Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Chattanooga, TN in 2026
By Irene Holden
Last Updated: February 25th 2026
Too Long; Didn't Read
For women in tech in Chattanooga, the top resources in 2026 are ChaTech Women and corporate programs at major employers like BlueCross BlueShield, crucial in a city where only 23.9% of IT workers are women. ChaTech Women offers structured networking and events as the primary local hub, while corporate employee resource groups provide unmatched career opportunities with direct access to Chattanooga's growing AI and tech ecosystem.
When the global Women Who Code organization shut down in 2024, it was a stark reminder that top-down support structures can fail. In Chattanooga, however, the response wasn't paralysis. Instead, the city's tech community turned inward, beginning the quiet, deliberate work of weaving a new, more resilient network from its existing strands.
This local lattice, rebuilt from corporate initiatives, grassroots meetups, and educational pipelines, is crucial for a city where women comprise over 51% of the population yet only 23.9% of the local IT workforce. As ChaTech Executive Director Walton Robinson has emphasized, bridging this gap is an economic imperative to "fully realize our workforce potential."
"Women make up over 51% of the local population, yet only 23.9% of the local IT workforce are women... we must close this gap to fully realize our workforce potential." - Walton Robinson, Executive Director, ChaTech
For women pursuing AI and machine learning careers here, finding your community no longer means searching for a single, monolithic group. It means learning to see and connect to the durable, adaptable web of local resources already being strengthened around you, from ChaTech's STEM for Her initiative to the internal programs at major employers leveraging the city's unique advantages, like EPB's gigabit fiber and a growing startup ecosystem.
Table of Contents
- The Resilient Tech Lattice of Chattanooga
- ChaTech Women
- Corporate Leadership & ERGs
- Girls Who Code Clubs
- Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy
- AnitaB.org Virtual Membership
- Girls Inc. of Chattanooga
- Women in Technology of Tennessee
- Devanooga’s Inclusive Digital Community
- UTC & Chattanooga State Resources
- Digital Networks & The Enterprise Center
- Your Path Forward in Tech
- Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the action plan to start an AI career in Chattanooga in 2026 with this practical guide.
ChaTech Women
In the absence of national structures, ChaTech Women has solidified its role as the indispensable, primary hub for professional women in the city's tech sector. Operating under the Chattanooga Technology Council, it provides a structured nexus for networking, mentorship, and career advancement directly attuned to local employers like BlueCross BlueShield and Volkswagen.
The Hub for Professional Advancement
The value is direct access to the people and companies driving the local economy. The group hosts regular networking events at venues like The Edney Innovation Center and champions its flagship STEM for Her Summit, creating a critical pipeline to address the fact that only 23.9% of the local IT workforce are women. Success stories from members underscore its tangible impact on career trajectories here in Chattanooga.
"ChaTech was the key to unlocking doors that enabled my professional success." - Stacey Bradley, City of Red Bank, via ChaTech Women
Professionals can join through the ChaTech membership portal, while students and allies can engage via the annual summit or event calendar. This localized approach ensures support is not just abstract but embedded within the city's unique economic and technological fabric.
Corporate Leadership & ERGs
For women building tech careers, some of the most stable and impactful resources reside within Chattanooga’s largest employers. These corporate ecosystems offer structured development, clear career paths, and the institutional backing needed to thrive in roles from data science to advanced manufacturing.
Leaders in Local Opportunity
Major local companies have established robust internal programs and are consistently recognized for their efforts:
- BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST): Rated as "absolutely unmatched" for female career opportunities in the region according to employee reviews on InHerSight.
- Unum: Recognized for strong technical career pathing and female leadership within its ranks.
- Volkswagen Chattanooga: Runs specialized apprenticeship programs focusing on women in engineering and production technology.
- EPB: Complements its community-wide STEM outreach with dedicated internal professional development.
"Absolutely unmatched" for female career opportunities in the region. - Employee review of BlueCross BlueShield of TN on InHerSight
These corporations also actively build the future pipeline. For instance, the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy's Workplace Mentoring Program connects over 200 students with mentors from local businesses. Getting involved means securing a role and then actively participating in Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and mentorship programs, offering a supported career within organizations committed to bridging the local gender gap in tech.
Girls Who Code Clubs
Building a sustainable pipeline requires early and engaging exposure. Girls Who Code remains a foundational force in Chattanooga, operating active clubs in local schools and libraries to provide hands-on programming experience to young women.
"We must close this gap to fully realize our workforce potential." - Walton Robinson, Executive Director, ChaTech, on the local IT gender gap
The program's most significant evolution is the free, 6-week virtual Fall Pathways Program for high school students, focusing on cutting-edge fields like AI, Cybersecurity, and Web Development. This offers a critical, structured entry point into tech for students in the Chattanooga area, demystifying careers in fields that are growing rapidly alongside the city's gigabit infrastructure and startup ecosystem.
By building technical skills, confidence, and a peer network long before college, Girls Who Code plants the essential seeds for Chattanooga's future tech workforce, directly addressing the need to increase the 23.9% female representation in local IT.
Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy
The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) serves as a cornerstone for cultivating tech talent from within the city, offering a continuum of support from middle school onward. Its targeted programs combine rigorous academics with vital, real-world connections to the local business community.
Building the Pipeline Through Experience
CGLA’s initiatives are designed for maximum impact, weaving students directly into the city's professional fabric:
- Workplace Mentoring Program: Launched in 2025, this program connects over 200 CGLA students with mentors from local businesses for resume building, networking, and mock interviews.
- Day of The Girl: An annual event, in partnership with Girls Inc. and Girls Preparatory School, brings together nearly 800 young women for hands-on STEM exploration with local businesswomen.
- State-of-the-Art Facilities: The school bolstered its tech capabilities with a new Student Activity Building featuring a dedicated robotics practice arena in 2025.
"The program reached over 200 CGLA students with three on-campus mentors and 11 off-campus mentors." - CGLA News on the Workplace Mentoring Program
For young women in Chattanooga, CGLA offers an irreplaceable value: a supportive, single-gender educational environment actively partnered with the city’s tech and business leaders to fast-track both leadership and technical prowess.
AnitaB.org Virtual Membership
While Chattanooga lacks a physical chapter, AnitaB.org remains a vital global conduit for local technologists through its virtual membership and iconic Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC). This connection provides an essential link to the broader industry pulse and career opportunities beyond the region.
Accessing a World of Opportunity
The organization's Virtual Regional Events and Mentorship Network allow women in Chattanooga's tech scene to connect with peers and leaders worldwide, a significant asset in a mid-sized market. The primary tangible value, however, is facilitated access to GHC, the world's largest gathering of women in tech.
Major local employers like Unum and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee often sponsor employee attendance, and AnitaB.org offers additional need-based scholarships. Professionals should monitor the Grace Hopper Celebration scholarships page, as applications for each cycle typically open in early spring.
Getting involved means joining the digital membership for community and actively pursuing conference opportunities through one’s employer or direct applications. This strategic link ensures Chattanooga's women in tech can maintain a presence on the global stage while building their careers locally.
Girls Inc. of Chattanooga
Girls Inc. of Chattanooga tackles the gender gap in tech at its root, inspiring girls to be "strong, smart, and bold" through direct, age-appropriate programming. Their offerings create a continuous pipeline of interest from elementary school through high school, building both confidence and technical literacy in a supportive environment free from stereotype threat.
Structured Programs for Every Age
The organization runs targeted initiatives that grow with participants:
- Tiny Techs: Designed for girls in grades 1-3, this program introduces foundational technology and problem-solving concepts.
- Project Accelerate: For older participants, this initiative is structured to fast-track young women into leadership roles through college and career preparation.
This preventative, foundational work is crucial for changing the narrative about who belongs in tech long before career choices are solidified. By partnering with other local institutions like the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy for large-scale events like the annual "Day of The Girl," Girls Inc. amplifies its reach, connecting hundreds of young women to hands-on STEM exploration.
The value is clear: by building competence and confidence in parallel from an early age, Girls Inc. directly cultivates a more robust and diverse local talent pool, contributing to the long-term goal of closing Chattanooga's significant IT gender gap.
Women in Technology of Tennessee
Women in Technology of Tennessee (WiTT) provides Chattanooga professionals with a strategic bridge to a statewide network focused on career growth and leadership. While headquartered in Nashville, its resources are highly relevant for those seeking to expand their influence across Tennessee's growing tech corridor.
The Value of Statewide Scale
For women in Chattanooga, engaging with WiTT means accessing a broader set of job opportunities, insights into state-level tech trends, and connections with senior leaders at companies with a multi-city presence. This is particularly valuable in a state with no income tax, where talent mobility between hubs like Chattanooga, Nashville, and Knoxville is increasingly common.
The organization facilitates this through professional development events, networking mixers, and mentorship opportunities. Professionals can join and explore upcoming events directly through the WiTT website. The core value is amplification: it extends a local professional’s network beyond the Chattanooga metro, providing a wider platform for advancement and the cross-pollination of ideas across the state's major tech economies.
Devanooga’s Inclusive Digital Community
As the city's largest and most active broad-based developer community, Devanooga functions as the daily digital watercooler for Chattanooga's tech scene. Its inclusive ethos and primarily online presence via Slack create a welcoming, low-barrier resource for women and non-binary technologists seeking connection.
Real-Time Peer Support
The value of Devanooga lies in its immediacy and informal peer-to-peer support. Members use the platform to ask technical questions, get project feedback, hear about job openings at local startups and major employers, and find collaborators. It's where the city's real-time tech conversations happen, effectively weaving the daily strands of the professional lattice.
Getting involved is straightforward: one can join the Devanooga Slack workspace via the ChaTech groups page. For women new to the field or the city, it offers a friendly, pressure-free point of entry to build relationships, learn about the ecosystem supported by accelerators like CO.LAB, and find a peer group without the formality of scheduled networking events.
