Dear Women & Hi Tech Members, Sponsors, Partners, and Friends:

As we are nearing the end of the first month of this new year, Women & Hi Tech, like so many of us, has intentionally and thoughtfully reflected on the many accomplishments of our organization and has established goals for 2020 to support our mission and increase our impact to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

This year, Women & Hi Tech resolves to continue to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM and ensure it is an integral part of Women & Hi Tech’s future fabric.  Programming like our "Special Edition" Executive Women's Forum Part II - A Double Whammy or Triple Threat: The Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM taking place on February 5, 2020, a 2-day diversity training for our full Board of Directors, and the introduction of two new Leading Light Awards honoring our male allies and our diversity and equity champions are real actions to support Women & Hi Tech’s dedication to an inclusive Indiana STEM community.  We will also find new opportunities and improve prior strategies to expand our reach to serve more diverse professional women in STEM, to support more diverse collegiate and high school girls pursuing STEM in Indiana, and to inspire and expose more diverse young girls to the world of STEM and all it has to offer, through partnerships, collaborations, and inclusive Women & Hi Tech programming and events.

In reaching these goals, Women and Hi Tech will continue to grow and thrive, as it has over the last 20 years, because of the passion, dedication, and enthusiasm of our members. Our members are STEM professionals that commit their time, talents and expertise to improve the organization.  In doing so, Women & Hi Tech continues to increase its impact and capacity to promote, advance, inspire, and champion more women and girls interested in STEM in Indiana each year. As a small token of our appreciation of our members, and new this year, Women & Hi Tech is delighted to introduce a member profile in each monthly edition of “Grown in STEM.”

As in previous editions of “Grown from STEM” that highlighted the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors and Emeritus, profiles in ongoing editions will also highlight the STEM journey of many of our members and what fuels their engagement with Women & Hi Tech.  There are innumerous choices and opportunities in the fields of STEM, and our Women & Hi Tech members have chosen careers in a wide array of STEM disciplines that will continue to offer us all amazing learning opportunities.  Great benefit may be derived in learning about the often unconventional paths our members have taken to or through their careers in STEM, the challenges they have overcome, and the victories and accomplishments they have achieved.  We are blessed beyond measure to have the invaluable resource of so many amazing women STEM professionals and leaders to support and mentor one another. 

In this 13th edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce you to our board member, Lauryn Andrews, and our member, Yolanda Ward-Jones, both of whom are in the field of technology although they have had very different paths. Lauryn is Women & Hi Tech’s Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs) Director who began her career in academia, but recently, took on a role in tech.  Yolanda Ward-Jones is Women & Hi Tech’s 2019 volunteer of the year.  We invite you to learn more about Lauryn’s new career and Yolanda’s tenured career in technology, and how both have found Women & Hi Tech as a home to fuel their passions and enthusiasm to help more women ascend to STEM leadership roles here in Indiana.

Cheers to an amazing 2020!

Kind Regards,

Rebecca Bormann
Women & Hi Tech President-Elect
presidentelect@womenandhitech.org