Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Sacramento, CA in 2026
By Irene Holden
Last Updated: March 23rd 2026

Too Long; Didn't Read
AnitaB.org Sacramento Community and Womxn in Technology at UC Davis are the top women in tech groups in Sacramento for 2026, standing out for their data-driven mentorship and university-industry connections. AnitaB.org's mentorship circle sees 85% of participants rate it excellent, while UC Davis groups leverage events like the UC Tech Conference to link students with regional employers like state government and health tech firms. These resources thrive on Sacramento's unique ecosystem, offering career growth without the Bay Area cost, making them essential for navigating the local tech landscape.
The most resilient garden isn't a collection of individual prize-winning plants, but a woven ecosystem where each new runner finds a trellis. In Sacramento, the closure of the national Women Who Code chapter in April 2024 tested the local tech ecosystem, but the response has been a purposeful shift toward a more adaptable, interconnected network of hyper-local support.
This evolution taps directly into the region's fertile ground: powerhouse employers like the State of California, UC Davis Health, and Intel's Folsom campus; talent from UC Davis and Sacramento State; and a cost of living that allows careers to thrive. Groups like the long-standing AAUW Sacramento (CA) Branch, which runs STEM and leadership programs, and WITI Sacramento provide foundational networking and resources, creating multiple points of entry.
The true strength for women pursuing AI and machine learning careers here lies in this resilient design. Success is no longer about finding a single, perfect group but about integrating into a living system of university initiatives, employer resource groups, niche mentorship circles, and career platforms. This locally rooted, mutually supportive network provides the trellis for every woman’s career to climb, leveraging Sacramento's unique blend of public sector, healthcare innovation, and emerging tech.
Table of Contents
- Sacramento's Women in Tech Ecosystem in 2026
- AnitaB.org Sacramento Community
- Womxn in Technology at UC Davis
- Girls Who Code Sacramento
- Women in Tech Leadership Forum (CITE)
- Women Techmakers Sacramento
- Employer ERGs: Sutter Health & Intel Folsom
- California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
- Women in Tech Networking Events
- Grace Hopper Celebration Access Points
- Career-Focused Platforms: WomenHack & HackerX
- Building a Resilient Tech Network
- Frequently Asked Questions
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AnitaB.org Sacramento Community
When a major trellis is removed, the integrity of the entire garden depends on the strength of the remaining supports. In Sacramento's tech ecosystem, AnitaB.org stands as a cornerstone, providing structured, data-backed mentorship that directly combats the isolation often felt in technical roles. Its strength lies in outcome-focused programs that create a virtuous cycle of growth for both mentors and mentees.
The local chapter's Mentorship Circle reports significant, measurable impact, fostering career advancement for women at major regional employers from state government IT to health tech innovation at Sutter Health and Intel.
- 85% of participants rated their experience as good or excellent.
- 75% of mentees reported increased career confidence.
- 79% of mentors noted improved leadership skills themselves.
The value is unparalleled for women seeking to transition into leadership roles. Members gain a direct line to seasoned professionals who understand Sacramento's unique landscape. For 2025, the group is actively planning local "Community Connect" events to foster student-led and tech-focused programming, ensuring the support system continues to grow and adapt.
Womxn in Technology at UC Davis
New growth in any ecosystem often starts closest to the roots. For Sacramento's tech scene, Womxn in Technology at UC Davis serves as this vital, student-focused support system, bridging the gap between academic study and professional industry. As a cornerstone of the university ecosystem, it provides critical early-career networking and skill-building that feeds directly into the region's talent pipeline.
The group hosts regular Town Halls and social summits, creating a community for women in STEM fields. Its influence extends beyond campus through its featured role at the annual UC Tech Conference, a major gathering for professionals across the University of California system. This connection offers members direct exposure to innovative projects and hiring managers from one of the region's largest employers.
Students and staff connect through the UC Davis Inclusive Excellence portal. The value is clear: it builds essential networks before graduation, positioning members for careers at UC Davis Health, research institutes, and the growing number of AI and biotech companies that draw from this world-class talent pool. For the Sacramento region, WIT cultivates the very roots of its future tech workforce.
Girls Who Code Sacramento
A healthy ecosystem invests in its seedlings. Girls Who Code embodies this principle in Sacramento, maintaining a robust presence through clubs in local schools and libraries that nurture interest from 3rd through 12th grades. This direct pipeline work addresses the gender gap at its root, strategically preparing the next generation for technical careers at regional employers like Intel and Kaiser Permanente.
For the 2025-2026 period, the national organization is emphasizing its free, virtual Pathways program for high schoolers. This initiative offers specialized tracks in AI, Cybersecurity, and Data Science, providing direct skills-building that aligns with Sacramento's growing tech sectors. According to their program materials, this focus helps students build practical projects and explore tech careers from anywhere.
