2015 WOC STEM CONFERENCE RISING STARS AND TECH ALL-STARS
$6.95
Make plans to attend the
WOC STEM Conference
October 13–15, 2016 Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI
YOU WON’T HAVE A BROKEN HEART
AT SOUTHWEST,
PRICE
MATTERS! AMERICA’S CHIEF Technology Officer
Monica J. Wilkins Divisional Vice President, Quality Systems, and Business Strategic Support Abbott
Megan Smith
United States Chief Technology Officer Office of Science and Technology Policy SPRING 2016 | www.womenofcolor.net
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FOR TODAY’S CAREER WOMEN IN BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
CONTENTS VOLUME 15 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2016
FEATURES
10|
COVER STORY
56 | AMERICA’S
YOU WON’T HAVE A BROKEN HEART
TECHNOLOGY CHIEF
Monica Wilkins, Divisional Vice President Abbott Laboratories
Megan Smith United States Chief Technology Officer Office of Science and Technology Policy
DEPARTMENTS 15| #STEMisagirlthing
50| Women in Finance
2015 Women of Color All-Stars and Rising Stars in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
60| Career Voices Caregiver in Chief
62| Corporate Life Sonya Sepahban’s Six Keys to Good Teamwork Karen Price-Ward, Corporate Community Affairs Manager, Southwest Airlines
6| One on One
64| Career Outlook All-Stars and Rising Stars | Scenes from Women of Color STEM Conference 2015
At Southwest, Price Matters
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www.womenofcolor.net
EDITORIAL PAGE
Spring Forward with Women in Technology
I
n this spring issue, you will meet 300 women are thriving in technology. They are diverse, multicultural, and global in influence, insight and perspective.
There’s a chief technology officer working to bring more talent into the U.S. government, an industry leader who has made deft moves from one challenge to the next and a grassroots leader responsible for opening young minds to aviation. You will also meet women working in America’s Space Fence program. Thanks to that technology, which is currently being developed, the U.S. Air Force will be able to revamp how it tracks objects in space. Some of the women have created virtual games that will go a very long way in training emergency managers for all types of natural and man-made disasters. Some have studied and analyzed the patterns, causes and effects of health and disease conditions around the world. Others have written hundreds of thousands of lines of clean code for environmental apps, while a few are constantly breaking bad code to prevent and predict cyber attacks. In all, you will read about tons of gee-whiz career fields and skillsets. They include managing a popular app for a major cola company; providing cyber categories of power plants, data centers and control centers; and a dual clutch to help us all meet the mandate for 54.5 MPG by 2025. Together, they have oversight of some of the largest supply chains and manage thousands of people across five continents, with billions of dollars in their portfolios. As busy as they all are, most make time to introduce elementary students to the role that science plays and provide girls and young women with technical opportunities.
Tyrone D. Taborn Publisher and Editorial Director
Career Communications Group’s
For Today’s Career Women in Business and Technology EXECUTIVE OFFICE
SALES AND MARKETING
Tyrone D. Taborn, Publisher and Editorial Director Jean Hamilton, President and CFO
Alex Venetta, Associate Publisher, Manager of Partner Services Gwendolyn Bethea, Vice President, Corporate Development Kerry Buffington, Detroit Business Development Devin Oten, Senior Account Manager Sheri Hewson, Account Executive
omen In Technology & Business
EDITORIAL Rayondon Kennedy, Assistant Editor Lango Deen, Technology 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 Taliaferro, Art Director Joe Weaver, Global Design Interactive Bryan Davis, Contributing Illustrator
CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT Eric Price, Vice President, Recruitment and Training Rod Carter, Recruitment Specialist, College Relations Matt Bowman, Veterans Affairs Angela Wheeler, Manager, Foundation for Educational Development Courtney Taborn, Recruitment Specialist Ty Taborn, Corporate Development Imani Carter, Corporate Communications Specialist
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ADMINISTRATION Aisha Eversley, Admin Support
CONFERENCE AND EVENTS Ana Bertrand, Conference Coordinator Monica Emerson, Women of Color STEM Conference National Chair Sheila Richburg, College Coordinator Toni Robinson, 360 MMG Rutherford & Associate 17304 Preston Road, Suite 1020 Dallas, Texas 75252
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., Suite 504, 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., Suite 504, Baltimore, MD 21202. Copyright © 2016 by Career Communications Group Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
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At Southwest, Price Matters A Heart for the Community Is the Southwest Way
A
A tri-color heart is part of the Southwest Airlines logo, and having heart is a key part of its corporate culture. The heart shows up everywhere—on its planes and in its advertising—and “LUV” is its symbol on the New York Stock Exchange. Therefore it’s no surprise that Southwest’s 48,000 employees are encouraged to be part of the heartbeat of their communities through volunteering and community involvement. “Our employees are definitely encouraged to volunteer,” said Karen Price-Ward, Southwest’s community affairs and grassroots regional leader who is responsible for building relationships in the community. “We encourage our employees to give POS—positively outrageous service,” said Price-Ward. “We want them to go above and beyond in their job and outside in the community.” Southwest’s employees are encouraged to find things in their communities that they are passionate about and to give their time to local causes and efforts. PriceWard said the work environment is such that employees have flexibility in their work schedules to accommodate volunteer duties. The airline has a number of “corporate citizenship” programs through which workers can also participate in giving back to the community. Through Tickets for Time, employees log their volunteer hours for specific nonprofit organizations of their choosing, and upon reaching 40 hours, tickets for air travel on Southwest are issued to the group—up to six tickets per organization. Last year Southwest Airlines received 14,968 donation requests and, in response distributed more than 25,663 tickets and $1.2 million in
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cash for a combined value of more than $11.6 million in total contributions. Price-Ward said Southwest likes individuals to select organizations that are “near and dear to their hearts” for this reward. Another effort is Southwest’s 16-year-old Adopt-a-Pilot program, in which fifth-grade classes adopt a pilot, who comes to the class to meet the students and, throughout their relationship, shares information about how subjects such as geography and math are critical in the aviation field. And it doesn’t stop when the pilots are back on the job. They stay in contact with the class via text, email, and calls—even while traveling—and talk about places they are visiting or flying over. Price-Ward said pilots may challenge students to figure out how much fuel is needed for a flight based on the number of passengers in a plane, weight of cargo, distance, and other factors. Asked about the value of volunteering and corporate citizenship, Price-Ward said, “It’s priceless. It’s something you can’t measure. People have that good feeling. ‘I gave a piece of my time.’” She added, “It’s about keeping the culture positive— not just for the work environment.” The airline also has a giving board made up of employees who review requests for donations monthly and decide how resources should be divvied up. “Since they live in the area, they have a better connection. They know who they would like to support,” Price-Ward said.
“We really want to be the heart of the community. If we connect to what people are passionate about, it will really be a win–win”.
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L
Karen Price-Ward
Corporate Community Affairs Manager Southwest Airlines
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WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2016
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ONE ON ONE
At Southwest, Price Matters Southwest also puts an emphasis on opening young minds to careers in aviation and showing how critical science, technology, engineering, Math geography are in its industry. The company also works with the Tuskegee Airmen on an essay contest directed at youth interested in aviation. Begun 45 years ago with three planes serving three cities in Texas, Southwest Airlines became a major airline in 1989 when it exceeded the billion-dollar revenue mark. Today it operates more than 3,900 flights per day and touches down in both domestic and international destinations.
TED CHILDS, LLC Workforce Diversity: The Bridge between the Workplace and the Marketplace
Price-Ward added that at Southwest, workers call each other—family members, and people are hired for attitude, not just for skills. Making employees is the first step in making customers happy, she said. “You take your job seriously, but you don’t take yourself too seriously,” she said, describing the work atmosphere at Southwest. “You come to work to have fun, to enjoy what you do, and to give back to the community.” When Southwest rebranded itself in 2014 following its merger with AirTran, it put its new tri-color heart logo front and center on its planes, website and advertising. “We really want to be the heart of the community. If we connect to what people are passionate about, it will really be a win–win,” Price-Ward said. By Gale Horton Gay ghorton@ccgmag.com
Learn how we can help you establish and manage your Corporate Workforce Diversity Council and ensure its compatibility with your Employee Relations policies and practices. Visit http://tedchilds.com for more information.
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WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2016
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C O M M U N I C A T I O N S G R O U P, I N C . size 23
Monica Wilkins
Divisional Vice President, Abbott Laboratories
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www.womenofcolor.net
By Gale Horton Gay Contributing Editor
www.womenofcolor.net
WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2016
11
Be sure you are seeking
positions and career areas available.
the thing that will make
“Reach out to others, ask ‘What do you do? What do you enjoy about it? How do you get there?’” said Wilkins, adding that despite keeping a demanding schedule, she makes herself available to talk to young people seeking answers.
you thrive. You need to make sure you maintain your passion and desire. What that means will change over time.
She also offers this: “In order to achieve, you have to be willing to put in the work. Don’t do it to get rewarded. Do it because it’s the right thing to do. Too many times people do things as the means to an end. I’m not saying it’s not good to have goals.” Staying focused on the work and thinking outside the box to come up with solutions and new directions is important, according to Wilkins.
“If you are good at what you do and excel, you will move up quickly,” said Wilkins.
“Whatever you do, whatever you elect to take on, make sure you are focused,” she said.
She explained that she has long had a “vast curiosity” that has led her to pursue positions that she determined would be immensely challenging, as well as interesting.
And don’t be afraid to make lateral moves that may even be perceived by some as a step down if it brings the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge or experience in an area, she said.
Wilkins, who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology, has worked at IBM as a manufacturing technician advancing to technical leader, at a hospital starting as an emergency room technician and moving through the ranks to become director of patient financial services, and as a medical device national expert with the Food and Drug Administration. At Abbott, a global company specializing in nutrition, medical devices, diagnostics and pharmaceuticals, she started as director of quality compliance in 2007 and was quickly promoted to a senior director and then a divisional vice president. “It’s been an easy transition,” she said, noting that her job is to “make sure our customers get good, quality products that meet their needs.” Doing so requires Wilkins and her staff of five in a group of about 17 to understand the complexities of quality standards, regulations, and requirements in global markets and ensure that the systems are in place that give Abbott the flexibility to develop and market products. With products in more than 135 countries, Wilkins is globetrotting 95 percent of the time. She offers sage advice to young professionals and those who haven’t yet begun to chart their careers. “Be true to yourself,” she said. “Be sure you are seeking the thing that will make you thrive. You need to make sure you maintain your passion and desire. What that means will change over time.” Wilkins also said young people—even before they enter college—should begin to understand the types of
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Wilkins also emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge as well as disappointments. “Accolades will come on their own,” she said. Wilkins has achieved recognition, from both within her industry and outside of it. She received the Women of Color STEM Career Achievement Award in Industry, a professional achievement honor, in 2015. Although she describes herself as one who doesn’t thrive on getting recognition, she called the award “significant” and “very rewarding.” She said she often observes young people who start their careers with the expectation of getting a sky-high salary, adding that many young professionals are simply not ready for high-ranking positions. “There’s a lot of responsibility, important decisions—they don’t have the background and knowledge yet.” Wilkins said, “Don’t expect to come to the top. You have to work your way up.” However, Wilkins also said that young people shouldn’t allow their youth to prevent them from excelling and propelling themselves past co-workers—even ones that are older and have more experience. She recalls a time in her career when she was a younger, less experienced member of a team, who immediately demonstrated her intellect, confidence, ability to learn quickly, and innovative problem-solving skills. Rewards quickly followed.
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TECHNOLOGY
Lango Deen ldeen@ccgmag.com
RISING STARS ALL-STARS
M
2015 WOMEN OF COLOR STEM CONFERENCE
eet over 300 who are women thriving in technology. They are diverse, multicultural, and global in influence, insight and perspective. Together, they have over-
sight of some of the largest supply chains in the world and manage thousands of people across five continents, with billions of dollars in their portfolios.
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HERE ARE THE COMPANIES WHO SUPPORT THE WOMEN OF COLOR STEM CONFERENCE AND THE TOP 6 COMPANIES WITH THE MOST TECH ALL-STARS AND RISING STARS IN 2015.
Booz Allen Hamilton Lockheed Martin Corporation IBM Northrop Grumman Corporation The Boeing Company General Dynamics Corporation
TOP 6
|| BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON || Viviana Acosta
Hiba Alyawer
Senior Lead Engineer
Associate
Viviana is a mobile and satellite communications expert. She has 10 years of experience in engineering base stations for commercial and government mobile, vehicle, and in-flight operations. Viviana speaks fluent Spanish and conversational French. She has composed technical presentations in Spanish for the government of Mexico.
Hiba is fluent in Arabic. She has done intelligence work on social media and threat financing. She is also involved with a nonprofit that supports deployed U.S. female warriors. They collect donations of bath and body products packaged in “spa swag” and mail them overseas.
Rachel Beattie Senior Associate Rachel provides consulting on
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telecommunication to civil government segments. Since 2003 she has worked with the Treasury Department and the National Telecommunications Administration.
Awni Bansal Associate Three years ago, Awni began supporting the national airspace systems engineering organization at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The course has helped fill a gap that has grown as a result of an aging federal workforce.
Roberta Bardawil Associate Roberta leads a team of six consultants at the Defense Health Agency. Her client received $52 million in funding for Fiscal 2015 and $26 million in Fiscal 2016 as a result of a five-year cost estimate forecast model for projects and programs in the engineering, design, and deployment branch.
Ivy Choe-Branstetter Lead Technologist Ivy is leading efforts to expand Booz Allen’s
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#stemisagirlthing
“I cannot explain enough how important technology skills are to the workplace today. Electronic commerce is growing about 30 times faster than the rest of the economy.” — Sherry Bellamy — First WOC Technologist of the Year
www.womenofcolor.net
market in the Department of Homeland Security laboratory management industry. She is actively hiring women and underrepresented professionals in biosafety, bio surety, client management, and environmental engineering.
a budget manager, quantifying the financial impact of a congressionally-mandated budget regime to a program manager, and debating lessons learned with a group of engineers—all during a 60-minute meeting.
Vanessa Castellanos
Marlena Clark
Senior Consultant
Associate
Vanessa used her knowledge of modeling and simulation to provide expertise on personal protective equipment. This has helped develop a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protective ensemble standard for law enforcement. Previously, Vanessa tutored STEM students on materials engineering at her alma mater, the University of Texas at El Paso.
Marlena had such outstanding years at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) that Dr. Jill Biden invited her to attend President Obama’s Jobs Act speech in September 2011. Marlena also shared the stage with then Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis during the announcement of a $20 million grant for a technology program at AACC. Marlena has addressed three high schools on what it takes to succeed.
Woomi Chase Lead Associate
Brittany Dispenza
Woomi does independent cost estimates for defense and intelligence agencies. A unique aspect of developing independent cost estimates is doing a “sanity check” on solutions provided by contractors. This involves explaining the implications of two-year versus five-year funds to
Principal Brittany led development and deployment of the first iPhone app for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The app is used for ensuring compliance with the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Act.
Jeni Fan Lead Associate Jeni’s current work focus is to improve psychological health outcomes in the armed forces. As project lead for Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Resilience and Prevention Directorate, she guides a 17-person staff on program delivery.
