Women of Color Volume 12 Number 2 by Career Communications Group

Connecting. Mentoring. Learning: Pathway to Success CAREER COMMUNICATIONS GROUP’S

For Today’s Career Women In Technology & Business

$6.95

2013 TECHNOLOGIST OF THE YEAR Camille D’Annunzio

Manager, Automated Sensor Exploitation Technology Center Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems

TECHNOLOGY

ALL-STARS

& RISING STARS FALL 2013 | www.womenofcolor.net

WOMEN OF COLOR

STEM AWARDS WINNERS SPECIAL RECOGNITION HONOREES

SUCCESS: WE ALL WANT TO GET THERE FAST.

O u r j o u r n e y b e g i n s a t w w w.c h r y s l e rc a re e r s.c o m

Career Communications Group’s

For Today’s Career Women in Business and Technology

VOLUME 12 NUMBER 2 FALL 2013

CONTENTS

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

20 COVER STORY

6 Women in the News

TECHNOLOGIST OF THE YEAR: CAMILLE D’ANNUNZIO

WOC STEM Award winners breaking barriers and reaching greater heights

2013 Technologist

10 My Greatest Challenge

of the Year Camille

Corporate Senior Vice President Speaks on Diversity’s Payoff at Multicultural Event

D’Annunzio has led a fascinating mathematical life. She’s the stuff that leaders are made of. Read and be inspired by what she knows and what she does.

24 WOC AWARD WINNERS AND

SPECIAL RECOGNITION HONOREES Whether it’s inventing new products, penetrating new markets, increasing sales or impelementing new processes, Women of Color STEM Category Award winners and Special Recognition Honorees showcase impressive accomplishments. Together, they tell some of the most important stories in America.

46 WOC TECHNOLOGY ALL-STARS AND RISING STARS

A galaxy of All-Stars and Rising Stars

14 WOMEN OF COLOR PICTORIAL

Have a look at photos from Women of Color STEM conferences past, where our guests support each other down the road to success.

53 A PROFILE OF LEADERSHIP IN FEDERAL SERVICE 2

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57 Career Outlook • Job Horizon: Women in Energy • Recruiting Trends • Wal-Mart’s Dionna Alexander-Moses: Empowering Women in STEM

• L’Oreal - The Science of Beauty • Lowe’s Seeks Innovators

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EDITORIAL PAGE

Career Communications Group’s

For Today’s Career Women in Business and Technology EXECUTIVE OFFICE Tyrone D. Taborn, Publisher and Editorial Director Jean Hamilton, President and CFO Vercilla Brown-Johnson, Chief of Staff EDITORIAL Lango Deen, Technology Editor Rayondon Kennedy, Assistant Editor Michael Fletcher, Contributing Editor Gale Horton Gay, Contributing Editor M.V. Greene, Contributing Editor Frank McCoy, Contributing Editor Garland L. Thompson, Contributing Editor Roger Witherspoon, Contributing Editor GRAPHIC DESIGN Sherley Petit-Homme, Art Director Bryan Clapper, Graphic Designer CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT Ty Taborn, Corporate Development Jacob Wiggins, Corporate Development Imani R. Carter, Corporate Communications Specialist SALES AND MARKETING Richard Butler, Vice President of Government Relations/Special Projects Gwendolyn Bethea, Senior Account Manager Alex Venetta, Advertising Coordinator ADMINISTRATION Ana Bertrand, Conference Coordinator CONFERENCE AND EVENTS Rutherford & Associates 17304 Preston Rd Suite 1020 Dallas, Texas 75252 ADVERTISING SALES OFFICE Career Communications Group, Inc. 729 E. Pratt Street, 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone: (410) 244-7101 | Fax: (410) 752-1834 Women of Color (ISSN 1937-0555) is a publication for today’s career women in business and technology. Women of Color magazine invites letters to the editor about any topics important to our readership. Article queries and letters should be sent to: CCG – Women of Color magazine, Editorial Department, 729 E. Pratt St., 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. No manuscript will be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Women of Color magazine cannot be responsible for unsolicited art or editorial material. Subscriptions are $13/year. Please write to: CCG -Women of Color magazine, Subscriptions, 729 E. Pratt St., 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. Copyright © 2013 by Career Communications Group Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WOCITC Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/woctechnology

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From the start, Women of Color (WOC) Conference issues have been popular vehicles for employers to attract women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Since 1995, companies have reached students and young professionals who look forward each year to learning of their colleagues’ successes in WOC’s tribute to some of America’s top women in STEM. Technologist of the Year Camille D’Annunzio has had admirable achievements as a mathematics Ph.D., solving problems for the world. Dr. D’Annunzio said she became a mathematician because while growing up, she excelled in math and science. “Probably my earliest influence was my mother, who interested me in cooking, which led me to my first chemistry lab, the kitchen,” she said. “Next was my father, the engineer, who taught me the importance of mathematics in design.” In 7th grade, and much to her father’s dismay, as he wanted her to follow in his footsteps as an engineer, she decided she’d get a Ph.D. in mathematics even though she really didn’t know what that meant at the time. Years later, with her parent’s support, she obtained a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics, despite skepticism toward women in mathematics. In 2013, D’Annunzio is employing values learned and wisdom gained to help young women “envision their future.” She served as a volunteer (1993-2005) to develop curriculum for hands-on science activities. She also ran a college application program series and, this year, led a science station for Girl Power 2013. The event attracted more than 1,000 girls and family members. A 27-year member of the Girl Scouts, Dr. D’Annunzio served as leader for Girl Scout Troops 2232 and 1820 from 1997 through 2013, as her last girl scout graduated and headed off to college. “Programs like the Girl Scouts are providing STEM programs that help,” she observes. “But much more needs to be done at the middle school level where many girls choose to leave STEM.” One answer to increasing participation in STEM education, she said, means getting girls into projects at an earlier age. Like the Technologist of the Year, 2013 Women of Color STEM Award winners and Special Recognition Honorees not only show countless examples of how their experiences helped them overcome the odds—low expectations and sexist attitudes—they also tell what they’re doing to promote women in STEM and help others persevere despite attempts to hold them back. WOC winners volunteer time counseling young people searching for guidance and inspiration. They also mentor high school and college students seeking to better their lives through education. But they are not alone. The best employers are with them every step of the way, increasing visibility among the talent they need to reach and making sure their recruitment messages are where the future workforce can see it.

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From network and program security administrators to systems and manufacturing engineers, General Dynamics offers exceptional career opportunities.

Josephine Gustillo Systems Integration Engineer

Visit us at www.gd.com/employment for more information.

Flor Aguilar Kim Program Manager Combat Operations Center

WOMEN IN THE NEWS GOOD THINGS HAPPENING FOR WOC ALUMNAE

Women of Color magazine emphasizes that the sky is the limit and encourages women of all ethnicities to dream big and set major goals. Below are the names of professional women who have continued to make accomplishments in their careers, even after breaking major barriers and reaching great achievements. Since winning the 2008 Women of Color Career Achievement award, Nora Lin was elected president of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) in 2009 and served through 2010. Other leadership positions Lin has held within SWE include director of regions, Region H governor, Nora Lin section vitality task force chair, leadership coach, SWE-Chicago Regional Section’s president, vice president and treasurer. She has worked in engineering for more than 30 years and at Northrop Grumman’s Rolling Meadows, Ill., facility for the past 20 years. Lin began her career as a scientific programmer and rose to become an engineering technical lead/project manager, leading engineering teams in the development of realtime systems for several military programs. Pauline Bennett, a 2008 Women of Color Career Achievement in Industry award winner, has been a principal systems engineer at SAIC since 2010. She spent six years as a Booz Allen Hamilton associate (2004-2010) and was a senior scientist at The Boeing Company (1996 -2004). She has served as an adjunct professor, Radar Systems at California State University, Northridge since 2011. Nancy-Kim Yun, onetime director of integrated shipboard systems at The Boeing Company, is now corporate relations director for Development and External Relations at the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine. Yun won a 2009 Women of Color award for Managerial Leadership in Industry. Piali De is now CEO of Senscio Systems, co-founding the venture in 2009, with the vision of a world made better through intelligent information technologies. She is also co-inventor of Senscio’s patent pending SCIO framework. Prior to

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Piali De

Senscio Systems, Dr. De was an Engineering Fellow at Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems. At Raytheon, she invented a system called Confluence, designed to deliver knowledge-based decision support in military and public safety missions. She was also responsible for managing Raytheon’s knowledge based decision support business area. Dr. De was the 2009 Women of Color Technical Innovation award winner. 2009 Special Recognition Honoree Cassie Weissert has served as senior manager engineering - ground software at Orbital Sciences Corporation since April 2010. Prior, she was technical manager for ground software responsible for command and control (C2) software supporting box-level development, space vehicle integration and test and mission operations center as well as factory support software at Raytheon for five years. Dr. Zakiya S. Wilson, assistant director of graduate studies in chemistry and executive assistant of strategic initiatives at Louisiana State University, was the 2011 recipient of the Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences for the Southwest Region. Dr. Wilson won the 2011 Women of Color Award for College-level Promotion of Education.

Dr. Zakiya S. Wilson

Gail P. Forest, a member of the Senior Executive Service, was appointed director for information dominance programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition in June 2013. She is responsible for planning and programming all acquisition and modernization activities for Gail P. Forest Air Force command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs. She served as director, plans and programs, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, from January 2011 until her move this year. Forest was the 2011 Women of Color award winner for Professional Achievement in Government. Since her 2005 feature in Hispanic Engineer & Information Technology magazine, Marcela Perez de Alonso

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WOMEN IN THE NEWS continued to serve as executive vice president of Human Resources for Hewlett-Packward Company until 2010. For all of her hard work and dedication in the Human Resources field, she received the Human Capital Leader of the Year award from the Society for Human Resources Management in 2009.

Having been appointed by former President George W. Bush, she was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Also in 2008, Carranza won the Woman of Distinction award from the American Association of University Women and NASPA. She is currently the CEO of The JCR Group. Marcela Perez

Women of Color 2010 Pioneer Award winner Alicia Abella has been awarded a 2013 Medal of Excellence from Columbia University, for professional and community accomplishments. This is the first time the medal, given annually since 1929, has been conferred on an engineer. Alicia Abella Abella holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Columbia University, a master’s degree in computer science from Columbia University and a bachelor of science degree in computer science from New York University. She first distinguished herself by building an innovative natural language dialog management system for AT&T’s “How May I Help You?” customer care service, which was deployed in 2000. Currently, she manages a group of multi-disciplinary technical staff specializing in data mining, user interfaces, IPTV, mobile services, SIP/VoIP technology. Dr. Abella has helped to increase the pool of women and minorities in science by serving as vice president of the Young Science Achievers Program and chair of the AT&T Labs Fellowship Committee. Since Cristina H. Amon, Sc. D.’s feature in Hispanic Engineer & Information Technology magazine in 2005, she has made several achievements such as landing a new position as the dean of Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto in 2006. Amon was previCristina H. Amon ously director of the Institute for Complex Engineered Systems at Carnegie Mellon University. In 2012, she was inducted in the HENACC Great Minds in STEM Hall of Fame. In 2005, Chicago native Jovita Carranza was the vice president of air operations for UPS. The following year, through 2008, she was named the deputy administrator of the United States Small Business Administration.

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Jovita Carranza

Patricia Elizondo, former senior vice president of major accounts operations at Xerox, is now the company’s senior vice president of global sales integration-ACS/AOO. In 2010, Elizondo was listed as one of the Top 25 Elite Hispanic Business Leaders, which is an award that highlights executives who are leaders in their fields.

Patricia Elizondo

Since her 2007 US Black Engineer & Information Technology feature, Delores Johnson-Cooper, director of sourcing operations and supplier diversity at Verizon, has won the Highest Leaf award from the Women’s Venture Fund. This award celebrates trailblazing women business executives who have shown outstanding leadership and commitment to their respective industries and other women. In 2007, Latesha Young served as an associate at Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. Since then, she was promoted to test equipment asset management and metrology systems project manager for Northrop Grumman’s aerospace systems sector. In 2010, Young received an Educational Leadership award at the Women of Conference STEM conference. Linda Gooden retired this year as Executive Vice President of Information Systems and Global Solutions at Lockheed Martin Corporation. Gooden was inducted into the Career Communications Hall of Fame in 2011, and was recently elected to the boards of directors of WGL Holdings, Inc. and Washington Gas.

Latesha Young

Linda Gooden

by Imani Carter, icarter@ccgmag.com

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Make a Difference Through Public Service DoD Offers Diverse Opportunities You don’t need to wear a uniform to serve your country. Throughout the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), we rely on our people as our most important resource. Civilians serve throughout the Department in a wide range of careers including Finance, Personnel, Medical, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. We are committed to growing our employees into the leaders of tomorrow. At the Department of Defense, we recognize that diversity encompasses more than race and gender - we seek to include diversity of thought, abilities, background, language, culture, and skills. Your diverse experiences can give us a strategic advantage in developing the innovative technologies we need to successfully respond to complex, 21st century challenges. Join our team and help protect your nation! Learn more about civilian and military career opportunities in the DoD by visiting http://diversity.defense.gov.

MY GREATEST CHALLENGE

Sonya Sepahban, SVP, Engineering Development and Technology, General Dynamics Land Systems

CORPORATE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT SPEAKS ON DIVERSITY’S PAYOFF AT MULTICULTURAL WOMEN OF COLOR STEM AWARDS

General Dynamics Land Systems’ Sonya F. Sepahban has held a range of executive positions in the defense sector, including vice president of mission excellence for Northrop Grumman Space and program manager for a Euro-Japanese-NASA-Russian vehicle, used as a lifeboat for astronauts orbiting Earth. Last fall, Sepahban, who now leads engineering for a $4.6 billion GD unit with 100,000 direct reports around the world, addressed the Awards Gala at the Women

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of Color STEM Conference as Technologist of the Year. The top Women of Color award represents the selection committee’s view on a nominee whose accomplishments distinguish her far beyond her individual disciplines. This award represents recognition of high merit, broad effect on people in many disciplines, and value to society as a whole In her remarks, Sepahban spoke of her team’s singleminded focus on the challenges America’s military faces

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MY GREATEST CHALLENGE

“When I was considering an engineering graduate program overseas,” Sepahban said, “I realized how fortunate we all are for the openness and flexibility that are the hallmarks of our nation and indeed attract the best and brightest to this country.”

at the frontlines. She also discussed the ingredients to successfully ride the waves of change and take advantage of oceans of opportunity. “What drives us, and causes the level of innovation being recognized tonight, is our passion for doing everything we can to make warfighters around the world safer, and operationally effective as possible,” Sepahban said. But no worthwhile innovation is ever easy, she cautioned. “In our complex and inter-connected world, it’s imperative we see the whole picture,” Sepahban said. “It’s becoming more and more difficult, perhaps impossible, to solve problems in isolation. In fact, a common factor in environments that breed innovation seems to be openness and collaboration.” Sepahban credited her family’s “tribal-like devotion and common purpose” as the source for her collaborative bent. “It seemed unthinkable to go it alone.” She also gave a bow to the diversity of her background for her sense of curiosity with an unwavering resolve to find solutions and never give up. Born to immigrant parents in Philadelphia, the largest city in the state of Pennsylvania and one of the most populous in the United States, change and diversity were the only constants growing up, she said. “My parents came from diverse backgrounds. Father was a brilliant engineer. By the time I was born, he already had several patents and many technical accomplishments. But it was Mother, an incredibly talented and passionate artist, who insisted that I should pursue my passion for STEM. She has inspired and encouraged me throughout my life and continues to support me in my career.”

After high school, the young Sonya headed more than 200 miles north to Ithaca in New York. By 1982, she had graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s in chemical engineering and then flew to Paris, France, for a bachelor’s in business administration. Three years later, she had earned a master’s in chemical engineering from Rice University in Houston, Texas, followed by an M.B.A. from the University of Houston in 1990. “When I was considering an engineering graduate program overseas,” Sepahban said, “I realized how fortunate we all are for the openness and flexibility that are the hallmarks of our nation and indeed attract the best and brightest to this country…Sometimes, however, it seems we may be getting away from this spirit when we see highly partisan behaviors displayed publicly,” she said wryly. Sepahban said she believes there are two essential ingredients to successfully ride the waves of change and take advantage of oceans of opportunity: curiosity and collaboration. “I believe we all need to play a part in motivating the new generation to develop the same sense of curiosity and adventure that this nation was built upon,” she urged. “Through our mentorship, we can make great strides in shaping the future and creating a tidal wave of innovation that will carry us forward. “We must get back to the key ingredient that makes this country great, leveraging the rich diversity of our cultures,” Sepahban said. “We must encourage and support collaboration in any shape and form, anywhere and anytime we can.” by Lango Deen, ldeen@ccgmag.com

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World Wide Technology is Proud to Support the 2013 Women of Color STEM Conference World Wide Technology (WWT) brings an innovative and proven approach to how organizations evaluate, architect and implement new technology. Our customers have hands on access to cutting edge data center, virtualization, security and collaboration products in our Advanced Technology Center. In addition, we offer technical expertise from our expansive team of engineering resources and accelerated global product delivery, powered by a sophisticated supply chain management infrastructure. With more than $5B in annual revenue, WWT is a ﬁ nancially strong, privately-held systems integrator that ranks among the top tier of partners with industry leaders like Cisco, HP, EMC, NetApp, VMware and Citrix. WWT is dedicated to supporting women of color pursuing STEM studies and career paths. Our goal is to bring positive change by supporting these efforts and we are excited to be a part of this year’s conference.

Visit us online: www.wwt.com • 800.432.7008

WOMEN OF COLOR STEM CONFERENCE

CONNECTING. MENTORING. LEARNING.

