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MAY 1, 2025 PRESENTED BY
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Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors consists of a group of dedicated community leaders, who provide strategic oversight, ensure fiscal responsibility, and advance our mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Their strategic governance promotes and supports critical programs and services across our service geography on an annual basis.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Ella Zheng, President Co-Managing Partner, Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP
Denise Johnson, Vice President (Retired) Northern California Executive Director, Care Coordination, Kaiser Permanente
Carol Dixon, Secretary Chief People Officer, Overland Tandberg
Janet Nasburg, Treasurer (Retired) Vice President, Enterprise Risk Officer, Salesforce Inc.
Tracy Wingrove, Past President Account Executive, HollandParlette; Founder, Wingrove Strategies
MEMBERS AT LARGE
Maureen De Nieva-Marsh Director, Community School Partnerships, Community Action Marin
Erica Demster Executive Consultant, Enterprise Business Services, Kaiser Permanente
Mary Morris Architect/Planner
Monika Thakur Vice President SaaS Engineering, Oracle
DIRECTORS
Jamie Arreola Owner and Director, Jamie Activates
Karen Ashley Vice President of Business Development, Cisco
Gea Carr Realtor, Coldwell Banker Realty
Laurie Deaton (Retired) Co-Founder and Managing Partner, AlphaSignal LLC
Ann Hosein (Retired) Integration CFO
Lily Liu
Social Sector Consultant, Redstone Strategy Group
Kate Morris Senior Director of People Business Partners, Gong
Susan Walsh (Retired) Urban Planner, City of San Jose
Barbara Wakefield (Retired) IT Executive, HP
Anne Woo Program Director, Lockheed Martin
Victoria Yang Business Analyst, Mckinsey & Company
NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE
KARI CORDERO, Executive Director, Napa Solano Sane Sart
NOMINATED BY Lisa Lewis Javar, Resource- Funding Coordinator, Napa Solano Sane Sart
Kari Cordero is an Air Force veteran and Executive Director of SANE-SART, where she champions access to forensic and mental health services for survivors of violence across four counties (fueled by caffeine and purpose). She’s picked up a few awards along the way, but her greatest honor is leading an unstoppable team of examiners and advocates. At home, she’s married to an amazing man, and together they navigate the world of seven children who keep things lively and never boring.
KATHY HOVSMITH, Director of Marketing & Communications, Bowman School
NOMINATED BY Mary Beth Ricks, Head of School, Bowman School
Kathy Hovsmith is the Director of Marketing & Communications for Bowman School, a private nonprofit in Palo Alto, CA. Bowman is a state leader as the only Montessori school in California accredited to serve Preschool through Grade 12. Kathy’s marketing career has spanned the Fortune 500 (Apple, BankAmerica) and Silicon Valley tech start-ups. She enjoys supporting exceptional organizations that are innovative gamechangers. Most recently, Kathy led marketing for Vivensity, an award-winning EdTech start-up, enhancing adolescent wellness and life skills through SEL.
DR.
LENA MILLER, Chief Executive Officer, Urban Alchemy
NOMINATED BY Ilise Angel, Senior Associate, Rise Strategy Group
Dr. Lena Miller, who holds a Doctorate in Psychology from the University of San Francisco, is a visionary leader and founder of Urban Alchemy, a nonprofit addressing homelessness, addiction, and mental illness through trauma-informed, humancentered care. She leads one of the largest community-based public safety programs in the U.S., operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Portland, and Birmingham. Grounded in her academic and activist background, Dr. Miller is redefining public safety by helping cities heal and transform their most vulnerable communities.
NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE
SUZANNE ST. JOHN CRANE, Chief Executive Officer, American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley
NOMINATED BY Heather Rangel, Chair of the Board, American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley
Suzanne St. John-Crane has been a non-profit CEO for twenty-four years, serving as founding Executive Director of two television stations including CreaTV San Jose, and CEO of American Leadership Forum, a network of 800 leaders. In 2025, she launched St. Crane Strategies to help advance the work of organizations, including Levitt Pavillion San Jose. She is the recipient of dozens of regional and national awards for programs she’s produced and was named a Silicon Valley Women of Influence in 2012.