Lori Fiehn Senior Lead Technologist Lori is an exceptional career manager who mentors and develops her team. During the past year, she guided it through Booz Allen’s rollout of Vision 2020. Under the strategy launched in 2013, Booz Allen is making investments in its people, capabilities, and markets that will drive sustainable, quality growth.
Parisa Hashmani Lead Associate Parisa is the financial and resource management lead for enterprise and financial management and information technology support for the U.S. Department of Labor. She is a Booz Allen Excellence award winner and also
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TOP 6
|| BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON || won the 2013 Partners Values in Practice award.
Deneah Hardie
2015 RISING STAR / ALL-STAR DEMOGRAPHICS Black or African American Asian
Lead Associate One of Deneah’s career highlights is leading development of a formal systems requirements process, including the derivation of over 1,500 system requirements for emerging technologies within Cloud architecture.
Hispanic
White
Other
American Indian or Alaska Native Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Joyce Harris Senior Consultant Joyce has worked in several different industries, including automotive and health. Since she joined Booz Allen in September 2014, she has been instrumental in promoting best practices supporting the Tank Automotive Research and Development Engineering Center.
Verna Harry Lead Associate Verna has worked at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) over the past three years. Since joining the NIH’s information technology branch, she has driven the completion of many of the security and assessment authorization activities for over 20 systems that
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0%
keep the NIH safe and secure.
Monica Hill Lead Associate Monica is an extraordinary mentor. She’s widely regarded as the go-to person to help junior staff get to the next professional milestone. She also leads technical delivery of sensitive national security programs to improve execution.
Tammy Holt Senior Consultant Tammy is an active contributor to the National Institute of Justice’s work. The NIJ helps improve understanding of crime and justice through science. Tammy provides geospatial web
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
data analysis and systems administration support, which in turn provides information in support of federal, state, and local law enforcement and criminal research.
Crannough Jones Associate Crannough’s expertise includes the Pension Trust’s accounting system, Fannie Mae’s systems, and the Labor Department’s new core financial management system. Crannough also mentors young people through her involvement with the EnVest Foundation.
38.7%
have salaries above $100,000 WOC STEM Conference Demographics
Laverne FranklinJones Lead Associate Laverne leads Booz Allen engagements with the National Credit Administration Association, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and the World Bank. She is a recognized leader in Booz Allen’s treasury, regulatory, and banking business.
Nanditha Kakkarayil Software Development Manager Nanditha’s technical skills and experience include web-based app development, web services, WebLogic, JBoss, and Tomcat applications, Agile methodologies, Oracle databases, and data warehousing. She is an
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#stemisagirlthing
indispensable member of Booz Allen, and her efforts generate over $100 million in revenue per year.
predict geopolitical risk and anticipate regulatory change in emerging markets.
Jacqueline Kim
Tiffany Little
Senior Lead Technologist
Associate
Jacqueline developed Oracle forms and reports for one of the largest distributed databases in the world. She has won Booz Allen’s “Absolute Personal Best Performance” and “Team” awards six times combined.
Recently, Tiffany led a high-profile contract with the CIO at the National Reconnaissance Office. She worked endless hours to update the legacy systems. Tiffany also led preparation for a major readiness inspection conducted by the U.S. Cyber Command.
Maureen Kim Lead Technologist
Jessica Mubaraki
Maureen is an expert in the large electronic data transfer system of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Maureen is also a rock climber, and she supports a program working with children to build race cars.
Systems Engineer and Project Manager
Jamie Lee Senior Consultant When Jamie arrived at Booz Allen two years ago, she recognized many clients’ struggles to understand data. Building on her journalism degree, she earned a certificate in data visualization and analytic technologies to become a more effective storyteller. She is also involved in applying digital listening technologies to
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Jessica managed three subprojects that provide cyber categorization of power utility equipment at 400 PG&E sites. These included power generation plants, substations, data centers, and control centers. She is a dedicated member of SWE and is a student mentor. She is also the International Council on Systems Engineering rep at Loyola Marymount, UCLA and USC.
“When I think about my oldest daughter, who is 37, she was young when computers were in their infancy. Today, there is an abundance of gadgets in the market for her 14-year-old daughter, who is currently taking computer science and engineering classes in the 9th grade.” — Irene Hernandez Roberts — 2008 WOC Technologist of the Year
engineering from Virginia Tech in a range of client problems. Her focus areas are sustainable transportation, transportation economics, and connected vehicle smart cities. She has represented Booz Allen at major conferences, including the Intelligent Transportation Systems World Congress 2014.
Sara Naeem Senior Consultant Sara develops print, communications, engineering, and architecture analysis products for intelligence, defense, and civil clients of Booz Allen. She has also worked on graphic support for the Teaching Company, the Muslim Student Association D.C. Council and the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Sudeeksha Murari
Dr. Lee Taylor-Nelms
Associate
Associate
Sudeeksha has applied her master’s in transportation
Lee is the creator of a virtual game that will go a long way in training
emergency managers for all types of disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) materials developed by Lee also include an application that helps children, who are separated from their families during disasters.
Catherine Ordun Associate Catherine is the architect and manager for Booz Allen projects in data science. These projects include a cloud-based laboratory and a social networking and crowdsourcing application for data scientists to gather, collect, and share data sets across the networks.
Lourdes Quinteros Lead Associate Lourdes analyzes product/ service mix at the right cost and the right price. She is also passionate about community. She was appointed to a city commission to oversee health care services
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TOP 6
|| BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON ||
Art Work
Aujchariya (Bell) Rueangvivatanakji
Sara Sun
Staff Analyst
Sara leads a team of database administrators, data architects, and developers in support of the design, development, and production operations of an information system for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In her current engagement with the Internal Revenue Service, Bell has led development of a key planning document that details how the IRS will achieve its information technology vision. She is also co-chair of the firm’s Asian Pacific American Forum.
Rajni Samavedam Senior Associate
management and has held positions at a Washington, D.C., literacy organization.
Cynthia Roberts Chief Engineer Cynthia serves as a mentor for staff at all skill levels and experiences. She has a range of experience in Department of Defense programs ranging from unmanned aerial vehicles to electro optical/infrared assists for a contractor team.
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Rajni has authored several health planning and strategy papers. She has also led multi-milliondollar research support programs and carried out epidemiologic research studies around the world.
Sara Sarkhili Senior Associate The last proposal Sara managed led to a $5-million award from the Transportation Research Board. Just this past year, she has been involved with more than 20 proposals. Aside from her work at Booz Allen, she is involved with the Women in Transportation Society and the Iranian Studies Group at MIT.
support of the Warrior Transition Command.
Senior Lead Technologist
Tracey Thomas Associate Tracey’s expertise in biological sciences has led to clients such as the National Center for Medical Intelligence, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Since 2013, she has introduced elementary students to the role that science plays by discussing her career path from bench scientist to science consultant.
Vivian Tang Associate Vivian provides impactful contributions to her Department of the Navy client through the Drug Demand Reduction Program. Recently she applied her analytic curiosity to advance seamless wounded warrior transition in
Taraesa Toney Associate Taraesa earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Howard University, graduating summa cum laude. She also earned her master’s in sociology from the same institution. While at Howard, she enjoyed a full academic scholarship because of her earlier performance. She has over six years of experience in the data analytics field.
Giovanna Ubillus Associate Giovanna supports the U.S. Navy as a strategic communications lead in a financial management organization within the Navy. She prepares executive briefings, presents weekly communication updates and has daily interactions with senior-level clients. She has also developed handbooks and e-learning courses and has conducted various training initiatives.
Caroline Waiyaki Lead Technologist Caroline has been vital in counter–IED system analysis. She has
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#stemisagirlthing
also worked with students from Morgan State University, her alma mater, advising them on job interviews. She mentored two master’s degree students on project ideas and provided reviews and comments on their reports.
2015 RISING STAR / ALL-STAR BY INDUSTRY
Mattanyah Woodbury Lead Associate Mattanyah is an ethical hacker. She has generated and maintained code for complex government systems. Her expertise includes cryptography, network security, firewalls, spoofing, computer forensics, and risk assessments to address her clients’ business needs.
TOP 6
|| IBM || Zebunnisa “Zeba” Basu Advisory Software Engineer Zeba works on CopLink, an app in IBM’s law enforcement portfolio. In addition to her busy workload, she developed a crime-fighting activity for the largest STEM camp in Arizona aimed at getting girls excited about the practical applications of science, technology, engineering and math.
Smita Bodepudi Advisory Software Engineer Smita is an AIX star. She is IBM’s primary web
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applications developer with experience in Web Sphere and DB2, which IBM uses to deploy many of their AIX development tools. Smita is also a strong advocate of girls in STEM.
Cynthia Browne Manager IMS Database Development Cynthia celebrated her 39th anniversary at IBM in 2015. She started her career as a systems analyst in San Jose, California, in 1976. Over the next 30 years, she moved across IBM lines of business. Cynthia’s leadership style has encouraged her group to follow her across
Aerospace & Defense
Nonprofit
Management Consulting
Telecommunications
IT
Home Improvement
IT Services
Shipbuilding
Government & Military
Banking & Finance
Auto Manufacturing
Tire Manufacturing
projects as they gained experience.
Rashmi Chandra Software Engineer Data storage is complex, and has become an organization’s most valuable resource. Rashmi has been actively involved in IBM’s flagship highend disk system, which is designed to manage a broad scope of storage workloads that exist today both efficiently and effectively.
46.8%
have master’s degrees WOC STEM Conference Demographics
Latitia Durr Executive Program Manager Latitia managed IBM’s Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance, which spans industries, sectors, and countries. She has helped protect IBM, and its clients, from regulatory threats and has reduced enterprise risks.
Nakia Echols IT Program Manager Nakia manages teams that deliver digital experiences for Coca-Cola’s North America marketing.
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TOP 6
|| IBM || Her primary focus is the My Coke Rewards app. The application is the consumer website for Coca-Cola’s loyalty program in the United States. Nakia’s team continuously enhances the site using technologies based on open web standards such as JavaScript, J2EE and Node JS.
“I learned early in my career that successful managers need people skills and leadership skills. Effective managers need to learn how to build high-performing teams.” — Vallerie Parish-Porter –– 2003 WOC Technologist of the Year
Michelle Ho-Yui Lam
Angela Fatzinger Senior Software Engineer
Denise Harris
Angela has made a successful career of testing the operating system for IBM’s mainframe computers. She is not only a key technical leader at IBM, but she also volunteers during e-Week each year to help students understand science and technology careers.
Application Focal Point
Andrea Franklin Manager, Power Open Source Solutions Andrea has had a very successful career with IBM, starting in 2000 as a developer in Austin, Texas. Currently, she is in her first management assignment. Andrea leads her team, based in the U.S., France, and India to deliver open source solutions and support the Power platform.
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improvements began in her youth. Raised on a farm in rural Mississippi, she grew up with a focus on productivity. There, she grasped the importance of increasing yield with minimum defects for soybean crops. She is presently a lean six-sigma black belt with IBM managing global projects.
While in high school, Denise worked in the sports department of a local television station, gathering sports scores and information for the evening news. She continued her employment during her freshman and sophomore years in college, at which time she was given a position writing story introductions for the 6:00 evening broadcast. Denise made a successful career change from television news to IT professional.
Pavithra Harsha Research Staff Member Besides Pavithra’s professional commitments in smart grid energy and retail pricing, she is visible in professional societies,
such as INFORMS and IEEE. She has an ongoing collaboration with MIT and has advised graduate students. She has also organized technical sessions and served on the editorial board of the Pricing and Revenue Management Journal.
Maria Herrera Delivery Project Executive Maria’s 19-year career has gone through every phase in the software development cycle. Prior to going into project management, she spent time in testing and system administration as a business analyst, developer, and level 2 and 3 help desk support technician.
Regina Jones Process Improvement Consultant Regina’s interest in technology and process
Characterization Enginee Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Toronto, and her master’s degree in materials science and engineering at Stanford University. Since 2000, Michelle has been working at IBM performing failure analysis in magnetic storage, focusing on damage mechanism.
Jing Liu Certified Senior IT Specialist Jing has had success in Liquid―IBM’s tool for managing events that are available to professionals worldwide. When Jing was growing up, one of her favorite places was her father’s engineering lab, where she watched bubbling beakers and grew to understand the importance of science.
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Olivia Loza Analytics Specialist Olivia was born in Bolivia. She was raised with her three siblings, two of whom are currently Ph.D. candidates. In 2013 Olivia earned a Ph.D. in computer science. Over the past two years, she has worked with major IBM clients to address counter–fraud management along with healthcare data and analytics platform challenges.
Jinghong Annie Ma Advisory Software Engineer “Brave” is the one word Annie Ma’s colleagues use to describe her. She has become a respected leader since she joined IBM in July 2006. Annie has taken part in four generations of System Z servers and published
in IEEE Conference publications, journals, and magazines.
Sonia Mezzetta Data Architect Like many Hispanic Americans, Sonia’s parents migrated to the U.S. in search of more opportunities. Sonia recalls the times she had trouble doing homework because of the language barrier. Her mother—books in one hand and Sonia’s hand in the other—would walk to a kind neighbor to ask for help. In high school, Sonia discovered her interest in computers and art, and went on to earn a computer science degree. Fourteen years on with IBM, she enjoys playing detective with an eye for data patterns in Cloud, security, systems engineering, mobility, and networking.
Hong Min
Maithreyi Mulpuru
Senior Technical Staff Member
Managing Consultant
Hong has published 12 research papers and eight IBM Redbooks and Redpapers, and has been granted 15 U.S. patents. She is also a MATHCOUNTS coach at a local middle school.
Angela Moore Resource Deployment Management Over her 35-year career at IBM, Angela has served in program support, done training, and educated customers on how IBM products work. She has even extended her talents as a teacher under the IBM loan program. Currently, Angela delivers certification testing to IBM customers and represents IBM at conferences.
Martha M. Morris 2015 RISING STAR / ALL-STAR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN INDUSTRY
Through the Census Bureau’s website, American Fact Finder, Martha and her team at IBM are helping disseminate data from the largest and most influential of the Census Bureau’s surveys.
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Project Manager
Maithreyi consults on global SAP implementation projects for oil and gas clients. She is also reskilling herself on IBM’s strategic initiatives in analytics, Cloud and social media in hopes of building and supporting business growth in these areas for oil and gas.
Jayapreetha Natesan Program Manager Preetha started her career as a software programmer in IBM’s systems and technology group in 2002. Since then, she has taken on several different roles, including application engineer, quality assurance lead, business analyst with the corporate CIO organization, people manager at IBM Bangalore, and program manager with IBM Integrated Supply Chain.
Celena Noel Managing Consultant As change officer on a $10 million project at the Transportation Security Administration, Celena earned kudos from 22 direct reports, many of whom had been with the company 20-plus years.
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|| IBM || Qiquing Christine Ouyang Distinguished Engineer Qiquing holds 57 patents. Under her leadership, one team fabricated one of the smallest finFET SRAM cell ever. Over the past three years, her contributions have helped steer $10 billion in company revenue. She is mentoring 15 people at IBM, as well as students at City University New York.
Christine Orita Client Technical Specialist Christine paid her way through college with waitressing jobs to earn a bachelor’s in computer science. Over the years, she has transitioned from being a server/ OS-focused technical resource to storage resource. Outside of work, Christine is a nationally certified umpire for the U.S. Association of Badminton and has been called on to umpire at U.S. Open tournaments.
