Women & Hi Tech News

Women & Hi Tech Announces Call for Applications for Board of Directors Openings

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 22:27:54 GMT

Are you ready to be a catalyst for change in Indiana’s STEM landscape?

Women & Hi Tech is seeking visionary leaders to join our Board of Directors and help steer the future of our mission to make STEM equally inclusive to all. By joining our leadership team, you will play a hands-on role in shaping the programs and initiatives that define our organization – attracting more young girls to careers in STEM, retaining and supporting women throughout their education and professional journeys, and celebrating the achievements of women in STEM.

Women & Hi Tech is currently seeking individuals for the following board positions:

Officer: Secretary (1 opening)

As a vital officer, you will ensure organizational transparency by maintaining meeting records, managing official documentation, and coordinating board communications. This role is essential for tracking our strategic decisions and historical progress in advancing women in STEM.

Officer: Treasurer (1 opening)

Lead the financial governance of Women & Hi Tech, providing the oversight and reporting expertise required to sustain our professional development and outreach programs. You will be a key voice in guiding the strategic allocation of resources that support our entire organizational ecosystem.

Directors (8 openings)

Serve as a vital link between our mission and the community by becoming a Director, where you will leverage your professional network and skills to drive growth. You will collaborate across committees to ensure the success of our programs while helping to steer our long-term vision.

All board members are expected to meet the qualifications, requirements, and obligations outlined in the Women & Hi Tech Board Role Description and Code of Conduct & Conflict of Interest Policy for Members of the Board.

Committee Chairs & Members

To ensure the successful execution of Women & Hi Tech’s mission and strategic plan, every Board Member is required to serve on a minimum of two (2) committees alongside other board members and member volunteers (as a Chair or a board committee member).

See Committee Descriptions Here

We are currently seeking candidates for the open board positions who are interested in serving on the following committees:

Fund Development – Chair and board committee members

Programming – Chair and board committee members

Marketing / Comms /Tech – Chair and board committee members

Education Outreach – Chair and board committee members

Finance Committee – Chair (Treasurer) and board committee members

New board members take office on July 1, 2026. Board Orientation will be conducted in-person in June/July, date to be announced soon.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY!

Applications are due by Thursday, April 9, 2026.

Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Announces 2024 Leading Light Award & Scholarship Recipients

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 13:11:02 GMT

Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Announces 2024 Leading Light Award & Scholarship Recipients

Women & Hi Tech celebrated its 25th anniversary by recognizing over 175 incredible scholarship and award nominees on Oct. 3, 2024, at the Leading Light Awards & Scholarship Gala. Over 600 attendees gathered at the Indiana Roof Ballroom to celebrate these diverse women of excellence and male allies in Indiana’s STEM community.

During the program, emceed by Becky Fouard, Director of US Farm Animal Sales Enablement for Elanco, Women & Hi Tech announced over $60,000 in scholarships and grants to diverse women and girls at all stages of their science, technology, engineering and math careers and recognized 10 Leading Light Award recipients.

“To drive meaningful change and shape the future of Indiana’s STEM landscape, we must unite innovators, educators, and industry leaders with a shared vision,” said Women & Hi Tech President Tiffany Trusty. “Women & Hi Tech is dedicated to fostering a community where young girls are empowered to explore STEM careers through mentorship, hands-on experience, and role models who showcase the endless opportunities available to them.”

Women & Hi Tech is especially honored to share the announcement of the 2024 award and scholarship recipients. Below are the categories and winners.

Leading Light Award Winners

Change the Landscape Award Winner

Linda Calvin, Chief Impact Officer, Reboot Representation.

Outstanding Achievement in STEM Award Winner

Poonam Gill, Operations Support Instructional Designer, MISO.

Outstanding Educator in STEM Award Winner

Joanna Millunchick, Dean, IU Luddy School of Informatics and College of Engineering.

You Inspire Us! Award Winner

Anushree M Bag, AVP, Cybersecurity GRC, Eli Lilly.

Rising Star Award Winner

Yamini Krishnan, Process Development Engineer, Corteva.

Risk Taker Award Winner

Belgin Canturk, Research Scientist, Corteva.

Leadership Award Winner

Rupal Thanawala, CEO/President, Trident Systems.

Mentor Me! Award Winner

Tonya Wallace, Director, Solution Delivery | CEO Gideon VI, Cox Automotive.

OperationAll™ Male Ally Award Winner

Mike Hineline, Chief Executive Officer, Make Ripples LLC.

Equity and Inclusion Champion Award Winner

Lauren Clark, Six Sigma Black Belt, Information Technology, Corteva.

Leading Light Award Scholarship Recipients

Women & Hi Tech Graduate Scholarship Recipient

Hannah Beaven, Doctor of Medicine (MD), Indiana University - Indianapolis.

Women & Hi Tech Undergraduate Scholarship Recipient

Pushpita Saha, Computer Science, DePauw University.

Women & Hi Tech High School Senior Scholarship Recipient

Arianna Magallanes, Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University.

Women & Hi Tech Rare Nickel Scholarship Recipient

Mercy Orukpe Moses, Biological Sciences (Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Disease), Purdue University.

Women & Hi Tech Professional Development Grant Recipient

Amber Clarke, Organizational Change Manager, Simplus.

#InThisTogether Scholarship Recipient

Allie Hopkins, Professional Flight, Purdue University.

SIM Indy Graduate Scholarship Recipient

Amulya Veldandi, MS in Health Informatics, Indiana University - Indianapolis.

SIM Indy Undergraduate Scholarship Recipient

Payton Seay, Computer Science and Software Engineering, Franklin College.

Barnes & Thornburg LLP Corporate or Patent Law Scholarship Recipient

Yirong Shen, JD & MS in Cybersecurity and Risk Management, Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

Girl Scouts of Central Indiana Scholarship Recipient

Madison Akridge, Professional Flight Technology, Purdue University.

Jo Basey Spirit Scholarship Recipient

Mikaili Commissiong, Information Systems, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship & Corporate Innovation, Indiana University - Bloomington.

Sallie Mae Scholarship Recipient

Camille Zoe, Psychology, Butler University.

Central Indiana ISACA Scholarship Recipient

Cassandra Eich, Cybersecurity, Purdue University.

TechPoint Professional Development Grant Recipient

Celia Navarro, Jr Project Manager, Iron Bow Technologies.

Bell Techlogix Scholarship Recipient

Isha Mannan, Biomedical Engineering, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Ivy Tech Community College Scholarship Recipient

Perla Cornejo, Nursing, Ivy Tech Community College - Lawrence.

RB Consulting & Vita Nova Undergraduate Scholarship Recipient

Rebecca Hoff, Biochemistry, Butler University.

Professional Management Enterprises Scholarship Recipient

Adesola Raji, Biochemistry, Purdue University.

Professional Management Enterprises Scholarship Recipient

Emma Parsons, Biomedical Health Sciences, Purdue University.

Career Circle Professional Development Grant Recipient

Andrea Parker, Business Analyst, Managed Health Services.

Women & Hi Tech would like to express gratitude to all of the annual sponsors as well as the Leading Light Awards, Scholarship and Grant Sponsors. We would like to thank our Platinum Sponsor and the Leading Light Awards Signature Sponsor Eli Lilly & Co as well as all of our community partners who provide incredible continued support of Women & Hi Tech’s mission and made our gala possible.

To learn more, visit womenandhitech.org/2024-Leading-Light-Awards.

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About Women & Hi Tech
Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve our goal, we work to connect female STEM professionals with each other and our community in Indiana. Our members and sponsors represent a wide array of STEM fields, including life sciences, accounting, engineering, psychology, statistics, and information technology. They work as engineers, analysts, scientists, business developers, marketers, educators, and more.

Media Contact: Colton Howard, colton@dittoepr.com, 317-518-5553

Women & Hi Tech
133 West Market Street, #220
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2801
WHTInfo@womenandhitech.org

2024 Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala Nominations are Open!

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 13:33:18 GMT

2024 Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala

Nominations are Open!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Indianapolis, IN (January 15, 2024)

On October 3rd, 2024, Women & Hi Tech will host its signature biennial event, the Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs) at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis, IN. During this gala, at least $50,000 in scholarships and grants will be awarded to female-identifying students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) degrees at Indiana colleges and universities. Additionally, 10 outstanding STEM professionals will be recognized across a diverse array of award categories. Scholarship applications and award nominations for this prestigious opportunity are open now!

This year’s LLAs mark Women & Hi Tech’s Silver Jubilee. 25 years ago, the founders of Women & Hi Tech planted a seed to elevate Indiana’s women working or studying in STEM.

“Women & Hi Tech is looking forward to a monumental 2024 Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs), as we celebrate an important milestone for our organization, our 25^th Anniversary,” said Women & Hi Tech President Joy Neely. “We will take time to reflect on the significant progress made in STEM over the past two-plus decades and celebrate the recent achievements of STEM talent in Central Indiana.”

Women & Hi Tech invites qualified parties across Indiana to submit scholarship applications and award nominations until July 1, 2024. Candidates will be evaluated by an independent panel of professionals from across STEM industries and backgrounds.

From high school seniors entering a STEM degree program to women who blaze trails in their careers, the Leading Light Awards has something to offer for all. With an expected attendance of 700 guests, this event is an outstanding opportunity for sponsoring organizations to grow brand recognition as Indiana STEM trailblazers, meet and connect with the Indiana STEM community, and celebrate and inspire employees, clients, and customers.

To make nominations and for information on sponsorship opportunities for the 2024 Leading Light Awards, visit https://womenandhitech.org/2024-Leading-Light-Awards/

About Women & Hi Tech:

Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve our goal, we work to connect female STEM professionals with each other and our community in Indiana. Our members and sponsors represent a wide array of STEM fields, including life sciences, accounting, engineering, psychology, statistics, and information technology. They work as engineers, analysts, scientists, business developers, marketers, educators, and more.

Contact
To learn more about Women & Hi Tech, please contact
Women & Hi Tech
133 West Market Street, #220
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2801
WHTInfo@womenandhitech.org

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Now Accepting Nominations for K-12 Outreach Director

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 12:50:49 GMT

Founded in 1999 in Indianapolis by a female scientist from Eli Lilly and Company and a female academician from Indiana University, Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve our goal, we work to mentor, advance, recognize, and connect female STEM students and professionals with each other and our community in Indiana. Our members and sponsors represent a wide array of STEM fields, including life sciences, accounting, engineering, psychology, statistics, and information technology.

Women & Hi Tech is run by an all-volunteer, working Board of Directors. We are looking for candidates who are actively engaged with the organization, and will bring wisdom, experience, effectiveness, candor, and creative thinking. We are passionate about our organization and the meaningful work we do and are looking for like-minded individuals. We do not take the term “working board” lightly. At any given time, a Director is leading her/his own area of responsibility while also contributing to other areas of the organization, including serving on committees, participating in Women & Hi Tech events, and representing Women & Hi Tech in the community.

We are seeking off-term nominations for our K-12 Outreach Director Position.

All nominations will be reviewed by a board selection committee. Nominees must be Women & Hi Tech members in good standing at the time of initial voting and must remain in good standing throughout their tenure. The elected director will take office on February 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026.

To apply or nominate an individual, please complete the following form by Friday, December 1, 2023.

The role description as well as the relevant policies and requirements are linked below. Please submit your nomination at https://wht.formstack.com/forms/board_of_directors

Save the Date for the 2024 Leading Light Awards! October 3, 2024

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 10:45:14 GMT

Save the Date for Women & Hi Tech’s Leading Light Awards

October 3rd, 2024!

Indianapolis, IN - On October 3rd, 2024, Women & Hi Tech will host its signature biennial event, the Leading Light Awards (LLAs). This prestigious event focuses on celebrating Indiana women, specifically diverse women, in STEM – women who are risk-takers, leaders, educators, mentors, and those who are changing and impacting our local STEM landscape. In addition, Women & Hi Tech will honor one male ally at this exceptional event. During the Leading Light Awards, we will also award scholarships and grants to diverse women in Indiana pursuing degrees and/or continuing their education in STEM fields. Award nominations and scholarship applications are projected to open in January 2024.

The theme of this year’s event will be focused around Women & Hi Tech’s 25th Anniversary celebration. Our silver jubilee will recognize our founders who planted a seed in Indianapolis a quarter of a century ago to elevate and connect women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)!

We invite organizations throughout Indiana to become a sponsor for the 2024 Leading Light Awards. There are several Leading Light Awards (LLA) sponsorship opportunities. This includes supporting a portion of the LLA event such as a Signature, Media, Table, Bar, Treats, and In-Kind Sponsorships. Additionally, there are opportunities to sponsor a scholarship or a grant for professional development.

The 2024 Leading Light Awards, with an expected attendance of around 700 guests, is an outstanding opportunity to gain, maintain, and/or enhance personal or company brand recognition as an Indiana STEM trailblazer, to meet and/or connect with other leading STEM professionals, organizations, and companies in Indiana, and to celebrate and inspire your employees, clients, and customers.

For more information about the Leading Light Awards or to inquire about event sponsorship, please visit https://womenandhitech.org/2024-Leading-Light-Awards/

Kind Regards,
Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors

Two Women & Hi Tech Board Members Nominated for Hope25

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 23:54:44 GMT

Two Women & Hi Tech Board Members Nominated for Hope25

President Maria Alvim Gaston & Executive Women’s Forum Director Linda Calvin To Be Honored August 4 & 5

Indianapolis, IN – Two Women & Hi Tech board members have been selected as Hope25 2023 nominees by Hope Magazine. This year’s Hope25 Empowerment Event will take place August 4^th and 5^th, centered around the theme of “25 Reasons to Keep Your Eyes Forward.” Each honoree is selected in part based on her forward-looking perspective and ability to inspire others.

Maria Alvim Gaston is Women & Hi Tech’s first Latina President, leading our organization in vision, execution of our mission, and day to day operations. Maria was recently honored with a 2023 Latino Legacy Award by the Indiana Latino Institute. She works by day as an Executive Director of the Talent Development Academy for Eli Lilly & Company, helping to recruit the next generation of talent to unite caring with discovery and transform the lives of patients around the world. “I am thankful for this amazing honor and hope to continue to inspire women to HOPE!” said Maria.

Linda Calvin is the Executive Women’s Forum Director of Women & Hi Tech, where she facilitates essential conversations and awareness about the issues facing women in STEM through virtual and in-person events. Linda is also a licensed attorney and keynote speaker through Transcend Consulting. She works by day as the Chief Impact Officer for Reboot Representation, an organization dedicated to doubling the number of Black, Latina and Native American (BLNA) women graduating with computing degrees by 2025. “I’m so flattered to be a Hope Magazine Honoree. It means so much that someone thought to nominate me and recognize the important work I’m doing with community and thought leaders,” said Linda. “Most important for me is that women are seen and celebrated, especially Black, Latina and Native American women. When you see us, you can be us. We need to be visible to other women and young girls to inspire them to keep going!”

Women & Hi Tech is so grateful to have both these amazing women on our Board of Directors to help our own organization keep its eyes forward, focused on our mission, vision, and values.

Congratulations to all 25 amazing nominees, including another longtime Women & Hi Tech volunteer and previous Leading Light Awards grant recipient LaJoi Shelton Robinson.

See all of the Hope 25 nominees and register to attend the celebration of their excellence at https://www.hope25.com/

Women & Hi Tech Announces Call for Board of Directors Nominations

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 12:26:29 GMT

Women & Hi Tech Announces Call for 2023 Board of Directors Nominations

Founded in 1999 in Indianapolis by a female scientist from Eli Lilly & Company and a female academic from Indiana University, Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve our goal, we work to mentor, advance, recognize, and connect female STEM students and professionals with each other and our community in Indiana. Our members and sponsors represent a wide array of STEM fields, including life sciences, accounting, engineering, psychology, statistics, and information technology.

Women & Hi Tech is run by an all-volunteer, working Board of Directors. We are looking for candidates that will bring wisdom, experience, effectiveness, candor, and creative thinking. We are passionate about our organization and the meaningful work we do and are looking for like-minded individuals. We do not take the term “working board” lightly. At any given time, a Director is leading her/his own area of responsibility while also contributing to other areas of the organization, including serving on committees, participating in Women & Hi Tech events, and representing Women & Hi Tech in the community.

The call for nominations closes Monday, May 8, 2023. Multiple nominations from a single candidate are permitted. All nominations will be reviewed by the Nomination Committee. Nominees must be Women & Hi Tech members in good standing at the time of initial voting and must remain in good standing throughout their tenure.

New board members take office on July 1, 2023.Board Orientation for new Directors will be conducted in-person in late June, date to be announced soon.

To apply or nominate an individual, please review the job descriptions and policies linked below and complete the online form by May 8, 2023. Thank you for your interest!

Member Profile: Rebecca Bormann

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 18:30:50 GMT

Women & Hi Tech couldn’t resist the opportunity to catch up with Board Member Emeritus Rebecca Bormann and learn about her new consulting business. “For the past few years I’ve been asked by different women’s groups to come talk about business development, sales, and personal branding best practices,” Rebecca explained. “The time was right for me to put this message at the center of my life and my career, so I made the leap to start Rebecca Bormann Consulting, LLC.”

Rebecca shared a story of how this move was affirmed right away through big and small connections. “I met someone at a power lunch who is a business development representative, but she said right away ‘I’m not in sales like that!’ This put in perspective for me how I want to help people change their mindset that being in sales is not a bad thing. It’s the service of finding your ‘yes.’ Which is the ideal client your product/service/solution serves and provides value to. Kind of like match making or connecting people and solutions that go together.” Rebecca’s mission is to help people be confident they are bringing worth and their authentic selves in their conversations and relationships, as well as empowering them with strategies and tools. “Advanced selling tactics won’t change the game for someone who doesn’t have foundational skills like confidence, the right mindset about money, and a strong sense of their personal why.”

Rebecca recently announced a consulting partnership with the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, one of the many local organizations she shares her time and talent with. Women & Hi Tech is also happy she has chosen to continue her involvement with our K-12 Outreach Committee. “I am so passionate about focusing on empowering and inspiring girls to be what they want to be,” she explained.

Rebecca stepped in as our interim Leading Light Awards director to plan the 2022 Leading Light Awards, which was a historic evening for Women & Hi Tech. We gave away the most scholarship dollars in our history and also had one of the best-attended evenings ever. In part, this success was thanks to Rebecca’s “lessons learned” from leading our 2020 LLA’s as our President at the time. “It’s great we get to give shine to so many women with diverse backgrounds in STEM. Whether they’re a rising star or have been changing the landscape for three decades, a diverse group of women and men come together to support, cheer on, recognize, and pave the way for the future.”

Rebecca repeated our shared amazement at the support we receive from businesses of all sizes, from big organizations to diverse-owned small businesses and even solopreneurs. “They all show up to support in sponsorships, and scholarships/grants and came out full force with their teams to support students,” Rebecca celebrated. “It’s an event which leaves me with a feeling of hope, and that while there’s work to do change is happening now.”

Rebecca was gracious to share a few more of the organizations she has become involved with. She has joined the advisory board for Boss Babe Network, an organization focused on supporting, promoting, and empowering professional women. “It’s a great place to get tapped into and I’m so proud to be helping them with event planning and growth strategies.”

She has also joined the advisory board for Shift Up Now, a foundation started by Indy Car driver Pippa Mann to help address the underfunding of women in motorsports worldwide.

After being part of The Startup Ladies for many years as an investing member, Rebecca has become one of their program ambassadors. “This means helping them make connections so more women and diverse people can scale their businesses. The Startup Ladies provides founders with different resources, connections, and funding opportunities.”

As Rebecca became concerned about women’s rights in Indiana she also joined the outreach committee for Women4Change, learning more about issues like pay equity, maternal mortality, and voter access.

Keep up with Rebecca and her many activities through the Rebecca Bormann Consulting social media channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088045455641

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rbconsultingbizdev-sales/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rb_bizdevconsulting/

If you’re interested in receiving information/resources on business development, relationship building best practices and sales trends Rebecca welcomes you to subscribe to RB Consulting emails at www.rbormannconsulting.com.

Member Profile: Tori Harper-Mercado

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 18:21:19 GMT

Tori Harper Mercado started her career in sports and entertainment marketing. She studied areas like market research, rebranding, hospitality and merchandising at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. “I got great opportunities working for Indy Eleven and the Colts, and my first job out of college was working in social media doing coverage for USF200 within the IndyCar Series.” In this role, Tori got to travel and learn a lot about racing she didn’t know. But when she decided to get married, she wanted to stop the travel and make a career change. One of her business mentors recommended she make a shift into marketing for STEM industries. She spend a short time with an environmental and civil engineering firm. Then, tech found her via her current role in sales with Onebridge. “I love being in front of clients and connecting with individuals.”

Tori adapted to the tech industry by leveraging skills she gained in college. “I learned very early the best way to be effective in any career is to get involved in areas where you are connecting with like-minded individuals. Because my experience and background were not in tech, getting caught up at Onebridge required me to network and meet people who share my values.” This discovery process led Tori to start attending events with Techpoint as well as Women & Hi Tech. “I knew Women & Hi Tech was serving a focused demographic and thought people with similar experiences and challenges would be easier to find in a group like this.”

In 2023, Tori joined the Membership Engagement Committee as the Clickside Chat Coordinator. ClickSide Chats were started during the pandemic as a means for members to build connections and network in a virtual setting. But Tori has big visions for how this program can evolve in the post-pandemic landscape. “Now I would really like to see some chats happen in person. Once the hour is up, people don’t currently get the chance to connect with speakers or each other. Also, I would love if we could host these chats more frequently to address all the topics we have in mind. If we can get into the planning ahead and picking our speakers, that would be amazing.”

Overall, Tori’s perspective on the Indiana tech and STEM community is a positive one. “There are a lot of women in the space that are excited and looking for other women, too. Indiana is a very small community where it’s easy for you to know people at all levels of industry. We are the crossroads of America and I think we are taking advantage of that.” She hopes to see Indiana’s STEM community become more nationally-renowned, especially as both individuals and businesses are willing to take risks. “Today we often forget that the best way to find if something is for us is just to try it. You are going to fail 100% of the time if 100% of the time you don’t try. My tip for anyone trying to make a career transition into STEM fields is to be open-minded and willing to try everything at least once.”

Per Scholas Launches Indiana Tech Skills Training Program

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 12:40:13 GMT

by Glenn Keller and Theron Wilson

Women & Hi Tech's writing lead Glenn Keller had the chance to correspond with Theron Wilson, Per Scholas Indianapolis Managing Director, to learn more about a new tech skills training program launching in Indianapolis.

What should the Central Indiana area expect to see once you are running at full capacity?

Per Scholas is so proud to have launched our proven technology skills training right here in Indianapolis – a growing tech hub in America’s heartland. Our inaugural cohort begins on March 13, where 20 local learners will train on the ins and outs of IT Support. In just 12 weeks, they’ll graduate and be ready to make a difference day one on the job at area businesses.

Per Scholas Indianapolis will offer two additional IT Support training cohorts this year – in June and October. I’m thrilled that we’re on track to train 60 future technologists here in Indianapolis in 2023. Once we’re at full capacity and offering additional training opportunities, Central Indiana can expect to see a significant increase in the number of diverse individuals who are trained and connected to high-growth careers in technology. This will help to fill the growing demand for tech talent in the region, while also providing opportunities for individuals who might not otherwise have access to these jobs.

How will you ensure that the message about this program gets to those who most need it?

The intention around building our footprint of awareness of Per Scholas Indianapolis is to ensure we connect and build supportive partnerships with community organizations that are in need of pathways to employment with sustainable and thriving wages. Furthermore, speaking to developing this unique IT talent pool, we want to build relationships with workforce ecosystems, such as EmployIndy, also leaders in economic development such as Techpoint and Ascend Indiana with Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. It’s through a broad network that will enable Per Scholas Indianapolis to be exposed to the appropriate audience that will benefit the most from.

You are serving notice that acceptance is highly competitive. What are some of the criteria you look at?

At Per Scholas Indianapolis, we’re looking to enroll individuals who are motivated, committed, and have a strong interest in technology. We also consider factors such as educational background, work experience, and personal circumstances when evaluating candidates. There are minimal eligibility requirements to apply to Per Scholas: an individual must be 18 years or older, have a high school diploma or GED, and be authorized to work in the United States. Click here to learn more!

What sort of help do you need from the community?

Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana has been an incredible partner, and we are thrilled to offer our training from their headquarters at 1635 W. Michigan Street. At the moment, we’re looking to our community for two things – first to spread the word about our tuition-free training and encourage potential learners to apply. The second is to consider hiring Per Scholas Indianapolis-trained talent for their IT Support needs later this summer and going forward.

How can people get involved in the mission?

People can get involved in the mission of Per Scholas by donating, volunteering, spreading the word about our training, and hiring our graduates! Those interested in learning more and getting involved can contact me at twilson@perscholas.org! I’m always looking to connect with members of our dynamic Indianapolis community.

How do you ensure that you are recruiting from a diverse population?

Achieving diversity in the tech workforce is part of our mission and embedded in our DNA here at Per Scholas. To ensure we are recruiting diverse candidates, I feel that there needs to be specific efforts to engage with partners who serve and have access to diverse populations. Partnerships that support the advancement of minority populations will allow exposure to talent development and employment opportunities they may not otherwise have access to. Furthermore, as we continue to grow our staff here in the Indianapolis market, we want to ensure our staff represents the community we want to serve.

At capacity, how many people do you expect to graduate each year?

In 2023, Per Scholas Indianapolis aims to graduate at least 60 technologists in our IT Support curriculum. Next year, we aim to graduate 90 technologists within in-person and remote cohort opportunities. Overall, by the beginning of 2028, Per Scholas Indianapolis anticipates to have graduated 500 technologists, launching 500 careers in technology in our local economy.

Welcome to Indianapolis, Per Scholas! To learn more about this training program visit https://perscholas.org/locations/indianapolis/

Young Innovators Quest Program Applications Open Now!

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 17:09:13 GMT

The Diversity & Innovation Institute seeks to promote research and development of new technologies among health, science, and engineering students, educators, and professionals as well as facilitating networking opportunities between students and professionals. They are currently accepting applications for their summer Young Innovators Quest program.

Students who have at least completed 8th grade and are between 14 and 17 years are invited to apply. Participants should be interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and/or medicine. Financial Assistance to cover up to the full program tuition is available on a case by case basis and based on need.

Participants formulate and develop innovation research projects of great interest to them in an immersive and engaging environment on the IUPUI campus. Throughout the program (June 5-24) participants enjoy a variety of STEM and skills development workshops, visit various industry partners, and meet with mentors who guide them through the process of solving a problem. After the program, they may continue to work with these mentors on their project. As alumni of the program, participants will also be invited to future DNOVA events!

Learn more about the program and how to apply at https://dnova.org/yiq/

Launch of our Welcome Committee & Member Match Programs

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 13:40:56 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is excited to announce two new programs, The Welcome Committee and The Member Match Program!

Welcome Committee: Sometimes brand new Women & Hi Tech members feel awkward attending their first Women & Hi Tech event, especially if they do not know anyone. To make sure our new members feel welcome, we are inviting our current members to become part of the Welcoming Committee. Your job is simple. For events that you already plan on attending, you are simply paired with a new member who is attending the event too. You meet them and help them get to know other members during the event. It’s a great way for current members to get to know new members and vice versa!

Please reach out to volunteers@womenandhitech.org if you are interested in being on the Welcome Committee.

Member Match Program: Our new Member Match Program is a great opportunity to connect one-on-one in a meaningful way and form strong bonds with another Women & Hi Tech member. In this program, newer members will be matched with more established members for a 6-month period to help our newer members become acclimated in Women & Hi Tech. There is no specific time requirement for this program. Member Matches can connect online or in person on a schedule that works for them and share their interest in or experiences in Women & Hi Tech. To make the most of the Match, meeting in person at least once per month is recommended. We encourage our Member Matches to attend Women & Hi Tech events together whenever possible.

We are currently seeking established members to volunteer to be Matched with new members. If you are interested, please email volunteers@womenandhitech.org with your contact information. Please include any Women & Hi Tech committees, volunteer roles, or events in which you’ve been involved. You may also include your professional/work position, interests, and contact information. Once we understand your needs, we will work to find the best match for you! Matches will primarily be based on Women & Hi Tech and professional areas of common interest.

The Latina Voice in STEM Executive Women's Forum Recap

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 13:57:20 GMT

On November 15^th, 2022, Women & Hi Tech hosted a virtual panel of Latina STEM professionals discussing their experiences and unique journeys. Here are some quotes from our panelists to highlight how insightful, powerful, and meaningful this event was.

Our moderator Doneisha Posey kicked off the event by framing some perspective: Latinos are a diverse population tracing their roots to islands, Mexico, and more than 20 nations across Central and South America. Further, their viewpoints vary widely based on whether they were born in the US or emigrated here. But regardless, many barriers stand in the way of Latinas entering STEM, from societal and familial norms to counselors telling them they should major in something else….The numbers say it all: according to the National Science Foundation, only 2% of Latinas held science and engineering positions in 2021, and that number hasn’t really changed for seven years.

Paula Angarita Rivera: Living in Colombia, I knew I wanted to be an engineer. But expressing this to my academic advisor was my first obstacle in my career. They told me I couldn’t do this; it was a really hard field to study in the States, and I didn’t speak enough English. But applying to Marian University, I was able to remain in community with my faith…sharing the story with my academic advisor there, they were committed to helping me make it work. Five years later I was the first Latina woman to graduate with a dual degree from Marian in mathematics and IUPUI in biomedical engineering….My question today in this phase of my career is what am I doing now to lay the foundation for the next person coming behind me to start their career without all the same challenges?

Amparo de la Peña: I’m very eager to mentor new people because one of the things that made a significant difference for me was being raised to believe there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do. It wasn’t a matter of being a girl, a Latina, or from Uruguay, a third-world country: it didn’t matter. If you knew what you wanted to do and put in the work, you could do it. That mindset is part of what I want people to take away….It’s so important to be able to recognize those split-second opportunities that can be life changing if you are open to them, learn to spot them, and are brave enough to make the shift.

Maria Alvim Gaston: STEM was always there for me as a child: I even knew a name for the drug I wanted to create. But since then, as a scientist I have had to reinvent myself many times. I’ve been told about my accent, I speak with my hands, and other feedback. Today I have come to think: If I make you dizzy, just don’t look at me while I am speaking. Yet, there used to be a time I would go into a meeting and sit on my hands just to make others comfortable. But you realize with time it takes too much energy trying to conform to be someone else. Take that energy and put it into educating people to accept you the way you accept them—and also put it into your job, your passions, your community.

Jasmin Gonzalez: By definition, professionalism is competence and skills. It has nothing to do with your personality, your appearance, how your hair may look…none of that has anything to do with professionalism. I think instead a lot of these definitions have to do with white supremacy. So Latinas are taught that being quiet is respectful and you have to follow those ahead of you…By my second year in college, I had decided I would remain respectful, but still share my opinion and also speak up for others. I couldn’t stand anything else. Today I am so glad I can speak up and tell organizations and individuals what is needed to be inclusive. I think all of us may have a pivotal moment—or a few—where we are so uncomfortable we simply must speak up.

Whether you attended the event in November or had to miss it, watch the video on our YouTube channel to revisit the full discussion and hear about the career journeys, learnings, and inspiring messages of our panelists.

OperationAll 2023 Recap

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:42:39 GMT

On February 2^nd, Women & Hi Tech hosted our annual OperationAll panel to share messages about male allyship in STEM. Here are some of the perspectives, statistics, and observations shared by our panelists and moderator.

Prasanna Parthasarathy, CEO, Medvantx: In a survey I saw recently from McKinsey, only 8% of men thought their gender played a role in their not getting a raise or promotion, while 37% of women felt the same way. I am a fan of actions over words and we all have a responsibility to ensure our workplaces are a meritocracy. We have to ensure we are being humble and inclusive within our workplaces. You want to have all different ideas from different perspectives and the best and brightest ideas. I would also highlight flexibility is essential for all genders. Everyone should be allowed to shift their priorities depending on what is going on with their life so they can continue to flourish.

Dan Byrne, Associate Vice President, Market Access Diabetes Incretins, Eli Lilly & Company: Male allyship to me starts within. We have to be willing to admit and accept that we might not have earned everything we think we have earned. I can convince myself I am supporting minority people in the room, but if I haven’t taken the time to understand why I might not be hearing them or their approaches might be different, I’m not being an active ally. I didn’t used to remember my acts of bias because they didn’t happen to me. My least favorite word is “piggyback”—because it’s usually a man repeating a comment and then getting credit for it.

Darrick Hooker, Partner, Intellectual Property Counselor and Litigator, Barnes & Thornburg LLP: True allyship is hitting the reason women are underrepresented head on. There’s the aspect of coaching them in their work and giving them feedback so women feel supported and included. There’s also the aspect of elevating their voices and helping them to be heard in the workplace. You also must speak up against the stereotypes. If a woman in the room provides a suggestion, don’t take that and adopt it as your own. When women provide their diversity of thought, make sure it is attributed to them. Women are not powerless spectators—they are on the team to speak to their background, depth, and abilities and contribute to moving work forward.

Ben Phillips, Director, Audit and Assurance Services Group, Katz, Sapper & Miller; Treasurer, Women & Hi Tech: To me a male ally is any man that is willing to advocate and speak up as a force of gender equality. This can be sharing opportunities, sharing the workload, celebrating womens’ achievements, and simply being intentional with your actions. In any industry there is unconscious bias around who opportunities are given to. You can’t make assumptions about what individuals do or don’t want to do—if you’re saying a woman won’t want a project or opportunity because of her family life, well, have you asked her?

These are just some of the amazing insights and tips from the first half of the panel! Watch the full video on our YouTube channel here.

Board Perspective: Shanniese Rice

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:41:44 GMT

Shanniese Rice joined Women & Hi Tech in 2019 as part of a self-funded sponsor group at Community Health Network. After attending some events, listening to panels, and hearing stories of our members, she decided she wanted to get more involved. She consulted Active Emeritus board member Darcy Lee about next steps, and on her recommendation joined the Networking Events Committee. “It was a great opportunity to marry something I love to do, planning events, with an opportunity to grow.” Shanniese helped plan last year’s Holiday Networking Event and already has some great ideas in the works for our gathering this holiday season.

Soon, she was approached by other board members and encouraged to take a more active role in the organization’s leadership. Shanniese applied for the role of board Secretary and was confirmed in the role in June 2022. “I wasn’t sure I was ready, but one amazing thing about this organization is how much people who don’t even know you will show up and pour into you. That inspired me to want to do the same.”

Today, Shanniese works hard to be present, approachable, and share her story with new members. “Someone else at each of our events is like I was—they want to get more involved but don’t know where to start. I want to present the energy that they can start with me.” While a role on the board is a lot of hard work, she added that the mission of connecting with and supporting women and girls in STEM makes it worth the effort.

One of Shanniese’s goals is to pay special attention to male allies, increasing the engagement, membership, and networking opportunities for all Women & Hi Tech’s members. “Our name can be intimidating to men, but having male allies helps us grow even further.” She pointed out that many men are actively looking to be more supportive to women, but hesitate out of concern they will make things worse instead of better. “Men don’t want to hold so much privilege—they just don’t always know how to give it away. I want our organization to be a safe space men can come for education as well as meaningful connections and their own empowering experiences.”

Shanniese is always collecting feedback about how Women & Hi Tech can provide more inclusive and exclusive opportunities for our members. If you have thoughts or suggestions, please reach out to her at secretary@womenandhitech.org

Board Perspective: Maria Alvim Gaston

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:40:44 GMT

Stepping into the Women & Hi Tech presidency was a natural evolution of Maria Alvim Gaston’s service with Women & Hi Tech. “After three years as networking director, I was more aware of the full scope of our operations, needs, and unique challenges facing us post-pandemic.” With her daughter off to college and a newer role with Eli Lilly & Company’s Talent Development Academy, Maria felt she had the time to devote to the organization and the board of directors.

Shortly after Maria assumed the presidency in June 2022, Women & Hi Tech hosted one of our most successful Leading Light Awards & Scholarship Galas to date. The organization set a record by awarding over $50,000 in scholarships, including our community-funded #InThisTogether scholarship worth over $7,000. “It was a proud moment to be on stage to award our excellent nominees and recipients,” Maria also mentioned she was grateful her employer showed up to support her volunteer efforts. “Eli Lilly & Company was our first-ever Signature Sponsor for the Leading Light Awards.”

Another goal Maria is set to achieve in her term, is to help Women & Hi Tech to finalize the strategic plan through 2025. “We have a great team, Linda Hicks led us through the process as we work to see ourselves clearly through the eyes of our members and community. Our mission is at the core of who we are, and through this plan we will make our brand and our mission stronger.”

To that end, Maria is passionate about trying to include all four STEM disciplines in Women & Hi Tech’s programming. “Our name might make people think we are tech-only, but we want to advance equal opportunities for all women in science, technology, engineering, and math.” Events like Celebrate Science, which Women & Hi Tech newly sponsored this year, are part of this effort.

“As Women & Hi Tech’s first Latina president, I am also excited to see us get more involved with organizations like La Plaza to get more Latinx students aware of STEM careers and prepared to go to college.”

Maria shared she hopes to leave behind a more diverse and representative organization. “Women & Hi Tech wants to make it easier to get involved and increase the visibility of what we have going on as an organization.” If any readers out there have feedback or ideas for Maria, you can reach out at president@womenandhitech.org.

Jennifer Whaley--Profile of a Professional Mathematician

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 19:12:33 GMT

by Darcy Lee, VP of Strategic Growth & Partnerships, Six Feet Up, and Women & Hi Tech Board Member Active Emeritus

In 2023, mathematicians are in increasing demand in a variety of fields, including energy and healthcare. In fact, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2021 and 2031 the job market for mathematicians is expected to grow by a whopping 31 percent, much faster than average. Additionally, the median annual wage for mathematicians in 2021 was $108,100.

The once-narrow career field that included finance and education has broadened drastically to include mathematics careers in software engineering, data science, robotics, patent law, biotechnology, energy, climate study, national security, astronomy, space exploration, and more.

Much of this expansion in career opportunities for mathematicians is due to the growing importance of model designs, analysis of complex systems, and Big Data. Companies want to make data-driven decisions, meaning they must rely on problem solvers with deep analytical skills to answer hard questions. Enter mathematicians, who figure out the right questions to ask, make sense of advanced algorithms and complex systems, and bring their problem-solving expertise to the table to provide clarity and solutions to real-world problems.

Recently, we had the pleasure of interviewing a professional mathematician, Jennifer Whaley, Principal Systems Engineer at SAS.

The Early Years

Jennifer’s interest in math began in childhood. As a young girl she played school with her cousin. “She was two years older than me and always wanted to be the teacher, so I was always the student,” she noted. For both, math was their favorite subject. Spoiler alert: her cousin became a high school math teacher, and Jennifer found a career as an applied mathematician.

Around 5^th or 6^th grade, Jennifer’s interest in math became a love of math. She loved that it was rules oriented and fact based; there was a concreteness to mathematics, and she was attracted to the use of logic to solve problems. It was also during middle school when some of Jennifer’s key personality traits began to shine – competition and responsibility. Her math class had a weeklong math competition each spring. She learned that the top two performers would grade the competition and, you guessed it – she wanted to do that. “I enjoyed the responsibility of being in the top two.”

The College Years

In her senior year of high school, Jennifer was recruited to major in Mathematics at Meredith College, a liberal arts college and one of the largest independent women’s colleges in the U.S. She liked the small student-teacher ratio where professors had an open-door policy. Students at Meredith were encouraged, supported, and challenged to find where they fit in, and Jennifer really leaned into this. For example, Jennifer joined the math club, which brought in former students to present on a variety of topics to help give students insights into how their mathematics degrees proved valuable in a variety of fields (e.g., federal aviation controller).

Like many, Jennifer’s college path was not exactly linear. She began at Meredith as a double major in Mathematics and Computer Science. Although she enjoyed programming, she remembers sitting in the lab thinking, “I’m more interested in real life applications and problem solving that helps people.” So, Whaley dropped the Computer Science major and eventually picked Economics up as a double major.

In the 1980s, there were no clear degree or career paths for data analysts and data scientists, but that’s essentially what Whaley wanted to do. She was able to participate in an internship program that combined these skillsets. There she applied her desire to use logic and problem solving alongside her math chops to solve real world problems. She worked for two semesters with a local electric utility focused on load forecasting. She got hands-on experience in data-step programming with SAS, figuring out relationships and using algorithms to predict reoccurrence. Soon after, Whaley graduated from Meredith College with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics.

Career

The stories within data fascinate Jennifer, so after her college internship she knew she wanted to invest her career in the energy space in North Carolina. From 1988 to 2011, she worked in a variety of roles including analyst, programmer, economist, and systems engineer. In each role, her focus was energy and/or sustainability.

“I gained valuable skills and insights from all the roles I had before coming here to SAS in 2011, but even during college I knew I wanted to work at SAS,” said Whaley. SAS is a North Carolina-based organization that builds analytics solutions to transform data into intelligence. From 2011 to 2015, Jennifer worked in forecasting and advanced analytics as a Systems Engineer at SAS and was then promoted to Sr. Systems Engineer in 2015. In 2021, she moved into her current role as Principal Systems Engineer, where she now advises energy clients on emerging topics pertaining to load forecasting, particularly the challenges incorporating DERs and improving renewable forecasts.

In addition to her role at SAS, Jennifer is also a member of Women in Clean Energy (WICE), speaks at industry conferences, colleges and universities (including the Indiana University Analytics Department), and mentors others, including those who participate in the SAS Hackathon.

Advice for young women who want to pursue Mathematics degrees and careers:

College students:

Participate in internships. Not only do they help you better focus in on where and how you want to work in your career, they teach you invaluable business and soft skills such as how to participate in meetings, how to send emails, etc.
Take statistics and public speaking courses. The ability to deliver technical information at the right level is incredibly important.

Career:
Be prepared when you go into meetings. Do your research prior and always be prepared to ask a few questions, and to share your thoughts (especially if you are an introvert and this is out of your comfort zone).
At various points in your career, stop and re-evaluate. Make sure you’re focused on the right thing, and that what you’re currently doing is what you actually want to be doing.
Have mentors, both within your organization and outside your organization. For women, it’s also especially important to ensure some of your mentors are female.
“Be like silly putty and stretch.” Though early in your career you may go deeply into only a few areas, make sure you’re always growing. Knowing a good deal of things in many areas is key to leadership roles, especially those in consulting.

Careers in mathematics can seem abstract, just like some math itself. But for those who are passionate and in alignment with their goals, it is increasingly possible to build a math-focused career. Math is the foundation of many other STEM fields and learning which industries interest you is a great way to make your passion for math and your career goals add up.

For those in Indiana, Women & Hi Tech provides opportunities to network with other women and organizations across STEM professions and industries. So, if you’re interested in learning more, including opportunities for internships and where or how to apply a degree in mathematics, connect with us!

Connect with Jennifer:

SAS Profile

Apply for Indiana Oil and Gas Association Scholarships by April 1!

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 02:18:17 GMT

Last year, Indiana Oil and Gas Association (INOGA) gave $18,000 in scholarship monies to Indiana High School and College Students. This year's application deadline is April 1!

The requirements for the scholarship(s) are:

Be a resident of Indiana and attending any accredited college; or be a non-Indiana resident attending an Indiana accredited college.
Be a graduating high school senior; or a HS Transcript showing completion through home schooling; or currently enrolled in a post-secondary education program
Be attending college in the coming fall.
Plan to pursue a career in the oil and gas industry.
Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Be pursuing a bachelor's degree, with preference given for Earth Sciences, Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering or Geology majors.
Have a financial need determined by the scholarship committee.
Submit a short essay which describes the applicant’s interest in the oil and gas industry and which career path the applicant is planning to pursue

Learn more about the scholarship history and 2022's recipients here.

Download the application form here.

If you have any questions, please email scholarship@indianaoga.org or call 812-838-8135.

2023-2024 Board Committee Callouts

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 22:09:53 GMT

2023-2024 Board Committee Callouts

Join a committee and help Women & Hi Tech advance our mission!

The following committees are seeking members for a minimum one-year term:

Communications Committee
Membership Engagement Committee
Executive Women’s Forum Committee
Fort Wayne Women & Hi Tech Committee

Whatever strengths and talents you bring to the table, joining a committee to support Women & Hi Tech will benefit your professional development by growing your marketable skillset, expanding your professional network, and gaining you experience contributing to a well-established Indiana nonprofit.

See below for information about each of these opportunities and next steps to learn more about or apply for a role! We are so grateful for your interest and can't wait to hear from you.

Communications Committee

Email Lead

Seeking 1 volunteer to support Women & Hi Tech’s email communication strategy. This includes helping with scheduling email sends (through Salesforce Marketing Cloud) as well as list segmentation and updating. You will also get to put content into emails and share thoughts about email layout and design. This is a great opportunity to grow your skill set with new digital marketing tools and experiences.
Time Commitment: 5-8 hours per month, which includes one monthly committee meeting. You will have at least one week advance notice of all tasks that need to be completed.
Qualifications: Experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud or other email automation platforms is a plus but not required. Need reliable internet connection and computer.
Contact: Amber Peckham, communications@womenandhitech.org

Social Media Lead

Seeking 1 volunteer to support Women & Hi Tech’s social media strategy. This includes helping with writing and scheduling social media posts, as well as engaging with our followers and community through our social profiles.
Time Commitment: 5-8 hours per month, which includes one monthly committee meeting and checking social media on a regular schedule.
Qualifications: Experience with Hootsuite and social media best practices is desired, in addition to a strong understanding of Women & Hi Tech’s values. Need reliable internet connection and computer.
Contact: Amber Peckham, communications@womenandhitech.org

Membership Engagement Committee

Event Planner Lead

Seeking 1 volunteer to help lead the planning and implementation of 1 or 2 Women & Hi Tech events.
Time Commitment: 3-5 hours per month to attend a virtual monthly meeting and independently execute on planning tasks plus provide day-of event assistance for at least the events you plan.
Qualifications: Candidates should be creative, willing to share ideas, and be comfortable working in a team environment. Planning experience is a plus!
Contact: Sahara Williams,getengaged@womenandhitech.org

STEM Circle Leads

Seeking volunteers interested in helping Women & Hi Tech develop programing targeted to the specific area of STEM in which you work – You would work with your industry trade association or other Women & Hi Tech members who are in your field of practice to develop programing important to your industry
Time Commitment: 3-5 hours per month to attend a virtual monthly meeting and independently execute on 1-3 small group activities
Qualifications: Ideal candidates are already engaged in their field of practice, perhaps with a trade association and can serve as a liaison between the two organizations to further joint interests. Candidates should be creative, willing to share ideas, and be comfortable working in a team environment. Planning experience is a plus!
Contact: Sahara Williams, getengaged@womenandhitech.org

Executive Women’s Forum Committee

Seeking 1-2 volunteers to support Women & Hi Tech’s planning and execution of our quarterly Executive Women’s Forums. This includes partnering with the EWF Director to recruit and brief panelists for events, help craft bios of speakers for events, promote into social media and greet speakers and guests the day of events.
Time Commitment: 2-4 hours per month, which includes one monthly committee meeting. You will have at least one week advance notice of all tasks that need to be completed.
Qualifications: Experience with event planning, speaker solicitation and preparation, and Zoom management are desired.
Contact: Linda Calvin, ewf@womenandhitech.org

Fort Wayne Women & Hi Tech Committee

Seeking 7-10 volunteers to serve on the inaugural Women & Hi Tech: Fort Wayne committee. You'll help to support women in STEM fields in the Fort Wayne area by planning and executing in-person events (e.g., Executive Women's Forums, Networking Events and K-12 volunteer opportunities). Serving on this committee will give you the opportunity to connect with other women in STEM and raise awareness of Women & Hi Tech with local STEM professionals and organizations.
Time Commitment: 3-10 hours per month to attend virtual committee meetings and event planning meetings, planning and execution of events, networking with the community, and various other responsibilities. Roles and associated time commitments vary as does activity levels month-to-month.
Qualifications: Ideal candidates have the time to commit and are passionate about Women & Hi Tech's mission. Must be (or become) a member of Women & Hi Tech.
Contact: Hannah Stork, corpsponsor@womenandhitech.org

Call for Nominations for Board of Directors: Signature Event Director

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 21:30:16 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is seeking candidates to fill a new vacancy in its Board of Directors. This person will serve as our new Signature Event Director, replacing and expanding on the previous role of Leading Light Awards Director.

We are a volunteer, working board, committed to changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. We are looking for a member who is not only passionate about our mission, but is also willing to commit their time and resources to help us achieve that mission.

We’d also like to emphasize that this position is open to individuals of all genders. The applicant does not need to be located in Indianapolis, but must have the ability to travel to Indianapolis for board meetings, events, and other meetings as necessary.

Learn more about this exciting new role and its responsibilities by clicking here.

Review the Board Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest policy

To apply, complete this online form by Monday, January 30th, 2023.

Please share this information with your networks and help us find the next great addition to our board of directors!

2022 Leading Light Award & Scholarship Recipients

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 14:15:52 GMT

Women & Hi Tech Announces
Recipients of Leading Light Awards, Scholarships and Grants

On October 6, 2022, Women & Hi Tech was privileged to recognize over 80 incredible scholarship and award nominees at our Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala. Over 550 attendees gathered at the Indiana Roof Ballroom to celebrate these diverse women of excellence and male allies in Indiana’s STEM community. During the program emceed by Jennie Lopez, head of Global Recruiting and Talent Acquisition for Eli Lilly & Company, Women & Hi Tech announced over $50,000 in scholarships and grants to diverse women and girls at all stages of their STEM careers, and recognized 10 Leading Light Award recipients.

“In order to continue our mission, and grow our impact in Indiana’s STEM communities, we must bring educators, leaders, and all STEM professionals together with the future in mind,” said Women & Hi Tech President Maria Alvim Gaston during the event. “Women & Hi Tech firmly believes that together, we will inspire and encourage more elementary, middle school and high school girls by connecting with them through mentoring, modeling and demonstrating all the possibilities for them in the world of STEM.”

Women and Hi Tech would like to express our gratitude to all of our annual sponsors as well as our Leading Light Awards, Scholarship and Grant Sponsors. We thank our Comet Sponsor and the Leading Light Awards Signature Sponsor Eli Lilly & Co. All our community partners provide incredible continued support of Women & Hi Tech’s mission and made our gala possible. This event also would not have succeeded without the work of our Leading Light Awards Director Rebecca Bormann and the 2022 Leading Light Awards Committee: Darcy Lee, Lori Boyer, Amber Peckham, Maria Alvim Gaston, Hannah Stork, Ben Phillips, Stephanie Jeffers, Linda Hicks, Karen Hyman, Heidi Melton, and Jodie Daugherty

We are especially honored to share the announcement of our 27 award and scholarship recipients.

Mentor Me! Award Recipient

Wendy Stein, Senior Vice President, Site Head Indianapolis, General Manager Roche Diagnostics Operations, Roche Diagnostics

Leadership Award Recipient

Danielle Shockey, Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Central Indiana

Risk Taker Award Recipient

Brei Cecil-Satchwell, Director of Foundation Operations, Techpoint Foundation for Youth

Rising Star Award Recipient

Michelle Sharon, Manager, Roche Support Network Customer Support Center - Systems & Compliance, Roche Diagnostics

You Inspire Us! Award Recipient

Akilah Darden, President, The Darden Group LLC

Outstanding Educator in STEM Award Recipient

Genevieve McLeish Petty, Computer Science Teacher, Cold Spring School

Outstanding Achievement in STEM Award Recipient

E. ZeNai Brooks, Controller, Corporate Responsibility and Foundation, Cummins
Chief Strategy Officer, Mind Your Business Accounting and Consulting
First Lady, New Liberty Missionary Baptist Church

OperationALL Male Ally Award

Ron Frankenfield, CEO, Bell Techlogix

Equity and Inclusion Champion Award

Sonal Sheth Zawahri, Founder/CEO, Tru You

Change the Landscape Award

Christine Krull, Program Director, Roche

$5,000 Women & Hi Tech Undergraduate Scholarship Recipient

Sara Lake, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Manchester University

$5,000 Women & Hi Tech Graduate Scholarship Recipient

Kelly Orze, Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, Franklin College

$5,000 Women & Hi Tech High School Senior Scholarship Recipient

Jazlyn Collyear, Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, Indiana Institute of Technology

$5,000 Women & Hi Tech Rare Nickel Scholarship Recipient

Lovette Coston, Doctor of Business Administration in Information Services, Indiana Wesleyan University

$5,000 Women & Hi Tech Professional Development Grant Recipient

Dinah Allen, Creator & Owner, MuffySkates

$3,000 Barnes & Thornburg LLP Corporate or Patent Law Scholarship

Anusuya Das, Ph.D., Juris Doctor, Indiana University McKinney School of Law

$2,500 Bell Techlogix Scholarship Recipient

Zoe Barnsfather, Bachelor of Science in Biology - Integrative and Organismal Biology, Indiana University

$2,500 SIM Indy Undergraduate Leading the Future Scholarship Recipient

Evie Iles, Bachelor of Science in New Media and Informatics–Game Development/UI and UX Design, IUPUI

$2,500 SIM Indy Graduate Leading the Future Scholarship Recipient

Michiko Jackson, Master of Science in Information and Communication Sciences, Ball State University

$2,500 Ivy Tech Community College Scholarship Recipient

Corissa McClammer, Associate of Science in Biotechnology, Ivy Tech Community College

One-Year Startup Ladies Membership Grant Recipient

LaJoi Shelton Robinson, Software Architect Analyst, Accenture

$1,000 Professional Management Enterprises Scholarship Recipient

Odessa Lyon, Bachelor of Science in Biology, Indiana University

$1,000 Professional Management Enterprises Scholarship Recipient

Rebecca Boyd, Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Purdue University

$2,500 Central Indiana ISACA Scholarship Recipient

Ella Virt, Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, Purdue University

$3,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship Recipient

Amerti Guta, Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, DePauw University

$3,000 Jo Basey Spirit Scholarship Recipient

Rashi Tyagi, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, IUPUI

$6,535 #InThisTogether Scholarship Recipient

Jessica Djessa, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Hanover College

Women & Hi Tech Welcomes First Latina President, New Directors

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 13:40:50 GMT

Women & Hi Tech Welcomes First Latina President

4 new board members assume roles for 2022-2023

[INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA August 2022] – Women & Hi Tech is happy to announce the new Board of Directors for 2022-2023. This includes the organization’s first Latina president, Dr. Maria Alvim Gaston. Maria is a scientist by training with an educational background across organic, medicinal, and computational chemistries. In her 20+ year professional career in the biopharmaceutical industry she has made impactful contributions in computational chemistry, research IT, discovery operations, open innovation, and talent acquisition.

“I am proud to be the very first Latina to lead the Women and Hi Tech organization. I am eager to grow our impact in Indiana’s STEM communities by bringing all STEM professionals together to support K-12 student accomplishments and connect students with STEM career opportunities.”

Maria is enthusiastic about creating an environment that values diversity, equity and inclusion. She loves to coach and mentor students and early career professionals to help individuals achieve their best throughout their career.

“We are often asked how we can get more women into STEM degree programs and occupations,” she said. “Families, schools, and communities can create an environment of encouragement that can disrupt negative stereotypes about women’s capacity in these demanding fields. By supporting the development of girls’ confidence in their ability to learn math and science, our board helps motivate interest in these fields. Women’s educational progress should be celebrated, yet more work is needed to ensure that women and girls have full access to educational and employment opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. And here in Indiana, Women & Hi Tech is committed to making these STEM fields more welcoming for women and giving women support they need to thrive in these careers.”

The existing Board is also pleased to welcome two new Board Directors to the 2022-2023 term. Shanniese Rice, Manager, IT Business Solutions: Product Line Specialty at Community Health Network, will serve as the organization’s new Secretary.

Tiffany Trusty, Associate Director of Product Management for Digital Health at Eli Lilly, will serve as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Existing board member Joy Neely, Senior Vice President of Sales, CareMetx, has elevated to the organization’s President-Elect role. See the current full board of directors at https://womenandhitech.org/Board

Options, Options, Options

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:24:02 GMT

by member Glenn Keller

I’m having a conversation with my cousin. He’s a trustee for a local university and they're trying to start up an engineering program. It’s a liberal arts school with an emphasis on the arts, especially music. He waits for me to stop laughing and reminds me they have excellent chemistry and physics programs. I concede the point and admit he may be onto something.

But where to find students? He is not going to compete with Rose-Hulman or Purdue, is he? He assures me that is not the idea. Besides, it's a religious affiliated school with a mission. They just want to nudge some of their current base into STEM.

We talk about STEAM, and I suggest that some of his future engineering students are probably studying cello and really don't know what in the world they are going to do with it. That can happen when you make a career path decision at 17 years old. They may even feel trapped with student debt and would welcome some options. Options are good. People that feel like they have options in finances, relationships and yes, in careers, are happier and more resilient. (And by the way, I didn't single out cellists on purpose, at least not consciously. More on that later.)

As my cousin and I spoke, I related the tale of a Computer Science professor who handed me an option. I was a theatre major, who could have probably found work but not enough to make a decent living. She encouraged me to make it my hobby and to go to graduate school for Computer Science.

"I can do that?”

"Of course, you can," she assured me, "and you're good at it.”

I didn't realize it was an option.

One of the reasons I was doing so well in that beginning comp sci class is that I worked really hard at it. I figured I might as well since I spent so much time in the lab. In fact, one of the lab assistants, a senior computer science major pointed out that "no one spends this much time in the computer lab.”

"I'm trying to do really well." I tried to sound convincing.

"Uh-huh." She was definitely on to me.

As it turned out, she didn't mind having me around. Oh, and I forgot to mention, besides being a computer science major, she was a cellist.

My cousin and I parted ways with him thinking about recruiting a few of their music majors into the new program.

I wonder how many people that are out there need a career option and don't realize it's staring them in the face. Music skills translate readily to mathematics and coding. Some of the technical aspects of theatre are not a whole lot different than designing and administering networks. So, the next time you attend a career fair, instead of just burying yourself with the informatics and comp sci people, try buttonholing a few music or theatre students. Because face it: you need options as well. Part of the mission of Women & Hi Tech is to help supply and drive awareness of those options. If you are seeking advice for a career change, new talent for your company, or simply a support system, I strongly encourage you to get involved with Women & Hi Tech!

Unleashing The Power of LinkedIn!

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:20:10 GMT

On May 5, we were so excited to feature HR Guru Kristen Lampkin as the presenter in a Virtual Executive Women’s Forum. Let’s recap some of the tips we walked away with to Unleash the Power of LinkedIn!

Tip 1: Post From Your Core Values.

Identify your core values to make sure you are developing a personal brand that aligns with who you actually are. It's very jarring to meeting a person in real-life who is nothing like their presence online!

Tip 2: Cover Your Basics

Make sure your “About Me” section on LinkedIn is written in the first person. In your work history, add connections between your work experience and what you have actually done in those roles. The same goes for skills—these are a great way to expand your network and build your brand, plus show up in searches.

Tip 3: Introduce Yourself!

It is okay to use LinkedIn to connect with people you have never met before in real-life. In fact, LinkedIn will even recommend people you should connect with. You can also attend LinkedIn Events to network with people who share your interests, passions, and skills. This is like attending a free conference via LinkedIn.

These are just a small portion of the amazing insights Kristen shared. If you have ever been curious about some of LinkedIn’s features, wondered how to use this platform to grow your career, or are curious to know if your profile is making use of all the best practices, watch the full video of this session on our YouTube channel!

LGBTQ+ Icons in STEM

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:15:21 GMT

In honor of Pride Month in June, we wanted to share the stories of some female LGBTQ+ innovators who made and are making history in STEM fields.

Science

️‍ Sally Ride

Sally Ride was an American astronaut and physicist, the first American woman in space and the third woman in space overall. She was also the earliest space traveler to be recognized as LGBTQ+. After retiring as an astronaut she became an educator at the University of California to inspire more women to enter science and math fields. As part of this initiative, she and her partner founded MoonKam, which allowed middle school students to take photos from the International Space Station. Ride also wrote several children’s books to nurture young people’s interest in science. Learn more about Sally Ride.

️‍ Polly Arnold

Polly Arnold is a Professor of Chemistry at UC Berkeley and the Chemical Sciences Division Director at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her work focuses on the reactions of rare earths and actinides, to both help exploit these elements for quantum mechanics and guide better stewardship of nuclear waste. In 2012, Arnold was awarded the Rosalind Franklin Prize for her achievements as a female scientist. She used the prize money to produce a documentary film, “A Chemical Imbalance,” about the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields and particularly the sciences. Learn more about Polly Arnold.

Technology

️‍ Mary Gray

Mary L. Gray is Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research and maintains a faculty position at IU Luddy School of Informatics in addition to serving as a Faculty Associate at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. Dr. Gray is an anthropologist by training with a PhD in Communication, focusing her work on how everyday use of technology transforms our labor, rights, and identities. Her books “In Your Face” and “Out In The Country” focus on how queer youth in rural Appalachia use media and technology to define identity and community. Learn more about Mary L. Gray.

️‍ Ann Mei Chang

Ann Mei Chang is a technology expert, global development advocate, author, and public speaker. Today, she is the CEO of Candid, a non-profit that provides data about the movement of money in the social sector. She spent 20 years working as an executive and leader at tech startups and companies including Apple, Intuit, and Google. From there she migrated to the public sector, serving as the Chief Innovation Officer at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Mercy Corps, and Pete for America, as well as the first Executive Director of the US Global Development Lab. She has dedicated her career to helping tech companies innovate toward more inclusion and social good. Learn more about Ann Mei Chang.

Engineering

️‍ Lynn Conway

Lynn Conway is a famed computer engineer. For many decades, Conway’s achievements went uncelebrated as she faced stigmatization and pressure to conduct her career in “stealth mode” as a transgender woman. She was fired by IBM in 1968 for affirming her gender identity, though the company did not stop leveraging her innovations. Conway started her career over again as a programmer and within a decade was again pioneering the next wave of innovation in VSLI microchip design. She has used her prestige and courage to advance transgender inclusion and break down stigmas. Learn more about Lynn Conway.

️‍ Elena Rodriguez-Falcon

Elena Rodriguez-Falcon is a mechanical engineer with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and industrial management. To complete her master’s, she moved from her native Mexico to the United Kingdom where she later became a professor and Director of Women in Engineering at the University of Sheffield. Today she is President and CEO of the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering, as well as principal fellow at the Higher Education Academy and fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. She is an influential voice of advocacy in the LGBTQ+ community, especially challenging the heteronormativity which is prevalent in engineering. Learn more about Elena Rodriguez-Falcon.

Mathematics

️‍ Emily Riehl

Emily Riehl is an associate professor of mathematics at Johns Hopkins University. She has done deep and foundational work in category theory and homotopy theory, both studies in the way different mathematical or geometric objects relate to one another. In 2022 she was named a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, among other honors and awards throughout her career. Riehl is a host of the n-Category Café blog on subjects related to category theory in mathematics, physics, and philosophy. She is also a founding board member of the LGBTQ+ mathematical association Spectra. Learn more about Emily Riehl.

