2020 Women of Color: Awards Gala Program

RECOGNITION AND OUR

RIGHTFUL PLACE

WOMEN OF COLOR

AWARDS

GALA

SIMULIVE FROM THE GARDEN THEATRE • DETROIT, MI

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2020 7:00–9:00 PM

CONFERENCE HOSTS

ACADEMIC CO-HOSTS

GALA PARTNERS

CONFERENCE SPONSORS

WOMEN OF COLOR

AWARDS

GALA EMCEES:

Andrew Humphrey Meteorologist and Reporter, WDIV-TV

Priya Mann Reporter, WDIV-TV

VIRTUAL HOSTS: From Career Communications Group — Digital Marketing Manager Courtney Taborn and Managing Editor Ray Kennedy

RECOGNITION AND OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE At 50.04%, women hold the majority of American jobs, yet we continue to be underrepresented in STEM careers. An even greater disparity exists for Women of Color. Our recognition events throughout the Women of Color STEM Conference are vital in showing what the faces of STEM success look like. At our Awards Gala, we celebrate the strength, leadership, and resounding success of Women of Color who are at the forefront of major STEM advancements in industry, academia, government, and the military. Only by continuing to highlight the extraordinary accomplishments of women in STEM can we inspire young people to follow in the footsteps of the people that look like them who are making history. Now more than ever, we are essential in helping our nation reset to rise.

The world is counting on us.

Senator Gary Peters, Michigan – SPONSOR REMARKS –

Dr. Ken Washington Chief Technology Officer, Ford Motor Company – WELCOME MESSAGE –

Monica Emerson Principal of Inclusive Performance Solutions and National Chair of the Women of Color STEM Conference The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan – SPONSOR REMARKS –

Chad Koele President of Engineering and Sciences at Aerotek and EASi 2

STUDENT LEADERSHIP – UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL AWARD

Ms Michelle Dominguez Engineering Student NASA Ames Research Center PRESENTER

Carol Carroll Deputy Center Director NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP – COLLEGE-LEVEL PROMOTION OF EDUCATION AWARD

Bushra Ahmad Saeed, Ph.D. Associate Professor University of the District of Columbia PRESENTER

Dr. Lawrence T. Potter, Jr. Chief Academic Officer and Provost University of the District of Columbia EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP – CORPORATE PROMOTION OF EDUCATION AWARD

Mrs. Claudia Morales Supplier Quality Assurance Systems Staff Specialist Bell Textron Inc PRESENTER

Paul Watts Executive Vice President of Integrated Operations for Bell Textron, Inc. COMMUNITY SERVICE IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Mrs. Demetria F. Hall Systems Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Lockheed Martin Corporation PRESENTER

J. D. McFarlan, III Vice President of Functional Engineering Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company COMMUNITY SERVICE IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Ms. Jasmine LeFlore Senior Project Engineer/Nonprofit Co-Founder Collins Aerospace/Greater Than Tech Raytheon Technologies Corporation PRESENTER

Dionne Henry Executive Director of Engineering Quality Pratt & Whitney, a Raytheon Technologies Company

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COMMUNITY SERVICE IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Mrs. Priscilla L. Ford Electronics Engineer & Workforce Development Specialist Fleet Readiness Center Southwest Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) PRESENTER

Monica Emerson Principal of Inclusive Performance Solutions National Chair of the Women of Color STEM Conference REMARKS

Alicia Boler Davis Vice President of Global Customer Fulfillment Amazon CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AWARD

Ms. Karen Bradford Director, Strategic Partnerships NASA Ames Research Center, NASA PRESENTER

Carol Carroll Deputy Center Director NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Tamberlin Golden Plant Director General Motors PRESENTER

Doneen McDowell Manufacturing Executive Director General Motors North America Cars and SUVs NEW MEDIA LEADERSHIP IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Ms. Rachel V. Smith Assistant Vice President – Technology AT&T PRESENTER

Kate Hopkins Vice President of the Data Platform AT&T Chief Data Office

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NEW MEDIA LEADERSHIP IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Ms. Barbara Pilate Computer Scientist, Engineer Research and Development Center U.S. Army Corps of Engineers PRESENTER

Dr. David W. Pittman Director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Vicksburg, Mississippi and Director of R&D and Chief Scientist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTION IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Carol A. S. Brevett, Ph.D. Principal Scientist Leidos PRESENTER

Gerry Fasano President of the Defense Group Leidos OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTION IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Ms. Vanessa Michelini IBM Distinguished Engineer, Master Inventor IBM PRESENTER