ANN WATTS, Executive Director, Starting Arts
NOMINATED BY Tracy Wingrove, Account Executive at HollandParlette and Founder at Wingrove Strategies
Ann Watts, Founder and Executive Director of Starting Arts, has dedicated over two decades to making arts education accessible to Bay Area students. A former professional dancer and educator, she champions the arts as a tool for elevating marginalized youth, inspiring civic engagement, and fostering resilience.
PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
DEANNA W. DUDLEY, JD, MBA, Chief Human Resources Officer, El Camino Health
NOMINATED BY Christopher Brown, Director, Strategic Communications, El Camino Health
Deanna W. Dudley is the chief human resources officer (CHRO) for El Camino Health, an integrated healthcare delivery system. As CHRO, she serves as a strategic business partner to El Camino Health’s executive team, and she is responsible for human capital management. Her areas of focus include employee and labor relations; inclusion and belonging; talent acquisition; talent development; succession management; benefits and compensation, and employee health. Deanna reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer. Deanna earned her law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law, her master’s degree from Saint Mary’s College of California, and her bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. Deanna is the president-elect for the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Alameda, and she is a Board member for Concern Health.
COLLEEN JOHNSON, MPA-HSA, Senior Director, Community Health & Partnership, Stanford Health Care
NOMINATED BY Sharan Sidhu, MPH, Program Manager, Community Health & Partnerships, Stanford Health Care
With nearly 20 years of community health improvement and hospital community benefit experience, Colleen is passionate about building opportunities for communities to achieve their greatest health. With a deep understanding of public health, Colleen leads community-engaged efforts that address barriers to health care access and drive health-related social needs. Colleen has proven success developing and implementing community health best practices. Outside of work, she can be found enjoying sunshine and sea breeze with her family.
PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
MICHELLE LONAKER-LAVINE,
Executive Director, Heffernan Foundation
NOMINATED BY Janice Berthold, Executive Vice President, Heffernan Insurance Brokers
Michelle Lonaker-Lavine holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Health from San Jose State University. Her passion for community service was ignited as a Gold Award Recipient with the Girl Scouts. Since 2001, she has excelled at Heffernan Insurance Brokers, where she integrates philanthropy, wellness, and corporate events. Beyond her professional life, Michelle enjoys fitness, wellness, volunteering, and exploring new destinations through travel.
TANYA MONIZ-WITTEN, President, San Jose Water
NOMINATED BY Liann Walborsky, Director of Corporate Communications, San Jose Water
A seasoned professional with over 20 years in the utility space, Tanya Moniz-Witten is president of San Jose Water. In this role, she is responsible for driving strategy, operational excellence, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Tanya spent the bulk of her career in the electric utility industry, working for PG&E among others. As a Bay Area native, Tanya understands the balance required to deliver life-sustaining water along with how critical it is to be a good steward of the environment.
JEAN SUD, Managing Director, Enterprise Strategy, Stanford Medicine
NOMINATED BY Priya Singh, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Stanford Medicine
Jean Sud facilitates the strategic planning process for Stanford Medicine and leads strategic projects. Since joining Stanford Medicine in 2015, she has played a role in driving several key organizational efforts, such as the Integrated Strategic Plan, the Innovative Medicines Accelerator, and the SHC-Tri-Valley strategic plan, and Reimagining Cancer Innovation and Care. She has over 20 years of experience in healthcare strategy, policy, and communications. She was also involved in state health policy issues in Massachusetts through positions in various organizations spanning government, consumer advocacy, and insurance. Jean holds a Master of Science in health policy and management from the Harvard School of Public Health.
PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE
EKUA NAYENA TAYLOR WALKER, PNP-C, Pediatric Development & Behavior Nurse Practitioner, Innovations & Geographic Wellness Leader, Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group
NOMINATED BY Kurt VandeVort, MD Chief Executive Officer, Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group
Ekua Walker, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) specializes in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, is an Innovations leader and Alameda Division Wellness Leader for Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group. She treats children with neurodevelopmental conditions and creates innovative, interdisciplinary solutions for improved access and health outcomes. Ekua is an advocate for children’s mental health through launching the Multidisciplinary Assessment Clinic, Autism Parents Advocates program and ADHD Shared Medical Appointments where she collaborated with neuropsychology to train pediatricians and NPs who now offer it to hundreds of families.
WALK TO END VIOLENCE
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Join YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley for their annual Walk a Mile in Their Shoes to raise awareness about sexual assault and domestic violence. Funds raised through the walk help YWCA provide life-saving support services for survivors.
SUPPORTING AND MENTORING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
NATHALIE BARACALDO, PHD, Senior Research Scientist, Master Inventor, IBM NOMINATED BY Heiko Ludwig, Senior Manager, AI Platforms, IBM
Nathalie Baracaldo is a Senior Research Scientist, technical lead and Master Inventor at IBM Research. She specializes in AI, security, privacy and safety. Her expertise expands multiple topics including the safety and security of large language models, federated learning and adversarial machine learning. Nathalie’s research has been published in top venues with several best paper awards. She has over 5670 citations, 18 patents and has published a book. Nathalie received her PhD degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2016.
TIJANA MARTINOVIC
BRIEN, Partner, Cooley NOMINATED BY Amanda Main, Partner, Cooley
Tijana Brien is a Partner in Cooley LLP’s Securities Litigation and Business Litigation groups. She has substantial experience in a wide range of disputes in federal and state courts, including contract disputes, securities class actions, and shareholder derivative litigation. Tijana’s clients include individuals, venture capital firms, early-stage startups and publicly traded companies in various industries, including life sciences and technology. She also maintains a robust pro bono practice focusing primarily on immigration, criminal defense and environmental protection matters.
SHEILA HATCH, President and Creative Director, Decca Design NOMINATED BY Regina Damore, VP, Operations, Decca Designs
Sheila Hatch is a visionary leader committed to mentorship, diversity, and community. As the Creative Director and President of Decca Design, Sheila leads the company’s growth and strategy. Under her guidance, Decca has flourished, serving a diverse clientele including Fortune 500 corporations, innovative startups and nonprofits. Decca is ranked in the top 25 Women Owned Businesses and top 10 Advertising Agencies in Silicon Valley. She holds a BA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Santa Clara University. 2025
SUPPORTING AND MENTORING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
ELAINE C HE, R&D Engineering Sr. Director, Synopsys
NOMINATED BY Herve Menager, Vice President, R&D Engineering, Synopsys
Elaine He is a Senior Director in the IP Group at Synopsys Inc., leading a global and diverse engineering and project management team to develop high-performance interface IPs, test chips, and subsystems (e.g., PCIe, DDR, USB, HDMI, MIPI etc.) on advanced process nodes, working with industry leading foundries. Elaine’s leadership drives innovation, optimizing design methodologies for next-generation semiconductor solutions. Beyond her technical contributions, Elaine is a dedicated mentor, committed to developing young professionals and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and broader tech community.
CLAIRE HOCKIN, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Splunk a Cisco Company
NOMINATED BY Gary Steele, Cisco President (Go To Market) & General Manager, Cisco
Claire is Chief Marketing Officer at Splunk, a Cisco company. With over 25 years’ experience she brings both a global mindset as well as deep local knowledge. Claire is a committed advocate for inclusion and belonging, serving as Executive Sponsor of Splunk’s Black Employees Achieve More at Splunk (BEAMS) community, being an early champion for mentoring via Splunk’s first Building Bridges career development program, and as a dedicated volunteer organizing Splunk’s biggest ‘Global Volunteering Day’ across 10 international locations to deliver 1000+ volunteering hours in just one day.