THE

PATHWAYS TO

SUCCESS

he Pathway to Success can sometimes be a road less traveled; however our Women of Color STEM Conference leads the way to this path by providing our guests with valuable connecting, mentoring and learning opportunities. Have a look at photos from Women of Color STEM conferences past, where our guests support each other down the road to success.

CONNECTING Students network with peers and top executives to mold their futures. While networking and making connections, guests are able to build strong relationships. As this conference is very diverse, the women are able to learn from each other, not only about their professional fields, but different cultures and traditions.

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WOMEN OF COLOR STEM CONFERENCE

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WOMEN OF COLOR STEM CONFERENCE

MENTORING Once our guests have connected and developed a close bond, we’ve witnessed mentorship opportunities unfold. Students and young professionals are able to reach out to experienced professionals and ask as many questions as they’d like. Industry executives and leaders guide students into the direction of their dreams, instilling in them information that will ensure their future success.

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WOMEN OF COLOR STEM CONFERENCE

LEARNING The Women of Color STEM Conference offers students and professionals access to several seminars that share tools that are beneficial for your career and success in the workplace. During these seminars, panelists are very open and express how deeply they care about our guest’s success. Understanding the value of this experience, younger professionals and students are attentive and take many notes. At the Women of Color STEM Conference, we realize that you can never be too young or too old to learn new things. During past conferences, both students and mentors learn from each other.

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WOMENOFCOLOR WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL | FALL 2013 2012

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Before you even meet with a prospective employer, we’ve already matched your skills and personality with that company’s exact needs. We know you’ll impress because we know you’re the perfect fit for the job. And as a leader in the staffing industry, we have the inside track with top companies in your area. To find a job that’s your perfect fit, go to Aerotekjob.com or call us at 1-888-AEROTEK. Aerotek is an equal opportunity employer. An Allegis Group Company. ©2013

Congratulations to our award winners at the 2013 Women of Color STEM Conference.

Pioneer of the Year Marsha Brown Hackworth Senior Planner/Scheduler General Dynamics NASSCO

Technology Rising Star Lorena De Leon Engineer II General Dynamics NASSCO

2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS ”Probably my earliest influence was my mother who interested me in cooking which led me to my first chemistry lab, the kitchen. Next, was my father, the engineer, who taught me the importance of mathematics in design.”—Dr. Camille D’Annunizio

By Lango Deen he oldest of seven children, I escaped into books whenever I could,” D’Annunzio recalled. “I loved to solve problems and was good at mathematics and science. When I was in seventh grade, much to my father’s dismay as he wanted me to follow in his footsteps as an engineer, I decided I would get a Ph.D. in mathematics even though I didn’t really know what that meant at the time.”

”T

As a math major at Cornell University, she added chemistry to the equation to double major. After she graduated in 1977, she joined Merck where she developed potential pharmaceuticals before starting a doctorate one year later. “I obtained my Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics with support of my parents—in spite of skeptical and sometimes prejudiced teachers and professors [with] attitudes toward women in mathematics,” she said. After completing her doctorate at the University of Maryland-College Park in 1985, she worked as a research associate in the Institute of Physical Science and Technology at the University of Maryland. While there, D’Annunzio did data analysis for an experiment carried on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Satellite ISEE3/ICE. The satellite was the first to measure composition of a comet and D’Annunzio expertly showed the composition of both solar wind and initial

By October 1985, 28 years ago this Women of Color STEM Conference, a 20-something Camille D’Annunzio was preparing for a celebration: doctoral graduation in applied mathematics. Since 1980, according to statistics from Margaret Murray, a former professor of mathematics at Virginia Tech and author of “Women Becoming Mathematicians: Creating a Professional Identity in Post-World War II America,” women have earned 17.6 percent of the mathematics Ph.D.’s awarded in the United States. Murray’s ‘must-read’ book has been described as a “sociological-historical study” of 36 women mathematicians who received their Ph.D.s between the years 1940 and 1959. In his review, Paul Zweifel, a leading theoretical physicist and social commentator, wrote that Murray’s in-depth study of the lives and careers of women mathematicians tries to answer two basic questions, formulated in her preface: “How do women become mathematicians?” and “How do they find satisfying work and earn respect and remuneration in a field largely defined and dominated by men?” Other questions in subsequent chapters were, he wrote: “marriage and child-rearing, how do girls and young women cope with the societal/ familial attitudes that mathematics is not ‘women’s work?’ and whether academic research was abandoned for teaching and/or industry as a result of subtle or not-so-subtle pressure from the male establishment. Although Women of Color magazine’s study of the life and mathematical career of Dr. Camille D’Annunzio isn’t as scholarly, we did attempt to answer some burning questions Murray poses and, perhaps, understand how “women become mathematicians in the leanest times, when social and cultural force are least supportive of their ambitions” and “women graduate students [are] required to prepare tea before colloquia and clean up afterwards while the men hobnobbed with the speaker.”

Continued on Page 22 20

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WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013

Camille D’Annunzio Manager, Automated Sensor Exploitation Technology Center Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems

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2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS

D’Annunzio, continued from Page 20 results from the comet. She also presented results of this analysis to a 1986 community of scientists at an American Geophysical Union meeting. D’Annunzio then moved to BDM International’s theater warfare analysis group, where she was responsible for modeling and simulation related to chemical systems, chemical warfare and missile defense architectures. Three years on, she presented “Theater Missile Defense against Syrian Chemical Missiles Attacking Israel” at the 1989 Military Operations Research Society Symposium, in front of hundreds of operations research professionals and leaders of the national security analytic community. As a senior scientist at Radix Systems Inc., D’Annunzio led design and implementation of computational algorithms based on theoretical models of physical, chemical and engineering systems. Over time, her research interests would shift to noise and vibration, eventually earning her a patent in 1997 from work using actuators for vibration control. D’Annunzio was granted a patent for noise reduction in mechanical vibrations to reduce the impact of earthquakes on buildings. At Alcatel, she wrote algorithms to improve the performance of ASDL modems. Also of note, during a consultancy with MedAcoustics Inc. she developed adaptive algorithms for medical acoustic devices to detect and characterize coronary and artery disease. On joining Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Systems sector, D’Annunzio returned to her roots with chemical transport modeling for work in concealed explosives. Her first position was the modeling lead for chemical and biological programs. Since she began at Northrop Grumman’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, or high-Explosive (CBRNE) Technology Center in 2003, D’Annunzio has been granted a Northrop Grumman Invention Disclosure (trade secret) for real time chemical/biological threat situational awareness using tipping/ cueing and detection sensors. Five years ago this October, she earned a Northrop Grumman Technology Award. D’Annunzio developed a stochastic model based on principles to determine the hybridization mismatch rates in a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) multiplex that won a Northrop Grumman Presidential Award. The method is used in expression analysis of single or multiple genes, and expression patterns for identifying infections and diseases. In 2007, D’Annunzio was program manager and principal investigator of a chem-bio disparate sensor fusion demonstration at Fort Belvoir, a U.S. Army installation that provides logistical, intelligence and administrative support to a diverse mix of commands, activities and agencies. She was the lead on the analysis of standoff suicide bomber detection for the Army

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which helped to determine the phenomenology of technology for use indoors and outdoors to detect concealed objects. She was also responsible for the framework architecture of Northrop Grumman’s efforts in activity recognition and was the engineering manager for a program developing combat identification and ground moving target classification to provide the warfighter with better situational awareness. In 2009, she was appointed a senior advisory engineer at the global security and technology company and group leader for Northrop Grumman’s Automated Sensor Exploitation Center, with responsibility for everything from employee development and staffing to budget, finance, bids and proposals. Last year, D’Annunzio was a Copernicus finalist for “Exploitation of Networks for Cyber Protection.” Copernicus is an open innovation system designed to help meet challenges related to U.S. Department of Defense budget constraints and customer demands for more affordable solutions. Copernican Awards recognize the creativity of talented employees and partners whose ideas will benefit next generation products and business processes. Currently, D’Annunzio is leading research for ground combat vehicle aided target recognition for ground moving target indication efforts in Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Concepts and Technologies Division. A scientist, mathematician, and a leader, she has made her mark not only in industry but for the nation’s defense. In 2003, when D’Annunzio started in Northrop Grumman’s chem-bio group, chemical and biological warfare was an area of great focus following heightened concern about hidden chemical and biological weapons in Iraq and an anthrax scare at the Navy Consolidated Mail Facility in Washington D.C. As modeling lead for chem-bio explosive defensive systems, she was a significant contributor to Northrop Grumman biodefense programs as well as performing analysis for the United States Postal Service bio-detection system.

WHAT’S HER PROUDEST CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENT? “That is hard to say,” she said. “I have worked on so many projects over the years. However, there are a couple that come to mind: While working to improve an existing product and in the process of trying to understand how the software worked for the product, I realized we were solving the wrong mathematical problem a nearby problem, but still the wrong problem. “Recognizing and fixing the issue which significantly improved performance brought me a real sense of accomplishment. “In many other cases I worked with a team to develop products which is always exciting and challenging. During one of these product designs I had to develop a biological simulation that was somewhat out of my range of expertise so I had to build on my

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WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013 chemistry and teach myself the biology to build an accurate model which helped justify the design. This was a very hard project that I completed successfully,” D’Annunzio said. Over 35 years, she has done an exemplary job as technical professional and manager motivating staff to develop algorithms and techniques for problems occurring in radar, sensor fusion, color video, telecommunications, defense, active noise and vibration control, biology, physics, chemistry and engineering. She attributes her success to “dedication, persistence and competence.” In addition, she said, “It is really important to be knowledgeable about all aspects of the project you are working on and to be able to look ahead to see where your business is headed so you can clear the road in that direction. “You have to have a passion for what you are doing,” she advised. “That passion shows through in your work, and leadership takes notice. I think you also have to have goals and reach for those goals, recognize when your goals need to be modified.” In 2013, D’Annunzio led a hands-on science station called “Is it an Acid or a Base?” for Girl Power 2013, a free introduction to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for middle and high school girls in a partnership between the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County and the Maryland Space Business Roundtable. The sixth annual Girl Power event attracted more than 1,000 girls and family members.

D’Annunzio served as leader and advisor for Girl Scout Troops 2232 and 1820 from 1997 through 2013 as her last girl scout graduated and headed off to college. A 27-year member of the Girl Scouts and a member of the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital, D’Annunzio served as leader and advisor for Girl Scout Troops 2232 and 1820 from 1997 through 2013 as her last girl scout graduated and headed off to college. She now works at the council level on the Gold Award Panel. “Programs like the Girl Scouts are providing STEM programs that help, but much more needs to be done particularly at the middle school level where many girls choose to leave STEM,” she said. “Probably my earliest influence was my mother, who interested me in cooking, which lead me to my first chemistry lab, the kitchen,” she said. “Next was my father, the engineer, who

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taught me the importance of mathematics in design.” D’Annunzio says increasing female participation in STEM education means getting girls into projects at an earlier age. “Boys have the equipment to build robots or electrical contraptions where girls do not generally have these things available to them as they grow up. I think elementary programs like Math Olympiad, Destination Imagination and others need to recruit more girls.” To this end, she has served as a volunteer (1993-2005) to develop and implement curriculum for age appropriate hands-on science activities at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School and Epworth Pre-School. At Quince Orchard High, she has run a college application program series in collaboration with the principal. Her professional groups include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematicians, Society of Women Engineers, Northrop Grumman Women in Engineering and Northrop Grumman Electronic System’s Women’s Initiative for Networking and Success. Today, so many technical areas are inter-related, so a broad math and science base is important, she noted. “The broad base allows you to make the connections and then provides the ability for you to work with other technical groups,” she explained. “I also think that some coding experience, at least to the level of MATLAB (matrix laboratory, a high-level technical computing language and interactive environment for algorithm development), is necessary so that you understand how computing can be used to assist your problem solving. “In graduate school, Dr. Bruce Kellogg provided guidance throughout my dissertation. Once in the professional world, I would say Dr. Charles Chassaing had the largest influence on my technical career. He taught me how to first think about solving a problem and then how to go about it,” she said. Looking to the future of her field, “The ‘Big Data Problem’ affects so many in so many ways,” D’Annunzio comments. “The amount of data collected for review by analysts is staggering. This “Big Data” or “Swimming in Data” problem requires many, many analysts and it is impossible to review the data in a timely manner. Automated software to reduce operator fatigue and workload as well as to reduce the total number of operators needed to assist analysts is becoming more and more important with the advent of Big Data.” To new women in the STEM workforce, her advice is: “Stick with it. If someone tells you you will never make it, go do it anyway. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, find a mentor you are comfortable going to for all kinds of questions. Being a female in STEM can sometimes be lonely and sometimes frustrating but it can also be very rewarding.”

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2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS ship Class of 2009 and Boston Women in Business Groups to raise funds for HIV caregiver’s kits for Boston Aids Africa and World Vision. She is a member of the Council of Asian American Leaders leadership forum.

Iris Bombelyn Vice President, Narrowband Communications Mobile User Objective System Program Manager Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company

Career Achievement in Industry

ris Bombelyn is responsible for delivering live satellites to four worldwide ground stations and securing a waveform that provides third-generation mobile communication to the United States and its allies. She manages a $700 million budget and 900 employees. During her 28-year career she has made remarkable contributions to the space industry. In 2000 as manager for a $5 million Proton program she coordinated commercial satellite launches in Kazakhstan. By 2007, she was directing the $80 million Intelsat 15 program at Orbital Sciences Corp. Bombelyn earned a bachelor’s in engineering from Washington State University and an M.B.A. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She speaks Russian and Japanese. “I was the first one in my family to graduate from college,” she said. “Dad was a longshoreman and mom was a seamstress. Dad met mom in Japan after WWII as a JapaneseAmerican U.S. interpreter. When I went off to college, my dad asked me what major I was going to declare. I told him I was thinking Journalism, because I liked writing, or engineering, because I was good in math. He looked at me for a beat, and with an absolute deadpan delivery, said ‘Well, kid….engineers eat.’ Dad was right. Engineers not only eat, they get to solve problems, invent and generally make everything around them better. In my job today, even though I no longer ‘engineer,’ it’s still exciting to see the progress we make, and provide leadership that helps my team deliver capabilities that have never existed before.” Bombelyn is a member of the IEEE and MentorNet, a program that connects students with scientists and engineers. She led campaigns through her Sloan Fellow24

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Pamela D. Carter Vice President, Business Development for Global Services & Support Defense, Space & Security, The Boeing Company

Career Achievement in Industry

amela Carter is an asset to the U.S. Air Force and The Boeing Company. She manages 15 direct reports and 150 indirect employees. She is responsible for a $110 million annual budget to pursue new business. International growth in key markets such as the United Kingdom, Middle East, Asia, Israel and India falls under her responsibility as well. Carter credits much of her career success to her more than 35 years of experience in aviation logistics disciplines. She also has extensive experience with integrated business and operational strategies. As a retired Air Force colonel, Carter has a reputation as an expert logistician and a successful leader of several organizations of various sizes. While in the Air Force, logistics, supply, transportation, contracting and maintenance were among her areas of specialty. She began her Boeing career in 2004 after completing a 26-year career in the Air Force. Carter’s first assignment with Boeing was standing up C-17 operations at McGuire Air Force Base. She led a team of engineers, field and logistics service technical representatives. Her team also included personnel who were responsible for providing engineering, spares and engine management support directly to customers. Carter is a two-time recipient of the Boeing Business Development Leadership Award, and received a Women of Color in Technology All-Star award in 2010. While www.womenofcolor.net

WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013 with the Air Force, Carter received honors such as the Howard Leaf Inspector General awards. “I always strived to do the job I had been given to the best of my ability,” she said. “Early in my career I learned that my job would be easier if I took care of my people. You never know when people are watching you, learning from you. I am humbled when people come to me and tell me that I inspired them.”

tree-shaded green lawn, happy college graduates, proud families and an articulate, personable host and hostess which rounded out the reception at the college president’s home many years ago,” she recalled. “I was there as the kid sister of our family’s first college graduate. The ambiance was so warm, professional and impressive; I knew from that day forward that this was what I wanted: a career in a college setting, an administrative role and all the trappings of the college environment. Thanks to Dr. and Mrs. C.V. Troupe of Fort Valley State University for welcoming me to the wonders of the HBCU and 1890 land-grant institutions which remain at the forefront in developing people of color for professional careers.” Dr. Benjamin is founder and chairperson for the Annual Conference on Educational Access.

