{{Short description|American entrepreneur}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Leanne Pittsford<!-- include middle initial, if not specified in birth_name --> | honorific_suffix = | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | pronunciation = | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |35 |2016|8|4}}<ref name="nbcnews-aug2016" /><!-- {{birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year unless the exact date is already widely published, as per WP:DOB --> | birth_place = San Diego, California<ref name="sfbt-jun2016">{{cite web|author1=Krystal Peak|title=Lesbians Who Tech founder is out to shatter ceilings|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/print-edition/2016/06/10/leanne-pittsford-lesbians-who-tech-lgbt-pride-qa.html|website=San Francisco Business Times|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=June 10, 2016}}</ref> | other_names = | citizenship = | education = | alma_mater = California Polytechnic State University <small>(B.A.)</small><br />San Francisco State University <small>(M.A.)</small> | occupation = Entrepreneur | years_active = | era = | employer = | organization = Lesbians Who Tech | agent = <!-- Discouraged in most cases, specifically when promotional, and requiring a reliable source --> | known_for = | notable_works = <!-- produces label "Notable work"; may be overridden by |credits=, which produces label "Notable credit(s)"; or by |works=, which produces label "Works" --> | style = | height = <!-- "X cm", "X m" or "X ft Y in" plus optional reference (conversions are automatic) --> | television = | spouse = Pia Carusone<!-- Use article title or common name --> | partner = <!-- (unmarried long-term partner) --> | children = | parents = | relatives = | callsign = | awards = | website = {{URL|leannepittsford.com}}<!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | footnotes = }}
'''Leanne Pittsford'''<ref name="cnn-15q">{{cite web|title=15 Questions with Leanne Pittsford|url=https://money.cnn.com/interactive/technology/15-questions-with-leanne-pittsford/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712023528/http://money.cnn.com/interactive/technology/15-questions-with-leanne-pittsford|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 12, 2015|website=CNN Money|accessdate=January 10, 2017}}</ref> is an American entrepreneur. She is the founder of Lesbians Who Tech, a community of queer women and their allies in technology.<ref name="nbcnews-aug2016">{{cite news|author1=Julie Compton|title=OutFront: Lesbians Who Tech Founder Invests in Diversity|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/outfront-lesbians-who-tech-founder-invests-diversity-n622756|publisher=NBC News|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=August 4, 2016}}</ref><ref name="model-may2014">{{cite web|title=Interview with Leanne Pittsford of Lesbians Who Tech|url=https://modelviewculture.com/pieces/interview-with-leanne-pittsford-of-lesbians-who-tech|website=Model View Culture|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=May 14, 2014}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Pittsford grew up in San Diego, California.<ref name="sfbt-jun2016">{{cite web|author1=Krystal Peak|title=Lesbians Who Tech founder is out to shatter ceilings|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/print-edition/2016/06/10/leanne-pittsford-lesbians-who-tech-lgbt-pride-qa.html|website=San Francisco Business Times|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=June 10, 2016}}</ref><ref name="nbcnews-aug2016" /> Being from a conservative family, she did not formally come out as a lesbian until the end of college.<ref name="sfbt-jun2016" />
Pittsford attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, earning a bachelor's degree in political science. She went on to earn a master's degree in equity and social justice in education from San Francisco State University.<ref name="sfbt-jun2016" />
==Career==
{{Expand section|date=March 2026}} Pittsford began her career working for Equality California. At that time, the LGBTQ rights group was working to overturn Proposition 8 in California, which banned same-sex marriage in 2008.<ref name="nbcnews-aug2016" /> She became head of operations for the organization.<ref name="ny-oct2015" />
Pittsford co-founded the Lesbian Entrepreneur Mentoring Program. She was also the founder and CEO of Start Somewhere, a digital agency helping nonprofits and social enterprises.<ref name="ny-oct2015">{{cite web|author1=Khier Casino|title=National Coming Out Day: 9 LGBT people who have made a difference in technology|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/9-lgbt-people-made-difference-technology-article-1.2392109|website=New York Daily News|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=October 11, 2015}}</ref><ref name="curve-mar2014">{{cite web|author1=Melanie Barker|title=Lesbians Who Tech|url=http://www.curvemag.com/Curve-Magazine/Web-Articles-2014/Lesbians-Who-Tech/|website=Curve|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=March 24, 2014}}</ref>
