During a special celebration honoring women role models in STEM, Jackson Walker associate Alisha Mehta was recognized as an alumna of Girlstart, a Texas-based nonprofit that provides STEM education programs for K-12 girls. Having attended Girlstart as a camper for five years and interning there prior to attending law school, Alisha gained the confidence early on to thrive as a woman in a male-dominated profession such as law.
“When I was at Girlstart, it was this really safe space where I could explore and ask questions, and it became this really great starting point for me,” Alisha said. “When I walk into a negotiation and there are seven men at the table, I’m not uncomfortable. I can take my seat at the table and feel just as entitled to be there as everyone else. I have Girlstart to thank for that. The work that they do is so instrumental for young girls and has such a long-lasting impact. Getting this award today means the world to me because Girlstart means the world to me.”
Held on October 23, 2018, the Game Changers Annual Luncheon featured Emily Chang, Bloomberg Technology anchor and executive producer, discussing her career and her book, Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley. Along with Alisha’s recognition, Girlstart presented awards to four trailblazing women in STEM, including:
- Sarah Adler, Co-Founder of Spoon University and Vice President of Product at Discovery
- Marla Britt Fields, PMP, Sr. Technical Program Manager at Velo3D
- Erika Linford, Vice President of Technology at Southwest Airlines
- Trisa Thompson, Former Senior Vice President and Chief Responsibility Officer at Dell
 From Left: Sarah Adler, Trisa Thompson, Marla Britt Fields, Erika Linford, Alisha Mehta, and Chikage Windler. On being recognized as the 2018 Girlstart Alumna Honoree, Alisha Mehta said: “The work that they do is so instrumental for young girls and has such a long-lasting impact. Getting this award today means the world to me because Girlstart means the world to me.”
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Since its foundation in 1997 in Austin, Texas, Girlstart has grown to include six year-round STEM programs across Houston, North Texas, and Rio Grande Valley. The nonprofit’s core programs aims to increase girls’ interest and engagement in STEM through school-based programs, professional development for teachers, summer camps, STEM career conferences and expos, large-scale science events for families, and community STEM education outreach programs.
Meet Alisha
Alisha Mehta is an associate in the Environmental and Legislative section of Jackson Walker’s Austin office. Prior to joining Jackson Walker, Alisha served as a Judicial Law Clerk for Justice Don Willett at the Supreme Court of Texas. While working toward her J.D. at Duke University School of Law, Alisha served on the Environmental Law Society’s Executive Board, the Career and Professional Development Center’s Student Advisory Board, the Intellectual Property and Cyberlaw Society, and the South Asian Law Students Association. Alisha is fluent in Gujarati and proficient in Hindi and Spanish.
