About
WIIS West is the west coast based chapter of Women In International Security (WIIS) Global, an international organization dedicated to advancing the leadership and professional development of women in the field of international peace and security.
We define "international security" broadly so as to encompass a variety of issues, including but not limited to: counter-terrorism; nonproliferation; foreign affairs; arms control to conflict prevention; peace-building; human rights; and environmental security.
WIIS West's goal is to bring people together within the national and international security space in the western states in the U.S.A. We do this by cultivating a culture of continuous development, empowerment, and innovation while genuinely seeking to improve lives.
In order to pursue our goal, WIIS West provides the following for our members:
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networking mixers, speaking engagements, conference attendance, and research presentations;
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trainings, workshops, and educational opportunities; and
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opportunities for networking, collaboration and mentoring.
OUR MANDATE
ONE
Strengthen the western region's current security professionals.
TWO
Uplift and enable the next generation of security professionals .
THREE
Reframe the way the West is perceived and received in the security sector.
In 2020, the WIIS (pronounced "wise") community in California, Oregon, and Washington state will see a new and invigorated association where they can professionally network, where they can attend inspirational and evocative speaker series, where they can find like-minded individuals to share experiences with, and where they can grow their career here in the West and points beyond.
WIIS West has always focused on the promotion of women into leadership positions. Now more than ever, empirical evidence and objective reality are demonstrating that if we do not shift the demographics of leadership and representation in our think tanks, government agencies, local, state, and national organizations, non-governmental organizations, and private sector security businesses, we will not be upholding our responsibilities to ensure national and international security for all. If there is no representative voice, there is no way to have needs properly communicated, to give agency to those that are counting on us.
OUR GOALS
short-term
1.
Provide visibility to those in the West who want to work in the international security space.
2.
Remove the opacity of international work in the West.
3.
Allow access for people to move into different sectors and organizations within the Western international security space.
4.
Serve as the "connector" for those beginning their careers, companies, and organizations in the international security space.
5.
Foster partnerships between subject matter/industry experts and organizations/agencies across diverse practice areas.
long-term
1.
Orchestrate connections and leverage partnerships with organizations and agencies for subject matter/industry experts and those at the beginning of their careers.
2.
Establish national and global partnership and alliance programs in order to pursue a shared vision to focus on the success of women in the international security space.
3.
Utilize programs and services to develop talent and expertise in the Western region.
4.
Elevate not just the potential of women working in international security, but also the level of success and influence of the Western Region in the international security and international policy spaces.
TOGETHER
WIIS West desires no less than to grow the numbers of women in security in all strata, from entry-level to top-tier leadership. We will seek out all avenues and means to make this happen, but it is easiest and most likely to succeed if we make it happen together.