Get Prepared

CFP Checklist

Follow These Steps

The Definitive CFP Checklist

1

Review our FAQ

2

Identify your preferred session format

3

Select the track and topic that best fit your expertise

4

If applicable, identify your speaking team

5

Gather required information for the speaker and session proposal forms

6

Submit your proposal and all speaker forms before May 26 at 11:59 pm PT

7

Keep an eye on your inbox!

Important Dates

Mark Your Calendar

Monday, April 14

Call for Participation opens as well as submissions for Abie Award Nominations and session proposals!

Wednesday, May 28 (11:59 PM PT)

Final date to submit an Abie Award Nomination and/or session proposal for GHC 25.

Wednesday, July 30

Decisions start rolling out for Call for Participation and Abie Awards.


Comprehensive FAQs

Your Questions Answered

You can send submissions for GHC 25 starting April 14, 2025. Decisions will start rolling out July 30, 2025.

To apply to speak at any AnitaB.org event, designate a point of contact who will gather and submit all details for the speakers in your session. The submission form has two main sections: Speaker Information and Session Information.

  • Speaker Info: Includes contact details, bio, photo, speaking experience, and demographic info.
  • Session Info: Requests the session title, description, audience level, track, subtopic, and format-specific details.

Steps to Prepare:

  1. Choose your session point of contact (likely you!).
  2. Select a track, subtopic, and session format that aligns with your vision.
  3. Prepare session details: title, description, audience level.
  4. Collect speaker bios and demographic info.
  5. Tip: Submit supporting materials for faster consideration.

Once you submit your Call for Participation form, our AnitaB.org Event Content team carefully evaluates your proposal to determine eligibility for GHC 25. We assess each submission based on several key factors (relevance to track & topic, completeness & clarity, value for audience, creativity & originality, etc.) to ensure a high-quality and engaging experience for attendees.

You must submit your proposal on or before May 28 at 11:59 pm PT via the Call for Participation form.

Engaging sessions typically include diverse perspectives, particularly for panels and presentations. All sessions with two or more speakers should consider:

> Gender representation

> Diverse ethnic backgrounds

> Geography and professional background of speakers

> Robust thought and opinion

> Effective public speaking skills

Great session topics often stem from a single question or problem and have a clear outcome in mind. If you’ve been grappling with any aspect of your work, rest assured that others have faced similar challenges. Successful sessions address information, skills, behaviors, or perspectives that resonate with a specific person in mind at GHC, creating an engaging and enriching experience for our community.

GHC brings together the brightest technical minds from all career stages. The global Celebration for 2025 will be held in Chicago. Catering to everyone from community seekers to knowledge builders, programming focuses on:

> Creating parity in the tech workforce

> Sharing technical knowledge & trends

> Promoting interpersonal and technical skill development

> Fostering connection building for women in tech 

Each year, we collect feedback from attendees to improve our program. These were key takeaways from 2024:

> Advanced and/or niche technical knowledge

> Session content that matches the session description

> Practical takeaways designed into the session content 

> More diverse representation