Parents and students can find local clubs or apply for the Pathways program online. For established professional women in tech, volunteering as a club facilitator or speaker presents a powerful opportunity to give back. By guiding these young learners, volunteers help cultivate the future local workforce, ensuring the Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade metro area continues to grow its own diverse, homegrown talent.
Women in Tech Leadership Forum (CITE)
In a diverse garden, some vines need a specialized trellis. For women navigating the unique terrain of Sacramento's vast public education tech sector, the California IT in Education (CITE) Women in Tech Leadership Forum provides that specific support. It addresses critical issues of retention and advancement within a major employment sphere - public education and state-adjacent technology.
The forum creates an indispensable space for nuanced discussions on leadership and influencing positive tech environments. It regularly features insights from industry leaders who provide practical strategies for growth within this niche. As highlighted in forum materials, leaders like Lisa Lee of DoorDash and Theresa Vu of Praxis Lab have led conversations here on creating impactful change.
"[We focus on] influencing a positive tech environment for women and non-binary individuals" - Lisa Lee & Theresa Vu, Women in Tech Leadership Forum speakers.
Attendance is typically accessed through CITE membership or event registration. The value is highly specific and powerful: it connects women managing tech for school districts, county offices, and government agencies, offering direct strategies for leadership within Sacramento’s extensive public sector tech infrastructure. This forum ensures that women in these essential roles have a dedicated support system to help them grow and thrive.
Women Techmakers Sacramento
After a major structure is removed, the garden's resilience depends on adaptable, generalist supports that can nourish many types of growth. Women Techmakers Sacramento, backed by Google, fulfills this role by providing essential resources, visibility, and a broad-based community for women technologists across all specializations. In the post-Women Who Code landscape, it fills a vital niche for industry-agnostic professional development.
The group focuses on three core areas that strengthen the local network: hosting skill-building workshops on in-demand technologies, facilitating networking events that cross corporate boundaries, and deliberately highlighting the achievements of local women in tech to increase visibility and inspiration.
Joining is straightforward through the WTM Sacramento community website to receive event notifications. The value lies in access to high-quality, Google-curated technical content and a diverse local network spanning startups, major corporations like Intel, and government agencies. This makes it an ideal resource for women exploring or advancing in varied tech roles across the Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade metro, from software engineering at a health system to data science at a state agency.
Employer ERGs: Sutter Health & Intel Folsom
Some of the most impactful cultivation happens within established walls. In Sacramento, major tech employers host powerful internal Employee Resource Groups that function as dedicated trellises for career growth. These ERGs provide structured advocacy, mentorship, and direct lines to leadership, offering immense value for women embedded within these organizations.
Sutter Health, recognized as one of America's greatest workplaces for diversity by Newsweek, runs a systemwide Women's ERG. This group actively supports women in digital health and data roles as the organization expands initiatives like Sutter Sync, providing a crucial internal network for innovation and advancement.
Similarly, Intel's Folsom campus has long been a stalwart supporter through programs like the Intel Women in Technology Scholarship, which often includes cash awards and valuable internship opportunities. These initiatives not only provide financial support but also integrate recipients into the company's professional ecosystem.
Access to these groups comes through employment, making their presence a key indicator of a supportive culture for women seeking jobs at these stable, high-impact employers. For women at Sutter, Intel, or Kaiser Permanente - which is focusing on leadership and innovation opportunities for technical staff - an active ERG represents a built-in community for navigating career paths in health tech, semiconductor engineering, and large-scale IT operations.
California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls
While many supports nurture growth locally, some are uniquely positioned by the landscape itself. The California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls leverages its Sacramento headquarters to host the annual Youth in Technology Convention, a free event specifically for college-aged women. This initiative represents a direct, state-level investment in the region's emerging tech talent, preparing them for careers in the capital's vast public sector.
The convention is designed to provide practical experience and connections, typically featuring key components that accelerate professional entry:
- Networking sessions with tech leaders from state agencies and private contractors.
- A live tech pitch competition where participants receive real-time mentorship.
- Judges' awards that provide recognition and potential support for project development.
Students can register for the event through the CCSWG website. The value is singular: it offers a formal bridge to public service tech careers, a massive and often overlooked sector in the Sacramento region. For women interested in the intersection of technology, policy, and public good, this convention is an essential stepping stone, connecting academic learning with the impactful work of state government and its partners.
Women in Tech Networking Events
Beyond formal trellises, a healthy ecosystem needs rich soil where connections can take root organically. For the startup and entrepreneurial side of Sacramento's tech scene, Women in Tech Networking events fill this essential role. Often hosted by groups like StartupSac at casual venues, these mixers prioritize "empowerment through connection" in a relaxed, social setting that fosters authentic relationship-building.
These gatherings directly address a critical need for informal networking outside the structured silos of corporate offices or academic institutions. As noted by community insights, they create space for shared experiences and mutual growth, allowing women to build valuable professional relationships in a supportive environment. The focus is on conversation and collaboration rather than formal presentations, making them accessible to everyone from aspiring founders to seasoned engineers.
