When Kristina Oberly joined an AI startup in 2018, she found herself alone — both as the only woman and the only non-technical team member.
“I didn’t know what I was doing,” she said. “I was looking for support, and I just wasn’t finding a group that would be able to support me.”
That changed when she met Allison Todak. Also working on a male-dominated team, the two started meeting for lunches, swapping stories, frustrations and advice. The relief of those candid conversations sparked an idea.
“I bet you there are other women who are working at these startups, in similar roles, like marketing or operations, and they probably want this too,” Oberly thought. So, they gathered around ten women for lunch — friends and colleagues Todak was connected with.
That lunch became the launchpad for Shine and Rise, a group with the mission to cultivate connections that elevate women in tech.
Since its founding in 2019, Shine and Rise has grown into a grassroots network of more than 300 members across Michigan and the Midwest. Its focus: supporting women and non-binary professionals navigating the often isolating startup and tech landscapes. With its signature blend of intimate, intentional programming and a clear mission to create a space where people are “lifting each other up and shining on themselves, and shining on each other,” the group has become an invaluable source of connection and empowerment.
Programming began with monthly meetups focused on tangible career growth — topics like salary negotiation and navigating equity deals in startups. The pandemic brought a shift to virtual programming, but now Shine and Rise is re-centering in-person connection, with events spanning Ann Arbor, metro Detroit and Grand Rapids.
The Shine On Summit
Their biggest gathering of the year is just around the corner: the Shine On Summit, returning for its second year on April 16 at Tech Town Detroit. Last year’s summit drew nearly 90 attendees and sold out in two weeks. This year, it’s expanding — offering themed tracks, micro-talks and a fireside chat to close out the evening.
“We are very excited about being able to partner with Tech Town on this event. I think that the space is just perfect for the type of event that we’re doing,” Oberly said. “We’re really trying to embody our mission with this Summit — how do we expand these conversations to really support each other and support our communities?”
What sets Shine On apart isn’t just the format, but the depth. One of the tracks is titled: “I am a whole complex human being who contains multitudes” — a deliberate rejection of conventional corporate women’s conference tropes. “We’re not just doing the networking thing or the girl boss thing,” Oberly said. “We really want to create an inclusive event where everyone feels like they’re a part of something.”
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Todak adds, “It’s been a space where we ourselves are typically the targets of these events, and we’ve gone to many other things and have felt a little sometimes exhausted or left out of those traditional narratives. We’ve always wanted to be a little more action oriented… to take tangible steps towards some sort of disruption or change.”
That action is already making a difference. “The job I’m in right now is because of Shine and Rise,” Oberly said. “We’ve had so many people who found a position through Shine and Rise
Beyond job sharing, the group has become a network of warm intros — a vital alternative to what Oberly calls the “secret network of other men” that often facilitates career advancement in male-dominated fields.
In addition to its flagship summit, Shine and Rise is doubling down on its mission to make tech more accessible for women and non-binary folks.
“We want to democratize this elite tech workforce,” Todak said. “Not only do we serve that community, but we also want to be a gateway for those who are interested in breaking into the space.”
Membership is free and open to those who see themselves reflected in the group’s purpose. “We want it to be a space where people feel really open… to feel really real and feel really genuine,” Oberly says. “Like conversations with friends.”
As Shine and Rise grows, Oberly and Todak — who still run the group on a volunteer basis— are seeking sustainable ways to meet demand. “We have full-time big girl jobs… and the desire for the programming just continues to grow,” Oberly said.
Still, the energy from the community propels them. “We’re not only shining as individuals, but rising as a collective community,” Todak said.
To learn more, become a member, or get tickets to the upcoming Shine On Summit, visit shinerise.org.