UTC & Chattanooga State Resources
Higher education institutions serve as critical anchors for developing homegrown tech talent. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and Chattanooga State Community College provide targeted programs, scholarships, and communities that directly support women pursuing tech degrees and transitioning into the local workforce.
Programs Bridging Education and Career
These campuses offer more than degrees; they provide financial support and early professional networking woven into the city's economic fabric:
- UTC’s Phillips Scholars Program: This initiative recognizes and supports students, including many women, in business and entrepreneurship tracks, helping to cultivate future leaders. More details are available on the UTC Phillips Scholars page.
- ChaTech Scholarships: Provided specifically for students in the Greater Chattanooga area pursuing IT and computer science degrees, these awards help lower financial barriers to entry.
- Applied Learning: Programs like UTC's VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) demonstrate how technical training combined with community service helps professional concepts "make it click" for students.
Furthermore, campuses host chapters of national organizations and serve as key venues for connective events like the Women's Summit. Students can access these resources through academic advisors and campus life portals, gaining not just credentials but also direct pathways into Chattanooga's growing tech job market.
Digital Networks & The Enterprise Center
The modern tech professional's network is a hybrid entity, blending digital reach with physical community hubs. In Chattanooga, this blended approach is exemplified by platforms like Upnotch, which facilitates "next-gen AI-connected" mentoring beyond geographic limits, and the central role of The Enterprise Center as a key physical nexus for collaboration and events.
A Central Hub for Connection
The Enterprise Center often partners with organizations like ChaTech, providing a home for tech meetups and career exploration events that connect local talent with major employers. A prime example is the Women's Summit, a significant local event designed to set the professional stage for the coming year.
According to a public announcement from The Enterprise Center, the Women's Summit is scheduled for October 4, 2025, at Chattanooga State, with past themes focusing on empowerment like "The Best You." Professionals can stay informed about such gatherings by following the center's official channels.
The value of this dual approach is its inherent adaptability; it meets professionals where they are, offering both the serendipity of in-person connection at a central hub and the targeted, asynchronous mentorship possible through global digital networks, strengthening Chattanooga's overall tech lattice.
Your Path Forward in Tech
Your path forward in Chattanooga's tech landscape is about actively weaving your own strand into the resilient local lattice. This means moving from observing the network to engaging with it - attending a ChaTech Women mixer, joining the Devanooga Slack, or applying for a mentorship program at a major employer like BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.
To build the in-demand skills that make these connections fruitful, consider targeted education. For those pursuing AI and machine learning careers, bootcamps like Nucamp's Solo AI Tech Entrepreneur program offer an affordable, 25-week pathway to building AI-powered products, with tuition under $4,000 and flexible payment plans. This practical, project-based learning aligns perfectly with the needs of Chattanooga’s growing startup ecosystem and corporate innovation teams.
Building your career here leverages unique advantages: no state income tax, the foundational gigabit fiber network from EPB, and direct access to employers driving the local economy. By combining skill-building with active community participation, you position yourself at the intersection of opportunity and support, ready to contribute to and thrive within Chattanooga’s evolving tech story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which women in tech group in Chattanooga is considered the most essential for professionals?
ChaTech Women is the primary hub, offering structured networking and mentorship tied to local employers like BlueCross BlueShield. It hosts events like the STEM for Her Summit and has helped members unlock career doors, making it indispensable in a city where women are over 51% of the population but only 23.9% of the IT workforce.
How can young girls in Chattanooga get started in tech?
Girls Who Code provides free virtual courses in AI and cybersecurity through its Fall Pathways Program. For local support, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA) offers hands-on STEM programs and mentorship from businesswomen, helping build skills early in a city with growing tech opportunities.
What resources are available for women in AI and machine learning in Chattanooga?
Leverage EPB's gigabit fiber network, which fuels the AI startup scene, and join AnitaB.org for virtual access to global events like the Grace Hopper Celebration. Local employers such as Unum and BlueCross often sponsor attendance, connecting women to broader industry trends in a tax-advantaged state.
Are there corporate programs in Chattanooga that support women in tech careers?
Yes, major employers like BlueCross BlueShield and Unum offer strong ERGs and mentorship programs, with BlueCross rated highly for female opportunities. Volkswagen Chattanooga runs specialized apprenticeships for women in engineering, providing stable career paths in advanced manufacturing.
How does Chattanooga's tech ecosystem help women advance their careers locally?
Chattanooga offers no state income tax and a resilient network through groups like ChaTech and accelerators like CO.LAB. With local giants like Erlanger Health System and a focus on bridging gender gaps, women can access diverse roles in a city actively expanding its tech workforce.
For a detailed analysis of whether Chattanooga is a good city for a tech career in 2026, check out this guide.
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Check out the Chattanooga tech salary vs cost of living analysis 2026 for key insights.
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Irene Holden
Operations Manager
Former Microsoft Education and Learning Futures Group team member, Irene now oversees instructors at Nucamp while writing about everything tech - from careers to coding bootcamps.