️‍ Antonia J. Jones

Antonia J. Jones lost the use of her legs to polio at age 10 but overcame that barrier to achieve groundbreaking innovation in mathematics and computer science. Dr. Jones started her career as an expert in number theory, gradually becoming more interested in computer science during the 1970s. During her life she published more than 70 papers and books on topics including game theory, neural learning, and artificial intelligence. Her most renowned innovation was the creation of the Gamma Test (aka Near Neighbor Test), which is still used today to simplify and streamline the construction of data models and neural networks. Learn more about Antonia J. Jones.

This list represents just a small number of the LGBTQ individuals who have transformed STEM fields. Icons such as Alan Turing, Tim Cook, Jack Andraka, Adam Frew, and Adam Hart are just some of the male allies you should consider looking up!

Who do you think we should feature for LGBTQ+ STEM day on November 18? If you would be interested in sharing your own story, let us know!

2022-2023 Board Committee Callouts

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 14:07:38 GMT

Join a committee and help Women & Hi Tech advance our mission!

The following committees are seeking members for a minimum one-year term:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Membership Engagement Committee
Corporate Sponsorship Committee
Community Outreach Committee

See below for information about each of these opportunities and next steps to apply for a role! We are so grateful for your interest and can't wait to hear from you.

Please note all candidates must be members in good standing and must remain in good standing throughout their time on the committee.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Seeking 1 additional volunteer to assist with developing and implementing Women & Hi Tech’s DEI goals including finalizing key objectives and action steps, metrics tracking, reporting, and communicating DEI strategy to others.
Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, must be available on Monday evenings once a month to attend committee meetings. Also, should be available to attend other Women & Hi Tech events.
Qualifications: Candidates should have the ability to positively influence others. Ideal candidates have background or experience in diversity, equity and inclusion. Background in marketing and/or experience developing and executing strategic plans is beneficial. Candidates must have flexibility in their schedule to attend monthly virtual calls and occasional face to face strategy meetings.
Contact: Tiffany Trusty, edi@womenandhitech.org

Membership Engagement Committee

Event Planner Lead

Seeking 1 volunteer to help lead the planning and implementation of 1 or 2 Women & Hi Tech events.
Time Commitment: 3-5 hours per month to attend a virtual monthly meeting and independently execute on planning tasks plus provide day-of event assistance for at least the events you plan.
Qualifications: Candidates should be creative, willing to share ideas, and be comfortable working in a team environment. Planning experience is a plus!
Contact: Sahara Williams, networking@womenandhitech.org

STEM Circle Leads

Seeking volunteers interested in helping Women & Hi Tech develop programing targeted to the specific area of STEM in which you work – You would work with your industry trade association or other Women & Hi Tech members who are in your field of practice to develop programing important to your industry
Time Commitment: 3-5 hours per month to attend a virtual monthly meeting and independently execute on 1-3 small group activities
Qualifications: Ideal candidates are already engaged in their field of practice, perhaps with a trade association and can serve as a liaison between the two organizations to further joint interests. Candidates should be creative, willing to share ideas, and be comfortable working in a team environment. Planning experience is a plus!
Contact: Sahara Williams, networking@womenandhitech.org

Corporate Champions

Seeking 1 or 2 volunteers from each of Women & Hi Tech’s corporate/organizational members interested in helping Women & Hi Tech increase awareness and participation from among your coworkers
Time Commitment: 2-4 hours per month to attend a virtual monthly meeting, share ideas and feedback from your coworkers, and independently promote Women & Hi Tech programs to the appropriate persons within your corporation/organization
Qualifications: Ideal candidates are creative, willing to share ideas, and interested in increasing their leadership role within their company and within Women & Hi Tech.
Contact: Sahara Williams,networking@womenandhitech.org

Corporate Sponsorship Committee

Seeking up to 3 volunteers to help identify and support corporate sponsor activities including identifying new annual corporate sponsors, signature event sponsors including Leading Light Awards and Networking events, as well as engaging with existing sponsors to ensure quality engagement.
Time Commitment: 4-6 hours monthly for the 2022-2023 fiscal year
Qualifications: Committee members will be requested to attend corporate sponsorship committee meetings, assist in outreach to new and renewing corporate sponsors, and participate in Women & Hi Tech events.
Contact: Hannah Stork, corpsponsor@womenandhitech.org

Community Outreach Committee

Seeking up to 6 volunteers to help identify and support events that align with Women & Hi Tech’s mission that are outside the scope of the K-12 and Collegiate Outreach committees
Time Commitment: 4-6 hours monthly for the 2022-2023 fiscal year
Qualifications: Committee members will be requested to participate at events as volunteers, Women & Hi Tech representatives, and STEM industry professionals. This may include coordinating activities with host organization, planning and facilitating events (set up and tear down), staffing the booth during in person or virtual events, networking and recruiting new members during events.
Contact: Rebecca Leon, outreach@womenandhitech.org

Annual Meeting of the Members and Board Confirmation Voting

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 13:27:16 GMT

Women & Hi Tech members are invited to the Women & Hi Tech Annual Meeting of the Members on June 14, 2022 from 3:30-4:00 pm, followed by the Executive Women’s Forum – Mental Health. During this meeting, we’ll review what we’ve accomplished together over the past year, some plans for the coming year, and provide the opportunity for you to vote to elect the 2022-2023 slate of the Board of Directors of Women & Hi Tech.

If you plan to attend the Annual Meeting of the Members in person and have yet to register, please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO ATTEND IN PERSON.

Recognizing how busy everyone is, we are pleased to share that you may also vote electronically (by proxy).CLICK HERE TO VOTE BY PROXY for the 2022-2023 board slate if you do not plan to attend the Annual Meeting of the Members. You will be asked to log in to your Women & Hi Tech account before voting.

Voting will end at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, June 14. Votes received in-person or by proxy after 5:00 pm on June 14, 2022 will not be counted in the official tally for election of the 2019-2020 slate of the Board of Directors.

Thank you for being one of over 1,800 valued members of Women & Hi Tech, and for participating in the 2022-2023 Annual Meeting of the Members. If you have any questions, please contact us at WHTinfo@womenandhitech.org

Women & Hi Tech Announces Call for Board of Directors Nominees

Sun, 24 Apr 2022 13:42:01 GMT

Founded in 1999 in Indianapolis by a female scientist from Eli Lilly & Co. and a female academician from Indiana University, Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve our goal, we work to mentor, advance, recognize, and connect female STEM students and professionals with each other and our community in Indiana. Our members and sponsors represent a wide array of STEM fields, including life sciences, accounting, engineering, psychology, statistics, and information technology.

Women & Hi Tech is run by an all-volunteer, working Board of Directors and are looking for candidates who are actively engaged with the organization, and will bring wisdom, experience, effectiveness, candor, and creative thinking. We are passionate about our organization and the meaningful work we do and are looking for like-minded individuals. We do not take the term “working board” lightly. At any given time, a Director is leading her/his own area of responsibility while also contributing to other areas of the organization, including serving on committees, participating in Women & Hi Tech events, and representing Women & Hi Tech in the community.

The call for nominations closes May 25, 2022. Multiple nominations from a single candidate are permitted. All nominations will be reviewed by the Nomination Committee. Nominees must be Women & Hi Tech members in good standing at the time of initial voting and must remain in good standing throughout their tenure.

New board members take office on July 1, 2022.Board Orientation for new Directors will be conducted in-person the afternoon/evening of June 20th (4:30-8:30 pm in Fishers). Please save this date when you submit your application.

To apply or nominate an individual, please review the job descriptions and policies linked below and complete the online form by May 25, 2022. Thank you for your interest!

COVID-19 Questions Answered by Dr. Vivian Cintron

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 01:26:33 GMT

Thank you again to everyone who attended our February Special Edition Virtual Executive Women’s Forum with Dr. Vivian Cintron. Many attendees submitted questions we were not able to cover in the allotted time. Dr. Cintron was kind enough to provide written responses!

Fig 1

1. What is the viability of dual (RNA-based and Immuno) assays for viral viability screening (not definitive/diagnostics) of large (>100) groups of people?

The rapid and accurate detection of COVID-19 is the first step for managing and controlling the spread. This is achieved by detection of SARS-CoV-2 by real- time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

The first step in managing COVID-19 is the rapid and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2 enabled by real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR)1.

RT–PCR detects SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acids present in nasopharyngeal fluids 2. This testing is used to prevent infectious spread between persons and communities that include asymptomatic infected persons, whose viral shedding can inadvertently spread the infection to the elderly and those with disease comorbidities 3. This specific test offers high sensitivity however it takes 4-5 to obtain the results at a laboratory setting. Other type of testing is the serological testing which can indicate a past infection based on the antibodies detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a qualitative detection of IgG or IgM antibodies 4. Such tests determine an immune response against the viral spike (S) protein and may be helpful to assess protection against subsequent viral exposure and/or for contact tracing purposes 5. Thus, the importance of such tests cannot be overstated, however this testing setting is prone to low specificity due to the collection of samples, exposure time or incubation during the first infection phase and variations in the testing platforms. Improving this test for sensitivity and specificity are urgent matters.1

Although RT–qPCR is the current standard for detection of nucleic acids, new methods, such as pulse-controlled amplification, are being evaluated. Pulse-controlled amplification does not require RNA extraction and can be carried out in 10 min with a small device 6. In the future, S- and N-based immunodiagnostic platforms will work alongside nucleic acid amplification tests to increase detection sensitivity of COVID-19 at minimal cost 7. The aim of these dual platforms will produce results in a short time and less expensive for mass production 8.

2. In your opinion, when do you anticipate organizations being safely able to host in-person events?

As the COVID-19 hospitalizations are decreasing, more events will be hosted in person leaving the best practices of prevention (mask or face coverings) to the public discretion.

3. Do you think we'll require annual Covid vaccinations, like the flu shot?

This is a topic of great discussion now that more events are face to face. As the scientist are still elucidating more data, the recommendations of a second booster will be towards the vulnerable population that has been affected during the pandemic, this will be those members of the community at age of 70 above or immunocompromised patients. Currently, several Pharmaceuticals are exploring the development of an annual dual vaccine: flu and coronavirus.

4. What precautions/advice do you have for someone with a newborn?

Children represent about 19% of all reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. since the pandemic began. About 7.6 million child cases have been reported since early September 2021.9

While children are as likely to get COVID-19 as adults, kids are less likely to become severely ill. Up to 50% of children and adolescents might have COVID-19 with no symptoms. However, some children with COVID-19 need to be hospitalized, treated in the intensive care unit, or placed on a ventilator to help them breathe.9

Babies under age 1 might be at higher risk of severe illness with COVID-19 than older children. Newborns can get COVID-19 during childbirth or by exposure to sick caregivers after delivery.

It is recommended If you have COVID-19 or are waiting for test results due to symptoms during your stay in the hospital after childbirth, wear a well-fitting face mask and have clean hands when caring for your newborn. Keeping your newborn's crib by your bed while you are in the hospital is fine, however it is recommended to maintain a reasonable distance from your baby when possible. When these steps are taken, the risk of a newborn getting COVID-19 is low.

If you are severely ill with COVID-19, you might need to be temporarily separated from your newborn. It is also recommended that the baby's caregivers wear face masks and wash their hands to protect themselves. Frequent follow-up with the baby's doctor is needed by phone, virtual visits, or in-office visits for 14 days. Infants who test negative for COVID-19 can be sent home from the hospital.9

5. For in-person gatherings (bridal shower, team potluck, etc.) how do you recommend the food to be served? Individually wrapped portions or is a self serve buffet ok?

For in person events, food should be serve taking all potential precautions avoiding handling the food without sanitation measures. If there is an event with few participants having a small unit desk with hand sanitizer prior to the line up for food banquets might be a favorable practice.

6. How safe is it to travel abroad?

Traveling measures will soon start changing regarding mask or face coverings at the onboarding stage of the airplane. Be alert for those announcements.

Traveling abroad is fine, however knowing the cases of COVID-19 infections prior to the country visit is recommended in addition to be cognizant of mass gatherings that could be a place of spreading in case of an infection. Utilization of appropriate reasonable face covering could be a good practice.

7. What is the Stealth variant?

BA.2, or known as the “stealth omicron,” is one of three known sublineages of Omicron. BA.2 differs from the omicron in mutations in the spike protein and other areas according to the World Health Organization. While this mutation makes it more difficult to identify as Omicron on some tests, it does not make the virus more difficult to detect.

BA.2 is more transmissible than the original Omicron variant (BA.1), though exactly how much more is still unknown. In February 2022, early studies from the UK and Denmark found BA.2 was 30% more transmissible.10 The risk of hospitalization is the same in BA.1 and BA.2 based on reviews from Denmark, India, South Africa and the United Kingdom.11 Vaccinated people are still less likely to get infected by either variant compared to non-vaccinated people.

As of March 2022, BA.2 has become the dominant variant globally, according to the World Health Organization.12

In the United States, BA.2 accounted for over a third of new cases, according to the CDC. While a new surge is not expected, health officials have warned that overall COVID-19 infections could rise across the US, parallel to trends in the UK and Europe.12

Fig 2

References

1. Liu, R. et al. Positive rate of RT–PCR detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 4880 cases from one hospital in Wuhan, China, from Jan to Feb 2020. Clin. Chim. Acta 505, 172–175 (2020).

2. Research Use Only 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Real-time RT-PCR Primers and Probes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020); https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/rt-pcr-panel-primer-probes.html

3. Wang, B., Li, R., Lu, Z. & Huang, Y. Does comorbidity increase the risk of patients with COVID-19: evidence from meta-analysis. Aging 12, 6049–6057 (2020).

4. Pan, Y. et al. Serological immunochromatographic approach in diagnosis with SARS-CoV-2 infected COVID-19 patients. J. Infect. 81, e28–e32 (2020).

5. Lin, D. et al. Evaluations of the serological test in the diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infections during the COVID-19 outbreak. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 39, 2271–2277 (2020).

6. Zwirglmaier, K. et al. Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 by pulse-controlled amplification (PCA). Preprint at medRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.29.20154104 (2020).

7. Infantino, M. et al. Serological assays for SARS-CoV-2 infectious disease: benefits, limitations, and perspectives. Isr. Med. Assoc. J. 22, 203–210 (2020).

8. Wang, D. et al. Clinical characteristics of 138 hospitalized patients with 2019 novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia in Wuhan, China. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 323, 1061–1069 (2020).

9. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-in-babies-and-children/art-20484405

10. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/23/health/covid-ba2-omicron-studies-explainer/index.html

11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SARS-CoV-2_Omicron_variant#Severity_and_immunity

12. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/ba2-covid-subvariant-now-dominant-worldwide/ar-AAVjtOU

13. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions

Fig 1Ref: Dreamtime.com

Fig 2 https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions

Leading Light Awards & Scholarship Applications Open Now!

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 13:18:17 GMT

On October 6th, 2022, Women & Hi Tech will host its signature biennial event, the Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs). Women & Hi Tech is excited to announce the applications and nominations for the 2022 Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala are open!

The theme of this year’s event will be focused on how we are all “In This Together.” The last two years have had impacts on the world that none of us could have imagined. This event will give us an opportunity to focus on how we have come together during these challenging times, particularly in the STEM community, and to celebrate and encourage each other and our community as we go forward.

We are excited to have Jennie Lopez as this year’s Leading Light Awards Emcee. Jennie is currently the head of Global Recruiting and Talent Acquisition for Eli Lilly and Company. She is also an executive board member for the Organization of Latinx at her company focusing on developing and accelerating Latinx talent and joined the Board of Directors for Genesis Research in 2021.

In the face of the stress, distraction and disruption caused by the pandemic, there were many who persevered. Women & Hi Tech President Linda Hicks calls on communities across Indiana to bring these stories forward.

“Do you know someone who rose above the tough times and still made a significant difference? Someone whose actions elevated our Women & Hi Tech mission for more STEM inclusion? Or a student who has been determined to push through the confusion and achieve their goals? We plan to recognize and celebrate these achievements and create an inspiring evening for our STEM community."

Women & Hi Tech would be delighted to have you and your organization join us for this remarkable evening at the Indiana Rooftop Ballroom! Learn more about the event at https://womenandhitech.org/2022-Leading-Light-Awards/.

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.

Board Perspective: Cynthia Bennett

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:17:45 GMT

Cynthia Bennett, Women & Hi Tech’s K-12 Outreach Director, has a personal perspective on her role with Women & Hi Tech. “I speak from experience as a young person who knew there were resources and professionals helping other students guide and grow their careers—and having those feelings, wondering if anyone would ever show up for us someday. I always said when I could be the voice for those who are forgotten or unseen, I would gather a group and share the message that the marginalized, too, can be anything they want to be.”

Cynthia assumes the role of K-12 Outreach Director after serving as the Committee Co-Chair since 2020. She is excited to share some wins that have already been achieved. “We met our reach-goal with Girl Scouts by doing virtual STEM programming to girls across the state. The leaders were so happy we could do that. It gave us a chance to use the T in STEM and be forward-facing.” Cynthia also spoke on a career panel for The Girls STEM Institute at IUPUI. “It was such an honor to share my story with girls in high school who intend to pursue STEM careers. They asked great questions about how I got where I am in my career.”

Looking ahead, she shared some insight into her goals. “I have a major goal to reach out to schools in underserved communities. I want to expose the students to smart women who can speak to them, encourage them to pursue careers in STEM, and help them be good students.” She is also excited about the potential for advancing impactful partnering opportunities with youth serving organizations, such as Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis and their Eureka STEM program and continuing to grow the relationship with the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana.

“We need to be encouraging students we don’t interact with on a continual basis. That’s the inclusion element that makes the pipeline more diverse and allows people access to STEM opportunities who don’t even know they can have a seat at the table. We will continue to align our thinking and our actions to reach students who really need us.”

Board Perspective: Sahara Williams

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 14:16:10 GMT

Sahara Williams practices law in the areas of intellectual property and data privacy and security. Before her recent career change into law, she was an engineer for many years.

Becoming the networking director for Women & Hi Tech felt like a natural progression for Sahara. She’s been deeply involved with volunteering for most of her professional life, including with Eastern Star Church, the National Society for Black Engineers, and Alpha Kappa Alpha—just to name a few. In her role with Women & Hi Tech, she’s excited to deliver events that promote the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

According to Sahara, networking starts with developing meaningful connections. And that’s the same for equity and inclusion. She went on to say, “Both networking and equity start with talking, communicating, and building relationships that facilitate support, friendship, and collaboration toward greater goals. It’s so important to have an environment where people can come together and feel welcome for exactly who they are, without feeling any pressure to change anything about themselves or where they are in their own personal life and journey.”

Over the next year, Sahara has set a goal to diversify member engagement. “We started a committee to lead the networking events planning efforts for Women & Hi Tech. And not just to do the planning ourselves, but to engage our members in the process. We want to know what their ideas are, what they’re experiencing, what they’re feeling, how they’ve been impacted by events, and what’s working well (and what’s not).” While we won’t share too many details just yet, Sahara and her committee have some exciting events planned for 2022 to help members connect with one another in more meaningful and intentional ways!

A few final notes from Sahara: “A member survey about the holiday event is now live. Please fill it out honestly and openly so we can ensure we’re being responsive to the needs of our organization. And, if you’re interested in sharing any thoughts or ideas about events, please email me so we can explore how to incorporate them into the planning process.” Sahara can be reached at networking@womenandhitech.org.

Board Perspective: Joy Neely

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 16:18:48 GMT

Joy Neely is the Vice President of Sales at CareMetx, a healthcare technology company that provides patient services to pharmaceutical manufacturers and diagnostics companies. She has also been a board member for Women & Hi Tech for three years, and currently holds our newly-created board position of Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion Director (EDI).

Throughout her professional career, Joy has been actively engaged in business resource groups and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion leadership opportunities in the organizations where she has worked and volunteered. Still, she wanted to be more connected within her community. She was introduced to Women & Hi Tech at her previous employer, Roche Diagnostics Corporation, while serving as the Co-Lead for the Women’s Leadership Initiative—one of the Roche Diagnostics Business Resource Groups. She quickly found that Women & Hi Tech was an excellent fit for her to plug into, and the organization has a mission that aligns with her values.

In 2019, she became the Corporate Engagement Director and was in that role for two years. Throughout her professional career, she held several sales and business development roles and this was a great way to leverage her strengths, identifying new sponsors for Women & Hi Tech to partner with. In 2020 the board saw an opportunity to make a step change improvement in our diversity strategy by creating a new board position—and the Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion Director role was born. Joy quickly jumped at the chance to fill this role and establish a strong foundation.

The Women & Hi Tech Board has been on a journey to continually improve the organization’s diversity and to formalize its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy. Joy was able to join the board during a pivotal time when Angela B. Freeman was the President of Women & Hi Tech. Under Angela’s leadership, the board attended the 2-day training course, Interrupting Racism for our Children, that focused on increasing the diversity of the board.

This commitment to diverse board leadership has continued with Rebecca Bormann and Linda Hicks' presidencies. A Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement was also created and added to the Women & Hi Tech website.

This new role formalizes the path forward for the future.

In the fall of 2021, Joy launched an Engagement, Diversity & Inclusion Committee of Women & Hi Tech members that represent local Indianapolis organizations, including Infosys, Eli Lilly & Company, Roche Diagnostics, Optum, Allison Transmission, Bell Techlogix, Six Feet Up, and Optimist Business Solutions. This power-house team is composed of Key Opinion Leaders in the DEI space that will help create the blueprint of the Goals, Objectives, Tactics, and Measures to enable Women & Hi Tech to be better aligned with members, sponsors, and community organizations.

Joy is excited and grateful to this committee of thought-partners and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion experts for allowing Women & Hi Tech to understand any gaps in the current strategy and assist the organization with building a plan to level up.

Stay tuned for updates to the Women & Hi Tech Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy, Goals, and Objectives in 2022.

Personal Branding Best Practices ClickSide Chat Recap

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 21:32:28 GMT

Personal branding is a topic many of our members have expressed interest in learning more about. We were so excited to host a discussion about best practices on November 17^th! Women & Hi Tech President Linda Hicks and Past President Rebecca Bormann led the conversation. Here are some of the main ideas and tips we took away from the discussion.

Personal branding encompasses not just what people say about you, but also what they think about you and expect from your presence. Therefore, social media is an important element of personal branding, but only when the persona you present is backed up and confirmed by your behaviors.
Your personal brand also lets people know what you stand for, your values, and your boundaries. Sharing articles and observations, as well as anecdotes and moments of vulnerability, helps reinforce your truth by showing others, not telling them.
Authenticity is essential to personal branding. Many attendees agreed that it is off-putting when someone presents one way on social media or at work, then behaves totally differently in other areas of their life. In fact, this inspires some professionals to stay off social media altogether, to avoid misalignment between their personal brand and professional brand.

To better-define your personal brand, start with two or three words that describe how you want to be perceived. Then, ask others in your life for “360 feedback.” This is a list of questions sent to a wide variety of the people you interact with, including friends, peers, supervisors, vendors, and more.

Collecting anonymous responses lets you learn how you are perceived across the broad spectrum of your life. Do you come across in the way you aspire? What experiences does your network have with you that confirms or contradicts your desired personal brand?

Another proven step to build your brand is consistency. Find your cadence and desired tone and be consistent in how and where you share those messages.

If developing and deepening your personal brand and executive presence are some of your goals in 2022, we would love for you to join us for a new Women & Hi Tech Professional Development Series on Executive Presence and Personal Branding launching in January! Through pre-recorded training and small group exercises, we can’t wait to help our members grow their personal presence, capacity to achieve buy-in, and negotiation skills. Learn more and register to join us for one, two, or all three sessions!

2021 OperationAll Panel Highlights

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 20:18:00 GMT

This year, we took our proprietary OperationAll programming virtual with an amazing panel on November 18th.

Linda Hicks, President of Women & Hi Tech, and board member Tiffany White kicked off the event in agreement that more involvement from male allies earlier in their careers would have helped them feel more welcomed and empowered in their roles as engineers.

Then, we got to hear tips, insights, and anecdotes about male allyship from our panel of experts. Here are a few of the gems we heard from each participant:

Doug Theis, Director of National Strategy at Expedient

“If leadership is not modeling and communicating about appropriate culture, then it’s hard for others to follow. That’s where men need female allies to give them honest feedback and even call them out when behavior is acting as a barrier, rather than a bridge.”

Chris Fultz, Program Executive, B-52 / F130 at Rolls-Royce

“Not recognizing the value of a woman’s input because there is a man you trust more can be a very harmful behavior. This even extends to job postings. Be aware of how you are listing what is required for a role versus what is desired.”

Calvin Hendryx-Parker, Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder of Six Feet Up

“You can’t deal with a situation if you don’t start with your own behaviors and reactions. Men may tend to cut people off because we have a great idea and want to express it, but it’s been important for me to learn to pause and give room for everyone’s voice to be heard.”

Wayne Patrick, Chief Revenue Officer at AIS

“Make the issue personal. Give it the ‘what if’ test. What would you want done if a woman in your life was going through the experiences of your colleagues? When the issue becomes real to you in this way, you will be a better listener and a better advocate.”

Ben Phillips, Director in the Audit and Assurance Services, Katz, Sapper, & Miller and Treasurer of Women & Hi Tech.

“Allow yourself time to practice allyship. Give yourself the kindness to take baby steps and work toward building connections and self-awareness. Don’t assume you know what opportunities people want, what they want to learn, or that you can speak for them.”

Listen to the full panel recording to learn how each panelist defines allyship, the strategies for equity and inclusion that have worked at their organizations, and what to do in tense situations. Thank you again to all these experts for sharing their stories and perspectives! We are so grateful to have these allies in our mission to change the landscape for women in STEM and make these industries equally inclusive to all.

Board Perspective: Amber Peckham

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 14:14:09 GMT

Amber Peckham is the new Communications Director of Women & Hi Tech. She applied for this position after volunteering with Women & Hi Tech for many years as part of her role as a Senior Content Manager at Metonymy Media, a longtime sponsor. “My past colleague Darcy Lee served as President of Women & Hi Tech during her time working at Metonymy. Through her we were able to get involved with creating content for Women & Hi Tech.” This included member and board member profiles, putting Amber directly in touch with the incredible stories every member of Women & Hi Tech has to tell.

“I was fascinated to learn about so many diverse STEM industries, and inspired and motivated by the women’s stories of overcoming barriers in their professional and personal lives.” When she learned the Communications role was available, she felt called to step up and help amplify the stories of the organization. “I am from a small town in rural Indiana. I loved chemistry, but I literally remember thinking that there wasn’t any way to have a job doing chemistry--because I wasn’t hearing those stories or seeing those role models.”

Amber’s goals in her role include supporting Women & Hi Tech’s statewide expansion initiatives, which will be starting in Fort Wayne and Columbus in 2022. “I want to make sure we are telling stories of people in those communities, and the work they are doing to improve their own little corner of our beautiful state and its hidden gem, the STEM ecosystem.” Amber also aspires to drive member engagement and make more potential members aware of Women & Hi Tech statewide through keyword optimization of the website.

“As a creative professional, I bring a unique perspective to the table, since most of my fellow board members have backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and math. Working together, we are going to achieve incredible things.”

Board Perspective: Hannah Stork

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 14:12:31 GMT

Hannah Stork is a Client Executive for the software development company Rural Sourcing, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Hannah decided to join Women & Hi Tech because of her desire to engage with, support, and learn from other women in STEM.

As our Corporate Engagement Director, Hannah has made it her mission to help Women & Hi Tech become a statewide movement. In her role, Hannah develops creative and engaging ways to grow the organization’s sponsorship base across Indiana with focuses currently in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Columbus. She is also a member of our Infrastructure task force which is committed to engaging and support more women outside of the greater Indianapolis area. Hannah is leading the implementation of Women & Hi Tech’s first Fort Wayne in-person event in 2022.Details will be published in Q1 of 2022.

Hannah brings a fresh pair of eyes and creativity to her role. As an example, she recently met with a potential sponsor who didn’t have very many employees based in Indiana. However, they were so impressed with Women &Hi Tech’ s mission and organization, they decided to become a sponsor and donate some of their memberships to Indiana STEM college students and other individuals who may not otherwise have access. Hannah’s ability to “sell” the benefits of Women & Hi Tech membership has resulted in several new sponsors and a great pipeline of sponsor candidates. Needless to say, she’s keeping very busy!

Regarding her overarching goals as a board member of Women & Hi Tech, Hannah wants to be an active force in helping women without STEM degrees be equally represented in STEM. “I want women like me to understand that a STEM career is not off-limits. There are plenty of opportunities in STEM for people who don’t have a technical background but are interested in technology and science. I feel honored to be part of an initiative that is exposing women and young girls to the endless opportunities that exist in science, technology, engineering, and math.”

Leading Light Awards Committee Chair Opportunities

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 13:04:49 GMT

We currently need two volunteers to lead committees to support the planning of our Leading Light Awards. Time commitments are estimated to be 10-20 hours per month, likely increasing as the event date approaches on Oct 6, 2022.

Registration Chair and Committee: The Registration Committee Chair will be responsible for running registration for the 2022 Leading Light Awards. They will gather additional Registration Committee Members to help with managing guest check-in at LLA, seating chart maintenance and management, and maintaining monthly registration counts compared to goal, among other duties. They will also manage the on-site registration process (check-in, drink tickets, seat assignments) as well as the 24-48 hour notice of attendee name changes. They will create a form to collect information of attendees from each sponsor (name, dietary restrictions), and contact bundle admins to determine attendees from each sponsor, managing any changes, and other needs as applicable.

Volunteer Chair and Committee: The Volunteer Committee Chair will be responsible for gathering, managing, and being the main point of contact for volunteers specifically for the 2022 LLAs. They will coordinate with committee chairs to determine on-site volunteer needs, as well as coordinate on-site volunteer assignments, prep, instruction, and escalations. They will also assist in the planning and execution of the event within the approved budget. Volunteers will help with many tasks including: greeting guests at arrival, escorting guests to their seats, acting as human arrows, running candy tables, assisting with registration, setup and teardown assistance, and other needs as applicable.

If you are interested in one of these positions, please reach out to Lauryn Andrews at lla@womenandhitech.org and Amber Peckham at communications@womenandhitech.org by November 8.

Behind The Scenes: Network Like a Ninja

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 19:49:55 GMT

By Glenn Keller

On October 14th, 2021, we were honored to hear from speaker, coach, and author Caroline Dowd-Higgins at our Executive Women’s Forum, the first in-person event we hosted in over a year. Ivy Tech sponsored the event at their Culinary and Conference Center, including the historic Courses Restaurant, operated by Ivy Tech culinary students.

“The purpose of Network like a Ninja was to help women understand how they can network better and to instill the confidence required to network. And of course, to practice,” said Linda Calvin, Director of the Executive Women’s Forum. “The post-event networking session gave attendees the opportunity to use the skills Caroline shared in her presentation in a very common environment for networking, ‘the happy hour.’”

Board President Linda Hicks, was on hand to kick things off and Ivy Tech President Dr. Sue Ellsperman made time in her busy schedule to also offer her welcome and support. Both women gave a personal example of the power of networking and how networking played a pivotal role in their career development.

Caroline Dowd-Higgins covered the importance of networking not only as a career supercharger but as a necessity. She made it clear from the start that this was not going to be a lean-back-and-watch session. Her message was interactive, thought-provoking, and full of helpful, practical advice.

The beautiful Courses restaurant was a perfect backdrop for drinks, hors d'oeuvre and conversation. We played a game of Networking Bingo, gathering information about the new friends we made. The first two attendees to complete their bingo cards won copies of Caroline’s book, "This Is Not The Career I Ordered." We even learned that "Elvis Slept Here" prior to performing his final concert at the old Market Square Arena. Who knew?

Attendees had the chance to get their picture taken by the incredible Faith Blackwell, who also generously donated a PowerShots session to support Girls Inc of Greater Indianapolis in honor of International Day of the Girl. Our Girls Inc. friends were on location to accept donations in support of their programming. Congratulations to our networking package raffle winners, Sonal Sheth Zawahri and Lisa Petersen, and the winner of the PowerShots session, Rinn Neidig.

Takeaways From the Event

It is hard for some people to effectively network. Women especially can view it as "non-authentic" or awkward. Introverts in particular also find networking difficult, but the super-power that many introverts have is their ability to listen. Extroverts may not be as tentative to network, however, listening to understand and not just jumping in with comments is a struggle which may make their networking efforts less effective.

Caroline covered some important "dos" for networking:

Listen first: encourage people to talk about themselves. Invite others into the conversation--which is also a good way to exit.
Think about what you want the person to remember about you when they walk away...short term memory will allow them to remember 1-3 things at the most.
Always close with an offer to help and then follow-up quickly with something of value to them such as an introduction, a link to an article, etc.

Of course, there were some networking "don'ts" as well:

Don't start right off with a pitch or asking for a job. And never ask if you can pick their brain; people make a living with their expertise and shouldn't be asked to give it away.
Don't rush to fill in any quiet space. Others in the conversation may still be processing what was just said.
Remember that though you may be comfortable dominating a room or a conversation, that can be a turn-off to those you are speaking with. Honor others by adjusting your approach to match their energy while staying authentic.

Quick LinkedIn Tips:

Stay away from "needy" LinkedIn headlines like "looking for an opportunity."
LinkedIn gives more exposure to people with over 500 connections.
Follow companies you are interested in working with on LinkedIn. Someone will notice.
Comment on content that interests you, especially from influencers.
An audience member shared that you can easily generate a QR code of your LinkedIn profile, which is helpful at networking events.

In Closing

Many thanks to Caroline Dowd-Higgins for helping us all break out of our shell on our own terms, to Linda Calvin for organizing this great learning opportunity, and to presenting sponsor Ivy Tech Community College for hosting us! As we move into 2022, Women & Hi Tech looks forward to continuing our tradition of providing our members with meaningful career development – wait until you see what we have planned!

Fall Retreat Photo Recap

Sun, 31 Oct 2021 18:57:13 GMT

Our bi-annual Fall Retreat at French Lick Resort in early October 2021 left attendees feeling refreshed, recharged, informed, and inspired. That's all thanks to a keynote presentation from author Angel Henry, as well as the power of the fellowship and friendship we shared--especially at our Western-themed dinner!

Special shoutout to our President-Elect Dr. Maria Alvim-Gaston (below) and our Fall Retreat planning committee for all their work creating this special getaway for our members and guests.

Women & Hi Tech President Linda Hicks shared the story of a chance meeting with a hotel guest in the casino. This gentleman celebrates his birthday annually at the resort.

"He remembered our group from two years ago and had taken a picture with us dressed as flappers--and still had that photo in his phone! He and his wife wanted another photo with us in our Western gear." We had fun sharing with him about our organization and joked that we will see him in 2023!

A highlight of the retreat was hearing from Angel Henry, who is so passionate for diversity in the field of IT and beyond. Her knowledge of why women and minorities are often missing from the room helps advance the conversation of inclusion and make real change.

"Angel brings differing advice for audiences based on age, race, and professional level," recalled Rebecca Bormann, Women & Hi Tech Past President. "Her advice hit home and sparked a great discussion and many women authentically sharing their personal experiences being a woman in STEM."

Women & Hi Tech was delighted to have a mix of new members, long-time members, college students and STEM professionals join us for the retreat. Thanks again to all who attended.

Board Perspective: Rebecca Leon

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 13:08:37 GMT

Rebecca Leon is our new Director of Community Outreach. Rebecca is a mom of three boys and a Principal Research scientist at Eli Lilly & Company. She is also a transplant from southern Florida. As a scientist at Eli Lilly, Leon works in cross functional early drug discovery teams, and mentors new scientists.

“I became interested in Women & Hi Tech when I learned of the scholarships provided to students in STEM and the impact the organization has had in the community,” said Leon. “As a recipient of scholarships myself, I know first-hand how essential it is to enable students to pursue their education.”

Leon is familiar with the challenges faced by women early in their science careers and wants to help pave the way for the next generation.

“Networking between organizations is important in community building, especially for those new to the Indiana community,” said Leon. “The goals for Women & Hi Tech’s community outreach program are to raise awareness of career paths and provide role models and career skills for the next generation of women in STEM.”

As director of community outreach, she plans to strengthen relationships with the local community by building upon Women & Hi Tech’s strong reputation to support events and organizations that are working to drive diversity and inclusion in the Indiana STEM pipeline. Some recent ways Women & Hi Tech members have supported community organizations include the Girl Scouts Circle the City event, the upcoming Conexus Collegiate Case Competition, and through individual mentoring via Pass the Torch for Women.

If you know of a community event, program, or organization that aligns with Women & Hi Tech’s mission and who would benefit from our support, contact Rebecca at outreach@womenandhitech.org

2021-2022 Board Committee Opportunities

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:17:51 GMT

Join a board committee and help Women & Hi Tech advance our mission!

Are you passionate about changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all? Can you spare a few hours a month to advance that goal along with us?

The following committees are seeking members for a minimum one-year term:

Volunteer Recruitment Committee
Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee
Networking and Member Events Planning Committee
K-12 Outreach Committee
Communications Committee
Community Outreach Committee

Whatever strengths and talents you bring to the table, joining a committee to support our all-volunteer Board of Directors will benefit your professional development by growing your marketable skillset, expanding your professional network, and gaining experience contributing to a well-established Indiana nonprofit.

See below for information about each of these opportunities and next steps to apply for a role! We are so grateful for your interest and can't wait to hear from you.

Please note all candidates must be members in good standing and must remain in good standing throughout their time on the committee.

Volunteer Recruitment Committee

Seeking 2 volunteers to assist with coordinating and managing volunteers for all our events
Time Commitment: up to 1 hour per week to respond to volunteer requests, post volunteer opportunities and attend Women & Hi Tech events as assigned to manage volunteers for the 2021-2022 fiscal year
Qualifications: Candidates are needed with a friendly, welcoming and patient demeanor
Contact: Sahara Williams, networking@womenandhitech.org

Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee

Seeking 1 additional volunteer to assist with developing and implementing Women & Hi Tech’s DEI goals including strategy development, metrics tracking, and communicating DEI objectives to others
Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month for the 2021-2022 fiscal year
Qualifications: Candidates should have the ability to positively influence others. Ideal candidates have background or experience in diversity, equity and inclusion. Candidates must have flexibility in their schedule to attend monthly virtual calls and occasional face to face strategy meetings.
Contact: Joy Neely, edi@womenandhitech.org

Networking and Member Events Planning Committee

Seeking up to 2 volunteers to assist with the planning and implementation of 4-5 of Women & Hi Tech signature networking and membership events
Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month generally plus day-of event assistance for the 2021-2022 fiscal year
Qualifications: Candidates should be creative, willing to share ideas, and be comfortable working in a team environment. Planning experience is a plus!
Contact: Sahara Williams, networking@womenandhitech.org

K-12 Outreach Committee

Seeking up to 3 volunteers to help attract more girls to STEM careers by increasing STEM exposure, engagement, and mentorship opportunities.
Time Commitment: 2-3 hours per month for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, Committee meetings are the 1st Monday of each month from 4pm-5pm
Qualifications: Candidates should enjoy working with youth. Ideal candidates would have a background in education.
Contact: Crystal Morton, k12@womenandhitech.org

Communications Committee

Seeking 1-2 additional volunteers to assist with social media scheduling, website updates, copywriting, and other projects when interested.
Time Commitment: 2-3 hours a month, broken out into small tasks weekly.
Qualifications: Experience with Hootsuite is a plus but not required, it’s easy to learn.
Contact: Amber Peckham, communications@womenandhitech.org

Community Outreach Committee

Seeking up to 3 volunteers to help identify and support events that align with Women & Hi Tech’s mission that are outside the scope of the K-12 and Collegiate Outreach committees
Time Commitment: 4-6 hours monthly for the 2021-2022 fiscal year
Qualifications: Committee members will be requested to participate at events as volunteers, Women & Hi Tech representatives, and STEM industry professionals. This may include coordinating activities with host organization, planning and facilitating events (set up and tear down), staffing the booth during in person or virtual events, networking and recruiting new members during events.
Contact: Rebecca Leon, outreach@womenandhitech.org

Let's Talk About Your Cyber Hygiene: Executive Women's Forum Recap

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 12:33:22 GMT

On June 24, 2021, Women & Hi Tech was excited to host our summer Executive Women’s Forum: Let’s Talk About Your Cyber Hygiene. This important discussion informed attendees about secure online behaviors and how critical cybersecurity is in today’s technology age. According to recent reports, cybercrime has increased every year as people try to benefit from vulnerable business and personal systems. Often, attackers are looking for ransom: 53% of cyber attacks resulted in damages of $500,000 or more.

Linda Calvin, director of the Executive Women’s Forum and Ben Phillips, Treasurer, kicked off the event as moderators for the discussion. “This forum gave us the opportunity to provide our members and the community with best-in-class thought leadership on the evolving personal and enterprise cybersecurity risk landscapes,” said Phillips. “We are extremely grateful for the outstanding attendance and the content provided by our panelists.

The panelists were Meredith Harper, VP and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Eli Lilly, Chetrice Mosely-Romero, Cybersecurity Program Director at Indiana Office of Technology & Indiana Department of Homeland Security, and Nicole Sigler, Senior Security Consultant at Pondurance. These women shared their wise words on major recent cybersecurity events, the implications of poor security, and how we can improve our cybersecurity report card.

Takeaways from the event

The forum covered cyber security from both corporate and personal angles. Panelists discussed topics for corporate security such as the recent attack on SolarWinds and how it affected federal and local governments, as well as how to integrate cybersecurity training effectively in a corporation. The conversation then shifted to tips on personal cyber security, such as changing your passwords every few months and segmenting routers in your home when bringing in technology such as Alexa or the Ring doorbell.

“A lot of what we’re dealing with in cybersecurity is human behavior. A computer doesn't click on a malicious link--a human does. We need to make sure people are educated and aware of attacks so they can combat them at the point of attack,” said Harper.

Mosley-Romero commented, “We, the protectors, have to be creative and emulative to understand the different forms of communication and training. We also have to be creative about understanding the bad actors and how they are getting into complex systems. Cyber security is not all ones and zeros. It’s a critical thinking skill, a creative skill, and a psychological skill.”

With everything there is a risk, but much like driving, we have to consider the rules of the road and protect ourselves. With good cyber hygiene, we can arm ourselves against the malware and bad actors that are attacking our corporate entities and personal homes.

“Something we always say, as consultants and auditors is, I believe you, I trust you, but I just need to verify. We need to use this methodology in our daily life and in our companies. We all need to double check things,” said Sigler. “It's just like any other organization where you have checks and balances. In cyber security, you need to double check your security measures so nothing happens to cause havoc.”

Listen and learn about cyber hygiene

Women & Hi Tech encourages all who missed the live virtual event to view the recorded session of our Executive Women's Forum: Let’s Talk About Your Cyber Hygiene and visit owomenandhitech.org/events to attend our next events!

Women & Hi Tech Announces New Board Members

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 12:42:15 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce the Board of Directors for the term that commenced on July 1, 2021.

Elected Officers of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

President: Linda Hicks, Vice President of Midwest Operations for ECC Horizon
President-Elect: Maria Alvim-Gaston Ph. D., Advisor – MIH Talent Development Academy Medicines Innovation Hub, Eli Lilly and Company
Treasurer: Ben Phillips, Director, Katz, Sapper & Miller
Secretary: Allison Lipps, Partners Program & Project Coordinator, Indiana Hemophilia & Thrombosis Center, Inc.

Elected Directors of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Collegiate Outreach Director: Stephanie Jeffers, Director of Outreach and Student Career Support for the College of Technology at Indiana State University.
Communications Director: Amber Peckham, Senior Content Manager, Metonymy Media
Community Outreach Director: Rebecca Leon, Senior Research Scientist, Eli Lilly and Company.
Corporate Engagement Director: Hannah Stork, Client Executive with Rural Sourcing, Inc. (RSI).
Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion Director: Joy Neely, Central Area, Regional Business Manager, Roche Diagnostic Information Solutions
Executive Women's Forum Director: Linda Calvin, Vice President, School of IT at Ivy Tech Community College
K-12 Outreach Director: Crystal Morton, Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, Indiana University School of Education – Indianapolis
Leading Light Awards Director: Lauryn Andrews, Consultant, netlogx
Membership Administrator:Carol Ganz, Vice President of Sales, Six Feet Up, Inc.
Networking Events Director: Sahara Williams, Intellectual Property Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg.
Past President: Rebecca Bormann, Managing Director of Sales and Services, Bell Techlogix, Inc.

Elected Active Emeritus of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Lori Boyer, Software Engineer, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Darcy Lee, Chief Operations Officer, AIS
Susan Vaughn, CEO, The Project Authority
Tiffany White, Head of Engineering Operations, Defense Sector, Rolls-Royce

Elected Emeritus of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Jo Basey, Retired, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University·
Angie Engel, Sales Executive, Perficient
Gail Farnsley, VP, Executive Partner, Gartner
Angela B. Freeman, Intellectual Property/Patent Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Deb Hallberg, CEO, Pass the Torch for Women Foundation
Tonya Hanshew, Proposal Management Team Lead - OLS, Veeva Systems
Rajinder Heir, Consultant, Electronic Strategies Inc.
Karen Harris, Vice President & Information Officer Manufacturing and Quality, Eli Lilly and Company
Ali Hromis, Release Manager, Salesforce
Bobbie LaFollette, Senior Business Analyst, Baker Hill
Merri Beth Lavagnino, Executive Director, Compliance & Privacy, Indiana University Health Plan
Melissa Lavella, Senior Quality Supervisor, Roche Diagnostics
Patsy Lentz, Retired Business Development Professional
Wendy Maple, Outreach Consultant, netlogx
Jane Richardson, Executive Director, IT Strategy and Corporate Strategic Alignment, Cummins Inc.
Audrey Taylor, Founder, and CEO, netlogx
Tiffany Trusty, President, Trusty Applications and Manager, Mobile Medical Apps, Eli Lilly and Company

“Women & Hi Tech is pleased to welcome five new members of our board, and to celebrate a new board position,” said Linda Hicks, President of Women & Hi Tech. “I know we’ll continue our legacy of having a highly-inclusive environment with Joy Neeley leading our Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategies. I’m also excited about the fresh perspectives and ideas our new board members will bring to the table, including getting a pulse of female STEM professionals’ needs outside of central Indiana. We have two new board members joining us from the western and northern parts of the state.”

Hicks mentioned several upcoming October events she is excited to celebrate with the membership. “We’re having our biennial member retreat in October at French Lick. That’s going to be a great time for networking and professional development. We have also been selected to present our OperationAll™ programming at the Society of Women Engineers National Conference that will be held in downtown Indianapolis in late October. We have assembled a panel of accomplished and sincere male allies who will convey to attendees what it means for men to be an ally to their female staff, peers, colleagues and friends.”

Hicks elaborated on the year ahead, “We have six core strategic objectives: drive our EDI initiatives, including improving diversity of membership; expand our programming across the state; develop a revenue generation plan that supports the growth we’re planning for; get to know our members better to drive better programming decision making; improve our communications and marketing; and grow partnership relationships.”

Hicks is confident this team will achieve all those objectives. “We’re a high-achieving group of professionals who individually have a strong passion for driving inclusivity in STEM professions. Collectively, our re-elected and emeritus members already have fantastic teamwork, collaboration and respect for each other and our members. We are confident the organization will only be elevated by the addition of our new peers. We will set goals and then put the plans in place to get it done. That’s what we do well together.”

June Grown from STEM

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:41:07 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters, and Friends,

June has been an exciting month for Women & Hi Tech! We hosted our inaugural Multicultural Celebration, which was also our first in-person event since the onset of the pandemic. We also virtually hosted our second quarter Women & Hi Tech's Executive Women's Forum: Let’s Talk About Your Cyber Hygiene. If you missed the Executive Women's Forum, be sure to watch the recording. And, we hosted our Q2 virtual Book Club discussion about the book Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi!

We have also been celebrating throughout the month that June is Pride month. Women & Hi Tech affirms its commitment to an inclusive, equitable and welcoming environment for everyone. We stand with our LGBTQIA+ community in celebrating historic triumphs and advocating for continued equality for all. Happy Pride month, everyone!

I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge that Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, is now a Federal holiday. Juneteenth commemorates the day June 19, 1865, which is the effective end of slavery in America – this is such a significant day in our country’s history. May we all use this opportunity to learn about the importance of June 19th and celebrate the resilience and contributions of African Americans – past and present – to our country as we strive for continued equality for all.

June also marks the end of the 2021-2022 board term and the welcoming in of the new 2021-2022 board, being led by Linda Hicks, Women & Hi Tech’s new President effective July 1, 2021.

I would like to thank you all for this incredible opportunity to serve as the 2021-2022 President of such an impactful and empowering organization. For over 20 years Women & Hi Tech had been serving the Indiana STEM community and has blazed trails, used our voices, and taken action to make a difference and change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. I am honored and humbled to be a part of such an important, worthy, needed, and wanted change! Thank you!

The 2020 – 2021 board term was an extremely memorable year for Women & Hi Tech in so many ways. And I am honored to share with you we saw record numbers in program variety and participation, sponsorship, mentorship, membership giving, scholarships and grants awarded and overall community engagement.

In July of 2020, the current Board of Directors was unanimously elected, which is the most diverse Board in Women & Hi Tech's history – by age, gender, ethnicity or race, STEM expertise, professional experience, and so much more.
We introduced new programs including Women & Hi Tech’s Virtual Quarterly Book Club, led by our current Secretary, Kelly Sandstrom.
We hosted our second round of W&HT’s ClickSide Chat series which was created at the onset of stay at home orders. This series serves as a mid-week touch-point for Women & Hi Tech members to connect, engage, and encourage each other via a moderated discussion format hosted by Women & Hi Tech Board Members.
We virtually visited colleges and universities around Indiana and spoke to hundreds of girls about working in tech and STEM careers.
Women & Hi Tech hosted our first-ever Virtual Leading Light Awards and Scholarship gala in October of 2020. We brought together over 500 registered attendees in our STEM community and awarded over $58,000 of scholarships and grants to 17 women and girls in Indiana who plan to remain in Indiana for their careers.

Beyond this being our first virtual gala, the 2020 LLAs had a lot of other firsts.

Notably, we awarded the largest amount of scholarships and grants Women & Hi Tech has provided at one time in our history.
We also had the most diverse group of award and scholarship and grants recipients well as the most diverse panel of judges ever.
Also new, we honored our Indiana #STEM community with an #INthistogether video tribute for all of the amazing work our STEM community has been doing to overcome challenges created by the pandemic. And we created the Women & Hi Tech #INthistogether Scholarship. This was our first ever member funded scholarship which raised over $3300 for our recipient LaJoi Shelton Robinson.
We also introduced a second new scholarship. 2020 marked the inaugural awarding of the Rare Nickel Scholarship. This $5000 scholarship celebrates the first five women who received Spotlight Awards in 2000. Each year it is awarded, this scholarship will continue their legacy of paving the way for future generations of female STEM leaders in Indiana. The first recipient of this new Rare Nickel Scholarship was Marielle Berin, BS Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University.
Last but certainly not least, Women & Hi Tech also introduced and 2 new Leading Light Awards in 2020: the Women & Hi Tech Equity and Inclusion Champion Leading Light Award and the Women & Hi Tech OperationALL Male Allies Award.

Our Inaugural Multicultural Celebration earlier this month was hosted at the beautiful Indiana State Museum Great Hall! It was an amazing evening filled with cultural education, art, music from the live band Chamber Music, festivity, cultural food, dancing and networking.

Over the past board term, we have also made progress on our 2-year strategy including:

New governance policies, including revising and ratifying our bylaws to include our DE&I statement, whichyou can check out on our website. We also created policies including partnership guidelines, code of conduct and conflict of interest.
We also went live with our Salesforce.com implementation – to help enable easy tracking, documenting and organized data.
We’ve increased the financial acumen, maturity, and security of our organization.
I am also honored and delighted to share that we have retired our Volunteer Director role in order to introduce our new role, DE&I Director which is an additional step Women & Hi Tech has taken to ensure the organization continues to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion for all women, in STEM and beyond.

Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion for all is at the core of Women & Hi Tech. And we are pleased with the positive change to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion that is evident not only within our organization but for so many more Indiana women and girls in STEM because of the impact of our 2020-2021 programming, events, scholarships, grants and awards. We also understand the work for true equity and inclusion for all women and girls in Indiana is far from done. Despite our society’s current challenges, Women & Hi Tech remains committed, strategic, and actionable to further our mission - to make STEM equally inclusive to all – and to serve our members, sponsors, partners, and friends in the Indiana STEM community.

It’s really been an incredible Board term! And none of this would be possible without our dedicated and passionate, Board of Directors, Sponsors and Members.

I sincerely thank all of our corporate and collegiate sponsors for their continued support and engagement – we appreciate your generosity in helping us continue to advance our mission.

To our members---- Thank you for believing in Women & Hi Tech’s mission and for supporting, encouraging, and cheering one another on! Thank you for volunteering, mentoring, and being engaged and active members of Women & Hi Tech’s programs. Every day, you support professional women in STEM, collegiate women, and inspire the next generation of K -12 girls to pursue an interest in STEM.

To the 2020 -2021 Board of Directors and Emeritus members -----Thank you to each of you for your passion, dedication, and fervor to so generously share your time, talents and treasures serving on this Board. I thank you for all your support, for your creativity, for your ideas, and for being courageous and taking a stand for something so much bigger than ourselves. Each of you have left your fingerprints all over this organization and Women & Hi Tech is even better because of your contributions. It has truly been my honor and pleasure to serve with you amazing humans. I am humbled and proud to call each of you my friend and part of my crew – thank you so very much. And thank you for making our world a better place, by changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all! Virtual round of applause!!!

2021-2022 Board of Directors and Emeritus members---- I can’t wait to see what you are going to do and how you will continue to advance Women & Hi Tech and serve our members, sponsors, partners, friends and the Indiana STEM community! I look forward to continuing to serve alongside each of you in the Past President role.

In our 29th edition of "Grown from STEM" we are excited to be featuring Women & Hi Tech’s Executive Women’s Forum (EWF) Director, Linda Calvin and our dedicated member, Tosin Ajayi. Both Calvin and Ajayi are highly accomplished in their respective tech disciplines and share how their unique journeys led to their success and passion for tech. Calvin and Ajayi are champions for diversity, equity, and inclusion for all, particularly for women in STEM, in their careers, volunteerism, and personal lives. Please read more about Calvin and Ajayi and how their backgrounds, STEM expertise, and passion for equity and inclusion for girls and female STEM professionals helps fuel their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

As we began in the October 2020 edition of "Grown from STEM," we are delighted to continue to feature one of our 2020 Virtual Leading Light Awards (LLAs) recipients in this newsletter. This month we continue to celebrate and recognize Women & Hi Tech's You Inspire US! Leading Light Award recipient Rupal Thanawala. Rupal’s professional excellence stems from the value and enhancements that she cultivates within the companies and organizations that she serves. Building world-class innovative solutions for customers, positioning digital transformation as a value creator, fostering diverse & inclusive team culture and building a pipeline of future workforce for the tech industry is just a day in the life of Rupal.

Please watch this segment of the 2020 Virtual LLAs to learn more about what fuels Rupal's passion and drive for equality for all in the STEM fields and beyond. Again, Congratulations Rupal!

Sincerely,

Rebecca Bormann
Women & Hi Tech President

Member Profile - Tosin Ajayi

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:36:13 GMT

Network engineer and security analyst Tosin Ajayi became aware of Women & Hi Tech through the IvyWorks program at Ivy Tech Community College. That is where Ajayi worked to earn her Associates Degree of Applied Science in Cyber Security and Information Assurance, as well as a certificate in Digital Forensics, both of which she completed in 2020. “It was always my goal to earn my degrees without taking on any debt, so I was paying out of pocket for my courses. But when the COVID pandemic hit, I ended up losing my job,” she explained. With her sights set on continuing to pursue her Bachelor’s in Cyber Security and Information Assurance at Western Governors University (WGU), she wasn’t sure what would come next, but she didn’t want to compromise on her goal. “I have always believed you should never let even the most unexpected circumstances derail you. You may be blindsided by an event, but once you can look around, there is always another way to achieve your goals.”

For Ajayi, that next step came in the form of a Women & Hi Tech newsletter calling for Leading Light Awards scholarship applicants. Tosin won the 2020 $10,000 WGU scholarship and was able to seamlessly progress into the pursuit of her bachelor’s degree, which she is on track to achieve in 2022. “Once Women & Hi Tech made that investment in me, I was even more inspired to continue investing my time with them,” she explained. Ajayi has been a volunteer on the Women & Hi Tech communications committee, assisting with social media management and website management.

Ajayi is passionate about cybersecurity for many reasons. One is the fact that “bad actors are not sleeping. They are always looking for new ways to steal and infiltrate, and that action impacts people. Both companies and individuals need to be continually learning to protect ourselves and those who trust us from threat actors.” She is also inspired by the changes she has seen in the industry. “When I started in 2016, I was worried it would be a challenge just to get an entry-level position. Now, companies are seeing there are capable, passionate women with the ability to help them achieve and exceed cybersecurity goals.”

Tosin is a mother to two children. “I now know with confidence that if either of them wants to pursue a career in STEM, they will both have opportunities available to them. I would not hesitate to encourage either of them if that is their interest.” As an immigrant from Nigeria, Tosin hopes to see Women & Hi Tech expand its reach beyond borders. “Women & Hi Tech is going above and beyond in Indiana, but young girls all over the world need support to pursue STEM as a career. I want to see more high school and middle school students, especially girls, engaged in awareness of STEM. If students can have more training earlier, they can grow their skills and start careers out of high school, then learn as they go.”

“I look forward to how I see the future being reshaped by organizations like Women & Hi Tech,” she concluded. “Diversity is already better than what it used to be, and I now regularly see qualified women being recognized and celebrated for their qualifications. As challenges continue to be dismantled, things will only get better for every professional in STEM fields, and for future generations too.”

Member Profile - Linda Calvin

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 21:35:31 GMT

As Linda continues in the role of Executive Women’s Forum Director, we took the opportunity to talk with her about transformation that is manifesting in tech higher education, and the tech community in general.

“What’s changing right now is there is a broader conversation about what it takes to get into IT,” she explained. “We are successfully, finally busting the myth that you have to have a degree in computer science to work in tech. That is being demonstrated through increased opportunity for credentials and certifications, and increased willingness of employers to consider candidates with those achievements.”

Calvin has seen a shift in corporate attitudes beyond hiring practices. “What I’m also seeing is a greater conversation around more diversity being needed in tech. Now, I don’t know if that conversation itself is manifesting impact. Studies have shown the conversation has been going on for years but nothing is changing practically. Women of color still only hold 4% of the tech jobs in the US. But what is changing is programs being implemented at big tech like Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, and Salesforce to act on these intentions. We can only hope that trend continues and the example trickles down to smaller companies.”

With that said, Linda does not diminish the value of conversations about the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion. In fact, the ability to lead those conversations is part of why she has stayed committed to a leadership position with Women & Hi Tech. “In the months following the death of George Floyd and in light of other racial injustices of 2020, everyone wanted to enter into the conversation about diversity. But now, just a year later, White support for movements like Black Lives Matter is shown to be lower than it was before Floyd’s death,” Calvin pointed out.

“These conversations cannot achieve impact when they are only held in moments of heightened awareness and pain. Women & Hi Tech has a duty and an obligation as a leading women’s organization in STEM to keep the message alive and keep the conversation going to truly effect change and make the landscape of STEM inclusive for all women.”

As she organizes the Executive Women’s Forums, it is Linda’s priority to ensure attendees walk away inspired to act in some way that improves their personal or professional life. This could be as small as a choice to use a blurred background on Zoom for personal security, or as high-level as tools to bring conversation back to their own networks. “We have all attended enough webinars and virtual meetings to last a lifetime during the pandemic. My mission is that our events will not be the ones you multitask through, that they will instead serve as a catalyst and inspiration for some change in each attendee’s life.”

Calvin also appreciates the opportunity to showcase women in STEM who are leaders in their fields, subject matter experts who are blazing new trails for the future. “We see examples every day of companies that are failing because they don’t have enough diverse perspectives involved in their developments of products, services, and messaging.” She cited local examples like Newfields as well as international examples like Gucci. “As we see more diverse people, especially women, move into positions of power and influence, they don’t just generate more innovation with their perspective, but also share insights that can prevent those lawsuits and lost revenue.”

Ultimately, Calvin believes events like the Executive Women’s Forum are essential tools for myth-busting about women in STEM, for both employers and young girls and women aspiring to future careers. “These events make visible and reinforce the fact that women CAN be leaders in STEM. In turn, we can then be those that break down artificial constructs that separate people from meaningful success. Because when people can see us, they know they can be us.”

Notice of Women & Hi Tech Annual Meeting

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 15:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech members are invited to the Virtual Women & Hi Tech Annual Meeting of the Members on June 24, 2021 from 11:00 am to 11:30 am, followed by the virtual Executive Women’s Forum: Let’s Talk About Your Cyber Hygiene. During this meeting, we’ll review what we’ve accomplished together over the past year, some plans for the coming year, and provide the opportunity for you to vote to elect the 2021-2022 slate of the Board of Directors of Women & Hi Tech.

If you plan to attend the Virtual Annual Meeting of the Members and have yet to register, please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE for the 2021-2022 board slate. You will be asked to log in to your Women & Hi Tech account before voting.

Voting will end at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, June 24. Votes received after 5:00 pm EST on June 24, 2021 will not be counted in the official tally for election of the 2021/2022 slate of the Board of Directors.

Thank you for being one of almost 2.000 valued members of Women & Hi Tech, and for participating in the Virtual Annual Meeting of the Members. If you have any questions, please contact us at WHTInfo@womenandhitech.org.

Now Open! Women & Hi Tech’s Virtual Pop-Up Shop

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters, and Friends:

It’s time to order your Women & Hi Tech gear! Our first-ever Virtual Pop-up Shop is now open for business.

What’s a virtual pop-up shop?

It’s a virtual online shop for Women & Hi Tech that’s only open for a limited time.
Our local partner, Tactive, will be hosting the virtual pop-up shop.

How long do I have to place orders?

We've extended the run for the pop-up shop until June 27th

Where do I shop?

Women & Hi Tech’s Virtual Pop-up Shop: https://www.eshops.tactive.cc/collections/women-hi-tech

Where do proceeds go?

Proceeds go directly to Women & Hi Tech to continue to advance our mission, “to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.”

When should I expect to receive my order?

About a month from the time you order. All orders are processed after the shop closes, then it takes 3-4 weeks for production and shipping before it arrives on your doorstep.

We can’t wait to see you out and about representing Women & Hi Tech in your new gear!

Thank you so much for your continued support of Women & Hi Tech and our mission. Because of our dedicated members, sponsors, supporters, friends, and because of YOU, Women & Hi Tech continues to blaze trails for supporting, recognizing, connecting and advancing outstanding women and girls pursuing STEM fields in Indiana.

