Aliza Sherman
Encyclopedia
Aliza Sherman is a new media
entrepreneur, author, women's issues activist, and international speaker.
Sherman has received recognition for her role as an entrepreneur focused on women's issues, particularly women's role in the new media industry and their participation on the Internet
.
The initial goal of Webgrrls was to provide a way for women to meet other women who were interested in and knowledgeable about the Internet. From Webgrrls' start as a series of meetups in New York City
, the organization grew to include Webgrrls chapters founded around the US and eventually around the world. In addition to this Webgrrls International offered job lists and online training to members.
Beginning in 1998, some chapters began to secede from Webgrrls. The San Francisco Chapter left in August to form San Francisco Women on the Web
followed by the Austin chapter, which formed Her Domain. In April 1999, the Washington D.C. chapter followed suit, forming DC Web Women
. By the end of November 2000, nearly one third of Webgrrls' 30,000 members, primarily those from the USA and Canada, had defected to a single organization, called DigitalEve. The Internet: A Historical Encyclopedia explores the reasons for these chapters and members leaving Webgrrls.
magazine as one of the Most Influential Women in Technology in the Blogger category.
She was also named by Newsweek
magazine as one of the "Top 50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet" in 1995, one of only three women on the list.
She spent 1995 through 1999 running Cybergrrl, Inc. and speaking about the Internet for women at colleges and universities including Harvard Business School, Simmons College Graduate School of Management, Rutgers, New York University
and Columbia University
School of Business. She was also invited to speak internationally about issues pertaining to women and the Internet at events including Technology Conference for Women's NGOs, De Haag, Netherlands; Links Education Technology Conference, Stockholm, Sweden; 1999 Women Leaders Conference, Wellington, New Zealand and 1999 Women's Summit of the Americas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
She was part of the American Association of University Women
's Educational Foundation Commission on Technology, Gender, and Teacher Education exploring the technology gender gap in schools culminating in a report called Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age (2000).
She has been an advisor to nonprofit organizations for girls including GenAustin and numerous websites and women-owned Internet businesses including http://www.class='greylink1' onMouseover='ShowPop("19570",this,"noimage.gif", event)' onMouseout='HidePop("19570")' href="/topics/HipGuide">hipGuide
.com HipGuide] and College Broadband.
In 1999, she resigned from Cybergrrl, Inc. The companies Cybergrrl, Inc. and Webgrrls International are run by CEO Kevin Kennedy. In 2001, Sherman relocated to Wyoming
from New York City.
She is a blogger with several blogs of her own including Babyfruit and Aliza Sherman Rants and Raves. She blogs professionally for WebWorkerDaily.com, WomenEntrepreneur.com and WorkitMom.com.
She hosts an audio podcast on the Rezzed.TV network called Cybergrrl Oh : Living a 2nd Life as the avatar Cybergrrl Oh in the virtual world Second Life. She is the creator and former host of Quick and Dirty Tips Digital Marketer, a podcast on online tools.
Her sixth book was "The Everything Blogging Book," published in 2006. Her seventh book, "Streetwise Ecommerce," was published in 2008. Her eighth book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Crowdsourcing" will publish in Spring 2011.
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
entrepreneur, author, women's issues activist, and international speaker.
Sherman has received recognition for her role as an entrepreneur focused on women's issues, particularly women's role in the new media industry and their participation on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Cybergrrl and Webgrrls
In 1995, she founded the first full-service Internet company owned by a woman - Cybergrrl, Inc. - and the first global women's new media networking organization - Webgrrls International, a hybrid of online and offline networking, education and mentoring for women interested in technology-related fields. She also launched the first three general interest web sites for women - Cybergrrl.com, Webgrrls.com, and Femina.com - all predating other major women's web sites. She is credited with coining the term "Webgrrls" to refer to women with Web sites.The initial goal of Webgrrls was to provide a way for women to meet other women who were interested in and knowledgeable about the Internet. From Webgrrls' start as a series of meetups in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the organization grew to include Webgrrls chapters founded around the US and eventually around the world. In addition to this Webgrrls International offered job lists and online training to members.
Beginning in 1998, some chapters began to secede from Webgrrls. The San Francisco Chapter left in August to form San Francisco Women on the Web
San Francisco Women on the Web
San Francisco Women on the Web is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California. It works to serve, educate and empower women in technology through professional development, support, and networking opportunities...
followed by the Austin chapter, which formed Her Domain. In April 1999, the Washington D.C. chapter followed suit, forming DC Web Women
DC Web Women
DC Web Women is a nonprofit professional organization for women in technology and new media based in the Washington, DC area. Established in 1999, it has an email discussion list and sponsors monthly workshops and networking events....
. By the end of November 2000, nearly one third of Webgrrls' 30,000 members, primarily those from the USA and Canada, had defected to a single organization, called DigitalEve. The Internet: A Historical Encyclopedia explores the reasons for these chapters and members leaving Webgrrls.
Past work
Sherman was named by Fast CompanyFast Company (magazine)
Fast Company is a full-color business magazine that releases 10 issues per year and reports on topics including innovation, digital media, technology, change management, leadership, design, and social responsibility...
magazine as one of the Most Influential Women in Technology in the Blogger category.
She was also named by Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine as one of the "Top 50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet" in 1995, one of only three women on the list.
She spent 1995 through 1999 running Cybergrrl, Inc. and speaking about the Internet for women at colleges and universities including Harvard Business School, Simmons College Graduate School of Management, Rutgers, New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
School of Business. She was also invited to speak internationally about issues pertaining to women and the Internet at events including Technology Conference for Women's NGOs, De Haag, Netherlands; Links Education Technology Conference, Stockholm, Sweden; 1999 Women Leaders Conference, Wellington, New Zealand and 1999 Women's Summit of the Americas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
She was part of the American Association of University Women
American Association of University Women
The American Association of University Women advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. It was founded in 1882 by Ellen Swallow Richards and Marion Talbot...
's Educational Foundation Commission on Technology, Gender, and Teacher Education exploring the technology gender gap in schools culminating in a report called Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age (2000).
She has been an advisor to nonprofit organizations for girls including GenAustin and numerous websites and women-owned Internet businesses including http://www.
HipGuide
HipGuide is a city guide, founded in 1998 by former Accenture consultant Syl Tang. Over 562,300 hipsters, including various celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Jay-Z read it...
.com HipGuide] and College Broadband.
In 1999, she resigned from Cybergrrl, Inc. The companies Cybergrrl, Inc. and Webgrrls International are run by CEO Kevin Kennedy. In 2001, Sherman relocated to Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
from New York City.
Current work
She is co-owner of social media marketing agency Conversify.She is a blogger with several blogs of her own including Babyfruit and Aliza Sherman Rants and Raves. She blogs professionally for WebWorkerDaily.com, WomenEntrepreneur.com and WorkitMom.com.
She hosts an audio podcast on the Rezzed.TV network called Cybergrrl Oh : Living a 2nd Life as the avatar Cybergrrl Oh in the virtual world Second Life. She is the creator and former host of Quick and Dirty Tips Digital Marketer, a podcast on online tools.
Her sixth book was "The Everything Blogging Book," published in 2006. Her seventh book, "Streetwise Ecommerce," was published in 2008. Her eighth book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Crowdsourcing" will publish in Spring 2011.
External links
- Conversify.net
- Interview with Aliza Sherman, from WITI
- Mediaegg.com -- Sherman's personal website.
- webgrrls.com
- femina.com
- Cybergrrl Oh : Living a 2nd Life