Over the past decade, WiDS has grown into a truly global movement powered by Ambassadors, educators, contributors, and partners who bring WiDS to life in their local communities. As our community has expanded across regions, roles, and programs, we’ve been listening closely to how we can better support this growth while keeping community voices at the center of our work.
Today, we’re excited to announce the WiDS Global Leaders Committee (2026), an evolution of our former Ambassador Advisory Committee, designed to strengthen global representation, connection, and impact across the WiDS network.
What is the Global Leaders Committee?
The WiDS Global Leaders Committee is a collaborative, non-governing group that serves as a bridge between regional communities and WiDS Worldwide. Members provide real-world insight into what’s working, what’s challenging, and where new opportunities are emerging across our global network.
The committee helps WiDS:
- Understand regional trends, needs, and successes
- Inform program planning, engagement strategies, and resource development
- Strengthen alignment between global initiatives and local realities
- Elevate and spotlight impactful work happening across the community
Insights from the committee will be synthesized into quarterly summaries reviewed by the WiDS Worldwide team and used to inform decisions across programs, platforms, and partnerships.
Most importantly, members play a direct role in shaping how WiDS supports our community in the field of data science and AI around the world.
You’re invited to connect with committee members!
Each Global Leaders Committee member will host a quarterly community meeting that is open to anyone in the WiDS community. These sessions are designed to:
- Create space for community members to ask questions and share challenges
- Surface local trends, needs, and opportunities
- Share upcoming event and activity plans
- Spotlight community members and regional impact
- Strengthen connection across regions
WiDs community members may attend any regional meeting, regardless of location. All meetings will be posted on the WiDS Community Platform.
Meet the 2026 Global Leaders committee members
We’re excited to welcome the 2026 Global Leaders Committee members who will help us continue to build a more connected, representative, and impactful global community.
Liliana Ibeth Barbosa Santillán
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to WiDS over the years, and to those stepping into this next chapter with us.
— Lauren Miranda, Director of Community Growth & Impact, WiDS Worldwide