Grown From STEM: May Edition

Sat, 29 May 2021 20:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters and Friends,

I am so happy to start summer! And so glad for warmer weather and outside activities. With vaccinations providing what may be an end to the pandemic, we are excited to be moving towards in person events. Women & Hi Tech’s inaugural Multicultural Celebration is almost here. We invite you to join us on the evening of June 9, 2021 from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm (EST) at the Indiana State Museum Great Hall in downtown Indianapolis. We created this signature event to celebrate and appreciate the unity, authenticity, and cultural diversity imbued by the collective body of women in STEM that enhances, enriches, and empowers our local community and statewide STEM landscape to grow a pipeline of female talent driving innovation in Indiana. This evening will celebrate the array of cultures represented in the Indiana STEM community and showcase the diverse connections represented within Women & Hi Tech. Our celebration will feature culturally diverse hors d'oeuvres and dinner, networking with other STEM professionals, and honoring the Health and Science Innovations High School STEM Summer Camp award recipients. We will also dance and enjoy festive tunes from the live band, Chamber Music. If you have not already done so, there are still tickets available, we would love to see you there. Purchase your tickets at https://womenandhitech.org/event-4246572.

If you have a goal to do some summer reading, consider joining our Virtual Book Club. The June book is Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. It’s not too late to grab a copy of the book and register to join us on Monday, June 21, 2021 from 6-7 pm for the Book Club Discussion.

Finally, our Executive Women’s Forum Director, Linda Calvin, is busy preparing for our next event to be held June 24, 2021 from 11-1 pm. The title is “Let’s Talk About Your Cyber Hygiene”. A panel of cybersecurity experts will help us learn about big recent cybersecurity events, the implications, and how you can improve your cyber hygiene report card. According to recent reports, cybercrime has increased every year as people try to benefit from vulnerable business systems. Remember, the Colonial Pipeline attack from just a few weeks ago that resulted in empty gas stations across the southeast? While IT security professionals deal with cyber risks every day, most individual users do not perceive this as a big problem. But we all have a role to play in cyber security and we invite you to join us for this valuable discussion. This event is FREE for everyone to attend, but you must register to claim your ticket.

The June Executive Women’s Forum topic is a perfect lead in for our 28th edition of "Grown from STEM" focused on Information Technology. IT has become such an integral part of our everyday lives, even more so during this pandemic, as we switched to working and shopping via the internet and virtual meetings, doctor appointments, family reunions and happy hours. For me it has become an IT overload. At church this past weekend we received a challenge from our minister to spend the month of June simply walking – with nothing playing in our ears or carrying a cell phone. Simply walk, reflect, and enjoy your surroundings.

There was a recent article in the Wall Street Journal that indicated relying solely on digital information for decision making, without face to face information gathering, can lead to big strategy mistakes. The article shared a great story about Lego who relied on information that suggested the “electronic generation” wanted instant gratification so they started making larger blocks/kits that could be completed quickly. Sales tanked. Then they heard from a young boy who gave them feedback that working at something tedious and seeing your accomplishment come to life was actually fun. So, they switched their strategy to make intricate kits with smaller pieces. Lego is now the largest toy company in sales in the world.

I think the pandemic has taught us how important balance is. Mark Twain said, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” (although, I think I can confirm that too much bourbon is bad). What I love about our two featured IT professionals, Darcy Lee and Rajinder Heir, is that they couple their passion for IT, virtual and digital with an appreciation for personal connections and relationships. These two do not sit behind a computer all day. Their “balance” is really an inspiration as they navigate successful IT careers while serving their families and the community. Darcy is a past President and Active Emeritus board member of Women & Hi Tech and the COO of AIS. Rajinder is an Emeritus Board Member of Women & Hi Tech and the CTO of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Both ladies are quite accomplished in their respective fields but are also strong advocates for improving diversity in STEM and being role models for young STEM professionals. That’s what I love – they keep our IT infrastructure humming, and at the same time they are out in our STEM community building relationships, mentoring, networking and asking how they can help. I hope you enjoy hearing more about their accomplishments and what drives them.

As we began in the October 2020 edition of "Grown from STEM," we are delighted to continue to feature one of our 2020 Virtual Leading Light Awards (LLAs) recipients in this newsletter. This month we continue to celebrate and recognize Women & Hi Tech's Rising Star recipient, Shilpi Bhargav. Shilpi is the Global Head of Requirements Modeling at Roche Diabetes Group, where she has transformed her team’s global documentation system and quickly risen to a leadership role. While pursuing her Master’s in Biology at IUPUI she was also instrumental in Project Lead the Way, a program dedicated to retaining STEM students and reducing Indiana’s brain drain. Please watch this segment of the 2020 Virtual LLAs to learn more about what fuels Shilpi’s passion and drive for equality for all in the STEM fields and beyond. Again, congratulations Shilpi!

Sincerely,

Linda M. Hicks
Women & Hi Tech President Elect

Board Profile - Darcy Lee

Sat, 29 May 2021 20:01:00 GMT

Since we last profiled her in 2019, Darcy Lee has made a career transition into IT executive leadership. As the COO of AIS, Lee is responsible for corporate process oversight and development and implementation of strategic goals. “Although I still support sales, my main focus is on performance, process, and making sure we are all working toward a common goal,” she explained. “We know where we want to go, but we also need to measure where we are and how we get there.” Part of this depends on making sure each member of the team is provided an opportunity to use their unique gifts and talents. “At our core we believe in people,” Lee said. “We talk about AIS as standing for ‘all in to serve.’” That mantra applies to internal culture as well as the company’s approach to client service.

“We have to consistently see beyond where our clients see and help them excel,” Lee explained. AIS is an IT Managed Services Provider (MSP) that is passionate about optimizing business process, productivity, culture, and customer and employee experiences through the strategic adoption of digital technologies. “We don’t just look at organizations as clients or potential clients in a closed system, but also seek to understand how these companies are connected to their employees, clients and communities.”

The company’s perspective on IT as a service requires a commitment to diversity that is built in from the top down. “Our company is built, by design, to include diverse perspectives,” Darcy said. That commitment starts with race and ethnicity, but is extended to employees’ backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. As the only woman on the company’s executive team, Lee has felt the power of full inclusion on a daily basis. “Our CEO, Lamont Hatcher, very much understands the importance of women in executive positions, both from a financial/profitability perspective and from a diversity perspective. He values and appreciates my input and leadership. Even when our opinions differ, I know I’m heard and seen.”

Lee shared that AIS became especially essential during the pandemic as many organizations realized the value and necessity of information technology. “Suddenly many departments at almost every company were asking for IT solutions, instead of perhaps looking at IT as a burden to be dealt with. COVID had a profound impact because it made the services we offer more desirable and more visible. In Indianapolis especially, when you hear tech, you might think of software as a service (SaaS). We sit on the infrastructure side, which is the essential backbone to making those products function.” She cited automation, cloud migration and optimization, and data security as three areas where support has been in high demand. “When companies need multiple systems or applications to talk to one another to move their business forward, that functionality needs to be designed and implemented, supported by strong infrastructure, and secure.”

In addition to helping AIS achieve internal and external goals through strategic process alignment, Darcy has been using similar strengths to support the Women & Hi Tech board as an Active Emeritus. “As a former President and someone who’s passionate about our mission, it’s admittedly hard to let go and take a step back. We have come so far but there is still so much to be done. Over time, my goal is to focus my efforts on supporting others in their roles and working on long-term initiatives that can expand and strengthen our impact,” she explained. Since Women & Hi Tech has an all-volunteer Board of Directors, there is always an area of focus that can be supported. “Large initiatives like expanding our footprint to support more women in STEM and attract more girls to STEM fields across the state take time. We also need to ensure we are listening to our members to understand their needs. Our active Board members already dedicate so much time to the organization in their specific roles and there isn’t always enough time to do the “more” we want to do, so this is where I feel I can be the greatest benefit to the organization.”

Lee considers this focus on growth in alignment with the desires of members an essential part of Women & Hi Tech’s mission. “I want members to feel supported, inspired, and encouraged. Above all else I see Women & Hi Tech as a support network.” She also wants each member to become better-connected to their own individual ability to effect change. This applies to both men and women. “I would love to see more men as members,” she shared. “We can’t just talk to ourselves (women) and expect the necessary change to happen. We have to include men in the conversation.” Additionally, she added, “For women to truly be supported to be successful, we have to pivot our understanding of what success looks like, and I think the pandemic has made that possible. Women carry a lot of responsibility outside of work and as they come up in their careers need more flexibility. As a society we now recognize that the day-to-day demands on our time are different for every person, and that success can still be achieved without a rigid adherence to a 9-5.” She concluded by observing that an essential part of diversity, equity, and inclusion is recognizing people for who they are—including their unique needs. “People don’t fit into boxes. And so when you allow that, and have less rigidity around the concept of what success has to look like, people can be happier and more productive. We can model what success looks like differently for the next generation.”

Board Profile - Rajinder Heir

Sat, 29 May 2021 20:00:00 GMT

Since our last profile of Rajinder Heir, she has taken on the position of Chief Technology Officer at the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. While this isn’t her first role in the C-suite, it is the first time she’s had to get acquainted with her new team while working remotely. “Since our platforms are accessed remotely to begin with, the needs of our users didn’t shift with the pandemic. But it was a new experience to get to know my team and stakeholders while we were all adjusting to those changes.”

The technology provided by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (“Commission”) serves various stakeholders including students, parents, schools and higher education institutions. One key platform takes students through the process of applying for and maintaining state financial aid while another maintains a repository of academic programs and much more. “We are working on a modernization initiative I am eager to see come to fruition. The finish line is in sight!” Heir explained.

She is also gratified that her keen interest in cybersecurity is an asset in her new role. Rajinder serves on two committees on the Indiana Executive Council on Cybersecurity and has written a diverse range of cybersecurity policies in the last couple of years. These include encryption key management, server hardening, wireless security management, and data classification, among others. “In college classes I enjoyed technical writing so I thoroughly enjoyed working on those policies. It was a good interplay of my natural ability and professional interest,” she said with enthusiasm.

In her role as CTO, Heir applies her existing skills while continuing to grow and learn new strategies. She shared that the Commission has been a longtime proponent of increasing STEM degree completions in Indiana and has also focused on educational equity for many years; there is a natural crossover of both priorities broadening the diversity of the workforce at the Commission. “My experience tells me it is important for any organization that its products and services be designed with an empathy-first approach. To do so, talented design teams deliver best when they reflect the customer base.”

As an emeritus board member of Women & Hi Tech, Rajinder is encouraged by the potential of the organization to inspire women through shared stories. “I want people to attend our events and walk away with actionable a-ha moments. Our Executive Women’s Forums provide exactly that. I also want people to come into Women & Hi Tech at the start of their career and find a soft place to land, to meet accomplished women in sectors such as IT, energy, life sciences, and engineering.” She added that in her view attracting male participation is an essential part of amplifying the organization’s message. “While we may reach male allies in high profile executive roles, it is pivotal to gain buy-in from aspiring leaders to cultivate talent pools. I’ve interviewed and worked with my share of network engineers,” she continued. “Almost none of them women. We are inching closer to the days of wider qualified candidate pools. My hat goes off to those men who attend our events and embrace our mission. Bring a co-worker!”

Asked what advice she would offer to young women who aspire to be executives in STEM, Rajinder spoke to gaining a variety of experiences as a foundation. “For me that came in various forms: high tech startup, public sector, insurance, telecoms, nonprofit and consulting. All of which enriched my IT career and led me to C-suite opportunities. For those starting a career in IT, I advocate for a stint in the public sector or the nonprofit world. I continue to be supportive of Women & Hi Tech, because it’s the best venue to see a snapshot of such journeys.”

Inaugural Multicultural Celebration: Our Return to In-Person Events!

Mon, 17 May 2021 14:44:33 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is thrilled to share that June 9, 2021 marks our slow return to hosting in-person events for Indiana’s STEM community. Our inaugural Multicultural Celebration will be held at the Indiana State Museum from 6-10 pm (EST). What should be expected from this event, and why do we intend to host it biennially or every other year? Let’s explore more of the story.

Why a Multicultural Celebration?

The idea for this event was conceived before the pandemic, when the leadership of Women & Hi Tech was gathered to debrief after the board completed the Interrupting Racism for Our Child training by Child Advocates of Indiana. We discussed the amazing-yet-uncelebrated diversity in the collective body of women in STEM in this state and specifically, Indianapolis, including Women & Hi Tech’s own membership. We conceived of an event that would elevate and celebrate the uniqueness, authenticity, and individuality that each of us brings to the table.

Then, the pandemic hit. Facing uncertainty, the Women & Hi Tech committee kept planning, knowing that one day this event would be realized. The incidents of 2020 only served to illuminate and make more painfully clear the inequity and divisiveness that manifests due to a lack of appreciation for diversity and multicultural people and perspectives in America. So, we announced and organized this event knowing that it is likely needed now more than ever.

“The beauty of diversity and multiculturalism is allowing differences to enhance our life,” said Women & Hi Tech President and planning committee member, Rebecca Bormann. “It’s crazy to me that we let all the cool things about who we are separate us, when they are what should bring us together to learn and grow. We should celebrate each other and if no one else is going to, Women & Hi Tech is.” Bormann concluded by acknowledging that it is not by accident that this event will reflect the beauty of diversity in the art, music, and food provided or that it was planned as the inaugural return to in-person gatherings for the organization post-pandemic. “We felt like our community needs this at this time.”

Women & Hi Tech 2021 Multicultural Celebration

Women & Hi Tech’s inaugural Multicultural Celebration will take place on the evening of June 9, 2021 from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm (EST) at the Indiana State Museum Great Hall in downtown Indianapolis (650 W. Washington St. Indianapolis, IN 46204).

The Great Hall at the Indiana State Museum is an indoor space that connects to an amazing outdoor space on the White River Canal. Inside the Great Hall, our celebration will feature culturally-diverse hors d'oeuvres and dinner, networking with other STEM professionals, and honoring the Health and Science Innovations High School STEM Summer Camp award recipients. We will also dance and enjoy festive tunes from the live band, Chamber Music.

Women & Hi Tech is also pleased to announce that a new cultural exhibit – “Response: Images and Sounds of a Movement” - will be showing in the Legacy Theatre of the Great Hall during our event. Thanks to the Indiana State Museum and the creatives whose works are featured for our appreciation. We are ecstatic to have these visual expressions from local artists infused into the ambiance and celebratory nature of the Multicultural Celebration at no additional charge. To learn more, see https://www.indianamuseum.org/experiences/response-images-and-sounds-of-a-movement/

Registration for the event is $50 for members and $75 for non-members, which includes food, art, and music entertainment. Your registration also includes two beverage tickets, including Women & Hi Tech’s signature celebration cocktail - The Juneteenth Jubilee. A cash bar will be available.

Visit our events page for more information about parking, our COVID guidelines, and how to purchase your tickets today! We can’t wait to see you there and celebrate the amazing person you are.

Grown From STEM: April Edition

Sat, 01 May 2021 00:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters and Friends,

Time is flying by this spring; I can hardly believe we are at the end of April already! This was a busy month for Women & Hi Tech as we hosted our second Executive Women’s Forum (EWF) of 2021, titled, S.T.E.M. – The “E” is for Entrepreneurship! During this inspiring, informative and authentic discussion our EWF Director, Linda Calvin moderated for our esteemed panel of entrepreneurs and executives turned entrepreneurs. Our panelists, Kristen Cooper, Irma Mesa, Joy E. Mason and Daryle Johnson shared with us their journeys to entrepreneurship and many of the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Don’t worry if you missed this virtual event or want to review the lessons shared from our entrepreneurs we’ll have a recording of the event available soon on our YouTube channel.

Women & Hi Tech was also delighted to participate in a community virtual event titled, All IT Community Meeting, in collaboration with the Indy CIO Network, IT Leaders Indianapolis and the Society for Information Management (SIM) Indy. During this meeting, our moderator, Stefanie Krievins, lead a discussion on the topic of resiliency with an exceptional panel of Indiana IT leaders including, You can watch the recording of the event online.

Women & Hi Tech has also been busy planning our first in person event since the onset of the pandemic, the Women & Hi Tech Multicultural Celebration. We created this inaugural, signature event to celebrate and appreciate the unity, authenticity, and cultural diversity imbued by the collective body of women in STEM that enhances, enriches, and empowers our local community and statewide STEM landscape to grow a pipeline of female talent driving innovation in Indiana. We invite you to join us on the evening of June 9, 2021 from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm (EST) at the Indiana State Museum Great Hall in downtown Indianapolis. This evening will celebrate the array of cultures represented in the Indiana STEM community and showcase the diverse connections represented within Women & Hi Tech. Our celebration will feature culturally diverse hors d'oeuvres and dinner, networking with other STEM professionals, and honoring the Health and Science Innovations High School STEM Summer Camp award recipients. We will also dance and enjoy festive tunes from the live band, Chamber Music. Purchase your tickets now.

Also, if you haven’t heard Women & Hi Tech’s Virtual Book Club chose, Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi for our quarter two book. It’s not to late to grab a copy of the book and register for this virtual book club to be held on Monday, June 21, 2021

And, we recently extended the application deadline to apply for a position on our Board of Directors until May 12, 2021. We are looking for candidates who are actively engaged with the organization, and will bring wisdom, experience, effectiveness, candor, and creative thinking. We are passionate about our organization and the meaningful work we do and are looking for like-minded individuals. We do not take the term “working board” lightly. At any given time, a Director is leading her/his own area of responsibility while also contributing to other areas of the organization, including serving on committees, participating in Women & Hi Tech events, and representing Women & Hi Tech in the community. Click here to learn more and apply online.

In our 27th edition of "Grown from STEM" we are excited to be featuring Women & Hi Tech Treasurer, Ben Phillips and our dedicated member and male ally, Cody Rivers. Both Phillips and Rivers are highly accomplished in their respective disciplines and share how their unique paths and careers have led to their success and passion for tech and allyship for women in STEM. Phillips and Rivers are champions for diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly for women in STEM, in their careers, volunteerism, and personal lives. Please read more about Philips and Rivers and how their backgrounds, STEM expertise, and passion for equity and inclusion for girls and STEM professionals helps fuel their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

As we began in the October 2020 edition of "Grown from STEM," we are delighted to continue to feature one of our 2020 Virtual Leading Light Awards (LLAs) recipients in this newsletter. This month we continue to celebrate and recognize Women & Hi Tech's Risk Taker Award recipient, Teresa Plummer. Teresa has been integral to the success of the Sallie Mae technology department for over fourteen years. She has worked her way from Program Manager to Director of IT Governance and Delivery Services. Leading the company’s Agile transformation, she purposefully did not implement hard and fast rules but designed a process that, given a chance, would evolve over time; trusting people to do what is right. Please watch this segment of the 2020 Virtual LLAs to learn more about what fuels Teresa's passion and drive for equality for all in the STEM fields and beyond. Again, Congratulations Teresa!

Best Regards,

Rebecca Bormann
Women & Hi Tech President

Member Profile: Ben Phillips

Sat, 01 May 2021 00:01:00 GMT

In our last profile of Women & Hi Tech Treasurer Ben Phillips, we introduced you to his professional background, his role as a Director in the Audit & Assurance Practice at Katz, Sapper & Miller (KSM) specializing in audits related to IT Security and Internal Controls, and his perspective on the importance of male allyship. This year, we were excited to catch up with him about how his continuing experiences with Women & Hi Tech have benefitted him, especially in the context of major events that have transpired in between these conversations.

“In this world where most continue to work remotely or in a hybrid-environment for the time being, it is more important than ever to take steps and intentionally connect with coworkers outside of just talking about work,” Phillips observed. “Those connections used to manifest normally. You might end up in the break room getting coffee at the same time as someone from a different department and find a chance to check in and catch up. Now, work is more like getting on a Zoom for 30 minutes with the same groups of people.”

He described one innovation taking place at KSM, a practice called Coffee Chats where random groups of four are periodically organized into virtual breakout meetings to meet, share what’s going on in life, and talk about whatever comes up. “It’s a way we can still celebrate everything from someone getting a new puppy, to someone achieving a career or life milestone we might otherwise have never learned about since we’re all working at a distance.”

Ben shared that he has been happy to see the same intentionality in the events hosted by Women & Hi Tech. “From one-on-one meetings to big Executive Women’s Forums that are great for learning and networking, one of our focus areas right now is to be a place where members can find human connection on any given day.” One new event he especially celebrated is the organization’s innovation of Clickside Chats. “These more relaxed events are great because they don’t have to be explicitly focused on our mission of changing the landscape of women represented in STEM,” he said. “They are free to be conversations about topics like job interviews, professional development, or self-care, that are hosted and attended by people who are representative of and in support of our mission.”

“I remain committed to volunteering with Women & Hi Tech because the organization takes steps like these to live its truth as an advocate, rather than just hold itself up as an example without doing the real work,” Phillips shared.

He says the same principle is true of the organization’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, now fully-established in its mission statement and permanently integrated in the infrastructure with the addition of the Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion Director board position. “It’s like finance—unless you have a treasurer and finance committee, who is holding the organization accountable to the targets? The Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion mindset used to be embedded across a few roles on the Board and it will remain a focus for the entire Board. Now we will have one committed Director keeping us accountable and tracking our growth with even more tangible metrics.”

Overall, Ben observed that the pandemic and resulting cultural changes served to escalate intentionality across many sectors, including male allyship and allyship to diverse people. “To have any sort of intentional ally relationship, you have to have a willing recipient on the other side, and that takes a lot of trust, humility, and vulnerability, first and foremost from the person in the position of privilege. You can’t just sit someone down in a Zoom meeting, or even an in-person meeting, and say, ‘I want to be your ally,’” he said with a candid laugh. “All you can do is show up as a steward and advocate as a matter of habit, and express that you are trying to live and behave with more intentional inclusion. Then, you have to hope that intention resonates, and it may resonate differently with each individual. Becoming a person’s ally is as simple, and as complex, as becoming a friend.” He added that being an ally for just one female, or one diverse person, doesn’t make you an ally to all. “Wherever we each are in the world, city, or state, our experiences are our own and we may or may not choose to share them depending on each relationship we develop.”

Ben says one key for every member of Women & Hi Tech to meet and forge relationships with the right allies and peers to support their growth is for sponsors and even non-members to continue maximizing the value of the organization. “Every sponsorship comes with a certain number of memberships that are available to all employees of those companies, and the more robust your sponsorship, the better value you are getting on each individual membership from a cost perspective.” He encourages every sponsor to communicate and check in with Women & Hi Tech about how their employees are finding value in the organization. But at the same time, he acknowledges that employees are just as busy now as they ever were.

“That’s one reason that right now, so many of our events are free to the public. Even if someone never intends to become a member, individually or through a corporate sponsorship, we still want to be available to them as a resource they can use to learn, grow, and connect with others.” To Phillips, this is just about paying the value forward. “My involvement with this organization means I am learning quicker than I usually would in my own silo. And that is our goal for every person who is interested in the programming we deliver and the mission we are advancing to make STEM equally inclusive to all.”

Member Profile: Cody Rivers

Sat, 01 May 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Cody Rivers grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. “My father was an entrepreneur, and my mother, so it was kind of in my blood.” After graduating from Purdue with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Rivers gained experience doing IT consulting for enterprise-level clients. But when he was invited to join AIS a year after its founding, he saw the opportunity to both join an entrepreneurial culture and support other entrepreneurs. “AIS is committed to supporting small and mid-sized businesses with the same quality infrastructure design, security, and management that benefits large businesses,” Rivers explained. “We bring IT structure, organization, and foresight that enables SMBs to grow and compete.” As the Chief Technology Officer of AIS, Rivers’ role focuses on the strategies to deliver secure cloud solutions and other IT services to AIS’ clients as well as internally.

The AIS team, including Rivers, was introduced to Women & Hi Tech through tech sector peer and current Women & Hi Tech President, Rebecca Bormann. “After hearing so many great things, leadership including myself took steps to get involved as male allies.” That commitment started with sponsorship and has since expanded to include event attendance, volunteering, and committee membership. AIS also met its Chief Operations Officer, Darcy Lee, through Women & Hi Tech. “Darcy has been paramount to my deeper involvement and helping me transition what I’ve learned to our workplace,” Cody said.

As part of his increasing engagement with Women & Hi Tech, Rivers is a member of the OperationAll event committee. “OperationAll is a very open conversation forum for Indiana’s male allies in STEM,” he described. “We have a speaker as well as breakout groups that dial down into real-life work situations and management discussions.” He shared that topics ranging from how to run inclusive meetings to organizational strategies that integrate women’s’ perspectives are all on the agenda.

“As compassionate men we may act with our hearts in the right place but still not be well-received by women. I think in part this is because we act in the language we want to receive. This event is an opportunity to get input, not about how we expect to be heard, but how others receive things. Listening is how we can liberate others to be their best self.”

Rivers went on to share how other experiences with Women & Hi Tech have led him to become a better executive. “Coming from a diverse background, I knew I had a diverse perspective, but that wasn’t as well-rounded when it came to gender,” he said. “Through my learning with Women & Hi Tech, I have become a better listener and become more aware of communication, management, and leadership styles.”

He elaborated that this is important for pragmatic as well as ethical reasons. “When diverse populations see that STEM careers and employers mirror their values, it will make it easier to attract more talent to STEM. But we don’t just want to speak to values that will attract talent—we want to live those values with a genuine commitment. At AIS that includes our commitment to inclusion and equity. Our work is done best when there are a wide variety of perspectives in the room to challenge assumptions and innovate solutions.”

Rivers observed that Women & HI Tech embodies the principle of expanding the seats at the table, not eliminating some in favor of others. “The goal of increased diversity, equity, and inclusion is to move the needle to the middle, not swing in the opposite direction,” he said. “I think it’s so cool that Women & Hi Tech reached out to me to become involved as a male ally because they value my advice and perspective. Getting more women represented at all levels of STEM companies is an incredible goal, but it can’t be a one-way conversation. Women & Hi Tech knows that. They are wise enough to recognize that inclusion is the best way to build momentum and achieve lasting change that truly makes STEM better for all.”

When asked what he would say to skeptics of the need for male allies in STEM, Rivers responded with an invitation. “We can’t grow by all thinking alike. But at the same time, no one is above hearing more information. Whatever the subject, hearing stories and new perspectives is what keeps your beliefs in alignment with reality.” He added that one of the things he loves most about Women & Hi Tech is the constant programming and invitation to keep refreshing and expanding learning. “Everyone wants to discuss diversity but then after the discussion you leave and the learning fades out. I love that Women & Hi Tech engages members year-round and meets everyone at their level. They are active on every channel, for every STEM field and career level, and provide events that are comfortable for both introverts and extroverts.”

He hopes the organization continues to expand this reach in coming years. “The curriculum and programming they offer is so interactive. It’s not just listening to numbers and percentages and putting it on the audience to act on what we’ve learned. These events let attendees try on different experiences in a safe environment to ask questions, or even fail--and in STEM that’s very important.”

Announcing New Board Position: Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion Director

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 12:00:00 GMT

For the last five years, Women & Hi Tech has taken progressive steps to evolve and improve the diversity of our organization, as well as how we engage diverse members. Whether it’s diversity of culture and background, who you love, how you worship, or in STEM expertise and education, and so much more, we recognized years ago that we weren’t doing the best job of understanding, elevating, and increasing the uniqueness of our membership or valuing their authenticity.

Our commitment to do better began in 2017 with the revision of our mission statement to indicate our desire to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. And we’re proud to share that we have doubled down on our continued commitment now through a new board position. We’d like to introduce you to our Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Director role.

Why Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion?

We have been working for years to reflect the importance of having our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion solidified in our infrastructure. At the same time, Women & Hi Tech’s Article of Incorporation and Bylaws state that we may only have 15 board members. This led to deep considerations of how we could specifically install a role committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the executive levels of our organizational leadership, while maintaining key functional positions.

Ultimately, we made the choice to retire an old board position in favor of adding this new Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Director. The Board has also decided that the person elected to this role will be one of four board members involved in the evaluation and selection of all other board members. In this way, our organization will be held accountable to our values and ensure that actions taken by our organization, from leadership selection, member and sponsor engagement, program or event implementation, and public communication are reflecting and honoring diverse perspectives.

What are the Goals and Duties of the EDI Director?

One thing we have learned over the years is that one or two diverse persons cannot and should not be burdened to speak for or represent all diverse people. A key duty of the EDI position will be to organize and lead an Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion committee of organization members where honest conversation, empathy, and great ideas to continue propelling our organization forward can manifest.

Another important goal for the EDI Director is to help us understand the diversity of our current membership through information capture and data analysis. We expect this individual will have ideas to broaden small group events, such as the Women & Hi Tech Book Club and our ClickSide Chat Series, which provide opportunities for our members to connect, engage, learn, celebrate, and share their amazingly diverse experiences. And, we hope the EDI Director will be excited to connect with other Indiana STEM organizations to understand how our diverse membership can help achieve mutual goals. Lastly, we expect this EDI Director to have ideas, ambitions, goals, and initiatives they would like us to achieve and accomplish together.

Interested in applying for the EDI Director position by April 25? Visit the full position description and find the application here. Please note that we will also be accepting applications for an EDI committee soon.

Want to support this new EDI Director and Women & Hi Tech’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives? Don’t forget to update your member profile and answer new questions about yourself.

Women & Hi Tech’s 20+ Year History

Twenty-two years ago, Women & Hi Tech was founded by Eli Lilly scientist, Joyce Gustafson, and Indiana University academic, Georgia Miller. The two noticed that there were very few women working in high tech jobs in the Indianapolis STEM community. Manufacturing, telecommunications, agriculture, biotechnology, health care, information technology, and other technical industries, that are today called STEM fields, were still highly male-dominated. So, Joyce, Georgia, their charter members, and female peers decided to do something about it.

Throughout the decades, our objective has included networking, professional development, and volunteering opportunities for women currently working in STEM. We have also worked to create opportunities for young girls and women to be exposed and stay connected to science, technology, engineering, and math professionals.

By 2001, two years after our founding, we awarded our first college scholarship.
By 2003, we joined the K-12 National E-Mentoring program.
By 2013, we created the Passport to Hi-Tech program with Connor Prairie.
By 2017, we launched the Ignite Your Superpower event with Indy Women in Tech (IWiT) and Connor Prairie.

In 2017, we also chose to revisit our mission statement and its alignment with our core values. We recast our mission and brand to emphasize the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion of all women in STEM. We began taking action to manifest those values in our organization. As part of these efforts, the organization elected our first African-American president, Angela B. Freeman, to leadership in 2019. Here are some additional steps toward equity, diversity, and inclusion we have taken since 2017:

The only in-person event Women & Hi Tech hosted in 2020 was our Special Edition Executive Women's Forum in February, Black History Month. A panel of six diverse female STEM professionals representing each facet of STEM discussed The Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM and how each of us may use our power of privilege to support and champion diverse women in STEM.
The Board unanimously approved, organized, financed, and attended a custom, 2-day training and workshop in February 2020, entitled Interrupting Racism For Our Children by Child Advocates of Indiana.
- As a result, we revised and revamped our scholarship applications and judging criteria.
- We also committed to planning a new event to honor and celebrate multicultural diversity in STEM, which will occur in June, 2021

As outcome of our 2-year strategic planning meeting in May 2020, we established a Diversity Taskforce to analyze and address better implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our organization’s infrastructure.
Women & Hi Tech expanded our partnerships with organizations such as the Girls Scouts, Girls Inc, Every GIRL can STEM, the Startup Ladies, and the Indy CIO Network. Women & Hi Tech also established a new partnership with the Indianapolis Professional Association (IPA), a local nonprofit focused on promoting education and economy of African-Americans, by sponsoring book scholarships awarded to 3 African American females pursuing STEM in college.
In 2020, Women & Hi Tech partnered with Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and donated our full K-12 budget to the IPS Education Equity Fund. This donation bought ~16 Chromebooks for diverse female IPS students who did not have computer technology to enable their remote learning.
In July of 2020, the current Board of Directors was elected, which is the most diverse Board in our history. Our current board is 33% diverse, such that 5 out of 15 board members are not Caucasian or white females.

These accomplishments were made possible because we have taken strategic steps for the past several years to weave the intention of diversity, equity, and inclusion into the fabric of our organization. Well beyond words, we have established our commitment to inclusion through infrastructural policies, processes, and procedures that solidify diversity, equity, and inclusion in the foundational experience of any member or leader of Women & Hi Tech.

We want this organization to be a place where all people can be themselves, find empathy, and grow. We are supremely confident that adding this new EDI Director position on our board will help us better connect our members to one another, to our greater STEM community, and to their own value and excellence. We can’t wait to meet our new Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion Director in the next weeks and months and to introduce them to you! If interested, we strongly encourage YOU to apply.

Women & Hi Tech Book Club Expands Perspectives

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech Book Club Expands Perspectives

Did you know Women & Hi Tech has a book club? Since September 2020, our members have been meeting once a quarter to discuss great books on STEM and professional development topics.

We sat down to talk with the club’s founder, current Women & Hi Tech Secretary Kelly Sandstrom, as well as members of the club to talk about their experience so far and what is coming next for the group.

Women & Hi Tech Book Club Details and Meeting Information

So far, the book club has met three times, once per quarter since its inception. Here are the books they have discussed:

September 2020: Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
December 2020: Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman
March 2021: The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies by Jason Fagone.

The fourth meeting is scheduled for June 21, with the selected book being Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi.

“Women & Hi Tech members are encouraged to submit book nominations to the book club chair,” explained Kelly. “When enough nominations are collected, a poll is created during a book club meeting to vote on the next read. In the absence of enough nominations, the book club chair will select a relevant title for the book club to read next.”

The club has been very excited to have two of its meetings joined by authors! Elise Foster, who co-authored The Multiplier Effect with Wiseman, attended the December meeting. And Jason Fagone attended the March meeting where his book was discussed.

“Sometimes the authors have been facilitators themselves, guiding the meeting in a way that our attendees have gotten more of a workshop during our meeting hour. At other points, the authors have been able to give insight into the book writing process, and book club attendees asked more direct questions about the history and details of the story itself. What a treat for our book club participants!” Kelly celebrated.

Book club member Sharon Tuttle agreed. She specifically attended the book club due to the relevance of Fagone’s book to her professional life. “I was thrilled to hear the author would be attending our meeting,” she shared. “I was captivated by the level of detail the author researched to write this story. It was insightful to understand how difficult it was for him to find the hidden documents and files relating to this story.”

And now, Sharon is excited to keep attending the book club. “My initial response to the invitation to join this particular book club meeting was solely based on the significance of the topic of the book to my work. Now, I look forward to reading the next book and participating again. I can attest to these discussions providing diverse viewpoints on a variety of perspectives which I find broaden my own intellect and understanding of the topic.”

Why a Women & Hi Tech Book Club?

As the events of 2020 forced our members to be distant from one another, Kelly thought of this idea to connect our members for more structured and intentional conversation. “The book club is such a fun way to get out and network and meet new people with similar interests,” she said. “You can always guarantee that you will either meet someone new at a book club meeting or have a new type of conversation with an old friend.”

Book club member Josuenny O’Donnell agreed. “It is a joy to hear about other members' experiences with the books and hear how different aspects resonate with each person,” she said. “The discussions help to create a bigger picture of the significant aspects of a book. In particular, when reading Multipliers I felt a disconnect from the material. Yet, when those in leadership roles related the information to their own lives, I began to understand how the lessons are applicable to me (both in the present and when making decisions in the future).”

Experiencing Diverse Perspectives

These member experiences point to one of the biggest benefits members are finding in the book club, a chance to engage with others’ perspectives on the reading material. “There is tremendous value in the perspective diversity of book club meetings, because it's a safe space to share without feeling judged,” said Kelly.

“I love learning the different takeaways each person finds in the story and which part of the book resonated most with everyone,” said book club member and Women & Hi Tech President Rebecca Bormann. “I always gain additional insight or a new perspective during our book club discussion!”

Another element of diversity inherent in the meetings is the subject material of the books themselves.

“I don't usually read non-fiction, but The Women Who Smashed Codes had so many fantastic elements, it's even more fascinating that it is a true story,” Josuenny said. “Elizebeth Friedman's accomplishments are something worth discussing. From the beginning the reader is invested in her life story and how she moves from one crazy adventure to another. Moreover, it is an inspiring tale of finding passions and pursuing them. I was also inspired to try cryptograms and use the methods that were described in the book, which made the puzzles a lot more accessible.”

Rebecca agreed that this was her favorite book so far. “I don't think I would have ever picked this book on my own. And it was a fantastic book; from an educational, inspirational, and enjoyable perspective. I loved learning about code-breaking – I knew nothing about it before. This book shared the history of code breaking along with the joys and challenges the heroine and her family experienced.”

When asked what comes next for the book club, Kelly says she is sure the incredible discoveries and conversations will continue. “I believe book clubs are best executed face-to-face, to further the social interaction,” she added. “I am looking forward to the day when we will have an in-person meeting option for the book club.”

Grown from STEM: March Edition

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters and Friends,

Happy Spring everyone, I can feel the excitement of warm weather and maybe the end to the pandemic on the horizon! We are keeping our fingers crossed we will be able to meet face to face very soon. In the meantime, we continue our platform of engaging virtual programming. We are wrapping up a successful ClickSide Chat series on March 31, 2021 focused on interviewing tips and best practices. These interactive sessions have allowed us all to connect, engage, and encourage each other via moderated discussions by Women & Hi Tech Board Members. We also have had on-going Book Club sessions, that have included discussions with the book authors.

We hope you enjoyed our new social media “templates” to shout out noteworthy women and their accomplishments in STEM. Our Women & Hi Tech International Day of Women and Girls in Science and Women’s History month postings were a hit and conveyed inspirational messages of encouragement to the women in STEM community. A big thank you to those who participated and to our Communications Committee, led by Lori Boyer, who developed the template and trained us on how to use them. You will see more of these in the future!

As we move forward into 2021, we are busy planning several events that we are sure you will not want to miss. These include our signature Executive Women’s Forums (EWF) and our biennial Fall Retreat. The EWF in April will be virtual and focuses on women Entrepreneurship in STEM. The Fall Retreat is being planned for October at French Lick. The details and registration of these exciting events will be shared soon.

In our 26th edition of "Grown from STEM" we circle back to Engineering. Women engineers have made many notable technology innovations and developments including designing the Brooklyn Bridge, inventing the frequency hopping theory that serves as the basis for modern communication technology such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, developing Kevlar, ergonomic designs, and the windshield wiper. The movie Hidden Figures brought to light the tremendous contribution women, specifically women of color, made to the space program. But when I decided to pursue engineering, none this information was mainstream. Women engineering accomplishments were not in the news, or otherwise being communicated. My interest in engineering was sparked because I thought it was glamorous and heard I could make a lot of money. My father was an engineer and I thought he looked powerful wearing a hard hat with a clipboard in hand. His travel seemed exciting. His handwriting immaculate. He could build anything (including the a-frame playhouse my sisters and I spent hours enjoying). It just seemed awesome.

I started my engineering career at a time when there were very few female engineers in the workforce, and quickly learned that the work was anything but “glamorous”. I got a big dose of “educated women” not being welcome or as good as the educated men. The dynamics were not friendly to say the least. There were Playboy pin-ups proudly displayed in male colleague workspaces, trade shows with “Miss Snap-On Tool” parading around, no female bathrooms to be found at plants, constant tests to see if I would climb a ladder to the top of a 120’ tower or crawl inside a boiler because I was the “tiny one”, the pipe grease in my hard hat and secret meetings that I wasn’t invited to. It’s amazing I could do my job given all this “stuff” going on, but I did. And I did it well. I persevered and made it clear that not only was I not leaving (there would be a price to pay for touching my pink hard hat) and more importantly that I was a great engineer. With this, the constant harassment diminished to a low hum and I was given a seat at the table more often than not.

I point this all out because I think it is now a prominent fact that women are fantastic engineers. While there is still unconscious bias to overcome and work to do to give women engineers equal standing with their male counterparts, women engineers are now being recognized for their talent, given credit for their technical contributions and are an important member of technical teams bringing forward innovative technology platforms.

This month we feature two talented engineers who continue to drive home the point that women engineers have a high degree of technical expertise, are strong leaders and are making meaningful technical contributions to emerging and innovative technology programs. We would like to introduce you to Women & Hi Tech’s Active Emeritus Board Member and former President, Tiffany White and dedicated Emeritus Board Member Melissa Lavella. Tiffany is the Head of Engineering Operations in Rolls Royce Defense Sector. She is recognized for being a champion for team diversity to leverage the best from all perspectives. Melissa is a Senior Quality Supervisor at Roche Diagnostics. Similar to Tiffany, she couples her technical expertise with a passion for advancing team diversity to drive innovation.

Both women speak loudly about the value Women & Hi Tech has on the STEM community, girls considering STEM careers and personal career development. In closing, I would encourage you to consider joining our Board of Directors. We recently announced seven open board positions this year. Being part of the leadership of the organization is truly an honor, a lot of fun, and an excellent career development opportunity. Universally, those who serve on the board indicate that it is an absolutely wonderful opportunity to mature as a leader and team member. All the job descriptions are available on our website and applications are being accepted through April 25, 2021.

As we began in the October 2020 edition of "Grown from STEM," we are delighted to continue to feature one of our 2020 Virtual Leading Light Awards (LLAs) recipients in this newsletter. This month we continue to celebrate and recognize Women & Hi Tech Leadership Leading Light Award recipient Christine McDonnell. Christine is Co-Founder and CEO of Codelicious, a K-12 SaaS education technology company. She knew there had to be a way to get Computer Science to more students--and especially girls--and when she didn't see the solution readily available, she decided to create one. She's also used her extensive network to create the Confidence Builders program where young girls are given opportunities to interview influential women. She manifests empathy and care for every employee, student, and fellow human she connects with. Again, congratulations Christine!

Sincerely,
Linda M. Hicks
President-Elect, Women & Hi Tech

Board Profile: Tiffany White

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:01:00 GMT

Last year, our profile of Tiffany White described her many roles on the board of Women & Hi Tech, including Director of K-12 Programs, Vice President, President, and Past President. When we asked her why she has stayed so committed to involvement as an emeritus board member, her answer was simple: “Women & Hi Tech is my tribe.” She then elaborated a little. “When I first entered the engineering field, I was working in an all-male organization. There were very few female engineers and none in my peer group. Then I tried Society of Women Engineers, but found the membership skewed younger than me. They were very nice people, but I wanted to connect with people at my level—women who are currently executives and leaders in STEM. I found that at Women & Hi Tech.”

Tiffany is the Head of Engineering Operations in Rolls Royce’s Defense Sector. She has worked at Rolls Royce for over 26 years and credits the confidence and leadership skills she learned with Women & Hi Tech for helping her achieve several promotions. “I have been so impressed with the way Women & Hi Tech has adapted to the virtual landscape of 2020—some of the ideas and tech we have used at networking events, I have turned around and used at work with my team,” she celebrated.

Tiffany describes the engineering sector, especially defense engineering, as one of the many established industries making pivots to achieve digital transformation. “We used to design things on paper, or even throwing Excel files back and forth to each other. Now we are writing apps and using data digitally,” she explained. “We are putting sensors on aircraft engines—or also trucks, ships, and cars—that send real time info back to an app or to a central hub where we can diagnose issues with machinery. Whether it’s on the fly or certainly at maintenance intervals, we can see trends and schedule early intervention before things break.”

All this disruption comes with an increased need for cybersecurity to keep pace with innovation. “Once you are moving all these electrons around, someone intentionally or unintentionally wants to do something it wasn’t intended for,” White observed.

Tiffany believes that the key to overcoming barriers and creating the best products possible is diverse collaboration. “The ability to have diversity in any team makes you be innovative and stops you from groupthink. Whether it’s gender diversity, racial diversity, socioeconomic diversity, or even cross-functional groups within the organization, different voices help us make a better product because we are fully exploring requirements and what could go wrong.” However, she added that this is true of any team, in any industry.

“In aerospace and defense specifically, seasoned professionals like me are suddenly doing very new things. How do we design an engine digitally, and how do we then test that engine sufficiently in a digital environment? How do we protect our designs, innovations, and extremely sensitive consumer data from cybercrime?” Tiffany said that age diversity and being willing to listen to newer members of the team who have digital skills is essential to achieving these goals. “We have to not only hire but also train and restructure in ways that allow new technology to come in and be leveraged in the best and most efficient ways for our end users.”

Tiffany concluded that nothing is stopping change. “No matter what the industry, at this point we all know we have no choice but to adapt to technology,” she said. “But at the same time, my team are working with products that have 50-year lifecycles. For some of our projects, it’s like trying to put an automatic transmission in a Model T. Not just challenging, but expensive and time-consuming.”

Overall, there is alignment between what Tiffany wants for her industry and what she envisions for members of Women & Hi Tech. “We all need tools to become better versions of ourselves,” she explained. “As we find and learn to use the tools that work best for us, we grow and achieve more.”

“Women & Hi Tech is a place where women don’t need to be on the board to find their tribe and peers. In fact, this year we have learned we don’t even all need to be together in person to have a sense of connection,” she said with amazement. “The fact that we had the same rich interactions in all our virtual events has been literally incredible. And it inspires me to have confidence in all aspects of the new digital world that is getting bigger every day.”

Board Profile: Melissa Lavella

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:00:00 GMT

Melissa has been a member of Women & Hi Tech for just over a decade and is now a board member emeritus of the organization. She became an active member of the organization around 2011 with the Rolls-Royce corporate membership. After transitioning to Roche Diagnostics at the end of 2014, she was presented with the opportunity to apply to the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors. Her biggest hope is that more women will take advantage of the organization’s programming and networking opportunities.

During her role as the K-12 Outreach Director, she spent numerous hours reaching external partners, growing their involvement, and getting Women & Hi Tech in front of the community at a variety of STEM events, such as the SEFI Celebrate Science exhibition. To support this increased community engagement, Lavella and her team were able to come up with a binary code activity to increase female representation in STEM. When asked about the details of the activity, Lavella said, “We created a sustainable STEM activity that involved making necklaces out of two different colored beads. The STEM element included using binary code to translate letters into various sequences of beads. It was a way to show our girls how computers translate letters into binary.”

Lavella’s impact on Women & Hi Tech and the STEM community extends beyond her role as Outreach Director from 2015 to 2018. As an engineer, Lavella believes that engineering allows for different perspectives across several industries. When asked about the impact of her role in the engineering field, she said, “Engineering’s presence in STEM is about representation and the opportunity for new and innovative ideas. We can’t all be engineers. It takes a variety of experiences to solve the problems that exist in STEM.” She continued to stay connected to the organization through her company, Roche. She was able to leverage engagement opportunities such as the Leading Light Awards to help launch an annual corporate sponsorship. She is most proud of the additional development and networking opportunities that women at her company have been able to experience due to the partnership. Specifically, Lavella is proud that many of the women at Roche have experienced a heightened sense of visibility due to involvement in Women & Hi Tech, which has led to more women learning about the organization as well getting involved in its programming and initiatives.

Of the questions that need answering in the STEM community, one that stands out the most to Lavella is How do we increase exposure for girls and families? “From the time I joined Women & Hi Tech board of directors in 2015 to now, a pivotal moment of change in the organization occurred when we updated our mission and vision statement” Lavella said “to be very clear about changing the landscape to make things more equitable in STEM. It’s not just enough to expose more women to STEM. It’s also about changing the rules of the game to create a more equitable scenario for all, especially those who are underrepresented.”

Because groups like Women & Hi Tech are focused on diversifying STEM talent, Indianapolis has grown its reputation as a tech city. There are great universities that are intentional about keeping talent in the state, and because of the amount of effort put into this growing industry, more students and youth are getting involved in the field. “As an organization, we have become more intentional about getting women and women of color in the forefront of STEM. We built enough confidence to be more radical. We are not afraid to be bold in our pursuit of equity in the STEM community. Twenty years from now, I hope that keeping our small knit community feeling within Women & Hi Tech is our biggest challenge, because we have grown so much with additional members and supporters. I also hope that Central Indiana continues to grow with STEM opportunities that create significant movement for women and other marginalized groups.”

Women & Hi Tech Celebrates Women’s History Month 2021 with Release of New Logo

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 17:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is celebrating Women’s History Month 2021 by reflecting on our organization’s history. As the only Indiana-founded 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on women in STEM in existence for over 20 years, we have had significant impact to date. But when we reflect on the last 3-5 years in particular, we are ecstatic to see the tangible impact achieved by our intentional focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This March, we are celebrating the legacy of our past and the promise of our future with the release of a new Women & Hi Tech logo, in which we hope all women see themselves reflected. From age, race, gender expression, sexual orientation, and all facets of diversity in between, what unites our members is their passion for our mission - to make the landscape of women in STEM equally inclusive to all.

Let’s explore how our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion came to fruition, and the intentional and purposeful steps we have taken in recent years to amplify our mission of inclusion and belonging of all women in STEM in Indiana.

Women & Hi Tech’s 20+ Year History

Throughout the decades, our mission has included networking and professional development for women currently working in STEM. We have also worked to create opportunities for young girls and women to be exposed and stay connected to science, technology, engineering, and math professionals.

By 2001, two years after our founding, we awarded our first college scholarship.
By 2003, we joined the K-12 National E-Mentoring program.
By 2013, we created the Passport to Hi Tech program with Connor Prairie.
By 2017, we launched the Ignite Your Superpower event with Indy Women in Tech (IWiT) and Connor Prairie.

Current State of Women & Hi Tech

Though 2020 was a year of turmoil, uncertainty, and unrest in our country, it was also a year of progress for Women & Hi Tech as we enabled real change toward inclusion in our organization. Last year, we had more diverse representation in our scholarship and award applicants, judges, and recipients than ever before in our organization’s history. In a national culture of inequity, disparity, and disadvantage for women, our organization continued to provide a safe haven for female professionals by elevating our diverse members, colleagues, and peers for recognition of their STEM excellence and community impact.

Given the circumstances, our achievements in 2020 is rather impressive!

The only in-person event Women & Hi Tech hosted in 2020 was our Special Edition Executive Women's Forum in February, Black History Month. A panel of six diverse female STEM professionals representing each facet of STEM discussed The Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM and how each of us may use our power of privilege to support and champion diverse women in STEM.
The Board unanimously approved, organized, financed, and attended a custom, 2-day training and workshop in February 2020, entitled Interrupting Racism For Our Children by Child Advocates of Indiana.
- As a result, we revised and revamped our scholarship applications and judging criteria.
- We also committed to planning a new event to honor and celebrate multicultural diversity in STEM, which will occur in June, 2021

Our first-ever virtual Executive Women’s Forum was held in April 2020 and focused on Leveraging the Gift of Feedback. This event had over 500 registered attendees from all over the world - record attendance.
Women & Hi Tech expanded our partnerships with organizations such as the Girls Scouts, Girls Inc, Every GIRL can STEM, the Startup Ladies, and the Indy CIO Network. Women and Hi Tech also established a new partnership with the Indianapolis Professional Association (IPA), a local nonprofit focused on promoting education and economy of African-Americans, by sponsoring book scholarships awarded to 3 African American females pursuing STEM in college.
Women & Hi Tech also partnered with Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and donated our full K-12 budget to the IPS Education Equity Fund. This donation bought ~16 Chromebooks for diverse female IPS students who did not have computer technology to enable their remote learning.
In July of 2020, the current Board of Directors was elected, which is the most diverse Board in our history. Our current board is 33% diverse, such that 5 out of 15 board members are not white females.
We introduced 2 new programs, our Click Side Chats & the Women & Hi Tech Quarterly Book Club. These virtual events enabled members to stay connected, engaged, and encouraged during stay at home orders and social distancing.
Women & Hi Tech created, held and/or participated in more community events than ever before, totaling 50 virtual events throughout the year.
- Our signature annual OperationALL^TM event was held in October and was designed especially for our male allies.
- Our Virtual Holiday Networking Pajama Party raised $3,000, and 100% of the proceeds were donated to the DaySpring Center.

We celebrated the 20th Anniversary of our Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala by hosting our first-ever virtual gala in October. Over 500 global guests registered, as we awarded over $58,000 of scholarships and grants to 17 women and girls in Indiana and honored 13 outstanding Indiana STEM professionals with our Leading Light Awards.

Our membership is almost 2000 strong; each member with a unique background, set of skills, and talents to help this organization of peers succeed. Our all-volunteer working Board of Directors is committed to advancing our mission and serving our Indiana STEM community. Though every STEM field is unique, the barriers women face go beyond the technical aspects of any STEM career to unite us in vision and the intention of creating a world where those obstacles no longer exist. As reflected by our new logo, our organization’s focus – today and since its inception – remains focused on the women in STEM, particularly those needing a resource of empowerment and encouragement. Every day we seek to identify and engage a growing number of women, a diverse group of STEM professionals, and leaders from across Indiana to help promote and support our cause.

We are Women & Hi Tech, committed to changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all for over two decades. Won’t you join us and participate in our historical legacy?

Women & Hi Tech Announces Call for Nominations for Board of Directors Openings

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 12:00:00 GMT

The call for nominations closes April 25, 2021. Multiple nominations from a single candidate are permitted. All nominations will be reviewed by the Nomination Committee. Nominees must be Women & Hi Tech members in good standing at the time of initial voting and must remain in good standing throughout their tenure. New board members take office on July 1, 2021.

To apply or nominate an individual, please review the job descriptions and policies linked below and complete the online form by April 25, 2021.

Grown from STEM: February Edition

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 13:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters and Friends,

February has been an exciting month for Women & Hi Tech, and we hope it has been for you too! Women & Hi Tech members have been meeting every other Wednesday during our ClickSide Chat meetings held for a small group of registered members. These interactive sessions provide a mid-week touch-point for Women & Hi Tech members to connect, engage, and encourage each other via a moderated discussion format related to a respective topic hosted by Women & Hi Tech Board Members Upcoming topics include a check-in on 2021 goals and resolutions, self-care best practices and a session focused on interviewing tips & best practices. We are also reading The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies by Jason Fagone for our upcoming Virtual Book Club Meeting on March 9th from 6 pm to 7 pm. Spoiler alert: the woman who smashed codes is from Indiana! If you are not already registered for a ClickSide Chat or Book Club please visit our website womenandhitech.org/events.

We were also delighted to host our kickoff “Special Edition” Executive Women’s Forum (EWF) of 2021 – A Casual and Crucial COVID Conversation with Indiana’s Health Commissioner- Dr Kristina Box, during Black History month and on International Day of Women and Girls in Science as declared by the United Nations General Assembly. The mission of this day is to “achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls and to further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.” We at Women & Hi Tech, would especially like to recognize and thank all of our Indiana female scientific leaders and healthcare heroes- for their many accomplishments especially accomplishments that have created solutions for problems caused by the global pandemic. Thank you!

We honor and celebrate February as Black History month and Women & Hi Tech recognizes and celebrates African American History not just in February but year-round. This year we’d like to especially recognize all of the African American women in STEM, especially our Past President, Angela B. Freeman, and EWF Director, Linda Calvin, for making history today in our Indiana community and across the nation and the world. Thank you!

To continue to honor and celebrate Black History month, I share with you four of innumerous African American women who have or are currently blazing trails in a STEM field.

Yvonne Young Clark (1929-2019)

According to BlackPast.org, Yvonne Young Clark was the first African American to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering at Howard University in 1951. She was the first woman to receive a Master’s degree in Engineering from Vanderbilt University in 1972; and, she was the first female faculty at the College of Engineering at Tennessee State University [TSU], endearing her with the title, “TSU’s First Lady of Engineering”.

Yvonne Young Clark utilized summer breaks during her 55-year higher education career to undertake engineering jobs. She worked on recoilless weapons at Frankfort Arsenal; on Saturn 5 engines where she identified hot spots for the NASA division in Huntsville, Alabama; and receptacles for returning moon specimens to Earth at the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. She also conducted extensive studies on refrigerants including serving as chief researcher on a project “Experimental Evaluation of the Performance of Alternative Refrigerants in Heat Pump Cycles. To learn more about Yvonne Young Clark please visit: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/yvonne-young-clark-1929-2019/

Dr. Jewel Plummer Cobb (1924-2017)

As I learned on Your Dictonary.com, Dr. Jewel Plummer Cobb a cell biologist and cell physiologist is most known for her work with skin pigment, or melanin. She was an educator and researcher and contributed to the field of chemotherapy with her research on how drugs affected cancer cells. She was also a passionate advocator for women and ethnic minorities to enter into the field of science.

In 1991, Cobb became principal investigator at Southern California Science and Engineering ACCESS Center and Network, which helps middle school and high school students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds pursue careers in engineering, mathematics, and the sciences. She continued to help in efforts to bring opportunities to minorities. In 2001, she was principal investigator for Science Technology Engineering Program (STEP) Up for Youth—ASCEND project at California State University, Los Angeles.

For her work helping minorities discover the rewards of a career in science, Cobb received the 1993 Lifetime Achievement Award. This was given by the National Academy of Science for her contributions to the advancement of women and underrepresented minorities. Her photograph hangs in the academy's hall reserved for distinguished scientist. To learn more about Dr. Jewel Plummer Cobb please visit: https://biography.yourdictionary.com/jewel-plummer-cobb

Angela Benton (1981-)

Angela Benton is an American businesswoman. Benton founded NewME (acquired), the first startup accelerator for minorities globally in 2011. Through her leadership, NewME has accelerated hundreds of entrepreneurs helping the nascent companies to raise over $47 million in venture capital funding. Prior to that she launched BlackWeb 2.0 in 2007, a multimedia platform that filled a much-needed void by becoming a vital nexus for African-Americans interested in technology. She is a pioneer of diversity and one of the most important African-Americans in the technology industry.

Today Angela Benton is currently the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Streamlytics, which uses first-party media consumption data to bring transparency to what people are streaming on today’s most popular streaming services while helping consumers own their data in the process. To learn more about Angela Benton please visit: https://www.angelabenton.co/about-angela-benton#about

Dr. Sylvia T. Bozeman (1947-)

Dr. Sylvia Bozeman’s professional career has primarily been spent as a member of the mathematics faculty at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She began as an instructor in 1972, became assistant professor in 1980, an associate in 1984, and professor in 1991. Moreover, Sylvia served as Chair of Math at Spelman (1982-1993), as adjunct faculty in Math at Atlanta University (1983-85) teaching graduate mathematics/ supervising a master’s thesis, and became Director of the Center for the Scientific Applications of Mathematics (1993-present), a center she established at Spelman. In the late 1970's, Sylvia took a three-year leave of absence from Spelman to matriculate at Emory University in Atlanta where she earned a Ph.D. degree in mathematics in 1980 in Functional Analysis; her thesis title : "Representations of Generalized Inverses of Fredholm Operators." Her noted scholarly activities include several publications, funded research (by NASA, the US Office of Army Research and the Kellogg Foundation); and her recognitions, contributions, and services as a gifted teacher and presenter.

Sylvia Bozeman also has a strong commitment to community service. The elementary students' Tutorial Program at Friendship Baptist Church is one of her favorites. Her awards, honors, and recognitions are many. They include: Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award - Al A&M Univ/NAFEO (1996); Pres. Fac. Award for Dist. Service - Spelman (1995); Dist. Teaching Award - Southeastern Section of the MAA(1995); White House Initiative Fac. Award for Excell. in Sc. & Tech. (1988); Tenneco UNCF Award for Excell in Teaching (1988) and election to Phi Beta Kappa and to Pi Mu Epsilon Honorary Math. Fraternity. In 1997 Sylvia Bozeman was selected to be the Project Shepherd of the most expensive construction project in the history of Spelman: the $25 million (+) Spelman College Science Center. Also in 1997, Sylvia Bozeman was elected Governor of the Southeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

She is the first African-American to be elected a Section Governor in MAA's eight-two year history. The MAA is the largest mathematics organization of college and university professors, and the Southeastern Section is one of the largest sections. Dr. Sylvia Bozeman's mentor is her friend of many years, Dr. Etta Falconer.

In our 25th edition of "Grown from STEM". We are featuring Women & Hi Tech’s Collegiate Outreach Director, Merri Beth Lavagnino and dedicated member Kelley Skelton, both excelling in the field of Tech, Security, Data and Analytics. Both Lavagnino and Skelton are highly accomplished in their respective disciplines in technology and share how their unique paths and careers have led to their success and passion for tech. Lavagnino and Skelton are champions for diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly for women in STEM, in their careers, volunteerism, and personal lives. Please read more about Lavagnino and Skelton and how their backgrounds, STEM expertise, and passion for equity and inclusion for girls and STEM professionals helps fuel their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

As we began in the October 2020 edition of "Grown from STEM," we are delighted to continue to feature one of our 2020 Virtual Leading Light Awards (LLAs) recipients in this newsletter. This month we continue to celebrate and recognize Women & Hi Tech's Mentor Me! award recipient, Heather Jones. Heather is an accomplished biochemical engineer in the field of fermentation and a selfless leader at Corteva Agriscience. Heather's impact in mentoring spans across ages from young children to college students to science professionals. Her approachable demeanor, articulate communication style and her own success as a scientist, engineer, and leader make her an effective mentor and inspirational role model for young women. Please watch this segment of the 2020 Virtual LLAs to learn more about what fuels Heather's passion and drive for equality for all in the STEM fields and beyond. Again, Congratulations Heather!

Kind Regards,

Rebecca Bormann
President, Women & Hi Tech

Board Profile- Merri Beth Lavagnino

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 13:01:00 GMT

Merri Beth, Collegiate Outreach Director, has been a member of Women & Hi Tech for quite a while and attributes her passion to be an active board member to a few things. When she saw that there was a call for board members, she submitted an application for the role of Collegiate Outreach Director. In her role as Collegiate Outreach Director, Lavagnino is able to network with colleges and universities within Central Indiana. This, in turn, creates the opportunity to do new things, specifically linking students, faculty, and staff to hi-tech events.

When asked about further motivation to assume a more active role on the Women & Hi Tech board, Lavagnino said, “I am passionate about building relationships with collegiate sponsors to help determine what they need for STEM students as well as faculty and staff working at universities.” As a result, Lavagnino has held several panel sessions for college and university students to gauge interest in STEM careers. For Women & Hi Tech, the good news is that most of the members include women who are already STEM professionals and love to share their stories with students.

Lavagnino believes that connecting professionals with students is the most valuable thing that colleges and universities want. Because of her discovery, she moderated the Lessons Learned from Women Professionals in STEM Panels which allows STEM professionals to tell their stories and best practices on what undergraduate and graduate students should do as they pursue careers in STEM. “When we have these panel discussions, men also attend, and we appreciate their presence because men can learn what is needed to support and encourage their female counterparts to be a part of the industry,” Lavagnino said in a recent interview.

Lavagnino assisted with the scholarship awarding process for Women & Hi Tech’s 20th Anniversary in August of 2019, and then she was the scholarships chair for the organization’s Leading Light Awards in October of 2020. “I was responsible for the entire process and spent a lot of time working with a committee to make the application language more inclusive and encouraging, because our goal is to increase diversity,” she stated. While she spent time ensuring a more equitable and inclusive environment, Lavagnino also wants members of Women & Hi Tech to develop like no other.