Mary Eunice Benjamin, Ph.D. Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

College-level Promotion of Education

r. Mary Eunice Benjamin is a champion of education. As a graduate of Tuskegee Institute, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Studies. She also received an M.S. in Sociology from Atlanta University and a Ph.D. in Sociology from Mississippi State University. Her interest in education and sociology continues to influence her career path. As vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), this position gives her opportunity to assist the chancellor and help shape the academic lives of students. Dr. Benjamin also plays a role in the professional lives of academic staff. She reviews employment, promotion, tenure and retention. The Arkansas Department of Higher Education benefits from Dr. Benjamin’s expertise by having her as liaison on academic affairs. Dr. Benjamin played a pivotal role in helping UAPB acquire a $3 million grant from the Department of Education and one $2.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grants were to help the school expand its offerings in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Dr. Benjamin is a supporter of STEM programs, and she is recognized and respected as a leader within UAPB and in the surrounding community. “It was a large white house, www.womenofcolor.net

Mini Balachandran Advanced Tactical Aircraft Protection Systems – Production Lead NAVAIR Manufacturing and Quality Division

Community Service

ini Balachandran spends a great deal of time and energy in community service, which provides a way for Balachandran to share her love of engineering with young people. In particular, she wants to reach out to young women so they see it’s possible for women to succeed in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). One way Balachandran has been able to reach women is through Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) Southern Maryland (SoMD) chapter. As the lead of the outreach and recruitment committee, she worked with the publicity committee to inform a wider audience about the EYH STEM event and volunteer opportunities. The event reached its capacity of 70 students within nine days of the registration period. There was also an average of 30 volunteers a week, which resulted in more than WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013 100 EYH SoMD volunteers. Balachandran displayed leadership with effective communication, assigning tasks and providing motivation and feedback for participants. The STARBASE Atlantis Academy benefits from Ms. Balachandran as well. She spends more than five hours each month volunteering at the academy, working with students from local schools. Her background in engineering and electronics allows her to teach students about integrated circuits and related STEM activities. In addition to hands-on activities, Balachandran tutors girls in math and science over the internet via Skype. Balachandran got her start as an electronics engineer at the semiconductor industry, IBM Microelectronics. In 2009, she began her career at NAVAIR supporting the Triton acquisition category 1D program as lead manufacturing and quality engineer. Balachandran earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Rutgers University. She is currently working on a Master of Science degree in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

ing take part in the American Heart Association Walk, March of Dimes, American Cancer Association Breast Cancer Awareness, Special Olympics, and USO, to name a few. Shaw meets regularly with the president of the company to brief him on what Ingalls is doing in community relations. Her name is synonymous with community activities and those things in the community which impact not only Ingalls Shipbuilding but the population as well. She has been recognized by the Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Mississippi Business Journal, United Way and the NAACP. One of the most acclaimed outcomes of her community engagement is that she became an advocate for affordable housing. Out of that effort was born the Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation, whose board she chairs. The organization was formed to facilitate access to affordable housing. Because of her efforts and support of the initiative, more than 800 families have been helped with home restoration or realizing their dream of home ownership through the Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation. Because of Shaw’s work with affordable housing, the company was recognized with a national award from Homes for Working Families.

Dorothy D. Shaw Manager of Community Relations/Government Affairs Huntington Ingalls Industries - Ingalls Shipbuilders

Community Service

1972 Jackson State University grad, Dorothy Shaw chose to stay in Mississippi and make a difference. “I grew up in a scary place during a scary time—the Civil Rights Movement,” Shaw recalled. “I observed people from everywhere and every race trying to make a difference; trying to make calm out of chaos. I had to look out for five siblings, others in the community and myself. If I could teach someone, I taught. If I could help someone feed their children, I fed them. If I could lend a listening ear, I listened. I felt empowered then and now through my service to others. I overcame the fear and took advantage of the opportunity and helped make Mississippi a not-so-scary place anymore.” Over 36 years, Shaw has worked in a variety of positions at Litton/ Ingalls (now Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding). She currently liaises with all levels of government, community and special interest groups, ensuring that employees of Ingalls Shipbuildwww.womenofcolor.net

Leshell Hatley Uplift, Inc. Founder and Executive Director

Entrepreneurial Leadership

eshell Hatley is committed to providing K-12 students opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). She believes exposing students to STEM learning opportunities has a positive impact on their future. A love of children and technology encouraged Hatley to found Uplift Inc. A nonprofit organization located in Washington, D.C., Uplift focuses on providing STEM opportunities to youth who live and attend school in the District of Columbia. According to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, less than one-third of American eighth graders are proficient in math and science. The percentage WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS for African-American students is 12 percent. Hatley confronts this problem head on by using Uplift Inc. to engage students of color in activities that teach STEM concepts. Students experience culturally relevant, innovative and engaging STEM activities. Field trips, internships, competitions and demonstrations are just a small example of ways in which Uplift educates the youth. Hatley is also responsible for educational programs that teach students about robotics, programming languages, and how to create iPhone and Android apps. One such program is Robotics in D.C., which serves 35 students at two schools. Teams from both schools competed in the 2010 VA/DC Regional FIRST Lego League Robotics Competition. One team received first place in Robot Design, while the other team won first place in Robot Performance. Hatley has spent more than 15,000 hours teaching youth about technology and engineering. As a certified K-8 teacher, she has taught computer classes to students and teachers. Hatley earned a master’s degree in computer science and a bachelor’s degree in computer systems engineering from Howard University. She received a master’s degree in library science from the University of Maryland. Hatley is working toward a Ph.D. in learning technology from George Mason University.

go to college. They didn’t know how they would pay for it, but they knew we would go. After graduating, for several years I worked as a media assistant in a college. Being in that environment inspired me to advance my knowledge and pursue teaching. I am truly blessed that I made that decision.”

Valerie Hawkins Project Lead the Way Gateway to Technology Educator-Magnet Coordinator Baltimore County Public Schools

K-12 Promotion of Education

Kimberly Puckett Mathematics Instructor Tri-Village Local School District

K-12 Promotion of Education

alerie Hawkins is a coordinator and teacher at the Southwest Academy Magnet School of Science and Engineering. She provides students with access to the program using the Project Lead the Way/Gateway to Technology (PLTW/GTT) method to problem-based curriculum. Educators like Hawkins do vital work in the early years of students’ development, especially encouraging girls to take up subjects that lead to careers in science and engineering. This year for Women’s History Month, Hawkins and Women Instructing and Nurturing Girls in Science (WING) sponsored the first “Cool Women, Hot Jobs” STEM Career Fair. Over 300 girls had the opportunity to meet with women in engineering. Hawkins has also volunteered for Maryland MESA students to Space Camp and Maryland MESA students’ whale watching. She has also taken part in Zero Gravity, an educational program sponsored by Northrop Grumman. She is a member of the Technology and Engineering Educators Association and Society for Women Engineers among others. Hawkins has a Master of Science from Towson University, Teaching Certificate for Grades 1-6 from College of Notre Dame of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts in AfricanAmerican Studies from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Hawkins also inspired her daughter, Tulani, into a STEM profession as an electrical engineer with the Navy. “I am the sixth child born to a family of eight children,” she said. “My father worked two jobs and my mom stayed home to care for us. From a very young age, my parents told us that we would 28

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im Puckett has dedicated her life to developing innovative ways to teach students through effective modeling and simulation (M&S). A teacher from the Tri-Village School District, Puckett has contributed immensely toward developing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in rural, low-income school districts. Her extraordinary way of delivering STEM knowledge through effective M&S has benefited scores of students and helped them establish a successful career. In 2009, Puckett attended the Interservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC), the largest training, modeling and simulation conference in the world. This was a groundbreaking conference where Puckett accepted a challenge from Rear Adm. David H. Lewis to translate and apply what she learned in her classroom. Since then, Puckett has worked diligently to enrich STEM education for students at the 2010 I/ITSEC conference, where she was recognized as one of America’s Teachers. For a high school, semester-long M&S course, Puckett has worked as a lead author in her capacity as the Dayton Regional STEM Center’s STEM Fellow. With a goal to motivate students to develop M&S, technical and 3D modeling skills, this course first launched in Puckett’s classroom and is now offered in over 10 schools in Dayton. Through collaboration with GRILL www.womenofcolor.net

WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013 or Gaming Research Integration for Learning Laboratory, she dedicates her summers to STEM lessons development. Puckett has been successful in equipping her students to handle challenges while mastering technologies. “Every day for the last 23 years I have had the opportunity to engage in a career that I’m passionate about,” she said. “It is my job to encourage, educate, empower and motivate every student that I come in contact with. Each day my goal is to provide each student the very best 90 minutes of their day. Often they don’t come prepared; I prepare them. They don’t bring respect for others; I respect them. They don’t bring a good attitude; I motivate them. I challenge you to make a difference, encourage the teenagers you encounter, respect them, and make the conscious choice to inspire them.”

Johnny Wilson. She started her career in 2005 at the Naval Air Systems Command and led the integration of support equipment for Marine versions of the MV-22 and VH-60 Presidential Helicopter. Thanks to her managerial skills, she was able to reduce risks to the fleet and make sure supplies and materials were available to support missions. When Ms. Baker became systems product team integrator of EA-6B aircraft, she led development and upgrades for aircraft and weapons systems. She earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in information technology from Monmouth University. She later earned her M.S. in management from the Florida Institute of Technology. Baker is also working on a doctorate in leadership and organizational change at Walden University. “As I accept my award for managerial leadership, I think about my grandmother who has passed on,” she said. “I stand on her shoulders which was a strong foundation. She only had a fifth-grade education, worked in the cotton fields of North Carolina, raised nine children and moved to Alexandria, Va. She started working as a guard in the sheriff’s department, rose through the ranks and became the first African-American chief head matron in the jail. She was a leader and trailblazer of her time.”

Deborah Ann Baker Chief of Staff, Airborne Electronic Attack Systems and EA-6B Program Office Naval Air Systems Command

Managerial Leadership in Government

eborah Ann Baker is the first chief of staff in the Airborne Electronic Attack Systems, EA-6B office. She plays a vital role in management of more than 450 multiple discipline professionals, including military and contractor support teams. Take one look at Baker’s list of honors and awards, and you’ll see she’s a respected leader within her field. She has received several awards and letters of appreciation for her outstanding performance. In 2003 and 2008, she received the Naval Air Systems Commander’s Award Commendation. She also received Highly Exceptional Performance awards, and a letter of appreciation from retired U.S. Army four-star Gen. www.womenofcolor.net

Sarah Travelute Javelin Joint Venture Procurement Director Lockheed Martin

Managerial Leadership in Industry

s. Sarah Travelute has spent 21 years honing her managerial skills. Her hard work has culminated in a successful career. As procurement director and program procurement manager, Travelute is responsible for $400 million in supply chain purchases. She also manages more than 14 subcontract managers, procurement representatives and Lean Six Sigma Black Belts. She helps her team excel through coaching and skill training. The hard work pays off, as members of the team WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

Career Achievement Iris Bombelyn Vice President, Mobile User Objective System Space Systems

Managerial Leadership Sarah Travelute Senior Manager, Program Management – Subcontracts Missiles and Fire Control

Technology All-Star winners:

Technology Rising Star winners:

Katherine Clinton Azita Kaovasia Shirley Long Valencia Mance Susan Pergrem Maria Rivera Nita Robertson-Smith Alesia Tisdall

Anisha Anthony Michelle Araya Grace Auyeung Linda Baek Letia Barnes Ayannah Buford Heather Booze Janice Burns Lori Charles Donna Childs LaChelle Fields

Rachel Gambin Terri Gomez Annitta Haywood Michelle Helaire Avery Huggins Carol Y. Hung Ammu Irivinti Madiha Jafri Anne Jobmann Regina Juarez Megan Lewis

Kathryn Martinez Kristan Morris Senthilvadivu Natarajan Margaret Nguyen Nicole Plair Nicole Powell Meena Rork Shanthi Saravanan Sejal Shah Dana Smith Sheena Studdard

OUTSTANDING SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS

KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES “Every day we have an opportunity to model the values of diversity by encouraging our colleagues to bring their best ideas forward, and by demonstrating the value of being collaborative,” words our CEO and President Marillyn Hewson lives by at Lockheed Martin. We are proud to honor our Women of Color 2013 awardees — women who exemplify outstanding scientific and technical achievements with their leadership, innovation and inspiration.

www.lockheedmartin.com

WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013 received 17 internal company awards and one from the U.S. Army customer. The team also saved $6.7 million through lean/six sigma activities. She received three Department of Defense (DoD) Level II certifications for contracting, manufacturing, production and quality assurance and program management. In 2008 and 2002, she received the Lockheed Martin Excellence Award. In 2006, she was recipient of the Lockheed Diversity Ambassador Award and the President’s Volunteer Service Award. In addition to solo accomplishments, Travelute led her Javelin Transorb Cost Recovery Team to a Team of the Year award at the 2012 Evening of Excellence for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. Travelute earned a master’s certificate in acquisition management and a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida. She serves as a role model, and affects all those around her with positive leadership. One of 10 Native American children abandoned and separated into foster care, Travelute’s dream was to find her siblings and go to college. Determined, she not only graduated summa cum laude, she also saw her siblings reunited. She is a mentor, church volunteer, and recipient of a STEM Managerial Leadership Industry Award.

Bernice Johnson Senior Director of Risk and Analytics Walmart, Information System Division

Managerial Leadership in Industry

ernice Johnson is a well respected leader within the Walmart organization. Johnson joined Walmart in 2011 as the director of IT security and compliance. She completed a six-month International Compliance pilot in China. This led to a multi-national license agreement, and was a major accomplishment for Walmart. Johnson excels in her position at Walmart, but she honed her managerial leadership skills www.womenofcolor.net

long before joining the Walmart family. Johnson has held leadership roles in areas such as strategic planning and sales operations. She has also put her leadership abilities to use in corporate compliance, administration and contract negotiations. In addition to her current position, Johnson has worked with some of the most prestigious companies in the world. She worked as a manager with Cisco Systems Inc. where she was responsible for senior level cross-functional business operations strategy and planning. She also managed a set of manufacturing operations programs and managed a staff of 15 business professionals, including four first-level managers while at the Hewlett-Packard Company. She was also responsible for the development of global contract positions and the negotiations of standard and non-standard contract terms. As a contract administrator for the U.S. Naval Plant Representative Office, Ms. Johnson was responsible for senior-level government contract administration. Ms. Johnson wants to be a role model for all women and minorities. To help achieve this goal, she created a shadowing program for more than 800 people. The program allows leaders to share their stories and mentor young people to help them develop leadership skills.

Andrea Bailey Senior Software Engineer Manager IBM Systems x Technology Group

Managerial Leadership in Industry

ndrea Bailey is a respected leader in the IBM Systems x Technology Group (STG). Her managerial leadership ability has allowed her to build a successful career at IBM. As a senior software engineer manager, Bailey is responsible for managing a team of engineers, project managers and contractors. The team is engaged in architectural design, analyses and documentation of software. Under Ms. Bailey’s leadership, the team develops and implements software WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

breakthroughs that benefit IBM employees and IBM customers. Bailey is also the release manager for the System x Lifecycle releases. It’s her responsibility to work closely with global development and test teams to deliver releases across 25 platforms.

Kentucky Multicultural Homecoming Pageant, which fosters leadership, scholarship and community service. She spent a semester studying ancient Chinese philosophy and history at Yunnan Normal University. This year she also gained a Master’s of International Affairs from the University of Oklahoma.

Bailey earned a master’s of business administration as well as Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of North Alabama. Soon after, she joined the IBM family as a diagnostic developer for IBM Retail Solutions. Bailey has achieved several milestones and achievements with IBM. She received the IBM Spotlight Award in 2012. In 2005 and 2008, she was the recipient of the IBM Bravo Award, and in 2003, she received the IBM Team Bravo Award. In addition to building a successful career, Bailey makes time for community outreach and service, as she mentors IBM professionals in the areas of project management and engineering. She also mentors youth in her community, and has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and With Love from Jesus. Bailey has also worked with Wake County Human Services to provide healthcare awareness and education.

Captain Charneice K. McKenzie Joint Strategic Planning Exercise Officer Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Europe

Chee Ching IT System Planning and Delivery AT&T

New Media/IT Leadership

apt. Charneice McKenzie has been chief of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Europe Plans and Program Integration Division for three years. She distinguished herself through leadership at the United States European Commands IT exercise Combined Endeavour, the world’s largest multinational communication exercise, overseeing operation for 42 NATO nations. Prior, McKenzie served as a battle captain with DISA-Europe, leading a 91-member team in the operation and maintenance of the Global Information Grid in the United States European Command (EUCOM), African Command, and NATO. She also spearheaded operations to identify key cyber terrain with EUCOM operational planning and is currently developing a disaster recovery plan for them. McKenzie volunteers with SaveFirst and has participated in the program Impact Alabama to prepare tax returns for low income family. She has championed Montgomery Public School Systems IT Learning Academy by establishing a Department of Defense mentorship program and the results have led to a much lower dropout rate. Born at Whitman Air Force Base Missouri to two junior enlisted personnel, Capt. McKenzie received her commission in 2008. During her undergraduate studies, McKenzie was named Kentucky Colonel, the highest honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky for dedication to service and education in support of the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program and Appalachian Development. She served as Homecoming pep rally committee chairperson and competed in several pageants, winning the University of 32

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Outstanding Technical Contribution in Industry

fter graduating high school, Chee Ching was accepted at The National Taiwan University, the highest ranked business school in her home country. Ching first came to the United States for grad school, and after earning her master’s degree, she pursued her Ph.D, soon becoming assistant professor at Arizona State University. She has been employed with AT&T for the past 18 years and has witnessed growth and development. Currently she monitors networks and services and her numerous responsibilities include staffing, financial projections, quarterly releases, system engineering and performance management duties. She oversees 50 system engineers and provides performance monitoring to various departments to improve and maintain the network and servers. She contributes to annual benefits of $1,385 million, including $5 million savings in operations. Her responsibilities consist of over 1,400 servers, as well as disaster recovery. She utilizes her knowledge of the AT&T network to drive the PMOSS architecture, a business implement that she created. An experienced manager specializing in implementing advanced networks performance management support systems. Ching’s accolades include been promoted AT&T principal member of staff in only 18 months, holding a U.S. patent for a traffic management algorithm design, holding system planning responsibilities for all company-wide network operations, envisioned, planned, implemented and launched www.womenofcolor.net

WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013 the company’s PRIDE data engine for end to end networks and service and delivering a total of $4.484 billion in business benefits in 2012 alone. Ching is a published academic author, holds three U.S. patents and is consistently revered by her peers for her approachable nature and hard-working, driven ethic, with proven results.

and their individual objectives. “While growing up in South Carolina, my parents consistently emphasized the importance of music and science,” she recalled. “While the South in the ‘70s still had its challenges, my parents were diligent to keep me in environments that affirmed my sense of self. In second grade, I began violin and piano lessons and continued training. My parents encouraged me by having me spend my summers in science and music camps. So the model I grew up with was: surround yourself with those who believe in you and your potential they provide your foundation. Train diligently to be prepared for competition then go out pursue your goals, and do great work.”