WEITI LI, Managing Director – Applied Global Services (AGS), Applied Materials Inc. NOMINATED BY Brian Tan, Corporate VP - Applied Global Services (AGS), Applied Materials
With 30 years of experience at Applied Materials, Weiti Li is recognized as a seasoned business leader and senior advisor. Her dedication to identifying and developing talent is evident through her commitment to supporting, mentoring, and empowering young professionals and emerging leaders. Weiti has consistently fostered a safe and progressive work environment built on mutual trust and respect while delivering world-class performance. Since 2023, she has been spearheading the Culture of Inclusion program for the Applied Global Services team, impacting over 6,000 employees across six regions. Previously, she led the Field Service Team, managing over 1,000 employees in customer support, where she played a crucial role in expanding Applied’s service business and ensuring customer success.
SUPPORTING AND MENTORING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
GRACE LIU, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Seagate Technology
NOMINATED BY Fernanda Lima, DEI Leader, Seagate Technology
Grace began her career in consulting, initially working at Accenture and then moving to PricewaterhouseCoopers, which was later acquired by IBM Business Consulting Services. After 13 years in consulting, she transitioned to SanDisk Corporation, where she steadily advanced in leadership roles until she became the head of Applications and Business Intelligence. Grace subsequently served as Chief Information Officer at Katerra before joining Seagate Technology in 2018 as Vice President of Business Applications and IT Strategy. She was promoted to Senior Vice President of IT and appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer in January 2023.
SHIRLEY LU, Senior Director, R&D Engineering, Synopsys
NOMINATED BY PV Srinivas, Executive Director, Synopsys
Shirley leads Research and Development at Synopsys, specializing in advanced node library modeling software for electronic design automation tools. As Chair of the Liberty Technical Advisory Board, she collaborates with leaders in semiconductor and EDA industry to shape the Liberty library modeling standard. With more than 30 years of experience in the high-tech sector, she champions diverse perspectives, mentors emerging talent, and fosters a growth mindset.
JESSICA
MIGAKI, PHARM.D., Director, Pharmacy Care Delivery, Acute Care Pharmacy, Kaiser Permanente South Bay and Central Coast
NOMINATED BY Amy Aken, Sr. Public Affairs Representative, Kaiser Permanente South Bay and Central Coast
Jessica is an experienced Director of Pharmacy with a history of working in the healthcare industry for over 30 years. She works collaboratively with members of the medical team to ensure the highest quality and safety for her patients. She’s a strong advocate for mentoring the next generation, hoping to inspire them in seeking a future in the healthcare industry. She is compassionate in her approach and never loses sight of Kaiser Permanente’s mission or the needs of our community. 2025
SUPPORTING AND MENTORING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
ALICE MIYAI, Sr Director of Business Operations, NVIDIA
NOMINATED BY Jay Puri, VP of Worldwide Field Operations, NVIDIA
Alice Miyai is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in sales and business operations, driving strategic growth and operational excellence. In addition to her corporate expertise, she has a background in education as a teacher and tutor, reflecting her deep commitment to learning and mentorship. Passionate about making a meaningful impact, Alice leverages her diverse skill set to foster innovation, empower others, and contribute to the greater good.
TERI NISSEN, Director, Technical Program Management, Applied Materials
NOMINATED BY Dennis McHaffie, VP Business Operations, Applied Materials
Teri works across the Applied Materials to identify opportunities and execute projects to improve gross margin. She has dedicated more than two decades volunteering, developing and mentoring in the areas of sports, arts, science and other opportunities, elementary to graduate school. The overarching premise is to provide the student with an opportunity to explore their interests.
KRISTIE TACEY, Owner and Winemaker, Tessier Winery
NOMINATED BY Tanya Stagray, Childhood Friend
Kristie Tacey, Winemaker and Founder of Tessier Winery, is a scientist turned winemaker. A former published research scientist who studied protein pathways, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area from her native Michigan to pursue a career in biotechnology. Kristie eventually came to realize that winemaking was her true calling.