As the Collegiate Outreach Director for Women & Hi Tech, Lavagnino believes that members should come to events with a welcoming, growth-mindset to learn not only thoughts and ideas that apply to current STEM careers, but also to understand the careers of their peers who are working in other areas of STEM. Lavagnino goes on to say that, “When we learn more about our peer women, how we can support them, and what techniques they use that we can use to apply to our own lives, we further inspire young women who have a curiosity in STEM. Sometimes we just need to talk to someone outside of our current job, who can help us navigate those waters.”

As the times and trends change in STEM, Lavagnino makes a priority to highlight a couple of them. “My area of STEM is information technology privacy and security compliance. The biggest barrier that I’ve noticed for women is the lack of detailed technical knowledge, as it pertains to technology,” she said in a recent interview, “prevents women from branching out and pursuing new career opportunities.” To Lavagnino, it seems that young men play with programming more as children and engage in more gaming as teenagers. “The games are written to appeal to young men,” Lavagnino asserted. She feels that women, too, can break through that barrier and get started in tech as early as young men do. If you know young women who have an inkling of interest, help them get started programming and playing with technology hardware and software earlier.

“I think that throughout our STEM careers, all kinds of women, including diverse women, should have the same opportunities to pursue security, data, and analytics as it applies to their STEM area.” As the industry evolves, and more women pursue executive leadership positions in STEM, data analysis tools will be important to gain business insights. “Some of us work in a lab or teach a STEM discipline, but we aren’t experts in analyzing the data about our work. We’re in a time where we all have to become those experts,” Lavagnino said. “If you’re a woman or underrepresented minority pursuing a STEM career, you’ll set yourself apart with applicable coursework or even a minor or certificate in data analytics, when applying and interviewing for new opportunities.”

Member Profile - Kelley Skelton

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 13:00:00 GMT

Kelley Skelton graduated from IU Kelley School of Business with degrees in Business Management and Human Resource Management. But by the time of graduation, she had also taught herself to code in HTML, CSS, C#, learned the Adobe Creative Design suite, and worked as a webmaster. “I like to stay busy and keep my mind sharp!” Skelton explained simply. “My now-husband was in IT, and I saw what he was doing, and knew I could do it too.” She described how the reactions of her clients and colleagues kept her motivated to continue learning. “I was able to help by doing what others called ‘magic’ but I knew was just tech. My skills allowed me to be efficient and help others achieve efficiency, too. This wasn’t something everyone knew how to do—so it was helping others that kept me motivated.”

Today, Skelton leverages her skills in both business and IT in an IT Strategic Services role with the Business Solutions Team at Anthem, where she focuses on helping align Anthem’s strategic initiatives with Federal and State regulations. This is a role where her talent for process improvement and efficiency shines. She also serves as Chief of Staff for the Anthem ‘Women’s Inspired Network’. This is one of Anthem’s Associate Resource Groups which amplify and support diversity in the company’s culture. “I am so gratified to be able to leverage my broad experience and passion for analysis to continue to help, not only my colleagues, but the individuals Anthem serves,” Skelton said.

Kelley was attracted to Women & Hi Tech because she saw so many of her values manifested and shared by the organization’s leadership. “I saw a volunteer opportunity on LinkedIn to help with an event at IUPUI. The president at that time was Angela Freeman and she spoke to the volunteers before the event. She has an incredible and inspiring presence and listening to her made me want to be part of any organization that lifts people up like she does.”

Since joining Women & Hi Tech, Kelley has been gratified to continue volunteering and inspiring young women to pursue their STEM interests as careers. She shared, “I received a nearly full ride scholarship to the School of Science at Purdue University, and even though I had always loved science, I didn’t have anyone encouraging me to take that scholarship—so I didn’t”. Her own childhood experiences moving from the Dayton Metropolitan area to a rural town in Texas gives her perspective on how different the needs of young women in different areas can be. But what unites them all, she says, is the need for positive role models. “I would love to see bigger outreach, with mentoring programs, not just for school-age girls but even young professionals,” Kelley said. “Women & Hi Tech has an incredible partnership with Pass the Torch for Women that enables many mentoring opportunities. But I would like to see more structured, STEM-specific mentoring among the membership. Not just tools and resources but programming centered on connections with peers to give advice.”

Kelley thinks this peer support is especially important when it comes to women being okay with failure. “I have been living the test-experiment-fail-try again mantra since before people were really aware of it, but even I am still learning and growing beyond a learned need for perfection,” she shared. “I think most, if not all, women grow up being taught they should be afraid of failing. But I have realized along the way that failure is a part of success. How can you get better if you don’t see failure and grow beyond it?”

Kelley shared that she does believe these ingrained biases are decreasing with each generation. “I have a high schooler and a third grader, both daughters, and I encourage them every day to look around at possibilities. They can do anything they put their mind to—even if they can’t do it right away.”

She went on to say, “Women & Hi Tech is a perfect vehicle for effecting positive change. I have been an active volunteer since the day I signed up and I have gotten to meet so many impressive people and do really great things. It’s critical for women in STEM to lift each other up through success as well as failure, and share tools for our next endeavors,” she concluded. “That is what Women & Hi Tech is all about.”

A Casual, Crucial COVID Conversation with Indiana’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Kristina Box – A Recap

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 13:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech was excited and honored to kick off our 2021 programming with a Special Edition Executive Women’s Forum (EWF) featuring Indiana Health Commissioner, Dr. Kristina Box. This EWF event was hosted by Women & Hi Tech’s Past President and EWF Director, Angela B. Freeman and Linda Calvin, respectively, on February 11 during Black History Month, and on the International Day of Women & Girls in Science as declared by the United Nations General Assembly. The event was also an incredible way to celebrate the excellence that manifests when all women and girls, including diverse women and girls, are allowed full and equal access to participation in science.

Let’s recap what Dr. Box shared about her professional journey, her achievements as a medical health professional, and the state of Indiana’s nationally-leading efforts to conquer COVID-19.

About Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box

Before becoming Indiana’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Box worked as a gynecologist and obstetrician for 30 years in Indianapolis. She was responsible for building the first multidisciplinary Women’s Center at Community Health. She also spent the early half of her career focused on reducing infant mortality in minority populations, as well as leading efforts to ensure all women could access preventative health screenings in their community.

“When I first got the call about stepping up as Indiana Health Commissioner, my thought was that I wasn’t qualified. I didn’t have my Master’s in Public Health,” she shared. “I assured Governor Holcomb I would continue to volunteer and help with my areas of passion, reducing infant mortality and helping with substance abuse outreach.” Dr. Box was proud to add that Indiana’s infant mortality is at its lowest rate since the 1800’s, and that mortality among Black infants has dropped by 30%. “However, it’s still 1.9x the White infant mortality rate,” she added. “So, though we are making inroads and programs are resonating, the situation is still unacceptable. There is still work to be done.”

When the Governor’s office called her back the very next day to ask again that she meet, Dr. Box’s daughter, Lauren, encouraged her to go. Dr. Box ended up accepting the state’s Health Commissioner position in 2017. In the early days of her tenure, she helped Indiana cope with a Hepatitis A outbreak and launch a public education initiative about the dangers of vaping. “Many students and young adults had no idea they were even using nicotine and now a whole new generation is addicted. Plus, Indiana experienced some of the most deaths related to vaping nationwide.”

But the COVID-19 pandemic has been a more overwhelming challenge than either of those crises. “I get daily emails from citizens demanding why a woman like me, a gynecologist, is leading Indiana at this time through this crisis,” Dr. Box shared. “The answer is-- leadership isn’t about being the expert in the area where you are trying to lead. Leadership is about who you surround yourself with, not your own area of specialty.”

Facts About Indiana’s COVID-19 Numbers and Response

Dr. Box started her summary about Indiana’s COVID response on a high note—the continuing decline in Indiana’s COVID positivity rate. “I keep kidding Fred Payne, our Commissioner of Workforce Development, that his unemployment rate is down to 4% and I want numbers like his,” she said.

She also took the immediate opportunity to recognize the excellent women she has surrounded herself with to help Indiana conquer the pandemic. “Dr. Lindsey Weaver, our Chief Medical Officer, has helped coordinate our vaccine strategy. Dr. Jennifer Sullivan, with the FSSA, has been instrumental to our testing efforts.” She also acknowledged the contributions of Marion County Public Health RN, Teri Conard, in helping her with infant mortality initiatives.

Dr. Box shared insight into community partnerships that made Indiana’s COVID-19 response possible. “We started making our own PPE in Indiana to outfit ourselves, since we couldn’t rely on the national stockpile. As it became challenging to keep up with new science and data, we partnered with WISE at the Indiana University Research Center, to answer all our questions or concerns immediately. They have been so helpful and we continue to work with them.” Another academic partner is the Fairbanks School of Public Health. “We saw through contact tracing in Indiana that asymptomatic people were transmitting the virus and took action to educate Hoosiers about that news before the CDC did. As we were doing early testing, 45% of those who were positive reported no symptoms at the time of testing.”

Dr. Box then dove into Indiana’s COVID numbers. She shared that while only 23% of cases have been in individuals age 60+, 93% of statewide deaths have been in that population. One-third of cases have been in those under age 30 while 45% of cases have been in those age 30-60. Dr. Box said some of these cases have been because of ignoring mandates for self-isolation and masking, but many more have been because following those mandates wasn’t always possible.

Emotionally, Dr. Box reflected on the impact of Hoosier frontline workers. “We asked many professionals to stay on the economic and healthcare front lines before we fully understood what the risks were. And they did it—they did it in overtime with no days off. It is so honorable and incredible. Not just our healthcare workers, police, and fire, but the individuals who stocked our grocery stores, kept our lights on. We weren’t clapping for them, saying ‘good job for heating my house.’ But a lot of people have stepped up from all walks of life, to give something to the community where they lived. That’s why Indiana is so great.”

Facts About COVID-19 Vaccines in Indiana

Dr. Box shared insights about the process and reasoning behind Indiana’s strategy to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. “We engaged a statewide external advisory with clergy, community leaders, diverse minority leaders, healthcare professionals, and more, to judge ‘is the vaccine appropriate?’ and ‘is our strategy to distribute it ethical?’”

What many people might not know is, vaccines for coronavirus have been in development for a decade or more. There just wasn’t profit in companies marketing and producing them. “People heard ‘Operation Warp Speed’ and thought the full vaccine development process was accelerated. But really these vaccines were made by capitalizing on years of coronavirus research and were being manufactured for shipping alongside the Phase 3 trials—so that if the vaccines were approved, they could be shipped immediately.”

Dr. Box also explained how the coronavirus vaccine works. “None of the vaccines will prevent you from getting COVID, or from carrying it,” she clarified. “What they will do, is make the illness less severe so that you are less likely to be hospitalized or die.” By causing your body to produce the spike protein, your body can develop an ability to fight the virus without any changes to your cells.” This also explains why new variants may prove to be more vaccine-resistant, and how COVID booster shots may be needed to help your body develop or maintain immunity in the future.

After shedding some light on the science, Dr. Box went on to explain that Indiana is leading the nation in vaccine strategy and distribution, though faulty national data visualization is causing us to not get the credit. “We have 92 health departments across the state, as well as our nationally-ranked hospitals, and private pharmacies, all helping with the distribution effort—simply because we asked,” she said. “When I get on the national status calls, other states are stunned that we haven’t had to issue an executive order to get this done. Some even asked if we issued threats,” she said with a chuckle. “But they don’t understand this is just another example of how Hoosiers have stepped up to the plate, as usual.”

One area where Dr. Box and her colleagues are still extremely focused is vaccine awareness in rural and minority communities. “There is a very real and justified fear in minority communities resulting from past injustices like the Tuskegee Experiments. We seek to address this by sharing information with community leaders who can spread the message. We are so appreciative of these partnerships and are continuing to identify such leaders in every single county. We want to educate anyone who wants to learn about the specific efficacy of the vaccine in their population.”

Dr. Box shared that Indiana is receiving 100,000 vaccine doses a week. Over 250,000 people have been fully vaccinated and over 900,000 have had a first dose or have scheduled an appointment. “As we prioritize individuals whose age and pre-existing conditions make them a high-risk group, as well as those in frontline industries like healthcare, emergency response, and retail, I absolutely expect any Hoosier who wants a vaccine will be able to get one well before the end of 2021.”

Takeaways About the Future of the Pandemic in Indiana

Dr. Box echoed the predictions of other sources that by the end of the spring, the UK variant of COVID will be the dominant strain in the US. “This changes the spike protein and makes it more transmissible, though we aren’t sure if it makes the disease more severe. But, we do know an increase in numbers means more hospitalizations and deaths, even if the illness is not worse.” To help get a handle on these new strains, labs at facilities like Eli Lilly and Purdue are conducting genomic testing that is being shared with the CDC.

“Masks will be continuing into the fall—or depending on the variants, maybe even longer,” Dr. Box forewarned. “Around 5% of people may not even respond to the vaccine. Traditionally, individuals like the elderly whose immune systems don’t work as well may not develop antibodies.”

She said though we will need 70-80% population immunity before masks can be left behind, it’s also essential for the elderly to get back to safely spending time with their families. “My grandson can’t see me without a big hug and kiss. I include him in my bubble even though he goes to daycare, for my mental health. If I had underlying conditions, I might have needed to rethink that. Whatever it is you do as a family—do it. But maybe eat a meal in different rooms if you will have masks off. There is still a reason to be careful. But I also know we must balance mental health.”

She also explained the changing recommendations around a safe post-COVID quarantine period. “Technically the safest is still 14 days. The chance of a post quarantine infection after this time is less than 0.1% percent. After 10 days, if you are going back to work, you need to be totally fastidious. If you get tested on day 5-7, you must be negative to go back to work,” she said. “Seven days has been offered to schools because we know it is so important. We are also providing rapid tests that can be done in school. This way kids who need testing, but whose parents can’t take them, have a place to get help too.” She emphasized that the numbers at ourshot.in.gov are updated every 24 hours, along with the provided answers to COVID FAQs, and encouraged attendees to seek that site for updated information.

Dr. Box shared her final thoughts. “You never know what is planned for you,” she said. “Even the best-laid plans will require you to pivot. Never be afraid to disagree—after you have listened respectfully--or say, ‘I don’t know the answer and will get back with you.’” In conclusion, she called on us all to give grace to each other and ourselves. “We have all been through a lot and deserve patience and kindness,” she said.

Women & Hi Tech is so immensely grateful to Dr. Box, and her team, for spending her incredibly valuable time to inform and inspire the attendees of this Special Edition EWF. From the practical scientific insights about the virus and vaccine, to the behind-the-scenes look at Indiana’s COVID strategy and national impact, to her inspiring personal story and advocacy on the behalf of women, we loved every minute of listening and learning. We also appreciate the empathy and emotion demonstrated by Dr. Box that captures the essence of why women are uniquely positioned to positively impact science and health outcomes in our communities.

Women & Hi Tech also encourages all who missed it to view the recorded session of our Special Edition Executive Women’s Forum with Dr. Box and visit our website at womenandhitech.org/events to attend our next events! Thank you.

Grown from STEM: January Edition

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 13:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters and Friends,

We hope your year has gotten off to a good start! Women & Hi Tech is looking forward to getting back to in-person programming later this year, and, in the meantime, we have great virtual programming scheduled. Do not miss our Executive Women's Forum on February 11, 2021, featuring Dr. Kristina Box, our bi-weekly ClickSide Chat series, or the March Virtual Book Club. We are continuing our "Grown from STEM" monthly newsletter this year, highlighting Women & Hi Tech Board members and members at large who are, in fact, changing the landscape in their profession in meaningful and positive ways. This month's newsletter focuses on Project Management in the STEM fields. Project Management is an excellent career choice for women, given how skilled women are at multi-tasking. Walt Disney is quoted as saying, “Of all the things I've done, the most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them toward a certain goal.” Women do this intuitively, without giving it much thought.

If you reflect on what you do on any given day at home, at work, or through volunteering, you are frequently managing little projects, accessing the skill set of those around you, and leveraging them in a way to achieve a goal. Your project may be to get your children through a week of virtual and in-person school, installing a new software platform at work, building a new chemical plant, organizing an event for your church group, planning your mother's big birthday bash, or daughter's wedding (that is on my list this year!). I am constantly multitasking, switching up my communication style and actions to adjust to my audience, and working to accomplish little milestones. I do this so fluidly that I do not even think about the fact that I am applying project management skills.

Data on the involvement of women in project management is difficult to find. One statistic available from the Project Management Institute (PMI) shows that women currently constitute an estimated 20 – 30 % of the project management staff worldwide. The numbers are increasing, but still, most women migrate to Project Management rather accidentally versus choosing it post-college graduation. The majority begin their career as a technical expert and over time progress into the role of a Project Manager.

The fact that women do not gravitate to Project Management is odd against the back- drop that women are well suited for this type of role. What makes women well-positioned to be successful as project managers? Several characteristics stand out:

The ability to have impromptu effortless communication.
Innate drive to build relationships and take care of people.
Strong ability at interpreting problems, establishing order, and making the complex simple.
Multi-tasking abilities and less likely to be fazed by changes to priorities, requirements, budget or staffing levels.

When a STEM degree is coupled with Project Management, it makes a powerful skill set. The Women & Hi Tech Executive Women's Forum on design and construction held last year shared how rewarding careers within this industry were for women. Project Management opportunities is one skill set always in high demand in construction. The same is true for manufacturing and information technology.

Of course, there are good and bad female and male project managers and women do not have all the advantage when it comes to Project Management. But never underestimate a women's natural skills and talents – they could be a major factor in the final outcome of a project. It is also well-known that diversity in Project Management and teams – gender, race, and cultural balance – produces better project results. Women make great project managers. We should not just ooze into it; more women need to step into these roles intentionally because we are pretty darn good at it, and teams need us! I am finding that I am an expert wedding planner, I don't need to hire this role out (although don't tell my husband I may overspend the budget)!

This brings me to our 24^th edition of "Grown from STEM". We are featuring Women & Hi Tech Board Member and Secretary, Kelly Sandstrom and dedicated member Nikki Manus, both excelling in the field of Project Management. In their profiles, Kelly and Nikki shared their journey into Project Management. Both may have gotten there accidentally, but certainly prove my point that women should raise their hand more often. Both Kelly and Nikki are stand out Project Management professionals. Kelly is a certified PMP and PSM and recently elected as the Vice President of Communications for the Project Management Institute of Central Indiana. Nikki is also a PMP and PSM, as well as having a master’s degree in Management. Their project management expertise is not only leading to career success, but they are both leveraging that expertise helping Women & Hi Tech succeed in fulfilling its mission to change the landscape of women in STEM. Please read more about Kelly and Nikki.

As we began in the October 2020 edition of "Grown from STEM," we are delighted to continue to feature one of our 2020 Virtual Leading Light Awards (LLAs) recipients in this newsletter. This month we continue to celebrate and recognize Women & Hi Tech's inaugural recipient for the new OperationALL Males Allies Award, Lamont Hatcher. Lamont is the CEO of AIS, where he has intentionally recruited a strong, diverse team of women and men. He is an ally in every way capable. Outside his involvement with Women & Hi Tech, he serves on the board for both Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity and Morning Light, Inc. He also mentors young African American men through 100 Black Men as well as many women in the technology field. Lamont is passionately committed to being a friend, mentor, and servant to others. Please watch this segment of the 2020 Virtual LLAs to learn more about what fuels Lamont's passion and drive for equality for all in the STEM fields and beyond. Again, Congratulations Lamont!

Sincerely,

Linda M. Hicks
President-Elect Women & Hi Tech
Vice President Midwest Operation, ECC Horizons
Presidentelect@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile- Kelly Sandstrom

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 13:01:00 GMT

Since we last profiled Kelly Sandstrom in 2019, she has gone through many changes, getting married and starting a new job at Lev, a premier Salesforce consultancy for marketers. But her passion and commitment as the Secretary of the Board of Women & Hi Tech has not waned into her third one-year term. “I am proud to serve as a Women & Hi Tech Board Member,” she said. “I build the agenda, and capture the minutes, and tasks during our monthly board meetings. But unlike the other board members, I don’t necessarily have a focus area I direct. I think that’s actually an asset, because I get to spend time participating in the committee areas and projects I want to be involved in.”

Sandstrom shared the story of when her professional and volunteer lives intersected last year. “We obtained a nonprofit license of Salesforce and brought it to the Board to consider implementing, because we knew a tool like this was needed to make our relationship management easier through technology. I was able to bring my experience from Lev and lead the committee to get Salesforce in place for Women & Hi Tech.”

Sandstrom made the career change to Lev in late 2019 to not only expand her capabilities as a Project Manager, but also to get more experience as a people manager. “I still get the opportunity to be front-facing with our clients and lead implementation projects, while also leading a team of Project Managers. They are working with other clients, and I am making sure they all have what they need to achieve their goals.” Sandstrom shared that 2020 changed the way work gets done in her profession. “Client service and consulting relies on relationship building, which is typically done in person. We used to travel to a client location, meet each other, and get set up for success at the start of a project. When COVID-19 hit all that went away—and not just for us.”

She shared that Lev’s amazing work-from-home policy helped many members of the team weather the transition to remote work without too much struggle. But for her the experience was different. “I was very much someone who liked getting up, going to a workplace, and having separation between work and home. I really wondered how I would make this shift.” However, she has now made a 180-degree pivot and calls herself a work-from-home convert, because she has seen that virtual work can still generate authentic and meaningful connections.

Part of her belief in this power has come from the adaptive response of Women & Hi Tech to the need for virtual events. “Women & Hi Tech recognized early on that virtual meeting fatigue is real, and impactful. As a result, the organization has looked outside the box for how to do a virtual meeting that is unique and doesn’t just feel like a continuation of the workday.” From early use of breakout rooms, to virtual escape rooms, dance parties, cooking classes, and beyond, Sandstrom described how Women & Hi Tech continues to push the envelope to ensure members are getting the content and networking experiences they need.

“We have an Executive Women’s Forum coming up with Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box, about Indiana’s COVID-19 response,” Kelly shared. “We might not have provided that pre-COVID. But we know people need it right now, so we are adapting to bring members the content they need.”

Sandstrom also shared how a personal passion project of hers has grown and blossomed during the pandemic—the Women & Hi Tech Virtual Book Club. “Last year, I made a proposal and received unanimous approval from the Board of Directors to begin a book club. I truly felt like Women & Hi Tech members would benefit from a formal book club, as it would be a new way for members to participate in and engage with our organization,” she explained. So far, the club has read three books, and have twice connected with the authors of those books. “In March we will be hosting our third meeting to discuss The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies by Jason Fagone. Fagone will actually attend our meeting—he reached out to me after seeing a mention on Twitter,” Kelly shared proudly. Suggestions for the reading material are crowdsourced from members, and attendees vote on what will be read next. The books are focused on historical women in STEM or on leadership topics.

“One of the biggest goals of the Board, that we continue to strive for even virtually, is to provide members and attendees with an experience they won’t get anywhere else,” she said. “We just want to creatively connect people in ways they don’t expect, because those unexpected connections are what lead to excitement, engagement, and growth for our members.”

Member Profile: Nikki Manus

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 13:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve our goal, we work to connect female STEM professionals with each other and our community in Indiana. Our members and sponsors represent a wide array of STEM fields, including life sciences, accounting, engineering, psychology, statistics, and information technology. Today, we are proud to highlight one of our members, Nikki Manus.

Originally from Florence, Alabama, Nikki Manus currently serves as a Technical Project Manager at Sallie Mae. Following her undergraduate experience at Alabama State University, Manus moved to Indianapolis to work for Sallie Mae, where she served as a Data Analyst for six years. She eventually transitioned to Roche Diagnostics where she skillfully and diligently worked in the Near Patient Testing department as a Marketing & Sales Development Consultant. Knowing that she needed to stay ahead of the learning curve with Systems, Applications, & Products (SAP), Manus learned any and all terminologies needed in order to thoroughly understand her scope of work.

During this time, Manus earned her Master’s in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University as well as her certification in Project Management from the Project Management Institute. She has since earned her certification as a SAFe Scrum Master, and Agilist.

Shortly thereafter, Manus dove into private consulting at Briljent and worked with government contracts, learned Adobe Dreamweaver to create functional and efficient websites, implemented new applications, and maintained standards for quality, content, and training.

While at Briljent, Manus later secured the lead role as Project Manager and then as Program Manager on contract with the state of Indiana, where she was the only African American to serve in a management capacity on contract for Indiana’s Medicaid system. During her time there, she led a team of testers, analysts, developers, trainers, and customer service specialists. Her strategic use of the waterfall methodology helped to develop improved software and its capabilities.

It goes without saying that Manus is a highly-powered, prolific professional and conduit between business and IT. However, her journey to success was not without difficulty.

While it comes as no surprise that most industries are governed by men, Manus believes in the importance of women's involvement and leadership in the tech industry. We asked Manus about the importance and benefits of being a woman of color in leadership. “It’s so important for women to be involved in the management process because of the overarching picture,” she stated, “and it is imperative that we clearly understand the perspectives of our IT partners and our business partners. In doing so, we will understand how to make both sides work together for a more efficient industry.”

Manus also pointed out that, historically, women have had difficulties with acquiring the information needed to learn the industry. In such a male-driven industry, it is unfortunately common for women to be overlooked by male counterparts. “For women it is difficult to learn the industry because developers are usually men,” she affirmed, “and they sometimes don’t want to communicate the knowledge. Then, the acquisition of information becomes a tug-of-war which means that we [women] have to be intentional about taking the extra time to do our research to understand the uncommunicated pieces. It’s not enough for me to have a seat at the table. I want to sit at the table to be heard, acknowledged, and to make decisions. This is not because of my race and gender, but because I did the work to know and understand the vision, background, initiatives, and roadmaps required to achieve the expected outcome.”

Now, in times of great and necessary transition into a society where more women of color are entering into management and executive leadership roles––even with the history-making inauguration of Vice President Kamala Harris––Manus sees the next 20 years of Women & Hi Tech as a pivotal era of growth and emergence for women. Within the tech industry, Manus stated, “Women will take over even more and will own more companies. We will make coding easier and will start simplifying a lot of things. Everything doesn’t have to be complicated.”

As a member of Women & Hi Tech, Manus has seen the organization grow exponentially over the years in terms of volunteering, programming, and networking. “Women get to talk with each other to provide the connections and partnerships into the STEM community. Partnerships turn into ideas,” she stated, “and ideas turn into change.”

Manus hopes that, in the coming years, Women & Hi Tech will proliferate more nationwide initiatives, efforts, and opportunities for expansion to empower more women to take a stand in leadership in STEM. “Over the years, women have decided to step outside of the box and have positioned ourselves accordingly because of our interests,” Manus said. “We have decided to be more than administrators or customer service specialists and, because of our growing interest––despite things being hidden from us before––now, we are coding and developing apps, consulting, starting our own businesses, and being innovative in an ever-changing world.”

Grown from STEM: December Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 16:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters and Friends,

I hope you and your loved ones are having a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season. As for most of us, the holidays have been a bit different for me this year. At the same time, I've been enjoying a bit of downtime and connecting with family and friends, even though it's been through phone calls and virtual get-togethers – we've still had lots of laughs and created memories that will last a lifetime.

As this unprecedented year comes to a close, Women & Hi Tech would like to express our sincerest gratitude for the continued support of our members, sponsors, partners, and friends and the Indiana STEM community. Despite the challenges we've faced as a global community this year, Women & Hi Tech has continued to blaze trails and support professional and collegiate women and male allies in STEM through our virtual programming. Events including Women & Hi Tech's Executive Women's Forum (EWF) – Leveraging the Gift of Feedback, our ClickSide Chat Series, Women & Hi Tech's #INThisTogether Virtual Spring Networking House Party, the new Women Hi Tech's Virtual Book Club, OperationALL: Advocates for Gender Equity, our Virtual Holiday Networking event and our final EWF for 2020 Flipping the Script on Racism and Women in STEM: The Journey to Equity have all provided opportunities for hundreds of STEM professionals to connect, engage, learn and grow this year. In October of this year, Women & Hi Tech and our over 400 guests were honored to celebrate thirteen esteemed Indiana STEM professionals during our first-ever Virtual Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs), including the introduction of two new awards, the Equity and Inclusion Champion Leading Light Award and the OperationALL Male Allies Leading Light Award. We also helped pave the way for future generations of female STEM leaders by awarding over $50,000 in scholarships and grants during the virtual gala to young ladies and women pursuing higher education in a STEM field (high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students) and to women seeking a professional STEM certification, as well as female entrepreneurs.

This year we also continued to encourage and inspire K-12 girls to take an interest in STEM. To help with the disparity of home learning, Women & Hi Tech donated our remaining 2019-2020 K-12 funds to the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) Education Equity Fund to help purchase computers for students while school took place virtually. Also, we partnered with the Indianapolis Professional Association (IPA) to provide Women & Hi Tech Book Scholarships. The scholarships were awarded to three outstanding African American young women pursuing STEM degrees. We've also continued to work with our partners to honor and support twenty-five (25) Indiana High School students who received the Indiana Affiliate NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. The awards, sponsored by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), Women & Hi Tech, and the Society for Information Management (SIM-Indy) - Indianapolis Chapter, and Indiana University recognized high school girls for their computing-related achievements and interests as part of an effort to encourage more young ladies to choose careers in technology.

I am so proud of all of the good works Women & Hi Tech has accomplished this year. It would not be possible without our members, sponsors, volunteers, supporters, and friends. On behalf of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors and Emeritus Members, thank you for your continued support, engagement, and partnership. Together we all continue to advance Women & Hi Tech's mission to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

We look forward to continuing to promote and advance equity and inclusion for all women in STEM in the coming year!

In this 24th edition of "Grown from STEM," we are delighted for you to get to know more about our Director of Membership Administration, Carol Ganz, and introduce you to our dedicated member, Rabia Kahn. Both Ganz and Kahn are highly accomplished in their respective disciplines in technology and share how their unique paths and careers have led to their success and passion for tech. Ganz and Kahn are champions for diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly for women in STEM, in their careers, volunteerism, and personal lives. Please read more about Ganz and Kahn and how their backgrounds, STEM expertise, and passion for equity and inclusion for girls and STEM professionals helps fuel their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

As we began in the October 2020 edition of "Grown from STEM," we are delighted to continue to feature one of our 2020 Virtual Leading Light Awards (LLAs) recipients in this newsletter. This month we continue to celebrate and recognize Women & Hi Tech's honorary recipient for the new OperationALL Males Allies Award, Gerry Dick, Host and Creator of Inside Indiana Business. Gerry attended our first Spotlight Awards in 2000 and has continuously promoted Women & Hi Tech and numerous other female STEM organizations and professionals. He is an avid supporter, champion, and ally for Women & Hi Tech and all women girls in STEM. Please watch this segment of the 2020 Virtual LLAs to learn more about what fuels Gerry's passion and drive for gender equality in the STEM fields and beyond. Again, Congratulations Gerry!

I wish you all a peaceful, joyful, and prosperous New Year!

Kind Regards,

Rebecca Bormann
President, Women & Hi Tech

P.S.

If you haven't already, don't miss this opportunity to sign up to join Women & Hi Tech's first Virtual Executive Women's Forum in 2021 on February 11, International Day of Women & Girls in Science, as declared by the United Nations General Assembly. We have a unique and exciting opportunity to learn from Indiana's top-ranking healthcare professional, Dr. Kristina Box. Register here to join Women & Hi Tech for our "Special Edition" Virtual Executive Women's Forum: A CASUAL, CRUCIAL COVID CONVERSATION WITH INDIANA'S HEALTH COMMISSIONER – DR. KRISTINA BOX.

Board Profile - Carol Ganz

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 16:01:00 GMT

Last year in our board profile of Women & Hi Tech Membership Administration Director Carol Ganz, we shared the story of Ganz’s non-traditional path to a job in tech, and how involvement with Women & Hi Tech helped her find her group of kindred spirits. This year, we spoke with her more about how continued volunteerism on the board is helping her directly contribute to advancing gender equality with regards to opportunities in tech.

“Women & Hi Tech is the third nonprofit board I’ve been involved with. I wasn’t sure what value I could add at first, but in the three years I’ve been involved, it’s been exciting and meaningful to work with sponsors and their member-employees to make sure they are getting the most possible value out of their relationship with Women & Hi Tech.” Ganz went on to explain that she joined Women & Hi Tech to understand more about the diversity and inclusion challenges that women face in STEM work environments.

“At Six Feet Up, the software company and digital consultancy where I transitioned to the tech industry, we are very intentional about maintaining gender diversity and other inclusion on our team. Of course, it helps to be a woman-owned business” Ganz explained. “I am lucky to work in a tech company where people are treated fairly, and I want all of my sisters in STEM to experience a similar caring and growth-promoting work environment.”

Outside high-profile events like the Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala and OperationALL, Ganz says she always finds value and insight from the Executive Women’s Forums. “You might think you already know the topic under conversation, but the panelists always contain nuggets and new perspectives that make it worth your time.”

Virtual events have become something of a passion project for Carol and her peers at Six Feet Up during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, the company was tasked with moving a planned 200-person conference online in a matter of two weeks. “Every event we attended and every event platform we examined, we were just being talked at with no opportunity to network or engage in conversation with other attendees,” Ganz shared. “So we decided to develop our own platform, which is now finding its own life as a white-glove option for digital event planners.” The features and functionality of this platform are indicative of Six Feet Up’s understanding of the emotions driving digital transformation—the desire to deliver a smooth online experience and minimize frustration.

“From coding languages to user expectations, the question of what’s changing in tech becomes a question of what isn’t changing,” Ganz said. “The answer is, inclusion—or at least it isn’t changing fast enough.” Ganz recalled a recent Executive Women’s Forum where one panelist shared research that reaching full equity in tech could take more than 100 more years. “I hope it doesn’t actually take that long, and luckily there are things we can do to make it happen faster.” Carol observed that having more women in STEM leadership roles will break down barriers and biases. “One huge barrier is stereotypical thinking that women can’t do X. Can’t drive a semi, can’t write complex code, can’t make hard decisions. The truth is we can—it’s just others often feel threatened that a woman can do the same things as them, because they were themselves given certain biases.”

Ganz says this phenomenon of hidden biases is one reason the work of Women & Hi Tech is so important. “It feels like beating the same drum over and over, to keep talking about making STEM equally inclusive for all. But we have to realize that everyone absorbs a message at a different time in a different way. We have to continue to present the case for diversity, and the benefits of diversity. To invite male allies to learn more about how they can be truly inclusive and make sure they are treating everyone equitably.”

Carol says she also sees hope in the generations that will soon be entering the workforce. “Every generation does better than the ones before them and brings something new with them to advance the cause of acceptance, because they don’t carry the same biases with them. Change is the only constant,” she concluded, “and when we can work together to view change and growth as fun, versus an inconvenience, the opportunities are endless.”

Member Profile - Rabia Khan

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 16:00:00 GMT

Rabia Khan is Women & Hi Tech’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year thanks to her involvement with the Communications Committee. By helping with event photography and website updates and maintenance, Khan helps Women & Hi Tech communicate its mission both creatively and practically. “I can go on and on about what I love about this organization,” she said. “First and foremost, the welcoming nature of the group. As a woman and a Muslim in tech, more often than not I have to make an effort to fit in and be welcomed. That has not been the case whatsoever at Women & Hi Tech. The members and the Board have embraced me for who I am, and that is such an awesome feeling.”

In addition to the inclusive environment, Khan says Women & Hi Tech also stands out for the innumerable opportunities for members to get involved. (Such as volunteering at events, as mentors, committee members and Board members. You may recall from previous issues of “Grown from STEM”, Women & Hi Tech is operated by an all-volunteer working Board of Directors, Emeritus members and member volunteers). “I have volunteered with other organizations where I have tried to get more involved, and it wasn’t as encouraged. Women & Hi Tech is always encouraging members to get more involved and offers many opportunities.”

Khan joined Women & Hi Tech in 2019, the same year she started her own business, Managed System Solutions. It is her vision to help small to midsize businesses and nonprofits manage their IT infrastructure in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. Her company offers network IT deployment, preventative maintenance, cloud services monitoring, and disaster recovery. In 2020, she expanded her services to include event registration and ticketing, among other services. “These are two very different fields in tech, but I am passionate about both and succeed in both areas.” Khan is originally from Karachi, Pakistan, and emigrated to the US in 1999. In 2000 she enrolled at IUPUI, the same year she had her first child, and by the time she graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Computer Engineering, she had three of her four children. “I had three boys and I thought I was done. In 2018, God blessed me with a beautiful daughter. A year later, I started my business,” Khan shared. “She is the force behind my persistence and hard work. I want to be a role model for her, not just a mother, but as a woman in technology and an entrepreneur.”

Khan leveraged her degree and experience to attain career success in several positions at nonprofits, working as a Network Administrator and IT manager. On the advice of her mentor, Lamont Hatcher, Founder and CEO of AIS and Women & Hi Tech’s 2020 inaugural recipient of the OperationALL Male Allies Leading Light Award, she started attending Women & Hi Tech events around the same time she started her business. This led her to discover all she loves about the organization, including the incredible networking opportunities it provides. “There hasn’t been a single woman I’ve met who hasn’t referred me to ten other women. They make an effort to do that and to support each other. I really love that.”

During her career to date in tech, Khan has been encouraged to see changes in the demographics of education and the workforce. “When I was going through school, there were some classes where I was the only woman in the room. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t welcome,” she clarified, “but at the same time it did stand out to me. Today, women are not only more visible in the classroom, but also in positions of leadership and influence in STEM fields.” Khan says this isn’t just a cultural factor, but also the product of intentional action by Central Indiana businesses to make gender equality a priority in their organizations.

Khan also notes that the pandemic has brought to light some opportunities to level the playing field, both for businesses and for nonprofits like Women & Hi Tech. “Women have always been challenged to balance the needs of the home with their professional life. Now, in the pandemic, more people are working from home. While she recognizes for some the balance of these needs may still be squeezing women out of the workforce as childcare or helping older family members becomes more difficult.” For others, Khan notices that events like a child interrupting a Zoom meeting or a parent’s need for schedule flexibility have become more acceptable to businesses these days. What’s important, comments Khan, is that these allowances extend beyond the pandemic.

When asked about the future of Women & Hi Tech, Khan stated, “what Women & Hi Tech can do is try to make businesses aware of these challenges and help with creative ways to problem-solve. The goal is to increase the number of women in leadership roles, particularly in STEM fields and also allow women to have work-life balance during and beyond the present moment of crisis.” Khan pointed out that events like Women & Hi Tech’s Executive Women’s Forums are great opportunities to bring these conversations to the table and make businesses aware of the diverse and changing needs of an increasingly diverse workforce.

“Women & Hi Tech is doing so much within the organization and STEM community, to provide women in STEM with a supportive, welcoming, and inclusive environment,” Khan said. “Continuing to grow those values within the organization, and helping others grow that environment within their organizations, are initiatives that go hand-in-hand.”

2020 Holiday Networking Event Recap

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 18:00:00 GMT

This year marked the first time that the Women & Hi Tech Holiday Networking Event was open to the public. Not only did we sell all the tickets to this virtual soiree, we had to add capacity to meet demand! At the end of a stressful year, it was so incredible to welcome members and nonmembers together to celebrate the holiday, lift up the Dayspring Center through generous donations, and talk strategy for 2021.

Recognizing Amazing STEM Females and Volunteers

Women & Hi Tech President Rebecca Bormann welcomed attendees and gave a review of the work of Women & Hi Tech during 2020. This included the first-ever Virtual Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala, as well as successful Executive Women’s Forums, ClickSide Chats, and other events in the socially distanced world of COVID.

After Rebecca helped us revisit the successes of the year, Volunteer Director Karen Harris presented the Volunteer of the Year Award to Rabia Khan. As a member of the Women & Hi Tech Communications Committee, Rabia helps as a photographer when Women & Hi Tech can host in-person events. She also helps with making posts to the organization’s website, as well as being a behind-the-scenes genius in all things tech.

Supporting Dayspring Center

Next, the Women & Hi Tech President-Elect Linda Hicks shared that $3,000 for Dayspring Center was collected through event ticket sales. Dayspring Center provides emergency shelter, clothing, and three meals a day for families with children who are experiencing homelessness in Central Indiana. In the past, items were donated in-person at the Holiday Event, or a ticket fee was charged to provide resources to the charity. This year, asking each attendant to make a minimum of a $10 tax-deductible donation at registration led to an amazing outcome.

On December 10th, after the event, Women & Hi Tech Networking Director Dr. Maria Alvim Gaston and Treasurer Ben Phillips were honored to present the check to Dayspring Center. Donations can still be made directly to Dayspring Center Indy.

Women in STEM Organization: Fun, Fellowship, and Our Holiday “Escape”

After the attendees got the great news about the fundraising for Dayspring Center, it was time to celebrate! Dr. Maria Alvim Gaston took over as our official host and led over 100 women and men through introductions, sharing fabulous pajama styles and yummy recipes for hot toddy cocktails and mocktails.

Next, it was time for a one-of-a-kind event experience—a virtual Escape Room! Led by a Women & Hi Tech “travel agent,” the attendees were broken out into groups of 8 or 9 to solve puzzles and try to make their escape.

Everyone ultimately gathered back in the main room for a goodbye wave and to share best wishes for an incredible holiday season. This Holiday Networking Event was a success in every sense of the holiday spirit. Not only did we get to celebrate the year that has passed, we got to amplify the spirit of giving and support the members of our community in need. And, everyone got to have a great time, getting to know each other and working together to solve problems—which every STEM professional loves! We call this a holiday home-run that created many amazing holiday memories we will hold dear for years to come.

Grown from STEM: November Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 13:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters and Friends,

I hope everyone had a wonderful, relaxing, safe, and healthy holiday weekend!

Like many, I work to be intentional to incorporate a gratitude practice into my daily life. The holiday season always bring gratitude to the forefront for me. I am sure that it does the same for most. As I often do for our "Grown from STEM" newsletters, I have been doing some research, this time around mindfulness and practicing gratitude – the multitude of research and resources available to begin and deepen our mindfulness and gratitude practices is innumerous. I found mindful.org to be particularly interesting because their recommendations and advice were backed up by data and science, which as a "STEMinist" I loved and thought you might too. Here's a couple of things I learned:

"Researchers at the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley have commissioned a three-year project, Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude, to dig deeper into the health benefits behind the art of appreciation.

What are the effects of practicing gratitude?

It boosts your mental health. Those who write letters of gratitude reported significantly better mental health four weeks and 12 weeks after their writing exercise ended. While not conclusive, this finding suggests that practicing gratitude may help train the brain to be more sensitive to the experience of gratitude down the line, which could contribute to improved mental health over time.

It helps you accept change. When we are comfortable with the way things already are, it can be difficult to accept when things change—let alone feel grateful for that difference. But when we make it a habit to notice the good change brings, we can become more flexible and accepting. Here are four ways to practice gratitude when change arises.

It can relieve stress. The regions associated with gratitude are part of the neural networks that light up when we socialize and experience pleasure. These regions are also heavily connected to the parts of the brain that control basic emotion regulation, such as heart rate, and are associated with stress relief and thus pain reduction. Feeling grateful and recognizing help from others creates a more relaxed body state and allows the subsequent benefits of lowered stress to wash over us."

In alignment with practicing gratitude, I have paused to think about why I am grateful for Women & Hi Tech's two events yet this year. Our Virtual Holiday Networking Event on December 2, 2020, and our fourth quarter Virtual Book Club on December 12, 2020. For me, an extrovert, this year of staying at home to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic has at times been difficult mentally and emotionally. I miss people!

As I reflect, I am incredibly grateful to have opportunities to connect, grow, learn, and have some fun with other STEM professionals at Women & Hi Tech's upcoming events. I am also grateful that our organization took a stance years ago for equity and inclusion. I'm thankful that Women & Hi Tech has created an environment and events where diversity and each individual's uniqueness are welcomed and appreciated. And I am beyond grateful that so many others, you, Women & Hi Tech's members, sponsors, partners, and friends, have joined us and support our mission to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. Thank you to each of you!

To attend Women & Hi Tech's December virtual events, please go to our website's events page to register. I am so looking forward to connecting with old friends and making new friends. We'd love for you to join us!

Also, a heads up that Women & Hi Tech will host our first Virtual Executive Women's Forum in 2021 on February 11, International Day of Women & Girls in Science, as declared by the United Nations General Assembly. Mark your calendars now to join us for -A CASUAL, CRUCIAL COVID CONVERSATION WITH INDIANA'S HEALTH COMMISSIONER – DR. KRISTINA BOX. Registration for this event will open in early December 2020.

In this 23rd edition of "Grown from STEM," we are excited to introduce you to and invite you to learn more about our Networking Director, Dr. Maria Alvim Gaston, and our dedicated member, Arwa Ghalawan. Both women are incredibly accomplished in their respective STEM fields; Dr. Alvim Gaston, a chemist, and Ghalawan in the field of technology. Dr. Alvim Gaston and Ghalawan are champions for diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly for women in STEM, in their careers, volunteerism, and personal lives. Please read more about Dr. Alvim Gaston and Arwa Ghalawan and how their backgrounds, STEM expertise, and passion for equity and inclusion for girls and STEM professionals helps fuel their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

As we began in the October 2020 edition of "Grown from STEM," we are delighted to continue to feature one of our 2020 Virtual Leading Light Awards (LLAs) recipients in this newsletter. This month we continue to celebrate and recognize Women & Hi Tech’s Inaugural Equity & Inclusion Champion Award recipient, Erica Diebold, Senior Intellectual Property Manager (Patents) at Roche Diabetes Care, Inc. Erica was the first transgender employee at Roche in Indianapolis and faced significant internal backlash for her decision to manifest her true self. She met these reactions with courage, sharing her unique perspective on the challenges of womanhood, and resolving to do all she could to eliminate those challenges. She has built increased allyship for women and members of the LGBTQ+ community at Roche and in the local community, including developing allyship training. Please watch this segment of the 2020 Virtual LLAs to learn more about what fuels Erica's passion and drive for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the STEM fields and beyond. Again, Congratulations Erica!

Kind Regards,

Rebecca Bormann
President, Women & Hi Tech

Board Profile - Maria Alvim Gaston

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 13:01:00 GMT

Last year we wrote about Dr. Maria Alvim Gaston’s journey from her girlhood in Brazil to earning three degrees, including her Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi, and launching her decades-long career at Eli Lilly. At that time, we saw that passion was one of her defining characteristics. Now, that same passion is strengthening the future talent pipeline in her role as Advisor for the Talent Development Academy in the Medicines Innovation Hub at Eli Lilly and her involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

“Looking at my career at Eli Lilly, I could not be happier with all that I have accomplished. I’ve learned a lot on my journey, and I want to use my knowledge, gifts, and talents to be a part of creating a more equitable and inclusive world for STEM professionals and beyond.”

Dr Alvim Gaston believes that true success is achieved by giving back to create a better tomorrow for others. “It’s up to us, to me, and to you, to take the first step, to offer support to others who are fighting to achieve their goals and dreams. Helping others to become their very best selves is what success looks like to me, with the ultimate goal of building a generation that chooses cooperation and helping one another over competing. This requires giving to be valued above receiving.”

At Eli Lilly, Dr. Alvim Gaston has transitioned from a scientific role in the Open Innovation Drug Discovery Group to serve as an Advisor for the Talent Development Academy in the Medicines Innovations Hub (MIH). In this role, Dr. Alvim Gaston leads her team, along with volunteers from across Eli Lilly, to recruit and develop the next generation of talent for Eli Lilly R&D. “When I began my career as a computational chemist, I used to say I was hunting for new drugs. Now, I am hunting for top talent,” she said with a big smile. She feels thankful and proud to take the strong culture of diversity and inclusion that already exists at Eli Lilly and help identify young, talented individuals who are a great fit to lead and innovate in the future.

“We are working intentionally to bring even more diversity into our workforce. We are purposefully going to places we can find top minority talent, like historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), as well as conferences specifically hosted for diverse STEM groups.” This strategy is executed in tandem with initiatives to recruit from local institutions like Purdue, Indiana University, and other Indiana colleges and universities to help retain talented young Indiana professionals and allow them to build a career in their home state.

Dr. Alvim Gaston’s work isn’t just about recruiting young talent. It’s also about offering programs to help these hires develop in their careers as leaders and STEM professionals. “Our interns are recruited with the intent to hire. Eli Lilly MIH interns spend 12-16 weeks working in our labs. They learn about our organization and its culture. We also get the opportunity to know our interns, too, far beyond what an interview process would facilitate. I believe Eli Lilly is unique in that opportunity,” she continued. “Growth, professional development, and advancement aren’t just provided to long-term existing employees but are part of the culture for all of our employees from day one.”

Maria has seen that at Eli Lilly, diversity and inclusion are company-wide goals. “I have seen these goals in different manifestations throughout my career. The employees and teams at Eli Lilly go above and beyond providing resources to make sure every employee feels safe and appreciated. As a Latina and scientist, I can personally testify to the diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture,” Dr. Alvim Gaston joyfully commented. “I so enjoy working at an organization where I can be me and where my unique perspective and skills are accepted and appreciated.”

Her desire for every STEM professional to live the same reality she does at Eli Lilly is a big motivator toward Dr. Alvim Gaston’s continued involvement with Women & Hi Tech. Serving in her third year as the Women & Hi Tech Networking Director, Dr. Alvim Gaston revealed some of the practical value she aspires to see members take away from the organization. “I want our members to leave every event feeling like they got something out of it. For some, that’s the support or new connection they need to level up their career. For others, it’s the chance to serve as a mentor and help give someone else a leg up, and for yet others, it’s building new connections with peers. There are so many opportunities to be involved with Women & Hi Tech, and I want other STEM professionals to know that we are a resource for them.” Beyond working as the Networking Director, Maria serves Women & Hi Tech’s mission by mentoring, coaching, and volunteering, all of which help change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive.

“Being a part of Women & Hi Tech is an opportunity to empower others, make a difference, and give a voice to all women in STEM. That is why I want to be part of it and to help Women & Hi Tech grow, so the organization can continue to expand its impact in our STEM community.”

While the organization’s mission is specific to gender, Dr. Alvim Gaston is happy to see a growing number of male allies among the membership, benefitting from the same strong network as female members. She also acknowledges that it will take us all, all gender identities, to create authentic and lasting gender equity in the STEM fields and beyond.

When asked why she is so passionate about Women & Hi Tech, Maria shared several reasons, including, “We all need a safe place to grow, and it’s part of our mission to provide that. That is why our members join us – they are people who share our value of creating an equitable and inclusive environment for all. Men in our membership can see their value in a whole new way and help advance our mission. So, one day, when we’ve reached equity and inclusion for all, we will be People & Hi Tech.” As women and diverse groups continue to be better represented in the STEM fields, Dr. Alvim Gaston knows that future professionals will encounter different challenges and will need to work together to overcome those challenges.

“Now more than ever, we must model unity and compassion for younger generations to move forward to a better place and a better world,” Dr. Alvim Gaston concluded. “Women & Hi Tech continues to help lead the way for equity and inclusion for all women in STEM, and that inspires me.”

Member Profile - Arwa Ghalawan

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 13:00:00 GMT

For Arwa Ghalawan, her first experiences with the STEM field can be traced back to her most formative years, thanks to a little help from her dad and brother.

“My brother and I talk about this a lot, how our dad was the first one in our family to get whatever the new technology product was,” she said. “ For us it was the computer. We were so little when my dad got it, and it was so expensive. But, I remember my brother and I sitting on the computer. First, we were just gazing at it, or at the most we were just looking around to see what was on it. But soon it became about discovering things. It was always the thing that I spent hours on, and from there, I knew I was hooked on STEM.”

Throughout her journey through STEM, Ghalawan has time and time again listened to her instincts, allowing her intellectual curiosity to steer her to fabulous and fascinating opportunities. Hailing from Syria, Ghalawan first came over with family, moving to West Lafayette and then later Fishers. When Ghalawan decided to stay in the area, she says she needed to take some time to decide on what road of study and work to take.

“Initially, I was encouraged to study nursing,” she said. “While I enjoy helping people a lot, I realized I needed to study something that was related to computers. I knew that if I followed that path, I could still help people while staying close to something I was passionate about. It comes from curiosity I think.”

This has been the case whether as a student, a professional, or a volunteer organizer; in fact, Ghalawan first became a part of Women & Hi Tech thanks to her passion for learning as well as socializing. While studying at Ivy Tech for her associate degree in software development, she wondered if she could still be doing more.

“I’m a very social person,” she said. “I asked my program chair, ‘How can I get connected more? Is there a women’s organization that could plug me into a larger community of folks?’ I wanted to help more people around me and to give back to the community. Eventually I wound up attending several workshops and presentations from Women & Hi Tech and I just fell in love immediately.”

Ghalawan made sure to add, “Their mission for women and supporting women, has always been a passion of mine.”

After finishing her degree at Ivy Tech in Lafayette, Ghalawan eventually transitioned into her role with Infoysys, where she serves as a diversity and inclusion executive. While she was still thinking of where her career could take her and how she could continue to volunteer for Women & Hi Tech, she said she received some divine intervention.

“It’s funny,” she said. “We as people try to plan everything, and to set our lives on the track we assume is there. However, suddenly God walks you to a different spot, which you never imagined. I was finishing up my training at Infosys. At that time, I would finish work, and then go straight to events, and organizing activities. This practice has always stuck with me, the love of meeting new people and sharing new ideas.

“Anyway, I was waiting for a project when our Vice President approached me about the activity on my LinkedIn page. He saw that I was constantly attending seminars, meetings, callouts, you name it. He said, ‘I know how social you are, how can we get that side of you involved here?’ That’s when he asked if I would like to be a diversity and inclusion representative.”

For nearly two years now, Ghalawan has continued to serve this role, all while studying informatics at IUPUI. Still, she hasn’t missed an opportunity to encourage her team to work with Women & Hi Tech. When asked why, Ghalawan said she wants to participate in the groundswell tradition that organizations like these provide.

For some women, they have trouble with confidence, so they may not ask about the different fields in tech. It’s really fantastic to be able to tell them, ‘Wait! There is an organization who can help you, who can support you, and who can inspire you.’ It’s really person-to-person and this is the kind of cause I really enjoy contributing to.”

When asked what she’d like to see out of the next 20 years of Women & Hi Tech, Ghalawan said, “I’d like to see more women in the STEM fields, but even beyond that, I’d like to provide guidance for younger women just starting out. Too often we see young women get involved in STEM in college, only to change majors because they don’t have that support system. I hope I can provide that to them in the years to come.”

Girls STEM Education Supported By Indiana Affiliate NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 16:00:00 GMT

As part of its mission to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all, Women & Hi Tech is constantly focused on enhancing and empowering females in the STEM talent pipeline. This starts in the classroom, keeping girls and young women interested in STEM and helping them overcome systemic and cultural barriers to their interest and future careers.

This year, Women & Hi Tech President Rebecca Bormann and the rest of the Board of Directors were eager to, again, seize the opportunity to partner with the Society for Information Management, Indianapolis (SIM Indy) to sponsor scholarships for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing. Through a cash honorarium and complimentary one-year student membership, Women & Hi Tech is providing tangible support for young Hoosier women who want to develop careers in computing and other STEM fields.

What is the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing?

The National Center for Women & Information Technology is a non-profit organization chartered by the National Science Foundation in 2004. This women in STEM organization seeks to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women in the field of computing, particularly in areas of development and innovation.

As part of achieving this mission, the NCWIT created the Aspirations in Computing Program, a program dedicated to fostering a sense of community to conquer isolation and build long-term motivation for female STEM students. The program was awarded a 2018 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.

Part of the Aspirations in Computing Program is the Award for Aspirations in Computing (AiC). This award recognizes outstanding aptitude and interest in information technology and computing, solid leadership ability, good academic history, and plans for post-secondary education. 90% of past AiC award winners have gone on to major in STEM fields during post-secondary education.

Indiana NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing

In the spring of 2020, 25 female high school students from across the state of Indiana were recognized by the Indiana Affiliate of the NCWIT, along with another 25 honorable mentions. Women & Hi Tech in partnership with SIM Indy recognized each award winner with a $250 honorarium thanks to the support of our generous sponsors. Winners were also provided a complimentary one-year student membership to Women & Hi Tech. This provides access to the organization’s network of over 2000 Hoosier STEM professionals, as well as regular programming, networking and education events as well as opportunities for mentorship. The Indiana NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing was also sponsored by affiliates OneAmerica and Indiana University.

STEM females face barriers of inclusion and representation that can only be overcome through efforts like the Aspirations in Computing Program, and the work of Women & Hi Tech. While women were among the first computer programmers and represented the majority of human computers, today only 20% of computing jobs are held by women, and less in some sectors of the industry. With computing jobs among the highest-paying and fastest-growing, leaving women and girls behind in this economic sector is not acceptable. That is why Women & Hi Tech is so honored to recognize these young award recipients, and will continue pursuing its mission until STEM fields are equally inclusive to all.

Women & Hi Tech's OperationALL: Advocates for Gender Equity

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 22:00:00 GMT

On November 5, 2020, Women & Hi Tech hosted its 3rd Annual OperationALL^TM, an event uniquely tailored for men and focused on improving and increasing diversity and gender inclusion in the STEM community. Facilitated by author and TEDx speaker Julie Kratz, this virtual workshop included a robust discussion with actionable tools and strategies for giving and receiving candid feedback, the importance of challenging people equally, and how to coach women and those who are different from yourself.

In a recent Executive Women’s Forum, we covered leveraging the gift of feedback, how to validate and ensure advice and feedback is consistent and on point with opportunities to improve, and how to convert feedback into a game plan for personal growth. But as Julie points out, women are less likely to receive candid feedback and are more likely than men to experience micro-aggressions, negatively affecting how and what feedback is provided (e.g., Potential vs. Performance gender bias). The workshop highlighted fears that can often be the root of providing candid feedback and challenged participants to evaluate how candid they are in giving feedback to women.

Breakout sessions throughout the workshop provided a safe space for men to discuss providing candid feedback to women and to practice various frameworks and models to build their skills. What became apparent by the end of the workshop is that leaders with good coaching skills applied equally to everyone net the most positive results for their organizations. Coaching focuses forward with the goal of changing future actions and behaviors based on the goals we want to achieve. Using coaching models like the GROW model (Goal, Reality, Options, Will) not only provide a strong framework for providing feedback, they also provide the opportunity for men to learn new perspectives from women and to embrace and encourage free thinking within their organization.

The roots of gender bias are buried deeply within our culture and work environments. In many cases, men (and women) are unaware of micro-aggressions and how unequally challenging women prevents women from excelling and negatively impacts their self-esteem and career potential. We host this event annually to continue to inform, support and engage our male allies in our mission to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

We are grateful to our male allies who attended this year’s event, whether for the first time or in addition to past OperationALL events. We encourage all gender identities to become members of Women & Hi Tech, and to attend our events and engage with the other professionals and students committed to gender equality in STEM fields.

We also recognize the importance of the women who attend these events to help better understand how to engage our male allies – thank you! As Julie Kratz states in the introduction of her book One: How Male Allies Support Women for Gender Equality, “This is not a tug of war; it’s not a zero sum game. We all stand to benefit when we welcome men into the conversation. Women are not going to solve this problem alone. We need the support of men to win together.”

Grown From STEM: October Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 12:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supports and Friends,

October has been an exciting month for Women & Hi Tech! We kicked the month off with our signature biennial celebration, the Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs), held on October 1st, 2020. This first-ever Virtual LLAs was the 20th anniversary of the first gala, originally called the Spotlight Awards, and it was a night to remember. "Equity & Inclusion" was the theme of the evening. Women & Hi Tech was honored, alongside almost 400 virtual guests, to celebrate and recognize 13 esteemed Indiana STEM professionals with Leading Light Awards. Honorees included the inaugural and honorary recipients of our two new awards, the Equity and Inclusion Champion and the OperationALL™ Male Allies Leading Light Awards. We were also beyond delighted to help pave the way for future generations of female STEM leaders by awarding over $50,000 in scholarship and grants to young ladies and women in Indiana pursuing a STEM degree or certification. To see a full list of all award, scholarship, and grant recipients and to watch a recording of the 2020 Virtual LLAs, please visit: 2020 Leading Light Awards Recap and Legacy, https://womenandhitech.org/Blog/9320657.

After the Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala, we were excited to participate in the Third All-IT Leadership Community Webinar with IT Leaders Indianapolis and the Indy CIO Network. The virtual panel of IT leaders examined the challenges and solutions for the accelerated rate of change in our organizations and the unique opportunities we now have. We were also delighted to be included in Code Café's virtual event, See Yourself in Tech: Get Involved – Tech Equity, Opportunity, and Access. The virtual panel focused on helping us find our place in the local tech ecosystem, the actionable steps each of us can take to get involved, ways to support equitable access, and advice for taking your first or next step in the tech workforce.

As we close out October, Women & Hi Tech hosted our final Executive Women's Forum for 2020 – Flipping the Script of Racism and Women in STEM: The Journey to Equity. Our phenomenal moderator and panelists armed us with data and statistics regarding women's disparity, especially diverse women in the STEM fields. They also authentically shared their journeys of being African American women in STEM and how being both a woman and an African American presents unique challenges. For example, the panelists discussed the Black Wealth Gap, which demonstrates the wage gap between Caucasian women and African American women and other diverse women. It also brings to light that even collegiate education does not create equity or provide the same advantageous outcomes for all. Learning that the "median white adult who dropped out of high school has 70% more wealth than the median Black adult with some college education" highlights the disparate outcomes that result when institutions and systems are inequitable. We must do better.

While we began October recognizing and celebrating advancements and positive impacts towards equity and inclusion – we know that much work lies ahead for real equity and inclusion for all. I couldn't be more pleased that Women & Hi Tech ended October providing a forum for discussion and actionable steps each of us can take to do our part to continue to break down systemic and systematic racism and create equity and inclusion for all in the STEM fields and beyond. In case you missed it you can view the full recording of Flipping the Script on Racism and Women in STEM: A Journey to Equity as well as download a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion resource guide.

For your consideration, I will also offer that in honor of National Women's Small Business month, an action we can each take to advance equity and inclusion for all is to find a way to support local diverse, women-owned small businesses. National Women's Small Business Month takes place each year during October. This is an opportune time to recognize the myriad of achievements of our country's female entrepreneurs and the positive impact they are making on jobs and the economy.

You can visit Indy.gov Office of Minority & Women-Owned Business Development to find almost 800 Minority, Women, Veteran, or Disability-owned businesses certified by the City of Indianapolis-Marion County. Also, Visit Indy has compiled a list of some of the fantastic African American owned restaurants in Indianapolis and the surrounding areas (Paleo Soul and Chef Oya's The TRAP are two of my favorites). Visit Indy African American-Owned Eateries.

In this 22nd edition of "Grown from STEM," we are excited to invite you to learn more about our Communications Director, Lori Boyer, and our dedicated member, Kat Howenstein. While they have very different roles, both are incredibly successful in the STEM field of application development. Both Lori and Kat are champions for diversity, equity and inclusion and share with us the importance of volunteerism and finding and building a community of acceptance, inclusion, and support – especially being a woman in a male-dominated field. We are thrilled each of them has found just that in Women & Hi Tech! Please read more about Lori and Kat.