Professionals can find upcoming events on the StartupSac community calendar. The practical value is significant: in Sacramento's growing but tight-knit startup ecosystem, where relationships often lead to collaborations, job referrals, and vital support, these events are where the community's social fabric is woven. Attending is an investment in the informal network that sustains innovation across the region, from downtown tech hubs to incubators in Roseville and Folsom.
Grace Hopper Celebration Access Points
Even the most localized garden benefits from nutrients drawn from a wider world. The Grace Hopper Celebration remains a career-defining national catalyst, and for Sacramento women, the strategic approach involves accessing it through local conduits. Rather than a distant event, it becomes a resource leveraged through the region's major employers who recognize its value for talent development and retention.
The primary access point is through employer sponsorships. Major regional institutions like the State of California, UC Davis, and Intel's Folsom campus have historically sponsored employee attendance, covering costs for this premier gathering. The conference, like the GHC 2025 themed "Unbound," focuses on career growth and expansive economic opportunity, offering unparalleled networking and recruitment channels.
The practical path to participation is to inquire about sponsorship or scholarship opportunities through an employer's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion or Human Resources department. The immense value lies in bringing national-scale inspiration, connections, and cutting-edge knowledge back to Sacramento. Women who attend return not only with accelerated personal career trajectories but also with fresh ideas and energy that elevate the entire local tech community, strengthening the interconnected network that supports everyone's growth.
Career-Focused Platforms: WomenHack & HackerX
For a vine seeking a new trellis, knowing which structures are sound is everything. For women actively job-seeking in Sacramento's tech market, platforms like WomenHack and HackerX provide this critical vetting by connecting candidates with companies that have demonstrated diversity commitments. These career-focused resources prioritize efficiency and safety in the job search process.
These platforms host specialized events where women technologists can engage directly with hiring companies. The key advantage is the pre-screening; as noted in industry guides, these events help candidates identify organizations with visible "women in engineering leadership" and active Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). This vetting process saves considerable time and helps target applications toward workplaces with supportive cultures.
Professionals create a profile on platforms like WomenHack to receive invitations to local virtual or in-person career events. The value for Sacramento job-seekers is significant: it allows them to "talk directly to the people making hiring decisions" at companies already invested in diversity, from major healthcare systems like Kaiser Permanente to tech employers on the Intel Folsom campus. In a competitive market, this targeted approach is a powerful strategy for finding a role where one can truly grow.
Building a Resilient Tech Network
Finding your place in a thriving ecosystem isn't about selecting the single "best" trellis, but about understanding how to integrate into the living, interconnected system. In Sacramento, success for women in tech lies in this integration - knowing which local resources to lean on for support and where you can contribute your own growth to strengthen the whole network.
The path weaves from the student in a UC Davis WIT workshop to the professional at a Sutter Health ERG meeting, connected by mentorship from AnitaB.org, informal ties at a StartupSac mixer, and career pathways through platforms like WomenHack. This system is deeply rooted in the region's unique advantages: the stability of state government and major healthcare employers, the innovation flowing from UC Davis, and a cost of living that allows careers to flourish without the strain of the Bay Area.
The closure of a national chapter proved the fragility of a single structure. In response, Sacramento cultivated something more resilient - a garden where university groups, employer networks, state initiatives, and professional communities are deliberately woven together. For every woman building a career here, from AI research at UC Davis Health to software engineering at Intel Folsom, the opportunity is to both draw support from and help cultivate this deeply rooted, mutually supportive network.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best women in tech groups in Sacramento for 2026?
The top groups for 2026 include AnitaB.org Sacramento, offering mentorship with 85% participant satisfaction, and Womxn in Technology at UC Davis for student-focused support. Others like Girls Who Code and Women Techmakers fill key niches, leveraging Sacramento's unique ecosystem with employers like Intel and state government.
How can students at UC Davis or Sacramento State get involved in women in tech resources?
Students can join WIT at UC Davis through the Inclusive Excellence portal or access Girls Who Code Pathways programs in AI and Data Science. These resources provide early networking and skill-building, tapping into local talent pools for careers at employers like Kaiser Permanente and UC Davis Health.
Are there employer-specific groups for women in tech in Sacramento?
Yes, major employers like Sutter Health and Intel's Folsom campus host Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Sutter Health's Women's ERG supports digital health roles, and Intel offers scholarships and internships, providing structured advocacy within these key Sacramento tech hubs.
What makes Sacramento a good place for women in tech careers compared to other areas?
Sacramento offers a lower cost of living than the Bay Area, proximity to state government and major employers like UC Davis Health, and access to talent from local universities. This fosters a growing AI startup ecosystem and supportive networks for women in tech roles.
How do these groups help with finding job opportunities in Sacramento's tech sector?
Groups like Women in Tech Networking events and platforms such as WomenHack connect women with vetted employers, including those in state government and healthcare. For instance, the Youth in Technology Convention offers mentorship and networking with leaders in Sacramento's public sector tech.
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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.

