The CATA Women in Technology (WIT) Forum has named five women who will take part in a new program offered by the University of Ottawa School of Management.

The U of O's Leadership Forum is designed to hone the skills of next generation CEOs in the Ottawa area. It involves a series of seminars held over a two-year period where seasoned and successful business leaders help executives prepare for business leadership.

The women selected are Carole Lacombe, senior vice-president of the Canadian Space Agency; Kim Dixon, vice-president of marketing for Talkswitch; Ella Mar, senior vice-president of operations for Espial; Jacqueline Gauthier, CFO and corporate secretary of Calian Technologies; and Carol Devenny, a partner with PWC.

Peter Cleveland, the executive in residence with the University of Ottawa EMBA program, said he is pleased that The Leadership Forum will have the participation from these talented women.

"The experience and talent of these five individuals is impressive and I know they are going to add tremendous value to the Forum," he says. "They have a great deal to offer and we are looking forward to their participation."

Forum organizers say given the predominance of advanced technology companies in the Ottawa area, they wanted to have strong representation from that sector.

"I am thrilled to be one of the CATA WIT participants in The Leadership Forum," says Ms. Devenny. "I am looking forward to meeting the other individuals who have been identified as future leaders in the Ottawa community and interacting with them and to learn from the people who are already leading."