Dr. Millicent K. Ruffin Program Manager, Display Technologies Corning

Outstanding Technical Contribution in Industry

r. Millicent Ruffin has turned her love of science into a successful career at Corning. Her current role at Corning involves enabling technology for high performance glass in organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. Her project focuses on delivering technology that will hermetically seal OLED devices that are sensitive to moisture and air. The goal is to propel Corning’s glass products into a new area of display technologies. Corning sought Dr. Ruffin for the position because of her expertise. She is a positive influence on the Corning technology community. In 2002, she was named a Women of Color Technology Rising Star. In 1998, she became a member of the Sigma Xi Scientific Society. She is also a member of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy and the American Chemical Society. Dr. Ruffin is a past recipient of the U.S. Department of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship Fellowship Award and the Rackham Merit Fellowship. Dr. Ruffin enjoys helping others reach their goals. She has served as vice president of the Corning Society of Black Professionals. When speaking at diversity and leadership events, she is more than happy to share her best practices and experiences. Dr. Ruffin is a trusted advisor for colleagues and those who report to her. She often provides training on her own time and has monthly one-on-one discussions to track her team’s development www.womenofcolor.net

Rajani Sinha Manager, Plant Supply Systems Chrysler Group LLC

Pioneer Award A

t Chrysler Group LLC, Sinha is currently responsible for managing the Plant Supply systems, supporting 14 assembly and 10 manufacturing plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. She is involved in working collaboratively with Fiat to define common converged processes, tools and systems to manage all plants in order to build, design, manufacture and sell the vehicles anywhere in the world. Sinha has a well established background in information technology with over 20 years’ experience. Prior to joining Chrysler in 1998, she worked in Tata Iron and Steel Company in Jamshedpur, India in their IT department for over five years, developing and delivering technical services for a wide variety of departments in that organization including supply chain and engineering. Sinha is an innovative leader who leads centers of competence and collaborates with industry leaders and vendor technology consortiums to drive strategic business value for Chrysler. Sinha is very active in the community, as she is the lead liaison for the scholarship committee of the North South Foundation (north India region), an organization that provides financial support to the underprivileged children, WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS aspiring for an engineering or medical college degree. Sinha also worked as a mentor for a local high school robotics team, which allowed her to generate interest among students in STEM, while simultaneously making science and math fun. Amongst her many achievements, Sinha was nominated for the 2012 Professional Achievement Award at the 17th Annual Women of Color Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Conference, Dale Carnegie Leadership Advantage award and the Chrysler Spotlight Recognition awards.

on quality culture process for General Dynamics as an auditor for the planning department. As an African-American woman working in a male-dominated environment, Hackworth has had the privilege to provide support to co-planners and management. Working as a team member and having provided support to co-planners and incoming staff has given Hackworth a great sense of accomplishment.

Marsha Brown-Hackworth Senior Planner/Scheduler General Dynamics/NASSCO

Pioneer Award M

arsha Brown-Hackworth has been working with NASSCO for 25 years, beginning during a time when there was an influx of women holding positions outside of administrative and secretarial work. NASSCO, located on San Diego Bay, and part of General Dynamics Marine Systems, has been building ships for commercial customers and the U.S. Navy since 1960. A full-service shipyard, NASSCO is the only major shipyard on the West Coast conducting new construction and repair. Working as an electrical material chaser and later senior planner/scheduler, she was known for her passion in her work. “My parents did not have a formal education; they were sharecroppers yet they encouraged us―five girls and three boys to get a good education,” she said. “My dad passed when I was 12, leaving mom who supported us by doing domestic work, and lived to see us pursue higher education and employment opportunities in education, healthcare, business, and shipbuilding. Hackworth attended San Diego State University, where she received an Operation and Resource Management Certificate. She also attended the University of California, San Diego Extension for her professional certificate in manufacturing. She has served on a number of milestone projects, including taking the lead 34

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Colonel Regina Goff Chief, Financial Analysis Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base U.S. Air Force

Professional Achievement in Government C

ol. Regina Goff has built a successful career with the U.S Air Force. She is an officer with 23 years of federal military service experience. She currently leads a division consisting of 40 military and civilian employees. She has oversight of 400 budget professionals in the financial planning and fiscal execution of a $73 billion multi-year budget across eight funding sources. As chief of the Financial Analysis Division, Col. Goff has the responsibility of advising the comptroller and major command commander on Air Force research, development, acquisitions and sustainment programs. This position carries a huge responsibility, as the job demands that she identifies funding requirements, builds the command’s budget, and manages and executes fiscal control of federal funding. The U.S. Air Force has good reason to trust Colonel Goff, as she has proven herself worthy of their trust. . During Hurricane Katrina, Col. Goff made it possible for the two www.womenofcolor.net

2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS largest evacuee shelters in San Antonio to be operational in less than 24 and 48 hours of notification. She received an Air Force Achievement Medal for her leadership during this time. No matter the assignment, she has exhibited excellence of character and behavior. She’s received several awards and honors, including the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster and the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster. Col. Goff also received the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with six oak leaf clusters and the Humanitarian Service Medal. Col. Goff is an inspiration for military and civilian personnel. “During college, I was egged

on by a classmate to join the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program,” she said. “Having been born into a military family, moved 7 times, and attended three high schools in three different states, I never envisioned the Air Force as my future. I was, however, enticed by the memory that I rarely saw Black women at our bases with the ‘Eagle’ rank on their shoulders and I thought it would be ‘cool.’ Well it is pretty ‘cool’ and I’m blessed the Air Force not only became my future but empowered me to achieve success. I can’t thank my family, friends and mentors enough for the role they played in this tremendous journey.”

Valerie A. Poarch-Harding Branch Chief/Deputy Division Chief, Maint. & Property/GCSS-Army Branches Bridging Information Systems Division SEC-Lee Tactical Logistics Directorate

alerie Poarch-Harding‘s childhood memories are filled with the times she played in the garden with her five siblings while her mother fed them garden-fresh, nutritious food. Valerie’s father was the sole bread-winner. Valerie went on to graduate from Sussex Central High School and attend college at the Virginia State University (VSU) with the aid of the Pell Grant. Her father felt she let the family down when she got pregnant during college. Determined to keep her grades up and bring up her daughter, Poarch-Harding graduated from college in business information systems and provided for her daughter, Melodie, who is now 24 and a graduate of VSU. For over 23 years, Poarch-Harding has been employed at Fort Lee. She joined Software Engineering Center–Lee (SEC LEE) as a computer specialist intern and enrolled with the Army Civilian Training, Education and Development System to improve her chances of being promoted. She earned a management information systems baccalaureate degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1996. In 2000, she completed a Master of Administration degree from the Central Michigan University and did a course at Nova Southern University before completing the required calculus course to work as a computer scientist. She continued to mentor computer science interns and in 2011 was the first African American woman at SEC LEE to become a supervisory computer scientist. “I started to love and enjoy math in the fifth grade. The late Mrs. Louise Pegram was a mentor who showed me the fun and excitement in math and, in return, I did the same for my daughter who graduated with a degree in manufacturing engineering with a minor in mathematics in 2011. I didn’t let becoming pregnant in college stop my dreams. I’m grateful for my parent’s hard working principles, my daughter, and my teacher for inspiring me and helping to shape my dreams.” Apart from being actively engaged in the Disputanta, Virginia-based Loving Union Baptist Church, Poarch-Harding gives motivational speeches at elementary schools, is a volunteer with Tri-Cities Habitat for Humanity organization and vice president of a Christian association called Solidarity Family Organization.

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WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013 industry expertise it has brought her to her current position of vice president of business operations at AT&T. Throughout her time with the company since 1990, her interpersonal skills and support for her colleagues and customers has been just as invaluable as her business planning and execution skills. “I am the daughter of a coal miner and a secretary. While they never attended college their expectations of me were always high,” Hall said. “At a very young age I had an extreme interest in math; so much so my grandfather would call me from Connecticut to quiz me on theoretical problems.” Hall’s top two aspirations were to be a pediatrician or an engineer. “While speaking with my guidance counselor, I was told that I could never be an engineer because that wasn’t a ‘girl’s career.’ I went on to obtain a physics and engineering degree showing it could and should be a girl’s career.”

LaQuita C. Hall Vice President-Business Operations AT&T

Professional Achievement in Industry

ith over 20 years of experience in business leadership with a Fortune 50 Company, LaQuita Hall utilizes her skills to deliver results, supporting operations, financial and corporate goals. Hall has a history of executing strategic business plans and a reputation for planning and achievement. At AT&T her senior leadership team is responsible for supporting the mobility and wireline network whack represents over $20 billion in capital. She has led a specialized team and is responsible for development and operation that span the company’s performance. Hall’s accomplishments include increasing productivity by nearly 30 percent while decreasing costs by 40 percent within 12 months. She decreased costs by $100 million by collaborating with cross functional teams she formed to develop changes, saving an anticipated $400 million over the following 36 months. She has streamlined customer service performance and redefined the operational model to best assist customers. Her consistent commitment and dedication to improving budgets as well as quality of product and service has been proven time and time again in her results. Hall works with finance, human resources and auditing departments to achieve departmental and corporate goals. She is an accomplished leader with a proven ability for team building; coupled with her www.womenofcolor.net

Cheree M. Chisolm Cadet University of Arizona

Student Leadership C

heree Chisolm, enrolled in a dual program at the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and University of Arizona, is a Bachelor of Science student, specializing in aviation maintenance management. Chisolm also has an Associate of Arts degree in business administration from the American InterContinental University. As a part of her role as a U.S. Army officer, Chisolm is committed to leading next-generation aviation mechanics, technicians and instructors. She has served as a technical inspector, fight line squad leader, and avionics mechanics and electrical tech over eight years in the Army, and continues to gain experience working for the past six years at Unmanned Aerial Systems as electrical technician, avionics mechanic and training instructor. Chisolm’s achievements include obtaining a Distinguished Graduate honor after completing the basic non-commissioned officer and other military leadership courses. She contributes to organizations WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS such as the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Parent Club at Buena High School and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. She has been a part of the Potter’s Hand Outreach that feeds the homeless. Chisolm actively supported the Spartan Race and took a lot of effort bringing together a team of service members, civilians and veterans. Speaking to fifth and sixth grade underprivileged students, Chisolm shared with them the advantages of enrolling in ROTC and going to college in her capacity as a participant of the joint recruitment event organized by the Army and Air Force ROTC. Chisolm is a wife of a soldier stationed at Arizona’s Fort Huachuca and a mother of two kids. “As a teenage mother,

I decided that serving my country through enlistment in the United States Army would be my career of choice,” she said. “After enlisting at the age of 17 and serving eight years and 11 months as an avionics mechanic on active duty, I continued to serve my country in the career in which the Army trained me as a contract worker both domestic and overseas. Aspiring to serve in a greater capacity, I pursued enrollment in the ROTC program to become an office and return to active duty. The University of Arizona ROTC program opened that door of opportunity and this one as well by nominating me for this prestigious award.”

it’s her duty to make her parents proud. One of her goals is to be a good role model, and to have a positive impact on her classmates. Perez has started working towards this goal by mentoring underclassmen in the nursing field. She meets with two cadets each month to discuss their academic and ROTC progress. Perez helps the students set goals, deal with stressors and create a plan of action to overcome problems and reach goals. Being a leader comes naturally to Perez. During the Leadership Development Assessment Course at Fort Lewis Washington, she received a rating of excellent in 10 out of 17 areas. The purpose of the assessment is to rate the cadet’s level of proficiency, knowledge and moral standing as a future Army officer. Perez’s ultimate goal is to use her medical knowledge and positive attitude to save lives.

Betzany Perez Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet

Student Leadership

eserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet Betzany Perez has a bright future ahead. Perez is currently studying nursing at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation, Perez will enter the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant and join the Army Nursing Corps. In spite of her busy schedule, Perez finds time to participate in extracurricular activities at the university. In 2011, Perez represented the university’s ROTC battalion at the 2011 Ranger Challenge competition. As part of the team, she would start every morning at 5 a.m. with rigorous physical training. The hard work paid off, as the team received third place in the competition. Shortly after, Perez participated in the Army Ten Miler in Washingtonm, D.C. In addition to ROTC obligations, Perez takes her education seriously. Perez is active in the university’s Nursing School Association. She earned membership into the Nursing School Honor Society, as well as membership into Lambda Chi Honor Society. Perez has maintained a cumulative 3.54 GPA. She also counts three appearances on the Dean’s List among her accomplishments. As a first generation American on her father’s side, and a second generation American on her mother’s side, Perez feels 38

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Deborah O. So’Brien Logistics Management Specialist, Process Integration Division U.S. Army Materiel Command, Logistics Support Activity

Technical Innovation in Government D

eborah So’Brien works with items valued at $9.9 billion. Her job requires her to maintain necessary logistic supply www.womenofcolor.net

WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013 needs and extensive knowledge to provide system area support for combat forces. She has controlled the Army Enterprise Materiel Master (AEMM) in her role to sustain the Joint Warfighter during peace and war. Master data is distributed to non-Army and Army trading partners through AEMM. She manages materiel disposal and distribution, maintenance, reporting, control, storage and acquisition through logistics management data integration. So’Brien graduated from Alabama A&M University, earning M.B.A. and M.A. degrees. She then obtained professional development training in Lean Six Sigma, the Leader Investment for Tomorrow’s Aviation and Missile Command Program, and logistics modernization. In September 1981, she started her career as a technical writer/ editor. “As an undergraduate, I was indecisive about my major,” she recalled. “I eventually declared one, freshman year, second semester and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business education, since most of my relatives were educa-

Tina P. Srivastava Chief Engineer and Lead, Core Research Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

Technical Innovation in Industry

ina P. Srivastava has distinguished herself as a technical and innovative leader at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. In 2009, Ms. Srivastava entered Raytheon’s Engineer-

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tors.” After college, So’Brien fell into the electronics industry with a company that was one of the largest employers in her state. “As I drove to work each day for nine years, I passed one of the gates to Redstone Arsenal and was always inspired to become an Army civilian.” Eventually, she would join a Department of the Army Intern program, accepting a decrease in pay to pursue her dream. “I worked long hours and took assignments that no one else wanted. All of this occurred in the midst of becoming a divorcee, raising a daughter and son (now both in college), and pursuing a master’s degree. My support structure—parents and family, management chain and colleagues—have propelled me. I have been an Army civilian for nine years and received several promotions and accolades; don’t let fear keep you from doing something.” So’Brien volunteers at the Habitat for Humanity, is a Sunday school nursery teacher and a part of the choir at the Lakeside United Methodist Church. ing Leadership Development Program. The program is for select Raytheon employees who demonstrate a high level of expertise and excellence. Participating in the program allowed Srivastava to learn and work in various Raytheon businesses, including Network Centric Systems (NCS), Space and Airborne Systems (SAS), and most recently in Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). She has worked hard at Raytheon to build an exciting and successful career. Srivastava has supported several programs since joining IDS. She is the Chief Engineer for an Advanced Radio Frequency (RF) Program, and is responsible for providing leadership, technical direction and oversight of program execution. Her budgetary responsibilities also exceed $40 million. As the Lead of the Core Research Enterprise Campaign, Srivastava shapes technical strategy across Raytheon. She helps develop customer relationships, and deals with a budgetary responsibility of $3 million. The campaign, which she leads, focuses on providing innovative leading-edge technology that will potentially affect how Raytheon builds RFsystems. These advancements might also dramatically increase the range or search efficiency of radars. Srivastava has received several awards based on her technical performance, innovative ideas, leadership and teamwork capabilities. Raytheon awarded Srivastava the Raytheon Individual Achievement Award for Outstanding Job Performance four years in a row. She has received four Raytheon Patent Awards, a Raytheon Innovation Accomplishment Award, and a Raytheon Innovation Award for Excellence. Srivastava earned a Master of Science degree in engineering and management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautics and astronautics engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her published writings on system of systems, design structure matrices, hybrid vehicle design and advanced thermal management have received national recognition. Srivastava is a respected role model, innovator and leader within Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.

