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Women in Technology? The Role Models Are There

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By Sarah Lacy

Women in Technology? The Role Models Are There

The recent departures of female tech CEOs Patricia Russo, Diane Greene, and Meg Whitman—all under less than optimal circumstances—have led to a fresh wave of consternation over the sorry state of women in technology. There are too few women running tech companies, and there's a dearth of female role models for aspiring engineers. Or so goes the argument.

But the hand-wringing overlooks some key truths about how far women have come in leaving their mark on the tech industry, gives short shrift to those who remain in key positions at some of the main tech titans, and gives too little credence to an emerging vanguard of female tech innovation and leadership. Here's a list of some of the women who broke through the glass ceiling and those who will shape the tech landscape for years to come. It's by no means exhaustive. Tell us in Reader Comments who you would include, and why.