Neelima Parasker Business Area Manager Neelima manages 160plus people across four countries with a portfolio more than $11 million. She is also committed to STEM in the community.
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She is the vice president of the 2015/16 Society of Women Engineers in Kansas City and part of one of Kansas City’s technology business incubators, Betablox.
conferences. In 2013 she was nominated to participate in an emerging technical leaders program for higher technical leadership positions within IBM.
Aparna Prabhakar
Vani Ramagiri
Technology Innovation Program Leader
Senior Software Engineer
Aparna grew up a selfdescribed “Army brat”― with her father, moving every two years in the Indian military. Armed with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering, Aparna has made some unconventional choices, from building semiconductor research for microchips to creating constant innovation. The program she manages now has influenced more than $600 million in major deals for IBM. She has seven patents.
Reina Quander Advisory Software Engineer Reina’s work on test automation and the improvements it afforded the IBM systems director, earned her a 2011 IBM Eminence and Excellence Award. Her patent disclosure was also published the same year, and she was sponsored to attend a number of
Vani and her team support IBM’s Power VM virtualization technology. In 2013 she was selected to join IBM’s prestigious Corporate Service Corps to use her competencies to work with a diverse team of IBMers to meet consensus in a fourweek community-based assignment in China.
Hemlatta Reddy Program Director, Big Data & Analytic Early in her career, Hema helped with the development of the processor that powers the Sony PlayStation 3. Over the past five years, Hema has been pushing cloud and big data analytic-based services.
Iris Rivera Advisory Software Engineer Iris began her IBM career with a seven-month co-op assignment. Recently, she developed a web interface that allows
early-career employees to accomplish tasks that could only be done by senior programmers before. Iris is one of the co-founders of a community for new and aspiring System z professionals in over 24 countries.
Blanca Sadler Lead Financial Analyst Blanca is responsible for analyzing budgets and preparing and managing financial forecasts and actuals for the global technical sales organization. In 2012 she was selected by management to attend a select town hall meeting with IBM CEO Ginny Rometti in Chicago.
Harriet-Marcia Shakir Program Manager Harriet-Marcia is a professional coach. For more than 10 years, she has coached IBM executives in a six-monthlong master dealmaker program. She is also responsible for IBM Security Channel’s SaaS strategy for its security business partners. In the community, she sits on the board of a nonprofit that works to eliminate sexual assault and domestic violence.
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Uma Srinivasan Senior Engineer Uma designs, tests, and characterizes complex memory solutions for microprocessor chips for IBM. The microprocessor chips are the brains of IBM’s midrange and highend computers, which are cornerstones of IBM’s mainframe business. She has done an excellent job of mentoring interns and hiring new employees into the organization.
Jananee Subburaj Advisory IT Specialist
TOP 6
Jananee has taken part in numerous paper
presentations on data mining, biometric face recognition, and neural networks at various universities. She enjoys mentoring and training new hires on software engineering life cycle and project management.
STEM helped her get elected as president of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria.
Ola Sulyman
Yanning’s work is the roadmap for IBM to extend complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor scaling for future server products. She provides coaching and guidance to her team and provides guidance to graduate students and undergraduate women in physical sciences.
Managing Consultant In recognition of her contribution to STEM in Nigeria, Ola was inducted as a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and was invited to join the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria. Her active participation in increasing women in
Yanning Sun Research Staff Member
Rae Yang Advisory Software Engineer Rae has not only developed into a strong technical leader, but she also shares her knowledge with earlycareer employees through coaching and mentoring. She was selected to join the Blue Sparks team, a new IBM initiative focused on developing and integrating new hires into the IBM Company.
|| THE BOEING COMPANY || Jerilyn Ballena Procurement Analyst Jerilyn is a mentor and coach. She also teams with others to share best practices and has participated in Lean events to develop and improve business and technical processes.
Bernice Brown C-17 Sustainment Program Bernice manages Boeing’s earned value management training for all surveillance activities across the Boeing C-17 program. The C-17 is a large military transport aircraft developed by the U.S. Air Force.
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|| THE BOEING COMPANY || Devin Brown Business Operations Specialist Devin has served as president of the Boeing Black Employee Association for Potomac in Washington, D.C. She has also served as mentor for the BoeingHoward University 21 Cap program, guiding freshmen through their first year of college.
Priscilla Christopher Business Systems Data Warehouse IT Security and Compliance Lead When Priscilla was a little girl, she dreamed of becoming an airline pilot. But during her senior year, the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened. Her parents grew concerned, and they encouraged her to look at alternative careers. At the time, it seemed her dream of flying planes had been crushed. Today, she says the change was not a barrier, but an open door that allowed her to reach goals that were beyond her imagination.
Debora Davis Senior Contracts Administrator Debora is responsible for Boeing’s $4.2 billion contract with NASA. The
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contract’s goal is to build a new spacecraft to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station. A first-generation college graduate, Debora makes time to speak at schools that have many students who are firstgeneration high school graduates.
Brandi Day HR Strategic Business Partner Brandi has professional experience in benefits, pensions, compensation recruiting, and employee and union relations. Her recognitions include the 2012 Human Resources Functional Excellence Award as a member of the Boeing 787 recipient team.
Jabu Diagana IT Project Manager Jabu is fluent in French, German and Gabonese. She learned English when she came to the United States to attend college. In addition to excellence in project management, Jabu is a volunteer math and computer skills tutor with Inspiring Girls Now in Technology (IGNITE).
94.7%
are employed WOC STEM Conference Demographics
Priscilla Duggins Employee Development Specialist Over an eight-year period, Priscilla has progressed from mechanic to administrator before becoming an employee development specialist in 2009. A year later, a Boeing co-worker encouraged Priscilla to groom her talents, which led to her being elected president of Boeing Women in Leadership.
Daranae Evans IT Project Manager Daranae has worked on innovative projects at Boeing, including the development of an airline tracking and visibility tool to improve the company’s customer satisfaction. Currently, she’s working on an IT onboarding process for new employees. It will provide them with a navigator to help them understand and become part of the organization’s culture.
Joyce Gaston Contract Risk Management and Compliance Leader Joyce grew up on a 200acre farm, the youngest of 10 children. In the summer months, her chores included chopping
cotton from sun up to sun down, six days a week. Hard work served Joyce well in college. She was a lawyer for 20 years in the highly regulated field of state and federal government real estate before joining Boeing in 2012. Now she leads the transformation of Boeing’s supplier cost recovery process with procurement and program managers, as well as government officials.
Tamara Green Manager, Tool Engineering Tamara was one of eight new employees who started in a competitive program in 2011. The twoyear rotation provides a junior production engineer eight different work scenarios to facilitate learning the entire life cycle of the airplane. Tamara began in 777 systems, then moved on to process engineering, manufacturing, wing structures, and interiors. Today she is a topperforming engineer with a comprehensive grasp of all business units, products, designs, and manufacturing within the commercial airplane division.
Jamela Griffin System Design and Integration Specialist
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Jamela is an IT professional who performs demanding work. She calls upon her vast IT and business requirements knowledge to produce and maintain the computer apps that Boeing relies on to run its factory and its business support functions.
Elise Groves Project Manager Elise attended a STEM summer camp in middle school and was simply blown away. She worked on the science behind salmon migration and arsenic levels left behind by a copper smelting plant. She later joined MESA in high school and went on to several college internships with Boeing. Now, as a manager in Boeing’s IT Career Foundation Program office, she takes the lead on the IT University Tech project. Her role is to help technical fellows engage with colleges and universities to increase recruitment. She plans hiring events, reviews resumes, conducts interviews, and redesigns the questions used.
Deepa Gupta Director, Education InitiativesGlobal Corporate Citizenship In 2012 President Obama
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appointed Deepa as a member of the National Council on the Arts, the governing board of the National Endowment for the Arts. She also serves on the national board of the New Teacher Center, which focused on new teacher induction programs and leadership development.
Idalia Hill Communications Specialist Idalia is a communications specialist in employee communications. Some of her efforts include the development and execution of major companywide activities, such as the annual corporate citizenship report, the global month of service, and the FIRST Championships sponsorship.
Crystal Johnson Process Analyst Crystal retired from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years of outstanding service. She joined the Boeing Company in 2014 and is responsible for IT career development. She is the workshop leader for IT 101 and the records information management representative.
Jaspreet Kaur Programmer Analyst Jaspreet lost her mother when she was in high school. As the only girl in the family, she was expected to keep house for her father and brothers
She started as a supply chain analyst in material resource planning. Since 2012 she has been a project manager responsible for managing projects for commercial and defense program customers.
2015 WOC STEM CONFERENCE DEGREE FEEDBACK Master Degree Bachelor Degree
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and studied late into the night while she earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science. Those days taught her how to multitask, she said. She made a culturally bold choice to leave home and earn a master’s degree in computer science.
Adwoa Kwawu Project Management Specialist Adwoa has worked for Boeing since 2005.
Bernadette Lee Process Analyst Bernadette has a successful career record. To help others succeed, she guides students in team building and volunteerism within corporate educational and civic environments.
81.4%
would recommend their career path to children WOC STEM Conference Demographics
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|| THE BOEING COMPANY || Melissa Lutz Research and Technology Engineer Melissa started her career on Boeing’s shop floor. Working with factory technicians and engineers, she designed a prototype that was lighter, safer and able to accommodate the tool already in use.
Sucharna Milligan Business Operations Staff Analyst In addition to a busy professional life as a business operations analyst, Sucharna is active in both Boeing’s Women in Leadership and its Asian American Professional Association.
In the community, she volunteers at her church and brings her talents to the Books and Backpacks Drive, and multiple senior programs.
Donnella MitchellCarter IT Project Management Specialist Donnella has been the winner of many performance awards at Boeing. One of her most recent recognitions was in March 2015 for Cisco’s memory component remediation program. She also gives her time and expertise to Boeing groups, such as South Carolina IT Women Empowerment, Women in Leadership, and a Boeing leadership-building program.
Kim Nga NguyenValen System Build Recovery Team Leader In April 1975 Kim climbed aboard one of the last planes leaving an airbase in Vietnam to begin a new life in America. After her mother died in a car accident and her father passed away after being confined to a wheelchair for seven years, she became the sole supporter for her family. She brought the
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last of her siblings to the U.S. after being separated for almost 17 years. Kim has 25 years of work experience in distributed computing system operations for Boeing and AT&T. She also volunteers with a local Asian counseling service and teaches bilingual American citizenship classes every Saturday.
Harolyn Phillips Strategy Analyst Harolyn specializes in mergers and acquisitions for Boeing’s defense, space, and security business unit. Concurrently, she is working on a master’s degree in systems engineering from Cornell University. She also serves as treasurer of the Boeing Black Employees Association for the Potomac Region and helps develop talent at Howard University.
Lynda Roland Business Integration Lead Lynda began her career as a supplier analyst with Boeing in 1989. She has vast experience in the planning and execution of complex programs across Boeing. Prior to her current position, she provided program management for network engineering. Currently,
she integrates strategies for global information technology operations.
Jasmaine Smalls Versatile Technologist Jasmaine works as a technical liaison between shop floor mechanics and IT vendors to provide guidance on the best solutions. In an era of manufacturing based on digital drawings and work instructions, she helps Boeing maintain a demanding schedule with stringent quality requirements.
Gabriella Smith Manager Gabriella is the cofounder of the Society of Women Engineers student chapter at Indiana Institute of Technology. She served as the Boeing National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) representative at NSBE’s convention from 2008 to 2014. She also served as an NSBE buddy to new Boeing hires. Gabriella is a member of the Career and Technical Education Advisory Board for Seattle Public Schools and many other STEM-focused organizations.
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LaTrice Smith Project Lead LaTrice attended University of Arkansas at Pine Buff with a scholarship from the Marching Musical Machine of the MidSouth Band. She played her clarinet with this organization in the parade celebrating President Obama’s inauguration in 2009. After graduation in 2013, Boeing hired LaTrice. Currently, she is the project lead in the supply chain systems enterprise and is also pursuing her master’s degree in information management.
Dawn Stanfield-Scott Diversity Manager Dawn joined Boeing in 2000 as technical designer on a Chinook vehicle mission systems team. Six years later, she transitioned to her current role as a diversity manager. Dawn is responsible for co-leading initiatives in the Philadelphia and Potomac region. She manages more than 100 special projects for 8,000 employees.
Giselle Stewart Diversity and Inclusion Manager Giselle was born to Panamanian parents and
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raised in California. In high school she was voted as the “Most Involved,” and that engagement has continued into her adult life. Giselle is a diversity and inclusion manager for Boeing sites in South Carolina and Chicago. She is helping the aerospace company recruit and retain the skilled and diverse workforce it needs for the future.
My-Xuyen Thomas Chief of Staff to Supplier Management IT Director Born in Vietnam, MyXuyen learned English at age 5. In her current role, she leads, trains, coaches, and oversees the group’s operations. She also brings together her technical expertise, marketing background, and skills in managing processes and people to help Boeing succeed.
Candince Wilder IT Partner Management Specialist Candince is passionate about helping young people in STEM programs. She was diagnosed with a mild case of dyslexia as a child and struggled with math and science. The Math, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) organization provided her with school tutoring,
mentoring, and the opportunity to take part in STEM competitions. It stood beside her through adolescence to college, where she got scholarships and secured her first internship as an engineering aide. She uses her story to help young people build the resilience required to face their own challenges.
Eula Wiggins Programmer/Analyst Eula is a U.S. Air Force veteran. Currently, she supports international tankers and all programs within Boeing’s defense and space unit that use SAP business objects. Eula has received various awards for her contributions to sustained quality performance.
Vanessa Wilkins Senior Manager, Employee Relations Vanessa has been with Boeing for 25 years. She started as a structures mechanic and was later promoted into human resources, where she stayed for six years. After a stint in production, she returned to HR, where she has been for the last 13 years. Throughout her career, she has worked on various Boeing committees, including several years leading the
team that created the onsite tours for Bring Your Daughter to Work Day.
Denise Williams Manager As a grade school student in Seattle, Denise experienced selfawareness bussing to school as the only African American in her class. She found herself straddling cultures and tributes her father’s rise from dropping out of school after third grade in the South to owining his own construction company in the Pacific Northwest as having taught her the payoff of hard work.
Tywana Young Manager, IT Finance Systems Tywana’s career at Boeing has been one of expanding expertise and helping manage crucial financial data effectively. She is responsible for two applications that support Boeing capital assets, accounts receivable, and government invoicing. Tywana also manages a diverse team of people spread all over the world.
45%
are married
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Co fie Te Bu
TOP 6
|| LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION || Beatrice BurseWooten
Belinda Carroll Young
Quality Engineer Associate
Contracts Negotiator
Just after Lockheed Martin hired Bea as a product quality engineering associate directly out of college, she moved from her home in Ohio to work in New York. When she found out that the company was looking for someone to manage volunteer efforts at Girls Inc, she stepped up and took on the role for the corporation. Bea’s leadership helps provide 30 young women with firsthand technical opportunities.
Jamie Seungmin Chang Software Developer In 2014 Jamie spent her summer nights and weekends checking test runs for America’s Space Fence program. She got the largest piece of the Space De-conflict software done by creating 170 user screens, which required over 70,000 lines of code.
