Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Baltimore, MD in 2026

AnitaB.org stands as a foundational global institution with deeply relevant local roots, offering a year-round, virtual-first model of support through its 365 programming. This structure is ideal for Baltimore-based technologists who need flexibility to engage around demanding schedules at places like Johns Hopkins or Fort Meade.

The organization reports a powerful statistic for career advancement: 89% of participants in its mentorship programs are promoted within two years. This is a critical metric for anyone aiming to advance in Baltimore's competitive sectors like cybersecurity and life sciences.

Access and Local Connections

Engagement starts virtually through the AnitaB.org membership portal, providing access to mentorship matching, skills-building webinars, and a specialized job board synced with LinkedIn. For in-person connection, the organization actively plans "Community Connect" events for the East Coast, aiming to foster networking in the Baltimore-Washington corridor.

This blend gives local professionals the reach of a global network with the promise of local connections. Furthermore, the AnitaB.org and Grace Hopper Celebration scholarships are a vital resource for attending career-defining events, helping Baltimore women gain visibility on a national stage.

While the Women in Tech Global Conference is a massive hybrid event, its associated Baltimore network acts as a continuous local node within an international community of over 150,000 members. This resource is particularly valuable for professionals looking to connect with the broader Mid-Atlantic tech economy, including opportunities in D.C. and Northern Virginia, without sacrificing local peer support.

You can join the Women in Tech Baltimore network on LinkedIn to stay updated on local meetups, virtual talks, and delegation plans. Participants describe the conference experience as "virtual-first" but include valuable speed-meeting sessions with top employers.

Demystifying Regional Pathways

For Baltimore professionals, this network demystifies the path to larger regional employers and provides a platform to showcase Charm City’s growing role in tech. It facilitates connections that can lead to roles at established finance tech firms like T. Rowe Price or with AI startups in the corridor, blending local identity with expansive opportunity.

Baltimore Womxn in Tech (BWiT) is the city's homegrown, grassroots community, directly tackling the local challenge of moving from technical roles into leadership within Baltimore's unique mix of legacy institutions and new ventures. Co-organizer Shervonne Cherry, a Director at Spark Baltimore, frames the mission practically, advocating for members to "take matters into their own hands" through career-driving discussions.

The primary hub is the Baltimore Womxn in Tech Facebook group, which announces regular in-person and virtual events. The value lies in its hyper-local focus, addressing career growth within the context of Baltimore’s specific job market, cost of living, and employer landscape.

Trusted Space for Local Challenges

As covered in Technical.ly's analysis, BWiT creates a trusted space for discussing everything from salary negotiation at local biotech firms to entrepreneurship in the city’s "Equitech" ecosystem. This makes it an indispensable landmark for female-identifying technologists seeking peer advice grounded in the realities of building a career in Charm City.

The Women of Color STEM Conference is a landmark event that will hold its 30th-anniversary celebration in Baltimore, setting the stage for continued local impact. This conference is a critical, specialized resource for women of color seeking to build careers with major Baltimore-area employers like the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins, and federal contractors around Fort Meade.

Professionals and students can engage by attending the conference, with details available through the Career Communications Group conference page. The 2025 dates in Baltimore provide direct access to recruiters and leaders who understand the specific intersections of race and gender in technical fields.

Building a Specialized Network

The value is unmatched for building a powerful network across academia, government, and industry - key sectors of the Baltimore economy. For women of color in tech, this event is more than a conference; it's a cornerstone for establishing presence and pathways within the region's most influential institutions, from university research labs to federal cybersecurity hubs.

For the next generation, Girls Who Code remains one of the most impactful pipelines into tech. Their 2026 Pathways Program is a free, virtual summer immersion running from June 29 to August 14, 2026, covering cutting-edge fields like AI, cybersecurity, and game design - all areas with strong demand in the Baltimore region.

High school girls and non-binary students in the Baltimore area can apply; priority consideration begins February 25, 2026, with a final deadline of April 10, 2026. Program details are promoted on platforms like Instagram and through resources like Science Near Me.

Early Exposure and Local Talent Development

The value is early, hands-on exposure to tech concepts, coupled with a sisterhood that can support students through local university programs at Johns Hopkins or UMBC and into internships at local companies. With a goal to reach 5 million individuals by 2030, this program is actively building the future local talent pool that will fuel Baltimore's growing tech ecosystem.

While not traditional "women's groups," physical and advocacy hubs like Spark Coworking and Upsurge Baltimore are essential infrastructure for women tech entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. Upsurge’s mission to make Baltimore the world’s first "Equitech" city explicitly prioritizes inclusive growth, creating a supportive environment for founding and scaling companies.

Getting involved means utilizing Spark as a coworking space and attending Upsurge’s events and summits. The value, as highlighted in Upsurge Baltimore's feature on women who have shaped the local tech scene, is access to a network that celebrates "glass breakers" and provides tangible support for startup formation and growth.

