Beginning his career as an IT professional, Snehal Bhakta now works as the Career and Technical Education administrator at the Clark County School District, inspiring and empowering women and people in minority populations to explore technology and STEM fields.
“I work toward ensuring the technology workforce is diverse and ready for the challenges ahead. This includes encouraging and supporting young women and minorities in technology and STEM careers,” Bhakta said. “I am proud to say that our work in this space has seen an increased movement in the number of women and minorities entering the tech workforce. However, my job is far from done, as I will always strive for a diverse tech workforce that develops and innovates for everyone.”
Bhakta is also Las Vegas Affiliate Coordinator for the National Center for Women & Information Technology, an organization that strives to increase meaningful participation of girls and women in technology careers. Bhakta brought the Center’s chapter to Las Vegas, where the organization is involved with both CCSD and UNLV students. By providing mentorship, recognition and networking resources for young women, the Center supports the representation of women in a male-dominated field. In the past year, it has recognized the talents of more than 100 young women and connected them with mentors in Southern Nevada.
As an ally for gender diversity in the workforce, Bhakta collaborated with the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art to bring the Connective Tissue exhibit by BeyondCurie.com creator Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya to UNLV this year. “This enabled over 2,000 middle school girls to find out about the significant contributions women have made in the area of technology—like Grace Hopper, Ada Lovelace, and Katherine Johnson, to name a few—through visually stunning art,” Bhakta said. His goal is to raise awareness among young women that a career in technology is attainable. Doing so, he says, “will only strengthen our tech workforce in Southern Nevada and drive more innovation and growth to the area.”
Bhakta is the founder of the #GirlsinSTEM and #GirlsinTECH programs at CCSD, which have been active for over four years and allowed more than 4,500 students to attend events and experiences related to technology, IT and STEM fields. Bhakta also encouraged stronger connections for girls in technology by hosting #GirlsinTECH movie nights for nearly 1,500 students this year.
Further, Bhakta partnered with UNLV’s International Gaming Institute to further develop the Young Executive Scholars Hospitality & Tourism program, a leadership development program for low-income high school students. He also worked with the International Gaming Institute to create Battle Born Girls Innovate, an organization that introduces women to STEM careers in the gaming industry. The program served about 60 middle- and high school students this fall.
Bhakta extended his reach beyond the classroom by creating the Student Workforce & Innovation Summit to provide a space for graduating CCSD high school seniors to learn about local internships, job training programs, apprenticeships and support services.
By hosting student-led workshops, providing training sessions and creating spaces for women in technology fields to grow and learn, Bhakta has connected countless students with technology innovators and opportunities. Bhakta also shows students how to apply their skills to their schoolwork, allowing students to use what they’re interested in to find success in other areas of their education. Bhakta’s tireless work to provide meaningful resources for women, girls and minorities in technology fields has made a significant impact in Southern Nevada and beyond.