54.2%
stay current career opportunities in field are good WOC STEM Conference Demographics
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Belinda first gained professional experience at Lockheed Martin as a student intern. After graduation, she began a full–time career as a contract administrator for a large military transport aircraft program. During this time, she also earned an M.B.A. and completed a three-year rotational program in the finance and business operations organization.
Tracy Cuington Project Manager Over the past year, as the F-16 and F-22 fighter plane programs integrated to become one group, Tracy picked up the task of managing the F-22 supply budget, which is in excess of $200 million. As further integration took place, she also took on the lead of the supply CAM team with over 600 accounts worth $1.2 billion.
Venus Daughtry Staff Software Quality Engineer Venus also started her career as a contracts administrator. Currently, she is the F-35 quality development lead. She
2015 RISING STAR / ALL-STAR MAJORS Engineering
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assigns the technical tasks for a team of six to eight software quality engineers. In 2015 she won the 2015 Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training Evening of Stars Team Excellence Award.
Zakerria “Zee” Frasier Field Sales Support Systems Engineering Manager Zee has worked on F-35 modification projects and continues to meet project requirements. Three variants of F-35 stealth fighters will replace legacy fighters for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and 10 allied countries around the world.
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Lai Mui Garg Systems Engineer As part of her current assignment to a U.S. Air Force combat rescue helicopter program, Lai is advancing technology that employs aspects of the traditional waterfall and spiral development approaches. Lai is also involved in mentoring summer interns and new hires, helping them transition into the workplace.
DanaMarie Harrison Information Systems Analysis Manager DanaMarie leads a team that enables a workforce using 21,000 mobile devices—including
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iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches, and BlackBerry devices. She hires and trains a team of 26 cyber-security staff members with specialized skills. They manage supply chains firewalls, networks, email systems, and apps.
Sharon W. Hinton Aircraft Maintenance Support Engineer Sharon is a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant. She won many awards while in military service, including Maintenance Professional of the Year. She is a big supporter of Paralyzed Veterans of America.
Lensa Jalleta Software Engineer Staff Lensa has worked on various government contract projects, including next-generation identification biometrics from 2011 to 2013. Currently, she is assigned to the General Services Administration CAMEO program. CAMEO will streamline more than 90 business applications that support a wide variety of federal acquisition systems and programs, including supply, travel, fleet, and purchase card services.
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Claudia M. Jara
leadership positions.
Small Business Liaison Officer
Rhonda King
Claudia is responsible for training and logistics contracts eligible for the Department of Defense’s Indian Incentive Program (IIP). IIP provides Lockheed Martin with the opportunity to receive a 5 percent rebate on all payments to Native American and Alaska Native corporations. Claudia has put together IIP packets totaling more than a $1 million.
Patti Jones Operations Engineer Principal Last year, Patti led a logistics organization through the first external fighter jet modification kitting operation at an external third-party logistics provider site. These mod kits are delivered to the nation’s troops worldwide.
Serena Johnson Engineering LDP Serena is held in high regard in Lockheed’s Leadership Development program. LDPs help in developing the experience, skills, and leadership needed to prepare and compete for future Lockheed Martin
Quality Assurance Supplier Admin Staff Rhonda is an outstanding financial and business operations employee. Her spreadsheets and S-base labor reports help her unit perform daily tasks accurately and produce concise management reports.
Eva Martinez Purchasing Associate Manager Eva has 30 years of supply chain experience with Lockheed Martin and has helped prepare many employees with the foundation they need to take on assignments. Recently, she worked with 20 other employees in Clearwater, Florida, to start up a leadership association. She and her team built up the group from 20 employees to more than 100 within two years.
Ivette Morazzani Systems Engineer Senior Ivette supports Undersea Systems. She has a patent for a variable pitch system for tidal turbines. She is a role model for many junior engineers and is the founder of the
Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Awareness employee resource group.
Aida Negron Master Program Planner Aida’s performance led to her selection as chair of the Lockheed Martin Corporate Program Planning and Scheduling Council. While juggling her career, she has dedicated countless hours as a Spanish tutor and is an active leader in minority college hire events.
Truc Nguyen Software Engineer Truc has been selected for Lockheed Martin Special Recognition Awards in each of the last six years. This program rewards extraordinary individual and team performance within each business unit throughout the year. Truc has five years of software engineering experience and eight years in systems engineering. She has proven abilities as a technical lead, tester, and integrator trainer and mentor.
Judith Nicholson Supply Chain Strategy Manager With over 33 years in
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|| LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION || the workforce, Judith has spent more than 26 of them in supply chains. Currently, she has oversight of seven supply chain service provider companies supporting the Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training business.
Karen Oliver Systems Engineer Karen has led programs such as the Joint Strike Fighter and an infrared search and track system. She also worked on laser technology to fight improvised explosive devices (IEDs) harming American soldiers.
Kimberly Owens Computer Systems Analyst Senior Kimberly was the project lead for implementing electronic tablet use in the industrial processes associated with the U.S. Air Force’s largest aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy. Currently, she serves as technology site lead for the corporation’s largest program, the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter.
Abena SarkodiehOhemeng Manufacturing Planner Abena graduated with a bachelor’s degree in
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biological science in 2006 and landed a job in microbiology. But she realized that, although she liked the problemsolving of science, she was also interested in business processes and operations. So she went back to school for an M.B.A., with an emphasis on supply chain management. Since 2014 Abena has been working as a manufacturing planner with Lockheed Martin.
Takisha Penix Manufacturing Engineer Senior Takisha started her Lockheed career performing tests and diagnostics of assembly units. She quickly moved on to writing assembly work instructions. Now, as the head of a fiveengineer and technician team, she leads two significant U.S. Navy production contracts.
Sonia Riley Cost Account Manager Sonia manages financial data across international F-16 programs. She began her career in 2006 as a summer intern at Space Systems. In this position, she issued components to the production floor for the Atlas V rocket.
Dayatra Rivette Information Assurance Engineering Manager Dayatra manages a team of 19 cyber-security experts and a $3 million budget. The team focuses on assessing security and making recommendations to strengthen fileservers, workstations, laptops, phones and databases. It also protect information handled by Lockheed’s business units and fix identified problems that are vulnerable to botnets, malware, worms, and hackers.
Jenny Shen Software Engineer Snr. Staff Jenny is a software engineer. She earned a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Maryland in 2000 and joined Lockheed Martin shortly after. She has 14 years of work experience in air traffic control engineering and specializes in flight data and general air traffic operational concepts.
Natasha Singh Software and Systems Engineer Natasha is currently leading a team of engineers to design and build a 3-D application, best described as a
Swiss Army Knife warfighting tool. She has a patent pending for her concept of a wearable sensor system for injured joint monitoring and rehabilitation.
Amy Suarez Software Configuration Analyst In 2014 Amy provided outstanding support to Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) teams. WIN-T’s infrastructure provides U.S. battle commanders and other users with the ability to communicate via voice, data, and video simultaneously from multiple systems, different locations, and diverse vendors.
Edith L. Szarkowski Systems Engineer In 2014 Edith stepped up and excelled in the performance of several different assignments. She took on a surge support request inside of Cheyenne Mountain at the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station and increased team productivity.
67.23% Rising Star are winners
All Stars and Rising Stars Demographics
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Isabel Thayres Finance Leadership Development Program In January 2015 Isabel was accepted into Lockheed’s Finance Leadership Development Program. Her current assignment is helping to prepare a Lockheed program for a Defense Contracting Management Agency audit. Certification and probability of a Lockheed site depends on the successful completion of this audit. In 2016 Isabel started an M.B.A.
program. She will be the first woman in her family to earn a graduate degree.
Nicole G. Ward
Shireen Timmapuri
As “Agile Master,” Nicole encourages others to embrace Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) for software and systems engineering. Nicole also serves as the primary liaison and Lockheed Martin STEM representative to develop new partnerships with school districts. Her activities include program coordinator for SpringFord VEX Robotics and FabFems mentor to girls interested in STEM.
Senior Program Manager Ballistic missile defense has often been described as shooting down a bullet with a bullet. Shireen’s program includes the integration of new advanced radar algorithms and two new missiles to detect, track, engage, and kill threats in both the exo-atmosphere and the endo-atmosphere.
Project Engineer
TOP 6
|| GENERAL DYNAMICS || Brizzia Acosta
Farala Alvarez
Master Planner Scheduler
Engineering Supervisor
Brizzia was recently in South Korea to review ship designs for the world’s first liquid natural gas container ship. The ship is being built in San Diego by the General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. General Dynamics NASSCO has been designing and building high-quality ships since 1960, specializing in support ships for the U.S. Navy and oil tankers and dry cargo carriers for commercial markets.
Farala was about 3 years old when she told her mother she wanted to go to the moon. By the age of 14, she wanted to be a pilot. She earned a degree in aerospace engineering, and then began working at Electric Boat. Some of the best experiences she’s had have been in the shipyard.
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Adriana Apahidean Senior Technology Collaboration Engineer Adriana matches technology from
62.7%
selected their current employer based on salary and compensation
engineers, academia, and users with GD Land Systems programs. She also leads outreach. During the 2014–2015 school year, GDLS hosted 12 groups, comprising 200 students, 40 teachers, and 17 administrators.
Tara Boyd Senior Advanced Engineer Tara is an outstanding tester who thinks nothing of exploring reverse engineering, a key concept in cyber security. In February 2015 Tara was asked to join an exploration of the uses of cyber security for an Internet of Things R&D project.
WOC STEM Conference Demographics
Holly Bullock Subsystem Design Engineer Holly has a 70-ton driver’s license to drive the heaviest battle tanks she works on. Abrams battle tanks are armed and heavily armored for crew safety. Holly was instrumental in installing the first smart ammo on the Abrams platform.
Jane Qingfang Chen Data Management Specialist Jane is a specialist on Abrams vehicles. She is the process leader for
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TOP 6
|| GENERAL DYNAMICS || all Abrams programs in configuration control. She is also the chairperson for the Abrams Technical Review Board.
Joyce Fai Member Technical Staff Joyce began college at age 16. After she graduated, she had offers from banks and insurance companies, as well as an offer from a telecom company, now part of General Dynamics. Over the last 15 years, most of her work has focused on secure networks and communications.
Veronica Gonzalez Senior Planner Scheduler Veronica has 12 years of experience with the General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. GD NASSCO specializes in auxiliary and support ships for the U.S. Navy, oil tankers and dry cargo carriers for commercial markets.
Cheri Hawkins Senior Advanced Engineer Cheri is investigating better ways of automating testing. She makes sure that every test procedure is mapped to requirements and all defects are mapped
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to the respective test procedure. Cheri is also instrumental in mentoring junior, as well as more senior staff and ensures cross-training within teams.
Dawn Jennings Project Lead Dawn is an outstanding performer on the combat control system for U.S. and Australian submarines. She has transformed the way GD Mission Systems deals with logistics across its submarine programs. She has served as the integrated logistics support lead and control manager and worked to ensure that the fleet receives what it expects.
Rupali Lunani Department Manager, Requirements and System Architecture Rupali joined General Dynamics Land Systems in 2013. Since then, she has made significant contributions to improvements in the subsystem requirements for tracked and wheeled vehicles for the U.S. military. Prior to joining GD, she led team developing hybrid software at Fisker Automotive. At Getrag Transmission Corporation, she was responsible for launching a dual-clutch
for the Ford Fiesta, driven by the mandate for 54.5 MPG by 2025.
Samantha Robinson
Rebecca McGrane
Samantha recently marked her fifth year as GD system safety engineering lead in Florida. At her facility, she covers everything from system safety to human factors engineering. She is a key contributor to GD products and systems.
Director, Advanced Programs & Technology Rebecca plays a big role in mentoring young women. In 2011, as the director of Wheeled Combat Vehicles, she spoke at a General Dynamics Land Systems STEM event for over 40 high school girls, which made headlines.
Laura Pedrego Systems Engineer Laura is helping shape the technology of the future. She produces fault tree analyses, failure modes, and effects. These encompass everything and everyone necessary to keep the system supported through the entire life cycle.
Margaret Perez Engineering Specialist Margaret has been responsible for developing mission-critical software for the U.S. Navy’s existing and nextgeneration submarine classes. At Electric Boat, she has received multiple employee service awards in recognition of her superior performance.
Associate Engineer
Priscilla Summers Senior Electrical Engineering Specialist Priscilla manages subsystem and component teams. They develop the best approach for modernization of Abrams power systems.
Jing Zhang Senior Engineering Specialist Jing works to provide the military with “green” combat vehicles. She also oversees production and engineering programs that minimize and eliminate the use of hazardous materials.
39.2%
Often attend career development conferences WOC STEM Conference Demographics
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TOP 6
|| NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION || Veronica Bloom
Kimberly Davis
Mathematician
Project Manager
Veronica is a geo-location expert. Recently, she was awarded a Northrop Grumman grant for “Micro-UAV Swarms for Through-Wall Imaging,” an electronic surveillance tool. Dr. Bloom has mentored colleagues and interns at Northrop Grumman as well as high school students in an engineering program for girls.
Kimberly is a project manager for a major Northrop Grumman client, the U.S. Postal Service. She is responsible for coordinating the dayto-day activities for 40-plus simultaneous technology infrastructure builds, including storage, database, middleware, and security.
Chong Castigan
Manager Software Engineering
Director, Quality, Safety, and Mission Assurance Chong is a founding member of the team that developed international partnership agreements with the F-35 program’s global partners and suppliers. Her performance in the combat aircraft program earned her the Chairman and President’s Awards for 2007.
Cheryl Crowder Program Manager Cheryl manages a team partly comprised of geographically dispersed subcontractors, and met all hardware and software deliveries to sites around the world, while staying on schedule and on budget.
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Kelli Esparham
In 2011 Kelli was one of five employees out of 17,000 welcomed into the Systems Engineering Associate (SEA) program. SEA was designed for the highest-caliber people to lead in knowledge of customers, missions, business units, and development lifecycle. She regularly represents the company in working with universities, at leading professional conferences, and recruiting top talent.
Rolyn Grim Manager, Software Quality Rolyn is working on autonomous aerial refueling. The program enhances capabilities of the Global Hawk, an
unmanned surveillance aircraft. Rolyn is also vice president of the Corvette of Choice car club, which gives kids toys and rides in Corvettes during Christmas.
Debra Johnson Logistic Analyst Debra orders material for 50 percent of the parts documents that reside in Northrop Grumman’s supply chain and other departments that rely on material and data to achieve objectives. The successes achieved by these departments reflect the impact Debra has made.
2013, she developed a light field camera that could solve imaging problems. Although she had only been with the company a few months, she was challenged to deliver a demonstration in six weeks for the Northrop Grumman Tech Expo. The demonstration of the new technology was so compelling that NG continued to fund light field development.
Ana Ramekar Manager Systems Engineer
One of Leonora’s responsibilities in model-based system engineering is to ensure that the physicists and scientists she is working with on a high-performance computing project not only understand new principles, but are able to grow design using models as their technical baselines.
Ana has been part of North Grumman for over two years and also has two years of experience with Honda Jet. Currently, she does design work on cabin layouts, equipment racks, and crew rest areas. She is also a math tutor for public school students in Baltimore, combining academic and social support with coaching in the sport of squash. A 100 percent high school graduation rate and college access is expected following the successful model of urban squash across the country.