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WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013

SPECIAL RECOGNITION Rhonda Brown Senior Business Manager and Vendor Liaison AT&T

R Joan D. Wada Technical Fellow, Systems Engineer Networks and Space Systems Boeing Defense, Space and Security

Technical Innovation in Industry

oan Wada holds 17 U.S. patents for scientific instruments, as well as various other proprietary papers. She is a distinguished Boeing Technical Fellow, an honor bestowed on only the top one percent of all 60,000 engineers at Boeing. Wada has accumulated various awards and accolades over her 25 year career including completing a challenging TSAS re-design for the P-8 Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft ahead of schedule. Her finished product was 25 percent less expensive to produce. She was recently instrumental in assisting Boeing to gain a profitable classified contract. Wada’s long list of awards include; a 2003 Women of Color All-Star; a Professional Excellence Award (2003) from Boeing; the Asian American Engineer of the Year Award, 2007, from the Chinese Institute of Engineering; an Outstanding Merit Award, 2008, from the Orange County Engineering Council; and, most recently, a Boeing Lean+ 10x Cost Reduction, Lean Validated Cost Reduction Honor, 2012. She currently holds Board positions with the IEEE and the Chinese Institute of Engineers, as well as memberships with Boeing Women in Leadership, the Amelia Earhart Society and the Boeing Asian-American Professional Association, as well as the U.S Figure Skating Association. She currently works with the U.S. Navy and is responsible for generating revenue and business, up to $400 million for Boeing. Wada also is an active volunteer and mentor. “I was fortunate to have been raised in a family who worked hard and supported each other. I was even more fortunate to have friends with high aspirations and carried me along. But looking back, my most memorable and career deciding mentor was my math high school teacher. He was the most generous man, who took his own personal time in the summer, to teach a math class to a small group of students to keep us “on-track” for college. Can you believe that? Not that he taught the class, but that I actually took the class! But for that, I am forever grateful to him for making me the engineer that I am today.” www.womenofcolor.net

honda Brown is a business manager and vendor liaison who manages forward and reverse logistics for AT&T. She is responsible for planning, designing, implementing and supporting the AT&T internal enterprise data LAN/WAN communication network for all AT&T throughout the U.S. and in several overseas regions. In this role she handles annual revenues of more than $100 million and oversees 500 employees at 125,000 IT/retail outlets. Brown joined Ameritech/SBC as a collection representative with no previous IT experience in 2000, but led the Midwest for revenue for 10 consecutive months. In 2008, she moved to Dallas to manage logistics for ITON’s streamlining processes, spearheading a program that allowed IT to implement 22 percent more internal/external networks while maintaining a 99 percent SLA rating. In this position she also negotiated an unprecedented agreement with Cisco, which led to $12 million in new revenues. Last year Brown received the Women of Color STEM award for Professional Achievement. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management and a Six Sigma Green Belt. She regularly volunteers her services to educate youth on physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. She is also an annual Junior Achievement volunteer, which empowers young people to own their economic success and is a regular participant of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Perhaps all this was inspired by her private life. Brown was born and raised in inner-city Detroit by a single mother who taught her the value of work ethic, perseverance, integrity, sacrifice and spirituality. When the family’s house burnt down at age 9, Brown, her mother and sister were left homeless for two years. Brown is now married with two children, but the untimely passing of her sister to cancer in 2009 added two new and much loved members to the household. She is also a proud soccer mom.

Priyadarshini Bajoria Assoc. VP and Group Manager - Client Services (FSI) and Geo-Cluster Head (NY/NJ) Infosys Ltd

esignated as a Tier 2 leader, Priyadarshini Bajoria is in the top 25 percent of the Infosys employee base. Bajoria is a group manager (client services) and associate vice president of financial services and insurance, as well as geo-cluster head for New York/New Jersey and Member of Management Council with a global innovator in business consulting and information technology services. Her primary function with the company is WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

to build and strengthen the company’s global client relationships with large investment banks and financial services firms across the U.S., the U.K., India, China, Singapore and Eastern Europe. Bajoria’s background includes experience in consulting, investment banking, capital markets business and technology landscape. Over the course of a career that has spanned nearly two decades, Bajoria has consistently delivered measurable results in the form of increased account revenues, new business growth and relationship management. Her career began as Management Trainee with Merrill Lynch, India. In just six years, she went from Management Trainee to Assistant Vice President of Investment Banking. In the ensuing years, Bajoria was hired in at Infosys and served as domain consultant/senior consultant, practice lead/senior principal, and senior manager (client services) before taking her current position. She has been responsible for leading U.S. relationships with Infosys’ largest capital markets client, converting a multi-million-dollar proposal into a strategic partnership, building and managing a team of 50 consultants, implementing a comprehensive trade surveillance and compliance system at a Wall Street major, and designing and developing a real-time trade processing system at a large U.S. stock exchange. Now, New York-based, Bajoria volunteers with New York Cares and the after-school STEM program of the New York Academy of Sciences. As well, she is a sought-after industry speaker and leading champion of women’s inclusivity issues at Infosys.

Sonal Deshpande VP, Advanced Maritime and Integrated Air and Missile Defense Systems Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

onal Deshpande joined Northrop Grumman 27 years ago having earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. Deshpande later earned Master of Science in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins and attended the General Management Program at Harvard Business School. Currently, she is responsible for the execution of research and development programs for advanced maritime and integrated air and missile defense sensors and systems, business development and growth of the Navy’s Above Water Sensors and Systems and new business creation for the next generation of Surface Navy Radars EW, and EO/IR markets. Deshpande is an accomplished leader whose penchant for solving business challenges coupled with her technical prowess has afforded her the opportunity to serve in a series of management positions. As a digital hardware designer in the Processing Systems Division, she designed processors and radar hardware for sector programs including Comanche. Later, as the function manager, Deshpande started and established the first formal VHDL in-house training program. Within three years, she was engineering manager in the Systems Development and Technology Division. Less than two years later, she served as pro42

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gram manager of Comanche then as director of B-1 Programs in Combat Avionics. In the last five years, Deshpande has held the positions of director of Special Technology Programs, Combat Avionics Division; director, Cobra Judy Replacement Program in the Naval Marine Systems Division; vice president of engineering in the Manufacturing and Logistics Division before being installed in her current position. “I came to this country with my family when I was six years old, Deshpande said. “My parents taught me to work hard, not to turn away from challenges. Growing up, I wanted to be an artist, but I also liked math and science…It wasn’t until college when I decided to pursue engineering, remembering to “work hard, not be afraid of challenge and stay true.” Those values have been with me throughout my 27-year career.”

Aimee G. Do Manager, Boeing Testing & Evaluation The Boeing Company

imee Do is in charge of multiple laboratories overseeing 30 employees and $50 million in equipment. She is responsible for development and improvements to integrated systems laboratory infrastructure for new commercial airplane programs, and overseeing engineering of the 737 Max airplane program. She has also taken on special assignment supporting the 787 return-to-service battery program. Do is a leader not just at Boeing but in her field having written numerous white papers on work flow and cost cutting with XML technology. One of her most outstanding personal attributes is her passion for helping others realize their potential by initiating mentoring programs within Boeing and leading “Entrepreneur Issues in Alternative Energy” workshops for Society of Women Engineers. Do’s own journey began when she fled Vietnam at age 11. Arriving in the U.S.A., she learned quickly and excelled in mathematics and science, before going on to earn a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and then a master’s degree in engineering from Washington State University. She is currently working with the deans of the University of Science in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to improve undergraduate problems in technology, computer science and engineering. Her favorite local charity is Fare Start, a job training and placement program for the homeless in Seattle where she acts as a mentor in their Fare Start restaurant. She is a member of the Boeing Women in Leadership group, Boeing Asian American Professional Association, Boeing Management Association and an advisor on the Engineering, Operations & Technology board. In her spare time she loves to travel with her husband, Steve, and runs marathons. She has a daughter, Aline, who is studying for her master’s degree in nursing, and plans to join Aimee on her charitable pursuits. “As a teenage[r] in war torn Vietnam, I witnessed pain, suffering, and despair,” Do said. “But when I came to the U.S., I saw hope and opportunities. www.womenofcolor.net

WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

With the support of family and many mentors whom I met as I was growing up, and throughout my career, I learned to believe in me, and I did my best to get where I wanted to be. By giving back, I use my experience to help others.”

Pamela Jones Lead Software Engineer & Project Manager Northrop Grumman Corporation

amela Jones’s lifelong social responsibility coincides with her corporate career. From the moment she set foot outside University of Maryland after receiving her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she was committed to doing something that would impact her community. “My father was a physician and my mother was an educator. My parents showed me through their deeds, the importance of giving back to the community; the importance of uplifting others by showing them the opportunity to improve their skills and potential.” Shortly after going to work as a systems engineer/marketing representative with IBM, she was touched by the paradox of homeless people rummaging through trash in search of leftovers from the area’s well-to-do tech professionals out on lunch. So Jones partnered with a local soup kitchen to organize a monthly community food program. She has divided her time between community outreach and professional achievement ever since. Jones has twice gone before members of Congress to promote the need for greater emphasis on and funding for initiatives that promote women and minorities in STEM and was invited to help write a congressional bill that would mandate STEM-related curriculum for all K-12 schools. Other community efforts include working with inner city school children through the Discover-E STEM program, implementation of the Computer Lab at the Robinwood Community Center to teach children computer skills through a partnership with Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems African American Task Group, training female professionals on the soft skills needed to advance their careers in the male-dominated STEM arena, and the development of a STEM-based youth mentoring and training program with the Black Professional Men Organization. Jones earned a second undergraduate degree, a Bachelor’s of Science in Information Systems Management, before obtaining a Project Management Certificate from the University of California at Irvine. Over the course of her twenty plus-year career, she has worked as an independent consultant, help desk/site support representative, web developer and Livelink administrator /software developer before finally being promoted to her current position as lead software engineer and project manager with Northrop Grumman Corporation.

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Lakela Lofton Engineering Manager Newport News ShipbuildingKesselring Site

akela Lofton has architected an exemplary STEM career. For years, the imprint of her stellar leadership has positively impacted the corporate culture at Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) where she serves as nuclear engineering manager. Lofton has a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Hampton University and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology. Lofton’s career began in Nuclear Fueling Engineering as an associate electrical engineer. Her skill set immediately set her apart as a leader in her group. Within two years, Lofton was recognized as one of US Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine’s “30 under 30 who made a Difference in Engineering.” In the two years following, Lofton was promoted to Construction Supervisor and then to the position of Refueling Cranes Engineering Supervisor. While in this position, Lofton standardized a refueling process that improved the reliability of the cranes at a time when the company and her team were faced with consistent equipment failures which hampered productivity and increased delays. Later, Lofton served as Principal Nuclear Engineer and that same year was honored by Northrop Grumman as a “Woman That Makes a Difference in the Shipyard.” In 2011, Lofton was appointed Project Manager for Kesselring Site Proposal at Ballston Spa, New York. There, she and her team developed a winning proposal worth $590M, a feat that allowed NNS access to new similar opportunities. The Kesselring project was nominated for the NNS 2012 Model of Excellence Award. One of the most valuable aspects of Lofton’s expertise is her ability not just to ascertain challenges but to provide solutions in the form of research, improvements and new processes. The implementation of one such process stands to save Kesselring more than $5 million and save the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program $11 million. She is a woman who is committed to departmental and organizational excellence.

Cynthia McCollum Professional Development Counselor U.S. Army Materiel Command Logistics Support Activity

ynthia McCollum’s career has spanned 18 years and resulted in more than a dozen performance awards. McCollum has provided the Army with distinguished service, coordinating affordable, top-quality professional development and technical training programs. Outside of her service with the Armed WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS

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Forces, McCollum is a respected community leader and influential political advocate. She has worked to support community advancement in the Huntsville area through the implementation of local programs. Since being appointed in 1987, McCollum has consistently served as a member of the Madison, Alabama City Council. She has served as both president and president Pro Tem of the City Council and led the campaign which resulted in the passage of a smoking ban in local restaurants. McCollum was appointed vice president and later president of the National League of Cities, a historic organization representing 17,000 municipalities. She also served as president of the National Black Caucus of Local and Elected Officials, the largest African American political organization in the world. McCollum has served in various leadership capacities including as founding member of the Madison County Big Brothers /Big Sisters program; Executive Director of the Huntsville Girls Club, Inc.; board member of the Madison County Community Action Agency; as well as a gubernatorial appointee to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, McCollum holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and sociology from Alabama A&M University. She studied Executive Management at Emory University. She has been named “Female Politician of the Year” by the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, “Politician of the Year” from 20 Distinguished Young Men of Huntsville and has received the Rising Star Award for Women in Municipal Government. “I sat on a dais one day and recalled a childhood event,” she reflects. “I was reared by my grandparents and was devoted to my grandfather. I was his constant companion. One Sunday, we rode to the country to see some of our relatives. I had a bag of over 20 grape bubblegum balls that I refused to share with my cousins and their neighbors. Going home, my grandfather told me he was so very disappointed in me because I didn’t share. He said life brings prosperity to some and not so much to others, and we have a biblical responsibility to always help those less fortunate than us. I felt so embarrassed and genuinely hurt that I disappointed “granddaddy.” I remembered that event there on the dais, and I knew right then why I had spent my life in service to others.”

Brenda D. Sanders Performance Improvement Branch Manager Maintenance and Supply Integration Performance Branch Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)

renda Sanders is a respected leader in Naval Air Systems Command. She excels in a career that requires her to manage people and projects. In 2000, she achieved the rank of S-6 Leading Chief Petty Officer for the USS Harry S. Truman. She supervised and directed 66 personnel. Her responsibility was to make sure each person performed as instructed, and that 11 squadrons and 6 T/M/S aircraft had supplies and any necessities for daily operations. Sanders also managed 62 personnel within the Repairable Management Branch, Supplies Response section and the Maintenance Support Package branch. In addition, she 44

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managed Operating Targets (OPTAR) maintenance funds in excess of $18 million. She compiled monthly financial reports, analyzed spending, and processed reports for the Defense Accounting Office. During her career, she’s managed and trained more than 500 personnel at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, VA, NAS Lemoore, CA, and NAS North Ireland, CA, during implementation of Continuous Process Improvement methodologies. Sanders is a performance management professional for the Naval Air Enterprise. She develops policies and procedures that allow civilians, sailors and marines to execute and develop ideas. Sanders is active in the NAVAIR Women’s Advisory Group, and a parent volunteer with King’s Christian Academy. She received an AAS degree in Management Development from the College of Southern Maryland. Sanders also received a Bachelor of Arts in Management Studies from University of Maryland University College. Sanders demonstrate strong leadership abilities and displays high standards of professional conduct.

Maria-Cristina Spiak Quality Manager The Boeing Company

orn in an economically disadvantaged family, Maria-Cristina Spiak’s family endured many hardships. Her birth home did not even have the basic plumbing and electricity facilities. Her parents were sixth graders and labored to feed the family until one of her grandfathers became a successful farmer. Her father worked his way up to become the vice legislator and presently holds an important post. Spiak is the first in her family to obtain a bachelor’s degree from the Universidad Technologica de Panama in computer systems engineering. She went on to complete her master’s degree from the Falmouth, MA based National Graduate School, specializing in quality systems engineering and earned her doctorate in Business Administration. She moved to America in 1999 and became a U.S. citizen in 2002. She started her career in America with a Texas based firm due to her work experience in Panama. In 2004, she became the data architect at the Boeing Company and continues to work at the company. Her role encompasses computing and technical system creation, management and development. Apart from this, she is also responsible for process improvement, consulting, training and software quality assurance. Currently she leads at least four quality teams in her capacity as the quality manager. She and her teams offer excellent support to the Renton, WA based 737 airplane productions. Spiak is a member of several Boeing affinity groups and is the founding member of the 737-Diversity Council. In 2013, Maria was selected as the South Puget Sound President as a part of the Boeing Women in Leadership awards. Apart from mentoring students at the Des Moines, WA based Aviation High School, Spiak also helps support better quality of life for Hispanics and is a member of the National Community www.womenofcolor.net

WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS 2013

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Selina Vik Head, Training and Career Development Total Force Strategy and Management Department Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division

s. Selina Vik has built a successful career full of accomplishments. A glance at her list of career achievements will show you exactly why Vik has the respect of her peers. Vik is the first African-American woman to receive the Barbara Ward-McCracken Human Resources Specialist Award at her Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and at her Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) site. The NAWCTSD Mentoring Team led by Vik is responsible for more than fifty percent of command employee participation in the mentoring program. She also created the NAWCTSD

R E D I S C OV E R T H E I M AG I N AT I O N O F I N N OVAT I O N

“I want to work

on spaceships.”

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On-Boarding Academy Program. The program introduces new employees to the practices, policies and culture of the Command. Vik is also the first African-American woman at Patrick Air Force Base to receive the Air Force Space Command Javits-Wagner O’Day Chairman’s Award. She received the award in recognition of awarding the first National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH) contract for Base Custodial Services. In addition to building her own successful career, Vik takes an active role in helping the careers of others. In 2000, Vik became a Management Analyst supporting the employees of the Contracts Department with expert management of their staffing, recruitment and training needs. Vik became a NAVAIR National Recruiter, and expanded recruitment efforts to include historically African American colleges and universities in Florida. Her efforts increased the number of African Americans in the contracts department from 2 percent to 15 percent over two years. As a volunteer at St. Peter and Paul Church, Vik cooks food for the Feed the Homeless Committee. She believes it’s important to do well in all areas of life, not just on the job. Helping others achieve all their potential is important to Vik. Her experience as a mentor, coach and leader spreads a renewed interest in learning and development to anyone she meets.

Aerospace Corporation is a dynamic leader in delivering space mission success. We are a team that takes pride in our readiness to answer some of the most complex technical challenges in existence. With projects and challenges spanning clandestine to commercial, you’ll have the unique opportunity to work on projects that are literally evolving our space capabilities. When you join us, you’ll join a rare collection of the most intelligent people in the field and be fully empowered to do your best work. We are always looking to talented men and women with M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in the scientific and engineering disciplines listed below. If you’d like to join us, please apply online at www.aerospace.org/careers by creating a profile and uploading your resume. Please refer to code: Z9M. We have openings in El Segundo, CA and Washington, D.C. and surrounding areas. Avionics System Engineering – Bearing/Mechanical Drives – Circuit Design and Simulation – Communication Systems – Component Engineering – Computer Systems Engineering – Cyber Security – Digital Image Processing – Electronic Systems Design – Failure Analysis Engineering – Flight Mechanics Engineering – Mass Properties – Product Assurance Engineering – Product Engineering – Radar Systems Engineering – Reliability Analysis Engineering – Satellite Integration and Test – Satellite Propulsion Systems – Signal Processing – Software Engineering – Spacecraft Development – Survivability/Vulnerability – System Analysis – System Safety Engineering – Technical Cost/Schedule Analysis – Upper Stage Flight Operations

www.aerospace.org/careers

of Latinas. She is an expert team builder and is a self-motivated, energetic person with effective interpersonal skills. She has managed up to 28 employees singlehandedly including non-union, union and hourly salaried employees.