VICKIE WONG, SVP & Chief Accounting Officer, Cisco
NOMINATED BY Scott Herren, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, Cisco
Vickie Wong is a Senior Vice President and the Chief Accounting Officer of Cisco where she oversees global accounting, reporting, and financial controls. Prior to Cisco, Vickie was an audit partner at KPMG specializing in financial services. Vickie brings over 35 years of financial accounting and reporting experience and is recognized for excellence in financial leadership and is active in initiatives that advance women and other underrepresented groups in finance.
SUPPORTING AND MENTORING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
YULAN WANG, Scientist, Synopsys
NOMINATED BY Haroon Chaudhri, Vice President R&D, Synopsys
Yulan Wang has been with Synopsys since 2002. She studied Computer Science at Nanjing University in China and at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Currently, Yulan works as a Scientist at Synopsys, leading IC Validator. Curiosity is her main driving force and has found passion and joy in solving problems. She particularly likes to ‘think extra’ by being creative in finding a solution that is not the first thought to a problem and is out of ordinary.
OCTOBER 1, 2025
11:30 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. Santa Clara Convention Center
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ENSURING EQUITY
CAROLINA CAMARENA, Director of Communications, City of San José
NOMINATED BY Jennifer Maguire, City Manager, City of San José
Carolina Camarena is the Director of Communications for the City of San José, where she leads strategic communications efforts for one of the nation’s largest and most diverse cities. With nearly three decades of experience in public relations, community engagement, and government/public affairs, Carolina is a passionate advocate for transparent, inclusive, and impactful communication. She has successfully advanced equity through language access. In particular, transcreation – using culturally relevant and language-accessible messages and images – is a cornerstone of her career.
HALI FORSTNER, PHD, Vice President and Chief-of-Staff of Applied Global Services, Applied Materials
NOMINATED BY Lisa Garcia, Sr. Director, Communications, Applied Materials
Hali Forster is Vice President and Chief-of-Staff for the Applied Global Services group, where she has shaped the organization’s inclusive leadership program, strategy planning, and communications. Previously, her extensive industry knowledge has driven product development, marketing, and key account management, in Applied’s Semiconductor Products Group. Hali holds a Ph.D. and MS degrees in chemical engineering from the California Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Science degree with Distinction from the University of Calgary. She has published twelve technical papers and holds five patents.
BHAVANI GOPALAKRISHNA RAO, Director of System SW
Engineering, NVIDIA
NOMINATED BY Dwight Diercks, SVP of Software Engineering, NVIDIA
Bhavani leads the development of low latency video streaming technology and SDKs at NVIDIA, which drives Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming and interactive AI/graphics platform. She leads collaborations with partner organizations and technical communities around the globe to advance the state-of-art of low-latency video streaming, which has put GeForce Now in a pioneering position in the industry. Her most rewarding work comes from leveraging multi-dimensional engineering problems as a platform to empower teams to make fulfilling and impactful contributions.
MEI-CHENG HUANG,
Sr. Director of R&D Engineer, Synopsys
NOMINATED BY Jeff Yuan, Senior Director, R&D Engineering, Synopsys
Mei Chang is Senior Director of R&D at Synopsys, where she leads the development of low-power DDR mixed-signal PHY IP. With a strong background in high-speed interface technologies and verification methodology, she oversees global engineering teams focused on delivering next-generation semiconductor solutions. Her work plays a key role in advancing Synopsys’s leadership in the interface IP space, contributing to both product innovation and the technical foundation.
ENSURING EQUITY
SEOW LIM, Head of Product Management - Data Center, NVIDIA
NOMINATED BY Jeff Fisher, SVP of Gaming, NVIDIA
Seow Lim is the Senior Director of Data Center Product Management at NVIDIA, where she leads teams delivering cutting-edge GPU to enable AI innovation. With a career spanning diverse product lines and billion-dollar businesses, she is passionate about fostering diversity and inclusion, achieving a 50:50 gender ratio on her team. A wife of 25 years, proud mom, and Board Member at STEMBoost, Seow is dedicated to expanding STEM education for underprivileged students globally and creating opportunities for future leaders.
