Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce Andrea Morehead, the seven-time Emmy Award-winning anchor for WTHR Channel 13 Eyewitness News, will be emceeing the Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs) on October 1, 2020 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. This signature, biennial event by Women & Hi Tech focuses on celebrating Indiana women in STEM - women who are risk-takers, leaders, educators, mentors, and those who are changing our local STEM landscape. During this 20th Anniversary of the first Leading Light Awards – originally the Spotlight Awards - and the incorporation of the organization, Women & Hi Tech will also award at least $20,000 of scholarships and grants to women in Indiana pursuing STEM fields through its #LLA20for20 campaign. In addition, and new this year at the 2020 LLAs, Women & Hi Tech will honor our male allies, as well as our diversity, equity, and inclusion champions.

Prior to the 2020 Women & Hi Tech Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala, Ms. Morehead has field-anchored major events, including the 2009 Inauguration of President Barack Obama, the 2002 Final Four in Atlanta, the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the 2000 NBA Championships in Los Angeles, and the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Throughout her esteemed career, Ms. Morehead has also worked as a production intern, reporter, assistant producer, and assignment editor for television stations all across the country. Ms. Morehead earned her B.A. in Communications/Journalism graduating summa cum laude from Howard University and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, IN.

Women & Hi Tech is thrilled to have Ms. Morehead’s engagement and support of the 2020 Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala as we celebrate female STEM leaders, and the benefits and advantages of “equity and inclusion” on the robust pipeline of talent in the Indiana STEM community. The mission of Women & Hi Tech is to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.  

About Andrea Morehead:
Ms. Morehead came to WTHR from WOOD TV-8 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she anchored the evening and weekend newscasts. Prior to her stint at WOOD, Andrea worked for WXIN in Indianapolis. Ms. Morehead began her television career as a Production Intern at Koppel Communications in Washington DC where she researched topics and aided producers in developing "The Koppel Report" for Capital Cities/ABC. Later, Ms. Morehead switched gears and worked as a Management Council Law Clerk for the National Football League in New York. Ms. Morehead was also a reporter/anchor for the weekday evening newscast with WGMC TV in Worchester, Massachusetts.

A Hoosier native from Anderson, Indiana, Ms. Morehead knows the Central Indiana community well, and is also actively involved in numerous philanthropic organizations, including The R.E.D. (Reaching to End Disparities) Alliance, the Community Health Foundation’s Giving Gig, Cancer Support Community’s Laughing Matters, and the Susan G. Komen Central Indiana Race for the Cure. Notably, publicly, and proudly, Ms. Morehead fought and won her triple negative breast cancer battle, “ringing the bell” on December 13, 2018. Ms. Morehead is also married to Archibald Allen, and they have a teenage son, Ean.

About Women & Hi Tech:
Women & Hi Tech is a 501(c)3 charitable organization founded in Indianapolis in 1999 by Eli Lilly scientist, Joyce Gustafson, and Indiana University academic, Georgia Miller. Over the last two decades, Women & Hi Tech has blazed a trail for supporting, recognizing, and advancing outstanding women and girls pursuing STEM fields in Indiana. In that time, Women & Hi Tech has become a pillar of the local STEM community through its educational, professional development, recognition, mentoring, and networking programs, which provide valuable resources to champion collegiate and career women, along with STEM exposure opportunities for K-12 girls. A membership of almost 2000 professionals and students operated by an all-volunteer working Board of Directors and Emeritus, Women & Hi Tech is the only non-profit organization founded and focused in Indiana that is dedicated to changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

Sponsorships of Women & Hi Tech and/or the 2020 LLAs:
Women & Hi Tech has several sponsorship opportunities, including becoming a corporate, collegiate, or non-profit sponsor of the organization. Alternatively or additionally, there are multiple opportunities to support a portion of the 2020 Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala event, as a Signature, Table, Candy, Bar, or Scholarship sponsor. With an expected attendance of over 700 guests, the 2020 LLAs is an outstanding opportunity for your organization to gain, maintain, and/or enhance brand recognition as an Indiana STEM trailblazer, to meet and/or connect with Indiana’s other leading STEM companies, organizations, and professionals, and to celebrate and inspire your employees, clients, or customers. Click HERE to review the 2020 Leading Light Awards sponsorship opportunities and/or email Women & Hi Tech Corporate Engagement Director, Joy Neely, at corpsponsor@womenandhitech.org for more information about sponsorship.