New this month, and in the future, we will also feature one of our 2020 Virtual Leading Light Award recipients in our monthly "Grown from STEM" newsletter. This month we continue to celebrate and recognize Women & Hi Tech's Honorary Equity and Inclusion Champion Award recipient, Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D., Senior Associate Intellectual Property (IP)/Patent Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg LLP. Angela embodies all of the award qualities day in and day out and is a dedicated advocate for equity and inclusion for all. She has spearheaded many of the significant advancements for equity and inclusion for diverse women within our organization, as well as throughout her career and personal life. Please watch this segment of the 2020 Virtual LLAs to learn more about what fuels Angela's passion and drive for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the STEM fields and beyond. Again, Congratulations Angela!

Best Regards,

Rebecca Bormann
President, Women & Hi Tech

Board Profile - Lori Boyer

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 12:01:00 GMT

When her third term as Women & Hi Tech Communications Director ends in June 2021, Lori Boyer will leave the board with a mix of nostalgia and gratitude. “I started out a little shy on the board, but by now it has become ingrained in my life,” she says. “I tell people I have two jobs: my first job at Barnes & Thornburg as a Software Engineer on the Innovations Team, and my second job at Women & Hi Tech.”

Though the Women & Hi Tech board is all-volunteer, meaning Boyer doesn’t get financially compensated for her time, she says the pleasure of sharing and amplifying Women & Hi Tech’s message has been enough. “After every event we host, there’s an influx of women who have become aware of their need for our resources,” Boyer says. “Women are still only 14% of the workforce in software engineering, and that’s just one of the many STEM fields we represent. So it’s great to know our work is driving change in that regard.”

Though Women & Hi Tech has successfully transitioned a majority of its events to virtual and adapted to the pandemic, Boyer says she has missed some of the community connection. “I missed having Passport to Hi-Tech and some of the other events where we show women & young girls the hands-on experience of being a coder. Seeing and self-visualizing a life in a STEM career is one of the biggest barriers for women entering STEM fields. There’s still a big misconception that you have to have a four-year degree in science, technology, engineering, or math to break into these professions, and it’s just not the case.” As we described in her board profile last year, Lori is a self-taught software engineer who studied business at Indiana University. Today, she is an award-winning software engineer recognized at the Leading Light Awards and by TechPoint, among other accolades.

“Software engineers have a skill of just tinkering around due to a love of learning and experimenting. You can’t be afraid to fail because that’s just a chance to figure out a better way of solving a problem.” Lori says that COVID-19 pandemic has given her an accelerated education in data analytics, which she continues to study today. “It was a chance to learn even more by doing—because it had to be done asap! As fast as everything was happening, tools to track, trace, and visualize data had to be created. Every organization needs easily-accessible data insights now more than ever during this time.”

Though her tenure as Communications Director will come to a close next summer, Lori still looks forward to being an active emeritus member of the board and maintaining a very active membership in Women & Hi Tech. “With Women & Hi Tech you get the chance to create your own community, and even an introvert like me finds that making connections and having meaningful conversations is easy,” she says. “I have met people who encourage me to grow my career, and friends who are willing to just pick up the phone and listen or text late into the night.” The one point she emphasizes is that it falls to each individual member to create their own experience. “Every member of Women & Hi Tech is willing to help you, but only if you reach out and connect,” Boyer shared. Women & Hi Tech has almost 2,000 members today.

This energy will only continue as the board and the organization evolves. “As we expand the communications committee to help sustain and grow Women & Hi Tech, we have some committee positions in mind we know need to be filled, and other opportunities where we want members to come to us with ideas. We want members to help us define the exciting opportunities we could be providing in line with their strengths, in communications and other areas.”

Lori believes this communication power is needed because even after more than 20 years, people in central Indiana are still just meeting Women & Hi Tech. “The pivot required by the pandemic has meant a lot of virtual reach and maybe that means more people can join our virtual events from across the state or even other states,” Lori said. She added that encouraging growth in the organization’s reach is already starting to manifest but needs communications to back it up. “This year we had Leading Light Award and Scholarship and Grant applicants from every corner of Indiana. But there is still more we can do to get the message out. If people don’t know the chance is there, they can’t take it.” Boyer feels especially that this applies to diverse women. “If only 14% of software engineers are women in general, then we have to assume that women of color and LGBTQ+ women are even more underrepresented in the field. An organization that actively works to correct this problem is an amazing organization to be involved with,” she concluded. “I was welcomed with open arms years ago, and since then it’s only gotten better.”

Member Profile - Kat Howenstein

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 12:00:00 GMT

When you ask most folks how they got started in their career, the story usually spans a few years, if not a few decades, but ask Kat Howenstein when and how she knew STEM was her true calling, and she can provide a much more specific answer.

“Third grade,” Howenstein said emphatically. “At that time, we spent a lot of time on drill work for multiplication tables. My teacher, Mrs. Collins, stood out from the rest of the teachers in her bright power skirt suits and pumps. She dressed smart and she was smart - leaving no doubt she took pride in her work. You didn’t want to disappoint her because she was also the first to reward students who met her high expectations. One of these rewards was being the first to finish the minute drill practice with a perfect score, you would get the job of checking the other students’ work as they finished. That gave me not only the satisfaction of being fast and accurate, it gave me a chance to play teacher myself - rewarding my classmates when they also had perfect scores or helping them to make corrections. I don't know if I realized it at the time, but looking back I can see, ‘Oh, I was clearly meant to teach.’”

Kat has been a part of Women & Hi Tech since 2017, she enjoys volunteering for committees who need extra hands on deck for the Leading Light Awards and representing Women & Hi Tech at sponsored events. It was clear to Women & Hi Tech leadership her deep-rooted personal drive, combined with that undeniable passion for teaching and connecting with others, would make her a perfect fit to grow the organization’s membership through the Community Outreach Committee.

Following Mrs. Collins was a succession of passionate math teachers who continued to develop Howenstein’s love for the subject and set her on a career path to secondary math education. Though she has gone on to serve companies like DeveloperTown, and now Codelicious in different capacities, Howenstein credits her professional life to a passion for getting people plugged into STEM careers like her teachers did for her.

Attending a small college like University of Evansville meant class sizes were compact and it was easy to get to know classmates and professors. Through undergraduate internships and student teaching, Howenstein benefited from a supporting cast of strong female teachers. This sense of camaraderie and support continued after she achieved her bachelor’s in secondary math education and eventually found her way to Pike High School and later led the high school math team at Indiana Connections Academy.

“Because I was teaching foundations and often had students who had previously failed, I wanted to make the lessons and practice as engaging as possible,” she said. “I didn’t have to spend 15 minutes working through a single problem, so I could take the time to make activities relevant and fun. I wanted my class to feel like a celebration of math.”

After almost ten years teaching, Howenstein took on a new challenge joining DeveloperTown as an engagement manager. Her husband had been working with startups for several years and suggested she talk to their leadership about what skills might be transferable to software. Howenstein admits she had very limited knowledge of software development, but took a leap of faith to challenge herself. Once again, her passion for mastering fundamental concepts paid off in the form of nurturing and long-lasting professional relationships.

“Coming into tech from teaching, I expected to be more annoying than helpful for many years.” she said. “But from the very beginning, people I worked with encouraged me to jump in and help them tackle hard problems using skills I brought from a career in teaching. Developers are typically a quiet bunch; so as I was starting out, I didn’t expect their verbose enthusiasm for helping me understand basic concepts. The most generous of my team often were the most senior in experience, genuinely interested in explaining specialties they’d spent decades mastering. When I needed more context, they'd enthusiastically offer it from a new perspective or map the details on a diagram.”

As Howenstein began her role as engagement manager, she earned her Agile coaching certificate and took on the role of scrum master for the marketing team as well as several development and internal projects. She credits her continued growth to DeveloperTown’s COO, Julie DeSutter, who “As a lifelong learner herself, wasn’t afraid to take a chance on someone outside of tech. She’s always encouraged me to explore where my skills brought value in tech and how I could add to them.” With Julie’s encouragement Howenstein joined the business development team where she leveraged her knowledge of design and development processes to make new connections with industries investing in digital innovation. Again, it was Howenstein’s sense of passion creating positive growth towards new horizons.

Although she noticed there were many fewer women in software compared to education, there was no lack of hospitality from the rest of the staff. “I don't know if developers had been told- ‘Guys, there's no women here, so if any of them show up, be super nice’.” she said with a laugh. “It didn’t feel like a forced effort to make the team more diverse by including me, but that they recognized the imbalance and were waiting to make room for me.”

It was also during this time Howenstein’s tenure at Women & Hi Tech began. Like many of our members, her journey began with a little push from a friend with some inside information. “I was introduced to them through a friend of mine, Sena Hineline,” she said. “As I was moving from my project management role into sales, I was looking for ways to network and learn about my new community outside of teaching. Having spent her career in tech marketing, Sena knew how valuable connecting with other women in this space would be. After attending a few Executive Women’s Forums and meeting so many wonderful people, I knew I wanted to help with Women & Hi Tech’s growth.”

Having spent 10 years teaching and over 4 in software, Howenstein is now joining Codelicious as an Account Executive where she’ll be combining all of her career experience. She’s quick to acknowledge her career path - from teaching, to project management, to sales - seems unusual, although she never felt alone along the way, thanks in no small part to the growing coalition of women in her industry.

“What’s really great about being a woman in STEM is having the chance to welcome others and give them a place to share their passion. As someone with a variety of career experience, I’m able to help other women discover how they fit, why they fit, and what we can do to make these fields accessible for the next generation. Even as someone new to tech, I can still be a positive influence to get others interested and involved.”

Reflecting back to her times spent with Women & High Tech, Howenstein has no uncertainty the work of the organization is transforming Indianapolis. When asked what the next 20 years may hold, Howenstein is excited about the chance to yet again utilize her passion and commitment to bring about forward progress.

“Bringing focus on diversity and inclusion is the topic on everyone’s mind. We've started to get a foothold as women, but we need to hear more about the experience women of color have in the tech industry and what we can do to promote their efforts. The buzz phrase about having different voices at the table doesn’t stop with gender, it will be a continued effort to bring diverse perspectives through race, life experience, and socio-economic backgrounds. If I can take the time to listen and learn as an individual from others, I hope that affects the people around me and our tech community at large.”

2020 Leading Light Awards Recap and Legacy

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 12:00:00 GMT

When Women & Hi Tech was founded over 20 years ago, one of the organization’s primary missions was to recognize and elevate outstanding STEM females. It hosted its first award ceremony, then called the Spotlight Awards, in 2000. Members in attendance at that beautiful event, hosted at the Indianapolis Zoo Dolphin Pavilion, could never have imagined how the 20th Anniversary of the Leading Light Awards would take shape.

Coronavirus pandemic. Working in pajamas for months. And a national crusade for gender and racial equality that feels almost identical to the landscape of decades past. Did any of us see 2020 coming?

But the leadership and members of Women & Hi Tech were not thwarted by these challenges. Instead Women & Hi Tech’s members, sponsors, Leading Light Awards Committee, and Board of Directors rolled up their sleeves to pull off the changes and efforts necessary to still have a memorable and noteworthy event. The result was a stunning virtual event that continues to recognize and support female STEM excellence and new this year Indiana diversity, equity and inclusion champions and male allies.

Indiana Women In STEM Organization

This year, there were over 150 nominees for the awards, grants, and scholarships that define the Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala as a premier event celebrating Indiana’s STEM community. All these nominees represent the amazing STEM innovation that has helped Indiana endure and thrive during the pandemic and other challenges of the year.

“I think most of us would agree so many things about this year have been unexpected,” said Lauryn Andrews, Leading Light Awards Director. “And yet when I think about 2020, the words that come to mind are hope, inspiration, and change. Though we can’t be together in person, it’s never been more apparent that we are in this together.”

Women & Hi Tech recognized outstanding STEM professionals with its esteemed Leading Light Awards and was able to award over $50,000 in grants and scholarships to develop the female STEM talent of the future.

New 2020 Women & Hi Tech Indiana STEM Scholarships

Women & Hi Tech is continually gratified to have the amazing support of so many community and scholarship sponsors across Indiana’s STEM community. “Your continued generosity and support make a difference for female STEM professionals, K-12 students, and collegiate young ladies,” Board President Rebecca Bormann reminded these sponsors and members during the Leading Light Awards. “Thank you for allowing us to advance our mission.”

In addition to the fifteen scholarships that were awarded this year, 2020 marked the inaugural awarding of the Rare Nickel Scholarship. This $5000 scholarship celebrates the first five women who received Spotlight Awards in 2000: Laura Larimer, Dr. Catherine Olmer, Dr. Elcira Villarreal, Carol Curran, and Amy Conrad Warner. Each year it is awarded, this scholarship will continue their legacy of paving the way for future generations of female STEM leaders in Indiana. The first recipient of this new Rare Nickle Scholarship was Marielle Berin, BS Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University.

Women & Hi Tech also introduced the #INThisTogether Scholarship, its first member-funded scholarship. Over $3000 was awarded to LaJoi Robinson, MS Information and Communication Science, Ball State University.

Girls STEM Education Scholarships in Indiana

In addition to these new STEM scholarships for women and girls, Women & Hi Tech also awarded tens of thousands of dollars through established Women & Hi Tech scholarships and sponsor generosity:

$5,000 Top Graduate Student Scholarship:

Taymee Brandon, PhD Environmental Engineering, Purdue University

$5,000 Top Undergraduate Student Scholarship:

My “Alice” Dang, BS Mechanical Engineering, Anderson University

$5,000 Top High School Senior Scholarship:

Doonyah Alucozai, BS Computer Information Technology, Purdue University

$5,000 Professional Development Grant:

Soma Mukhopadhyay, Biotechnology Quality & Regulatory Compliance Graduate Certificate, Purdue University

$10,000 WGU Indiana Scholarship:

Tosin Ajayi, BS Cybersecurity and Information Assurance

$2,500 SIM Indy Technology Graduate Student Scholarship:

Jennifer Fleming, MS Informatics, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

$2,500 SIM Indy Technology Undergraduate Student Scholarship:

Jordyn Blakey, BS Computer Science, DePauw University

$2,500 Ivy Tech Scholarship:

Fatimah Omotoso, AS Biology, Ivy Tech Indianapolis

$2,500 Ivy Tech Scholarship:

Eunice Macharia, AS Database Development and Administration, Ivy Tech Fort Wayne

$2,500 Bell Techlogix High School Senior Scholarship:

Yukthika Sajja, BS Cybersecurity, Purdue University

$2,500 Sallie Mae High School Senior Scholarship:

Kehinde “Bomi” Anifowose, BS Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

$2,000 Barnes & Thornburg LLP Patent/Corporate Law Scholarship:

Richa Patel, JD Patent Law, Indiana University Maurer School of Law

$2,000 Verizon Technology Scholarship:

Amanda Goodridge, MS Cybersecurity Risk Management, Indiana University Bloomington

Startup Ladies Membership Grant (valued at $600):

Andre'a Crowder

Startup Ladies Membership Grant (valued at $600):

Anelis Susana Chiluisa Calvache

It was deeply important to Women & Hi Tech’s Board of Directors, members, and awards judges that the nominees and winners represent the diversity in Indiana’s STEM community, and that these awards extend outside Central Indiana to advance STEM in all corners of our state.

Leading Light Awards for STEM Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Promote Minorities in STEM

The theme of the 2020 Leading Light Awards was Equity and Inclusion. This theme was recognized with the establishment of two new awards that elevate and encourage organizations to make STEM more inclusive to all. “We need the diversity in STEM roles to reflect the diversity in our community,” said emcee Sara Jones of WTHR Channel 13News.

One new Leading Light Award established this year was the Women & Hi Tech Equity and Inclusion Champion Leading Light Award. The organization named both an honorary and inaugural winner of this award. Honorary winner was Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D., Intellectual Property/Patent Attorney at Barnes & Thornburg LLP. This honor was bestowed for her many contributions to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion, including spearheading many of the major advancements for diverse women within Women & Hi Tech, as well as throughout her career and personal life.
The inaugural winner of the Equity and Inclusion Champion Leading Light Award was Erica Diebold, Senior Intellectual Property Manager at Roche Diabetes Care, Inc. She received this award after building increased allyship for women and members of the LGBTQ+ community at Roche and in the local community, including developing allyship training.

A second new Leading Light Award was the OperationALL™ Male Allies Leading Light Award, again with both honorary and inaugural winners.

The honorary winner of this award was Gerry Dick, Founder and CEO of Inside INdiana Business. This honor was bestowed for his lifelong commitment and allyship to Women & Hi Tech and promoting women and girls in STEM in Indiana.
The inaugural winner of OperationALL™ Male Allies Leading Light Award was Lamont Hatcher, the CEO of AIS. Outside his involvement with Women & Hi Tech, he serves on the board for both Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity and Morning Light, Inc. He also mentors women in technology and young African American men through 100 Black Men.

As some awards were created, another sponsored award came to an end. Toni Hickey, J.D., Deputy General Counsel and Chief IP Counsel of Cummins, Inc., was awarded the final Barnes & Thornburg LLP Hi Tech Woman of the Year Leading Light Award for her exemplary leadership and her commitment to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion for all in the STEM and legal communities.

Watch The Full Leading Light Awards and Celebrate STEM Females in Indiana

Witness and honor the excellence of Indiana’s STEM community for yourself by watching the full Leading Light Awards 2020 event on YouTube.

To all the sponsors and virtual attendees, Women & Hi Tech offers their sincerest thanks and appreciation. Changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all is a mission that takes time and concrete effort that would not be possible without each of your support. They would especially like to thank Fuel V+M and The Momentum GROUP, the marketing and videography firms that helped create the first-ever virtual LLAs.

And to the award, grant, and scholarship winners, Women & Hi Tech also says thank you, for the work and dedication you put forward every day to make the Indiana STEM community such an incredible place to learn, grow, and belong. We are truly in this together, and it’s a great place to be.

2020 Leading Light Award Winners

Honorary Equity and Inclusion Champion Award

Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D., Senior Associate Intellectual Property (IP)/Patent Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Inaugural Equity and Inclusion Champion Award

Erica Diebold, Senior Intellectual Property Manager | Diabetes Care Patents, Roche Diabetes Care, Inc.

Honorary OperationALL™ Male Allies Champion Award

Gerry Dick, Host and Creator of Inside INdiana Business

Inaugural OperationALL™ Male Allies Champion Award

Lamont Hatcher, Founder and CEO of AIS

Mentor Me! Award

Heather Jones, Group Leader - Fermentation Development and Media Preparation Labs, Corteva Agriscience

Leadership Award

Christine McDonnell, Co-Founder & CEO, Codelicious

Risk Taker Award

Teresa Plummer, Director, IT Governance and Delivery Services, Sallie Mae

Rising Star Award

Shilpi Bhargav, Global Head of Requirements Modeling Group, Roche Diabetes Care, Inc

You Inspire Us! Award

Rupal Thanawala, Tech Editor, Indianapolis Recorder

Outstanding Educator in STEM Award

Keeanna Warren, Principal, Purdue Polytechnic High School North

Outstanding Achievement in STEM Award

Mary Lee Gambone, Head of Materials Engineering, Rolls-Royce North America

Change the Landscape Award

Audrey Taylor, CEO, netlogx

Barnes & Thornburg Hi Tech Woman of the Year Award

Toni Hickey, J.D., Deputy General Counsel & Chief IP Counsel, Cummins, Inc.

Grown From STEM: September Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 12:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters, and Friends,

The United States Patent and Trademark's Office's (USPTO) 2019 Progress and Potential Report indicated in the US that the rise in women named inventors on patents has been exceedingly slow, 13% in 1995 growing to only 16% in 2016. The report also indicates that the proportion of inventors who are women remains below the proportion of science and engineering jobs held by women, suggesting the low "women inventor rates" are not merely the result of gender-based discrepancies in STEM education. There is no conclusive data indicating why this is the case; it may be due to fewer women having inventive activity, institutional or industrial failures to acknowledge the innovative activity of women, or gender bias among patent examiners. Regardless of the reason, the data from the USPTO is another piece of evidence indicating women STEM professionals have ground to make up. This is why Women & Hi Tech's mission to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all is so relevant.

We are proud to publish our "Grown from STEM" monthly newsletter highlighting the Women & Hi Tech Board and members who are, in fact, changing the landscape in their profession in meaningful and positive ways. This month's newsletter focuses on Intellectual Property (IP). IP is an important focus area because it is an integral part of a STEM professional's work, no matter the industry or career path. STEM professionals are routinely creating something inventive, maintaining inventive work, or as highlighted in this newsletter, protecting the innovative work of others. This month we feature two amazing IP professionals, Angela B. Freeman M.S., J.D., Past President of Women & Hi Tech and Intellectual Property/Patent Attorney at Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, and Jordan Downham J.D., an IP Attorney at Quarles and Brady, LLP specializing in trademark and copyright law. After you read their profiles, you will agree, they are undoubtedly changing the landscape for us all!

As for myself, an engineer and a leader of technology organizations, IP management is an essential part of my role and the most fun. To prepare for this newsletter introduction, I had the opportunity to benchmark with Deborah Pollack-Milgate J.D., a former Women & Hi Tech President and an IP Litigation Attorney and Partner at Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, who I highly admire. I am excited to share with our readers Deborah's perspective on why she finds IP work so rewarding, challenges that still exist for women in IP management, and how the landscape has changed throughout her years of IP practice.

Deborah's view on why she finds her career so rewarding perfectly aligns with why I describe IP as fun. She indicates the most rewarding part of her role is having the opportunity to learn about so many different technologies and how each person's unique contribution creates new products and innovations. It never gets old for her. This sentiment is echoed by Jordan, who indicates that the problem solving that exists in IP management makes the work extremely fulfilling.

Concerning the landscape - Deborah indicated she does not think that women in IP are differently situated from other women in predominantly male fields of work. "I have encountered my share of sexist behavior over the years, particularly from my male opponents in litigation. The stakes are high in patent litigation, so the tactics are sometimes brutal. I have kept a list of names I have been called over the years that you almost have to see to believe. Once, when a man apologized after a deposition in which a colleague of his had made several sexist comments, he then proceeded to describe to me that he was sitting in his dark office, all alone, watching a woman swaying outside his window. These are surreal experiences – and yet they happen. A woman, when present in a group of men, is rarely a neutral presence, in my experience. She is the presence of the "other" which may be highlighted, or praised, but also sidelined and ignored," Deborah explained. This ties in with the message captured within the accompanying profile on Angela B. Freeman. Angela is an advocate for increasing the percentage of all women in STEM to create a better landscape. And she stresses that racial diversity is also vitally important to achieving the inclusivity we seek.

Deborah's summary hits the mark, "It is critical to have a group of women – or several of them -- looking out for you. Women and Hi Tech is a fantastic organization that reminds each of us we matter, and we are not fighting these battles alone." Deborah and I also agree on this final point; we need to share candidly, not only with women but also with men. When we do this, we find the connections we need to lead us back to ourselves and our success.

In this 21st edition of "Grown from STEM," Women & Hi Tech would like to invite you to learn more about our Past President, Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D. We are also excited to introduce you to a dedicated member, Jordan Downham J.D. Each of these women continues to blaze trails in their careers while being strong advocates for others and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the STEM fields. In their profiles, Angela and Jordan both shared candid comments about their journeys and provided us a moment of honesty to help us all consider what we can do to encourage each other. We can work together to change the landscape, no matter our chosen STEM field. Please read more about Angela and Jordan.

Sincerely,

Linda M. Hicks
President-Elect Women & Hi Tech
Vice President Midwest Operation, ECC Horizons
Presidentelect@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D.

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 12:01:00 GMT

As Angela Freeman completes her tenure as Past President and prepares to leave the Women & Hi Tech board of directors, she looks back over the trail she has blazed over the past 7 years beginning as Networking Director with a mix of confidence and hope. “When I set out as the first African American president of this organization, I had lots of goals related to diversity. I wanted to increase the diversity of judges, applicants, and award recipients for our amazing scholarships. I wanted to attract a more diverse STEM population to become our members. And I wanted to see our board become more diverse.”

At the time she assumed the three-year commitment of becoming Women & Hi Tech’s President, Freeman was seriously considering leaving the board. “You don’t have influence and make change in an organization because you love things the way they are. You do it because you see what can be and the higher heights there are to reach,” she said of her decision to stay on the board and assume leadership. “Me going into Women & Hi Tech leadership was really a function of the mentorship, championship, encouragement, and coaching I received from organization leaders who convinced me that the organization could benefit from my leadership, particularly at that time.”

So, Angela took on the challenge, as she really believed that the board was at a point where they were willing to make some changes. Using her legal expertise, Angela spearheaded overdue revisions to the organization’s bylaws, policies, and infrastructure related to evaluating and assessing board service. Angela also chaired the historical Women & Hi Tech 20th Anniversary Celebration Event in 2019. Importantly, as Women & Hi Tech’s first diverse President, Freeman achieved all of her goals, drastically increasing the organization’s diversity in race, creed, gender identity, and STEM profession from scholarship applicants and new members all the way to the leadership represented in the board room.

Now, what she wants is to see those goals become foundational until they are obsolete. “What I hope to see is the normalization of diversity, equity, and inclusion. For it to be built in, not an exception to the rule or a blip on the radar. Intentionally trying to increase diversity within and external to the organization must be an expectation of every Women & Hi Tech president and leader moving forward.”

At the same time, however, Freeman thinks this requires a candid evaluation of Women & Hi Tech’s core mission. “We can’t become something that isn’t a women’s organization.” As one example, Freeman points to the circumstances of Women & Hi Tech’s founding. Because women were not given equal seats at the table in their STEM careers, the organization’s co-founders and charter members created their own community.

“That’s why I believe leadership positions of this esteemed organization should be mostly reserved for women. Because opportunities for women in board leadership often don’t exist elsewhere,” she said. “I am super excited that we have Ben Phillips acting as our Treasurer, and am supportive of getting more men involved in committees and other volunteer roles. However, I don’t think we need to recruit more men to the board to be considered ‘inclusive.’” Freeman says we can instead recognize, train, develop, and empower men who serve as allies and help women succeed in STEM, because most successful female STEM leaders attribute some portion of that success to men. “We can celebrate the allyship, sponsorship, and support of men—but they already get plenty of recognition for being outstanding STEM professionals, and women typically do not.”

In this same vein, Freeman hopes future Women & Hi Tech presidents and leadership will feel secure in keeping the organization’s mission focused squarely on STEM issues related to women. “Our leadership should feel empowered to enforce this boundary and keep the organization focused on the narrow scope of advancing women in STEM,” she said. As Women & Hi Tech President, Angela learned to navigate this delicate crossroads where the organization exists. “We are inclusive to all women in STEM, not just some. But we shouldn’t be concerned about being so inclusive or broadening our mission scope to the point that we are leveling the playing field for people who don’t need it.”

Angela also shared a realization that resulted from her presidency. “It has been challenging and maybe even a bit disappointing at times to see how much we have been making efforts to communicate our mission of inclusion, yet not necessarily be met with an overwhelming response or participation of ladies in our diverse communities.” Freeman described years of intentionally contacting and making radio and television appearances, giving newspaper and magazine interviews, and reaching out to diverse STEM professional organizations to communicate the resources available through Women & Hi Tech. She even recounted working with translators to make Women & Hi Tech STEM scholarship, grant, award, and/or board opportunities publicly known to non-English speakers. “Certainly, non-diverse organizations need to make room for qualified diverse leaders and members. But, diverse leaders and professionals must also step up and take on the opportunities and resources that are available.”

When asked what barriers she thinks might still exist to increased participation by diverse women, Freeman comes up short of a suitable answer. “Before I became our president I told myself, diverse women weren’t getting involved because they didn’t see themselves represented in our population and leadership,” she said. “But now I personally know that isn’t the case. That can’t be the excuse anymore. Everything we are striving and fighting for will take your personal time,” she responds. “You don’t drive change, open doors, or blaze trails by putting in a little work or effort. At the end of the day, a nonprofit is a business too. If they are investing resources to attract a specific type of talent, but not getting a return on investment (ROI), those resources will dry up or get reallocated elsewhere.”

“I strongly encourage diverse women in STEM across Indiana to get more involved in the opportunities Women & Hi Tech offers,” she said. “There has to be more engagement by women who expect to move into STEM leadership, and the Women & Hi Tech board is a great opportunity to develop and/or exhibit leadership skills that you may not be able to demonstrate professionally. Board service means you will invest sweat equity. But your performance has the power to positively impact and influence our community while opening doors for people coming behind you. It’s an opportunity to pay it forward.”

Angela says that opening doors for more diverse women to lead Women & Hi Tech is her deepest hope for the legacy of her presidency. “At this point, especially with this board, I think we have the critical mass, a collective will, and visibility, along with brand recognition and momentum, to have a great 2021 and years beyond,” she said. “We are hitting our diversity, equity, and inclusion stride with real tangible metrics, parameters, and people that hold similar values. That’s what it will take to get traction so diverse female STEM professionals see Women & Hi Tech as a valid opportunity to develop as a professional leader, find community and professional support, and get civically engaged.”

Angela says that Women & Hi Tech is an organization where diverse women can make a special contribution to advance the organization in tangible and long-lasting ways. “It’s different for each person and their talents,” she allowed. “But who else can do what you think you can do? No one.”

“I certainly hope and expect in the near future that another diverse woman will be in the president’s seat. We already have plenty of great candidates. And, if Women & Hi Tech expects to grow to meet the needs of the ever-changing STEM population in Indiana, diversity, equity, and inclusion of all women in STEM must remain prioritized values of the organization and its leadership. If we expect to see a 40th anniversary, the key is equity and inclusion,” she concluded. “And I plan to be there to celebrate.”

Member Profile - Jordan Downham

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 12:00:00 GMT

Jordan Downham left the farm she grew up on in Tippecanoe County to study journalism at Notre Dame. But working as a journalist, she found herself in an often inflexible, male-dominated environment defined by late shifts and high-pressure deadlines. Many people might not think of law school as an escape from such challenges, but Downham enrolled at IU Maurer School of Law in Bloomington full of excitement and relief. “I went in with an open mind, but thinking I might do ag tech patents, because I had my personal roots in agriculture. But I found out I couldn’t be a patent attorney because I had no science background.”

Instead, Downham was drawn to trademark and copyright law. “Word choice and splitting hairs is a huge part of trademark and copyright law, and after working as an editor, I had strengths and passion in that area.” Graduating in 2016, Downham was hired by Quarles & Brady LLP, where she helps technology and science innovators bring their products to market. “I help them navigate the process of registering a trademark. It can’t be too descriptive or too similar to another. This process helps market their product so people can actually use the tools they create.”

Downham says one of the best parts of her experience in law has been the supportive environment at Quarles & Brady. The company culture is part of what sold her on the firm. “I find the environment much less inflexible than journalism. My firm has been formally recognized multiple times as a Best Law Firm for Women, and it’s proven to be so.” With a two-year-old son, Jordan had the opportunity to work a 75% schedule without needing to self-advocate or “take what I could get,” she explained.

It’s also been heartening to her that a lot of the contacts and clients she serves are women. “Whether they’re in marketing or legal at tech companies, I collaborate with lots of women helping amazing discoveries find the light of day. It was a surprise at first. I had heard horror stories about the boy’s club and I’m grateful that I haven’t had that experience.” Downham loves supporting Women & Hi Tech because she knows the mission of the organization is to create a parallel experience for women in STEM roles across every industry and specialty.

Jordan encourages anyone with an interest in STEM to think about how their skill set can apply to the needs of STEM companies. “You can be involved with STEM without the background. There are so many ways to be supportive in every tech company. Attorneys are needed, support and sales staff are needed, marketers are needed. You can still be involved in exciting work even if you aren’t a biochemist or software engineer. If that industry fascinates you and gets you excited, don’t be afraid to come at it with a different angle.”

Sustaining the potential of innovation is also part of how Downham got involved with Women & Hi Tech. The Get On Board fair, organized by Leadership Indianapolis, is an event that connects interested people to volunteer and nonprofit leadership opportunities. That’s where Jordan met fellow intellectual property attorney and Women & Hi Tech Past President Angela Freeman. “Women & Hi Tech needed help with updating its bylaws and other governance documents and so I shared my brain. I knew revising the governance with the Board was an important contribution to help the organization remain sustainable.”

Jordan has deep experience in creative problem-solving that still abides by rules and guidelines. “The trademark office has very strict requirements. You don’t get to just smudge the rules. A copyright or trademark application can be easily rejected and we don’t want that because clients are focusing on the product and the innovation. That mess isn’t what they need to worry about.”

In much the same fashion, her insight helped Women & Hi Tech’s board create governance that protects the organization and lets other members focus on their roles without worry. “Women & Hi Tech are innovators,” she said. Jordan went on to share one of her hopes for the organization to leverage that innovation. “We need to be thinking about the ways women in STEM get opportunities. We don’t have to just focus on giving a woman a spot that was for a man before. What if we create a new spot that makes the most of female perspectives? Men don’t have to be uprooted; instead, women are elevated on our terms and in roles that prioritize the use of our strengths. So much of what we struggle with comes from this illusion of scarcity,” Downham concluded. “The world is wide enough for all types of people to have opportunities.”

Grown From STEM: August Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 12:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters, and Friends,

Women & Hi Tech announced earlier this month that our signature, biennial event, The Leading Lights Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs) on October 1, 2020, is going virtual. To say that we are excited is an understatement. Amid this unprecedented year, we are ecstatic to be pivoting to virtually celebrate Indiana women in STEM - women who are risk-takers, leaders, educators, mentors, and those who are changing our local STEM landscape. And new this year, the 2020 LLAs will focus on "Equity and Inclusion" in our Indiana STEM community. As such, Women & Hi Tech is thrilled to be introducing two new award categories celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion champions and our male allies.

As excited as I am about the LLAs, I wrote this note on the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech (click here to listen to the full speech, "I Have A Dream"). This past Friday, thousands participated in the 2020 March on Washington, while thousands more joined the 2020 Virtual March on Washington. These events remind us and call us all to action for continued progress toward true equity and inclusion in this country.

Like so many of us who have the privilege to work remotely, I took that time to listen to addresses from Reverend Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, and the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, and others. All of whom, passionately, powerfully and inspirationally called for justice for their loved ones and systematic and systemic reform for an equitable and inclusive America that includes fair treatment for African Americans and other diverse citizens - our American brothers and sisters. I also listened to Yolanda Renee King, 12- year old granddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., convey her conviction and passion as she proclaimed "… we will be the generation that moves from me to we" (click here to watch the full speech by Yolanda Renee King).

While there is clearly much work and reformation that must take place, I am reaffirmed that Women & Hi Tech was called last summer to select "Equity & Inclusion" for this year's LLAs focus. I am also proud that our organization committed years ago to take action to advance equity and inclusion for all in our Indiana STEM community and beyond. I ask us all to join Yolanda Renee King's pledge to keep fighting to "move from me to we" and to continue her grandfather's work towards "genuine equality" for all, alongside Women & Hi Tech.

In this 20th edition of "Grown from STEM," Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce you to two of our new Board Members, both incredibly accomplished STEM professionals in different industries leveraging their advanced math expertise. We invite you to get to know our K-12 Director, Crystal Morton, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Urban Teacher Education at IUPUI and Founder and Director of Girls STEM Institute. We also invite you to get to know our Treasurer, Ben Phillips, CPA, CISA, CITP, Director in the Audit and Assurance Services Group at Katz, Sapper & Miller (KSM). Please read more about Dr. Morton and Mr. Phillips and how their backgrounds, education, business acumen in math, and passion for equity and inclusion for girls and STEM professionals helps fuel their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Best Regards,

Rebecca Bormann
President, Women & Hi Tech

Board Profile - Crystal Morton, Ph.D.

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 12:01:00 GMT

Crystal Morton became a math educator because she had great math teachers as a student. But after entering the classroom as a high school teacher in North Carolina, she realized her experience made her the exception, not the norm. “A lot of Black girls were in my slower-paced class who should have been in the honors class. When I would inquire why they hadn’t been accelerated, it was so often about ‘her attitude’ or White teachers saying ‘I can’t teach her.’”

Morton detected that this wasn’t due to a deficiency in the students, but a failure on the part of educators to see those students as full human beings and allow them to be their full selves. She witnessed students being pressured to conform to the norms that didn’t align with their identity, desires, or spirits.

As Morton describes it, she “ran from teaching” into computer science for a brief period, then stepped back into the fray and got her Ph.D. in Education. “No one ever talks about teaching as a STEM career. I can’t even call it a gap because it’s too big for that. But education is a science. And if we want to eliminate diversity disparities in all STEM fields, it starts with more diverse teachers who are actually happy and excited to be teachers and who believe in the brilliance of all learners.”

Dr. Morton explains that diverse educators are essential because they help more diverse students feel welcomed and represented in class. “I lived through that reality as a teacher, and then in graduate school. I got to put data and numbers behind the working systemic racism in K-12 educational spaces.” In her current role as Associate Professor of Math Education and Coordinator of Urban Education Studies Ph.D. Program at IUPUI, Morton has been ecstatic to be surrounded by a diverse community of educators. “IUPUI School of Education is the place to be,” she says plainly. “Here, I have been able to grow as a scholar who researches the teaching and learning of Black girls without having to justify my research focus. That support, in turn, helps me stay strong against outside critics.”

Overall, she says the experience of Black students in the K-12 space, or even college, hasn’t changed much. “I still have the same conversations with parents and students now that I did in 2001-2004. There are times at all levels of education that students of color, or female students, are downright dehumanized for failing to conform to the expectations rooted in systemic bias and racism. It’s heartbreaking. Sure, there are more add-on supports available,” she allows. “But what isn’t happening is the necessary change in the atmosphere and environment itself.”

Like many strong women, Crystal resolved to create her own space when the traditional environment was not welcoming to her or the students she wanted to serve. Founding the Girls STEM Institute, she designed a program for young women of color “to have an opportunity to engage in STEM that also fully focused on and encouraged their specific wellness and well-being, whatever that means for them.” In seeking to promote this program and engage young women, she applied to be a presenter at Ignite Your Superpower, and so found her way to Women & Hi Tech. She has since exhibited at the event three times. “It’s an incredible experience to connect with young women who are excited to be in that space, and to have an opportunity to connect with other women who have a passion for serving girls and young women.” She also connected with the Women & Hi Tech Board, and was invited to judge the organizations 20th Anniversary scholarships in 2019 and the 2020 Leading Light Awards scholarships and grants.

“The first time I judged, I was taken back by the lack of diversity in the applicant pool,” Morton said. She shared that feedback with leadership of the organization around the same time that Women & Hi Tech made a stronger commitment to diversity in its mission and actions. “What impressed me judging again only a year later was the immense shift in the diversity of nominees. That doesn’t just happen by accident. It takes intention, and action, and showed me that Women & Hi Tech was living its commitment to diversity and equity, rather than just virtue signaling with words.”

When considering joining the Board of Directors in the role of K-12 Outreach, Crystal weighed her jam-packed schedule against the opportunity. “After speaking on the Special Edition EWF’s Diversity panel in February, I knew the organization was in line not just with my values, but with my feeling that we have done enough talking about inequities. It’s time for action.” Being unanimously voted onto the Board of an organization traditionally focused on hard STEM fields also signaled to her that Women & Hi Tech was headed in a direction she wanted to join. “Though I’m a math teacher, I have often been devalued by other STEM professionals due to the education element. So being invited was encouraging because I know the STEM lens I bring to the table is important, and it showed they know that, too.”

Crystal says this is especially true when it comes to the accelerating conversation around the STEM talent pipeline. “Pipeline to what?” she asks. “Is it really helping anything to encourage young women, or students of color, to love STEM, only to leave them to be eaten alive in a classroom setting? Or in their first job?”

Morton asserts that the professionals at the front of the classroom are either disrupting systems of bias and racism or allowing them to be perpetuated. “Until we deal with those deep issues, inequity is going to be the reality. We have to deal with issues of inequities in our K-12 schools. “For example, if by 5th grade, you have labeled a young Black girl as not being capable of excelling in STEM subjects, what impact will that have on her STEM trajectory? How do her K-12 learning experiences support or hinder her progress to becoming a major decision-maker around the corporate table? Additionally, what message is sent to White students when their humanity is valued and protected, and they witness Black learners and other learners of Color being treated in dehumanizing ways?”

These are some of the realities that must be shifted to create lasting change. Additionally, it is important for White allies (males and females) to do the work with other White people and not burden diverse people, including women of Color, with this additional responsibility.

Crystal says the most encouraging part of her involvement in Women & Hi Tech is how the organization motivates each member toward the action they are capable of, today, to create a more inclusive STEM landscape. Crystal looks forward to helping Women & Hi Tech advance its mission of changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all by engaging girls and young women, including those historically marginalized in STEM fields, to step into power and their rightful seats at the decision-making table.

Board Profile - Ben Phillips, CPA, CISA, CITP

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 12:00:00 GMT

When Ben Phillips became an accountant, he didn’t expect the role would also lead him to opportunities to promote diversity and equity of women. But he was prepared to seize those moments when they came. As the son of two math professors, he appreciates the impact his parents had in both the home and the academic community to the development of individuals in STEM fields and promoting equity.

As Phillips himself enrolled at Purdue to study engineering, he grew even more aware and appreciative of his privilege. “I got to go to a great STEM high school in West Lafayette. I had a very affordable college education and inherited drive from the parents who made it possible for me. As I got older, I clearly recognized that most people didn’t have all these benefits, and I knew I had to pursue volunteer opportunities that would make a difference.” He also decided not to become an engineer. “I realized I was more interested in how a business worked than how an engine worked.”

After graduating from Purdue, Phillips was employed at Katz Sapper Miller (KSM) for two years before moving around the Midwest to cities like Minneapolis and Chicago, always maintaining a job as a certified public accountant (CPA), before returning to Indy. Today, he is a director with KSM specializing in auditing IT security. “The landscape of tools and technology has changed the way our clients and we approach solving problems,” he explains. “There’s a lot more info out on the Web than ever before. When our clients do business with certain customers, their end-user is expecting certain standards to protect their data will be upheld. That’s where I come in, to help them prove it.”

This might be the day-to-day work of Phillips’s role, but he also takes the role of male ally very seriously. “You can be on board with the ideas of diversity and equity, or you can be committed to actually doing something to make them happen. It’s the switch between, I’m still going to sit on this committee and be engaged, versus the decision to go do something else. At the end of the day, that’s the difference—men must be willing to get uncomfortable and invest their time to elevate others.”

In his roles at multiple accounting firms, Ben has been closely involved with recruiting. For any organization looking to attract more diverse talent, he has one insight: “You have to show up with diversity to attract diversity. If you want your company to look a certain way in five years, you have to bring that to the table now and make your commitment apparent to students and those in the talent pipeline.”

He cites the presence of an incredible number of support organizations as a sign that progress is occurring. Organizations like Girls Stem Institute, Women in STEM through Indiana University, Girls, Inc. of Greater Indianapolis Eurkea! Scholars program, Women in Engineering Program through Purdue University, Ivy Tech Community College Youth Programs, Pass the Torch for Women – the list can go on. “What is still needed is a continuance of male allies in the environment,” he adds. “When the programs to advance diversity are female-oriented or minority-oriented, it doesn’t take the conversation to the men in the space and make them change their perspective on their terms. It puts the burden on the marginalized to prove they deserve a chance, versus putting the burden on those in power to share the opportunity.”

Across all the organizations he mentioned, Phillips chose to join the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors as Treasurer because the organization puts action behind ideas in a way that aligns with his personal values. “When I volunteer, I want to spend my time trying to do something that will really drive change. Women & Hi Tech is moving the needle every month. Meetings and events are diverse, and board meetings every month reveal a lot of consistent movement toward our goals. That lets me elevate myself to a new level,” stated Phillips.

He’s especially pleased to see that at the Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala on October 1, 2020 Women & Hi Tech will be awarding over $50,000 in scholarships and grants to women and girls pursuing STEM fields. “When some people have more benefit than others, creating the literal opportunity to go to school or learn a trade helps organizations like our sponsors put funding behind these values and create real change.”

As Treasurer, some of Phillips’s goals are to help Women & Hi Tech increase transparency and create the framework needed to diversify funding. “We currently don’t apply for grants—but if we did, different grants would have financial compliance requirements. So, establishing a process and helping everyone understand the right questions to ask is part of moving forward. My direct skill set of working with efficiency and focus to help us advance is something I already do with clients.”

That effort won’t just help more women achieve funding and support to enter the STEM talent network, but will also sustain Women & Hi Tech as an organization. “Currently, we are an all-volunteer board with no paid staff. Our first hire will be a huge milestone for the organization. We will further develop our infrastructure and create a more inclusive STEM landscape to all involved—our members, volunteers, employees, board members, and, most importantly, the communities and populations still in need of support.” Overall, the mission of Women & Hi Tech pursues a demonstrable increase in the number of girls and women positively impacted to further their education & experience in STEM fields.

A Recap Our Virtual Executive Women’s Forum: Construction and STEM, The Perfect Career Combination!

Sat, 29 Aug 2020 12:00:00 GMT

There are so many reasons I love being a part of Women & Hi Tech. From the professional networking and development opportunities to the community outreach work within STEM education, Women & Hi Tech has made me more confident in my career and allowed me to positively impact women STEM professionals. In my 35 year engineering career I have learned that it is not as important to move up as your career progresses as it is to move out and have your circle of influence build. Adding skills and experience, as well as increasing complexity of work, can lead to a huge sense of fulfillment, a fun learning curve, and constant challenges.

I planned the July ’20 Executive Women’s Forum with the goal of conveying that sometimes leveraging a skill by stepping out into a non-traditional STEM field can lead to work that is enriching and fun. In other words, it increases your circle of influence. Construction was our spotlight. I had several attendees reach out to me after the panel discussion communicating they had never thought to use their project management, problem solving or leadership skills in this industry. They thought you had to know how to complete an engineering design, pour concrete, wire a building, install framing or weld piping. While those direct skills are definitely critical for construction; project planning, organizing, communication, financial control and problem solving (to only name a few) are just as important. Attendees conveyed they had light bulbs go off on how to think differently about where they can leverage their skills and provide value.

Transferable skills are vitally important in today’s work environment. My STEM skills have allowed me to successfully design, construct, manage projects, lead staff, run operations, consult as well as chair non-profit boards. Who would have thought one chemical engineering degree could be leveraged across this breath of work! It has made me feel empowered and independent.

I enjoyed collaborating with the Executive Women in Finance team of Nickie Redick and Chaleise Fleming to jointly provide a forum that shared a new avenue to exploit STEM skills. I am thankful our awesome and distinguished panel – Jeanne Fuqua (CH Barnett), Sarah Hempstead (Schmidt Associates), Phil Kenney (Wilhelm), Melanie King (Hagerman) and Brittney Turner (Wilhelm) – contributed their considerable expertise and time to our program. As I transition to the President-Elect role within Women & Hi Tech I intend to continue doing my best to be a mentor, to advance women in their STEM pursuits and to support a robust STEM pipeline of talent in Indiana. I encourage those who were not able to attend virtually the day of the event to check out the recording on Women & Hi Tech’s YouTube channel!

Best Regards,

Linda Hicks, Women & Hi Tech President-Elect

Women & Hi Tech Announces the First-Ever Virtual Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala and Sarah Jones as New Emcee

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 12:30:00 GMT

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure the health and safety of our members, sponsors, and supporters, Women & Hi Tech is excited to announce the first-ever Virtual Leading Light Awards (LLAs) and Scholarship Gala to be held on October 1, 2020 from 6:30-8:30pm (EST). Typically held at the Indiana Roof Ballroom with 600-700 guests, 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. In addition, and new this year at the 2020 LLAs, Women & Hi Tech will focus on “Equity and Inclusion” in STEM, by recognizing our male allies, as well as our diversity, equity, and inclusion champions. In honor of this 20th Anniversary of the first Leading Light Awards – originally the Spotlight Awards - and the incorporation of the organization, Women & Hi Tech is also thrilled to be awarding over $50,000 of scholarships and grants to women and girls in Indiana pursuing STEM fields through its #LLA20for20 scholarship and grant campaign.

Women & Hi Tech is also pleased to announce Sarah Jones, an award-winning all-platform journalist for WTHR Channel 13News, as the new emcee for the Virtual LLAs and Scholarship Gala on October 1, 2020. Prior to the 2020 Women & Hi Tech Virtual LLAs and Scholarship Gala, Ms. Jones had over a decade of experience in news media in the U.S. and all over the world, including Turkey, Netherlands, South Sudan, Czech Republic, England, Dubai, Canada, and more. Ms. Jones has also worked for major international news networks, including CNN, the BBC, and Al Jazeera America. Ms. Jones earned her B.A. in Communications from Lake Forest College and a Masters with Merit in International Broadcast Journalism from City University in London.

Women & Hi Tech is thrilled to have Ms. Jones’ engagement and support of the 2020 Virtual 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 Sarah Jones:
Ms. Jones recently joined WTHR Channel 13News as a “one-WOMAN-band” meaning she films, edits, writes, produces, and reports her own pieces and material. Ms. Jones has also advised senior level military personnel and government officials in the US and allied countries on social media technologies. Ms. Jones’ global travels as a journalist has fueled her deep appreciation for diverse cultures and traditions. Ms. Jones was named by Friends of Europe as one of the top twenty North American Young Leaders, and was also voted Best Journalist in Social Media at the Sixth Annual Shorty Awards.

Ms. Jones has been recognized as an International Women's Media Foundation fellow, a two time International Reporting Project Fellow, and is among the top forty female social media influencers for conversations surrounding artificial intelligence. Ms. Jones received the Women Economic Forum's highest honor on International Women's Day, 2018 in Hague where she was named as one of their "Women of the Decade" in News & Social Engagement. Selected as one of the top one thousand most influential Twitter profiles, Ms. Jones also continues to serve as an Online Media Awards judge and Skoll World Forum delegate since 2015. Proudly, Ms. Jones founded Remembering Fallen Journalists, an online movement to honor those who have died while bearing witness, which reached over 9 million people in its first year.

Ms. Jones is personally passionate about access to education, social entrepreneurship, and women's rights, access to clean water and sanitation, as well as ethical fashion and products. Ms. Jones has also won awards in fencing and Tae Kwon Do.

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.

Grown from STEM: July Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 11:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters, and Friends,

According to the World Economic Forum, "less than a third of female students choose to study higher education courses in subjects like math and engineering." Unfortunately, this is not a surprising statistic. The lack of women in STEM fields, including math and engineering, is precisely why Women & Hi Tech exists - to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

Countless studies and reports have attributed a lack of modeling for K-12 girls as one of the many reasons for the gender gap in STEM. The lack of modeling intensifies for our diverse girls. With increased exposure and modeling, K-12 girls have the chance to learn about all the exciting possibilities, unlimited opportunities, and the many personal and professional rewards to be achieved by choosing a path in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). When girls see a woman who looks like them in a STEM career, it bolsters their confidence and allows them to envision themselves belonging in STEM too.

Women & Hi Tech's female engineers featured in this issue of Grown from STEM, inspired me to research famous female engineers. As I had suspected, women have been significant contributors to engineering innovation since the beginning. Case in point, we need more diverse female engineers today and in the future to continue to advance and innovate the field of engineering. How do we accomplish this goal?

A small step is to learn, share, and make it part of our collective conversation. To celebrate and learn about the accomplishments of more female engineers, I am sharing a few of the women I learned about in my research.

Dr. Willie Hobbs Moore was a physicist and engineer. She was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Physics in June 1972 at the University of Michigan. Her dissertation, directed by the renowned spectroscopist Samuel Krimm, was on the subject of "A Vibrational Analysis of Secondary Chlorides," and focused on a theoretical analysis of the secondary chlorides for polyvinyl-chlorine polymers. Moore held engineering positions at Bendix Aerospace Systems Division, Barnes Engineering Company, Sensor Dynamics Inc, and later became an Executive with Ford Motor Company. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Moore made major advancements in the quality methods and engineering technology at Ford and throughout the automotive industry. Dr. Moore was also extremely active in the advancement of STEM education for minorities. To read more about Dr. Willie Hobbs Moore, please visit: https://aadl.org/aa_news_19910204-a_driving_force_at_ford and https://www.nsbp.org/en/cev/94.

Dr. Mildred Dresselhaus, known as the "queen of carbon science,” was an American nanotechnologist. Dr. Dresselhaus earned her B.A. in Hunter College in 1951 and her Ph.D. from University of Chicago in 1958. She was an Institute Professor and Professor Emerita of physics and electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for 50 years. Dr. Dresselhaus' research made fundamental discoveries in the electronic structure of semi-metals. Her work on using quantum structures to improve thermoelectric energy conversion reignited this research field. Dr. Dresselhaus was awarded both the Presidential Medal of Freedom (from President Barack Obama in 2014) and the National Medal of Science (from President George H.W. Bush in 1990). Dr. Dresselhaus is also well-known for her work to develop more opportunities for women in science and engineering. Please read more about Dr. Mildred Dresselhaus at http://news.mit.edu/2017/institute-professor-emerita-mildred-dresselhaus-dies-86-0221.

Dr. Ellen Ochoa is an engineer and former astronaut. She has earned a Bachelor's in Physics from San Diego State University, as well as a Master's in Science and a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering both from Stanford University. While a researcher at the NASA Ames Research Center, Dr. Ochoa led a team working on optical systems for automated space exploration. She patented an optical system to detect defects in a repeating pattern, and is a co-inventor on three patents for an optical inspection system, an optical object recognition method, and a method for noise removal in images respectively. In 1993, Dr. Ochoa was the first Hispanic person to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. Dr. Ochoa was also the first Hispanic Director and second female Director of the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Please read more about Ellen Ochoa at https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/about/people/orgs/bios/ochoa.html.

I highly encourage our readers to share this newsletter about Women & Hi Tech's very own accomplished engineers along with these famous women engineers with your daughters, nieces, granddaughters, girl scout troops, and other K-12 girls in your lives. I hope these women - who are certainly changing the landscape of engineering and STEM to be equally inclusive to all - will serve as personification and inspiration for our girls that they too can be an engineer and leave their mark in STEM!

In this 19th edition of "Grown from STEM," Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce you to two extremely accomplished engineering professionals in different STEM industries. We invite you to meet and get acquainted with our President-Elect, Linda Hicks, Vice President of Midwest Operations at EEC Horizon. We would also like to introduce you to one of our dedicated members, Poonam Gill, a Learning Design & Technology Grad Student at Purdue University. Please read more about Linda and Poonam and how their backgrounds, education, business acumen, and passion for developing and promoting the future generations of diverse female engineers and STEM professionals helps fuel their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Kind Regards,

Rebecca Bormann
President, Women & Hi Tech
Managing Director of Sales, Bell Techlogix
President@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Linda Hicks

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 11:01:00 GMT

In our last profile of Linda Hicks, we shared the story of her career in chemical engineering, including that she was first inspired to become an engineer by her father, an electrical engineer. In high school, she got to visit Carnegie Mellon and learn about different types of engineering, solidifying her decision in a career. Today, it’s her commitment to sustain and grow the STEM talent pipeline of the future that has inspired her to become the President-Elect of Women & Hi Tech.

“We need diverse people—age, culture, race, religion—to make teams successful. But finding all those elements when the pool of candidates in a specific skill set isn’t very robust is difficult,” Hicks said. In addition to Women & Hi Tech, Hicks is a Board Member of other youth-oriented organizations like Techpoint Foundation for Youth and Every Girl Can STEM. Hicks’ passion is to get young people interested in pursuing STEM careers. “We have to solve the problem, not the symptom. The problem is that a lot of young people shy away from STEM, particularly when kids have had little to no exposure to all the possibilities and opportunities a path in STEM can offer. There’s a perception these careers are tough and there’s not enough education and support for students to feel capable of the challenge,” Hicks explained. “Once a student gets a taste of what’s possible, what they can create or achieve with some math or science, they can shift their paradigm to feeling empowered. Techpoint Foundation for Youth’s state robotics program is a great example of this. Students who have participated in this program have shared their excitement with me - that learning how to make a robot has made an impact for them by giving them confidence in their math and science capabilities. “

Linda was a member of Women & Hi Tech for five years before joining the Board of Directors. Since that time, she has served on the Board as the Executive Women’s Forum (EWF) Director for the past two years. “The more I met other women who came through the same trenches, the better I felt. Our organization is unique because we are all like-minded and tough, regardless of our specific academic or STEM backgrounds. We all keep pushing forward in work situations when a woman’s voice isn’t always that welcome. The value we bring to each other is helping each other persevere,”said Hicks.

Hicks plans to leverage her skills developing and implementing growth plans to help Women & Hi Tech execute on the next phase of its potential. “We continue to have a growth strategy because we know our messaging and mission is beneficial to women in STEM. We have collected feedback from our membership about our programming and the value it provides to our members, sponsors, partners and friends. We want to expand that value across Indiana and STEM, especially into science & engineering. We are exploring opportunities to do so,” she explained.

Feedback from our membership has revealed how Women & Hi Tech serves current professionals and future STEM talent alike. Hicks shared, “we know members find value in our network of diverse people that are here to support, encourage, and help give you a push to get to the next level, take a step out or step up, or speak up for yourself. We provide great professional development and opportunities to network. Anyone struggling with a difficult career situation and needs advice or is looking for a job and wanting to understand other career opportunities, can find someone in our organization who has shared that experience and can help.”

When asked about the future of Women & Hi Tech, Hicks said “sharing experiences and education is key for personal growth today, and to ensure STEM fields have diverse talent now and in the future. To grow today’s professionals and tomorrow’s workforce, it is important to get the message out that STEM jobs are achievable, challenging, and full of potential for everyone. With more focused education and outreach to our youth, our communities and our nation will be more self-sufficient in the technologies that matter to us.”

LinkedIn Profile

Member Profile - Poonam Gill

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 11:00:00 GMT

Poonam Gill started out in STEM thinking that if she could just get to a playing field at a high-enough level, there would be women there with her. After graduating from Purdue as an electrical engineer in 2003, she was hired by a global manufacturer out of Chicago. But there were still very few women in the room. After being surprised for a little bit, Gill took action. “After about a year I approached my manager about ‘Introduce a girl to engineering day.’” They liked this idea and told Gill to run with it. Gill explained, “we partnered with local schools to show middle and high school girls about innovation in engineering.”

As Gill puts it, “With that, my spark was lit.” After five years she began teaching children ages 4-14 about engineering concepts and problem-solving skills, and then transitioned into nonprofit leadership. “Having the engineering background lets me use my voice and my experiences to close the widening gender gap in STEM,” said Gill. Shel is currently a graduate student in Learning Design and Technology at Purdue University. She says, “My hope is that my professional and personal goals will bridge a gap between engineering and education.”

As part of our 20th Anniversary celebration in August 2019, Women & Hi Tech awarded Gill a Nonprofit Executive Leadership professional development grant. “I believe Women & Hi Tech is looking at investing in the next generation of leaders and I’m really grateful,” Poonam said. “I got involved with Women & Hi Tech because I wanted to be part of an organization where I knew their efforts included outreach to introduce young girls to STEM.” Through volunteering with Women & Hi Tech last year, Gill got to lead a group of female middle school students through the Ignite Your Superpower activities and answer their questions about STEM professionals, life, and college experiences.

As much as these interventions are essential, Gill believes that one-off events don’t close the gap with consistency. Gill further explained, “Women & Hi Tech does a great job of getting equitable opportunities to girls across central Indiana to see role models in STEM and share access to STEM. But in school, if those opportunities aren’t reinforced, it won’t stick.” In partnership with other organizations, such as Women & Hi Tech, Gill is also a member of Every Girl Can STEM who is championing a project to start an all-girls STEM school in Indiana.

“We can improve engagement for girls in STEM through instructional interventions,” Poonam says with confidence. “We need to focus on encouraging a growth mindset for girls and celebrating hard work and persistence. It’s okay to fail, and that’s also part of the engineering design process. You test and improve over time.”

Gill explained how even addressing the gender disparity in STEM is a process of learning and experimentation. “Over the last 5-6 years especially, there has been more emphasis on opportunities for women and for more inclusion. But data shows the gender gap persists. That is why everyday messaging to girls in the classroom, versus a few exposure opportunities a year, is so important.”

Poonam is excited to stay involved with Women & Hi Tech because she knows developing the current and future talent pipeline is a mission she shares with the organization. “If we really want to permanently change the landscape, that includes being focused on building the pipeline of future females in a really thoughtful and strategic way.” As resources like digital conferencing and events make it more possible to bring people together across great distances, Gill sees even more potential for STEM professionals to share knowledge in ways that advance their goals. “We need to build a pipeline for the future and also help women today get to leadership and decision-making roles,” she sums it up. “There’s a lot of work to be done, but we can do it together.”

LinkedIn Profile

Women & Hi Tech Awards Book Scholarships

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 13:45:29 GMT

In support of our mission to ensure STEM is equally inclusive to all, Women & Hi Tech was excited to partner with the Indianapolis Professional Association (IPA) to award three book scholarships to local, African American women pursuing STEM at the collegiate level. Along with all 15-20 IPA book scholarship recipients, Women & Hi Tech would like to congratulate the following young ladies who are graduates of the Class of 2020, exceptional examples of academic excellence, and therefore, each was selected as a recipient of a $500 IPA/Women & Hi Tech book scholarship as well as a 1-year free membership to Women & Hi Tech. The book scholarships were awarded to students by Women & Hi Tech Past President, Angela B. Freeman, during IPA’s first virtual event that was held yesterday in lieu of its annual Spring Youth Empowerment and Achievement Awards Breakfast. Congratulations again to Lore, Cicely, and Iyonna for pursuing your STEM career aspirations! Women & Hi Tech is excited to support you!

Lore Akinola Afolabi
Crispus Attucks High School graduate, pursuing a career as a General Surgeon at Marian University.

Cicely Miller
North Central High School graduate, attending Xavier University in Louisiana to pursue a career as an OB/GYN.

Iyonna Evans
Arsenal Tech High School graduate, pursuing biology and forensics at Indiana State University in Terre Haute.

IPA was founded in October, 1984 by six far-sighted attorneys and a judge who were members of the Marion County Bar Association, a legal professional organization, comprised of mostly African American attorneys. IPA’s mission is, To promote and develop the education and economy of African Americans and to encourage others to do so To be a network for African Americans to gather and to discuss and exchange ideas To afford assistance and training to African Americans and others in various professions, businesses and occupations To act as role models and mentors for African-Americans and others throughout the community.

To learn more about IPA, please visit https://www.ipaindy.org/

Women & Hi Tech Announces New Board Members

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 16:00:00 GMT

Indianapolis, IN (July 1, 2020)–Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce the Board of Directors for the term that commenced on July 1, 2020.