Pittsford founded Lesbians Who Tech in 2012, wanting to create more networking opportunities and increase visibility for lesbians and queer women.<ref name="cnn-15q" /><ref name="nbcnews-aug2016" /><ref name="forbes-mar2016">{{cite web|title=A Tech Conference Where Artificial Intelligence, Space Travel and Hula Hooping Come Together|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/geekgirlrising/2016/03/04/lesbians-who-tech-showcases-innovation-and-sisterhood/|website=Forbes|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> The organization grew from 30 people at the first happy hour meeting in San Francisco<ref name="forbes-jul2014">{{cite web|author1=Denise Restauri|title=Lesbians Who Tech, From Silicon Valley To The White House|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/deniserestauri/2014/07/28/lesbians-who-tech-from-silicon-valley-to-the-white-house/|website=Forbes|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=July 28, 2014}}</ref> to over 15,000 queer women and allies in 33 cities in 2016.<ref name="sfbt-jun2016" /> The organization also hosts three annual conferences, and has created scholarships with the help of a grant from Marc Andreessen and Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen and a Kickstarter campaign.<ref name="sfbt-jun2016" /><ref name="geekwire-jun2015">{{cite web|author1=Molly Brown|title=The Andreessens just gave $250K to support LGBT groups in tech|url=http://www.geekwire.com/2015/the-andreessens-just-gave-250k-to-support-lgbt-groups-in-tech/|website=GeekWire|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=June 30, 2015}}</ref><ref name="usa-may2016">{{cite news|author1=Jessica Guynn|title=Groups to raise $200k for LGBTQ women coding scholarships|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/05/04/lesbians-who-tech-dev-bootcamp-scholarships/83901964/|accessdate=January 10, 2017|publisher=USA Today|date=May 4, 2016}}</ref>
In August 2016, Pittsford organized the third annual LGBTQ Tech and Innovation Summit at the White House.<ref name="recode-aug2016">{{cite web|author1=Ina Fried|title=I joined a bunch of LGBT techies at the White House to help tackle some world-threatening problems|url=http://www.recode.net/2016/8/24/12623276/white-house-taps-lgbt-techies|website=Recode|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=August 24, 2016}}</ref> She also co-organized the summit in 2015.<ref name="gaystar-aug2015">{{cite web|author1=David Hudson|title=White House hosts LGBT tech and innovation summit|url=http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/white-house-hosts-lgbt-tech-and-innovation-summit/|website=Gay Star News|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=August 11, 2015}}</ref>
In the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Pittsford was part of Nerdz4Hillary, a tech industry group campaigning for Hillary Clinton.<ref name="cnet-sep2016">{{cite web|author1=Erin Carson|title=Calling all nerds: One venture capitalist wants you to support Clinton|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/calling-all-nerds-one-venture-capitalists-wants-you-to-support-clinton/|website=CNET|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=September 28, 2016}}</ref><ref name="fortune-sep2016">{{cite web|author1=Michal Lev-Ram|title=Silicon Valley Investor Dave McClure Rallies Nerds for Clinton|url=http://fortune.com/2016/09/28/clinton-silicon-valley-fundraising/|website=Fortune|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=September 28, 2016}}</ref>
Pittsford was recognized as a "soldier of social change... on the front lines of the culture wars" by San Francisco Magazine in 2015.<ref name="sf-nov2015">{{cite web|title=Saluting 37 Soldiers of Social Change|url=http://www.modernluxury.com/san-francisco/story/saluting-37-soldiers-of-social-change|website=San Francisco Magazine|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=November 19, 2015}}</ref> She was also recognized as one of "40 under 40" young business leaders in 2015 by the San Francisco Business Times.<ref name="sfbt-mar2015">{{cite web|title=40 Under 40 2015: Lesbians Who Tech founder changes the world while traveling through it|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/print-edition/2015/03/20/40-under-40-leanne-pittsford-lesbians-who-tech.html|website=San Francisco Business Times|accessdate=January 10, 2017|date=March 20, 2015}}</ref>
In 2017 Pittsford launched include.io, a recruiting platform for underrepresented technologists and recruiters.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://leannepittsford.com/ |title=Homepage |website=Leanne Pittsford |access-date=April 11, 2021}}</ref>
In 2019 Pittsford was recognised by Business Insider as one of the most powerful LGBTQ+ people in Tech.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/most-powerful-lgbtq-people-in-tech-2019-2|title=The 23 most powerful LGBTQ+ people in tech|last=Leskin|first=Paige|website=Business Insider|access-date=2019-10-09}}</ref>
On Oct. 6, 2019, Pittsford was featured as a guest on the American LGBTQ+ podcast, ''Queery''.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}}
==Personal life== Pittsford married Pia Carusone in June 2017.<ref name="nytimes-25jun2017">{{cite news|title=Pia Carusone, Leanne Pittsford|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/25/fashion/weddings/pia-carusone-leanne-pittsford.html|accessdate=July 7, 2017|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 25, 2017}}</ref>
==Selected publications== *{{cite book|author1=Leanne Pittsford|editor1-last=Shevinsky|editor1-first=Elissa|title=Lean Out: The Struggle for Gender Equality in Tech and Start-Up Culture|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Vp2CwAAQBAJ&q=Leanne+Pittsford&pg=PT110|date=September 3, 2015|publisher=OR Books|isbn=9781939293879|chapter=Lesbians Who Tech}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|http://leannepittsford.com/}} *[http://lesbianswhotech.org/ Lesbians Who Tech] web site
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pittsford, Leanne}} Category:California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, alumni Category:Lesbian businesswomen Category:American LGBTQ businesspeople Category:Living people Category:San Francisco State University alumni Category:American women company founders Category:American company founders Category:LGBTQ people from California Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century American women