Ann Pitruzello
Jamie Shorey
Signal and Image Processing Engineer
Signal and Image Processing Engineer
When Ann came to Northrop Grumman in
Jamie is recognized as a go-to across the
Lenora Knox Systems Engineer
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TOP 6
|| NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION || Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance division. The mayor of Durham, North Carolina, also recently recognized her as a “Neighborhood Hero.” Jamie regularly participates in Department of Agriculture Young Farmer events related to conservation, habitat restoration, and sustainable farming.
Erin Strawn
Nazarelle VanPutte
Satoko Yoshima
Intelligence Analyst
Software Engineer
Systems Test Engineer
After leaving the Air Force in 2012, Captain Erin Strawn continued her service by joining Northrop Grumman as an intelligence analyst. Erin’s skills do not end with her office work. She mentors a team of high school Cyber Patriot interns. The goal of CP is to encourage students to take an interest in STEM.
Nazarelle has been part of Northrop Grumman (NG) for 11 months since graduating from Florida State University. As a new employee, she saw an opportunity for NG to improve its recruiting process. She developed an app that is currently being incorporated into the Northrop Grumman Corporate Career site.
Satoko has earned praise for performance in failure-mode evaluation testing for the F-22 safety critical program. Satoko has won seven Northrop Grumman Timely Awards. These awards provide timely recognition for performance.
Employers in this section are listed A to Z AT&T
Meena Agnihotri Senior Professional Architect Meena has held leadership roles in numerous service-critical projects. They range from historical accounts, such as Eastman Kodak and Dow Chemical, to IBM.
Pamela Booker AT&T Talent Acquisition Executive Director Pamela is a member of AT&T's human resources - staffing unit, which manages 241,810 employees. During her career at the telecommunications
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corporation, Pamela has served as a sales execution manager, sales operations billing manager, and a small business sales branch manager. She's currently a talent acquisition executive director. Recently, she launched the Leadership Spotlight series for second-line managers. The program promotes the principles of leadership, such as developing team spirit, accountability, ownership, and responsibility.
Sharolyn Farmer Director, New Technology Product Development Sharolyn has developed 200 working prototypes over the course of her career. She has also
delivered more than 30 products and apps to the marketplace. In 2013 she led construction of the AT&T Foundry. The Foundry is an innovation center where concepts are developed for digital life, mobility devices, connected cars, and Internet of Things.
Resha B. Gadson Associate Director, Finance Billing Operations As president and CEO of Women of AT&T Atlanta, she heads a 3,000-member organization striving to make a difference in the lives of its members and the STEM community. Recently, Resha partnered with AT&T Mobility to present technology
executive, activist, and author Sheryl Sandberg to AT&T.
Amanda Hau Senior Project Manager Amanda has served as a sales account executive, field market manager, and business development manager. Currently, she provides project management support to network sourcing opportunities valued from $15 million to $800 million over the term of agreements.
Jackie Jackson Director In over a decade at AT&T Mobility group, Jackie has found new ways to
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innovate. She has led the development and launch of new products, including a visual voicemail client app for AT&T smartphones and LTE voice services. In January 2013 she was awarded two patents for voicemail relating to message notification for customers roaming internationally. She has served as co-chairperson on the board of the Messaging Industry Association. In her spare time, she plays basketball on an all-male squad.
Suja John Director, New Technology Product Development Suja’s responsibilities span AT&T wireless and wire line networks and services. Her efforts help AT&T generate revenue and reduce costs. Her typical day involves meeting vendors, working with internal and external customers to understand business requirements, and overseeing product realization efforts. She hosts and attends several governance meetings, where she communicates the status of the various programs to senior leadership.
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Laura Lai
Shruti Rawat
Senior Program Manager
Lead Systems Engineer
Laura has led requests for proposals resulting in $12.5 million for 30 educational nonprofits. She set up an AT&TUdacity Nano degree scholarship program for students served by Girls Who Code, Year Up and Jobs for America’ Graduates.
Shruti leads a team of system engineers, architects, and developers in architecture, requirements, and design of AT&T’s flagship broadband product, U-Verse. She is also leading implementation of advanced virtualization technologies that are core to AT&T’s Vision 2020 network transformation. She spearheaded a program called Girls in Future Technologies and presented a talk at a TEDxAT&T conference on this subject.
Elise Mallory Applications Sales Executive Wi-Fi Elise has a history of delivering creative technology solutions to local, national and global customers. She has also made many contributions outside of the business. She is a leader with the Black Alumni Association at Pepperdine University and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Alexandria McCuein Senior Specialist Applications Developer Alexandria started her career in the management transition exchange. The Matrex is an entry-level IT hiring program for talented individuals with IT skills. She has worked on big data and other initiatives. She has also published a blog about women in STEM.
AUTOTRADER
Shonnie Warner Senior Capacity Manager Shonnie shines in her dedication to helping others. One indicator of her value is her accumulation of “Spark points”—Autotrader’s internal peer-nomination recognition system. She always does her best, and if she can’t solve it, you can bet she knows someone who can.
BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Kaoru “Kay” Adair Vice President, Regulatory & Clinical Affairs When Kay arrived in the United States from Japan, she was 14 years old and alone. By 1987 she had started her career as a product safety engineer. In the early 1990s she was a manager in quality assurance for a critical care equipment maker. Seeking broader responsibilities, she joined a bionics company manufacturing implantable devices for the hearing–impaired. Having much success in these roles, Kay was retained when the company was sold to Boston Scientific. Kay capitalized on her strengths as a strategist to secure the approvals needed to launch a spinal cord stimulator, the first system that used a technology called multiple independent controls. Kay is executive sponsor of the Boston Women’s Employee Resource Group. The mission is to educate and develop the professional skills of women in STEM.
87.1%
have been with employer for five years or more WOC STEM Conference Demographics
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BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Aparna V. Bhave Senior Manager, R&D Interventional Cardiology Aparna holds 22 U.S. patents with 13 patent applications pending. She’s had an outstanding impact since co-creating Boston Scientific’s STEM program in 2008. In 2014 the STEM Council held more than 115 events and reached over 20,000 students, teachers, and parents.
Jeri’Ann Hiller Principal Scientist Jeri’Ann has several awards and patents. Most recently, she was chosen to lead a technical review for the Boston Scientific Corporation (BSC) Board of Directors and was awarded a Winning Sprit Award for her support of colorectal cancer awareness. Her contributions to the development of biodegradable and drugeluting cardiovascular stents earned her one of BSC’s top scientific awards. Dr. Hiller is also on a mentoring program committee with a community college and serves as the corporate research and development liaison between Massachusetts Institute of Technology (her alma mater) and BSC.
CORNING INCORPORATED
Anna Hoover Scientist, Reliability Imagine spending a day with Anna in Corning’s glass development organization. She manages the glass inspection lab and furnace lab operations. Anna leads the sample processing operation for internal testing and external customers.
Manuela Ocampo Senior Research Scientist Manuela was 8 or 9 years old when her dad came back from a trip with a Cabbage Patch doll for her sister and a calculator called “Little Professor” for her. Manuela became hooked on the video game. By the 10th grade, she knew she wanted to be an engineer or scientist. In 2003 she moved to the U.S. to get a Ph.D. in polymer science. For her doctorate, she did scientific glassblowing. Now she shares her expertise in polymers with all all the businesses in Corning.
31.2%
are between the ages of 41–50 WOC STEM Conference Demographics
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COX AUTOMOTIVE
Jennifer Dang Lead Engineer Jennifer’s family fled to the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Dang’s mother is an entrepreneur, so she learned the art of risktaking at home. But it wasn’t until Jennifer enrolled in a computer systems class at college that she figured out computers. “There is a perception that computer science is an area where you get stuck doing programming,” she said. Over 23 years, Jennifer’s career has involved diverse jobs in data analysis, business management, corporate IT, and finance.
DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY
Lathadevi Chintapenta Post-doc Research Associate Dr. Chintapenta’s research interests are in ecosystems and sustainable agriculture, with a focus on the impacts of marshes. Her achievements in the understanding of how plants absorb minerals make her an inspiring role model. She supports
minority students, who are interested in microbiology and encourages them to seek advanced degrees.
EASi
Asha Iype Test Engineer Asha works for one of EASi’s biggest automotive clients in Dearborn, Michigan. She is also the co-author of a paper on a new testing and
“My mentor taught me how to navigate the culture and familiarized me with what I call unwritten rules. There weren’t a lot of females in engineering in the 1970s.” — Chineta Davis — 2007 WOC Technologist of the Year
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validation environment. Asha’s contributions have resulted in significant timesaving in debugging at the end of the product cycle.
Patricia L. Wilson Process Engineer Patricia is a Six Sigma Green Belt and a certified trainer and auditor. In her spare time, she develops STEM lesson plans and is in the process of publishing her work. She is also looking to partner with local schools to develop a STEM career exposure program for grades K–3.
FCA US LLC
Malini Dodaballapur Technical Architect Malini did an amazing job in Dealer CONNECT application support. The app houses all portal apps used to conduct business at Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram dealerships. When FCA’s CIO asked for more stability of this critical tool in the fall of 2014, Malini, who had recently joined the team, went above and beyond her duties to highlight areas needing improvement and trained people in monitoring, middleware, security, and database on how to take action.
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Deidre Fultz Manufacturing Manager Beyond the scope of her daily role as the manufacturing manager at the Kokomo Transmission Plant in Indiana, Deidre is committed to being a role model within the community. She is active in numerous mentoring programs in coordination with her division and is recognized for leading women in the Kokomo region. Deidre is a dedicated member of the Purdue University recruiting team.
Deidra Gilreath Global Diagnostic Strategist Deidra is the lead architect for FCA’s plug-in hybrid minivan diagnostic compliance strategy. She is also the lead for interpreting both FCA requirements and government regulations for implementation in electrified powertrain vehicles.
Denise Jackson International Supply Chain, Information Communication Technology Denise leads projects that launch international sales for the new global vehicle program. She extends her
leadership and grace to work teams and peers at FCA and her community. She founded and coleads the Greater Grace Ministry of Technology with her husband. Her technology ministry consists of volunteers who have learned IT on the job. They author web site content, develop graphics, and provide end-user support to the church staff and members.
Masuma Khandaker Aero Thermal Engineer Masuma’s contributions in automotive thermal and propulsion systems have been key factors in shaping the technology of future vehicles. Her I-d simulation technologies are already being used for predicting powertrain cooling and vehicle thermal systems activity for small- and mid-size vehicle platforms at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).
Mamta Maddireddy Business Analyst Mamta started her career in the Indian Air Force as a pilot and flight officer. After serving for four years, she joined DaimlerChrysler as a software engineer. A gifted programmer, Mamta has taken the lead
in producing clean code for environmental health and safety, security, and labor relations systems at FCA.
Jin Palmer Manager FCA US LLC Jin has more than 10 years of experience in developing consumer products. Currently, her responsibilities in the global Uconnect organization include defining product strategies for FCA vehicles. She creates product vision for telematics, infotainment, and navigation in Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep, and Fiat brand vehicles, including connected services and apps.
GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
Tracey Bagley-Reed Engine Controller Design Systems Engineer Tracey has two U.S. patents related to vehicle speed and ignition. She is a project engineer in powertrain embedded controls. Tracey earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Wayne State University and a master’s in computer engineering from the
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GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION thousands of backlogged incident tickets and service requests. At the same time, she established a framework for how remote user administration and remote desktop management would function.
Fatima Ramos VMware Systems Engineer
same institution. She joined GM more than 16 years ago.
Stephanie Chen Systems Architect Stephanie is an awardwinning computer science engineer in GM’s Global Infrastructure Information Technology division. Her trophies include the Team GM Award for significant contribution to the Data Center Transformation project for 2013.
Lakisha Cugliari Request Fulfillment Leader In 2013 Kisha led a call-toaction project to eliminate
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Fatima has earned the top spot on a highperforming team of more than 17 information technology professionals. She is committed to operational excellence and goes above and beyond expectations. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and also holds a master’s degree in computer engineering from UTEP.
Isabel Summe Senior Assessor Isabel has earned two U.S. patents for load bearing automotive bench assembly, which is used on military fighter jets and cargo aircraft. From Japan, she lectured via satellite on information tech security risk management to graduate classes at Carnegie Mellon in 2008, 2010 and 2011. She is a
member of the Ethics and Compliance Officer Association and various Alcoa Inc. affinity groups.
Ekemini Udofiah Business Analyst Want to buy a car tire? There’s an app for that. Ekemini led a project to create a new app that customers could use to search for and select tires on GM dealer websites. The app helped increase the number of tire leads more than 300 percent over the previous year.
THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
Bina Patel Botts Project Manager, Global Technology Projects Bina led development of the DuraSeal technology for self-sealing truck tires. She was named Inventor of the Year in 2005. More recently, Bina helped start up Goodyear’s largest plant to date in China, which builds passenger and truck tires.
Joanna Mercado Gomez Plant Optimization Leader Joanna has helped start up a new Goodyear tire line in Venezuela and a plant in China. In 2013
she was promoted to plant optimization leader of the Gadsden plant in Alabama. She is the youngest female in a plant leadership role at Goodyear, so she’s been put in charge of the cultural change.
Ashley Jones Engineer Associate Ashley’s first co-op assignment at Goodyear Tire and Rubber was in the NASCAR advanced engineering group. Her second co-op assignment was in tread and cavity engineering, where she was offered a full–time position after she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 2009. Ashley not only uses existing tools, but she is also a pilot user of newer tools.
Xiaoping Yang Global Science & Technology Project Leader Xiaoping has earned five U.S. patents for rubber nanotechnology with an additional three U.S. patent applications pending. Her hard work resulted in Goodyear’s first concept tire with nanotechnology tread in 2014. In March 2015 her concept was showcased at the Geneva Auto Show.
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HP INC.
Kyhia Bostic Process Improvement Kyhia brings her organizational skills to corporate responsibility and uses process knowledge from her lean Six Sigma belt. She has served as co-leader on activities that support the community and promote the HP brand.
HUNTINGTON INGALLS
Kiara Cammack Nuclear Engineer III Kiara is an engineer in the nuclear propulsion division of Newport News Shipbuilding. In her seven years at NNS, she has steadily advanced from her starting position as an electrical engineer to her current title. Kiara has also completed her M.B.A.
Ursula Darrington Foreman Ursula is responsible for enabling the success of craftsmen at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Thanks to her dedication, the electrical department cable installation team got high marks for quality from the supervisor of the
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Shipbuilding Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Penny Fairley Manager Material Handling Penny started her career in the U.S. Army and rose to the rank of staff sergeant in logistics supply. Currently, she is a key leader in a new material tracking system rollout using bar coding and RFID technology. Penny has made significant contributions to the way HII designs and executes supply chain management support to facilitate the building of ships.
Sabrina Graves Manager, In-house Subcontracts and Supplier Back Charges A 17-year shipbuilding professional, Sabrina is also engaged in Ingalls employee resource groups. She has served as vice president of the African American Shipbuilder Association and as secretary of Shipbuilder Women Engineers and is also a member of the Women in Shipbuilding Enterprise.
Sabrina Malone
Yashi Chaubey
Production Planner
Senior Consultant
Sabrina is a proud graduate of the Ingalls Shipbuilding Apprenticeship Program. She has spent 16 years in the shipbuilding industry and now plays a major role in improving shop product flow, lead times, and schedule predictability.
