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FROM POTENTIAL TO PATHWAYS

W2D2 was founded to give underrepresented data & AI professionals a home to learn, build, and lead. We’re more than a network — we’re a free, member-led community focused on hands-on projects and research.

Our guiding principles

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Free & equal

We ensure every professional has a clear path to contribute and grow through free access to programming and leadership development — common barriers to equity.

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Focused on the work

We prioritize tangible outputs: industry-aligned projects, research contributions, and portfolio grade artifacts that create career momentum.

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Member-led

We are a collaborative hub where members step into leadership roles and grow our community through transparent decision-making.

Leadership

The W2D2 Board of Directors

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Lindsey Robertson

President

With 15 years of deep expertise leading teams in public and private sector operations and strategic planning, Lindsey consults SMBs through the complexities of AI adoption, data strategies, and custom solutions for key business objectives. She is passionate about driving value with AI and fostering cultures that enable predictive analytics and advanced ML technologies to stay competitive. She is an advocate for inclusivity in the tech industry and spends her free time building the W2D2 community to provide opportunities to elevate underrepresented data practitioners in AI/ML.

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Astha Puri

Vice President

Astha is an AI/data science specialist with 9+ years of experience building large-scale ML systems, specializing in personalization, search, recommender systems, and production-grade Generative AI. She currently leads ML systems for millions of users, holding multiple patent-pending AI innovations. Her passions include shipping real ML, mentoring, and bridging the research-to-production gap. Outside of work, she is a dedicated animal lover, fostering and rehoming pets through multiple rescues.

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Grecia Castaldi

Secretary

Grecia Castaldi is a tech leader with 10+ years of experience in project management and leading tech initiatives and communities, especially in LATAM. She holds degrees in Digital Graphic Design Engineering and Information Systems Engineering.

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ChengCheng Tan

Treasurer

ChengCheng Tan is the founder of Cheng2 Design, LLC and works in AI Safety communications at FAR.AI. She is a Women Techmakers Ambassador passionate about helping women thrive in tech. ChengCheng holds an M.S. in Computer Science from Stanford and a B.A. in Computational Linguistics from UCLA. After an extended break homeschooling her kids, she returned to explore AI technologies and share what she’s learning along the way.

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Ziba Atak

Chair of Marketing & Knowledge Base

Ziba is an AI Engineer with a BA in Psychology, MA in Sports Psychology, and MBA. She is passionate about AI for good and builds impactful solutions. She excels in ML, DL, and Generative AI. As co-founder of W2D2, she empowers women in data and advocates for inclusivity.

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Angela Cao

Chair of Tech & Ops

Angela is an Analytics Engineer at Shields Health Solutions with 3+ years of experience in data analytics and machine learning. She previously worked as a Data Scientist at Memorial Hermann Health System and holds a Master’s degree in Data Science from Rice University, along with dual Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from The University of Texas at Austin. She is passionate about using data to drive actionable insights and real-world impact through both her professional and volunteer leadership work.

Our history

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2024

  • Launched a Discord community for underrepresented professionals navigating a changing tech landscape

  • Hosted our first educational and networking events and research paper groups

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2025

  • Achieved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status

  • Organized multiple hackathons and supported major data conferences across the country

  • Led educational and networking events

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2026

  • Launching the PRISM AI Safety Research Fellowship

  • Publishing the IWD AI Careers Report

  • Bringing your ideas to life!

Join our community

Whether you’re starting your career in data or leading teams in AI, there’s a place for you at W2D2. Learn from others, hone your skills, and grow alongside a community that supports your success.

Become a member

Invest in equitable AI

Your tax-deductible contribution keeps W2D2 100% free. Every dollar funds the tools and programming that help our members build the future of AI.