Elected Officers of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

President: Rebecca Bormann, Managing Director of Sales and Services, Bell Techlogix, Inc.
President-Elect: Linda Hicks, Vice President of Midwest Operations for ECC Horizon
Treasurer: Ben Phillips, Director, Katz, Sapper & Miller
Secretary: Kelly Ragle, Manager, Project Management Office, Lev

Elected Directors of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Collegiate Outreach Director: Merri Beth Lavagnino, Executive Director, Compliance & Privacy, Indiana University Health Plan
Communications Director: Lori Boyer, Software Engineer, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Community Outreach Director: Allison Lipps, Research Operations Coordinator, Indiana Hemophilia & Thrombosis Center, Inc.
Corporate Engagement Director: Joy Neely, Central Area, Regional Business Manager, Roche Diagnostic Information Solutions
Executive Women's Forum Director: Linda Calvin, Vice President, School of IT at Ivy Tech Community College
K-12 Outreach Director: Crystal Morton, Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, Indiana University School of Education - Indianapolis
Leading Light Awards Director: Lauryn Andrews, Consultant, netlogx
Membership Administrator: Carol Ganz, Director of Client Experiences, Six Feet Up, Inc.
Networking Events Director: Maria Alvim-Gaston Ph.D., Advisor – MIH Talent Development Academy Medicines Innovation Hub, Eli Lilly and Company
Past President: Angela B. Freeman, Intellectual Property/Patent Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Volunteer Director: Karen Harris, Vice President & Information Officer Manufacturing and Quality, Eli Lilly and Company

Elected Active Emeritus of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Darcy Lee, Director of Sales, AIS
Susan Vaughn, CEO, The Project Authority
Tiffany White, Head of Engineering Operations, Defense Sector, Rolls-Royce

Elected Emeritus of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Jo Basey, Retired, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University Angie Engel, Sales Executive, Perficient
Gail Farnsley, VP, Executive Partner, Gartner
Deb Hallberg, CEO, Pass the Torch for Women Foundation
Tonya Hanshew, Proposal Management Team Lead - OLS, Veeva Systems
Rajinder Heir, Consultant, Electronic Strategies Inc.
Ali Hromis, Release Manager, Salesforce
Bobbie LaFollette, Senior Business Analyst, Baker Hill
Melissa Lavella, Senior Quality Supervisor, Roche Diagnostics
Patsy Lentz, Retired Business Development Professional
Wendy Maple, Outreach Consultant, netlogx
Jane Richardson, Executive Director, IT Strategy and Corporate Strategic Alignment, Cummins Inc.
Audrey Taylor, Founder, and CEO, netlogx
Tiffany Trusty, President, Trusty Applications and Manager, Mobile Medial Apps, Eli Lilly and Company

"Women & Hi Tech is excited to welcome three new members to its Board of Directors, including Crystal Morton, Linda Calvin, and Ben Phillips, and to announce Linda Hicks as President-Elect," said Rebecca Bormann, President of Women & Hi Tech.

Rebecca further commented, "Women & Hi Tech's passionate and committed all-volunteer working Board of Directors, Active Emeritus, and Emeritus members work diligently to promote our mission to recruit, retain, and advance the best and brightest female STEM talent in Indiana. We are excited to welcome Ben, Crystal, and Linda to our voting Board of Directors this year, which will make the most diverse Board we’ve ever had in our over 20 year history. We are pleased that Women & Hi Tech is not just talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion in our community, but demonstrating inclusion in our membership and Board leadership structure. Through continuing our signature Women & Hi Tech programming, as well as executing the goals of our most recent 2-year strategic plan, we are looking forward to the 2020-2021 year to further our mission and serve our members, sponsors, partners, and friends in the Indiana STEM community."

Rebecca also noted that "this year is the 20th anniversary of Women & Hi Tech's Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs). One of the ways we are honoring this milestone, while also advancing our mission of equity and inclusion in the STEM fields, is with the introduction of two new Leading Light Awards - the Equity and Inclusion Champion and OperationAllTM Male Allies awards. In addition, we are looking forward to recognizing female STEM leaders, educators, mentors, risk-takers, achievers, innovators, and landscape-changers on October 1, 2020. We are also beyond delighted to award over $50,000 in scholarships and grants to females in Indiana pursuing STEM. Lifting up and supporting our future generations of female STEM leaders, including diverse female leaders, is crucial to advance our mission. We appreciate and thank our sponsors for making these scholarships and grants available, along with our members that have contributed to our #INThisTogether Scholarship, Women & Hi Tech's first-ever member-funded scholarship. Thank you!”

To view the biographies of Women & Hi Tech's board members, visit the website at womenandhitech.org/board.

Grown from STEM: June Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:02:00 GMT

Dear Members, Sponsors, Volunteers, Supporters, and Friends,

It’s been an absolutely fantastic and fruitful year for Women & Hi Tech! As my final formal address to you, the membership of Women & Hi Tech, as your President, I’d like to take a moment to discuss what we’ve accomplished as an organization over this last year, and why I am so proud and excited to have had the opportunity to lead this organization at what I now believe to be a pivotal period in our organization’s and our nation’s history.

First, let’s just address the elephant in the room, it’s officially summer 2020 and beautiful outside, but we’re still having meetings and events via videoconference due to the unprecedented challenges and crises we are currently experiencing in light of COVID-19 and the civil and racial unrest and protests in this country. Never, in my lifetime, has there been a time when STEM was more important for the literal health, safety, and survival of citizens, businesses, and organizations of this country before now. The members, sponsors, and supporters of Women & Hi Tech have also been leading the nation in driving innovations related to diseases and infections, such as COVID-19, from our organization’s infancy, and now is no different.

But well beyond our technical expertise, the members, sponsors, and supporters of Women & Hi Tech have continued to lead this community and this nation on the larger more global and humanitarian issues, such as systemic racism, unconscious and conscious biases, inequities, disparities, and prejudices against diverse people in this country, like women. As an African-American woman, it is not lost on me that diversity, equity, and inclusion “of all” includes civil and equal rights for people of color, our Dreamers, as well as our LGBTQ+ members, which was just confirmed by our U.S. Supreme Court in a decision issued this June pride month. Diversity, equity, and inclusion “of all” is necessary for everyone to have a fair opportunity to “live their best lives,” and provide their authentic and unique contributions to the excellence fostered by this great country.

I am just so proud of this organization, whose leadership and membership recognized years ago, that gender and racial disparities and inequities are absolutely real, particularly in STEM. And, we made it our mission to do something about it. Before every company in America just made it their mission to issue a solidarity, equality, or “Black Lives Matter” statement, Women & Hi Tech changed its whole mission statement three years ago to specifically state that STEM in Indiana must be “equally inclusive to all.” The Board confirmed this mission statement in a recent 2-year strategic planning meeting, and more importantly, we’ve been putting action behind it for years, but particularly this past year.

From volunteering at Ignite Your Superpower, to hosting Special Edition Executive Women’s Forums (EWF) about diverse women in STEM or OperationAll to empower our male allies, to attending a 2-day Interrupting Racism for Our Children diversity training, to partnering with diverse media outlets, such as the Indianapolis Recorder, and funding academic and book scholarships, along with computer grants for diverse girls and women in STEM through several community partnerships, to even diversifying our scholarship and grant portfolio to be more accessible to diverse populations and ensuring that we include diverse leaders and experts on our award, scholarship, and grant selection committees – Women & Hi Tech has gotten very serious and actionable about being more diverse, equitable, and inclusive at all levels, and within our own organization as well.

Notably, Women & Hi Tech got on this bandwagon long ago, before it was the cool thing to do. In fact, capitalizing off the momentum garnered at our 20th Anniversary celebration in 2019 where we awarded the largest amount of scholarships and grants in the organization’s history to diverse women all across this state to publicly announcing that the theme for the 2020 Leading Light Awards on October 1st, which we’ve been planning since last year, is “Equity and Inclusion” - we recognized that equity and inclusion are real gaps in our STEM professional fields and in the fabric of our country, and we have positioned ourselves to address it. So, as my last act as President of this awesome, premiere organization of STEM professionals in Indiana, I am excited to invite you all to support our incoming Board leadership team who will continue to perpetuate Women & Hi Tech’s mission of “changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.”

More specifically, on July 1, 2020, Rebecca Bormann will become our new President. I can think of no one more passionate, purposeful, or prepared than Rebecca to lead our organization and continue to promote Women & Hi Tech’s mission to ensure that STEM in Indiana is “equally inclusive to all.” Rebecca is also highly driven to ensure that diversity of thought amongst organizational leadership is utilized to provide safe, effective, and relevant programming and events that meet our membership’s needs and expectations over this next year in light of COVID-19. We welcome Rebecca’s powerful leadership.

In addition to the remaining Directors on the Women & Hi Tech Board who will keep their current roles, Linda Hicks will transition from EWF Director to become our next President-Elect. We also have three new Board members, including Ben Phillips as Treasurer, Linda Calvin as EWF Director, and Crystal Morton as our K-12 Director. This 2020-2021 Women & Hi Tech Board is particularly exciting to me because, in addition to introducing exceptionally talented STEM leaders in our community to our board - namely Ben, Linda and Crystal, that already live and breathe our mission - we will also increase the diversity on the voting Board of Directors, such that over 33% or 5 of the 15 voting Directors are not Caucasian women.

This will also make the most diverse Board of Directors in the history of Women & Hi Tech. While we understand that we should not become complacent until our Board reflects the diversity of our full membership, the diversity and expertise of this upcoming Board of Directors is a milestone and a major positive step in a very tangible and timely way. I am so excited and proud of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors for taking real action to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion not just within our community, but within the ranks of our own organization focused on STEM facets, such as technology.

In this 18th edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce you to two outstanding technology professionals in different business facets of the STEM industry. We invite you to meet and better get to know our President-Elect and Incoming President, Rebecca Bormann, a Managing Director of Sales & Services at Bell Techlogix. We would also like to introduce you to Carrie Taylor, one of our most dedicated members who received an honorable mention as the 2019 Women & Hi Tech Volunteer of the Year. Carrie is an Execution Lead in the IT department at Eli Lilly & Co. Please read more about Rebecca and Carrie and how their backgrounds, business acumen, and passion for developing and promoting technology helps fuel their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Most Sincerely and Final Farewell,

Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D.
President, Women & Hi Tech
president@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Rebecca Bormann

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:01:00 GMT

Last year we profiled Rebecca Bormann’s incredible work as both Women & Hi Tech’s Director of Corporate Engagement and the Managing Director of Sales & Services at Bell Techlogix, a leading national IT Managed Services firm headquartered in Indianapolis. This year, we are excited to feature her again as the organization’s next President effective in just a few days, beginning on July 1, 2020. “In my fourth year on the board, I am amazed at how much I continue to fall in love with Women & Hi Tech and its members. As the mission of equity and inclusion has become even more at the forefront of everything the organization is doing, I feel even more passionate about helping to lead the change that will make our STEM industries and our world safer and more inclusive to all.”

Bormann shared news about many of the steps that Women & Hi Tech has taken to put action behind its mission of inclusion. “Events like Ignite Your Superpower and our Special Edition Executive Women’s Forums focused on The Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM, and OperationALL have been some of the more visible programs to lead crucial conversations that help increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. Board members also went through a 2-day anti-racism training led by Indiana Child Advocates, with a focus on how to Interrupt Racism For Our Children,” Bormann shared. “Whether it’s systemic injustices in education, the criminal justice and prison systems, healthcare, or STEM industries that must become more equitable, we need and want everyone’s hearts and minds to be open to make positive change.”

When it comes to changes in STEM, Bormann observed that equity and inclusion is really what Women & Hi Tech’s movement is all about. “Certain groups of people have not been treated equally. Reforming systems, businesses, and how humans treat one another comes down not just to the different colors of people at the table, but the equality and inclusivity they experience in those seats. Our country claims everyone is equal, but that is not the case, which has become crystal clear in recent weeks and months if it wasn’t before — and we need it to be.” At her work, Rebecca shared that Bell Techlogix recently formed a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, which she joined, that is tasked with evaluating and determining what actions Bell Techlogix can take to create a more equitable and inclusive culture and business practices, particularly for our African American, Black and Brown communities. By suggestion of Bell Techlogix’s CEO, Ron Frankenfield, the committee’s first action named Juneteenth a Bell Techlogix company holiday. For 2020, all employees were given a floating holiday to take on a day of their choosing, to remember, honor and celebrate the emancipation of those enslaved in the United States. Beginning in 2021, Juneteenth will be a Bell Techlogix corporate holiday. Rebecca commented, “When we include diverse people and perspectives to lead, brainstorm, create and solve problems, that is how we advance in organizations, in industries, in our communities, our states and in our nation. That is how we change the world.”

This insight also renews Rebecca’s commitment to Women & Hi Tech, because she sees how women’s unique perspectives are essential to the problem-solving demanded in this new remote work environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Everyone can relate to needing to pay closer attention to inflection and tone on calls. In video, we must be observant of body language. In my experience women excel at these things. Women are good listeners and survey the entire situation, not just the immediate words being used. But more than that, the pandemic has created widespread problems that affect so many such as, how to continue K-12 and collegiate education safely, job loss, economic issues, and of course how to stop the spread of COVID-19 and cure those infected. These are complex problems that need multiple perspectives, experiences, expertise and skill sets to solve- women bring their unique backgrounds, talents, skills and experiences to the table and are needed to create lasting, effective solutions.” She concluded, “Diverse women having a seat at the table—in business, in nonprofits, in the government—brings different perspective and ideas and ultimately, the best possible answers.”

As President of the Board of Directors, Rebecca will lead the most diverse board Women & Hi Tech has ever been privileged to have in its 20-year history. “Our board and new board members are awesome,” she said plainly. This especially has her excited for the Leading Light Awards event (LLAs) scheduled October 1, 2020. “We don’t know yet what exactly this year’s LLAs is going to look like, if it will be everyone in person, virtual or some hybrid of the two. But we do know, we are still going to be celebrating amazing women in STEM that are leaders, risk-takers, motivators, mentors, landscape changers, equity and inclusion champions and our male allies. We are equally excited about funding growth of the future generation of female STEM professionals with over $40,000 in scholarships and grants that will be awarded through our #LLA20for20 campaign—the most ever awarded in Women & Hi Tech’s history. Our sponsors are not only speaking up about the importance of equity and inclusion in STEM fields, but are also financially supporting and getting involved to practically help further our mission of inclusion for all.”

Rebecca is excited to work with the board during her Presidential term to execute Women and Hi Tech’s new two-year strategy plan and primary goals. One personal mission during her presidency is to leave behind an even more diverse organization than she has stepped up to lead. “I want our board to include even more diversity in race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and represented STEM fields. Among our membership, we also need to attract more diverse women and men. That’s because we all agree our organization should be a place where all people feel included, welcomed, and can be their authentic selves—a place where we network, learn, and grow together as a STEM community because of everyone’s unique talents and gifts. We all share the passion. Now, we continue to put that passion to work to effect positive change in our organization, and our Indiana STEM community.”

Member Profile - Carrie Taylor

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:00:00 GMT

Growing up in a family of eight siblings, Carrie Taylor saw heroines like Charlie’s Angels, Wonder Woman, and Dana Sculley as her inspiration. “I knew I wanted to kick butt, and I wanted to help people, just like they did. I have always been tender-hearted by nature and wanted to help those in need.” But Taylor knew it was more expected of her to get married and have children than to go to college. “Fighting against that was a hard battle sometimes,” Taylor shared. “Wanting to go to college at all automatically made me a little odd, and then add in the fact I was interested in STEM.”

Taylor worked while attending classes, paid her own tuition and ultimately completed both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Information Technology at Florida Institute of Technology, a tier 1 ranked university for STEM. Today, she is known as the Data Diva to her peers, with over 25 years of experience in all things data, including being a published author in the field. “Data helps me paint a bigger picture of the world by revealing hidden information,” she explained. “I always want to know more and solve the puzzle. I like figuring out what information truly means.”

She has been excited to see a new focus and emphasis on data in the IT community after her decades of focus in the field. “I have often said data is like oil—you have to mine it, refine it, and use it, but then it can drive everything. And now that is coming to fruition.”

Currently, Taylor works at Eli Lilly & Company as an Execution Lead, where she is also involved with the Women in IT employee resource group. She learned about Women & Hi Tech three years ago through her connection to fellow Lilly employee Karen Harris. “We partnered with Women & Hi Tech to help with Passport to Hi Tech and Ignite Your Superpower, but right away I also saw opportunity to build camaraderie and meet amazing people.” Since then, Taylor has jumped at every opportunity to volunteer, whether it’s working the coat check, getting on the phone to organize, handing out tee shirts, or something new and exciting. She was named the 2019 Volunteer of the Year by Women & Hi Tech. However, this is just one of the many organizations Carrie dedicates her time to, with others including Habitat for Humanity, Girls Inc., and the Mozel Sanders Foundation.

Taylor is married and a mother to two sons. “I got married and had kids to enhance my life, but it was important to me that wasn’t the step to complete my life,” she said. It’s also been important to her to raise her sons as feminists. “They have witnessed me being discriminated against for my gender. I use that as a teachable moment to say, ‘You can be better than such a person. Moving forward, you can make a difference by being an advocate.’”

Carrie says the STEM environment has become more inclusive to women, especially in the field of data. “There have been times I was the only woman at a conference, among thousands of people. Or I would see another woman in a room full of people and get excited to speak with someone who understood my challenges. Now I’m thrilled to see there are so many sharp, driven, quality women coming out of cCarrollege. It’s so fulfilling to me to leave the future in their hands and pass along my learnings through mentorship.”

Though she’s only been involved for three years, she has seen Women & Hi Tech make great strides in modeling this attitude and helping drive the change. “The emphasis on inclusion at Women & Hi Tech is now so much bigger. It’s impossible to feel like an outsider for long because at every event there are more new people attending for the first time.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean the work of equality in STEM is done. While Carrie hopes that the next few decades would make Women & Hi Tech’s mission obsolete once the landscape of STEM is truly inclusive to all, she knows it’s a long road ahead. “Latina and Black women are behind on the pay scale and behind in opportunity. I hope in coming years more Women & Hi Tech members are rural women and women of color, because those groups face some of the biggest barriers to access in STEM.” She added, “It’s wonderful to have a community to lean on. I have not experienced that until now and it’s nice to be a part of it. I am honored to participate in making that joy available to everyone.”

Women & Hi Tech’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in light of the Recent Events in Our City and Nation

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 22:00:00 GMT

I have been trying to find the right words to share with you in light of recent events involving Mr. Ahmaud Arbery, Mr. Christian Cooper, Ms. Breonna Taylor – which particularly hits home as a native female Kentuckian- and now, Mr. George Floyd. Admittedly, I had to reach out to my own Firm Diversity Partner, mentor, and friend, Dawn Rosemond, for guidance as I questioned whether I could say anything helpful given how deeply and personally affected and traumatized I have been and remain by all of the current events. These feelings have only been even more inflamed with the recent violence and destruction of our city’s core, including my professional work home.

As an African-American woman, as a black mother of black sons married to a black man, and as a recognized diversity, equity, and inclusion champion for the last two decades, I am currently overwhelmed with emotions that vacillate from terror to anger to despair and hopelessness. But, I am also the President of this organization and recognize that there is no better time to lead by example in order to do what I can to support you, our members and this fine organization, to help us move forward in the best way possible to live and breathe our mission of providing a local, statewide, and even a national landscape, that is “equally inclusive to all.”

Please let me be clear – I have no answers or magic words to fix the frustration, fear, and/or paralysis many of you are likely feeling. Believe me, if I did I would use them on myself; I certainly need them. But, I will say this.

To our African-American and other diverse members struggling to make sense of this current state of our union, please know that you are seen and valued in this organization. To the myriad of allies, including our diverse and non-diverse male allies, who are hurting as well and trying to figure out what to do and say, please know that you just taking the time to care, to reach out, to check in with those you know are suffering means more than you could ever imagine. Finally, for those struggling to understand just what’s going on at all and why recent events even matter beyond the norm, know that is okay too. It has to be if we are serious about fostering true inclusion in this organization. We must meet each other where we currently are. I simply ask that you err on the side of compassion, humanity, and empathy for others while on your journey of understanding.

Finally, for those asking "what can I do"? Particularly for our non-diverse colleagues and peers who simply do not know what they can do in these uncertain times. I would advise you to implement the same takeaways learned by our Women & Hi Tech Board at the two-day “Interrupting Racism for Our Children” training that we attended earlier this year – use your voice, publicly and privately, to diminish fear and misinformation with knowledge, history, and empathy. Have the uncomfortable and challenging conversations with your children, your family, and those with whom you have influence, including those you know to not agree with equity and inclusion of all people. In the hearts and minds of those with privilege and power is where true change lies.

To that end, below are some local and national resources on allyship best practices. We hope these provide some value to help us all move forward in our journey of being the most inclusive organization, city, state, and country we know we can be.

Thank you for taking the time to listen. My heart and prayers are with you and all of those affected by the recent events in this country and our city. We are #INthistogether. I appreciate you!

Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D.
President, Women & Hi Tech

Books:

Over Coming Bias by Tiffany Jana and Matthew Freeman
Lead Like An Ally by Julie Kratz
Race Matters by Cornel West
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

Training and Other Resources:

Interrupting Racism for Our Children by Child Advocates - https://www.childadvocates.net/event/interrupting-racism-for-children-4/
Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE): https://www.racialequityalliance.org/resources/racial-equity-toolkit-opportunity-operationalize-equity/

Ted Talks:

Grown from STEM: May Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Fri, 29 May 2020 12:02:00 GMT

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

Since 1949, Mental Health America and other health organizations around the country have led the observance of May as Mental Health Month by reaching millions of people through the media, local events and screenings. According to Mental Health America, "While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health." As Women & Hi Tech President, Angela B. Freeman, noted in the April Edition of this newsletter, "Whether infected or not, coronavirus has had an effect on us all. Not each in the same way or to the same level, but to some degree. The mental, emotional, physical, and financial toll on all of us is different, just like each one of us is different."

We are all still making our way, figuring out how to navigate all the challenges and changes at work, at school, and at home created by the pandemic. We face new emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental challenges as we continue to adapt, embrace, and work collectively and individually to “flatten the curve" and keep one another safe. Mental Health Month is just the reminder each of us needs to "check-in" with our mental health, particularly during these unprecedented and challenging times.

In my research on Mental Health Month, I learned that Mental Health America provides a mental health toolkit, which can be found here. Mental Health America's theme for 2020, "Tools 2 Thrive, will provide practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency regardless of the situations they are dealing with," are spot-on. I encourage you to take some time to "check-in" on your mental health and the mental health of your family, friends, co-workers, and other loved ones. We can all use a little support and encouragement from time to time. Now is the opportunity to stop and be sure we are taking care of ourselves and our fellow neighbor, particularly those who have been materially affected by the pandemic.

For example, school districts, especially urban school districts, have been particularly challenged by the pandemic with school closures and having to transition to remote and online learning quickly. Many districts, including our own Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), not only had to adapt to teaching and learning remotely in a matter of days, but had the additional challenge of many students not having the tools at home needed for virtual learning. In a school district like IPS, 65% of the over 27,000 student population qualify for free and reduced services. That translates into a large number of students who were put at a learning disadvantage when schools closed because access to a computer, tablet, and/or internet at home was lacking. The IPS Foundation launched the IPS Education Equity Fund to help solve this disparity. You can read more about the IPS Foundation and the Education Equity Fund on the MyIPS.org blog here.

I am delighted to share with you that the Women & Hi Tech board recently voted and unanimously approved to donate $2500, our remaining 2019-2020 K-12 budget, to the IPS Education Equity Fund. In support of our mission to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all, we believe it starts with our girls, including our diverse girls. It is our hope and expectation that this donation will provide about 15-16 computers for IPS girls who may have interest to pursue STEM.

“Women & Hi Tech is proud to support the IPS Education Equity Fund, and we make our donation in honor of one of Women & Hi Tech's Leading Light Award Inaugural Winners and IPS IT Officer, Laura Larimer, along with all Women in STEM at IPS and their male allies."

Women & Hi Tech believes that we need to encourage, promote, and ensure that all girls in our community are receiving the education they deserve and equal access to opportunities to pursue an interest in STEM. Education and opportunity for our girls are the foundation of equality and inclusion for women in the STEM fields, such as information technology (IT).

In this 17th edition of "Grown from STEM," Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce two extraordinary female IT leaders with impressive careers, both dedicated and passionate about creating equity and inclusion in all that they do. Please meet our Director of Volunteers, Karen Harris, Vice President, and Information Officer of Manufacturing and Quality for Eli Lilly & Co. Please also meet tenured member, Linda Calvin, Vice President of the School of IT at Ivy Tech Community College. Both ladies play vital roles in problem-solving for their organizations and developing the next generation of diverse female IT leaders. Please read more about Karen and Linda and how their backgrounds, business acumen, and passion for paving the way for future STEM leaders fuels their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Kind Regards,

Rebecca Bormann
President-Elect, Women & Hi Tech

Board Profile - Karen Harris

Fri, 29 May 2020 12:01:00 GMT

In the last board profile of Karen Harris, we shared the story of her upbringing and background, and how her passion for STEM has spanned generations in her family. While you can read that story here, it’s also important to note that this background informed and supported her decision to retain the Volunteer Chair on the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors.

“I am part of the Women & Hi Tech organization because I am passionate about STEM, and about the work of passing that passion down to the next generations,” she said. Harris defined her unique lens on the broad world of STEM as being Computer Science and IT related fields. “Every doctrine of STEM is different and has different needs, but in the Computer Science and IT related field, the work of diversity and inclusion is far from done,” she said.

Indeed, a partnership between Google and research firm Gallup revealed the gaps in opportunity between access to a computer science related education and the female, Black, and Hispanic students that are growing parts of the next generation of professionals. Harris says she has chosen to stay engaged on the Board of Directors in part because Women & Hi Tech’s mission goes beyond its name in a way that aligns deeply with her personal values.

“Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. We want to educate and provide opportunities for women and men,” she explains. “I’m a fundamental believer the more diverse your team the better your results will be, and gender is just one hallmark of diversity. There’s race, educational background, upbringing, and ultimately, how people think. All those elements contribute to diversity and a winning team.”

Today Harris is the Vice President and Information Officer of Manufacturing and Quality at Eli Lilly and Co, where she also chairs the internal Information and Digital Solutions (IDS) Diversity and Inclusion Group and the Women in IDS Group. When asked what she thinks prevents more organizations from being truly inclusive, she identifies several factors, from how opinions are solicited and welcomed in meetings to the overall hiring and recruiting processes. “What changes the landscape is when one group sets the example and truly tries to bring in and connect others. If some people dominate and others don’t get to participate, it takes the collective team to help restore the balance. Individuals crave to be engaged and to contribute with a desire to understand how what they do ties to the bigger picture.”

Karen went on to liken how you create a diverse and inclusive culture to how many companies have created a culture of safety. “The leaders might start by describing at a high level why safety practices are important. But each employee has to believe in it, watch out for others, share near misses, and protect others to truly create and sustain that environment.

"You can have a diverse team, but if you haven’t created an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are heard and incorporated, you are missing the boat.”

Harris has sustained her commitment to Women & Hi Tech because it is home to this kind of inclusive culture. “This organization is a great outlet to not only encourage school aged children to become part of STEM, but to support professionals at all stages of their careers through scholarships, educational programming, and volunteer opportunities that expand our networks and knowledge.” As Volunteer Chair, it is Karen’s priority to help members connect with opportunities that ignite their passions and connect them to the Indiana tech community. “Volunteering is a chance to meet people and become exposed to perspectives outside your company, just like our programming is an opportunity to learn something, and in turn help others, whether as small as checking people in and taking their coat with a smile, or as large as inspiring a young person to keep a STEM career in mind.”

Ultimately, when Karen thinks about her involvement in Women & Hi Tech as well as her career at Eli Lilly, she considers her definition of success. “To me, the biggest measure of my success is if there is a strong pipeline of talent coming behind me in succession,” she said. “When I look back one day and think about my career, I won’t remember all the projects that seem important today. I will remember the diverse array of people in various roles and opportunities that I helped put in place for the future. If I didn’t leverage my leadership roles to lift up and challenge those coming behind me, I would have failed.”

Karen would like to thank her family for being her biggest supporters, from her husband and two college-aged sons to her parents, siblings and all her in-laws. She is truly fortunate to have a strong support system around her who have always believed in her and helped her out when needed.

Member Profile - Linda Calvin

Fri, 29 May 2020 12:00:00 GMT

Some people might say you can’t build an impactful and meaningful career in STEM starting from the help desk. But for Linda Calvin, today the Vice President of the School of IT at Ivy Tech Community College, that’s exactly where she began. Born in Chicago but raised in Indianapolis, Calvin spent 20 years working at Dow, which became Dow Agrosciences, and is today Corteva. “I started out just teaching scientists how to use the IT system.” While she was an employee at Dow, Calvin completed a bachelor’s in journalism at Butler University, graduating cum laude.

“That communications background, coupled with my IT knowledge, meant I was tapped to help out with policy communications and change management, and ultimately asked to lead digital projects.” Calvin became the global digital project lead for social media and web apps. But she knew she still hadn’t found her true calling. “One of my friends told me over margaritas that I should think about becoming a lawyer. Next thing I knew I was sitting in the LSAT, wondering where he had gone off to,” she joked. Calvin also completed her law degree at Indiana University while an employee at Dow, with the goal of using her hybrid background in IT, communications, and law to make an impact on legislation.

Instead, she assumed the role of assistant city prosecutor for Indianapolis in 2013. Despite continuing to speak on how highly regulated environments could effectively use social media, she found she missed the tech world. After becoming a certified Scrum Master, she worked with several Indianapolis companies at director and senior level IT roles, helping them leverage digital solutions to drive growth. In 2019 she joined the leadership at Ivy Tech.

“Everyone says my background is scattered, but at the end of the day all my fields of study connect in the discipline of problem solving. Today, it’s a major part of my role to solve problems for many different groups.” Calvin spends time working with Ivy Tech faculty and deans to ensure the curriculum across the school’s 9 IT programs is relevant and meaningful to a diverse body of students who need to enter the work force with high-quality skills. Through programs like Ivy Works, she helps the college take steps to include women and minorities in STEM fields. “I also spend a lot of time speaking with employers and organizations about our talent pipeline. Anyone hiring IT professionals needs to be communicating with Ivy Tech. We are graduating a diverse student body who all want to stay right here in Indiana and work.”

“I have seen the lights go on for some businesses understanding how to partner with Ivy Tech, but I also hear from these employers that they have struggled to find diverse talent to hire,” she continued. “That’s how I know there is still a lot of work to do bridging gaps. Seeing the lack of women in IT, and especially the lack of women of color in IT, is what drew me to return to a membership with Women & Hi Tech.”

Linda had learned about and briefly joined Women & Hi Tech around a decade ago, but her busy schedule earning multiple degrees and working hard led her to not be as involved as she might have. She got re-engaged after connecting with past president Darcy Lee, discussing the desire to elevate women in STEM and take action to address disparity. “20 years ago, Women & Hi Tech was alone. Now we are the big sister to a lot of other groups all working to move the needle,” Calvin observed.

“Women and minorities know when they are just a diversity hire, because their presence in the actual conversation is minimized,” Linda explained. “When you are only playing a supporting role, and aren’t invited to the meeting with a client, or the social events, that’s when it becomes apparent. That’s where we need to educate that women in tech and in STEM have a tremendous positive impact on the bottom line and are great leaders.”

Calvin emphasized this effort is as much about teaching women and girls they deserve to shine as it is about educating employers and male allies. “I think imposter syndrome is a huge barrier for women,” she said. “It holds us back from just exploding in STEM when we are told those fields aren’t for us. And when we do succeed, when women today are kicking butt, it might even hold us back from being seen---because we don’t think we should be. It’s ingrained that it’s unattractive to want to be the center of attention. And until we flip that script, it’s going to be an uphill battle.”

Linda says one strategy that could flip the script sooner is a proactive approach to seeking out women in STEM fields and inviting them to be seen and recognized before they even know they should be. “There has to be some way to start onboarding people into this sisterhood of STEM. When we’ve been beholden to keep heads down and work hard, we don’t look around to see who is with us, and so don’t know that someone else has been in a role like ours for five years at another company.”

She also hopes to see Women & Hi Tech unite in symposium with other local groups like Women Who Code, Pass the Torch for Women, and Ladies in SaaS to discuss what can be done in unity to move the needle and make a statewide impact. “We have to link arms, work together, and influence legislation,” she says. “Women & people of color need to be at the table while legislators are talking about tech in Indiana, and currently we are not.”

Linda’s own involvement with Women & Hi Tech has included sharing these ideas to start conversation among the membership. “One person might ultimately be the delegate, but they will represent the entire group, and so the group must take collective action.” Linda spoke at the February 2020 Executive Women’s Forum titled “The Disparity of Diversity Among Women in STEM.” She has also served as a judge for Women & Hi Tech’s scholarship awards and regularly attends events including the 20^th Anniversary celebration last fall. “I brought a recent Ivy Tech IT graduate with me to that event and the experience fully energized and inspired her,” Linda shared. “To me, one of the greatest values of this organization is it teaches every member, men and women, what they can do to be a better advocate for others.”

Grown from STEM: April Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:02:00 GMT

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

In the February edition of “Grown from STEM,” I recapped my worldwide and whirlwind trip to South Africa to celebrate and empower diverse women in STEM. Two months later, our whole world has changed. You can’t even leave your home, nevertheless go on a global trip for non-essential reasons. Wow! This new reality can present a challenge to maintain an attitude of gratitude.

Instead, it seems that the tales of a great science-fiction (sci-fi) movie or imagery from history class have come to pass and they are occurring in real life, right now. “In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the fundamental health, economy, and stability of people at every corner of the globe.” This sounds like a movie trailer, not reality. But sadly, for over 1,000,000 Americans that are infected with the virus, their loved ones, and even more worldwide - it is very real.

Whether infected or not, coronavirus has had an effect on us all. Not each in the same way or to the same level, but to some degree. The mental, emotional, physical, and financial toll on all of us is different, just like each one of us is different. As a diverse woman in STEM with a family, a very demanding career, and deep civic engagement, I certainly feel it. The pressures and anxiety. The “what ifs” about things I really cannot control. I also appreciate that having total solidarity or all of the family, children, and pets at home for an indefinite timeframe most likely bears particularly increasing weight on women. But, we’re strong.

As the late, great Maya Angelou said most poignantly, “Still [we] rise.” Somehow, we have found the strength to manage almost two months of the chaos, crisis, and compassion elicited by COVID-19 with all of the novel circumstances that it entails - quarantine, remote work, videoconferencing, job hunting, telehealth, homeschooling, megashopping, daily cooking and cleaning, grocery and meal delivery, and much, much more. Women & Hi Tech’s new ClickSide Chat series was designed to provide a safe space to discuss some of these issues with support and encouragement from an intimate group of similarly situated members. WE are the cream that always rises to the top.

And, just like at the end of the very best sci-fi movie, amongst all the smoke and ashes, there remains only a few brave souls to carry on. The clever geniuses and innovators that somehow manage to survive by hacking the global power grid with two toothpicks, a nail file, a fitbit, gum, and a lighter! They have all the right expertise, skills, perseverance, and passion to restart society. The ones that let you know a sequel is yet to come - Women & Hi Tech, that’s us!

STEM is on the forefront of everything good that is happening right now to fight COVID-19 globally. At home, so many of our Women & Hi Tech members and sponsors are making significant investments, are providing meaningful solutions, and some have even received national recognition about their efforts to “flatten the curve.” As Women & Hi Tech members, your expertise, experience, and talent in STEM, individually and collectively, are the exact tools necessary to reenergize, reboot, and/or rebuild our community, our state, and our nation.

Our brilliant scientists, researchers, and clinicians are developing diagnostics, vaccines, and/or testing methodologies to fight the virus and protect our citizens. Talented engineers are designing new devices, equipment (e.g., personal protection equipment or PPE), and mechanisms to protect our fearless healthcare workers and dedicated first responders. Our amazing technology community is literally keeping our entire economy afloat with online or virtual connectivity solutions. And, of course, financial, business, and accounting personnel are helping to provide or facilitate grant and loan funding to support our neighbors, as well as our local small businesses and entrepreneurs. All of our Indiana women and men in STEM, along with our essential workers, have emerged as true superheroes against COVID-19. Women & Hi Tech sincerely thanks you for your service, sacrifice, and dedication to our greater good.

And while our practitioners are fighting on the frontlines against coronavirus, they are likely being supported by colleagues that help keep the lights on. These critical team members inform the market and are often directly tied to incoming revenue streams. I’m referring to our communications, sales, marketing, advertising, and/or business development professionals.

In this 16th edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce you to two outstanding business development professionals in separate facets of the STEM industry. We invite you to meet our Corporate Engagement Director, Joy Neely, a regional business leader for Roche Diagnostic Information Systems. We also would like you to get to know Amber Fields, a director of corporate sales at AIS. Both ladies play key roles in developing relationships and experiences for prospective and existing customers and clients that interface with their business organizations. Please read more about Joy and Amber and how their backgrounds, business acumen, and passion for developing relationships helps fuel their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Sincerely,

Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D.
President, Women & Hi Tech
president@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Joy Neely

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:01:00 GMT

Joy Neely has a very distinct memory of when she first knew that healthcare and the world of STEM was in her future. Now a healthcare executive with Medvantx, Neely credits her mother, a toxicologist, with influencing her passion for healthcare. Some of her earliest memories are of joining her mother at work on the weekends when she was a young child.

“It’s these moments you don’t even think about when they’re happening as a kid,” Neely said. “I tagged along with my mom on her weekend shifts and would sit in the break room with little cartons filling them with pipettes for hours. I also had my own mini-lab coat that I wore with her to the lab.”

But it was more than just playing laboratorian in her mother’s toxicology lab. Neely said that heading over to the hospital was the moment that solidified healthcare as her dream career path.

“The big treat was to walk across the street and have lunch in the hospital cafeteria and see all the doctors and nurses. I think from a very young age of five or six years old, my mother was helping me create this vision that I was going to work in healthcare, whether that was working in a laboratory or being a doctor or a nurse.”

Neely has been a board member of Women & Hi Tech since 2019, first serving as the Corporate Engagement Director and becoming President-Elect in 2022. Neely said one thing that struck her about the organization was the level of commitment and value the group was able to convey. When working with Roche Diagnostics. Neely recalls a business review that Roche held to evaluate their strategic community partners for the Women’s Leadership Business Resource Group that she co-led.

“Women & Hi Tech actually treated it like a business review,” she said. “They came in as a true business partner and shared how we could collaborate more in the future, and what opportunities we could bring to our members. They shared not only opportunities for our members to participate in like executive women's forums and networking opportunities, but also how we could serve in the community.”

In her role as Corporate Engagement Director, Neely said she’s had the chance to promote not only the organization, but to communicate the virtues of working within the Indianapolis business community and contributing resources to make a difference for women engaging in STEM. “I am able to share our story, and bring on new sponsors,” she said. “I think it's just really being a voice in the community for women in STEM.”

In addition to the community-wide benefits, Neely said that her involvement in Women & Hi Tech has proven to be a valuable personal experience as well. “It's been an opportunity to grow my professional network with women across the STEM space, much broader than Roche or even my prior employer in Indianapolis with Lilly. An exciting part is just to see my network grow across STEM with a variety of different women and allies.”

Looking back over her extensive and impressive career in healthcare, Neely said that even after her significant experiences growing up in and around labs and hospitals, she quickly continued down this path. During her freshman year of high school, Neely took part in the Explorer program, which allowed her to shadow with a local hospital. At that time, Neely said she was still focused on the idea of being a nurse or doctor. However, after earning her degree in healthcare administration from Truman State University, she took a position at Eli Lilly as a pharmaceutical representative in Southeast Missouri. During her 18 years spent at Lilly, Neely served in a variety of commercial roles, including sales, marketing, market access, operations and Six Sigma.

After making a jump to a healthcare startup TrialCard Market Access, Neely came back to a larger-scale healthcare organization by taking a sales leadership position with Roche Diagnostics in their new Digital Information Solutions franchise. Neely said she’s been excited about the chance to affect healthcare at a higher level, thanks to Roche’s commitment to innovation and focus on precision healthcare.

“I would say women in STEM are still very much on a journey, but I also believe there’s been huge growth, especially in the last five years. So much comes from the contributions made by large companies in Indianapolis like Lilly, Cummins, Allison Transmission, Salesforce, and Roche Diagnostics, and many of the smaller organizations as well, are really committed to improving opportunities and equity for women in these spaces.”

But it’s also given her insight into her personal life, particularly the development of her daughters and the effects of providing them with role models for a professional life in healthcare and STEM at-large. STEM is core to the Neely household. Neely’s husband also works in medical device sales and started his career as a paramedic. Her youngest daughter is a junior in high school and is currently on a biomedicine track through Project Lead the Way and her oldest is studying statistics and computer science at Butler.

While she has always emphasized pursuing individual passions for her daughters, she said that much like her experience growing up, it’s easy to be inspired when you see the benefits and impact that a career in STEM can have. “We haven't forced them down these paths by any means. I think it is because there's so much exposure to STEM in the house through our professions and our colleagues they have met over the years that they seen all of the opportunity that is there for them,” she said.

When asked about her hopes for the next twenty years of Women & Hi Tech, Neely said her goal is to help the organization expand and to have a broader impact. Neely hopes that Women & Hi Tech can start providing support to areas and regions outside of the Indianapolis area.

“You see some of these organizations that are national and even some cases international. Several contacts on LinkedIn have reached out saying they want to be part of Women & Hi Tech, but they're in Chicago or Atlanta or in New York. I think a big focus for me is to determine how we put the infrastructure in place to grow and provide this opportunity for women in other cities.”

LinkedIn Profile

Member Profile - Amber Fields

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:00:00 GMT

For Amber Fields, Women & Hi Tech feels a bit like coming home. Though she first encountered the organization several years ago through networking, Fields said scheduling and work prevented her from making a real commitment to the group. However, after a few changes in positions, as well as some healthy encouragement from voices within Women & Hi Tech, Fields says she is officially back in the saddle.

“I really got reconnected back with Women & Hi Tech because of Rebecca Bormann,” Fields said. “She's obviously a huge advocate for Women & Hi Tech, and works really hard for the organization. Unsurprisingly, it was her who just kept saying, ‘You’ve got to come back, you’ve got to come back!’ Eventually I just realized, ‘You’re right. I do.’”

As a contributing member, Fields plays several roles throughout the organization. Though she’s fairly new to the organization’s volunteer positions, her primary focuses are in securing corporate sponsorships, as well as assisting in flagship events like the Leading Light Awards & Scholarship Gala. But no matter what she’s doing, Fields said it all comes back to understanding and communicating the community-minded virtues of Women & Hi Tech.

“I’m really working on educating businesses about the benefits that come from supporting this type of organization, especially how it helps to get young women into the STEM field. But I also look back over previously missed opportunities for partnerships, and try to identify businesses that are a good fit, even if we didn’t connect in the past.”

Much like her contributions at Women & Hi Tech, Fields’ career path seems to always be evolving. While change is a welcomed constant in her professional world, Fields can pinpoint the exact moment that she says the fields of STEM found its way to her. In 2014, Fields was six years into an established career handling sales and customer service in the logistics industry. Despite having tenures at two well-known companies, Fields said she had reached somewhat of a crossroads.

“I had been doing sales and customer-side work for some time, and I was really in a discovery part of my career,” she said. “I was asking myself, ‘Where am I supposed to be? What am I supposed to really be doing?’ That’s when I got approached by EcoTech, and it was at a time when I was probably more open to new challenges.

Fields found herself on the receiving end of an interesting offer: jump into sales at EcoTech, a local IT solutions company. The only problem? Fields had never worked in the tech space, and said the concept seemed too foreign and unfamiliar.

“Initially I just thought, ‘Oh, I can’t sell that, I don’t know that world.’ But the guy going after me just asked, ‘What exactly do you think you're selling?’ I figured it was selling a product, one where I had to understand exactly how it all worked. But he said, ‘No, you're selling the experience that technology creates for people. You're selling the solution as to how it impacts people's lives.’”

“That was a monumental moment, for me,” she said. “I immediately thought, ‘That's a cause I can get behind.’”

After a year of getting her feet wet selling technology solutions and learning how to speak the language, Fields jumped at yet another chance for growth. For the next three years, Fields worked in corporate sales for Verizon Wireless. Working both on different projects both independently and with a supporting staff, Fields explained that it was here that she got a chance to hone her leadership skills and while the company size, resources, and product lines were vastly different from EcoTech, Fields said it all still connected right back to the first words of advice she got in tech sales.

“It’s all about a solution. What’s the customer’s experience, and how can our solutions help to make it a better one?”

Now, seven years after her start in STEM at EcoTech, Fields is the Director of Corporate Sales at AIS. Fields’ day-to-day centers around providing corporate clients with full-range solutions involving managed services, infrastructure, consulting, and cyber security. She says that the new position also feels like a culmination of her previous roles, as she’s able to pull from lessons learned at companies like EcoTech and Verizon.

“I truly feel like I have arrived. I feel I’m in complete alignment with the role that I have, the place where I work, and the people that I do it with.”

When asked what she sees for the next twenty years of Women & Hi Tech, Fields wants to see just how wide and impactful the organization can go. “My hope is for greater financial support for the organization in order for it to impact more girls in STEM. I would love for Women & Hi Tech to have a higher level of recognition and awareness, and for people to get behind it. How can we just make this a community movement? That’s what I hope for the future of Women & Hi Tech.”

LinkedIn Profile

Women & Hi Tech Introduces ClickSide Chat Series

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 12:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech extends our deepest sympathies to all of our fellow citizens who have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19), and the scientists, healthcare workers, first responders, and other STEM professionals that are working on the front lines to keep our country safe and healthy at this unprecedented time. In response to the personal and professional uncertainty many are experiencing related to the COVID-19 global pandemic, for a limited time, Women & Hi Tech is pleased to offer our membership a weekly ClickSide Chat session occurring from April 15-May 27, 2020.

The Women & Hi Tech ClickSide Chat is a 1-hour online Zoom meeting held for a small group of registered members to virtually interact, connect, and share helpful information, insights, resources, and support. These interactive sessions will provide a mid-week touch-point for Women & Hi Tech members to connect, engage, and encourage each other via a moderated discussion format related to a respective topic hosted by Women & Hi Tech Board Members. Registrants will be notified of the topics prior to the meeting, and are encouraged to visually and vocally participate in the online discussion in order to maximize attendee connectivity and engagement while complying with social distancing requirements.

Registration for each Women & Hi Tech ClickSide Chat session is open and free only to members. Space for each session is extremely limited, and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. In order to maximize the impact of ClickSide Chat for our membership, each member should register for no more than 2 sessions. Please see the Women & Hi Tech ClickSide Chat session topic series and schedule below, and register as soon as possible. Once registration is filled, no wait list will be initiated.

April 15, 2020 - Health and Wellness for Women In STEM
April 22, 2020 - Addressing Job Vulnerability and Loss
April 29, 2020 - Tech Tips and Tricks
May 6, 2020 - Managing the Dynamics of Remote Work and Family
May 13, 2020 - Coping Chemistry Cooking Hacks
May 20, 2020 - The Effect of Social Distancing on Your Social Life
May 27, 2020 - Books on Break: What Do You Recommend?

Registration for ClickSide Chat is required in order to provide you with the final login instructions. A login/password will be sent to the email address entered for this registration approximately 48 hours before the event begins. Again, in order to facilitate a robust group discussion among an intimate group of members, space for each ClickSide Chat session is extremely limited. Please register as soon as possible.

Grown from STEM: March Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 17:02:00 GMT

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

As many of you know, March is Women's History Month, and its purpose is to inspire, commemorate, and encourage the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. Many significant advancements and impactful change, in all facets, in our Country's history including, human rights, government, equity and inclusion, philanthropy, business, and innovation in the STEM fields, are due to the courageous, intelligent, and ingenious women leaders who have gone before us. As Women & Hi Tech furthers our mission, to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all, celebrating and honoring diverse women in STEM and lifting-up and inspiring diverse girls is at the forefront of what we do. We invite you to take a moment to celebrate the women in our history and to continue to celebrate, support, and encourage women and girls in their honor, not just in March but year-round.

I had the opportunity this month to attend a women's groups sharing meeting as a representative of Women & Hi Tech. The meeting was orchestrated by Indianapolis Women's Empowerment Network (I-WEN,) who brought together about a dozen groups including, Pass The Torch for Women, Network of Women in Business (NOWIB), Junior League of Indianapolis, Chiefs in Intellectual Property (ChIPs) and several others. The agenda of this meeting was threefold;1- Learn what the organizations are and their missions; 2 - Learn what resources each has amassed to educate, empower, and improve the lot of women in the professional world; 3 - Share the ideas that may flow. The ultimate purpose of the meeting was to learn how women's organizations can work together to achieve common goals.

I am delighted that many of the groups at the meeting were already collaborating with multiple women's organizations. During the meeting, many ideas surfaced to create and further partnerships and collaborations with the common goal of equity for all women in business. I would also like to inform you that in I-WEN's research to create the sharing meeting, they found over 100 women's organizations in Indianapolis. I find this to be truly exciting!

In light of the unprecedented time we are in as a local, national, and global community with the COVID- 19 pandemic and stay at home orders; many are looking for ways to stay connected. I want to reassure you there are numerous opportunities to get involved, even now, and stay connected with being part of organizations like Women & Hi Tech and so many others. Many groups are hosting virtual networking and professional development meetings leveraging technology platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Webex; committees are being held virtually, and mentoring and one-on-one sessions continue via Facetime and video chat. If you are looking for ways to stay involved, be part of a community and stay connected, I encourage you to check out this link with over 40 women's groups, right here, in Indy.

In this 15th edition of "Grown from STEM," Women & Hi Tech would like to feature our own, rock star entrepreneurs who have each established their own STEM-related woman-owned organization. First, Women & Hi Tech is delighted to introduce you to our K-12 Outreach Director, Amanda McCammon, founder, and owner of Ingenuity, LLC. Next, we are excited for you to meet long-time Women & Hi Tech Member, Kristen Cooper, founder, and owner of The Startup Ladies. Both of these women are trailblazers in their own right, identifying a gap, and then creating and building businesses to close that gap. We invite you to read more about Amanda and Kristen and how their STEM backgrounds, business acumen, and passion for helping other women and girls drives their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Kind Regards,

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

Board Profile - Amanda McCammon

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 17:01:00 GMT

Amanda McCammon was recruited as the K-12 Outreach Director for Women & Hi Tech due to her passion for improving Indiana’s educational ecosystem, especially STEM education. Over 15 years working on the front lines of education, she taught multiple subjects, worked as a building administrator, student services director, assistant superintendent, and beyond. Eventually McCammon found herself in the rare position of appreciating the whole spectrum of education. “From high income to low, working in rural, urban, and suburban areas, I have served families all over the State of Indiana,” she said. And what this experience showed her was unsurprising—school systems need help.

“Schools today are serving youth and families in every aspect imaginable, emotional, social, safety, and food needs. For many families the school is the end-all, be-all of the support they receive. After some time in the field, you start to see it truly is more about human services than just education services.”

In 2017, McCammon joined the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) as Chief of Workforce & STEM Alliances. “I facilitated the work of the STEM council responsible for authoring Indiana’s 6-year STEM strategic plan, which was developed to amplify and align STEM education efforts across the state.” She said one of the most exciting things to come out of this experience was a better understanding across the state of how Indiana defines STEM. “Everyone has had their own definition of STEM. But now at the state level, STEM education means teaching real-world problem solving and analytical and critical thinking skills, often through project-based learning.” McCammon said that this insight is of essential value to her role helping Women & Hi Tech achieve more impact at the K-12 level. “We have to make sure our members’ time, treasures, and talents are contributing to initiatives that actually meet the needs of both formal and informal educators across all areas of our state.”

McCammon added that the legislation around education is always changing, and one of the biggest barriers for many schools is the ability to understand how and why changes impact their classroom and their community. “What drove me to step out and become an educational consultant was seeing a lack of capacity, not because of talent, but because of the sheer amount of work that is asked of both formal and informal educators.” Amanda said every legislative session seems to add more work to an already full plate. Whether it’s new mandates for educators to teach about employability skills, work to develop a workforce pipeline, or changes in assessment or accountability, these impact multiple levels across the educational system. “Even when a bill is a good thing in the big picture, it’s not always a priority to communicate and connect the dots all the way down through the district, to the building, to the classroom, and to our families. It’s essential to make them see not only why the change happened, but the goal we will achieve with it as a State. Educators must be included in these conversations and decisions.”

Leaving the employment of the State, McCammon realized this put her back in a position to have critical conversations with people at the ground level. So, she started her own consulting business, Ingenuity, LLC. “Working for the State, you represent the larger voice of state government, but as a consultant, you can take that knowledge and go directly into a school to help them connect the dots between theory and practice in a way that makes sense for them and their families.” This especially applies to helping educators in the field understand current legislation and the potential effects of coming changes. “Historically, we have relied on memorization and checking off boxes on a list of requirements to prove the quality of our education. We need to consider the practices and abilities we need to embed into our teaching and learning so students can go anywhere, and in any field. Students must be able to think critically, come up with multiple solutions, and problem-solve.” McCammon currently serves schools, districts, non-profits, and communities in various areas of need including through strategic planning support as well as curriculum and program development. McCammon’s goal is to support positive change while serving as a knowledge resource, partner, and liaison in the efforts across our State to improve engagement, outcomes, and growth for our students, families, and communities.

Amanda believes Women & Hi Tech can play an essential role in bringing STEM education and resources to students in rural or underserved areas. “All these legislative mandates influence what our teachers have time to do in the classroom, which informs what we need to do outside the classroom to support their efforts. As an organization, we have to get out of central Indiana and take our services Statewide, to anywhere female students have low access to STEM opportunities.”

When she pictures Women & Hi Tech 20 years from now, McCammon says she hopes it looks completely different—or might not even need to exist at all. “We exist because, over the last two decades, someone has needed to take the reins to get more women in STEM. That’s an issue of the past that we are still trying to correct. Hopefully in 20 years that’s a problem that is solved and we have shifted to a different mission—a mission to solve the STEM problems of the future.”

LinkedIn Profile

Member Profile - Kristen Cooper

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 17:00:00 GMT

In 2014, Kristen Cooper made the leap from working in the nonprofit industry to working in tech. Why? “I had kind of a bad day back in 2011,” she jokes. Cooper attended a venture-focused luncheon, one she had been attending for years. “There were a few hundred people in the room - almost all men. On that particular day, someone sat next to me who said something very nasty about politics. Afterward I thought, ‘I am so tired of listening to people whose values are not in alignment with mine.’ They didn’t listen well and weren’t interested in my perspective.” That same day, Cooper closed a huge deal, but felt no joy about it like she typically would have.

“I thought, ‘I have this incredible Rolodex and I don’t want to spend time with anyone in it. Why can’t there be a Match.com for friends?’ Facebook wasn’t a behemoth yet.” As Cooper struggled to find people in Indianapolis with similar values, whimsical conversations became more and more serious, until she was getting buy-in for her idea from members of the tech community. That’s when she decided to make the leap. “I started sketching out a wireframe and began raising money before I knew anything about how to build software or technology.” A small software development firm called Sticksnleaves loved the idea of a friend-finding app and helped Cooper develop a non-functioning prototype.

Though she developed an incredible support network and raised over $80,000, Cooper never brought that product, Friendtro, to market. That effort would require funding in the tens of millions of dollars. “But even a failed tech product, as we all know, can be a major step forward. For me, that step was learning the process of how to build technology.” Cooper saw this as a very unifying and logic-based experience. “When meeting with software experts they poked holes in concepts for the sole purpose of making the product better. No personal or political agenda. I fell in love with that. I had never felt more comfortable in business than I did talking about building tech.”

Soon, her collaborators at Sticksnleaves invited Cooper to join their team as the Vice President of Operations and Corporate Development. “They offered to teach me to build technology if I could help them with operations and business development. It was a major pay cut,” Kristen admitted, “but very few women get this opportunity and they were interested in making a trade that could propel my career into an entirely different industry.”

Cooper is grateful that longtime member of Women & Hi Tech, Tonya Hanshew, got her involved shortly after they met at a coworking space in 2014. “Too many women talk themselves out of starting a company, in part because not enough people around them have done it successfully,” Cooper said. “In many ways, Women & Hi Tech is like exposure therapy. The more professionals that you meet like you rising up in STEM, the more comfortable you feel doing the same.”

Though she joined the Sticksnleaves team with gusto, Cooper still wondered what could have gone differently with Friendtro. She wanted to meet more female founders who had successfully completed exits. “I started introducing myself to women in the ladies room at the coworking space. One day, I actually closed a deal in that bathroom! After laughing about the rarity of having the opportunity to do business with fellow women in this space, I suggested that we go to lunch.” One lunch with three women led to monthly lunches with more and more attendees. Soon this led Kristen to create a list of everything she wished she had known, or still wanted to know, about founding a tech startup. “I just started matching experts in my rolodex with the topics I needed to learn about. I set up twice-monthly events to get people to share this information. That was the beginning of my path to founding The Startup Ladies--camaraderie, education, and now, funding.”

Today, Cooper is CEO and Founder of The Startup Ladies, an organization committed to educating founders and investors alike about startups, and the massive gender disparity in the market. “In 2019 136.5 billion was invested into startups, and less than 3% of that went to female founders,” she explained. “There are so many problems that have been identified by women and people of color in the STEM community. Most of our members do not have access to a network of people who could write checks to fund a proof of concept. The profile of most of our founders looks like this: they became an industry expert, identified a problem, came up with a solution, and never built a business or tech before. We educate entrepreneurs focused on scalable business models, regardless of the industry.

The Startup Ladies operates in 3 cities with over 170 members, and has helped members raise over $300,000 in funding. Kristen emphasized that her involvement with Women & Hi Tech was essential in the early days and remains essential as the two organizations work together to connect women to opportunities in STEM. “We have different yet complementary missions and are constantly seeking ways to help each other be bigger and better. We are doing this now, so more women can achieve similar goals in the future, without unconscious and conscious bias against them.”

When thinking about the future, Cooper hopes to see more members of the C-suite (regardless of gender) joining both Women & Hi Tech and The Startup Ladies. “The founders of Women & Hi Tech built a strong foundation for women in STEM in Indiana. We need to capitalize on the momentum and build plans to ensure that all C-suites, boards, and investment deals include 50% women.”

LinkedIn Profile

Women & Hi Tech Announces Call for Nominations for Board of Directors Openings

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 12:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in Indianapolis, IN in 1999 by a female scientist at Eli Lilly and a female academician at Indiana University. For over 20 years, Women & Hi Tech has sought to further its mission to “change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all” by providing mentoring, education, networking, and professional development opportunities, while recognizing and supporting girls and women in STEM in Indiana. Women & Hi Tech is seeking candidates for open positions on its Board of Directors to help further its mission.

The Women & Hi Tech Nomination Committee is seeking female and male candidates, particularly diverse candidates, for our all-volunteer, working Board of Directors for the following three positions (click the title of the position to see a full description of the position):

Preferred candidates are actively engaged with the organization, and will bring wisdom, experience, effectiveness, candor, and creative thinking to the organization. We don’t take the term “working board” lightly. All Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors are expected to represent the organization in the community. At any given time, a Women & Hi Tech Director will also be responsible for leading her/his own area of responsibility and/or a committee, while also contributing to other areas of the organization, including serving on other committees.

Multiple nominations for different open positions from a single candidate are permitted. All nominations will be reviewed by the Nomination Committee. Nominees must be Women & Hi Tech members in good standing at the time of initial voting and must remain in good standing throughout their tenure. New Board Members will take office July 1, 2020.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY! Applications are due by May 1, 2020.

Members of Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors Recognized by Junior Achievement of Central Indiana as "Indy's Best & Brightest"

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 21:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is proud and excited to again congratulate our Board Members, Rebecca Bormann and Allison Lipps, CCRC, for being selected as finalists of the 2020 Indy’s Best & Brightest Awards by Junior Achievement, which honors 100 of Central Indiana’s accomplished young professionals who are making their mark in Indianapolis. Several members of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors came out to the Indy’s Best & Brightest Awards Program held at Hilbert Circle Theatre in Monument Circle on March 11, 2020 to support Rebecca and Allison. Rebecca, President-Elect of Women & Hi Tech, was recognized for her leadership in Technology, while Allison, Community Outreach Director of Women & Hi Tech, was recognized for her leadership in Health & Life Sciences.

“I am humbled and honored to be one of 2020 Indy’s Best and Brightest finalists in the technology category," said Rebecca Bormann. "It’s been exciting to learn about all the finalists excelling in their professions and their dedication and passion for giving back to our community. Congratulations to all the 2020 Best and Brightest finalists and the winner!”

“It was a true honor to be recognized as a finalist amongst such amazing talent in the Health & Life Sciences field here in Indy," said Allison Lipps. "Thank you Junior Achievement of Central Indiana for a great evening recognizing all 100 finalists — Indy’s Best & Brightest is a shining example of the difference that can be made when a small group of individuals give back to their local community. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to call Indy home, and will forever cherish being named one of Indy’s Best & Brightest.“

Program attendees were welcomed by stations of local restaurant eateries and spirits. The awards program was co-emceed by an inspiring young female Junior Achievement student, Ellen, who captured attention by her professionalism. The evening also included a powerful keynote address by Aleesia Johnson, Superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS).

We celebrate Rebecca and Allison. Their accomplishments and achievements are clear representations of the STEM expertise and community leadership exemplified by the Directors and members of Women & Hi Tech. Congratulations again ladies!

Indy’s Best and Brightest was created by Junior Achievement of Central Indiana (JA) to recognize up and coming talent and the next generation of leaders in our community. Indy’s Best & Brightest finalists serve as excellent role models to Junior Achievement students and youth in the Indianapolis community. Click here to learn more about Junior Achievement and Indy's Best and Brightest.

Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors Participate in Interrupting Racism for Our Children Diversity Training

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 13:00:00 GMT

To support our mission of “changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all,” the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors elected to attend the 2-day diversity workshop entitled Interrupting Racism for Our Children (IRFOC) by unanimous vote. Collectively, the Women & Hi Tech Board, along with some Emeritus members, fully engaged in the IRFOC training facilitated by Jill English and her team at Child Advocates. Needless to say, the IRFOC training workshop was challenging, informative, uncomfortable, and moving.

The IRFOC training encouraged us to take a hard introspective look at the racial messages and beliefs that are in our “groundwater” from each of our personal upbringings, and how they affect our communication and/or miscommunication, interactions or lack of interactions, with others across racial lines. It also empowered us with knowledge to begin to further research the historical and systemic inequities that have pervaded every institution in this country from their inception, including our healthcare, educational, judicial/criminal justice, and financial institutions – where we currently see some of the most disparate outcomes amongst racial groups.

In addition, the IRFOC training provided a foundational platform for Women & Hi Tech to begin to analyze and/or update our own policies and procedures to ensure that the opportunities, support, and benefits provided by this organization to the Indiana STEM community at large over the past 20 years are equally available in the future to all Hoosier women despite race, color, creed, or other diverse characteristics. Most importantly, the IRFOC training reiterated the Board’s mission and focus on driving “Equity and Inclusion” not just in STEM, not just in Indianapolis or even Indiana, but in each of our daily lives.

We were made a better Board, better community citizens, and simply better people by having attended and engaged in the Interrupting Racism for Our Children diversity training. It is our hope that the benefits of having done so will be felt and seen by our organization and our community for years to come. Women & Hi Tech proudly accepts our responsibility to truly and properly contribute to our overall human solidarity.