Yashi has worked at Infosys for almost 10 years. She is a business analyst and process and domain consultant.
Natasha Whittle Foreman Natasha has been with the company for 11 years. She has experience as a pipefitter apprentice, journeyman pipefitter, and pipe forewoman. She is currently responsible for pipe production in outfitting.
INFOSYS LIMITED
Padma Balasubramanian Technology Lead Padma leads product development at Infosys. She’s involved in technical solution design, mentoring teams on technical and business aspects, and interfacing with clients. She has earned appreciation from site, sales, and QA teams for her valuable contributions.
Sonali Chatterji Engagement Manager, Client Services Sonali is a client partner for an account that contributes $10 million in revenue to the financial services business at Infosys. On a parallel track, she works with the Infosys Foundation to help women and girls thrive in STEM and bring computer literacy to all ages.
Sharda Gupta Associate Partner Sharda has headed up the public services project management office since February 2012. She has a successful track record of sales, with more than $25 million in 2014, a 50 percent increase on the previous year. Sharda was promoted to associate partner in 2013, the only female nominee in a lineup of 40 to get promoted.
Amee Karnavat Project Manager ICD-10 is often seen as
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GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER the healthcare equivalent of the Y2K program. Amee made significant contributions towards the code set that allows for more than 14,000 codes and permits the tracking of new diagnoses. ICD-10 is the implementation of the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems.
Gunveen Kaur Senior Project Manager Gunveen is a senior project manager at Infosys with more than 14 years of experience.
Sobha Mathews Senior Test Manager Sobha has a master’s degree in computer applications. As test manager for a major banking client of Infosys, Sobha delivers multiple client projects following Waterfall, Iterative, and Agile methodologies.
Shipra Mitra Senior Principal Shipra has data management and business intelligence work streams for clients like Clorox, Novartis Animal Health, and Kraft Foods. She has also taught Bengali at her library and temple for more than eight years.
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Moon Nagar Lead Consultant Moon’s leadership on thought, revenue, and people contributes to the growth of Infosys. In India, she spearheaded a volunteer campaign for slum dwellers in Mumbai to file a Right to Information report. Moon is pursuing a doctorate from California Southern University with an emphasis on women in leadership.
Dakshayani Sundaraman
Project Manager Dakshayani has spent 17 years with Infosys. She has experience in project management, client program delivery and relationship, resource management and operations, presales, and new business initiatives.
Jeyachitra Thirunavukkarasu
Kaveri Naik
Project Manager
Technology Lead
Chitra has executed projects across time zones by coordinating offshore and onshore testing teams, as well as development and business partners. She has worked with UBS Apex, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and Fidelity Investments.
Kaveri has served as a primary mentor for a 24-member team spread over four locations. She won a SPOT award for an upgrade project and an MVP award for implementation.
Priya Radhakrishnan Rashmi Tyagi Associate Director – Client Services In two decades with Infosys, Priya has worked with marquee clients such as Apple, Herbalife, Meijer, and Neiman Marcus. In her current role, Priya is a resident expert on service delivery. She has maintained minimal attrition with a 30 percent female team over the last five years.
Technology Architect Along with support services, Rashmi has managed the financials of more than $1 million annually. She increased business from $45 to $100K per month.
Meenu Venkataarangam
clients, the Royal Bank of Scotland. She is currently leading the analytic team for a trade finance project. She and her team have received excellent feedback.
Mahalakshmi Venkateswaran Senior Project Manager Maha joined Infosys in 2002. Initially, she worked with one of the company’s leading healthcare clients. Later, she led one of the largest regulatory programs for a major Main St. bank’s mortgage business.
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LAB
Deanna Green Senior Software Engineer Deanna has provided engineering support to the U.S. government for more than 20 years. Some of her exemplary work includes leading the development of an acoustic signal processing and display used by the sonar surveillance community and software that provides systems to warfighters as quickly as possible.
Production Support Lead Meenu has worked with one of Infosys’s top
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LOWE'S COMPANIES, INC.
GRAPH
2015 RISING STAR / ALL-STAR HAVE A SECURITY CLEARANCE
Candace Graham Software Engineering Manager Candace has spent 20 years at the world’s largest home improvement retailer. She joined Lowe’s after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from Appalachian State University. She began her career as a programmer. Since then, a long list of project successes in pricing, promotions, and finance has advanced her into management. She hopes to visit all 50 states before her son goes to college.
Jasmine Griffen IT Program Manager Jasmine’s team is responsible for using rapidly accelerating technology to solve consumer problems through science fiction prototyping. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in organizational leadership to complement her bachelor’s degree in management information systems. Jasmine is also an advocate for health and wellness, a teacher, and a seeker of alternative medicinal practices for the entire family.
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No
child support, divorce, emancipation and visitation rights.
Greyla Ricardo Business Analyst
Yes
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Sailaja Kadimcherla Senior IT Manager Sailaja has over 18 years of experience in retail and insurance developing, enhancing, and maintaining supply chain, finance, payroll, and property systems. She is currently the lead manager for demand and inventory planning, which supports a Fortune 50 company. When not at work, she can be found with her kids at a soccer field, on a basketball court, or at piano and dance classes.
Stephanie Lewis IT Project Management Office Since joining Lowe’s, Stephanie has been responsible for managing a number of high-dollar
-value technical programs. She has supported distribution centers, store construction, and data centers. Stephanie is also a citizen soldier in her state. The North Carolina National Guard relies on contributions such as hers to serve both in-state and federal missions around the world.
Tabitha Profitt Software Engineering Consultant Tabitha is working on improving efficiency in supply chain/product movement at Lowe’s distribution centers. When she’s not designing solutions for Lowe’s, she enjoys working out at the YWCA, attending church and being a guardian ad litem or fact finder in cases involving adoption, child custody,
Greyla earned her associate’s degree in computer science from the IT Technical Institute in Havana, Cuba. After moving to the United States, she started her career at a private mortgage insurance company. In 2006 she joined Lowe’s. To keep up with the fast-changing business needs, Greyla has taken SAS courses and earned Oracle, Access and helpdesk expert automation tool certifications.
Amrita Sinha Software Engineering Manager Amrita has been a PMP project manager for over 10 years. She has spent 20 years in IT positions in various industries, with the last four in Fortune 50 retail.
Anna Slaughter Software Engineering Manager Anna has 18 years of experience at Lowe’s.
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MERITOR, INC.
Sonya Moore Program Manager Sonya has had some major accomplishments. Recently, she led a manufacturing team to transfer 3,000 axle specifications working with more than 60 commercial vehicle and industrial customers. At the end of the project, Sonya and her team were nominated for the 2014 Manufacturing Excellence and Quality Achievement Awards.
MITRE CORPORATION
April Berrian Department Lead Integrator April is an information systems engineer specializing in large federal programs. She has worked on the IT portfolios for the Inland Revenue Service, Census Bureau, and now the Veterans Health Administration.
Aparna Durvasula Department Lead Integrator Aparna is a systems engineer in one of MITRE Corporation’s centers. MITRE focuses
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on helping the U.S. government with research, analysis, and systems engineering. Aparna was one of two electrical engineers that graduated in her 1990 class. She was the first woman engineer in her family and the first in her family to travel outside of India. It was a special moment for Aparna and her mechanical engineer father when she went to intern at the division where he worked. He had helped design and build it.
Jun Feng Principal Information Systems Engineer For years, tax analysts were used to comparing data from various tax forms to determine whether taxpayers were in compliance with their tax obligations, but because tax analysts are not data analysts, they held on to old ways of examining data. In the MITRE-IRS project, Jun won over tax analysts and managers, helping them understand how to use technology tools and concepts to comprehend data pictures depicting tax situations.
Rosie Pridemore Systems Engineer While pursuing a master’s degree, Rosie attended
a class taught by Dr. Howard Eisner. He had worked as a systems engineer for more than 40 years and written books on systems engineering. Eisner shared several stories of his work as part of the systems engineering and technical assistance supporting the government and industry. The stories and real-world experience were so engaging and fascinating that Rosie decided to change her major to systems engineering. As lead systems engineer with MITRE’s Homeland Security Center–Borders and Maritime Division, Rosie leads teams solving critical homeland security problems with analysis, modeling, and simulation.
Rajani Shenoy
are medical doctors.
Anjua Verma Lead Software Engineer Anjua’s career accomplishments include designing a logistic tracking system for General Electric (GE) and an automated export certification system for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The system allows exporters to register and certify meat and poultry products under the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. One of her most significant accomplishments recently is a data ingest architecture for enterprise-wide data hub storage, an archival of data for big data analytics.
Lead Systems Engineer
Alanna Williams
In 1973 Rajani’s father left a small town in India to pursue his Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering at Georgia Tech. He arrived in Atlanta with $100 in his pocket, a 103-degree fever, and a vision of the American Dream. Today Rajani’s dad works as an engineering manager at Sikorsky Aircraft and her mom is a fourth-grade teacher. The couple raised Rajani, who got her master’s degree in industrial engineering at her father’s alma mater, and her two siblings, who
Senior Healthcare Consultant As a child, Alanna enjoyed spending time at her father’s dental office practicing as a chairside assistant. This early exposure led to a love for helping people. In 2006, after earning a bachelor’s in decision science from Carnegie Mellon, she worked as a maternal child health educator in AmeriCorps. She served as a labor coach and provided management to 40 pregnant women,
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mothers, and babies facing barriers to obtaining quality health care. Her research in graduate school focused on decision support tools for healthcare providers by examining healthcare access, return on investment of telemedicine, and patient discharge process. In Baltimore, Alanna has organized career events for healthcare students at Western High School of Technology, volunteers regularly as a cook in a shelter for homeless families, mentors graduate students, and serves in MITRE’s Next Up organization, which is dedicated to advancing professionals through career development, community service, and networking.
NASA JOHN H. GLENN RESEARCH CENTER
Maria Arredondo Educational Programs Specialist Office of Education Maria is responsible for partnerships that develop opportunities to engage students and educators. She has played a key role supporting programs with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Great Lakes Science Center, MacArthur Foundation/
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Digital Youth Network, MIT, and the U.S. Department of Education.
ORACLE CORPORATION
Cynthia Chin-Lee Senior Manager Cynthia manages a team of technical writers responsible for producing user manuals and documentation in five languages for x86 hardware. Because lots of manuals can be so hard to read, Cynthia’s group created animations and videos to supplement the traditional manuals. Outside of work, Cynthia is an author and screenwriter. Her most recent book was turned into a movie.
Denise Wall Human Capital Management Director Denise has successful record building of relationships. In a previous job, she grew Oracle’s technology license revenue from $0 to $75 million. To date, the Oracle on the Air technology series has reached 1,000-plus technology and vertical practitioners around the world and is still growing.
THE RAYTHEON COMPANY
Leticia Diaz Project Leadership Leticia has demonstrated initiative not only for the programs that she has supported, but also for all of her colleagues and staff. She has mentored protégés while leading teams of engineers. She is an active participant in Engineers Week and Boys and Girls Clubs, and she recently wrote an op-ed carried by several news outlets encouraging young girls to pursue STEM careers.
Sandra Solomon Program Manger Raytheon Sandra was the first in her family to go to college, but she dropped out because she had to raise her family. A few months later, she landed a job at Raytheon. During the first decade of her 30-year career, she increased her understanding of Raytheon products and technologies. Today, Sandra assists in managing $78 million in sales and delivery of a radar program that protects U.S. forces around the world. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration (1999) and two mas-
ter’s degrees —one in finance management and accounting (2008) and another in business administration (2003). Her son is currently working on his Ph.D. in organizational management, and her daughter is an engineer, actress, and film producer.
SIEMENS
Yaojun Gu Principal Software Engineer Yaojun has a Ph.D. in geophysics. Over the past 19 years at Siemens, she has contributed to the development of a tool that resolves the most difficult design challenges. While working on the worldclass NX mechanical CAD modeling application, or NX, she also raised her daughter, who is now a college graduate, and a disabled son.
Pamela Caraballo Software and Engineering Manager Pamela joined Siemens in 2009. She has worked on instrumentation, data analysis, grid testing, turbine controls, and safety engineering. She manages a diverse group of eight engineers and technicians in two countries for the execution of remote
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SIEMENS monitoring and control of projects in America. She is the chapter lead of the Women of Wind Energy Orlando.
STEM FROM DANCE
Yamilee Toussaint Founder and CEO In just two years, Yamilee, an MIT mechanical engineering graduate, has grown a small pilot program with eight girls in Brooklyn to 45 students across five New York City schools. This year, she will engage 150 in eight schools. At scale, the 10week program will create a world where young women of color get STEM degrees and are one of hundreds in their college majors.
WELLS FARGO
Tiffany Jenkins Vice President, Technology Manager Tiffany joined Wells Fargo in 2005. She completed rotations across various business lines as part of its leadership development program. In her current role, she is delivering a centralized program that will manage in excess of 300,000 PCs, driving productivity and efficiency.
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Sherrie Littlejohn Executive Vice President, Technology Strategy and Innovation Sherrie leads efforts to develop architecture, drive technology research and development, and manage relationships with industry leaders, universities, venture capitalists, and private equity firms. In addition to her professional leadership, Sherrie serves as executive advisor to the Women’s Team Member Network.
Sharon Murphy Executive Vice President Head of Team Member and Mobility Services, Enterprise IT Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Sharon was the chief business technologist at JP Morgan in the corporate and investment banking technology unit. She is a co-inventor on a patent for methods and systems for managing mobile call reports for the financial services industry.
Ligia Vilela Chief Technology Officer, Virtual Digital Channels Group Ligia’s team ensures that Wells Fargo’s virtual
store is always open anytime, anywhere. The team supports more than 24 million online and mobile customers. Ligia is also a volunteer with LISTA, which increases the number of Latinas in STEM by creating a pipeline of role models.
Tia J. White Vice President, Technology Manager Tia leads a group of middle- to upper-level employees responsible for financial management and recovery of an $85 million annual budget. She is also an active champion of diversity. Most recently, she won the 2014 Wells Fargo Technology and Operations Group Diversity Champion Award.
WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY
Milu George Team Lead While working towards her master’s degree, Milu took part in an internship program at World Wide Technology (WWT) in Missouri. Now with over 10 years at WWT, Milu has played a role in 73 projects. As the team lead for four developers, she gets to coach and mentor the next wave of talent.
Eunice Muthuswami Lead Network Administrator Eunice has been in the information technology field since 1999. She has a detailed library of technical documentation and shares her knowledge with others. Eunice has earned Cisco certifications and is proficient in an array of technologies.
Nicole Tate Business Development Manager For over a decade, Nicole grew within her role to lead a team of application developers in support of internal customers. Two years ago, taking the experience she gained, she accepted an opportunity in the utility unit. Currently, she leads the go-to-market business and marketing strategy for the unit, which provides a significant piece of WWT’s $7 billion business.
44.33% are Black or African American All-Stars and Rising Stars Demographics
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Government & Military DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE - AIR OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Ivett Leyva Aerothermodynamics Program Office The U.S. Air Force is the lead government agency for hypersonic, and Ivett is driving the technology and research in high-speed flight. In 2012 she was elected chair of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) liquid propulsion technical committee, which identifies the top 50 world leaders in propulsion.
ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Maude Johnson Project Manager, New Orleans District Maude was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and graduated with a civil engineering degree from a storied university in her hometown. She is currently responsible for management of the hurricane storm damage reduction system in a parish that saw severe damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and during the 2011 hurricane season.
