup

4. More Women Speakers in the DevZone

Expect to see more women on stage this year than ever before. Year after year, the number of female speakers at Dreamforce has increased. But the DevZone has seen a low number of session submissions from women, and our developer relations team wanted to change that. In an effort to increase the diversity of our developer track speakers, salesforce.com’s Mary Scotton encouraged women and underrepresented minorities to submit session ideas. We've seen a significant increase in submission from women this year.

In an effort to grow even more speakers for next year’s Dreamforce, we are offering a Tech Talks series on Monday, Oct. 13, in the DevZone Community Lounge (Topic Generation, Talk Development, Stage Presence), and opportunities to get up and present a 5-minute lightning talk in one of three Tech Talks: Lottery Talks sessions throughout the week.

5. Girly Geeks

One of our greatest Dreamforce success stories is the origin of Girly Geeks. The Girly Geeks were founded in 2010 by of Geraldine Gray, Principal at Endiem and Salesforce MVP, who recognized that women attending Dreamforce needed a way to connect with other female attendees. The first year started with just 20 or so people and a few glasses of wine, but it provided a real and virtual venue for ladies to connect before, during and after the conference. There are now more than 30 chapters of Girly Geeks around the world! The group has become a place to find career advice, job opportunities, support, and friendship throughout the year. Join the Success Group to get in on the fun, or attend the Girly Geeks: Chapter Update and Information Session.

6. Female-Forward Sessions at Dreamforce

For the first time this year, we have a Women in Technology theme for breakout sessions.  Simply search by Women in Technology in Agenda Builder & find 35+ amazing sessions with a focus on women.  

Highlights include:

The 40-Year Old Intern: How a Woman Went from Out-of-Commission to Fortune 500, led by Geraldine Grey, Endiem 

Kicking a Hole in the Glass Ceiling, led by Cheryl Feldman, Standard & Poor's, Business Systems Analyst

Women in Sales: The #1 Competitive Edge in Today's Sales World, Jill Konrath & Panel

And in addition to all this awesome content, we’re also working with our employee groups to celebrate diversity in technology at Dreamforce. Salesforce employee groups are hosting thes following sessions:

Global Mobile: How Salesforce is Bridging the Gap in Emerging Markets Hosted by salesforce groups, LatinoForce & BoldForce, this session includes a panel discussion, breakfast, networking, and a live stream of Hillary Clinton's keynote.

Women in Tech: Innovation, Change Management & Adoption, co-sponsored by Salesforce Women’s Network and BoldForce, this powerhouse panel discusses real-world implementation and leadership challenges.

Women in Tech: Making Waves and Inspiring Careers in Salesforce, sponsored by Salesforce Women’s Network, this panel will share inspiring stories and career tips.

Accelerating Your Technology Career, co-sponsored by Women in Technology and BoldForce, this session addresses the unique challenges women and minorities face during their careers, and how to pave the way for the next generation. 

Salesforce Employee Resource Groups Showcase (1) and (2), hosted by the salesforce.com Employee Resource Groups, join us to network and share best practices.

See you soon & have a wonderful Dreamforce!