Connection to Equitable Entrepreneurship

For women building a tech company, this connection to Baltimore’s collective push for equitable entrepreneurship is invaluable. It leverages the city's lower cost of living compared to D.C. and its proximity to talent from institutions like Johns Hopkins. As covered by local business journalism, these hubs turn the city's unique challenges into a foundation for building resilient, community-rooted ventures.

The Baltimore Business Journal’s annual Mentoring Monday event is a high-impact, speed-mentoring session that connects women across all career stages with top local executives. This event directly addresses the need for accessible, high-level mentorship within the city’s business community in a uniquely efficient format.

Professionals register for the event through the Baltimore Business Journal's event page. The condensed, practical format allows participants to expand their professional network and gain tailored advice from multiple leaders in a single morning.

Direct Access to Local Leadership

The 2026 mentor lineup features influential figures like Marie Hartman of Hartman Executive Advisors and Dr. Liz Clayborne, offering "practical advice tailored to career goals." This provides direct access to decision-makers in Baltimore’s corporate, tech, and venture capital circles, creating relationships that can open doors at major local employers from T. Rowe Price to burgeoning cybersecurity firms.

For women navigating Baltimore's specific tech landscape, Mentoring Monday serves as a powerful annual checkpoint - a dedicated opportunity to calibrate your career compass with those who have successfully charted the local terrain.

Student-led chapters at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) are critical feeders into the local professional community. These groups provide foundational peer support and academic resources while organizing opportunities like travel to major conferences, directly connecting campus life to the broader tech industry.

Undergraduate and graduate students can join their campus chapters, such as the UMBC Center for Women in Technology (COEIT). The value is immediate: a built-in network for navigating STEM programs and early exposure to the local employers that recruit heavily from these pipelines.

A Bridge to Baltimore's Tech Employers

For professional women in Baltimore, engaging with these chapters as speakers or mentors is a powerful way to give back and identify emerging talent. These student groups often act as a bridge, sending delegations to events like the Grace Hopper Celebration - as seen when UMD women in tech gathered at the 2024 event - and funneling skilled graduates towards major local institutions like the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and T. Rowe Price.

These recurring event series focus on the foundational elements of professional development and networking. The Ladies in Tech Networking Summit emphasizes building community, while WorkingWomen: SheConnect, launched in March 2026, is a dynamic virtual experience designed for those "feeling lost in their career journey."

You can follow organizers on social media, such as Instagram for the Ladies in Tech Summit, or register for SheConnect via Eventbrite. Founder Shareka Robinson of She. Loves. STEM. emphasizes that sharing your unique story "could be the spark" for someone else.

Focused Formats for Actionable Results

The value is in their focused, practical format. These events are designed for actionable takeaways and genuine relationship building, not just passive listening. They provide efficient platforms to showcase talents, discuss local career hurdles, and build lasting connections within Baltimore's tech scene, from startup founders at Spark to corporate innovators in the Washington corridor.

Specialized leadership experiences like EmpowerHER 2026, which focuses on women in tech and insurance, address the need for deep, industry-specific community within sectors that are particularly strong in Maryland. These niche summits facilitate connections with peers who face similar challenges in fields like InsurTech and bioinformatics.

Professionals can seek out these events through industry associations and local council calendars, like the Maryland Tech Council event list. As detailed in a press release, the goal is to equip women with the tools needed to lead at the highest levels within these specialized domains.

"This is about blazing bright trails and equipping women with the confidence, connections, and insight needed to lead at the highest levels." - Bobbie Shrivastav, EmpowerHER Co-Chair

Creating Powerful Micro-Communities

The value of these targeted gatherings is the creation of a powerful micro-community within Baltimore's broader tech landscape. They provide a focused environment for discussing leadership pathways, innovation, and collaboration specific to the region's economic pillars, from the finance-tech nexus to the thriving biotech hub anchored by Johns Hopkins.

With this map of Baltimore's women-in-tech landmarks in hand, your "You Are Here" moment becomes clear. The journey from being oriented to moving forward requires both community and capability. While groups like BWiT and AnitaB.org provide the network and mentorship, building the technical skills to advance often requires dedicated, accessible education.

This is where affordable, flexible bootcamps become a strategic tool. Programs like Nucamp's Back End, SQL and DevOps with Python (16 weeks, $2,124) or the AI Essentials for Work course provide practical skills in high-demand areas like AI and cloud deployment. With programs from $2,124 to $3,980 and flexible payment plans, they offer a financially accessible on-ramp compared to more expensive options, a crucial advantage in a city where managing cost of living is part of the career calculus.

Combining Skills with Local Opportunity

The real power is in combination: use the communities listed here to build your network and understand the local landscape, from Johns Hopkins APL to T. Rowe Price. Simultaneously, build in-demand skills that make you a compelling candidate for those very employers. Baltimore’s unique position - with its major institutions, growing startup ecosystem, and lower costs than D.C. - creates a fertile ground for those who proactively plot their route.

Your path in Charm City isn't just about finding a job; it's about building a career within a supportive, growing ecosystem. Start by engaging with one community landmark, invest in a skill that aligns with our local market's needs, and begin navigating your way to belonging and impact.