HUNTSVILLE CENTER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Dr. Jocelyn Simpson Harrison
Porscha Porter
Program Officer
Program Manager, Huntsville Center
Jocelyn has dedicated her career to serving the federal government. She has cultivated cutting-edge advanced materials research for aerospace systems in support of the warfighter and has inspired future researchers through broadening participation in STEM programs.
Porscha has led teams worldwide to install energy monitoring systems at U.S. Army installations. The highly visible $280-million program is one of the top priorities of the Army to reduce the amount of energy used at each facility.
U.S. COAST GUARD
Lt. Cmdr. Carrie Wolfe Industrial Manager Lieutenant Commander Carrie Wolfe has served as an engineer officer and port engineer for several cutters within the Coast Guard’s Eighth District. She is also a diversity champion and a key member of the BASE New Orleans Leadership and Diversity Advisory Committee.
Margaret Jute Administrative Assistant The work of any administrative assistant can be tedious, but Margaret’s performance has led to the success of Coast Guard chief information officers over the past five years. She is a role model for the entire staff. Margaret consistently demonstrates respect and care. Courtesy and pleasantry are Margaret’s hall-marks. She is a topnotch administrator.
I obtained my Ph.D. in applied mathematics with the support of my parents— in spite of skeptical and sometimes prejudiced teachers and professors with attitudes towards women in mathematics.”
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
Anita Lopez Rear Admiral, Office of Marine and Aviation Operations Anita is the second woman to make admiral in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Corps. In NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, she is responsible for management of 321 commissioned officers and 1,000 civilian personnel assigned to the office. OMAO platforms consist of 16 research vessels, nine research aircraft, and two hurricane hunting P-3 Orion.
NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND
Lijuan Ahern Electronics Engineer Naval Air Systems Command Lijuan has been recognized for her support of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) missions. Aegis is the naval component of the Missile Defense Agency BMD system. Lijuan earned awards of merit for group achievement in 2007, 2010, and 2012.
— Camille D’Annunzio, 2013 Technologist of the Year www.womenofcolor.net
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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
Laura Feaster
Sharita Lea
Project Manager, Program Executive Officer Aircraft Carriers
Engineer, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific
Laura has spent over 15 years supporting the Navy’s public shipyards, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines. She has excelled in a variety of assignment, from management of reactor plant conditions and systems to ensuring public safety. Laura has also contributed to sustaining training programs that serve as benchmarks for nuclear maintenance workers.
Sharita is the lead test engineer for a program that provides higher data rates in satellite payloads. She also takes part in the hiring of women and minorities. She has served as a SPAWAR Women of the Workforce representative and a New Professional recruiter.
Jovanna Henry Business Intelligence Data Analyst, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific Jovanna started her career in the federal government as a student aide at the Naval Sea Systems Center Pacific in 1976. She took part in a co-op program while attending San Diego State University to obtain a degree in business information systems. After she graduated, she was hired by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific in 1987.
Maria DiazMasterson Engineer/Manager Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Naval Sea Systems Command Maria has worked for more than 10 years on submarine combat systems and submarine sonar systems. She also represents the Hispanic community at Newport, Rhode Island. She travels to schools to speak on science and does science projects.
Sonja F. Mooney Assistant Program Manager for Electronic Procurement System Navy Enterprise Business Solutions Program Management Office Sonja’s leadership enabled the deployment of electronic procurement
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systems to six naval commands, supporting 72,000 users and with $2 million in savings. She also conducts Capitol Hill trips to help young people in her church understand how the federal government works.
Helen Smith Lead Business and Financial Manager Program Executive Office for Aircraft Carriers, Naval Sea Systems Command Helen was a major contributor in the negotiations of a contract for the design and construction of the USS John F. Kennedy. The nuclear super carrier will have a brand-new look when it’s built and commissioned in 2020. It will be the second ship of the Gerald R. Ford class of aircraft carrier being built for the U.S. Navy.
Monica Tate Program Executive Officer, Aircraft Carriers A Navy Supply Corps officer, Lt. Commander Tate’s outstanding service in disbursing and sales and services on a guided missile destroyer, in addition to being a supply officer on a frigate, has earned her kudos and recognition. She coordinates with organizations from Naval
Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, and Navy Supply Systems Command to deliver to the fleet.
Dr. Sonya N. Waters Senior Medical Executive Naval Hospital Rota, Spain U.S. Navy After Sonya Waters earned her commission as a naval officer in 2000, she entered Dive School at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute. A year later, she became the Navy’s first Black female dive medical officer.
U.S. ARMY ENGINEER RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Mariely MejiasSantiago Research Civil Engineer Mariely conducts research on military airfield pavements. She has served as a principal investigator for projects using new materials to sustain heavy cargo and fighter aircraft. She is currently the president of the Mississippi chapter of SHPE, and she mentors summer interns from her alma mater, the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez.
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WOMEN IN FINANCE
Leah Taylor Is Your Financial Future
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Leah Taylor has always
liked helping people solve business problems. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in government from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and joined International Business Machines Corp. (IBM). After three years as a marketing rep at IBM, taking on a book of client relationships, and learning about technology products and services and how to prepare a cost benefit analysis for each client proposal, she found that her niche was the world of finance. Right out of Harvard Business School in 1987, Taylor joined First National Bank of Chicago (First Chicago), a predecessor of J.P. Morgan. Of the old First Chicago Bank, Taylor said, “I was interested in real estate finance, and I was attracted to the firm because it had a great reputation in real estate lending.” After many successful mergers with large U.S. banking companies like First Chicago, J.P. Morgan is now the largest bank in the United States and a multinational banking and financial company. Over a 28-year career with J.P. Morgan, Taylor has built skills in real estate finance, equipment leasing and finance, project management, client relationship management, and investment management. “One of the key things that I have learned in my career is the importance of
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handling change successfully. I continued to grow and progress while the firm went through four mergers. Job responsibilities change, management changes, and teams change. Change is inevitable. I am an optimistic person, and I have always been able to embrace the change and move forward,” Taylor said. Passing Wealth on to Future Generations Services include protecting and growing assets, planning retirement, and passing wealth on to future generations. “As an investment specialist with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, I work with high net worth clients to grow and preserve their wealth through investment, banking, and lending solutions,” Taylor said. “My clients are interesting people, and I enjoy getting to know them. I work with business owners, corporate executives, attorneys, and real estate developers. I have been working with some of my clients for over 10 years, and now I am working with some of their children too.” As the lead advisor and primary point of contact for clients, Taylor develops long-term plans and strategies to assist her clients in meeting their goals and then pulls in resources from across the company to help execute them. Her team includes a network of bankers, analysts, portfolio managers, trust officers, and associates.
Working at the Largest Bank in the World J.P. Morgan Chase has 240,000 employees spread throughout 60 countries. More than 50 percent of the global financial services firm’s workforce is female. • “In your first position out of college or grad school, choose an institution that is going to invest time in training you,” Taylor advised. “As a young person, that training will really help you to get started on the right foot.” • “If you are curious about a career in the financial services industry, I suggest talking to as many people in different functions as possible,” Taylor continued. • “That way you can learn about different aspects of the industry: investment management, corporate banking, the hedge fund/private equity sector, etc. There are a lot of opportunities, and the more you know, the easier it will be to decide which area is the best fit for you.” Taylor is licensed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) with a Series 7 and 63 and serves on the University of Chicago Laboratory School Alumni Association board. She is also passionate about running races for charity. Some of her favorites include the United Negro College Fund. Lango Deen Ldeen@ccgmag.com
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Supporting the Mission— Anytime, Anywhere
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Renata Spinks is a U.S. Army Com-
pensated Veteran. She last deployed as a “China Dragon”—a Desert Medic—with the 28th Combat Support Hospital’s (CSH) Patient Administration Division. The 28th CSH, a unit in the 44th Medical Command Brigade at Fort Bragg, helped set up a 44-bed hospital in Baghdad, providing medical aid to the 3rd and 101st Infantry Divisions. Renata worked as a mission support specialist. “My experience in the military has been a driving force to continue as a public servant,” she says. After transitioning from the military, she worked as an analyst at the Department of Homeland Security for almost five years on assignments that supported cyber security awareness, and financial operations.“I supported domains’ where forensic extractions from mobile data, as well as public domain analytic actions, were critical to processing investigations,” she adds. Expanding World of Data “The world of data and its use today has expanded so much and can be challenging to protect. Cyber security policies, as well as boundaries for information sharing, present delicacies we all have to be aware of. “As technologists, we have to innovate and create with that awareness. Engineering solutions that support information availability, confidentially, and integrity are all challenges we in the cyber security domain work to address. “My personal contributions to these efforts involve not only my expertise but also information sharing of the knowledge and experiences I have had via public, private, and federal working groups. I support not only women in technology but I am an active advocate for women, men, and children who are victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.”
Rising Footsteps “I am the founder of Rising Footsteps, which is an organization founded on principles that address the mental, physical, spiritual, and financial necessities balancing our lives. “I volunteer at organizations working with women and children who are victims of abuse, often using entry-level technology training as a way to encourage self-dependency and provide a skill set to open avenues for opportunities of employment. “I am currently drafting a manuscript [that] I hope will continue to drive awareness about opportunities in technology as well as address opportunities for diversity in the male-dominated field of technology and the value women add in this field. “I have a Bachelor of Science in computer information systems with a concentration in systems analysis and design and a minor in criminal justice. I am currently completing my master’s in technology management, graduating December 2016. “In parallel, I intend to take the Law School Admittance Test with the goal of beginning law school in the fall of 2017, pursuing a dual degree for a Juris Doctor/ Doctorate in Government (Master of Arts En Passant) for American Government. It is my goal to use these credentials to create opportunities in the field of technology. “The character I have today is attributed to service as a ‘China Dragon’ [and] the soldiers who dedicated their services in support of our nation’s military mission—anytime, anywhere.” Renata is currently a policy and planning Information technology specialist in the IT Strategy Group of the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Financial Research. Lango Deen Ldeen@ccgmag.com
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WOMEN IN FINANCE
A Day in the Life of Shanna Travis: Modern-Day Technology Leader
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Shanna L. Travis, a 2013 BEYA Modern-Day Technology Leader, works in the Office of Financial Research at the U.S. Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C. “A day in my life as Advisor to the Deputy Director and Chief Technology Officer involves planning, hiring, succession planning, leadership development, and program management and development. “We are a fairly new organization—five years to be exact, which is not the norm for the federal government. So my days are quite busy and extremely fulfilling because we’re making history. “My previous position as deputy secretary to the General Staff and Command Protocol Officer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was my first civilian federal
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government position,” she said. HR Management at the Army’s Second-largest Installation Travis is a U.S. Army veteran. Her last military assignment was as a senior enlisted human resource manager/G1 Sergeant Major, where she was responsible for overseeing the range of HR management program areas across the Fort Bliss military installation for over 25,000 military personnel during a base realignment closure transition and the global war on terrorism. “You ask, ‘What does leadership mean in the military, in uniform, and as a civilian?’ Based on my experience, leadership is leadership,” Travis said. “While some circumstances in the military may war-
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rant situational leadership methodology that would not typically be applicable in a non-Department of Defense organization, leadership is inspiring and motivating people to invest their skills and talents to their fullest abilities in support of the organization’s mission and goals to achieve individual, team, and organization success,” she added. As an Equal Employment Advisor, Travis has found herself counseling and advising on a daily basis. “So I pursued an M.A. in counseling and psychology. I knew I wanted to transition from active duty into the federal government and capitalize on my military experience, which prompted my pursuit of an M.B.A. with a concentration in public administration. These qualifications have been complementary for me and enabled me to be more effective in my professional endeavors,” she said.
long-term impact on their careers and lives.
Shanna L. Travis Advisor to the Deputy Director and Chief Technology Office U.S. Department of the Treasury
“You ask, ‘What does leadership mean in the military, in uniform, and as a civilian?’ Based on my experience, leadership is leadership”
Early-career Progress Early in her career, Travis admits to not really knowing when she was ready for increasing responsibility. “It was my superiors who recognized my potential and steered me towards opportunities for increased responsibility,” she said. “To my advantage, I have always been open to mentoring and guidance. As my career has progressed, I began the practice of developing a personal career map and annual goals in balance with personal goals, which, along with mentoring, enable me to identify my readiness for more responsibility,” she said. Working with Young People A common thread in her 24-year career is working with young people in a capacity that would have a
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“I’d say the standout memories are when I was a drill instructor motivating young recruits through completion of boot camp, promoting diversity and inclusion through teaching and special emphasis programs in Department of Defense schools and military communities in Germany, and mentoring a college intern who eventually assumed a role I’d previously held as a staff officer,” Travis explained. Travis says she’s always humbled to receive calls and emails seeking career guidance, whether it’s from a military member trying to decide his/ her next assignment or seeking advice in transitioning into the civilian sector or a civilian colleague seeking coaching for an upcoming interview, requesting resume review/assistance, or asking for advice on career moves.
As a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Links, Inc., Travis has served in leadership roles, as well as chaired various committees to promote positive cultural experiences and social change. “I currently serve as the chair of a Service to Youth program committee providing mentoring program activities to girls ages 9 to 18 in the promotion of science, technology, engineering and math; healthy living; and financial literacy.” “I also participate in programs to develop and support scholarships for historically Black college and university students,” she said. Lango Deen Ldeen@ccgmag.com
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WOMEN IN FINANCE
A Finance Career | Lessons Learned What Is Professional Life Like As A Finance and Business Leader at Boeing?
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“I learned that I needed to view problems with a wider aperture,” reflected Maurita Sutedja in her email from the Boeing Capital. Sutedja is recalling a teachable moment from early on in her lofty career. She had made a proposal that her then boss had rejected. But instead of belaboring the setback, Sutedja took away three tips from the experience: • View problems with a wider aperture. • Have a thick skin. • Keep focused on the long term. “We all make mistakes—especially early in our careers. What is important is cultivating the ability to learn from mistakes and setbacks. That ability is a quality that every successful professional needs. “Find out what went wrong, and figure out how you can do better,” she advised.
Maurita Sutedja
Chief Financial Officer, Shared Services Group The Boeing Company
Sutedja quickly adds that her advice isn’t generation–specific. A combination of a strong work ethic, dedication to doing good and an intellectual curiosity work for any age in the workforce, from 16 through 70-plus. “The millennial generation may bring a different perspective into their role, but the basics of doing a good job have not changed,” she said. “My advice is pretty consistent. Demonstrate integrity, show respect for people, tell the truth, say thank you,” she said. Boeing has approximately 8,000 people in “finance” jobs, Sutedja explained. “But we have so many other professionals applying their education in finance–and business–related fields.
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Supplier and customer contracts and business planning are a couple examples that come to mind,” she said. Boeing’s global size and diverse business portfolio provide lots of opportunities for professionals to migrate. For example, one of the company’s top finance executives started out as an engineer. But the involvement and development that happens in Sutedja’s own organization can often lead people to opportunities in other parts of Boeing. “We have around 700 professionals who have a lot to offer, and by encouraging their development and involvement, they go on to provide the innovation we look for in service delivery and productivity,” she said. Sutedja herself is responsible for seeing that Boeing’s Shared Services Finance and Business unit operates
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The millennial generation may bring a different perspective into their role, but the basics of doing a good job have not changed... My advice is pretty consistent. Demonstrate integrity, show respect for people, tell the truth, say thank you. both effectively and affordably. As vice president and chief financial officer, she leads the group’s accounting, financial planning, and cost-management functions.
processes for our critical services, making sure every Boeing employee gets their paycheck and our travelers get where they are going on time.”