Grown from STEM: February Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 13:00:00 GMT

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

As Black History Month 2020 draws to a close, I would be remiss as the first African-American President of Women & Hi Tech to not bring attention to the contributions of women of color in STEM fields in this state and country. For example, many of us should be aware and familiar with our own local hero, Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919), alleged to be the first African-American female entrepreneurial millionaire here in Indianapolis and throughout the United States, based on her invention, development, and commercialization of black hair care products. With the movie, Hidden Figures, many of us also became aware of so many other African-American women, such as those who contributed to major technological advances in the NASA space race, such as Katherine Johnson (1918-2020), Dorothy Vaughan (1910-2008), Mary Jackson (1921-2005), and later, Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African-American female to ever go into space.

Notably, from the time of drafting this article to the time of its publication, Katherine Johnson, the NASA/STEM trailblazer mentioned above, has just passed away at 101 years old. On behalf of Women & Hi Tech, and particularly diverse women in STEM in this city, state, and country, I’d like to offer my deepest sympathies, thoughts, and prayers to Ms. Johnson’s family and friends. There is no question that we just lost a STEM pioneer, and it is my sincerest prayer that “she may rest in peace.”

This current turn of events makes even more relevant the pressing need to recognize some of the living female STEM legends amongst us while they are still here. Particularly, in the wake of my most impactful life experience - traveling to South Africa to attend and speak at The 3rd HBCU-HDI Women in STEM conference – I have learned that there are so many other lesser-known African-American female living legends in STEM in our midst that should also be recognized. Women of color who have recently made history or are currently making history as they continue to excel and expand the depth and breadth of STEM leaders to include women of color, particularly African-American women. Women like Dr. Sonya T. Smith (Mechanical Engineering), Dr. Gloria Washington (Computer Science), and Dr. Jean Bailey (Psychology and Human Development) of Howard University, Dr. Leyte Winfield (Chemistry) and Dr. Kimberly Williams (Biology) of Spelman College, Dr. Florastina Payton-Stewart (Chemistry) of Xavier University, and Dr. Carollyn Boykins-Winfrow (Animal Sciences) of Tennessee State University, each of whom is making her mark to demonstrate excellence in STEM and to teach those skills, values, and characteristics to the next generation of female STEM leaders at the named Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). These ladies, along with a few of their students, were my traveling companions on my South African Women in STEM excursion, and it was unquestionably a trip of a lifetime.

Amongst all of us, however, there was one of our traveling companions who absolutely stood above the crowd, despite the fact that she was likely the smallest of us in physical stature, Dr. Arlene Maclin! Behind Dr. Shirley Jackson, who was honored by President Obama as being the second African-American woman in the U.S. to receive a Ph.D. in physics (from MIT), Dr. Arlene Maclin is only the third African-American woman ever in this country to receive a Ph.D. in physics. Dr. Maclin is also the first woman to ever earn a Ph.D. in physics from Howard University, after receiving a Masters in Physics from the University of Virginia. Not biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, or even tech, which are all challenging and demanding enough in their own right, but physics! Dr. Maclin is undeniably an absolute trailblazer worth celebrating and recognizing even beyond her current recognitions, including The HistoryMakers.

Throughout her career, Dr. Arlene Maclin worked for NASA, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Dr. Maclin was also a research physicist at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory and a visiting scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In addition, Dr. Maclin spent much of her career as an academic professor and/or administrator at Morgan State University, Howard University, Hampton University, and Norfolk State University. Proudly, Dr. Maclin admits that she has traveled with students all over the world including China, India, Morocco, and other parts of Africa, such as South Africa on numerous occasions. She even serves as President, CEO, and entrepreneur of her own company. No question, Dr. Arlene is likely one of the most brilliant women I’ve ever met. But it doesn’t stop there.

Well beyond her extraordinary intellect, Dr. Arlene is a “pistol”! I’ve heard that term used many times before to describe bold women, but there is no better phrase I would consider to describe the personality of this living STEM legend. Dr. Arlene does not mince words or as they say “she don’t play”! She is worldly, wise, and will let you know exactly what she thinks about any given subject or situation without solicitation. Dr. Maclin is also very serious and strategic about the exemplification of excellence by women of color in the STEM fields, and her standards for excellence are extremely high.

With all of that sternness, Dr. Arlene is warm, witty, and funny as all get-out. She is full of joy, banter, has a big, bold smile, and a hearty laugh that you can typically hear before you ever see her. My best description of Dr. Arlene Maclin, for those of you who know me, is that SHE IS ME in 20+ years (minus the physics expertise and accolades). In summary, I just had the privilege to spend a week traveling around the world with my future self, and you know what? She’s amazing! Kudos, congratulations, and Happy (upcoming) Birthday to Dr. Arlene Maclin for being a living STEM legend in the U.S., internationally, and worldwide. I am proud and honored to call you a friend and female colleague in STEM.

In this 14th edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech would like to feature our own scientific living legends. First, Women & Hi Tech is excited to introduce you to our Community Outreach Director and clinical research scientist at the Indiana Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Allison Lipps. We are also excited for you to meet Women & Hi Tech member, Maria Rosario Doriott, Senior Quality Engineer at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences. Please read more about Allison and Rosario and how their STEM backgrounds, business acumen, and passion for helping other women drives their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D.
Women & Hi Tech President
President@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Allison Lipps, CCRC

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 12:59:00 GMT

For Allison Lipps, the world of STEM has always been about connecting with others. Throughout her studies and professional career, she has maintained a focus on relationships and using her work to affect change for individuals. In fact, that desire for connection is what drew her to Women & Hi Tech in the first place.

“I had moved to Carmel for work and was feeling disconnected. I wanted to find some like-minded individuals, so I Googled ‘women’s science organizations,’ and came across Women & Hi Tech,” she said. “I’ve always been a hard science girl, and I thought maybe the organization wouldn’t be for me, that it landed more firmly on the technology side of things. But I went to a few events and started volunteering, as well as met Past President, Darcy Lee. She really took me under her wing and was so inspiring, encouraging me to continue to get involved. Sure enough, the more events I attended, the more people I started meeting that shared so many of my ideals and goals.”

After several years of service, Women & Hi Tech elected Lipps as its Community Outreach Director. Though the fit made perfect sense considering her dedication to relationship-building, Lipps still felt a small amount of pressure. Why? Because the Community Outreach Director position didn’t previously exist.

“I am actually the first person to hold this role. I know there’s no real pressure, but I want to define this position and make it awesome,” she said, adding that the creation of the position came from new needs and wrinkles for a growing organization. “The organization had grown so large, but we needed to identify all the things happening around the city we were missing. We needed to work on outreach. My vision is to appeal to our male allies, as well as a more diverse base of women. We don’t want to outgrow connections or miss them entirely.”

For Lipps, pursuing science was basically a foregone conclusion from a young age. Growing up near Indianapolis, she says her naturally inquisitive mind truly came alive as result of a childhood accident and what she calls a “dorky story.”

“I broke my arm in kindergarten, and it was a pretty bad break,” she said. “I remember sitting at the doctor and asking a million questions. Why did they have to reset the bone? How does the x-ray work? What about the plaster for the cast? How long would it take to heal and what would it look like after it healed? I was just fascinated with finding out the answer for all these questions.”

But helping her along the way was her own father, who encouraged all his children to be lifelong learners. “Since I was little, my dad recognized that desire for information in me. He’s been involved in software development since the 80s. I’m really fortunate that even when I didn’t recognize it, he has provided me knowledge in so many different areas of technology. He even parented with the Socratic method, pushing me and my siblings to ask questions and figure things out on our own. That helped me to step into every science or technology role I’ve had, all just from hanging out with my dad.”

Upon arriving at Purdue University for her undergraduate studies, Lipps pursued the newly-established cognitive neuroscience program. Sadly, while in college, tragedy struck when her brother suddenly passed away. Lipps said that “life just sort of stopped” for her, especially during her time of grief. Ultimately, she decided to hold off on pursuing a medical degree, instead focusing her efforts on working with autistic children, particularly in the development of language skills. Much of this work revolved around clinical studies, which quickly became a huge passion for Lipps. By the time she left Purdue, it was becoming obvious that she could meld her love for knowledge and research with her passion for helping people in the best way she could.

“I eventually went into research at the IU School of Medicine in downtown Indianapolis,” she recalled. “I started talking to a bunch of doctors. They were really unhappy with the way insurance quotas and turnarounds prevented them from spending a lot of time with their patients. I saw that research was a chance for me to immediately impact people with my work. Throughout my career anytime I’ve tried to go places where I’m not working to help individuals, my soul dies a little bit.”

Lipps presently serves as the Research Operations Coordinator at Indiana Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center (IHTC). Much like her experience joining Women & Hi Tech, her role at IHTC began with the creation of a position perfect just for her skillset.

“I had applied for a completely different position,” she explained. “But after some conversations, they said, ‘We think you’re really great, but think you’d be overqualified. However, we are considering creating a position. Are you interested?’ I jumped at the chance.”

Lipps describes her work as being a blend of several disciplines, including project management, client relations, database management, and, of course, clinical study. She’s also involved in writing training programs for the staff. Though she’s been with the company for only a year, Lipps said she feels like she’s found a perfect fit.

“I love it here. IHTC was founded 20 years ago, just like Women & Hi Tech, and it was founded by two women. We are also a nonprofit and do wraparound care, meaning we treat patients as a whole here. It checks all my boxes. So, even when I’m in the minutia of my day to day, I know we are working on life changing studies and bringing new drugs to market. I literally feel like every day something new, great, and mind-blowing is happening here.”

When Lipps thinks about the future for Women & Hi Tech, she says she wants to press onward and upward, providing role models to young women, mentors to folks in STEM, and serving a larger population throughout the Midwest.

“Research shows that role models encourage women to stay in STEM, and Women & Hi Tech does a great job of doing that. We’re also helping to overcome implicit and explicit bias about women and STEM. A lot of people talk about pipeline issues. As an industry, we’re doing a great job of getting women into the pipeline, but not so great about encouraging and supporting them to stay there. Women & Hi Tech steps in and fills that gap by using role models, outreach, mentoring, and networking to help women.

I hope we continue to focus on outreach programs by reaching more male allies, reaching a bigger area of the state, and outreaching to more diverse women in different socioeconomic levels. I want to make the benefits of Women & Hi Tech accessible to anyone who wants them so they can have access to the same opportunities I had.”

Member Profile - Maria Rosario Doriott

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 12:58:00 GMT

With the passion that Maria Rosario Doriott has shown for Women & Hi Tech, you might think she had been part of the organization for decades. Despite only becoming involved in 2019, Doriott, a Senior Staff Development Quality Engineer at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, said she’s been looking for a way to get involved for quite some time.

“I became aware of Women & Hi Tech at least 12 years ago,” she said. “I had been a fan of them for so long that when Danaher, our parent company, recently launched a very large diversity and inclusion program I thought, ‘If I can’t sell this now, I never will.” I contacted Angela Freeman, President of Women & Hi Tech, and right away the Board was really fantastic and responsive to my enthusiasm to join. Soon I was given the green light for us to become a sponsor. Women & Hi Tech provided materials and made a presentation for women and friends at my company. The board members were here to enroll people on the spot, and the response was huge. The event was standing room only, and we signed up over 60 women in the first presentation alone.”

Since teaming up and serving as liaison for Beckman Coulter Life Sciences’ sponsorship, Doriott has continued to promote events and encourage everyone, not just women, to join.

“We’re seeing increased involvement and engagement from men in different areas of our business. They are seeing the value of the Women & Hi Tech message, and how aligned the organization is with our internal diversity and inclusion program.”

Much like her passion with Women & Hi Tech, Doriott has shown enthusiasm for all things STEM and education since she was a little girl. Hailing originally from Mexico, she recalled how her father served as a source of inspiration and motivation for her and her six siblings.

“I am the first one in my family in Mexico who attended high school. However, both my parents were highly interested in us finding an education. My father would routinely come to his five daughters and say, ‘I’ll tell you right now you’re not allowed to do anything until you bring me a college degree. Don’t even think about marriage or anything else. I don’t care in what, but it better be in something you care about. I am not going to have my daughters stuck in a place they don’t like because they can’t support themselves.’ That was the message we had as children.”

With a supportive family behind her, Doriott continued to show great promise in her studies. She recalled that while her sisters were asking for after-school ballet lessons, she instead opted for tutoring in both English and French languages (a life-changing decision!). But her drive to pursue STEM came after her father brought home a toy engine for her brother to assemble, only to discover it was Rosario that took the most interest.

“My father sat at the table to help with my brother, but he couldn’t care less. He was flat-out bored. I, on the other hand, was fascinated with the entire process. He explained to me all the parts and how they worked, we put the engine together and it worked! I had always enjoyed reading, but then I became interested in math and physics because that was a way to learn how things worked. All of this because of a small toy that wasn’t even for me.”

After graduating high school, Doriott decided to pursue electrical engineering studies at the prestigious Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education located in Monterrey, Mexico. Though she was the only woman in her program, Doriott said she never found herself flustered or turned away from her dreams. “It didn’t matter to me, I never thought of myself as being alone or different. I always wanted to carry my own weight, and no one is going to make me feel less-than or different. I respected them and they respected me (we are still friends, 40 years later!).”

After receiving her degree, Doriott found herself hired as a lead engineer for a new RCA plant opening in Mexico. Though she was only 22, she flourished as she established key processes for the factory, helped hire the rest of the engineering team, and served as a company leader for the new location. Soon she came to Indy and for 27 years, grew through the ranks at RCA/Thomson from component design engineer to Executive Management. Now in her role at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, Doriott has continued to be an inspiration and community leader, a mentor and coach in her field (Quality and Design Controls), as well as for her own children.

“I have helped overcome the stereotypes for Hispanics and Women in Engineering. It’s so important to demonstrate that we are able to carry heavy professional responsibilities, at every executive and social level and with no compromise in either results or expectations of integrity and excellence. At the same time, and with the help of my husband, we have been able to raise a family, and my two children are happy and successful lawyers. All this happened while maintaining my sense of self without apologies for my gender or background.”

When asked what Doriott sees as the future for Women & Hi Tech, as well as the STEM field at large, she sees nothing but potential for growth.

“Our future is bright, we have unlocked a tremendous potential for society and for our STEM industries growth. How exciting it is to be a part of this group and to contribute my experience, passion and talent to motivate the next group of strong women to join a field where we can solve any problem!”

A Double Whammy or Triple Threat: The Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM - Part II

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 13:00:00 GMT

As a follow-up to the inaugural program in 2018, Women & Hi Tech hosted a “Special Edition” of its Executive Women’s Forum (Part II) on February 5, 2020. The program was organized by Angela B. Freeman, President of Women & Hi Tech, to highlight the organization’s mission that emphasizes equality and inclusivity amongst women in STEM and the organization’s continued focus on increasing the diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM here in Indiana and within their organization.

The event entitled, “A Double Whammy or Triple Threat: The Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM,” was held to provide practical tips and tools on how to advance diverse female talent in the workplace. The program began with a privilege exercise and a discussion about empathy, followed by a premiere panel of female STEM experts who shared their personal and professional experiences and offered suggestions on practical tools we can all employ to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion amongst women in our Indiana STEM community and workplace environments.

Dawn Rosemond, Partner and Director of Diversity, Professional Development, and Inclusion at Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, served as moderator and opened the panel describing the various dimensions of diversity and how the most inclusive teams incorporate members with broad dimensions of diversity. While it is historically recognized that corporations have required a business case for diversity to get actionable about establishing inclusive environments, that case has since been made by national statistics and proven outcomes of diverse teams. “If we still have to make a business case for diversity in 2020, then you don’t really care about diversity,” Dawn exclaimed.

Moreover, Dr. Crystal Morton, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Director of Girls in STEM Institute at Indiana University-Indianapolis, noted that diverse candidates recognize when they have been hired at an academic institutions or corporation to fill a quota. Dr. Morton advised that “institutions must make sure that they are hiring diverse talent into environments that are not toxic, but are healthy and well positioned to provide the necessary support for diverse women to thrive.” In this regard, retired Eli Lilly Director of Medical Communications, Dr. Elcira Villarreal, noted that “the composition and value set of the candidate selection committee is critical to ensure the recruitment and fair consideration of diverse female talent in any organization.”

Once hired, the panel noted that there are additional challenges experienced by diverse women that are not necessarily experienced by majority or Caucasian women. The old adage taught to so many diverse women that “you have to work twice as hard to get half as far,” was unanimously determined by the panel to be an unhealthy and unfruitful practice. Notably, Dr. Sonya Smith, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Howard University, described the phenomenon coined as “pet to threat,” which is particularly relevant to women of color and African-American women as they encounter professional advancement and independence. Leena Victoria, President and Co-Founder of Brite Systems, Inc., reiterated that “pet to threat” was a real phenomenon that she personally experienced in her career as she advanced from being a new software programmer to being the owner of her own technology company.

Additional challenges were highlighted by Professor Xuan-Thao Nguyen, Director of the Center for IP Innovation at IU McKinney School of Law, who provided several examples of how she has encountered personal and financial sacrifices, threats, resistance, and/or extreme unfairness when trying to advocate and lobby for more diverse talent in the faculty of several law school institutions in this country. However, Professor Nguyen encouraged the audience to remain unrelenting, unapologetic, and vigilant in your efforts to push your institutions to establish an equitable and inclusive environment for diverse STEM talent, particularly diverse women. Additionally, Linda Calvin, Vice President of School of IT at Ivy Tech Community College, encouraged the audience to address challenging situations around diversity head on and to not allow them to fester. Ultimately, the audience was challenged to utilize their privilege as STEM professionals to help and champion other women, particularly diverse women.

All attendees were provided worksheets highlighting the “Dimensions of Diversity,” “Privileges vs. Barriers/Obstacles,” and a diversity dictionary comprising “The Top 20 Terms You Need to Know to Be Inclusive,” provided by Julie Kratz of Pivot Point. The audience was also provided the following takeaways and action items to build work cultures that attract, retain, and/or advance diverse female STEM talent.

Incorporate members representing broad dimension of diversity to increase “Diversity of Thought” of teams
Be aware of your privilege, the gradations of privilege, and use your privilege to empower others
Forge strong relationships, leverage your position, and have the integrity to be your authentic self
Do not work twice as hard, but demonstrate excellence in all that you do and how you show up
Expose diverse girls/women and engage male allies
Use your network and be an advocate
Manage work environments to promote inclusion
Service, training, & teambuilding expectations or requirements should be tied to or reflected in compensation and/or career advancement
Empathy is humanness – One does not have to understand or know to advocate or act
Women have a responsibility to mentor; mentees are not offspring
“Girl Power” is required for diverse women to advance
Build Your professional network to include organizations having qualified diverse candidates

Attendees socialized at a networking reception to conclude Women & Hi Tech’s 2020 kickoff event.

Pictures from the event can be found here on our website.

A video recap of the event can be found on YouTube.

Grown from STEM: January Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates “Equity and Inclusion” in 20th Year of The Leading Light Awards

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 13:32:00 GMT

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

Board Profile - Lauryn Andrews

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 13:31:00 GMT

After developing as an event planner through jobs during her study at IUPUI, Lauryn Andrews achieved the full-time role of IU School of Liberal Arts’ Special Event Coordinator. Between her busy days of work coordinating travel, managing vendors, marketing, checking invoices, and more, she looked around and decided she wanted a new challenge. Not just the same challenge at a new company, either. Though her degree and two certifications were all in Event Management, she decided to blaze a trail, and she did. Her search for a new role led to netlogx, a technology consulting firm, where she works today as a Project/Program Management consultant.

“It was a lot to take in at first,” Andrews said of the transition. “But I also thought my transferrable skills and background meant project/program management consulting would be a good fit. I already knew I could manage multiple projects, balancing timelines and priorities.”

As she brought that energy with her and jumped head-first into STEM, she also found Women & Hi Tech thanks to netlogx support for the organization as a Star Sponsor. “I knew right away that Women & Hi Tech was a place I belonged,” she said, “not just for exposure to the amazing community but also to new learning experiences.” It turns out that the great first impression was mutual. By June 2019, Andrews was named as the Board's Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala (LLAs) Director. The LLAs Director is responsible for chairing the LLAs committee, comprised of several sub-committees and dozens of volunteers, managing the timeline, coordinating with vendors and overall oversight of the organization’s signature, biennial event, which wil take place at the Indiana Roof Ballroom on October 1, 2020.

An event like the Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala may seem like a large task for a newer member. But for Andrews, it’s an opportunity to bring her past skills into her present industry and community, while she also learns new skills and strengths from her peers on the Board. “I am so grateful and humbled for the way this organization has taken me underwing. Serving on the Board was a goal and dream of mine from the moment I joined, and it’s already a dream I get to live.”

Her move to the consulting role at netlogx has also proved itself a great decision. “I love that I am now part of a woman-owned business,” she shared. “I’ve had the chance to work with many female leaders throughout my career, across multiple industries. I believe it’s always a positive to have inclusivity and diverse perspectives in leadership roles, and I love that netlogx holds that as a high value as well. Beyond that, I love where I work so much because I get to apply all my skills on projects. I’ve even gotten to plan an event as part of a project/program management consulting project”!

The first project Andrews consulted on was about certification processes, mapping how the process should align with technology. “I had no idea what any of the terminology or acronyms meant. But I learned to speak up and ask questions, and my colleagues helped me out with study tools for the industry terms and acronyms.”

Lauryn clearly has a spirit for adventure that she brings to every endeavor, and her commitment to the 2020 Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala is no different. “I want to grow this event to be the biggest and best it’s ever been, and also create momentum, so growth happens organically for our events and organization .” This year the theme of the event is Equity and Inclusion. Andrews says this is reflected in new award categories, including honoring male allies and diversity, equity, and inclusion champions . This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the first Women & Hi Tech Leading Light Awards celebration - orginally the Spotlight Awards - in 2000. In honor, Women & Hi Tech has pledged to award at least $20,000 in scholarships and professional development grants to Hoosier women in STEM through its #LLA20for20 Campaign.

“I am so blessed to be able to live this dream, be trusted with this event, and help our community grow,” Lauryn concluded.

Member Profile - Yolanda Ward-Jones

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 13:31:00 GMT

Yolanda Ward-Jones was recently recognized as the Women & Hi Tech Volunteer of the Year at the 2019 Holiday Networking Event held at The Montage. Since she discovered the organization at its 20th Anniversary Celebration, Ward-Jones has provided programming volunteerism for several Women & Hi Tech events, including Ignite Your Superpower (IYS), the OperationALL male allies training event, among others.

“I was invited in April to attend the Women & Hi Tech 20th Anniversary Celebration event. The timing was so great because I knew last year I wanted to get more involved with some organization. I knew I could do more,” Ward-Jones said. “The 20th Anniversary Celebration program was so organized and so impressive that evening. I knew Women & Hi Tech was what I wanted to pursue and where I wanted to engage to give my time. Since then, every chance I had, I attended and showed up where I could.”

Ward-Jones has worked at Sallie Mae for 30 years and has been part of Information Technology most of that time. Today she is a Scrum Master leading two teams through the development and deployment of key features and improvements in Application Development software. And at the end of each sprint we host team iteration reviews/demos, where each developer shares the work they completed during the specified sprint. “I keep the work moving forward, but also help us look back,” she said. “I come up with interesting retrospective exercises for the team as we reach landmarks, commitments, and business objectives.

Ward-Jones went through training and became fully certified as an Advanced Scrum Master when the waterfall environment changed to agile. “Today, we are turning over code so quickly every ten days I need to find a new path to a new set of goals. Or rather, make sure my team is not encountering blockers on their path. When something comes up that is a barrier, there already wasn’t time for it to be there. We work together to focus, meet goals, and have fun.”

She pointed to the recent college students that were part of the Sallie Mae summer internship program as examples of the kind of potential that can be nurtured with the right opportunities. “Internships and job shadowing allow students to see what it’s like to work in a STEM environment. The students learn about the kind of challenges and collaboration that make the work rewarding,” she said. She believes creating more of these opportunities is one important step that companies can take to accelerate STEM innovation and cultivate diverse talent. In addition to her volunteer work with Women & Hi Tech, Yolanda has also gotten involved in Women of Agile Indy. There she has become a mentor to a young woman who has just become a Scrum Master.

One of the reasons Yolanda wanted to step up and get more engaged in the STEM community is the feeling that change is underway and that it’s gaining momentum in Indianapolis. “I have recently met many women in technology, which is very encouraging that more women will have the opportunity to advance into IT leadership positions. I hope awards, like this honor from Women & Hi Tech, and just showing up and being engaged exemplifies why more women should be in STEM leadership,” she shared.

“I also started thinking about opportunities to help kids in the K-12 school systems learn about the basics of coding and what it looks like when it’s applied,” she said. That curiosity drove her investment in a product called Smart Gurlz, as seen on Shark Tank. These dolls appeal to both genders as an opportunity to achieve missions by completing coding tasks. “I love talking on an individual level and taking action as a volunteer, but I also loved the idea of an opportunity to leverage my financial power to bring a product to the market that could help kids appreciate the basics of robotics and software without me even needing to be involved at all.”

All of this engagement points back to the reason Yolanda has thrown herself gung-ho into the Women & Hi Tech organization and won the award for 2019 Volunteer of the Year. “When I look at Women & Hi Tech, I wish I had encountered an organization like this many years ago in my STEM journey. I now realize that I did not get full exposure to the STEM opportunities available to me. As a blue-collar person or young woman or both, you need someone to want to get that message to you. You need someone to see your potential and encourage you in math, science, engineering, technology, or whatever industry of the future you haven’t been exposed to yet,” Yolanda said. “The community service opportunities and professional development opportunities that Women & Hi Tech provide to support women STEM professionals and to expose young girls to STEM represent the full spectrum of what someone could want from a professional nonprofit organization.”

Yolanda, Women & Hi Tech deeply appreciates your energy and the commitment you bring to our organization. Thank you for all you do to elevate and promote our mission, and congratulations again for being named the 2019 Women & Hi Tech Volunteer of the Year.

Women & Hi Tech Announces Andrea Morehead as the 2020 Leading Light Awards and Scholarship Gala Emcee

Tue, 31 Dec 2019 13:30:00 GMT

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.

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.

Grown from STEM: December Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Sat, 28 Dec 2019 16:02:00 GMT

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

As 2019 comes to a close, it provides us an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments and achievements of this illustrious organization, Women & Hi Tech. 2019 began with Women & Hi Tech declaring a year-long tribute to our 20-year history with a theme of “Celebrating our Past and Investing in our Future.” From launching this monthly “Grown from STEM” newsletter featuring Board profiles, Passport To Hi-Tech at Connor Prairie, our Spring Networking Event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and multiple Executive Women’s Forums ending with Jessica Gendron discussing “Putting your Self-Confidence into Action” to Ignite Your Superpower at IUPUI, the Fall Retreat at French Lick, OperationALL for our male allies, and our Holiday Networking Event at the Montage, we have spent this year celebrating the history and legacy of this fine organization.

To invest in our future, Women & Hi Tech exceeded our goal of raising $20,000 and awarded over $30,000 of scholarships and professional development grants to future female STEM leaders during our 20th Anniversary Celebration in August. This level of annual financial impact was a first for Women & Hi Tech, along with my election as the first Woman of Color and/or African-American to serve as President. Women & Hi Tech has also made significant strides in expanding its collaborative impact in this state by forming and/or capitalizing on significant partnerships with like-minded local organizations including The Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, Pass the Torch for Women, Girls, Inc. of Greater Indianapolis, IvyWorks, and Every Girl Can STEM. We look forward to identifying opportunities to continue to grow supportive partnerships as Women & Hi Tech continues to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

And 2020 is going to be another strong year for Women & Hi Tech, as we continue to focus on increasing and/or improving diversity, equity, and inclusion of women in STEM in Indiana. Notably, Women & Hi Tech will kick off our 2020 programming with our first “Special Edition” Executive Women’s Forum entitled “A Double Whammy or Triple Threat” focused on the Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM on Feb 5th, where we will address topics, such as privilege and empathy. Women & Hi Tech’s Leading Light Awards on October 1, 2020 will be bigger and better than ever as we also recognize our male allies and our equity and inclusion champions. But for now, on behalf of our all-volunteer working Board of Directors, I would like to send heartfelt appreciation out to all of you for your dedicated support of Women & Hi Tech’s mission over the last 20 years, now, into this new decade, and the distant future.

In this 12th edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce you to our board members who have specialized in education at the collegiate and university levels. We invite you to meet Georgia Miller, a visionary whose ideas and action culminated into this very organization as a co-founder and Past President of Women & Hi Tech. Before retirement and beyond establishing this auspicious organization, Georgia was a recognized and esteemed leader building collaborative and productive relationships between Indiana businesses and higher education institutions. Women & Hi Tech’s Collegiate Outreach Director, Merri Beth Lavagnino, also had an extensive career in information security and privacy in academia before recently transitioning to an executive corporate role. Both ladies have been key in connecting Indiana academic and business institutions. Please read more about Georgia and Merri Beth and how their backgrounds and passions for connecting business and academia to support women in STEM fuels their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year Everyone!

Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D.
Women & Hi Tech President
President@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Georgia Miller

Sat, 28 Dec 2019 16:01:00 GMT

In 1999 when Georgia Miller invited a group of women to meet in the IUPUI library, none of them knew they were part of what would one day be called STEM. They were all women working in business IT or information systems roles; one or two women per company among many male employees. But the gender gap wasn’t the only potential Miller saw to draw the women in the room together.

“My focus in education has been connecting business and academia,” Miller explained. “When I saw the room full of people and later heard from other women who couldn’t make it but wanted to meet again, I knew we had something of value. Business people don’t tend to stay engaged with academics. That combination is what really gave us the strength.”

After a few meetings, the group decided to officially organize as Women & Hi Tech, with Miller and fellow founding member, Joyce Boadt, serving as co-Presidents. “That’s not a great idea as a matter of practice, but we both had a technical side and a people side so it worked well for us. She was finding the biology and science pieces of the foundation. Because I was on the business side, I knew lots of people in business, education, and information systems.”

Miller skipped programming and went straight to the systems part of early information technology. “Systems thinking or systems perspective is the most useful tool I could give anyone,” she says. “You can’t make decisions in isolation without looking at the environment and the intended and unintended consequences of your decisions.” She believes the work of Women & Hi Tech today is directly related to the potential for better systems thinking. “STEM is how you expand the environment,” she said. “You can add data and science to every other industry in life. Informatics is how it came into shape at IU—this idea that information and use of analytics around data is part of every profession.”

Miller was hired in a tenure track position at IU Bloomington Kelley School of Business in 1976. At that time, she and two other women hired the same year were the first women to ever be hired to tenure track positions in the School. After the first years, she integrated Business School administration with faculty roles, and in 1993 she made a transition to the administrative side of academia. Georgia became the Executive Director of Integrated Technologies at IUPUI and transitioned through four other roles before transferring to IUPUC in Columbus. In 2010, she was awarded Outstanding Woman Full-Time Faculty Leader at IUPUI, and on her retirement from IU in 2016 the Business Advisory Committee created a scholarship in her name for students who exemplify systems thinking skills.

When asked to reflect on the lessons of her over 40-year STEM career in Central Indiana, Georgia says “The thing that has been most important to me is mentoring. Encouraging young women to find a home that works in their world.” She has been amazed and proud to see the strides in outreach that Women & Hi Tech has made to mentor women & young girls and believes that the organization will continue to facilitate opportunity for all backgrounds.

“As our group has grown right along with the importance of STEM, our recognition of all the categories that includes has been impressive. I know we will continue to intentionally seek opportunities to recognize and encourage those from business and academic backgrounds, to promote members of all genders, creeds, and walks of life,” Georgia said. “The organization is doing an amazing job of this already and is only headed to greater heights. We all want the same thing in our hearts and now have to model the behavior of integration so it’s no longer women vs men, us vs them, but a community where we all work together.”

LinkedIn Profile

Board Profile - Merri Beth Lavagnino

Sat, 28 Dec 2019 16:00:00 GMT

Merri Beth Lavagnino caught her STEM bug where many passions for knowledge are inspired—in a library. In her case this was the library of Temple University, where in the early 1980’s Lavagnino was tasked with helping digitize the library’s punch card system. “Since I was in a library, I was surrounded by women doing tech. For the first half of my career, most of the people I knew doing information technology were women. It never occurred to me there were reasons women like me in other places might need to be encouraged.”

As a child, Lavagnino got the same impression that women had a rightful place in STEM from her mother, who enrolled at Indiana University in 1949 and graduated with a degree in chemistry. She got a job at Eli Lilly, where she met Lavagnino’s father. “When she got pregnant later in the 1950s, they forced her to quit,” Merri Beth shared. “She told us that story a lot. Even after us kids were in school and she went and got her master’s and got re-hired by Lilly, she never forgot. Interestingly, she never talked about men not recognizing her contributions,” Lavagnino added, “but that’s what you hear women struggle with today in lots of STEM roles. We are not fighting for rights like that ability to work at all or to get paid maternity leave. I hear more talk of unspoken and under the radar barriers today.”

As she chose to focus her expertise in information security and privacy at the university level, Lavagnino left the library to take a role at Indiana University. Up the ladder, she found herself surrounded by male peers. That is when she started to relate more to the stories of other women in tech and their struggles even on an administrative level. “In 2005 when the Office of Women’s Affairs reached out to me and asked for ideas about how to help women in these roles, I jumped at the opportunity to sign up.” Through her network she found Women & Hi Tech in 2009. She got engaged as a volunteer and supported the organization’s efforts. In 2018, she joined the corporate engagement committee. “We conducted a survey of our corporate sponsors to learn what they want and need from their sponsorship, and how we can work together to take Women & Hi Tech to the next level,” Lavagnino said. “One thing we learned is that many sponsors are willing to host Women & Hi Tech events at their workplaces. We’re excited to roll out a pilot event in 2020 and provide members more exposure to the diverse, world-class STEM companies in the Indianapolis area.”

While the committee work was wrapping up, Lavagnino saw an open board position for collegiate outreach director. She didn’t even know the position existed before, but applied, and was elected to take the reins of Women & Hi Tech’s work with Indiana colleges and universities. “Darcy Lee was president when I was nominated, and she charged me to take our reach beyond Indianapolis to all corners of Indiana. I have now connected with every college in the state. I have also set up panels featuring Women & Hi Tech members from industries like engineering, IT, and science for many colleges and universities within the state. Our member-panelists share experiences as professionals, and when possible speak alongside alumni from the host university.” It’s a great opportunity for Indiana collegiate women in STEM to be exposed to Women & Hi Tech members who are leading female STEM practitioners in this state, and to learn from them tools and tips to successfully navigate corporate and academic STEM cultures and environments after graduation

Lavagnino was also excited to see the results of her collegiate outreach manifest in the Women & Hi Tech 20th Anniversary scholarship applications. “I shared our 20th Anniversary scholarship opportunity with every college in the state, and we awarded over $25,000 of scholarships to students from Notre Dame to IU Southeast--the very top to the very bottom of our state. That doesn’t just mean our reach has extended, but also sends back the signal that there are incredible women rising in STEM careers and education across Indiana.” Women & Hi Tech is excited to invest in developing a robust pipeline of female STEM talent throughout Indiana.

Merri Beth thinks Women & Hi Tech has an important role to play in continuing that momentum. “The events we host like Ignite Your Superpower and Passport to Hi-Tech don’t just expose girls to STEM opportunities, they connect those opportunities to college campuses in our community. That young person carries the memory of their experience every time they pass that landmark.” She went on to acknowledge this is also a deep responsibility. “Current members should feel fortunate to have connected with this organization that is built on 20 years of extracurricular volunteer work by professional women and men dedicated to our mission. Even after a long time as a volunteer, it did not occur to me that Women & Hi Tech does not have a single staff person until I joined the board.” One of Lavagnino’s hopes for the organization 20 years from now is to have transitioned to a more formal infrastructure with staff members, an office, and an executive director. “That would enable Women & Hi Tech to respond to some needs faster, set more goals, and expand our programming to reach more women, girls, and members of the STEM community.”

For now, as the organization continues to be operated by an all-volunteer working Board of Directors, Lavagnino is confident the organization will continue to exceed its mission in the years ahead. “Our events allow people to share experiences and explore perspectives,” she said. “That value is why our group has lasted 20 years and continues to grow today.”

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Grown from STEM: November Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 03:02:00 GMT

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

I hope this message finds you all doing well and spending some quality time with loved ones. This is the time of year to step back and reflect on the many blessings, people, and great things happening around you.

As I think about Women & Hi Tech’s 20th Anniversary year, I am proud and grateful of all the accomplishments of our organization. This has been a BIG year for Women & Hi Tech, from our Executive Women’s Forums to the Spring Networking Event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Passport to Hi Tech, Ignite Your Superpower, our fabulous 20th Anniversary Event, Celebrating Our Past and Investing in Our Future, while giving over $30,000 in scholarships and grants to extremely deserving young ladies and women pursuing STEM degrees in Indiana. These events were followed by the Fall Retreat in French Lick, our 2nd Annual male allies event, OperationALL^TM – Lead Like an Ally, as well as countless other womens’, girls’, and equity and diversity events our Board of Directors and members support regularly by attending, volunteering, presenting, and speaking on panels. The accomplishments of Women & Hi Tech in advancing our mission of changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all is nothing short of amazing!

All of this is only possible because of the hundreds of passionate and enthusiastic women and men that volunteer their time and talents at our events and programs each year. In addition, we are so thankful for our dedicated annual corporate, event, and scholarship/grant sponsors who support Women & Hi Tech and our mission. To our members, volunteers, sponsors, and my fellow Board Members, THANK YOU for all you do and for continuing to support and believe in Women & Hi Tech’s mission. Because of all of you, Women & Hi Tech is an organization that continues to thrive and make a positive impact on equity and inclusion in the STEM fields here in Indiana.

In this eleventh edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce you to Carol Ganz, the Board of Directors’ Membership Administrator and Active Emeritus Member, Rajinder Heir. Carol and Rajinder are both in the technology field, but took very different paths to get there. Both of these women have made major career successes, including significant philanthropic contributions at Women & Hi Tech, to advance equity and inclusion of women in the technology field. Please read more about Carol and Rajinder and how their backgrounds, technical aptitude, and passion for equity and inclusion inspires those around them and fuels their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

With Gratitude,

Rebecca Bormann
President-Elect
Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors

Board Profile - Carol Ganz

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 03:01:00 GMT

For many Women & Hi Tech members, they pursued a STEM field from a young age. However, for unique individuals like Carol Ganz, the journey to the STEM industry has been a lifelong and interesting one.

“I actually graduated college with a degree in agricultural marketing,” said Ganz. “I had original goals of joining the Chicago Board of Trade. I also eventually became a professional chef and worked 12 years for a heating and cooling company. Eventually a friend of mine said ‘Come work for my tech company.’ I said, ‘Doing what?’ and she said, ‘Don’t worry, we will figure it out.’”

That leap of faith into the unknown world of software sales and development has proven to be a good one for Ganz. Since joining Indianapolis-based Six Feet Up in 2006, Ganz has served in a variety of roles. However, the majority of her tenure has been spent as Director of Client Experiences.

“I started as a project manager,” said Ganz. “I was handling some of the office management, such as in the construction and renovation of our new offices. But because of my people skills, I ended up coming into sales. Now I’m focused on client experiences and client relationships. I want to make sure everyone gets that white glove experience, from the smallest to the largest client. In the end, I’m all about being an advocate.”

It’s that same commitment to advocacy that drove Ganz to join up with Women & Hi Tech roughly six years ago. She spoke about her love for helping and interacting with those around her, particularly when mentorship is involved.

“I wanted to be somewhere you could really make a difference. That’s one of the same qualities that drew me to the organization, getting to go and talk to people, help people, and mentor them. In fact, it’s great even if it’s accidental mentoring. You could just be having a meeting with someone, and suddenly something you’ve said ends up moving the needle for them in a positive direction.”

In her second year on the Board of Women & Hi Tech, Ganz has truly utilized and enhanced her people and organizational skills as the Membership Administration Director. Retrospectively, Ganz’s board tenure began as a voluntarily assumed non-voting board role to assist the Board of Directors to operate the group’s member management system ensuring that sponsors and members alike got the most out of their membership experience. Ganz showed such expertise, leadership, and value in this voluntary role with her management and interpersonal skills that the Board created a new voting position that Ganz currently holds. In this board role, Ganz leads and supports the operational infrastructure by which Women & Hi Tech interacts with corporate and individual members in the community. All along the way, Ganz has found the community to be one of the most important aspects of Women & Hi Tech.

“I knew that I needed to find my tribe. I needed people who spoke my same language, people who knew how to help me get my feet under me as far as the sales side of things go,” said Ganz. “Women & Hi Tech lets you meet people in your community, and often times those folks are on your same level.”

That sense of camaraderie and working with your peers has blended effortlessly with the organization’s dedication to helping members find their voice and their position. This understanding of independence, agency, and personal choice is what Ganz thinks sets Women & Hi Tech apart from other organizations.

Women & Hi Tech realizes that “[y]ou don’t always have to work upwards to increase your span or impact. Horizontal movement and lateral connection can be and often are just as important or effective. Not everyone wants to move up a corporate ladder. They just want to do something that they have passion for and be an agent of change and improvement in their environments or communities,” said Ganz. “Every little thing you do can affect someone, even if it feels like nothing to you.” Ganz points to Women & Hi Tech’s passion for helping others and growing inclusivity as cornerstones of the organization’s mission and future.

“Everyone has become more aware that what they’re doing affects others and folks are more and more understanding of the importance of being inclusive. We discuss these needs all the time. For example, Women & Hi Tech’s OperationALL is a program to invite male leaders to hear what others experience in the STEM workplace and how to be a champion of increased inclusivity. Even our Executive Women’s Forum is based around networking with peers from other organizations. There’s always that importance of reaching out to those around you to help people grow. That’s my passion, and I get to explore it in this organization.”

Over the last several years, Women & Hi Tech focused its mission on diversity, equity, and inclusion of all women in STEM, including at all ranks and reach of any organization, including our own. For example, Women & Hi Tech currently has its first woman of color as President, a clear demonstration of the organization’s dedication to diversity at all ranks of our own organization. And, while we are nowhere close to where we’d like to be, Women & Hi Tech continues to make purposeful advances to ensure that our organization continues to include, expose, inspire, support, and promote all women in STEM.

When asked about the next 20 years of Women & Hi Tech, Ganz wants Women & Hi Tech to continue the journey for inclusivity, regardless of where on the gender spectrum folks may fall. “I want to see gender and sexual orientation not be a discussion, but an accepted inclusion metric across the board. Whether you identify as bi, queer, pan, or gender fluid, I want it to be a non-discussion and for everyone to be honored for who they are. If we can make Women & Hi Tech a safe space for all, including gender fluid and non-cis people, I’ll be happy,” said Ganz. “We need inclusive to include everybody.”

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Board Profile - Rajinder Heir

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 03:00:00 GMT

Variety is the spice of life for Rajinder Heir. The Women & Hi Tech Active Emeritus Board member and former Director of Corporate Sponsorships has led a life in STEM that weaves its way through a plethora of sectors and life experiences. Though Heir first joined the board of Women & Hi Tech in 2013, the Indianapolis-based C-suite tech executive has been familiar with the organization since its inception.

“I was on the membership roster several years before joining the Board,” said Heir. “I was struck by the professional breadth of members, as well as the opportunities for networking.”

Once Heir joined the board, she quickly found a home and purpose working to strengthen and grow the partnerships that help drive Women & Hi Tech. While the organization always knew the importance of the sponsorship process, Heir saw a chance to make a difference by revamping the materials used to cultivate sponsor relationships. “I saw a need for promotional materials that would put the organization’s best foot forward,” she said. “The foundation built by others was a good jumping off point. I set out to create a new stakeholder experience to communicate the value of engagement with Women & Hi Tech.”

When asked about her inspiration, Heir said one word comes to mind, “Empathy, “recalling how she felt for a governmental agency relying on IT services she was managing as COO during a data center shutdown. Similarly, “I immediately put myself in the shoes of these businesses and organizations, some of whom may not have heard of us. It was my responsibility to be a brand ambassador for Women & Hi Tech in the Corporate Sponsorships role.” In doing so, Heir utilized her leadership skills and professional relationships to help grow awareness and exposure of the organization resulting in increased corporate sponsorships for the organization.

Though Heir didn’t have specific STEM role models growing up, she found encouragement from her father who shared his early experiences as a new immigrant from India to the United Kingdom. “My dad arrived in the UK with no English language skills and endeavored to advance his family in challenging times. Myself, I didn’t learn English until I was 5, but it quickly became my favorite school subject, even in college. By happenstance, I met with an education and career advisor, who referred me to a technology program that I was accepted into.”

Heir said it didn’t take long for her interest in the tech industry at-large to grow. “I became consumed by writing code. The structure and logic of it resonated with me.” With a Bachelor’s in Computer Technology with Honors, Heir’s career to date has spanned a variety of fields, which include telecoms, insurance, a high tech software start-up, non-profit, consulting, and the government sector. In particular, after a professional stint in government as Chief Operations Officer of a large IT environment with over 7000 users, Heir has found her most recent position at ESI Technology Advisors, a local long-standing veteran-owned leader in IT solutions and consulting.

Heir’s professional leadership experiences also fueled her engagement in the Indianapolis community. Her insights about the local community were particularly enhanced by her experience in the competitive Stanley K. Lacy (SKL) Executive Leadership Series and the FBI Citizens Academy program. “I hold these two paradigm shifting community leadership programs in high regard. Each had an impact on my outlook, especially as it pertains to the local community.” In addition to her commitment to Women & Hi Tech, Heir has served on the board of Girls Inc., as Chair of the Technology Task Force and on the Technology Committee for Park Tudor School.

As a regular mentor to students pursuing STEM, Heir recently had a chance meeting with a young mentee that reinforced the current positioning of Women & Hi Tech. “I was mentoring a male IU student who was close to graduation. I thought about his desired career in tech, and realized that we need to meet men where they are, especially those aspiring middle managers.” “In more than one hiring capacity, I’ve seen first-hand the challenges of gaining a diverse applicant pool for roles, like Network Engineer, for example.”

Women & Hi Tech continues to recognize the critical importance of male allies in the leadership journey for women in STEM. Heir also recognizes and appreciates Women & Hi Tech’s current focus on increasing engagement of male allies in middle and executive management of women in STEM through its OperationALL program. In this regard, the organization has also created an OperationALL Male Allies Award that will have an inaugural presentation at the Leading Light Awards on October 1, 2020.

When asked about her hopes for the future of Women & Hi Tech, Heir said she wants to see men take advantage of the broad array of opportunities to get involved with this organization through volunteer, board, and/or committee positions. “We have an opportunity to shine a spotlight on men who endorse the mission of Women & Hi Tech; those that walk the talk and practice what they preach.” While larger corporations often have internal programs to support such diversity and inclusion efforts, we also need community organizations like Women & Hi Tech to engage and recognize our male allies in small businesses, startups, academic, governmental, and non-profit STEM sectors. Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are important for the benefit of all individuals and businesses in the Indiana STEM community.

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Grown from STEM: October Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 12:02:00 GMT

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

Fall is officially upon us! Tis the season where the days draw short, the air turns brisk, and the leaves change to beautiful autumn hues. Notwithstanding the weather, Women & Hi Tech recognizes that there is no off-season or out-of-season for issues related to opportunity, equity, and inclusion of all women in STEM in Indiana. Therefore, Women & Hi Tech continues to provide strong programming and events to address these relevant and current issues.

In September, we convened our Fall Retreat at The French Lick Resort for an overnight educational excursion focused on connection, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Retreat attendees dressed in their best 1920’s flapper or gatsby attire, before arriving at the beautiful West Baden Hotel Veranda offering fall foliage, an exceptional buffet meal, photos in a classic car, dancing, games, and gifts. In the spirit of diversity and inclusion, Women & Hi Tech was pleased to welcome our first male attendee this year at the Fall Retreat!

In October, Women & Hi Tech also hosted over 200 registered attendees at our OperationALL^TM event, a training program focused on providing tools for increasing gender inclusion in the workplace. OperationALL is an annual professional development seminar uniquely tailored for male allies, friends, and supporters of Women & Hi Tech to focus on increasing equal opportunities for promotion and advancement of women in STEM fields. This year’s interactive program was facilitated by local and highly-acclaimed leadership trainer, executive coach, and keynote speaker, Julie Kratz. Each attendee also received a complimentary copy of Julie’s book, ONE: How Male Allies Support Women for Gender Equality.

On November 18, 2019, Women & Hi Tech will host our final Executive Women’s Forum (EWF) of 2019 entitled “Putting Confidence and Self-Worth into ACTION!” This program will be facilitated by Jessica Gendron, President of The Center for Leadership Excellence (see more details in the article below). Primarily focused back on the female STEM population, this professional development seminar will provide tools and tips on how to build confidence and remove “limiting beliefs” as an important step in the career advancement of women in STEM.

Finally and in response to overwhelming request following the inaugural program in 2018, this event series by Women & Hi Tech will also include a Special Edition EWF entitled “A Double Whammy or Triple Threat Part II: The Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM.” This program will be held on February 5, 2020 and will feature a privilege exercise, followed by a dynamic panel discussion featuring diverse female leaders across all facets of STEM. Please save the date, as registration will open soon.

Women & Hi Tech is very proud to offer resources that continue to focus on increasing diversity and inclusivity in STEM in Indiana, and this tenth edition of “Grown from STEM” is no exception. Women & Hi Tech would like to introduce you to our board members who manage technology projects and/or products. More specifically, we invite you to meet the Secretary of Women & Hi Tech’s Board of Directors, Kelly Ragle, a product manager for a cybersecurity company. Emeritus Member, Ali Hromis, also manages computer software solutions for her IT company. Both ladies play key roles in how their corporate customers and clients interface with new technology product solutions. Please read more about Kelly and Ali and how their backgrounds, business acumen, and passion for driving inclusion for all women in the technology sector of STEM fuels their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Sincerely,

Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D.
Women & Hi Tech President
President@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Kelly Ragle

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 12:01:00 GMT

Kelly Ragle likes to think she’s been a woman in tech since the age of eight years old. Her first introduction to a computer was in second grade, when she discovered one in the basement of her friends’ house. She became fascinated by the computer, and luckily her friend offered to help her learn how to use it (with her dad’s permission of course). Kelly learned quickly how to navigate the screen, use the mouse, and of course, play computer games.

Since the first day she saw that computer, Kelly knew she’d always be connected to technology in some way.

Fast forward to October 2012, and Kelly had just moved to Indianapolis from Chicago. Though technology had been in the background of her career in other cities like Chicago and Atlanta, her role in Indy was in the IT department of a logistics company. This meant a return to her roots, since she had studied Business and Information Systems at IU. And one day, a lightbulb went off that she needed to find other women in tech.

“When that realization hit me, I turned to Google right that minute,” Ragle described. The search result she landed on was Women & Hi Tech. “I joined as an individual member that night. It was just me saying, I know that my tribe includes women in tech fields, and I need to find them.”

Ragle began volunteering with Women & Hi Tech as soon as she could, staffing their holiday toy drive gift table and helping with networking events. “It was a way to get in front of people more easily,” she explained. Ragle’s eagerness and dedication to volunteering for Women & Hi Tech led to her being named the 2017 Volunteer of the Year by the organization. This led Ragle to meet and form close relationships with board members, and when 2018 board applications opened up she decided to self-apply. She is currently serving in her second term as Secretary of the Board of Directors.

“With 15 active board members and 5 active emeritus members—there is a lot of information reported by board members to the board every month,” she said. “It is ridiculous how much we accomplish and as Secretary I get to make that success visible to the Board of Directors. I also make sure we talk about all the important things we need to during the 90-minute meeting we have each month.”

Ragle’s ability to help the Board stay on track and see each project to completion is supported by her certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute. After moving away from IT support to manage projects for Simon Property Group, she accepted at Pondurance a little over two years ago, and now serves as their Product Manager. Pondurance is an Indianapolis-based cybersecurity consulting and managed services company, with a Security Operations Center that is staffed 24/7/365. Ragle served as product manager and helped guide the development for Pondurance’s very first product to compliment their 24/7/365 threat hunting and response service.

“There’s a lot of elements of project management in product management. On other types of projects, the budget or schedule or goals could be wildly changing. But with product management, there’s a lot more of the people component. And the product may never be complete,” she added. “Part of my ongoing role is to help our team build the product into something that is continuously more valuable for current and new users alike.”

Ragle also has thoughts about how to build Women & Hi Tech into an organization with more constant value for new and current members. “Every week we get new sponsors, which means new members,” she said. “With over 1500 members, it’s becoming apparent we need more regular opportunities to both network and volunteer, because its guaranteed someone in our membership will always have that need.” Ragle also pointed out that even today, outside of begin an event volunteer or a board committee member, there aren’t numerous opportunities to get involved with the organization between being an individual or corporate member and being a full-fledged board member. “Expanding what engagement opportunities come in between that space provides opportunity for those 1500 members (and counting) to get involved in a different way.”

When Ragle thinks of the future ahead for the girls and boys that all learn more about STEM through Women & Hi Tech’s programming, her outlook is bright. “We may not be able to close the gaps for girls everywhere, but we can step in to close them here where we live,” she said. “Girls with interest in STEM will encounter barriers at all different points of their lives, it’s not guaranteed to happen by a certain age or in a certain way. They must have safe environments going into high school and college.” “I love being a woman in tech in Indy and getting to pave the way for those who come next.”

“We have so many companies here that have created the cultures in tech and STEM where diverse people are welcome, and desire to be here,” she concluded. “The more that happens, the more attractive Indiana becomes. Those companies leading the way with diversity are the ones who can pave the way. Others hold them up as role models and will emulate what they are doing to succeed.”

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Board Profile - Ali Hromis

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 12:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech’s Leading Light Awards has become a cornerstone of the organization’s premiere event lineup. It gives the organization a chance to identify and elevate women who have made waves in the STEM field, particularly those who have acted as tenacious innovators throughout their career.

While the awards are undoubtedly a team effort, Ali Hromis played an important role in the 2018 iteration of the Leading Light Awards, a long-standing, biennial event for Women & Hi Tech. Hromis showed great dedication to the cause and helped to make the celebration memorable.

“We knew we wanted the Leading Light Awards to give meaningful recognition to the women who deserve it” said Hromis. “With the help of a great committee, we were able to make it the largest Leading Light Awards to date and I am so grateful to have helped.”

Hromis joined Women & Hi Tech back in 2014, after her mentor and former Women & Hi Tech President, Rosanne Burge, urged her to connect with other women in tech in Indianapolis. . She was encouraged to check out the Leading Light Awards, as well as the Executive Women’s Forums. Hromis was impressed with the programming and felt inspired to engage as a member. After her contributions to the 2016 Leading Light Awards, Hromis joined the board as the first Leading Light Awards Director. When the 2018 ceremonies rolled around, she was given the chance to lead the planning and execution of the entire experience.

Hromis’ efforts focused largely on growing awareness and recognition of women who have contributed to the advancement of STEM in Indiana. Though the awards are already Women & Hi Tech’s most visible event, the 2018 Leading Light Awards landed over 600 attendees. In addition to the spike in attendance and awareness, Hromis worked to attract over 120 nominees for the various awards and scholarships, as well as adding an important new award category.

“We gave out over $15,000 in scholarships that night. Women & Hi Tech already gives 20% of our sponsorship dollars for scholarship, but community partners contributed even more,” she said. “We also rolled out the Change the Landscape Award. We created it to honor a driving force in changing the landscape for women represented in STEM.” Hromis looks forward to all of the improvements she and her team implemented during the 2018 program to be capitalized upon at Women & Hi Tech’s 2020 Leading Light Awards being held on October 1, 2020 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, which she expects to be even bigger and better than ever.

Hromis’ journey into STEM began somewhat unexpectedly. While attending Valparaiso University, she studied marketing and business as opposed to technology. Though she greatly values her area of study, Hromis said her decision was based in some part on societal expectations.

“I was a girl and wanted a job where I could make money, so I was supposed to be a business major, right?” she said. “My other options were something like law or medicine, but those didn’t appeal to me. I didn’t even consider studying technology.”

After graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2011, Hromis joined the team at Apparatus, a technology firm in the Indianapolis area. While she would end up working in technical roles, her first position at Apparatus was primarily based in tech marketing. She eventually moved into a role analyzing business processes and their supporting systems, which inspired her to learn more about technology. Before long, Hromis was excelling at tech companies like Allegient (now DMI) and Project Lead the Way, where she led an IT team.

In 2018, Hromis found a new home at Salesforce’s second largest location in Indianapolis. There, Hromis is a release manager where she coordinates the deployment of code produced by hundreds of engineers.

“I start with ensuring pre-release requirements are met, then plan and lead teams through the release of new code to customers, until the release has been successfully validated and considered complete ,” Hromis said. “I also play a management role. I’m kind of the quarterback of all these handoffs between teams. While I’m not the only one calling the plays, I am responsible for leading the team through the execution of whatever play is called. We continually analyze releases in an effort to make them more enjoyable and valuable for our customers and our engineers.”

When asked to reflect on her experience as a woman in the STEM field, Hromis says that while it started off unbalanced, she’s already seen an improvement with inclusion in the workplace.

When asked the benefits of diversity in the workplace, Hromis makes sure not to mince words.

“I think it’s incredibly important to have women and minorities on the team.. We need diverse opinions and thoughts and approaches to create better outcomes. I also think that women are uniquely positioned for success in a diverse workplace. We have a tendency to be more empathetic. I’m serving the people I work with, so my engineers are my customers. I know they’re under an incredible amount of stress. But, bringing a sense of empathy to the job helps determine a way to move forward without leaving a path of destruction behind you. Through that empathy, we can manage through complex situations in a positive and inspiring way, as opposed to a way that demotivates and discourages those we are leading.

“In short, empathetic roles helps create stronger relationships with our customers but also with our team.”

Though great changes to the industry are occurring nationwide, organizations like Women & Hi Tech are making measurable impact on the Indiana area. When Hromis is asked her vision for the future of Women & Hi Tech, she’s nothing short of excited.

“I see Women & Hi Tech as a leader,” she said. “I want the problem we’re addressing to evolve. I hope our mission continues to expand and morph with the problems themselves .”

But that’s not all Hromis wants out of the next 20 years of Women & Hi Tech. She said that the group should continue to be a champion of inclusivity and a model for those who want to change the world, even if it’s in their backyard.

“Now, I want to help other groups get started. I want to show the types of things communities can do with volunteer time to change the world. You don’t need a huge corporation or a huge sum of money. You can just be a group of passionate people acting as an inspiration to others.”

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Recap of the Women & Hi Tech Fall Retreat at French Lick Resort

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 12:00:00 GMT

This year marks Women & Hi Tech’s 20th anniversary as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization and we have been “Celebrating Our Past and Investing in Our Future” all year! On September 26-27, 2019, an intimate group of Women & Hi Tech members and friends convened at The French Lick Resort to continue our 20th Anniversary celebration at The Fall Retreat with a focus on connection, relaxation, and rejuvenation. In the spirit of diversity and inclusion, notably, Women & Hi Tech was pleased and honored to welcome our first male attendee this year at the Fall Retreat!

Informally, the retreat began on Thursday afternoon with the Women & Hi Tech Board participating in a bowling teambuilding event. Later, retreat attendees dressed in their best 1920’s flapper or gatsby attire, before they paraded through the French Lick/West Baden campus to their dinner venue. Resort onlookers, which coincidently included Dr. Sue Ellspermann, President of Ivy Tech Community College, joined the fun by taking pictures and bantering with the retro-clad group.

The official kickoff of the Fall Retreat occurred with a 1920’s-themed dinner and reception at the beautiful West Baden Hotel Veranda overlooking the fall foliage offered by historic French Lick. In addition to an exceptional buffet meal, the welcome reception included photos and rides in a classic car, dancing, games, and gifts. The evening was capped off with other activities available at the French Lick Resort, including big wins for some ladies at the casino!

Friday began with activity or personal relaxation time. Attendees then enjoyed a lavish brunch before a powerful and inspiring professional development seminar delivered by keynote speaker, Paula López Reck. Paula’s talk was followed by an open, honest, and critically necessary conversation amongst the attendees representing early, mid, and senior career professionals about the importance and necessity for authenticity, equity, and opportunity in STEM professions in Indiana.

Women & Hi Tech sincerely thanks all attendees, sponsors, and supporters of this year’s Fall Retreat. It was truly a historic event to cap off a year of celebrating our 20th Anniversary. If you missed this biennial event, Women & Hi Tech invites you to attend the next Fall Retreat in 2021!

Grown from STEM: September Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 23:01:00 GMT

As I read the stories of the women highlighted in this edition of “Grown from STEM,” I am reminded of two very important lessons I’ve learned during my professional and personal journey. The first is, we are not alone. We are in it together. In difficult times, when trying to navigate a new situation or when we need guidance or a word of encouragement, all we need to do is be brave enough to raise our hand for a bit of help. There are endless numbers of women and men standing by, ready, and willing to help and support us.

The second, is the gift we each have to positively impact the lives of others by being willing to share our stories. Your story could be the one that encourages a young girl to go after that big dream to work at NASA, or it could be the story that provides the confidence a professional woman needs to nail her big presentation. Women & Hi Tech offers women and men in STEM many opportunities to raise our hand for help, to share our stories, and to learn from and support one another through networking, professional development, mentoring, and K-12 or collegiate outreach programs.

In this ninth edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech would like to share the stories of two board members leading the way in their respective engineering disciplines. Former Women & Hi Tech President and current Active Emeritus member, Tiffany White, is the Head of Engineering Operations for all of Defense at Rolls Royce. Linda Hicks, Executive Women’s Forum Director, spent 33 years working in the field of chemical engineering and is currently the VP of Midwest Operations at ECC Horizon, an environmental consulting firm focused on cleanup and investigations. Both of these women have openly shared some of the challenges they’ve faced being in male-dominated fields and why they are so passionate about organizations like Women & Hi Tech that fill a need to support, inspire, and encourage women and girls in STEM.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tiffany White and Linda Hicks, and all the women in the past editions of “Grown from STEM,” for being willing to share their stories! As told by our own outstanding ladies of Women & Hi Tech, these stories consistently inspire and encourage me as I hope they do you as well. Please read more about Tiffany and Linda and how their STEM backgrounds and passion for helping other women and girls fuel their involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Bormann
Women & Hi Tech President-Elect

Board Profile - Tiffany White

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 23:00:00 GMT

Tiffany White has served many roles at Women & Hi Tech. She’s been committee chair, Director of K-12 Programs, Vice President, President, and Past President. But when White, now serving as Emeritus Board Member, speaks about her introduction to the group, she admits it started with some apprehension.

“A girlfriend of mine was on the board and she was putting together an event. At the time the event was to do something with kids, and she wanted me to help her out in fleshing out the program,” said White. “Initially, I resisted. I said, ‘I don’t know I don’t want to be part of a girl group.’ But she eventually convinced me to join the committee as a one-time deal. Unfortunately, she had to leave quickly for a family emergency, leaving me in charge of the event. That turned into Passport to Hi Tech. Next thing you knew, I was part of Women & Hi Tech.”