JAMILA C. MARTIN MD, MPH, Department Chair, South Bay Allergy/ Immunology, Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group
NOMINATED BY Kurt VandeVort, MD Chief Executive Officer, Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group
Jamila Martin is a board certified adult and pediatric allergy/asthma/immunology specialist. She is Department Chair of South Bay Allergy/Immunology at Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group, where she is also a mentor to new hires and premedical undergraduate students, and serves on the Inclusion and Belonging Committee. She has given organizational talks on the topics of workplace inclusion and belonging, and has been a featured speaker and panelist for medical education forums both domestically and abroad.
SAMI MARITZA MONSUR, AVP, for Academic Business & Strategic Operations, San Jose State University
NOMINATED BY Cynthia Teniente-Matson, President, San Jose State University
Sami Monsur is a certified coach and change management expert who guides higher education leaders to build resilient, impactful teams, unlock their leadership potential, and turn strategy into action. She currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Academic Business & Strategic Operations in the Office of the Provost at San José State University. Sami is a Master Gardener, supports animal rescue and hospice, served as neighborhood association president, and led San Jose’s District 3 Community Leadership Council for two years.
KELLY PETRICH, Director, Community Impact and Inclusive Communities, Cisco
NOMINATED BY Francine Katsoudas, Chief People, Policy and Purpose Officer, Cisco
Kelly Petrich leads Cisco’s global Community Impact and Inclusive Community efforts, empowering employees to drive change through giving, volunteering, and 30+ Employee Resource Groups. With 20+ years of experience spanning tech, government, and nonprofits—including roles at SanDisk and Saatchi & Saatchi —she is a champion of data-driven, inclusive impact. Kelly lives in the Bay Area with her husband, two daughters, and their dog, Tofu.
ENSURING EQUITY
SUJA VISWESAN, Vice President - Security and Runtime Products, IBM
NOMINATED BY Dinesh Nirmal, Senior Vice President, Software Products, IBM
Suja Viswesan is the Vice President for cybersecurity and Java runtime products at IBM. Suja has held various engineering leadership roles at IBM, LinkedIn, and WarnerMedia. Suja’s passion for helping the underprivileged shines through her involvement as a board member of the SF Bay Area chapter of Pratham, an educational charity organization. When she is not working, she is either cooking, hanging out with friends/family, or hiking with her fellow women in technology at one of the Bay Area trails.
SARAH TARIQ, VP Autonomous Vehicles, NVIDIA
NOMINATED BY Xinzhou Wu, VP of Automotive, NVIDIA
As VP of autonomous driving, Sarah guides a team of over 800 people on NVIDIA’s automotive team, working to create best-in-class autonomous driving software solutions for the future of safe mobility. The work accomplished by Sarah and her team is enabling self-driving technology that can increase road safety, ease commutes, reduce road congestion and carbon emissions, and extend the freedom of mobility to all. Key to her efforts is the development of a full software autonomous vehicle stack, which couples state-of-the-art AI with industry-certified safety technologies.
YOMI
SACHIKO YOUNG, Director, Civil Rights Compliance, Sutter Health
NOMINATED BY Chantel Johnson, Vice President, Ambulatory Operations, Sutter Health
Yomi Sachiko Young is Sutter Health’s Director of Civil Rights Compliance, leading work to ensure nondiscrimination across Sutter’s network of hospitals and clinics. Prior to joining Sutter, Yomi served as Executive Director of the landmark Center for Independent Living in Berkeley and, earlier, worked as a staff writer for the San Jose Mercury News. Yomi is a mother, social justice activist and liberation dreamer who proudly serves on the Board of Directors of the National American Civil Liberties Union.