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2013 Technology All-Stars and STEM Rising Stars When there is a difficult problem to tackle or play to make, you want an All-Star on your team. Women of Color Magazine proudly honors the best team players from the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and business. Aside from being technical and managerial standouts, these women are analysts, software engineers, java developers, system administrators, project managers, network engineers, structural engineers, transmission design engineers, electrical engineers, power system engineers, energy engineers, electronic engineers, integrated circuit engineers, design engineers, quality process engineers and process engineers. They have gained great recognition from their peers and their employers.

2013 Technology All-Stars Salwa Abdul-Rauf

Enterprise Architect The MITRE Corporation

Shonali Adalja

Jean Chu

Technical Manager IBM Corporation

Katherine Clinton

Senior Technical Architect AT&T Corporation

Lead Member Engineering Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Consuelo Bills

Noelia Correa

Lead LCB Pricing/ Costing Manager, Business Marketing AT&T Corporation

Project Engineer General Motors Company

Junilla Boatwright Applin Special Assistant NASA Langley

Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Manette Delgado

Oiza Dorgu

Erica K. Bouquet

New Technology Introduction, PureSystems ESP Program Manager IBM Corporation

Cynthia Bowles

Engineering Manager Northrop Grumman Corporation

Business Operations Analyst The Boeing Company Manager 3 Huntington Ingalls Industries-Ingalls Shipbuilding

Marisa Bryant Equal Opportunity Advisor U.S. Marine Corps Force Headquarters Group Natalie Burton

Lead Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Kaiana Carter

Wideband Global Satcom Sustainment IPT Lead The Boeing Company

Laura Fishman

Bobbie Fortier Sr. Test Engineer BAE Systems

Arlene Gimme

Administrative Functional Support Huntington Ingalls Industries-Ingalls Shipbuilding

Charlet Givens

Technical Sales Lead IBM Corporation

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Michelle Griggs

Manager, Project Management/Sector Account Manager Northrop Grumman Corporation

Monica Hamilton Senior Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Jeniffer Harper-Taylor Siemens Foundation

Christine Hulse

Software Process Manager/ GCV Software Architect BAE Systems, Land and Armaments

Charmaine Jackson

Senior Manager, Information Technology Infrastructure The Boeing Company

Noriene Jee

Quality Safety Mission and Assurance Lead Northrop Grumman Corporation

Brenda Johnson

Quality Systems Specialist The Boeing Company

Teniel Jones

Jessenia Gonzalez

Senior Manager, Static Technology Integration and Innovation The Boeing Company

Cynthia Griffin

Senior Product Engineer, Project Lead The Boeing Company

Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

General Foreman Huntington Ingalls Industries-Ingalls Shipbuilding

Deborah Griffith

Engineering Technician U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Bongim Jun

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THE 2013 TECHNOLOGY ALL-STARS Azita Kaovasia

Program Control Officer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Janel Kim

Valencia Mance

Program Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Vicky McKenzie

Tonya Rhodes

Technology Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Belinda Rich

Sandara (Sandi) Weaver

Manager, Program Planning & Integration Project Manager The Boeing Company

Manager II, Software Engineering Raytheon Company

Program Manager, IT Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

Georgette Kiser

Tonya McNair

Multi-Function Contracts Senior Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Vice President T.Rowe Price

Angelique Le

Software Development Analyst Northrop Grumman Corporation

Karen Leung

Principal Software Engineer Raytheon Company

Sherron L. Lewis

Project Manager, Functional Analyst The Boeing company

Jenny Li

Senior Certified Architect IBM Corporation

Shirley Long

Manager of the Applications Development & Maintenance Solution Group Lockheed Martin Corporation

Anna Ly

Staff Engineer, Semiconductor Process Engineer The Boeing Company

PEO IWS 2.0 Electronic Warfare Principal Acquisition Program Manager Deputy Naval Sea Systems Command

Samantha Mitchell

Program Planning & Integration Project Manager The Boeing Company

Harriet Opoku

Materials, Process and Physics Engineer The Boeing Company

Marcia Pentaross-Wilson Project Manager Corning Incorporated

Maria Rivera

Nita Robertson-Smith

Project Management & Planning Operations Representative, Senior Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Kay Sampaongern Enterprise Architect The Boeing Company

Camille Shiotsuki

Aviation Systems Lead The MITRE Corporation

Deborah Stanton

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Straightener Foreman/ Off Site Coordinator Huntington Ingalls IndustriesIngalls Shipbuilding

Tricia R. Phillips

Gwendolyn Strogen-Boozer

Susan Pergrem

Manager and Field Services Siemens Energy, Inc

Jayathi Rajan

Director, Large Systems Messaging Engineer IT Technical Services Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

Alesia Tisdall

Area Manager AT&T Corporation

U.S. Coast Guard

Director of Resources Management U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command Headquarters

Shellie Weems

Senior Director Health IT Dovel Technologies

Christell Williams IT Specialist IBM Corporation

Robyn Lai-wun Woo

Program Planning & Integration Project Manager The Boeing Company

Debora Wright Henley Manager, Project Management Northrop Grumman Corporation

Cristina Yanez

Solutions Sr. Project Manager IT Stores Solution Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

Shanying Zeng

Technical Lead Engineer for Environmental Technologies The Boeing Company

Hui Su

Research Manager Corning Incorporated

Women of Color STEM Rising Stars A rising star gains its first recognition as it appears above the horizon. The women being honored here as Rising Stars are now coming into view as the leaders of the future; they are beginning to demonstrate their potential for perseverance and innovation. While still early in their careers, these women are proving that they have what it take to create America’s future technology.

2013 STEM Rising Stars Andrea Adams

Michelle Araya

Letia Barnes

Tanesha Bedford

Candi Alfred

Grace Auyeung

Jocelyn Bartz

Sujata Bhatia

Linda Baek

Eileen Beck

Azlin Biaggi-Labiosa

Software Quality Engineer Lead Northrop Grumman Corporation Associate Counsel Naval Air Systems Command

Anisha Anthony

Financial Analyst Lockheed Martin Corporation

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Operations Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation Human Systems Integration (HIS) Lead Lockheed Martin Corporation Mechanical Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

NMAC Onsite Partner Lead Lockheed Martin Corporation Senior Technical Director-AT&T Business Solutions AT&T Corporation CORT HC-144A Mission Systems Pallet (MSP) Contract U.S. Coast Guard

Electrophysics Engineer The Boeing Company Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies Harvard University Research Electronics Engineer NASA Glenn Research Center

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We make our differences work for us.

Infosys is a next-generation global consultancy and technology firm Operating globally from 33 countries and 77 cities Has over 150000 employees from 88 nationalities.

www.infosys.com

THE 2013 TECHNOLOGY ALL-STARS Brigette Blair

Mission Assurance Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Heather Booze

Rachel Gambin

Annitta Haywood

Courtney Crittenden

Jennifer Garcia

Michelle Helaire, Ed.D.

Lakeshia Garrett

Jessica Higgs

Electronics Engineer Naval Air Systems Command

Systems Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

DDG 1000 Ship Activation IPS Project Manager Naval Sea Systems Command

Deborah Braudis

Nancy -Marlene Cruz

Project Manager 3 Huntington Ingalls IndustriesIngalls Shipbuilding

Cassaundra Brown

Electronics Engineer Naval Air Systems Command

Michal Brown

Technical Services Project Manager Northrop Grumman Corporation

Ayannah Buford

Channel Manager, Meso- America Siemens

Patricia Cuero

Director, HR Process Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

Beverly Cusworth

Research Biologist/Deputy Program Manager Naval Surface Warfare Center

Tracy Daniels

Project Lead Lockheed Martin Corporation

SVP, Business Executive Technology Bank of America

Janice Burns

Lorena De Leon Sanchez

Systems Engineer - Field Tech Specialist Senior Lockheed Martin Corporation

Tiffany Burroughs

Program Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Alrue Callands

Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Cynthia Canteen-Harbor

Senior Technical Program Manager CACI International, Inc.

Izge Cengiz

Engineering II General Dynamics

Denise Dinh

IT Project Manager The Boeing Company

Delena Duffy

Senior Development Engineer Corning Incorporated

Patricia Edmonds

Lead Test Engineer Naval Air Systems Command

Thalia Ellzey

Associate Manager of Client Services Infosys Ltd

Signal Processing Assembly (SPA) Technical Lead Northrop Grumman Corporation

Lori Charles

Mirla Feliciano

Systems Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Donna Childs

Project Specialist, Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Indumathy Chockalingam

Penta SAP Controlling Lead Chrysler Group LLC

Staff Mechanical Engineer BAE Systems, Land and Armaments

Patricia Fernandes

Information Security Solutions Southwest Airlines Co.

LaChelle Fields

Senior Systems Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Chara Clancy

Dustin Fisher

Sylvia Core

Xiochun Fisher

Financial Analyst 3 Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center

Elsa Cortez

Flight Test Engineer Naval Air Systems Command

Ericka Cottman

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Petty Officer First Class U.S. Coast Guard Senior Systems Engineer ITT Exelis, Inc.

Sadie Fonseca

Engineering Manager BAE Systems

Project Engineer Senior Lockheed Martin Corporation Senior Systems Engineer 1 Raytheon Company Project Specialist for Project Management & Change Management Walmart, Information System Division

Dr. Nikisa George

Tester/Integrator Lockheed Martin Corporation Information Assurance Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation Manufacturing Engineer General Motors Company

Avery Huggins

Project Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Systems Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Carol Y. Hung

Terri Gomez

Ammu Irivinti

Stacia Graham

Madiha Jafri

Sharri Graham

Azza Jayaprakash

Data Management Tech Lead Lockheed Martin Corporation Reliability & Maintainability Engineer The Boeing Company Senior Director Health IT Dovel Technologies

Juanita Graham

Reliability & Maintainability Engineer The Boeing Company

Stacy Grimsley

Manager IT Business Account Dominion Resources Services, Inc.

Sharda Gupta

Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation System Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation Senior Member Engineering Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation Division Chief (Supervisory Patent Attorney) U.S. Army CommunicationsElectronics Command, Office of Chief Counsel

Anne Jobmann

Cyber Intel Analyst Sr. Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Valarie Jones

Human Resources Generalist The Boeing Company

Solutions Sr. Delivery Manager IT Solutions Services Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

Divya Jose

Shalini Gupta, Ph.D.

Regina Juarez

Principal Microelectronics Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Tramaine Hammett

Chemist Quality Engineer Chrysler Group LLC

Soma Haque

Controls Engineer Chrysler Group LLC

Crystal Harris

Data Analyst Chrysler Group LLC Health Scientist Associate Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Christina Kang

Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Bobbette Kelly

Senior Systems Engineer Exelis Inc.

Marya Kirwin

Engineer The Boeing Company

Business Management & Metrics Division (CG-928) U.S. Coast Guard

Alanna Harris

Mei Lam

Lead Electronics Engineer Naval Air Systems Command

Christi Haygood Sr. Systems Engineer Raytheon Company

Senior Staff, Mechanical Engineering BAE Systems, Land and Armaments

Vernique Leathers

Electrical Engineer Naval Air Systems Command www.womenofcolor.net

THE 2013 TECHNOLOGY ALL-STARS Anna Lesnek

Advanced Vehicle Cost Lead Chrysler Group LLC

Angela Lewis

Senthivadivu Natarajan Lockheed Martin Corporation

Rosario Neuman

Senior Consultant Booz Allen Hamilton

Team Lead - Storage IT Specialist IBM Techline IBM Corporation

Megan Lewis

Margaret Nguyen

Systems Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Paige Lewter

Electronics Engineer Naval Air Systems Command

Maggie Lin

Contact Center IT Operations Manager Chrysler Group LLC

Kristen Logan

Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Yun Lu

Business Systems Project Lead Chrysler Group LLC

Sudha Manimaran

Senior Software Engineering Manager Northrop Grumman Corporation

Tiffany Martin

Area Manager, Austin Global Customer Service Center Wi-Fi AT&T Corporation

Kathryn Martinez

Project Specialist Lockheed Martin Corporation

Technical Program Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Jennifer Nunez

Materials Engineer Naval Air Systems Command

Iesha Pankey

Program Subcontracts Administrator Northrop Grumman Corporation

Jemma Pham

Software Engineer Exelis Inc.

Soralis Pimentel Cabrera Electrical Engineer Naval Sea Systems Command

Nicole Plair

Deputy Program Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Nicole Powell

Cyber Intelligence Analyst Lockheed Martin Corporation

Aruna Rajagopalan

Senior Database Analyst Dominion Resources Services, Inc.

Latoya McLendon

Kalpagam (Kappu) Ramasubramanian

Hermie Mendoza

Pauline Ramirez

Information Technology Project Manager The Boeing Company Systems Analyst U.S. Coast Guard

Kristan Morris

Systems Engineer - Field Tech Specialist Senior Lockheed Martin Corporation

Shweta Mulcare

Senior Aviation System Engineer The MITRE Corporation

Veronica Nance-Crossley

Lead Information Systems Engineer The MITRE Corporation Change Analyst The Boeing Company

Jyoti Rao

ICT Project Lead- Purchasing Chrysler Group LLC

Meenakshi Rork

Deputy Program Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Tamanna Sait

Danyelle Saunders

Senior Facilities Project Engineer Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding

Neida Valdez

Baby Scott

Shezarae WashingtonOrr

Aerospace Engineer Naval Air Systems Command Petty Officer First Class U.S. Coast Guard

Poornima Seetharamaiah Client Technical Specialist IBM Corporation

Sejal Shah

General Engineer (Test Engineer) Department of Army

Jessica Webb

Chemical Engineer Naval Air Systems Command

Janet Wong

Sheree Simington

Carmen Woodley

Dana Smith

Lan Xu

Brittany Speller

Luzmarie Youngers

Senior Systems Engineer 11 Raytheon Company Quality Engineer Senior Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation Computer Scientist, S.2.4.3.3 RTPS Software Naval Air Systems Command

Charla Stracener

Client Technical Specialist IBM Corporation

Sheena Studdard

Integration and Test Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Senior IT Specialist IBM Corporation Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Senior Technical Specialist Chrysler Group LLC Materials Engineer Naval Air Systems Command

Melissa Yuen

Structural Analyst The Boeing Company

Sharon Zhou

Software Development Analyst Northrop Grumman Corporation

Virginia Swindell

Mechanical Engineer/Program Manager Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate

Jian Tao

Materials Engineer Chrysler Group LLC

Janice Taylor

Client Technical Specialist IBM Corporation

Alicia Thomas

Executive Officer U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center

Ponnareth Truong

Nefretiti Nassar

Shanthi Saravanan

Susana Urquijo

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Design & Analysis Engineer The Boeing Company

Software Quality Engineering Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Senior Software Development Manager IBM Corporation Technical Project Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Technology Lead Infosys Ltd

Tracey Scindian

Welding Foreman Huntington Ingalls Industries

Systems Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Sarada Sravanti Vadlapatla

Manager I, Software Engineering Raytheon Company Vehicle Cost Engineer Chrysler Group LLC

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Snap a picture of this code with your QR reader to learn about NAVAIR.

ENGINEER

THE FUTURE OF NAVAL AVIATION

At NAVAIR, civilian engineers and scientists play a critical role in our nation’s defense by providing Sailors and Marines with weapons, aircraft, systems and other leading-edge technology. Arming our warfighters with confidence is a mission that demands only the most skilled and dedicated engineering professionals. Continue NAVAIR’s legacy of innovation by researching, testing and developing state-ofthe-art solutions to support the warfighter on land, in the air or at sea. Put your engineering skills to work at NAVAIR. To learn more, visit www.navair.navy.mil

Equal Opportunity Employer | U.S. Citizenship Required

A Profile of Leadership in Federal Service Prepared to Mitigate Risk By Lango Deen

onique Doute’ Ferrell is the quintessential 21st century-woman juggling a career with marriage and family. A woman for whom the glass was always half full, her optimism, dedication, and exceptional talents resulted in her appointment to the prestigious federal Senior Executive Service just shy of two years ago, joining the growing number of professionals transforming the government. Mrs. Ferrell is the first African American woman to be appointed to the Senior Executive Service in the United States Army Audit Agency’s 67 year history, and only the fourth female. Leaders chosen to Senior Executive Service (SES) positions share a broad perspective of government and a commitment to the highest standards of public service. SES personnel serve in key positions just below top Presidential appointees, and as such, are the major link between these appointees and the rest of the federal workforce. They oversee nearly every government activity in approximately 75 federal agencies.