She is also responsible for providing financial services—including accounts payable and payroll—to all Boeing business units and providing travel services to Boeing, its subsidiaries,
“A mentor of mine once told me that as a leader, you’re not allowed to have any bad days,” she notes. “That is because everyone is watching the leader. Leaders are expected to set the example for the group to follow. Showing calm and steady confidence in the face of stressful situations helps everyone else to put their fears to the side and focus on solutions.”
Sutedja said nothing beats deep understanding of your areas of responsibility and a good command of what is going on.
and its joint ventures. Prior to this assignment, Sutedja was vice president and chief financial officer of Boeing Capital Corp. She was responsible for a multibillion-dollar aircraft portfolio, including evaluation of prospective financing transactions, treasury, financial planning, aircraft portfolio analysis, contracts, and all aspects of external and internal financial reporting. What Keeps Her up at Night? “The business environment for Boeing is so competitive, fast-paced and dynamic; we are often reacting to external forces or events that can pop up unexpectedly,” she said. “We work to have contingency plans in place and risk mitigation strategies to address our primary risk areas. And because we’re involved in such a high volume of transactions, I pay close attention to having effective
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› FACT BOX ‹ › VP and CFO, Boeing’s Shared Services Group 2014 to date › VP and CFO, Boeing Capital Corp. - 2013 to 2014 › Treasurer, Boeing Capital Corp. 2010 – 2013 › Joined Boeing in 2010 › Director, global funding and cash management, GM Treasurer › Director, pension funding, and analysis; treasury manager, GM Asia Pacific; manager, business dev. › Joined General Motors in 2001 › Equity research analyst at UBS and ABN AMRO securities › M.B.A., Columbia Business School › Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lango Deen Ldeen@ccgmag.com
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Megan Smith
United States Chief Technology Officer
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Later she went on to be a senior vice president at Google, helping to bring acquisitions that included Google Maps and Google Earth. After that, she worked on diversity and other projects for the information giant. Now she works at the White House as the nation’s chief technology officer, which, as much as anything, makes Smith a “tech evangelist.”
ton. She counts herself lucky for the kind of technology and science education she received at her Buffalo magnet school. There were talented teachers, hands-on classes, and mandatory science fairs, which created a love and familiarity with technology that has propelled her career. Now her aim is for many others to have the same opportunities.
Officially, the 50-year-old Smith says that as chief technology officer, she focuses “on how technology policy, data, and innovation can advance the future of our nation.” In short, she wants to marshal the power of technology to help government do its many jobs more efficiently. She also looks for ways to bring the opportunity and the uplifting power of technology to the many places where it is in short supply.
“It is important that kids get to learn STEM more like we learn art, or music, or PE,” she said, “instead of sitting in that traditional, sort of industrial-age classroom, which makes this so boring and so intimidating for most children that they just opt out.”
A big part of her White House role is to advise President Obama on technology-related issues, such as net neutrality and the welter of privacy issues surrounding digital technology. She also helps oversee TechHire, a federal initiative aimed at equipping workers with the skills needed to work in the technology sector. The effort uses traditional college training, as well as approaches life as coding boot camps and online courses to prepare a broader array of workers for the estimated half a million tech jobs that are open at any given time. She also works to bring more technology talent into the government. Smith promotes the Presidential Innovation Fellows program, which was established in 2012 to bring top innovators into government to wrestle with issues at the intersection of policy, technology and government process. In addition, she works with the nation’s Digital Service, which encourages tech professionals with cutting-edge skills to join forces with the government to solve difficult problems. “The idea is to bring the best of the digital world into the government sector,” Smith said. Smith says those “tours of duty” are critical to the future as the federal government works to harness the technological innovation that has made companies such as Amazon and Apple world leaders. For tech workers, whose talents are sometimes used to harness amazing technology that allows us to rant or post cute cat videos that can be seen across the globe, it is an opportunity to bring vital skills to some of the most consequential problems facing society: poverty, the delivery of health care services, improving education. “These are some of the hardest problems around,” Smith said. “These are huge agencies, and these are amazing challenges. They are really incredible projects to be a part of.” Those challenges are part of what brought Smith to Washing-
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As Smith became more deeply steeped in technology, earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees at MIT, she became more concerned with using her skills to help people. Working at the White House is just another step in that progression. Part of her mission is to have more minorities and women consider STEM careers. As it stands, women account for about 58 percent of four-year college graduates. They get better grades than men, on average, and are more apt than men to volunteer and do other things that are seen as advantageous to building careers. But they lag when it comes to landing technology jobs. Smith sees that disconnect as a reflection of a culture that subtly discourages women—as well as blacks and Hispanics—from tech jobs. Few are depicted doing STEM jobs in television shows and movies. Also, unlike many men, women tend to underestimate their abilities. Studies have found that if, for example, a job posting calls for 10 skills, many women would refrain from applying if they perceive themselves as having just seven, Smith said, while men are likely to apply if they have just three. Also, processes such as earning tenure at colleges and universities are stacked against women, as some of the most crucial times coincide with women’s childbearing years. Despite all that, Smith notes, things are changing. Wherever she goes, she encourages women in technology to cling to their dreams and to experiment with things that they like. They should volunteer and take entry-level jobs in college— anything that will expose them to the wonders of the tech sector. “The most important thing is to stick with it,” Smith said. “Ask for help when you need it. Work in teams. And just do not give up.” By Michael A. Fletcher mflecher@ccgmag.com
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CAREER VOICES
Elder Care: Pulling a Double Shift Planning Is Essential for Future Caregivers
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Patricia Ann Rencher kicked off her seminar by giving attendees a hint about their futures: that at about age 50, their roles as caregivers would probably begin—whether they were prepared or not. And her presentation was all about how to prepare for these responsibilities, especially for women—because 60 percent of caregivers are women. The pressures of being the family caregiver can take their toll quickly on today’s businesswomen. As the U.S. population continues to age and the number of employee caregivers grows, eldercare issues will continue to affect worker productivity. Emotional burnout, stress, and grief will reduce the productivity, creativity, and overall performance of the caregiver. One way to minimize caregiver burnout is knowing how to prepare for the inevitable decline of a parent or elderly relative. Rencher, publisher of Urban Aging News, has served as a board member, for the Michigan State Advisory Council on Aging (2015-2018), commissioner, of the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging (2012– 2015), and the Detroit Ambassador to the Greater Michigan Alzheimer’s Association. She is ultimately concerned with people aging with dignity and choice, and giving adult children caregivers the information they need to help their parents make the best choices—before dire circumstances force hasty decisions. Urban Aging News advises older adults, their adult children, caregivers and even service providers, about lowcost services, many of which are offered nationwide because area agencies on aging are a result of the Older Americans Act that mandates that aging network services be available throughout the country. Through her newspaper, she wants to get adult children and their parents thinking about how to care for parents before a crisis. And that’s the key: most families don’t have a plan in place.
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“Mom, what would happen in the event that you became infirmed or incapacitated? What do you want?” She related her own story of how she and her sister were suddenly cast as caregivers of her parents, and how they handled it. Her mom died first, leaving her dad in his own home, which she says is the direction of care these days, rather than a rush to a nursing home. And there’s a network of caregivers that can make it possible for elderly parents to remain in their homes longer. But you’ve got to know where to look for the support services, and that begins with local councils on the aging and, perhaps later, with “underground” networks of caregivers, who are largely recommended through referrals. Begin the Conversation Rencher says you can begin a conversation like this:
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“Mom, what would happen in the event that you became infirmed or incapacitated? What do you want?” She recalls that she and her father sat down to write his entire funeral service. “I knew he wanted a funeral, and I knew my mother did not. And so there was no way I could not have a funeral for him,” she said. This was one more step Rencher took ahead of time that made one decision clear in an otherwise tumultuous time. So Rencher advocates planning—having discussion after discussion, if that’s what it takes—to determine what the best outcome is for an aging parent. Do you want to make plans for parents to remain in their homes? Consult an elder care attorney to see how that’s financially feasible. And when it comes to your range of caregiving options, know your sources. Good sources can be physicians. Rencher advocates attending doctor’s appointments with Mom and Dad to see if the physician is adept at handling geriatric issues—such as diagnosing dementia—rather than saying, “Well, I see old age has crept up on you.” Di-
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agnosing dementia or Alzheimer’s gives caregivers the opportunity to go to the Alzheimer’s Association or their local council on aging to get support for a parent. “You need to call the Alzheimer’s Association because they have this service, whereby they will provide respite for caregivers. They provide adult day centers. They’re excellent, and the issue that we’re having in Detroit is—and the Alzheimer’s Association knows this because we’re sitting down and having some discussions—we haven’t gotten enough of this information out into Detroit for Detroit.” So the services are there if you know how to find them and if your parent qualifies. To her audience of largely young professionals, she spoke earnestly. “You’re still in the workforce, so you’re going have to utilize some of these services because A) you work and B) because you cannot be overwhelmed and because what good are you to your loved ones if you’re burned out?” Today, caregiver support is even offered by phone and online. By Lango Deen ldeen@ccgmag.com
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TAKE
CORPORATE LIFE 6
Sonya Sepahban
6 Keys to Good Teamwork Last fall, Sonya Sepahban, winner of the 2012 Women of Color Technologist of the Year Award, was a guest on the Women of Color Webinar series. The trilingual daughter of immigrant parents who grew up on three continents thrilled the audience with stories from her three decades of experience in building aircraft and manned space and satellite systems.
KEYS TO GOOD TEAMWORK Keep a Problem-solving Attitude
Practice Open Communication
Nurture Mutual Respect
Leverage Sharing
Show Commitment
Have Trust
Sepahban recently retired as SVP, Engineering Development and Technology, General Dynamics Land Systems—the first woman to be appointed to such a senior executive position in the history of the company. During her 30-year professional career in aircraft, satellite systems, and manned and unmanned space systems at Northrop Grumman, the NASA Johnson Space Center, Lockheed Martin and a French aerospace company, Sepahban said she learned how to be a good team player by using six keys to success. As far as being a team player, look no further than sports organizations, bands, the government or industry, Sepahban said. SHOW COMMITMENT
SONYA SEPAHBAN Retired SVP, Engineering Development and Technology General Dynamics Land Systems
“Regardless of which area you’re in, it’s proven that an effective team is what makes an organization,” Sepahban said. “No one individual can carry the day. Commitment has to be displayed in a shared objective—what’s really best for the team.” HAVE TRUST In addition, there has to be trust, Sepahban said. “Sometimes people trust, but are a little unsure; they don’t put everything on the table. So even though there may be
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trust, it takes away from the effectiveness of a team,” she added. PRACTICE OPEN COMMUNICATION Open, transparent communication is always good, Sepahban said, but she had learned the hard way that communication is contextual. “Always saying what’s on your mind is not necessarily effective communication,” she explained. “But if you are committed to the team, to mutual respect, in order to solve problems, that can be a guide.” Sepahban said it’s always wise to ask yourself, “Is it helpful to the team or just getting it off my chest?” In some instances, choosing to communicate privately means people can better hear you, she advised. FOSTER MUTUAL RESPECT Commitment, trust, and open communication are great keys for success, but they aren’t all you need to get by. “Sometimes you have the first three, but if people don’t display mutual respect in their dealings with each other, then the team can suffer,” Sepahban noted. A problem-solving attitude is just as vital to success. KEEP A PROBLEM-SOLVING ATTITUDE “Any team, any organization, any endeavor is like life itself with ups and downs,” Sepahban said. “There are bound to be issues of disagreement. But commitment to the same objectives—meaning we all trust each other while communicating openly with mutual respect—helps problem solving,” she said. LEVERAGE SHARING Long before sharing became profitable with Airbnb, Lyft, Uber, and Zaarly, there was “old-school” sharing in families and between friends. “As women, we’re used to taking it all on, but when we think about what we need to get done at home and at work, sharing responsibility means a level of letting go you have to get comfortable with,” Sepahban explained. Sepahban says embracing “sharing” helps with the successful integration of work and life.
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“Always saying what’s on your mind is not necessarily effective communication,...But if you are committed to the team, to mutual respect, in order to solve problems, that can be a guide.” Sonya Sepahban, retired SVP, Engineering Development and Technology, General Dynamics Land Systems
“Leveraging that to our benefit means setting priorities, sharing responsibilities,” Sepahban added. A single mother for much of her working life, Sepahban said she made sure to prioritize work–life tasks. “It was important to ask my mother and my son,” she said. Sepahban’s son is now a Cornell University graduate, and her mother, Faye, 78, integrated family life and her work as a visual artist for decades. Ten years ago, when Sepahban’s mother started writing her book, “One World Portraits of Diversity,” she asked for her daughter’s help. “I became her project partner, and we went out looking for the right publisher,” Sepahban said. “Last September, we had the book launch. But it took work— publisher, marketing, handling the proceeds. I invited my boss to come to the event.” Unbeknownst to Sepahban, there was a corporate event that same weekend, and her boss had planned to take her along. “It was quite an honor,” she said, “but my priority was to launch the book, so I shared that with my boss,” she said. He was quite amazed at how much she had accomplished and wondered how she had found time to do it all. Along the way, “I had to make priority calls,” Sepahban said. “My work didn’t suffer; apparently, I made the right ones.”
Lango Deen Ldeen@ccgmag.com
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CAREER OUTLOOK Industry Overview
2015 WOMEN OF COLOR TECH ALL-STARS &
RISING STARS
Luncheon Award Reception at the 2015 Women of Color STEM Conference.
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Employees from Lowe’s Companies, Inc. meet Monica Emerson, national chairperson of the Women of Color STEM Conference, at the 2015 Women of Color STEM Conference Technology Recognition Luncheon.
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WOC 2015
uisition Lisa Weathersby, talent acq panies, Inc. Com e’s Low er, nag ma operations y log hno Tec the and [TKTK] at Recognition Luncheon
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CAREER OUTLOOK Industry Overview
Women of Color All-Stars and Rising Stars from automaker FCA US LLC (formerly known as Chrysler) at the Monica Emerson, national chair Recognition of the Women of Luncheon Color STEM Technology Conference, poses with certificate winners at the Women of Color STEM Conference.
Ann Marr, vice president, Human Resources, World Wide Technology Inc., makes remarks at the 2015 WOC STEM Technology Recognition Luncheon.
Irene M. Dimitry, vice president, Business Planning & Development, DTE Energy, speaks at the Technology Recognition Luncheon.
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Gordon Stein, vice pre sident of Stryker & Specialt y Wheeled Vehicles, General Dy namics Land Systems
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WOC 2015
A panelist makes a point on executive leadership at the Women of Color Stem Conference Breakfast with Leaders event.
y, entar Elem d le an midd hool sc high hare nts s heir e d u t s ut t s abo TEM. e i r o t s S st in intere 2012 Technologist of the Year Sonya Sepahban, a retired General Dynamics executive, and Prairie View A&M University Engineering Dean Dr. Kendall Harris emceed the 2015 Technology Leadership Luncheon.
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