EMERGING LEADERS
GERALDINE ANGELES, Digital Immersion Associate, NBC Bay Area
NOMINATED BY Liza Catalan, Community Engagement Manager, NBC Bay Area
Geraldine brings 5+ years of marketing experience, specializing in digital strategy and community engagement. Currently, she is enhancing her digital proficiency through a Digital Immersion Program at Telemundo Network. Demonstrating a strong commitment to fostering inclusive environments, Geraldine, alongside her hub leads, spearheaded the revitalization of the local chapter of the Young Professionals Network, an NBCUniversal employee resource group, providing valuable professional development opportunities for early-career professionals. She drives inclusion through her participation in various DEI resource groups and mentorship.
KEERTHANA BHUTHALA, Senior Systems Software Engineer, NVIDIA
NOMINATED BY Dwight Diercks, SVP of Software Engineering, NVIDIA
Keerthana Bhuthala is a Senior Systems Software Engineer at NVIDIA, Santa Clara, driving innovation in safe and secure autonomous driving. With over a decade of experience, she designs and optimizes critical toolchains that ensure the safety and security of NVIDIA’s DRIVE platform. Excelling across diverse domains while delivering high-quality results, she thrives at the intersection of technology and impact. Passionate about mentorship, she empowers future leaders while ensuring NVIDIA’s automotive vision is realized. She enjoys problem-solving and continuously learning to stay ahead in the ever-evolving tech landscape.
NEHA MATHUR, Sr. Manager, Applications Engineering, Synopsys
NOMINATED BY Rick Mahoney, Chief Revenue Officer, Go-to-Market Group, Synopsys
Neha Mathur is a Senior Manager, Applications Engineering with Customer Success Group at Synopsys Inc. She champions the adoption of Synopsys’ flagship EDA tools for marquee clients in the Bay Area. She is the voice of the customer and drives global initiatives and new product adoption. Neha is passionate about mentorship and co-leads mentorship program at Synopsys for STEM grads. She volunteers at Scouting America to promote self-reliance & growth mindset for young girls.
SARAH J. TAKETA, Project Specialist - Chief Sustainability Office, Cisco
NOMINATED BY Francine Katsoudas, Chief People, Policy and Purpose Officer, Cisco
Sarah Taketa is a Project Specialist for Cisco’s Chief Sustainability Office, utilizing her education in Cognitive Science and Organizational Leadership and Management from the University of Southern California to drive AI and operations projects. Her previous roles include People Partner (HRBP) and Mergers & Acquisitions Integration Specialist as part of Cisco’s Emerging Leader Program. As a Korean-Japanese-American woman, Sarah passionately advocates for diverse voices, exemplified by her role as Scholarship Chair for the Ventura County Japanese American Citizens League (VCJACL).
EMERGING LEADERS
STEPHANIE MENESES TCHIKOVANI, Marketing Communications II, Applied
Materials
NOMINATED BY Lisa Garcia, Sr. Director, Marketing Communications, Applied Materials
Stephanie Meneses Tchikovani is a marketing communications professional at Applied Materials, dedicated to fostering connections and amplifying voices. She serves as a board member for the Young Professionals Network (YPN), where she champions mentorship and professional development for early-career employees. She was instrumental in Applied’s Fight Against Hunger campaign, serving as a corporate liason to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley Food Bank. A creative strategist and skilled communicator, Stephanie continues to drive initiatives that strengthen community engagement and corporate impact.
ALLISON YAU, Senior Manager, Process Engineer, Applied Materials
NOMINATED BY Dwayne Lowes, HR Partner, Applied Materials
Allison is a technical leader at Applied Materials who has developed plasma enhanced CVD technologies across multiple dielectric thin film applications. She has built & led cross-functional teams in the development of next generation PECVD reactors & is currently leading a team working on advanced gapfill technologies. She has a PhD in Materials Science & Engineering from Stanford University & has published in leading scientific journals like Science and Nature Communications.
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