Monique Doute’ Ferrell Deputy Auditor General for Manpower, Reserve Affairs and Training Audits, U.S. Army Audit Agency

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A PROFILE OF FEDERAL SERVICE

“Federal agencies are facing tremendous fiscal pressure and have to find ways to accomplish missions within constrained resources.”- Monique Doute’ Ferrell, SES

“I am proud of this accomplishment not for myself, but for what it says for women, particularly young women of color,” Ferrell said. “I hail from the tiny and beautiful island of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, where I received my primary and secondary education,” she reflected. “I graduated from a small Catholic school in a class of 72 students. I must admit that as a child I don’t remember meeting executive-level, professional women. But my story clearly shows that no matter where you come from, no matter your social or economic background, nothing is impossible.” As deputy auditor general for Manpower, Reserve Affairs and Training Audits, Ferrell serves as principal advisor to the auditor general of the army for auditing human capital, force protection, force structure, and training. Her responsibilities also include directing army-wide audit coverage of high-risk areas that focus on Southwest Asia deployments and sustainment functions (logistics, transportation, equipment storage and disposal, and combat service support activities), along with contingency contracting and contractors on the battlefield. The U.S. Army Audit Agency (USAAA) helps senior leaders assess and mitigate risk, and by providing solutions through independent auditing services for the benefit of the American Soldier. USAAA’s vision is to be a world-class audit organization of professionals that anticipates change and exceeds client expectations. On December 13, 2012, the Partnership for Public Service announced USAAA as one of the Best Places to Work in the federal government rankings. It was the third consecutive year that the agency had placed in the top three. The agency’s headquarters is located on Fort Belvoir, Virginia and has 20 field offices in the U.S., Germany, and the Republic of Korea. The agency also has personnel deployed to Southwest Asia and Monique Ferrell has often been one of those. “Over an approximately 23-month period I led a team of 30– 40 Army Audit Agency auditors deployed to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan,” she said. “We performed audits in a combat environment; functions vital to the success of the operations in the theater such as contracting, logistics, transportation, retrograde of equipment and supplies, and financial management.” During this period, Ferrell deployed to Southwest Asia numerous times. “I lived and worked alongside brave men and women who protect our nation. It was rewarding to have senior Army leaders request the services of Army Audit because of the reputation my agency has earned for providing solutions

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to Army challenges,” Ferrell said. “My time in Southwest Asia was also a period of tremendous personal growth. My experiences caused me to recognize that I am stronger than I had thought; that I have what it takes to accomplish anything I put my mind to, and that I must trust my instinct, make a decision, and move out to execute. I am now a more confident and effective leader.” An Army Civilian, Ferrell has served the U.S. Army for over 27 years all with the Army Audit Agency to support the defense of our nation. Some of her professional assignments include director of Strategic Planning and Special Studies Division, director of the Contract Audits Division, and prior to her current assignment, director of the Expeditionary Audits Division. Over the course of her career, Ferrell has seen the relationship between Army Auditors and their clients swing from an adversarial one, to a more collaborative relationship. The role of auditors in the Department of Defense, Department of Army, and across federal government is becoming more important, she observed. “Federal agencies are facing tremendous fiscal pressure and have to find ways to accomplish missions that are not going away or not being reduced within constrained resources,” she noted. “As auditors, we have the responsibility to help leaders and managers. We can recommend internal controls that could prevent or minimize the opportunities for fraud, waste and abuse. And because we have an independent eye, we can identify efficiencies and process improvements that help our organization accomplish its mission within a resource-constrained environment. Many Army leaders have recognized what their team of internal auditors brings to the table, and that we help them find solutions to the challenges they are facing.” As a young auditor, her goal, she said, was always to be the best. “I wanted supervisors to consider me the “go-to” person that was technically competent and could be relied on to get the job done,” she said. “As I came up in the ranks and assumed leadership positions, my focus became doing everything I could to take care of those I had the privilege to lead; make sure they were trained and resourced to perform their jobs.” Ferrell said it is important as a leader to work hard every minute of every day to be worthy of trust and confidence reposed in you. “I truly believe that if you concentrate on these things,

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A PROFILE OF FEDERAL SERVICE then ‘getting ahead’ will take care of itself,” she advised.” On lessons learned she said “the most important is you should always be prepared.” Just as important as being prepared, she added, is trust and integrity. “You can’t buy either, but they are both easily lost. So you must always do the right things, and make sure your actions match your words.” She has also found that written and oral communication skills are critical for success. “The more you do it, the better you get,” she advises. But she cautions against a risk-averse environment where employees won’t take chances because they’re afraid to make a mistake. “Everyone makes mistakes, the important thing is to acknowledge when you’ve made a mistake and immediately take action to correct it. I have yet to see a mistake that could not be corrected. In the middle of the storm, it may not seem that way, but trust me, everything is fixable.” In her role as coach/teacher/mentor, Ferrell said she shares the following lessons she has gleaned from the exceptional civilian and military leaders she has worked with. »» Commit yourself to life-long learning in your functional area. »» Learn about yourself—what you do well and the areas where you have opportunities to develop and improve. Because no matter how good you are, there’s always some room for improvement or growth, personally and professionally. »» Make the best of every opportunity. Don’t be afraid to take on the hard jobs, because nothing earns you respect and provides more valuable experience than taking on difficult challenges and giving them your best shot. Monique has been married to Major General Robert Ferrell for 29 years. Her husband currently serves as commanding general, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. The couple first met when they were both students at Hampton University, a historically black college located in Hampton, VA., where Monique majored in accounting. They have two adult children, Robert II, a graphic designer at Goucher College in Maryland, and Michael, a sergeant in the U.S. Army, assigned to the White House Communications Agency. Michael represents the third generation of his family to serve in the Signal Corps, which develops, tests, provides, and manages communications and information systems support for the command and control of combined arms forces. “I am a living example that military spouses can have successful careers alongside their active duty service member, “Ferrell said. “ I’m not saying it’s easy. As a military spouse I have faced unique challenges including frequent moves to accompany my husband in his assignments. And as we both progressed, we’ve faced sacrifices and separations so that we could both take advantage of opportunities and meet our career goals. My hus-

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band inspires me, encourages me, and even picks me up when needed. He and our two amazing sons have been the mechanism that creates the necessary balance in my life,” she said. Ferrell also said she has had the privilege of seeing the opportunities that exist in the STEM field through association with Aberdeen Proving Ground, where her husband is senior commander. “I believe the key to increasing female participation in STEM education is outreach. Corporate America as well as STEMrelated activities in the federal government should partner with elementary, middle and high schools to expose students to STEM. Women engineers, scientists and technology professionals should visit schools so that young, eager students can see successful women in these fields.” The same is true for the finance field, Ferrell added. “Whether a young woman is interested in working as a financial executive in corporate America, or she desires to dedicate herself to public service like I have, there are plenty of opportunities out there. And I’m proud to say that the landscape looks very different than it did almost 30 years ago when I entered federal service. There are more women in these fields than ever, and they’re making it to the top! So I advise young women to follow their passion into whatever area of STEM or other professional field most excites them. Take advantage of every opportunity—whether it’s an internship, part-time employment or a full-time position- to gain experience.” Less than a year ago, Ferrell’s mother retired from a company where she worked for 42 years. “My Dad, at 71 years, is still serving the Government of the Virgin Islands. Both of my parents taught me the value of hard work and never settling for less than my best. And by watching them and how they progressed in their careers, I learned that the only real limits that exist are the ones I put on myself.” When it comes to her approach to living life fully, Ferrell said she must give credit to her deceased sister. “Renee’ was only 24 years old when she passed away twentyseven years ago. But her 24 years on earth were truly lived. Renee was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia when she was only 17 and she fought a courageous battle. She never asked ‘why me’ and was always positive, even in her most sickly and grueling days from chemotherapy. “From Renee’ I learned that: »» Tomorrow isn’t promised so live each day fully and with no regrets. »» You don’t know how strong you really are until you have to be. »» Love unconditionally. Give everything you have without expecting something in return, and laugh until your stomach hurts!”

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CONGRATULATIONS T O O U R T E C H N O L O G Y R I S I N G S TA R H O N O R E E S

Bobbette Kelly

Xiaochun Fisher

Jemma Pham

Systems Engineer

System Modeling Engineer

Associate Principal Software Engineer

Exelis is proud to recognize Bobbette Kelly, Xiaochun Fisher and Jemma Pham as three of this year’s Technology Rising Stars, as selected by the Career Communications Group. These women do groundbreaking work to help advance our company’s vision to deliver affordable, mission-critical products and services for our global customers. With significant engineering accomplishments in such areas as electronic warfare and information assurance, all three women are leaders in their fields. They are also dedicated to a lifetime of learning and innovation, as well as encouraging young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. At Exelis, we consider the diversity of our workforce to be critical to our customers’ — and our company’s — success, so we salute Bobbette, Xiaochun and Jemma for their leadership. Join our team: www.exelisinc.com

| | CAREER OUTLOOK

CAREERS IN ENERGY and RETAIL

INSIDE:  Job Horizon: Women in Energy  Recruiting Trends  Women You Should Know in Energy  Walmart’s Dionna Alexander-Moses: Empowering Women in STEM  L’Oreal – The Science of Beauty  Lowe’s Seeks Innovators

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| | CAREER OUTLOOK

JOB HORIZON: Women in Energy CAREER POTENTIAL IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY Clean power is the future, for the world, USA, and job seekers. This is the opinion of the Advanced Energy Economy Institute, a non-profit business organization. The institute contracted Pike Research, Navigant Consulting’s global energy practice, to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze the advanced energy, or alternative energy market’s potential. In January 2013, Pike reported that two years ago, the global advanced energy market was worth $1.1 trillion and the U.S. share worth $132 billion with a projected growth rate of 19 percent in 2012. This is wonderful news for STEM job seekers in the energy sector. But there’s more. In February 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Treasury unveiled a $150 million Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit

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Program that will aid DOE-vetted companies engaged, or proposing to engage, in domestic clean energy and energy efficiency manufacturing projects. The previously-unused credits were included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, “These new investments will continue that momentum, supporting the president’s commitment to American-made energy, increasing energy security, and creating jobs.” A DOE fact sheet reports that the manufacturers eligible for the tax credits will potentially produce clean energy that will create jobs, reduce pollution, lower energy costs, and spur innovation. The following areas that should cheer energyinterested STEM students and professionals:

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»» Solar, wind, geothermal or other renewable energy equipment »» Electric grids and storage for renewables »» Fuel cells and micro turbines »» Energy storage systems for electric or hybrid vehicles »» Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration equipment »» Equipment for refining or blending renewable fuels »» Equipment for energy conservation, including lighting and smart grid technologies »» Advanced energy property designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions Does the greater education of STEM students equal higher salaries? The Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. (EMSI), a CareerBuilder company that specializes in employment data and economic analysis, says “yes.” Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America said in an article about the best-paying jobs in 2013 that “nearly one in five employers (18 percent) reported that their educational requirements for jobs in their organizations have increased over the last five years.” There was one exception when EMSI listed the best-paying jobs requiring an associate’s degree. A nuclear technician with the right two-year degree could earn $68,037 annually for assisting in nuclear research and production. The salaries escalate dramatically for individuals with three specific types of bachelor’s degrees in engineering. The potentially best-remunerated graduate in 2013 could be a man or woman with an undergraduate degree in petroleum engineering who may receive $122,242 for designing how to extract oil and natural gas, particularly that which is fracked, from underground. Students that decide to go nuclear can do equally well. An engineer with knowledge of radiation and nuclear energy could get $99,715 a year, whereas a chemical engineer might earn $92,934 for being able to use skills in biology, chemistry and physics to produce fuel and related chemicals. Coal, wind, water, oil, solar, thermal, natural gas and other emerging forms of alternative energy sectors will also require skilled personnel with degrees that will mesh with a multiplicity of disciplines. These disciplines include software development, accounting, market research, computer system analysis, network and computer system administration, information security analysis, web development, computer network architecture, financial analysis, computer programming, mechanical and

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industrial engineering, database administration, cost estimation and logistics. Sequestration Blues The tricky part in this post-sequestration era is predicting how various sectors will be affected as the spending cuts begin. The Scientific American website reports that the federal government is the main funder of basic scientific research. The Congressional Research Service prepared a study Sequestration: A Review of Estimates of Potential Job Losses. A salient paragraph in the document said, “The industries estimated to experience the greatest direct and indirect job losses also differed considerably. Federal government employees could face much larger direct and indirect job losses as a result of cuts to non-defense budgets (268,000 jobs) than to the defense budget (56,000 jobs). In the private sector, employees at professional and business services firms could face the largest direct and indirect job losses (180,000) due to non-defense budget cuts and manufacturing employees might incur the largest job losses (223,000) due to DOD budget cuts.” The report doesn’t go granular in describing the sequestration’s impact. The battle will occur at research universities. Wealthy universities have a cushion with various sources of funding. The middle-sized and small universities, virtually all Historically Black Colleges and Universities, have small rainy day funds. In a Scientific American guest blog, MIT professor of science writing Tom Levenson said, “sequester cuts will strike bluntly across the scientific community. The illustrious can move a bit of money around, but even in large labs, a predictable result will be a reduction in the number of graduate student and postdoc slots available—and as those junior and early-stage researchers do a whole lot of the at-the-bench level research, such cuts will have an immediate effect on research productivity. The longer term risk is obvious too:fewer students and postdocs means an ongoing drop from baseline in the amount of work to be done year over year, and given that industry has reduced its demand for research-trained Ph.Ds., a plausible consequence is that some, many perhaps, of those with capacity to do leading-edge science will simply never enter the pipeline, shifting instead to some other career that does not demand six years and more of poorly paid training to find that there are no jobs.”

by Frank McCoy, fmccoy@ccgmag.com

WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

| | CAREER OUTLOOK

RECRUITING TRENDS ENERGY: THAT’S WHERE THE JOBS ARE

n March 15, 2013, President Barack Obama visited the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois to unveil a $2 billion plan to bolster battery and transportation research and development. At the event, he spoke about the many ways his administration and U.S. organizations are exploring to lessen fossil fuel dependence and create jobs for STEM specialists like you. The president said, “We can support scientists who are designing new engines that are more energy efficient; support scientists that are developing cheaper batteries that can go farther on a single charge; support scientists and engineers that are devising new ways to fuel our cars and trucks with new sources of clean energy—like advanced biofuels and natural gas—so drivers can one day go coast to coast without using a drop of oil.” In concert with President Obama’s declaration, 2013 public, nonprofit and private organizations have made predictions about their industries that bode well for STEM students in energy and energy-related majors and graduate programs.

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Electric Vehicles: The Future is Now reported that GE Capital Americas, which makes commercial loans, reports the automotive and supplier industries will benefit from more corporations purchasing “a mix of traditional, alternative fuel and electric cars and trucks. Experts will be required to design, create new technologies, build, and test those vehicles and all their energysaving component parts, and to measure and lower their impact on greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption. The oil and gas industry underpins many businesses that produce plastics—overwhelmingly refined from petroleum—coatings and chemicals. The American Chemistry Council (ACC) said in its Shale Gas and New Petrochemicals Investment: Benefits for the Economy, Jobs and U.S. Manufacturing report that the 100-year natural gas supply from shale deposits “would generate $132 billion in U.S. economic output and $4.4 billion in new annual tax revenues.”

WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

| | CAREER OUTLOOK

President Barack Obama speaks at the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois about his energy policies and new opportunities for engineers in the industry.

Another ACC finding projects the job bounty that could result as the natural gas industry expands. Hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs may be created in the following industries: chemicals, 619,000; plastics/rubber products, 346,000; fabricated metal, 74,000; iron/steel, 59,000; paper, 46,000; glass, 9,000; and foundries, 9,000. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2013 spotlights factors that may affect U.S. energy markets through 2040. The Manufacturing Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI) sees the nation’s economic activity glass half-full in 2013 and slightly more so next year. All economic activity relies upon energy in some way. “MAPI forecasts that manufacturing production will increase 2.2 percent in 2013 and 3.6 percent in 2014. High-tech production is forecast to increase 4.3 percent in 2013 and 9.0 percent in 2014. Non-high-tech or traditional manufacturing, which accounts for 90 percent of value added in manufacturing, will grow 1.8 percent in 2013 and 3.8 percent in 2014. Manufacturing will grow at a faster speed than the general economy, but not by much. The key growth themes are a housing rebound, strong growth in transportation equipment and the expansion of medical care (robust medical equipment demand). MAPI forecasts that manufacturing production will increase 2.2 percent in 2013 and 3.6 percent in 2014.” Does that ring true? To find out, let’s visit the home page of the Association of Energy Engineers and see what employment

WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

opportunities may be in store for STEM energy-interested majors and graduates. In a box labeled “Energy Vortex Top Jobs,” a variety of energy-related jobs were listed. To show their value, look below to see where the job are located, the prospective employer, and the average salaries found at simplyhired.com for each job description but not for a specific organization. The jobs: »» Power Resource Manager, City of Port Angeles, Washington ($53,000) »» Energy Manager, Los Angeles, CBRE Group, Inc., the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm ($62,000) »» Senior Energy Engineer, Opinion Dynamics Corporation, Massachusetts or California, a market research firm covering energy/utility ($75,000) »» Maintenance Coordinator, Alcoa Global Primary Metals, North America’s largest integrated producer of primary aluminum ($42,000) »» Building System Automation Engineer, Fairfax County (Virginia) Facilities Management Department ($62,000) »» Senior Facilities Coordinator, Energy and LEED-EBOM/ Engineering Bill of Materials, Roche, a global healthcare company (No salary data) »» Program Manager, Commercial Demand Side Management, ICF Marbek, a Canadian fully integrated energy, climate, and environmental consultancy ($52,000) »» Project Energy Engineer, Iconergy, a performance contracting and energy engineering firm ($69,000).

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Be greater than. Bring your talent and passion to a global organization at the forefront of business, technology and innovation. Collaborate with diverse, talented colleagues and leaders who support your success. Help transform organizations and communities around the world. Sharpen your skills through industry-leading training and development, as you build an extraordinary career. Discover how great you can be. Visit accenture.com/diversity

Walmart hires Science, Technology, Engineering and Math talent.

Yes, Walmart. Join our team and use your technical expertise to make a difference around the globe. Walmart.com/ITCareers

| | CAREER OUTLOOK

Dionna Moses, director, Infrastructure and Operations, Walmart Global Technology Services India

Walmart’s Dionna Alexander-Moses: Empowering Women in STEM

Dionna Moses has always understood the importance of women obtaining careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. As the Director of Infrastructure and Operations in Walmart Global Technology Services India, it has been her mission to motivate and mentor women who share her desire to excel in these fields.

WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

by Imani Carter icarter@ccgmag.com Born in Kansas City, Mo., and raised in St. Louis, Moses graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2002. Before attending college, however, she participated in the school’s Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES) program, created to address the low numbers of minority students pursuing advanced technical degrees. MITES was a springboard for Moses’s involvement in enhancement programs for minorities in STEM, as she would later devote much of her time to similar programs. After earning her degree, she reluctantly applied for a job at Walmart on her grandfather’s advice. www.womenofcolor.net

“When I got the call from the recruiter, I basically said, ‘I’m not interested.’ But they convinced me to listen to what they had to say. My interest was piqued by the size and complexity of the systems and the breadth of exposure and responsibility that I would have very early in my career, so I decided to join Walmart,” she says. Despite her initial reservations, she soon discovered that Walmart is a great place to work, grow a career and make a difference both individually and globally. For example, as part of Walmart’s East Data Center project, Moses coordinated and managed 13 infrastructure areas, 123 application teams and more than 40 IT associates. In 2005, Moses was awarded the Women of Color Rising Star award for her achievements in her career. A few years later, Moses was asked to make a presentation at the Girls of Promise Conference, which she says has introduced thousands of eighth grade girls across Arkansas to information about careers related to math, science, and technology, while giving them the opportunity to meet with women professionals for a greater understanding of their own potential and power. “These events encourage girls to pursue academic excellence during their high school and college years. Attendees get to meet other girls like themselves and realize that it’s okay to be a bright, motivated girl with big dreams.” Moses also had big dreams. By her freshman year in college, she landed an internship with Boeing, and interned with Goldman Sachs during her final undergraduate years. She explained that she wanted her early career to be an inspiration to young girls with an interest in STEM. Moses believes that when attempting to land a career in STEM disciplines, not only should young people be able to communicate effectively but they should also have a “strong foundation of technical experience and knowledge.” In February 2012, Moses formed her first mentoring group, Information Security and Compliance Women’s Mentoring Circle, while part of the Information Security department, before leaving to begin her new position as Walmart’s e-commerce Director of Infrastructure and Operations in Bangalore, India. The Circle, which Moses refers to as one of her proudest accomplishments, consists of a group of 16 women who have made their way to leadership positions in information security. Moses says it’s important for women to show that they are just as qualified for leadership positions as men, adding that there are two key points to get ahead which

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women should take heed: Know your business and show a capacity to take on more. “We can’t just show that we can handle what’s on our plate, but we must show that we have the capacity to move forward and take on more. We should always think ‘What else can I do?’” Moses stresses. Following her own advice, Moses continues to motivate women in the STEM field, and will serve as the 2013-2014 co-chair for Women’s Resource Committee within the Walmart Global Technology Services in India. As one important pillar in this committee is ‘Invest in Women Globally,’ this program will focus on activities that encourage women to pursue STEM careers worldwide. Moses has had many accomplishments and has helped a number of people on her way. However, in spite of all of her success, she says she is happiest when she witnesses those she has helped, or a person whose life she has touched, achieve a huge accomplishment in their career.

“Often times we try to show that we can do everything, but that’s not possible because we aren’t naturally good at everything. I’m very well aware of my strengths and my weaknesses.”

—Dionna Alexander-Moses

Throughout her journey, Moses has learned many lessons, but says the greatest learning has been to always practice humility. She says when she creates mentoring groups and contributes to STEM and professional programs or projects, she thinks about the people she is helping. “It’s not about me,” she says. “I’m not one to boast or to be prideful. Often times we try to show that we can do everything, but that’s not possible because we aren’t naturally good at everything. There are certain things that I know that I do well and excel at, and there are certain things that I’m not good at. I’m very well aware of my strengths and my weaknesses.” Clearly, one of Dionna Moses’ strengths is helping other women in their journey to success in STEM careers.

WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

| | CAREER OUTLOOK

The Science of

Beauty SCIENCE IS AT THE HEART OF L’OREAL’S SUCCESS by Gale Horton Gay ghorton@ccgmag.com

A perfectly made up face may appear to be just the artful application of foundation, mascara and lipstick, but beauty industry experts know there’s a complex amount of science behind every pretty face. That’s what three leading beauty industry experts from L’Oreal shared in a discussion about “Shaping a Brighter Future: The Beauty of Science and the Science of Beauty.” Science is at the heart of this multi-million global corporation where scientists across a broad spectrum of fields (chemists, behavioral scientists, etc.) create, test and analyze new concepts and products and determine how consumers will react to them. L’Oreal, which cites itself as the world’s leading beauty company, was founded in 1908 by a chemist. Today L’Oreal USA is the development, production and marketing base for 13 American brands including Maybelline New York, Soft-Sheen Carson, Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Essie Cosmetics, Mizani, www.womenofcolor.net

Pureology, Dermablend and Urban Decay. L’Oreal employees 68,000 people worldwide, files more than 600 patents annually and its products are available in 130 countries, according to a company video. According to Jerome Laday, L’Oreal’s director of talent recruitment, 69 percent of the researchers working in the company’s labs are female and the role of scientists are critical in an industry, which must meet Food and Drug Administration requirement for many of its products. Laday said research and development team members totally throw themselves into their work, and it’s not uncommon to see researchers in the lab with hair spiked or dyed with indevelopment products or noticing chemists (men and women) applying test mascara around their eyes to determine how well it can be applied. Harold Bryant, Ph.D., vice president of research and innovation at L’Oreal, said he previously worked in the pharmaceutical industry, which was extremely structured and regimented. WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

| | CAREER OUTLOOK

“Our industry is more fun,” said Bryant. “We create things that make people feel good, look good.” Equally important as the development and testing of new products is how the public uses these products and whether they will perceive these products as valuable. The firm employs behavioral scientists, psychologists and sociologists to study consumer tastes, motivations and reasoning. In their research, they’ve determined that men and women use products differently. For example, men use less hair and skin products and are generally are looking for quick fixes such as three-in-one personal care products. Women are more sophisticated in their selection and use of products, they say.

Porter describes herself as a polymer chemist who went to engineering school because she “didn’t want to be a lab chemist. That set me up very well to do what I am doing now.” Antoinette Hamilton, L’Oreal’s assistant vice president of diversity and inclusion at L’Oreal USA, said the company has a program to stimulate girls’ interest in science.

“It all boils down to understanding the consumer,” said one of L’Oreal’s experts. “What’s driving their habits? What gets them to use the product the way they are using them?”

“ForGirlsInScience.org isn’t just a website, it’s where budding scientists can learn about science in a fun and interactive way: hypothesize, experiment and draw exciting conclusions,” state the website’s “About” page. “They can connect with other girls who love science and share their ideas and dreams. They can be inspired by women who have dreamed, created and invented before them, discover the wide range of fields that fall under “science,” and find the tools and motivation needed to become scientists themselves.”

The process of developing new products at L’Oreal includes advance research, applied research, formulation, sensory evaluation and clinical studies and can take six to 18 months to complete.

ForGirlsInScience.org isn’t just a website, it’s

One of the leaders shared that one of the company’s biggest challenges is beating its competition to the market.

where budding scientists can learn about science in a fun and interactive way.

And timing is also critical in the beauty industry. It is not uncommon for L’Oreal to bring a new product to market in America and then discover there’s a similar product covered by patents in other countries. A decision has to be made if it makes good business sense to pour full effort into the development and marketing of a product that can only be introduced in the United States with limited global reach. Another challenge for L’Oreal is that formulas developed here in the United States also must be compliant with regulations in other countries such as India, Brazil, China and South Africa. Crystal Porter, Ph.D., manager of L’Oreal’s Institute for Ethnic Hair and Skin Research, said that one of the challenges in her lab is trying to mimic consumer perceptions to various nuances achieved under controlled conditions in the lab. Porter said she routinely volunteers to test hair care products under development on her own hair. “We know that hair is not created equal,” noted Porter. “Recently someone asked me ‘Why would you do that?’ It’s really special to immerse yourself before we even do testing.” And another L’Oreal insider added that input from various segments of the market is one of the reasons that diversity in the workforce is so important to the company. 70

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“We know we really need to keep the community engaged, especially girls,” said Hamilton. Laday said that STEM majors are very much in demand in the beauty industry and suggests that those interested in entering the industry do their homework. “Find out what’s important,” said the recruiter. Look at what the company is all about. It’s really about find your passion. What is it that you really want to do with the rest of your life.” Another beauty industry expert said problem solving is key. “You have to be able to solve problems with the tools available to you,” he said. Laday added that to be successful at L’Oreal requires specific traits. “You have to be open-minded, constantly innovating,” said Laday. “Every day there’s a new challenge and every day we try to find a solution.”

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MARK YOUR

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BEYA STEM Global Competitiveness Conference Marriott Wardman Park Hotel Washington, DC

Don’t miss this historic event! www.beya.org

For more information, call us at 410-244-7101.

| | CAREER OUTLOOK

Pioneering Spirits Wanted: LOWE’S SEEKS INNOVATORS

Have you ever thought about revolutionizing home improvement? Well, Lowe’s has. The company is looking for “Pioneering Spirits” to lead the way along its journey to provide customers with a truly differentiated experience. While having a pioneering spirit is not generally associated with today’s retail business, Lowe’s is moving to change all that. Lowe’s, with more than 1,700 home improvement stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico has launched a campaign to attract and retain talent that display a strong sense of vision and drive. The company is actively searching for innovative and creative people eager to take on new challenges and ready to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Lowe’s outreach represents a real growth opportunity for people who can offer big ideas and bold solutions as part of a highly motivated team. The pioneering spirit and innovation Individuals most likely to find a home with Lowe’s are people with strong interpersonal and leadership skills who want big responsibilities. Lowe’s offers a career path for self-starters determined to make a difference but who also recognize the importance of collaboration and teamwork. That’s why there’s a high priority on openness and adaptability. www.womenofcolor.net

by Rachel Hawksworth Director of talent acquisition, Lowe’s

The concept of the pioneering spirit comes from the ability to develop entrepreneurial ideas that can be brought to fruition within an established structure. Pioneering spirits are motivated and driven and, at the same time, appreciate an environment in which their contributions are valued and encouraged. Lowe’s welcomes those who view themselves as potential leaders, willing to offer innovative ideas and new directions that help the company and employees grow. Candidates will discover a number of opportunities by visiting Lowes.com/Careers. At the college level, there are internships to give students a hands-on understanding of the multifaceted world of retail. Prospective graduates can also check out opportunities at corporate headquarters, Lowe’s stores and distribution centers. A welcoming culture Underlying the inclusive environment at Lowe’s are four principles behind its dynamic work environment: Connect: The essence of the team environment—inspiring, assisting and cheering each other on. WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

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Contribute: Seeking out, listening and valuing other viewpoints. Thrive: A key component to employee fulfillment—having the freedom and support to explore and realize each person’s greatest potential. Celebrate: Taking time to appreciate large and small victories and accomplishments. Lowe’s embraces the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. The company is a leader in recruiting and developing talent in the Latino and African-American communities. One example comes from Patricia Cuero Nielsen, who holds a degree in nuclear science engineering from the University of Florida and an M.B.A. in information technology from the University of Phoenix. She said Lowe’s offers a realm of possibilities.

“A career at Lowe’s is not limited to one’s area of expertise (and) people with technical skills don’t have to limit themselves to IT,” Patricia said. “For those of us who seek to become general managers or lead teams, Lowe’s presents those opportunities (and) there is room for those who make the effort to excel with the company.” Lowe’s leaders emphasize that their outreach represents a major change to traditional retail—a change top talent will find very attractive. It’s a career lifecycle in which new talent wanting to be more than “a cog in a wheel” can grow and contribute in an encouraging and welcoming environment that is enthusiastic about innovation and collaboration. “Never stop improving” is not just an advertising slogan at Lowe’s. It’s a lifestyle for customers and our employees.

DECK OUT YOUR DORM ROOM WITH LOWE’S

by Imani Carter icarter@ccgmag.com

our dorm room might be your first room you will live in away from home. The best way to decorate your dorm room on a budget is to give it some familiarity to your home atmosphere. Bring along pictures of family members and pets. These can help decorate your dorm room and also remind you of home, where your heart is. Lowe’s offers a variety of beautiful picture frames that will accent your walls and make your room unique and homey. Remember you will also be sharing your room with another person, so you will want to compromise once getting there to keep your room in keeping with your roommate’s wishes also. You should begin cooperating with your roommate to create a pleasant and peaceful atmosphere. Dorm rooms are many times not the largest spaces; however, Lowe’s provides merchandise such as wall and door hooks, bed risers and shelves that assist in maximizing your space. Having to share a small space with another person can be a challenge, especially since your room at home is currently full of knick knacks and other personal belongings. If your closet is a disaster and the thought of fitting all your stuff into a dorm concerns you, consider investing in Lowe’s closet organizers which provide you with storage for shoes, towels, wash cloths etc. While sharing your room, it is important to keep your side tidy. It’s very easy for papers to overtake your desk space when you start bringing back homework from class, notes and syllabuses. Try getting folders for each class and store them in a drawer or file. 74

WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013

Trunk: CONTICO 23-Gallon Storage Locker $29.98

Lowe’s office organizers and desk lamps (comes equipped with built in organizers) will make your information much easier to find, which comes in handy when you need to study a certain subject or complete an assignment. Intended for those who have no idea where to start, and even for the students who have planned how they’ll design their dorm room the entire summer, Lowe’s is the perfect place to buy all of the essential tools you’ll need to deck out your new dorm room.

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DECK OUT YOUR DORM ROOM WITH LOWE’S Closet organizer set: Style Selections Set of 5 13-1/2-in W x 14-in H x 5-in D Black Organizers, $15.18

Trash can : 1.5-Gallon Indoor Garbage Can, $4.48

Desk lamp: Style Selections 15-in Adjustable Blue Swivel Desk Lamp, $10.97

Floor lamp: Style Selections 68-in 3-Way 5-Light Silver Floor Lamp, $19.97

Mini fridge: Haier 1.7 cu ft Compact Refrigerator (Black), $89.99

Door mat: Mohawk Home 27-in x 18-in Multicolor Rectangular Door Mat, $4.98

Ottoman: Linon Pink Square Ottoman, $12.90

Mirror: MCS Industries 15.5-in x 51.5-in Bronze Rectangular Framed Mirror, $19.98

Pull out chair: Mac at Home Steel Folding Chair, $44.98

WE LIKE THE WAY

YOU THINK.

If “thinking outside the box” comes natural to you, you’re what we call a “Pioneering Spirit.” At Lowe’s, we know the value of diversity of thought. If you’re a trailblazer of innovation, looking for your next challenge, visit Lowes.com/Careers.

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The Pathways of Success 2013 WOMEN OF COLOR STEM CONFERENCE WOC LEVEL PARTNERS: Diamond Plus Lockheed Martin Corporation Northrop Grumman Corporation The Boeing Company Diamond Chrysler Group LLC Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Platinum Plus IBM Corporation The MITRE Corporation Platinum Accenture BAE Systems Exelis Navy Civilian Service The Raytheon Company

Chrysler Group LLC Freddie Mac Huntington Ingalls Industries Exelis Lockheed Martin Corporation L’Oreal USA National Security Agency NASA National Institute of Standards and Technology The Raytheon Company Robert Bosch LLC The Aerospace Corporation The MITRE Corporation The Procter & Gamble Company U.S. Coast Guard Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. College and University Exhibitors Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory WOC SPECIAL EVENT PARTNERS:

Silver Booz Allen Hamilton Freddie Mac

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Gold L’Oreal USA

Professional Networking Mixer Chrysler Group LLC

Bronze AMIE BP Corporation NASA Robert Bosch LLC The Aerospace Corporation U.S. Coast Guard

Green Room Aerotek

Corporate Exhibitors Accenture Aerotek AMIE BAE Systems Bank of America Booz Allen Hamilton BP Corporation

Opening Night Alumnae Welcome Reception Co-Partner BMW North America, LLC Technology Recognition Luncheon Partner General Dynamics Corporation World Wide Technology College Student Resume Writing Workshop Chrysler Group LLC

Women in Gov’t & Industry Dinner Co-Partner The Boeing Company General Dynamics Corporation Women of Color Seminar Series BMW North America, LLC WOC K-12 Program The Boeing Company Women to Women Workshops Abbott Laboratories WOC Gala Aerotek Hotel Keycards The Boeing Company WOC Magazine ADVERTISERS: Aerotek Air Force Research Laboratories Alabama A&M University AMIE Bank of America BAE Systems Chrysler Group LLC Corning Incorporated Department of Defense Exelis Infosys Limited IBM Corporation NAVAIR Oracle Pitney Bowes Southwest Airlines The Aerospace Corporation Tuskegee University WAL-MART STORES, INC. World Wide Technology

Drive change into the future. There is a movement happening at gM - one that requires hard work, determination, and a unified vision that embraces new ideas, fresh thinking and working collaboratively. We are proud to embrace the talents of women engineers, and would like to congratulate all of the winners at this year’s conference — including our own Noelia Correa and Jessica Higgs. as recipients of the Technology all-Star award, they are a testament to our driving force, and we are proud to have them as part of the gM family. and now, we invite you to bring your engineering talent to gM to experience the momentum of a global company and contribute ideas to design what’s next, now. Test your talent at gM and discover what our employees already know: that together, there’s no stopping us.

^ Tracey - System Safety Engineer

WOC Conference attendees seeking further information about GM should visit

w w w . c a r e e r s . G M . c o M GM 2013. The policy of General Motors is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual’s age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity expression or veteran status.

Northrop Grumman Congratulates

Dr. Camille D’Annunzio-Szymczak

on her 2013 Women of Color Technologist of the Year Award

Women of Color Volume 12 Number 2

Articles inside

WOC AWARD WINNERS AND SPECIAL RECOGNITION HONOREES

COVER STORY

A PROFILE OF LEADERSHIP IN FEDERAL SERVICE