Rhonda Childress IBM Services Business Information Security Officer IBM Fellow Master Inventor OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTION IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Ms. Antonella Alunni Aerospace Engineer NASA Ames Research Center, NASA PRESENTER

Carol Carroll Deputy Center Director NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTION IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Ms. Trena Jackson Operations Research Analyst Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) PRESENTER

Monica Emerson Principal of Inclusive Performance Solutions National Chair of the Women of Color STEM Conference

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PRESIDENT’S AWARD

Ms. Adrienne Somerville Acquisition Group Head, Commander Fleet Readiness Center Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) PRESENTER

Monica Emerson Principal of Inclusive Performance Solutions National Chair of the Women of Color STEM Conference MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Mrs. Shanique L. Smith Director, SPY-6 Air & Missile Defense Radar, LRIP Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Raytheon Technologies Corporation PRESENTER

Kim Ernzen Vice President of Naval Power at Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Business of Raytheon Technologies MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Ms. Shitarria Battle Chief Engineer, C2 Systems Development Missile Defense Agency PRESENTER

Laura M. DeSimone Acting Executive Director Missile Defense Agency Office of the Secretary of Defense.

MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Beethika Khan, Ph.D. Program Director National Science Foundation (NSF) PRESENTER

Dr. Victor McCrary Vice President for Research and Graduate Programs at the University of the District of Columbia Fellow of the African Scientific Institute, Vice-chair of the National Science Board TECHNICAL INNOVATION IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Mrs. Evelyn N. Moore F/A-18 & EA-18G Director of Engineering & Chief Engineer Strike, Surveillance, and Mobility Engineering (SSM) Boeing Defense, Space, & Security (BDS) PRESENTER

Rob Adkisson Vice President and Division Chief Engineer Strike, Surveillance and Mobility Boeing Defense, Space & Security

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TECHNICAL INNOVATION IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Yufang Hou, Ph.D. Research Scientist, IBM Research Europe – Ireland IBM PRESENTER

Rhonda Childress IBM Services Business Information Security Officer IBM Fellow, Master Inventor TECHNICAL INNOVATION IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Candice Hatcher-Solis, Ph.D. Team Leader Neurobiology of Cognitive Performance 711th Human Performance Wing Air Force Research Laboratory PRESENTER

Lisa P. Smith, SES Deputy Director of Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection Headquarters Air Force PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Mrs. Jenine Patterson Principal Systems Engineer The MITRE Corporation PRESENTER

Stephanie E. Turner Vice President of Inclusion, Diversity, and Social Innovation The MITRE Corporation PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Rayna Matsuno, Ph.D., M.P.H. Epidemiologist III Leidos PRESENTER

Gerry Fasano President of the Defense Group Leidos PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Xiomara Calderón-Colón, Ph.D. Senior Materials, Scientist/Project Manager Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

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PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Ms. Tekia Govan, Project Manager, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Ms. Jasmine Gilliam Physical Security Inspector, Region III U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission CAREER ACHIEVEMENT IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Ms. Monique Brisson Research Electrical Engineer Air Force Research Laboratory PRESENTER

Lisa P. Smith, SES Deputy Director of Logistics Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection Headquarters Air Force CAREER ACHIEVEMENT IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Mrs. Tonya M. Noble Director, International Defense Training, The Boeing Company PRESENTER

Turbo Sjogren Vice President of Boeing’s International Government and Defense organization CAREER ACHIEVEMENT IN INDUSTRY AWARD

Karen Rodriguez, Ph.D. Division Vice President, Corporate Engineering Abbott PRESENTER

Scott House Senior Vice President, Quality Assurance, Regulatory and Engineering Services Abbott CAREER ACHIEVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

COL Antoinette Gant Commander, Louisville District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers PRESENTER

Major General Robert F. Whittle, Jr. Commander and District Engineer of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

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CAREER ACHIEVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT AWARD

Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Ph.D. USDA Agricultural Research Service Administrator and USDA Acting Chief Scientist United States Department of Agriculture PRESENTER

Dr. Alexander Friend Deputy Chief of Research and Development for the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service

PASSING THE TORCH

Dr. Pamela McCauley 2019 Women of Color Technologist of the Year WOMEN OF COLOR PRESENTATION OF THE 2020 TECHNOLOGIST OF THE YEAR AWARD AND ACCEPTANCE REMARKS

RADM Sylvia Trent-Adams, Ph.D., RN, FAAN Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health U.S. Department of Health & Human Services CLOSING REMARKS

NOTES:

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