Where she once worried that setting herself apart as a woman in the STEM world might be a negative impact, White now says the organization has been nothing short of a godsend.

“It shows you the power of the group. It shows you the power of women supporting women. You can still be known for your abilities and accomplishments but having that network of other women backing me up has done a lot for my career and my personal development.”

Throughout her career in STEM, White has always been one to push back against naysayers or barriers. Even now as a role model for young girls, she’s taken a big shine to providing encouragement in places where there may be a lack of it. As a high-schooler, White said she had a great experience in her biology and chemistry classes, but there was pushback to the notion of her continuing into a science field.

“I ended up choosing to take physics next in high school. My mom, while she wasn’t being mean, expressed concerns that it would be too hard for me. But I’m one of those people who will set out to prove anyone wrong who says I can’t do something,” said White. “In the end I really loved it, the way that physics explained and quantified the world. When I decided I wanted to pursue STEM as an engineer, I was again told that it would be too hard for me as a girl. But, obviously I wasn’t going to let that stop me.”

Starting off at Purdue University in 1988, White explained that the negativity toward women in the STEM space was evident. She recalled one incident in which she had missed a class, and asked a friendly male classmate for his notes.

He said, “Oh sure, I can give you my notes. I’ll photocopy them for you. He did and later slipped them under my dorm room door. But when I got the notes, I saw that he had taken a black Sharpie to all the equations, meaning I couldn’t do the homework. It was an attempt to prevent me from moving forward.”

While pursuing her degree in aerospace, White was like many other students who dreamed of working at NASA. However, after the recession of 1992, there was a dramatic rollback of jobs in the aerospace fields, as well as space travel. White eventually put her name up for any contract job she could find, and eventually found a spot at Rolls Royce in Indianapolis.

“I kept saying just get me in the job and I’ll prove myself. I started as a parts expediter and eventually made my way into a proper engineer role.”

But White had no intention of stopping there, and she didn’t. Since then, she’s worked on and headed up nearly every department one could imagine when it comes to aircrafts and defense technology, including electronics, control systems, engines, and even turbines. In fact, White is now the Head of Engineering Operations for all of Defense at Rolls Royce.

White looks to organizations like Women & Hi Tech for providing support and leadership to women and girls in the STEM field. But she also knows that the next 20 years for Women & Hi Tech means opportunities to serve a greater population of individuals.

"Passport to Hi Tech is wonderful, but it’s a paid event. I felt that we weren’t spending enough time with disadvantaged youth and people of color. That’s why I developed Ignite Your Superpower, which has been concentrated on exposing minority girls to STEM. It’s a free event where we partner with schools so that girls with more limited exposure opportunities get a STEM day on a college campus."

“I want to make sure that going forward, everyone has access to the fantastic programs and resources we provide. For me, that’s great progress.”

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Board Profile - Linda Hicks

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 23:00:00 GMT

To say that Linda Hicks’ tenure with Women & Hi Tech started off with a bang is a bit of an understatement. After years of being a leader and mentor in the chemical industries as a chemical engineer, Hicks was awarded the “Mentor Me” Leading Light Award in 2014. Since then, she has been a steady contributor to the organization, continuing to pursue her two loves: STEM and guiding young women.

“I was drawn to the organization because I like the way they nurture these young ladies. It provides a way for female STEM professionals to feel confident in themselves. Part of it comes from networking and being around other like-minded women, especially ones who are quite accomplished. But it’s also a personal development thing. It gives you the chance to zero in on what you really love to do, what you’re good at, and how to get yourself to that next level.”

As the Director of the Executive Women’s Forum, Hicks has done just that by building programming that is relevant not only to many STEM fields, but on an individual level.

“I want to make sure the programming is relevant and helpful to people, and that’s only done through communication and listening to other members and attendees. I hear about what they’re struggling with, as well as the possible solutions, and I go out and target the right relationships to find the right speakers,” said Hicks. “I leverage my own relationships, but I also leverage the relationships that other board members have, as well as ideas that I hear from our members. I try to meld all those ideas together, so that I can put something on that’s meaningful to our community.”

Hicks had an interest in STEM from a young age. Her father was an electrical engineer, and she grew up in a family that stressed self-confidence and self-discipline. Hicks said that, “He had a vision that me and my sisters would be independent, both financially and in our careers. He saw the possibilities in his own field, and he encouraged me to do something technical.”

Hicks would eventually pursue engineering, however she chose not to follow in her father’s electrical footsteps. Instead, she decided on a chemical engineering program. When asked what prompted her to study chemical engineering, she explained with a laugh that while she was already interested in chemistry, another factor solidified the decision.

“Frankly, the only reason why I chose chemical engineering is that I went to a class in high school at Carnegie Mellon where they introduced female students to a variety of engineering types. I saw that chemical engineers made the most. I figured if I’m going to be an engineer, that’s the route I should go.”

When she enrolled in classes at Grove City College, she was pleased to see that over a quarter of the individuals in the chemical engineering program were women. However, she’s first to admit that the sample size was perhaps a bit too small.

“Out of 11 of us, five were women. It was weird, we thought that the demographic would be the same when we entered the professional world. But those numbers dropped drastically once I started working. I immediately recognized that there were fewer and fewer women as peers.”

As Hicks entered the professional world at Reilly Industries (now Vertellus Specialties), she found not only was there a lack of women in her field, but also a lack of respect for women. While working her way up through maintenance engineer, process/project engineer, and eventually on the executive team leading global technology, she encountered unfair and unprofessional treatment from male counterparts.

“I started my engineering career at a time when there were very few female engineers in the workforce, and quickly learned that the work was anything but 'glamorous' I got a big dose of “educated women” not being welcome or as good as the educated men. The dynamics were not friendly, to say the least. There were Playboy pin-ups proudly displayed in male colleague workspaces, trade shows with “Miss Snap-On Tool” parading around, no female bathrooms to be found at plants, constant tests to see if I would climb a ladder to the top of a 120’ tower or crawl inside a boiler because I was the “tiny one,” the pipe grease in my hard hat, and secret meetings that I wasn’t invited to. It’s amazing I could do my job given all this 'stuff' going on, but I did. And I did it well. I persevered and made it clear that not only was I not leaving (there would be a price to pay for touching my pink hard hat) and more importantly that I was a great engineer. With this, the constant harassment diminished to a low hum and I was given a seat at the table more often than not.”

After a round of buyouts at her company in 2017, Hicks said she was ready to retire after 33 years. However, she was soon contacted by ECC Horizon, an environmental consulting firm focused on cleanup and investigations. Though most of her experience came from chemical manufacturing, Hicks said her commitment to lifelong learning on the job has helped her to become a leader in a very different industry than her primary one.

“I slugged it out for years and became obsessed with learning every single facet of chemical engineering. That included some levels of environmental work. When we started discussing me coming aboard as VP of Midwest Operations, it all came flooding back. This process of learning on the job and of being a life-long learner, have made me a more well-rounded engineer and leader.”

When Hicks reflects on her journey through STEM, as well as her time with Women & Hi Tech, she said she’s grateful for the chances given to young women by organizations like this one,” said Hicks. “I think number one, there are more women engaged in STEM and there are better ways to get women in STEM connected with each other. I love that. I wouldn’t have even known how to connect with other women when I was first starting out. There are so many ways that a young woman can get support that I never had.”

When asked what she thinks of the next 20 years of Women & Hi Tech, Hicks paused and did a little self-reflecting.

“I think it’s always good to mentor and to be open to mentoring and helping others. I think…I hope, that I’m seen as someone who is approachable, eager, and willing to help another woman looking to advance to the next level,” she said. “I hope the organization continues to grow. I hope the organization continues to find great pathways in the city so that the influence and impact multiplies. I hope we continue to stress diversity, and prove to others that the best teams are teams that respect and leverage differences.”

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Call for Applications for Women & Hi Tech Committee Members

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 12:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech has been positively impacting girls and women in STEM in Indiana for twenty years. In this milestone year, Women & Hi Tech is seeking candidates for five committees to help continue fulfilling our mission of changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

Women & Hi Tech is run by an all-volunteer, working Board of Directors and we don't take the term "working board" lightly. As such, Women & Hi Tech is seeking committee member candidates who are actively engaged with the organization or would like an opportunity to become more actively engaged with the organization. Ideal candidates will also bring wisdom, experience, effectiveness, candor and creative thinking to the organization via their committee role.

The Nomination Committee for Women & Hi Tech will elect one or more candidates for the following committees:

Multiple committee role applications by a single candidate are permitted. Qualified male and female candidates, including diverse candidates, are highly encouraged to apply. All applications will be reviewed by the Nomination Committee. Applicants must be Women & Hi Tech members in good standing at the time of initial voting and must remain in good standing throughout their committee tenure.

Once selected, new committee members will begin their positions on or about November 15, 2019 and most committee roles will last for about 1 year. If a committee role is extended by the Committee Chair, high performing committee members may be asked to extend their tenure on the committee. To assist you with applying for one or more committee roles, please click the links above for descriptions of the open committee positions.

To apply for one or more committee roles, please complete this form by October 15, 2019.

About Women & Hi Tech
Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve our goal, we work to advance, promote, support, recognize, and connect female STEM professionals in our community in Indiana.

Women & Hi Tech Combats Brain Drain at Ignite Your Superpower!

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:00:00 GMT

On August 22, 2019, Women & Hi Tech partnered with Conner Prairie and Indy Women in Tech to host the 3rd annual Ignite Your Superpower (IYS) STEM day on the campus of IUPUI. Around 700 middle school students from central Indiana schools participated in IYS for a day full of fun-filled STEM activities and events featuring more than 30 different corporate, academic, and non-profit exhibitors.

Studies have shown that girls lose interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) as they get older.¹ This was a trend that the founders of Women & Hi Tech recognized 20 years ago, which has increasingly mobilized the organization to provide programs, events, and scholarships that cater to K-12 girls.

“Many girls, particularly diverse young ladies, not only receive a message that they aren’t good at math and science, they also do not have an opportunity to see STEM professionals that look like them or with whom they share common experiences. So STEM is never presented in a way that intrigues or inspires them to pursue it,” said Angela B. Freeman, President of Women & Hi Tech.

“This same dilemma is perpetuated in rural communities where there are also limited opportunities, for boys and girls alike, to be exposed to the breadth of STEM careers and female STEM professionals that are available. For many of the attendees, IYS is also the first time they have ever set foot on a college campus or been exposed to what is required to go to college. It’s a very empowering and inspiring day for us all,” Angela noted.

During IYS, groups of students were teamed with one or more of the 50 teachers and chaperones and over 150 volunteer "Superheroes" from the Indianapolis STEM community. These adults led the students through the exhibits and activities, providing the students with time to explore interactive presentations, watch live demos, eat lunch, and work with some of the coolest tools and gadgets available in STEM.

“With our K-12 outreach we are trying to reach every corner of Indiana and make diverse students aware of the opportunities in STEM,” said Amanda McCammon, Women & Hi-Tech’s K-12 Outreach Director. “That means calling on our local STEM community partners to serve as exhibitors and presenters to help us inspire the talent of the future to stay focused and interested in STEM, and ideally to stay in Indiana.”

Ignite Your Superpower is an annual event achieved with the support of a coalition of community partners. Women & Hi Tech is very grateful for all of our friends and allies that continually and loyally support our mission by inspiring the next generation of STEM innovators through programs like IYS.

Pictures from the 2019 event are available online at: https://womenandhitech.org/2019-Ignite-Your-Superpower

For more information about IYS, please contact us at WHTInfo@Womenandhitech.org

¹Choney, Suzanne (2018, March 13). Why do girls lose interest in STEM? New research has some answers — and what we can do about it https://news.microsoft.com/features/why-do-girls-lose-interest-in-stem-new-research-has-some-answers-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/

Grown from STEM: August Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Sat, 31 Aug 2019 14:15:00 GMT

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

With the close of August and the dawn of fall comes a long Labor Day weekend, and the final flickers and glows of the spotlight we have had shining on The Women & Hi Tech 20th Anniversary Celebration throughout this year. Proclaimed to be “Women & Hi Tech Day” and “Women in STEM Day” in the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana, respectively, on August 16, 2019, Women & Hi Tech celebrated its 20th year of successfully effecting change to advance women in STEM in Indiana with the theme of "Celebrating Our Past and Investing in Our Future." Women & Hi Tech was also presented with an entry made into the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Record, our nation’s history, to honor the 20th Anniversary of Women & Hi Tech by Congresswoman Susan Brooks of Indiana's 5th District.

To "Celebrate Our Past” at the event, the co-founders and the founding member were honored with awards, while all past and present board members were recognized. To “Invest in Our Future,” the organization exceeded its goal of awarding $20,000 in scholarships and grants via its #WHT20for20 campaign, and with the help of key partners, Women & Hi Tech awarded over $30,000 to 17 deserving and diverse women and girls pursuing STEM fields in Indiana. The evening was capped by dancing and music from the band, Liquid Groove, along with custom 20th Anniversary and STEM cupcakes, a candy table, and live 20th Anniversary “Grown from STEM” plant party favors. Click here to see photographs by Faith Blackwell Photography of The Women & Hi Tech 20th Anniversary Celebration - a truly historic occasion.

As a final conclusion of our theme “Celebrating Our Past” in honor of our 20th Anniversary and to continue to highlight so many women who have provided significant contributions to this organization through their service on the Board of Directors (as shown to left), Women & Hi Tech would like to focus on our women in science. More specifically, this month, we are featuring women of our past and present board who are biologists, chemists, geneticists, neuroscientists, meteorologists, physicists, and more. As a former molecular biologist turned patent attorney, I am particularly excited about this feature since I know and represent so many female scientific practitioners in academia and industry, including both of these ladies with whom I worked at Eli Lilly & Co.

In this eighth edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech would like to show special appreciation to co-founder, Past President, and the “passion behind the progress,” Joyce Gustafson. By training, Joyce is a biologist who now directs business processes, strategies, and quality control within the life sciences industry. Networking Director for Women & Hi Tech, Maria Alvim-Gaston, Ph.D., is a pharmacist, an organic chemist, and now a pharmaceutical chemist. Please read more about Joyce and Maria and how their STEM backgrounds, business acumen, and passion for helping other women drives their support and involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Sincerely,

Angela B. Freeman, M.S., J.D.
Women & Hi Tech President
President@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Maria Alvim-Gaston, Ph.D.

Sat, 31 Aug 2019 14:05:00 GMT

If there is one word that you could use to describe Maria Alvim-Gaston, it’s passionate. She has passion for her work as a pharmaceutical chemist, but even more for the work she does to help young women get into a STEM field. Right now, Alvim-Gaston is in her second year as the Networking Director for Women & Hi Tech, but her journey to this position started when she was a child.

Raised in Brazil, she knew that she wanted to be a pharmacist, but that had different connotations where she grew up. “In the culture that I am from, as a woman, my father and my family had some ideas of what they wanted me to be. They thought a pharmacist was just someone that worked behind the counter at a drugstore. I had to break a lot of barriers to educate my parents because they weren't educated, they didn't go to college.” Alvim-Gaston’s parents worked at a manufacturing plant and strove to give each of their children a better life through college education. “But there was still this stigma growing up in Latin communities that there are jobs for girls and there are jobs for boys.”

This perspective didn’t stop her though. In fact, it motivated her to help change the landscape for women who wanted to pursue careers in the STEM field. “I wanted to make sure that the new generations to come don't go through that. There is no such thing as a ‘girl’ job and a ‘boy’ job–there are just jobs. Whatever you're passionate about and you have a talent for it, you should do it independent of your gender, ethnicity, or background.”

Alvim-Gaston had a drive to succeed as a woman in the STEM field that followed her throughout her education at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, where she received a BS in Pharmacy and a degree in Industrial Pharmacy and eventually a Masters in Organic Chemistry. She continued to University of Mississippi where she was part of the Medicinal Chemistry PhD program. The completion of that program brought her to Eli Lilly in Indianapolis where she has worked in Computational Chemistry and Operations Discovery. She is now the Principal Research Scientist in the External Innovation group, where she lends her scientific expertise to expand access of scientific discoveries to scientists working outside of the pharmaceutical industry.

It was during her time in Discovery Operations at Eli Lilly that she met Joyce Gustafson, co-founder of Women & Hi Tech. Joyce introduced her to Women & Hi Tech, so that she was able to really focus her passion for gender equality in the STEM field. “Joyce was part of my group. We were colleagues and Joyce invited me to some of the Women & Hi Tech events. I liked the STEM field and I liked to volunteer to give back to the community–especially to help minorities. I wanted to see more Latino women get involved and see that it's okay to be in STEM. That is my main passion and motivates me to give back.” Before becoming a board member, Alvim-Gaston spent five years volunteering for the organization, where she spent a lot of time mentoring young women.

Through that time as a volunteer, she noticed the dedication of those who volunteered beside her. “I realized that organizations like Women & Hi Tech do important work because devoted full-time employees, full-time mothers, and full-time academics find time to make other generations understand the importance of STEM. Groups like Women & Hi Tech help young women reach the same levels of success as the women they meet at our events and see as role models. This is done through scholarships, through mentorships, through leading by example in order to give back to younger generations.”

After seeing how much the organization impacted the lives of others, she took on the role of networking director. As the networking director, Alvin-Gaston realized something very quickly, “For an organization to be powerful, have members, and make an impact, you need to make sure that the members are engaged. As networking director, I am able to bring in others and create opportunities for women to interact with other women in STEM. Sometimes, if you are an engineer, you are with engineers. If you are a scientist, you are with other scientists. So, networking gives people the opportunity to bring different parts of STEM together. Once you create those opportunities you can then bring in young talent to be part of it. We don't want an organization full of one generation.”

Age isn’t the only thing she is concerned with, as diversity within the organization is also important to her. “We bring in a diverse group of people. We try to reach out to Latinos, African-Americans, Asian Americans, etc.… in order to expand opportunities in STEM to these communities. As networking director, I wanted to use my background to focus on creating more diversity and make the organization reflect the community that we live in.”

Alvim-Gaston remains optimistic and looks forward to continuing to work with Women & Hi Tech as the organization sets its sights on even newer generations and older ones as well. “We are trying to reach kids from kindergarten through STEM days at Connor Prairie. We provide scholarships for women to go back to school in order to create career opportunities , not just for young people, but also for women who are already in science but need a certification to further their careers. We mentor these people to help them navigate the STEM field, because we have already been through that.”

Through her vast experience in STEM and passion to invoke change, Alvim-Gaston knows the importance of continuing to see more women succeed in STEM while making strides towards more diversity within the Indianapolis community. “The goal of our organization is to empower women to reach the highest positions within the STEM field. We are, through our work at Women & Hi Tech, changing the landscape of Indiana one woman at a time.”

LinkedIn Profile

Board Profile - Joyce Gustafson

Sat, 31 Aug 2019 14:00:00 GMT

Joyce Gustafson has a lot of experience being a woman in a STEM field. In her current role for the Jackson Laboratory as the Director of Process Development and Improvement on the East Coast, Gustafson helps ensure that laboratories around the world get the testing components they need so that they can fight diseases. To achieve this role, she originally trained as a cellular biologist and then moved into recruiting with a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at Eli Lilly.

Throughout her career there has been one organization that has really helped her grow as a professional woman working in the sciences. “Being involved in this organization helped me feel confident in my leadership abilities so that I could create, grow, and lead an organization that would be successful. It gave me the confidence to pursue those types of leadership opportunities in my professional career and hopefully it’s done the same for others.”

The organization that she is talking about is Women & Hi Tech, and she knows a lot about the impact it has made on not only herself but the Indianapolis community at large, because she is one of two co-founders of the organization.

The foundation of Women & Hi Tech was laid when Gustafson struck up a conversation with Georgia Miller in 1994, while Gustafson worked for Eli Lilly. “Georgia and I met at a local conference in Indianapolis about Business Development. We were trying to develop more of a culture for tech companies to come to Indianapolis.” They knew that if Indianapolis wanted to become a tech hub, that the companies that already existed needed to think a lot about diversity. “There's this huge room with lots of people and only a handful of women and very little representation outside of middle-aged white guys.”

Miller and Gustafson bonded over their shared experiences of what it’s been like to be a woman working in STEM. However, this conversation never stopped but grew into what we know as Women & Hi Tech today. But it didn’t happen all in one day. In fact, the organization sprang from humble beginnings. “I knew quite a few women who felt the same way, so we just started to bring women together to say, ‘Hey is there room for an organization for professional women in the Sciences and Technology?’” The answer to that question was a resounding yes.

As they started this endeavor, they found that there was a welcome place for it within the Indianapolis community. Gustafson elaborated, “Not only were we accepted, we had a lot of interest from the start. I think that the time was right for quite a few companies who came on board fairly early. They saw the importance and the need to get more women involved and interested in STEM careers as we started out.”

As they dove in, they discovered that the lack of involvement of women in STEM was no coincidence. It was actually deeply rooted in the culture and affected girls at a very young age. “We realized that our recruiting process shouldn’t stop at women who are currently in the field. We needed to go back as far as we could by getting young girls interested in math and science.”

Gustafson saw a way to not only get these young girls interested in STEM but inspire them as well. “One of the studies show that one of the main reasons that girls weren’t getting into STEM was that they didn't have role models. They didn't see women in anything except for traditional careers. If you looked at the media and even in the schools, there wasn’t a lot of exposure to women who were in science or technology.” This was why it was important for Gustafson to start recruiting the people who would be the mentors for the next generation. But, this proved to be a bit more difficult than she thought.

“Recruitment was kind of difficult because women weren't staying around in careers where they felt like they had very limited opportunities for advancement. Our goal was also to make companies aware that they were missing out on talented employees by excluding 50% of the population.” She has seen more women take on leadership roles at many major companies in the area. A lot of these same women take time out of their day to help at Women & Hi Tech.

Gustafson has been thrilled to see the number of talented women who have stepped up to fill key roles within Women & Hi Tech, “One of the things that gives me the greatest degree of satisfaction about what we’ve done is that it's 20 years later and the organization is still there and to realize how many incredibly talented women have stepped up taking a role.” Gustafson knows that each one of these women are making a big impact, which comes with the sacrifice of their own precious time and energy which is, as she puts it, “amazing.”

When asked what she wanted to see happen with the organization in the next 20 years Gustafson hopes that true equality can be achieved and that there won’t be the need for organizations like Women & Hi Tech at all. However, Gustafson recognizes that this is still something we need to fight for. In the meantime, “I would just like to see the organization grow and continue to support women at every stage of their STEM journey–whether they're in grade school, graduate school, entering their first job, moving to their first leadership position, or running their own company.” Thanks to the efforts of Joyce and her fellow co-founder, charter members, and founding members, girls and women have the opportunity to start on all those paths when they get involved with Women & Hi Tech.

LinkedIn Profile

Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20th Anniversary, Announces Recipients of Scholarships/Grants

Sun, 18 Aug 2019 14:00:00 GMT

The Women & Hi Tech 20th Anniversary Celebration was held on August 16, 2019 at The Willows on Westfield. The organization celebrated its 20th year of successfully effecting change to advance women in STEM in Indiana, with the theme of "Celebrating Our Past and Investing in Our Future."

Darlene Quashie Henry, Associate General Counsel and Head of Securities and Corporate Transactions, Legal at Elanco Animal Health opened the evening by welcoming all to celebrate the history and legacy of Women & Hi Tech.

Next, Angela B. Freeman, President of Women & Hi Tech, also welcomed the sold-out crowd to the celebration. "Tonight, is a very special evening where we are 'Celebrating our Past and Investing in our Future'," stated Angela. "We will be recognizing our founders, charter members, and founding members who planted a seed in Indianapolis two decades ago to elevate women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math or STEM fields. That seed has continued to be cultivated by our Women & Hi Tech Boards of Directors, sponsors, and members over the past 20 years. This nurturing has 'grown from STEM' one of the most influential non-profit organizations in Indiana for uplifting and advancing professional women and encouraging young girls to pursue their passions and opportunities in STEM."

The evening featured a video vignette showcasing the 20-year history of the organization, including a look at technology from 1999; Women & Hi Tech's Spotlight awards, which has evolved into the highly prestigious Leading Light Awards; and the organizations extremely popular Passport to Hi-Tech and Ignite Your Superpower (IYS) STEM days.

Women & Hi Tech was presented with several honors during the celebration to commemorate it's 20 years of helping women in Indiana claim their share of STEM opportunities.

*August 16, 2019 was declared "Women & Hi Tech Day" as presented by Angela Smith Jones, J.D., Deputy Mayor of Economic Development for the City of Indianapolis on behalf of Mayor Joe Hogsett,

*August 16, 2019 was declared "Women in STEM Day" as presented by Tracy Barnes, Chief of Staff for the Office of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch on behalf of Governor Eric Holcomb,

*An entry was made into the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Record by Congresswoman Susan Brooks of Indiana's 5th District.

To honor the past 20 years and the receipt of the amazing honors from our city, state, and federal government, Dr. Allison Barber, President and COO of the Indiana Fever, then led the crowd in a two-part champagne toast acknowledging standard gifts to celebrate a 20th Anniversary, such as platinum, representing strength and endurance, and emerald, representing vitality of spirit. “Cheers to Women & Hi Tech, an organization that is strong and enduring and has vitality of spirit,” exclaimed Dr. Barber.

In "Celebrating our Past," Women & Hi Tech presented Founders awards to Georgia Miller and Joyce Gustafson for having the wherewithal to establish a network of like-minded and similarly positioned women. That network has ‘grown from STEM’ over the last 20 years to what Women & Hi Tech is today, an organization comprising of almost 2000 members, 50 sponsors, and multiple partners. Georgia was present to accept the award, while Women & Hi Tech President, Angela B. Freeman, accepted the award on Joyce Gustafson's behalf. Jo Basey was also recognized as the organization’s first treasurer and most senior emeritus board member. Notably, Jo is the only founding member that has remained involved with the organization over its full 20 year history.

"Investing in our Future" is a Women & Hi Tech tradition. The organization exceeded its goal of awarding $20,000 in scholarships and grants, and with the help of key partners (i.e., SIM Indy, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Pondurance, CDM Smith, and Startup Ladies), awarded over $30,000 to women and girls pursuing STEM fields in Indiana to 17 recipients as follows.

Women & Hi Tech Scholarship & Grant Recipients

(1) $2,000 Women & Hi Tech Undergraduate Scholarship

*Renee Forfa, Purdue University, Cybersecurity

(1) $2,000 Women & Hi Tech Graduate Scholarship

*Katherine Ramos, The University of Notre Dame, Mechanical Engineering

(1) $2,000 Women & Hi Tech Undergraduate Scholarship

*Tapiwa Mzumara, Ivy Tech Community College, Biology

(2) $2,000 Women & Hi Tech Professional Development Grants

*Poonam Gill, Nonprofit Executive Leadership

*Claudia Gibson, Certified Flight Instructor

(1) $2,500 Women & Hi Tech Graduate Scholarship

*Maribel Hernàndez, IUPUI, Addiction Neuroscience

(1) $2,500 Women & Hi Tech Undergraduate Scholarship

*Mckenna Hillsdon-Smith, Purdue University, Biomedical Engineering

(1) $5,000 Women & Hi Tech Graduate or Undergraduate Scholarship - Dual winners awarded $2,500 each

*Amanda Goodridge, Indiana University, Computer Science

*Daphne Fauber, Purdue University, Engineering Technology

Women & Hi Tech Partner Scholarship & Grant Recipients

(1) $2500 SIM Indy/Women & Hi Tech Undergraduate Scholarship

*Madelyn Sturgeon, University of Southern Indiana, Civil Engineering

(1) $2500 SIM Indy/Women & Hi Tech Graduate Scholarship

*Rrezarta Krasniqi, The University of Notre Dame, Software Engineering

(1) $2500 SIM Indy/Women & Hi Tech Undergraduate Scholarship

*Megan Singer, Purdue University, Electrical Engineering

(1) $2000 Barnes & Thornburg/Women & Hi Tech Patent or Corporate Law Scholarship

*Jennie Christensen, Notre Dame Law School, IP/Technology Law

(1) $1000 Pondurance/Women & Hi Tech Cybersecurity Scholarship

*Kelsey Billups, Purdue University, Cybersecurity

(1) $1000 CDM Smith/Women & Hi Tech Civil Engineering Scholarship

*Sidra St. Rain, Purdue University, Civil Engineering

(2) Startup Ladies Memberships for Entrepreneurship (valued at $600 each)

*Julia Miller, Purdue University, Mechanical Engineering/Entrepreneurship

*Thien Vo, Eli Lilly & Co, Medicine Development Analyst/Entrepreneurship

Event attendees also enjoyed custom 20^th Anniversary and STEM icon cupcakes and live 20^th Anniversary “Grown from STEM” plant party favors before, live band, Liquid Groove, kicked off the dancing and “Celebration” with the same titled song by Kool & The Gang, which set the tone to end the evening’s celebratory fun. It was truly a historic and celebratory occasion.

Photographs from the celebration are now online. Peruse over 400 professional photos that were taken by Faith Blackwell of Faith Blackwell Photography during this exciting and sold-out event. It was truly one for the history books!

NOTE: Photos copyright owned by Faith Blackwell Photography. Please cite accordingly.

About Women & Hi Tech

Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve our goal, we work to advance, promote, support, recognize, and connect female STEM professionals in our community in Indiana.

Contact
Women & Hi Tech
133 West Market Street, #220
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2801
WHTInfo@womenandhitech.org

Grown from STEM: July Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 12:01:00 GMT

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

Welcome to a new year of Women & Hi Tech, as we continue our mission of promoting, supporting, and recognizing women in STEM in Indiana! As many of you know, 2019 represents Women & Hi Tech’s 20th year as a non-profit organization successfully effecting change to advance women in STEM in Indiana. Founded in 1999, Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

In honor of our 20th Anniversary, our signature programs and events throughout this year have focused on our theme of "Celebrating our Past and Investing in our Future.” In fact, this very newsletter was launched earlier this year to “celebrate our past,” and recognize so many of the talented female leaders that drive Women & Hi Tech as the all-volunteer working Board of Directors and Emeritus members. We have also strived to highlight a broad spectrum of leadership opportunities, careers, and industries within which women with STEM expertise in Indiana may excel.

In further recognition of our 20th Anniversary, Women & Hi Tech pledged to “invest in our future” STEM leaders by providing $20,000 of scholarships and grants to women and girls pursuing STEM in Indiana (#WHT20for20). We exceeded that goal and will be awarding over $30,000 of scholarships and grants to women in Indiana who plan to remain in Indiana! We are simply thrilled and excited to provide this level of impact to our statewide STEM community, and thank you all for supporting our efforts. These scholarships and grants will be presented to the outstanding award recipients at The Women & Hi Tech 20th Anniversary Celebration Event, Friday, August 16, 2019 from 6-11pm at The Willows on Westfield (6729 Westfield Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46220). Ticket Information Here.

In recognizing past and future female STEM leadership in Indiana, we would be remiss to not highlight present leaders that champion networking and mentorship for the advancement of women in STEM. Notably, the Harvard Business Review recently released an article titled “Women Need a Different Kind of Network Than Men Do.” The article was based on “Research: Men and Women Need Different Kinds of Networks to Succeed ” (Uzzi, Harvard Business Review, 2019) and “A Network’s Gender Composition and Communication Pattern Predict Women’s Leadership Success” (Yang et al., PNAS, 2019). The article states that “[w]omen in the top quartile of centrality who had a female-dominated inner circle found jobs that were 2.5 times as high in authority and pay as those found by peers who lacked that combination…” Id. The article further emphasizes the importance of professional organizations, such as Women & Hi Tech, to help women develop quality networks with limited interconnectivity as necessary to identify and successfully pursue career leadership opportunities.

In this seventh edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech recognizes two female STEM experts in senior leadership roles at prominent local corporations. Gail Farnsley is a Board Emeritus and Past President of Women & Hi Tech, and is the Vice President and Executive Partner at Gartner. Karen Harris is the Volunteers Director of Women & Hi Tech, as well as the Vice President and Information Officer of Manufacturing and Quality at Eli Lilly & Company. Please read more about Gail and Karen and how their technical expertise, business acumen, and leadership skills focused on mentoring, networking, and inclusion have contributed to successful business outcomes and thriving corporate cultures.

Sincerely,

Angela B. Freeman
Women & Hi Tech President
President@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Gail Farnsley

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 12:00:00 GMT

For Gail Farnsley, few things in her journey through the STEM landscape have proven as important as mentorship. Throughout her career, Farnsley has not only benefitted from the presence of mentors, but committed herself to guiding young women looking to make their way in fields related to science and technology. During her time as VP of Gartner, President of Women & Hi Tech, and then later as Outreach Chair, Farnsley has stayed heavily involved in initiatives, planning, and – most importantly – working one-on-one to provide inspiration and mentorship.

“I am a huge proponent of everyone looking for their own mentors and then, in turn, taking the next step and returning the favor with someone new. I think it’s invaluable. I think having that go-to resource helps you get perspective from someone further along in their career. They can really help you sort through the tough questions.” Farnsley elaborated, saying that the role of an advisor is both challenging and rewarding, requiring a light touch and a commitment to helping at every turn. “I reconnect with people I’ve mentored through the years when they have to make a decision. From watching the people I looked up to, I learned that it’s not about giving someone an answer, it’s about helping them think about what questions they should be asking, and what’s important to them.”

Farnsley’s own foray into the world of technology began in high school. Though her parents supported her academic achievements, the idea of college – let alone a career in business technology – was not something that they pushed for.

“I didn’t know anyone who had gone to college. My mom was a waitress, and my dad was a carpenter. I grew up knowing bricklayers, electricians, and plumbers; all of them certainly hardworking, but none of the adults I knew went to college.”

Thankfully, Farnsley was able to turn to an important mentor. She specifically credits her math teacher, who was the first adult she felt really encouraged her to pursue STEM interests. While assisting him for work study, he suggested she try out his new computer science class. Farnsley recalls painstakingly marking computer cards with Number 2 pencils to complete Basic programming assignments and realizing this was something she was good at.

“He was the very first – and maybe only one – who said ‘You can go to college.’ I told him, I can’t afford that, and that my parents couldn’t provide financial support. But he persisted and convinced me that we would figure it out.”

Farnsley enrolled at Bowling Green State University, where she did indeed earn her BS in Computer Science. After graduating, she took her first job as a programmer at Public Service Indiana, later working for Emery Air Freight and Georgia Pacific. It was at this time that she began moving toward the business and management side of computing and technology. Once again, she was able to glean insight from one-on-one advising.

“I was a good programmer, and people suggested I should try to move up the ladder. I came in to IT at a time when there was a pretty clear path. You went from programmer, to analyst, to project leader, to manager. But as someone who didn’t grow up with the adults around me going to an office every day, I didn’t really understand how the business world worked. I was lucky, though, because I had some great professional mentors along the way who helped me. They saw things in me that I didn’t even see in myself.”

But, while Farnsley was quickly making a name for herself in the tech business world, she noticed something off about her work environments. Namely, the demographics that dominated the workforce.

“I looked around and wondered, ‘where have all the women gone’? When I was in college, 40% of the people in my classes were women. Unfortunately, though, it’s gone down every year since. In my first job I had plenty of women colleagues, but as I moved up through leadership the number got fewer and fewer. When I became a senior systems analyst, I got really used to being the only woman in the room. It was rare to have other women to look up to for leadership roles.”

Farnsley began making it a priority to champion inclusivity in the workplace, especially as it pertains to gender equality. During her tenure as CIO and VP at Cummins, she led the Women’s Affinity Group, which supported the recruiting, retention and promotion of women at Cummins. Though things have gotten better over time, Farnsley is quick to point out that it hasn’t been easy.

“I think people are much more aware of the value of diversity. The business case for diversity has been made. The body of research out there is clear. Most people recognize that diverse teams are better teams. You’d have to be willfully in denial to disagree. Diverse teams outperform homogenous teams by every objective metric. But how do you do something about it? That’s a different question.”

Farnsley decided to take matters into her own hands and jumped at the chance to affect change at a higher level by joining the National Center for Women & IT in 2011. There, she led the launch of an alliance of women’s networks across the globe that could help to unite all the resources available to women who wanted more out of the STEM community. Unsurprisingly, one of the founding networks was Women & Hi Tech.

“We talk about these alliances as lifeboat strategies. You’ve got a lot of programs and initiatives to help universities recruit women, or to help companies recruit, retain, and promote women. But still, you have to keep them from leaving. The reality is that women leave their technical jobs at twice the rate of men in midcareer. We had to do something to stop the bleeding. That’s where an organization like Women & Hi Tech comes in, to give you a support group and to be around other likeminded women.”

Farnsley’s tenure at Women & Hi Tech has largely been spent around that idea of lifeboat strategies. She has made concerted efforts to increase partnerships, both at the university and corporate levels, that can help to support women growing in these scientific and technological fields. But still, Farnsley knows that Women & Hi Tech plays many roles.

“I think the organization has kind of a dual purpose. I want to make sure Women & Hi Tech maintains a strong foothold in being that lifeboat, that place that encourages women working in technology. That place where you can go that’s a no-sale zone, where I can just meet with other women and develop both professional and social networks. The other side, the outreach piece, is taking our resources and targeting them where we can make an impact.”

When Farnsley reflects on her time spent with Women & Hi Tech, she speaks warmly and with optimism. Her story of success is one that is drawn from the presence of mentors and the commitment to paying it forward to young women around her. When asked what she hopes for the future, she knows the right questions to ask.

“How do we find partners? Who are the ones who offer great programs who we can collaborate with? How can we support a woman throughout her career, no matter where she’s at. We need to keep leveraging our resources, because there are so many people doing good work for women in STEM, and specifically tech, and we just want to keep connecting, promoting, and encouraging them here in Indiana”.

LinkedIn Profile

Board Profile - Karen Harris

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 12:00:00 GMT

Above all else, Karen Harris believes in lifelong learning and developing others. As Vice President and Information Officer of Manufacturing and Quality at Eli Lilly and Company, and as the Women & Hi Tech board member in charge of Volunteering, she has spent her career growing and developing her own technical and leadership skills, as well as mentoring and fostering others to do the same. Whether in school, on the job, or out forging professional relationships with promising young women, Karen’s story is a testament to the kind of perseverance and persistence found at Women & Hi Tech.

Karen’s journey into STEM began at a young age, thanks to an important role model in her life: her father. “I was already very strong in math and science, but I had a father who encouraged me that the sky was the limit. That motivated me to see what I could do in the field once I got to college.” When deciding what to study at Purdue University, Karen found that she could blend her love of math and science with what she called her “passion for understanding how business works” by pursuing Industrial Management through the Krannert School of Business. After graduating, Karen chose to go into consulting for ERP systems in manufacturing. She soon realized that she would need to pick up new talents and skills along the way to grow her career.

“I like to say my ‘IT degree’ came on the job. Implementing these large software packages required me to learn a lot along the way. I taught myself coding to implement changes in software that the clients requested. I started learning about reporting, databases, hardware, etc. I learned how to write SQL scripts to run data conversions and many other skills added to my technical toolkit along the way. That’s where I built up my strong IT skills and got a chance to combine it with my supply chain background.”

After eight years in the world of consulting, Karen found a home at Lilly in IT for manufacturing and quality. There she held multiple leadership roles spanning across levels of manager, director, senior director, and eventually executive. But while she was learning technical skills in the world of IT, she was also able to pursue another one of her passions: diversity and inclusion. Throughout her career, Karen has been a champion for inclusion and diversity. With Lilly, she chairs the IT Diversity and Inclusion Group, as well as their own Women in IT group. According to Karen, businesses just work better when all are encouraged to be a part of the team.

“At the end of the day a diverse, engaged, and inclusive workforce produces better results. Our patients are very diverse around the world, so I want our team to reflect that.”

After becoming involved in Women & Hi Tech, Karen realized she could leverage her business and recruiting connections to help improve the lives of women not only inside her own company, but across all STEM fields. During her tenure with the organization, she has played a key role in overseeing the volunteer efforts for keystone events such as Passport to Hi-Tech and Ignite Your Superpower! Not only does she get to further the efforts of Women & Hi Tech, but also engage on a personal level with many promising young women in their pursuits of STEM careers. At these events, she said she can usually be found bouncing between the Lilly booth and out on the floor where she can connect with talented young up-and-comers.

“To get these young ladies into majors in a STEM field, you really need to be talking to them in their middle school years. That’s extremely important to drive them toward those science, technology, engineering and math fields.” Motivating young women to go after these areas of studies and careers can be difficult – but to no fault of their own. Often times, Karen explains, it’s a product of the environment.

“Sometimes they already have an interest and you just need to cultivate that to show them what they can do with a STEM degree, which is great. But in many other cases some of these young women may lack role models in their lives. They end up gravitating toward fields that aren’t STEM related because they’re told they can’t or shouldn’t do it. It’s all they’ve been taught throughout their lives. It’s important to open their eyes to what they CAN do.”

But while early intervention and guidance is essential, Karen feels that the efforts of Women & Hi Tech go far beyond convincing women to pursue STEM degrees. “After we’ve encouraged them, it’s then about assisting them through their transition from university to careers. At Women & Hi Tech, they get advice from professional women in how to handle very difficult situations they’ll face. For me, it’s the whole continuum. You have to make sure they have the right support structures as they transition at every step of the way.”

The efforts of Karen and the rest of her passionate peers at Women & Hi Tech have opened doors to the possibility of STEM careers for many young women. Karen says she loves watching the “light bulb flick on” when getting a chance to interact and dialogue with them. But, across the nation, Harris is still disheartened by the lack of progress on a national level when it comes to inclusivity in STEM industries.

“At a very high level, the statistics don’t show that there’s been a huge change. If you were to look at who’s getting computer science degrees in the United States for example, the female percentage is still extremely low, under 25%. It’s been that way for quite some time, so we obviously have some work to do.” But, as Karen points out, Indiana – the headquarters and home of Women & Hi Tech – has been a place of resurgence, renaissance, and change.”

“If we bring it into the microcosm of Central Indiana, I’m extremely excited about all of the strong STEM companies and universities that exist here, and all the different STEM companies and organizations that are coming to Indiana that haven’t been here before. In Indianapolis, in particular, we really are starting to see a movement in organizations like Women & Hi Tech, especially in the way of women – especially young women – are feeling more confident and comfortable pursuing their careers.”

When asked how she feels about the future, Karen’s voice becomes animated and excited. The scholarship funds provided by Women & Hi Tech through their corporate sponsorships and partnerships continually improve the opportunities for young women to pursue STEM degrees and enter into lucrative careers. The growth of the organization is evident by the many events that Harris organizes volunteers, which continue to increase and fill in attendance. That, says Karen, is what Women & Hi Tech is all about.

“I think that the organization is about fostering connections across the different organizations and companies, when you start talking about talent and recruiting talent. You can not underestimate the importance of encouraging that.”

“My hope that all of our events are fully booked out and that we continue to spread the word. If we can provide scholarships for people to help them obtain a STEM related degree, build a professional network, develop their careers, and show them what they can do, we can really catapult ourselves into this tech-driven world.”

As her father did for her, Karen has encouraged her sons to pursue their dreams through STEM related degrees. Her oldest son is in the IT Co-op program at University of Cincinnati and her youngest son will be entering the Engineering program at Purdue this fall.

LinkedIn Profile

Women & Hi Tech Announces New Board Members

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 12:15:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce the Board of Directors for the term that commenced July 1, 2019.

Elected Officers of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

President: Angela B. Freeman, Intellectual Property/Patent Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
President-Elect: Rebecca Bormann, Managing Director of Sales and Services, Bell Techlogix, Inc.
Treasurer: Bobbie LaFollette, Senior Business Analyst, Baker Hill
Secretary: Kelly Ragle, Product Manager, Pondurance

Elected Directors of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Collegiate Outreach Director: Merri Beth Lavagnino, Director, Strategic Planning & Enterprise Risk, Indiana University
Communications Director: Lori Boyer, Software Engineer, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Community Outreach Director: Allison Lipps, Research Operations Coordinator, Indiana Hemophilia & Thrombosis Center, Inc.
Corporate Engagement Director: Joy Neely, Central Area, Regional Business Manager, Roche Diagnostic Information Solutions
Executive Women's Forum Director: Linda Hicks, Vice President of Midwest Operations for ECC Horizon
K-12 Outreach Director: Amanda McCammon, President, Ingenuity, LLC
Leading Light Awards Director: Lauryn Andrews, Project Coordinator Consultant, netlogx
Membership Administrator: Carol Ganz, Director of Client Experiences, Six Feet Up, Inc.
Networking Events Director: Maria Alvim-Gaston, Principal Research Scientist, Eli Lilly and Company
Past President: Darcy Lee, Director of Accounts & Business Development, Metonymy Media
Volunteer Director: Karen Harris, Vice President & Information Officer Manufacturing and Quality, Eli Lilly and Company

Elected Active Emeritus of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Angie Engel, Sales Executive, Perficient
Gail Farnsley, VP, Executive Partner, Gartner
Tonya Hanshew, Proposal Management Team Lead - OLS, Veeva Systems
Rajinder Heir, Enterprise Security Program Consultant, Information Services Agency, City of Indianapolis | Marion County
Wendy Maple, Outreach Consultant, netlogx
Susan Vaughn, CEO, The Project Authority
Tiffany White, Head of Engineering Operations, Defense Sector, Rolls-Royce

Elected Emeritus of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Jo Basey, Retired, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University
Deb Hallberg, CEO, Pass the Torch for Women Foundation
Ali Hromis, Release Manager, Salesforce
Melissa Lavella, Quality Supervisor, Roche Diagnostics
Patsy Lentz, Retired Business Development Professional
Jane Richardson, Executive Director, IT Strategy and Optimization Leader, Cummins Inc.
Audrey Taylor, Founder and CEO, netlogx
Tiffany Trusty, President, Trusty Applications and Manager, Mobile Medial Apps, Eli Lilly and Company

"As Women & Hi Tech continues to recognize our 20th Anniversary as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded here in Indiana, we are excited to welcome four new members to the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors, including Lauryn Andrews, Allison Lipps, Amanda McCammon, and Joy Neely, and to announce Rebecca Bormann as President-Elect," said Angela B. Freeman, President of Women & Hi Tech.

Angela further commented, "as an all-volunteer working Board, our Directors, Emeritus, along with our members, work diligently to promote our mission in order to help recruit, retain, and advance the best and brightest female STEM talent in Indiana. This challenge is no less important in 2019 as it was in 1999, particularly in light of the evolving demographics of our STEM community. As the first African-American President of Women & Hi Tech, under my leadership, our Board will continue to position this organization to have impact and drive change over the next two decades by ensuring that our membership, board leadership, and sponsorships reflect the diversity and inclusivity of the Indiana STEM community that we serve. This is a very exciting time to be involved with Women & Hi Tech as we 'Celebrate our Past and Invest in our Future,' which simply would not be possible without the time, talents, and treasures of all of these women, and so many more who came before us."

To view the biographies of Women & Hi Tech's board members, visit the website at womenandhitech.org/board.

About Women & Hi Tech:
Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve our goal, we work to connect female STEM professionals with each other and our community in Indiana.

Contact:
To learn more about Women & Hi Tech, please contact
Women & Hi Tech
133 West Market Street, #220
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2801
WHTInfo@womenandhitech.org

Grown from STEM: June Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Thu, 20 Jun 2019 12:02:00 GMT

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

Two and a half years ago, while serving as Treasurer, I was asked by the Board to serve as the next President of Women & Hi Tech. It was a surreal moment. I actually looked behind me to see who they were talking to, and said, “You mean me?” Then, filled with emotions ranging from excitement to fear, I cried and said, “Yes!”

Have you had a moment like this in your career or professional life – a moment when someone extended a hand to you and lifted you up? A moment when someone saw something in you that you didn’t see in yourself? A moment when you were scared, but took the leap anyway? A moment when someone shone their light on you? I hope if you haven’t, you will experience this at some point in your life or that you will be the light for someone else.

I’ve learned so much in the past few years. I’ve learned that sometimes the people you think are your friends see you as a mentor, and that mentoring others is an amazingly rewarding experience. I’ve learned that taking the time to understand your own personality and communication styles can make you a better leader. I’ve learned that executing a great vision requires years of planting seeds and nurturing ideas – patience, passion and persistence. I’ve learned that many other women struggle with the challenges of being working mothers, and that although we sometimes think the best path forward is to put down our heads and power through, we’re better off picking up our heads and carving out time to connect with others. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, but I think you get the point.

As I wrap up my term as President, I look forward to continued learning in my role as Past President under our next President, the inimitable Angela B. Freeman, and to celebrating Women & Hi Tech’s 20th Anniversary in August. Thank you to our members, volunteers, committee members, sponsors, community partners, male allies, and to my fellow board members for working together to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. Together, we are making a significant impact on the future of women in STEM.

In this edition of Grown from STEM, we recognize a math lover who has used her talents to help grow Women & Hi Tech’s impact in the community. Bobbie LaFollette is the Treasurer for Women & Hi Tech and a Senior Business Analyst with Baker Hill Solutions. Her passion for technology and finance has made her an invaluable asset to Women & Hi Tech. Finally, although you may know many people with careers in science, technology and engineering, it seems much rarer to find someone with a career in math. So, in this edition, we explore careers for math lovers. If you’re a parent of a young girl who loves math, you may find this article especially interesting!

Sincerely,

Darcy Lee
Women & Hi Tech President
president@womenandhitech.org

Board Profile - Bobbie LaFollette

Thu, 20 Jun 2019 12:01:00 GMT

In 2016, Bobbie LaFollette won a scholarship through Women & Hi Tech’s Leading Light Awards. This put her squarely on Women & Hi Tech’s radar just as the org was looking for its next Treasurer – one who could take the organization to the next level. As a CPA with a background in tech and finance, Bobbie was the perfect fit.

In her two years as the Treasurer on the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors, Bobbie has accomplished a lot. LaFollette originally started out in art and design but circuitously ended up in the world of STEM via accounting. At first, like most young people, she wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to do. “I had an interest in STEM fields and had trouble deciding a major. My initial major was biology, but I also had an interest in art and design. Eventually, I changed college campuses and moved closer to home and totally changed programs. I got my associate's degree in Computer Graphics Technology from Purdue, then I started working at a bank, which is when I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do as a career, though, because I had an interest in finance and accounting and also in software development and design.”

For a while after getting her Associate’s Degree LaFollette worked as a CPA, but then decided that she wanted to get back to her tech roots. She started taking classes at Eleven Fifty Academy where she was introduced to Women & Hi Tech by Tiffany Trusty, “Tiffany was involved with the apprenticeship program at Eleven Fifty Academy. She got me involved with Women & Hi Tech. My career background prior to taking a coding boot camp was mostly banking or accounting related, but I'd diverged from that. I had some experience as a software developer and now I'm a business analyst at a software company.” Currently, LaFollette works at Baker Hill in Carmel developing banking software. She lends a unique perspective in her role at Baker Hill. “I am a business analyst, which is a bridge between development and stakeholders. Given my experience in both development and business, I can relate to both groups and liaise between them.”

LaFollette brought her impressive accounting skills with her to Women & Hi Tech, as well as her insights into software design and coding, to help make positive advancements to Women & Hi Tech’s financial infrastructure. “Since coming on board, I've made improvements in our software systems, and put together more advanced financial reporting packages. These changes have allowed the board to focus more on strategic planning and future growth.” Her contribution to the Board of Directors is a great example of the variety of ways math lovers help support and grow an organization.

As for the next generation of women in STEM, LaFollette believes talking to girls about careers in STEM at a young age can help them understand they aren’t necessarily bound to traditional gender roles, and can help combat real issues young women face, such as peer pressure and confidence. “ If you can reach them when they are younger and let them know of all the opportunities out there, they may realize they have more options than they think." She also believes in the importance of mentoring for female students and professionals in STEM, and that mentoring can be a great vehicle to spread the word about the growing need and opportunities for women in STEM fields. To pay it forward, Bobbie mentors and provides guidance to female students at Eleven Fifty Academy.

“Mentoring and one-on-one interactions help shed some light on how women fit into STEM fields.”

As a Women & Hi Tech scholarship recipient herself, LaFollette also sees scholarships as an important means to help women get into STEM fields. Helping women pay for college is very near and dear to her heart, especially when it comes to young women living in smaller towns who go to smaller schools. She knows the importance of scholarships and grants first-hand. “I came from a family that didn't have as much money, so I relied on grants and scholarships. For some young women, a scholarship can really make a difference. I’d like to see us reach more girls and young women in rural areas and at smaller schools that don’t have as many STEM-related resources as the larger schools.

She sees her role as Treasurer as a way of helping Women & Hi Tech offer more financial aid to those in need. “We have grown tremendously as an organization in the past few years. Having a CPA as the Treasurer helps us continue to grow and advance our ability to fund scholarships and programs for young girls and women in STEM."

LaFollette sees a bright future ahead for young women because of the efforts of Women & Hi Tech. “Because of organizations like Women & Hi Tech that have taken it as part of their mission to purposefully and strategically try and make more women and minorities aware that there are lots of different options with STEM careers, more girls and young women are looking at STEM careers . Years ago, most software development and engineering roles were predominantly filled by men. Because of our efforts and the efforts of organizations like ours, the number of women in STEM-related fields continues to grow.”

LinkedIn Profile

Careers for Math Lovers You Might Want to Consider

Thu, 20 Jun 2019 12:00:00 GMT

As you are probably aware, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. If you have studied the former three fields, there are many career opportunities to choose from. But while math is the foundation of every STEM subject from bioengineering to coding, it’s a little more difficult to pinpoint careers that require a degree in mathematics, specifically. Believing we can’t be the only ones with this question, and knowing there are math lovers and parents of math lovers among us, we put together a list of some of the best STEM careers for serious math lovers. By looking at factors such as the 10-year growth rate we have pinpointed fields that will surely have openings in the future. We’ve also highlighted the male to female ratio and racial diversity within the given careers paths. Finally, we’ve pointed out the egregious pay gaps between men and women so that women know what they’re getting into (and how much to ask for).

(Data updated in April 2023)

Actuary¹

Pay Gap
- $33,000
Male/Female Ratio
- 35% Female

10 Year Growth Rate
- 17%

Racial Diversity
- 76% White

An actuary is a mathematical professional who looks at risks and their financial consequences. They use financial theory, statistics and math to study uncertain futures. They usually work in the insurance field but there is a big need for them in government, banking, healthcare, and various types of consulting firms, businesses and unions. Actuaries are responsible for designing plans that mitigate risk or control the impact of potential losses such as loss of income, unsuccessful financial transactions, loss of life or injury. They also assist with implementing these plans, from financing to operations, so this career path requires a strong understanding of business as well.

Market Research Analyst²

Pay Gap
- $30,000

Male/Female Ratio
- 60% Female

10-year projected job growth
- 17%

Racial Diversity
- 72% White

This job requires individuals to analyze marketing and sales trends in order to forecast potential sales for a service or product – what people want, who will buy them, and at what price. They measure the effectiveness of current marketing strategies and gather data about consumers, competitors, as well as market conditions. Additionally, they have to be able to communicate this information in a way that is understandable to those who don’t have a background in the field. This requires someone who has a background in math, but also someone with great communication skills.

Financial Analyst³

Pay Gap
- $45,000

Male/Female ratio

40% Female

10-year projected job growth
- 6%

Racial Diversity
- 66% White

A financial analyst looks at financial conditions on both a macro and micro economic level and uses their knowledge of business to make predictions about the strengths and weaknesses of a company’s potential financial decisions. Some of the more common roles an analyst is given is to recommend what moves a company should or shouldn’t make when it comes to buying and selling stocks or help analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Companies heavily rely on financial analysts to make sure that a company’s growth is not only stable but increasing. While the salary is high at an average of $115,000 a year, it has the biggest pay gap of all the careers on this list.

Technical Writer⁴

Pay Gap
- $5,000

Male/Female Ratio
- 56% Female

10-year projected job growth
- 7%

Racial Diversity
- 79% White

Technical writers rely on both English and Math skills in order to translate complicated processes in a way the average person can understand them. For example, if a paper is published about the discovery of an exoplanet, which took a complicated series of equations to find, it’s a technical writer’s job to explain how the equations worked to determine that the planet exists. They also talk to engineers and scientists and work to manage the information flow between project teams so that everyone is on the same page.

Key Takeaways:

These careers require great math and communication skills, and the ability to effectively collaborate with other key stakeholders.
These careers often additionally require a sound understanding of business, a strong understanding of human behavior, and the ability to use software databases.
There is a lot of forecasted growth in fields that require mathematical acumen.
Even in fields where women have a majority of representation, there are still monumental wage gaps.
There is a serious lack of racial and ethnic diversity in math fields.

Just as math is at the core of any STEM career, diversity and equality are at the heart of Women & Hi Tech’s mission. Because many of these roles are vital to how any organization functions and grows, it’s imperative that we encourage young women who love math to pursue these types of careers; there is certainly a lot of opportunity and math majors have some of the highest levels of job satisfaction! To find out about more great opportunities in math-related fields, the Association for Women in Mathematics has some great resources. Also, if you’re interested in learning more about math careers, this article features nearly 25 more careers that math lovers can consider.

¹https://datausa.io/profile/soc/actuaries

²https://datausa.io/profile/soc/market-research-analysts-marketing-specialists

³https://datausa.io/profile/soc/financial-analysts

⁴https://datausa.io/profile/soc/technical-writers

Notice of Women & Hi Tech Annual Meeting

Sat, 08 Jun 2019 20:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech members are invited to the Women & Hi Tech Annual Meeting of the Members on June 18, 2019 from 1:30-2:00 pm, followed by the Executive Women’s Forum – You Are More Than Enough. During this meeting, we’ll review what we’ve accomplished together over the past year, some plans for the coming year, and provide the opportunity for you to vote to elect the 2019-2020 slate of the Board of Directors of Women & Hi Tech.

If you plan to attend the Annual Meeting of the Members in person and have yet to register, please CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO ATTEND IN PERSON.

Recognizing how busy everyone is, we are pleased to share that you may also vote electronically (by proxy). CLICK HERE TO VOTE BY PROXY for the 2019-2020 board slate if you do not plan to attend the Annual Meeting of the Members. You will be asked to log in to your Women & Hi Tech account before voting.

Voting will end at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, June 18. Votes received in-person or by proxy after 5:00 pm on June 18, 2019 will not be counted in the official tally for election of the 2019-2020 slate of the Board of Directors.

Thank you for being one of over 1,800 valued members of Women & Hi Tech, and for participating in the 2019-2020 Annual Meeting of the Members. If you have any questions, please contact us at WHTInfo@womenandhitech.org.

Grown from STEM: May Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Fri, 31 May 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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

As May comes to a close, it brings along with it the completion of the biggest and best Women & Hi Tech Spring Networking Event with over 200 friends at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500, as well as the Memorial Day Holiday. In reverence, Women & Hi Tech would like to belatedly salute our veterans, current military servicemen and women, and all of the Gold Star families whose loved ones have made the ultimate sacrifice to provide and protect the freedoms that we, as Americans, so richly enjoy. In their honor, Women & Hi Tech will continue to bring attention to our own local heroes and advocates that support and promote the advancement of women in STEM in this community.

For twenty years, Women & Hi Tech has been a leading force to effectuate change in the landscape of women represented in STEM in Indiana to be equally inclusive to all. To date, our growing number of members, sponsors, and supporters evidence the value and impact that our organization has historically provided to women in STEM through its professional development programs, networking events, and recognition opportunities, such as the Leading Light Awards. These programs and events are brought to fruition through the dedication, hard work, and sweat equity of an all-volunteer working Board of Directors. In continuum of our efforts to recognize our local STEM heroes and to “celebrate our past” during our 20th Anniversary, Women & Hi Tech continues to highlight women who have provided great contributions to this organization through their service on our Board of Directors.

In this fifth edition of “Grown from STEM,” Women & Hi Tech would like to recognize two business leaders who have given their time, talents, and treasures to this organization. Jo Basey is a founding member of Women & Hi Tech who remains a driving force of the organization as she has over its two decades, particularly after her retirement from a trailblazing business career. Rebecca Bormann is an IT business development professional who serves as Women & Hi Tech’s Corporate Engagement Director and focuses her attention on building, growing, and sustaining meaningful relationships. Please read more about Jo and Rebecca and how their STEM backgrounds, business acumen, and passion for helping other women fuels their involvement in Women & Hi Tech.

Profile: Jo Basey, Board of Directors Emeritus

Profile: Rebecca Bormann, Managing Director of Sales & Services, Bell Techlogix, Inc.

Board Profile - Rebecca Bormann

Fri, 31 May 2019 18:00:00 GMT

In 2016, Rebecca Bormann took on the role of Managing Director of Sales and Service for Bell Techlogix, a Gartner-recognized leading IT managed services and solutions firm headquartered here in Indianapolis. “Myself and my peers across the country are the faces of Bell Techlogix in our respective communities. We listen to IT leaders speak about what’s important to them in their organizations, and what functions of IT they need most help with. We also host technology events and participate in national IT symposiums,” Bormann explained. “Bell Techlogix is extremely proud to have predominantly women in these outward-facing roles, and each is highly successful. My peers and I are proud that as female technologists we get to represent women in STEM through our engagement in local and national IT forums and symposiums, presenting at the executive tables and boardrooms of our clients, and building strong and lasting relationships in the IT community.”

Around the same time Rebecca took on her role at Bell Techlogix in 2016 is when she joined Women & Hi Tech. “When I joined, I started out as a volunteer just helping set up for the Leading Light Awards. I quickly realized this is an organization that aligned with my core values and my passions of supporting other women and inspiring and empowering our youth. When I heard about Ignite Your Superpower (IYS) I knew I had to help launch this event. I asked to be part of the IYS exhibitors committee, since I knew that was an impactful way I could contribute,” said Bormann. Her involvement in that committee led to Rebecca’s nomination as Director of Corporate Engagement, where she has served for two years.

Relationships are one of the things Bormann appreciates most about her seat on the board, and also a big part of why she enjoys her business development career. Originally, she was enrolled in pharmacy school, following the footsteps of both her parents. “As much as I have always loved science, after a couple of years working as a pharmacy technician, I knew it wasn’t the career path for me,” she said. So, Bormann dropped out of pharmacy school, did some research about companies she might like to work for, and landed a sales and service job in Verizon’s business division after a rigorous interview process. “Working at Verizon introduced me to the broad world of technology. Tech is continually advancing and changing. I love that there is always something new and different to learn. And I love that with each new IT innovation I get to help my clients learn and advance their businesses.”

In the two years Rebecca has served on the Women & Hi Tech board as Director of Corporate Engagement, both the number of corporate sponsors and the amount of corporate contributions have nearly doubled. “I see our corporate sponsors as vital to Women & Hi Tech’s continued success and growth. Our sponsors directly empower us to make the future of STEM more inclusive to all by enabling us to expand our programming and events that support women in STEM, as well as reaching more girls to inspire them to pursue a passion in STEM. Our corporate sponsors enable us to provide scholarships and grants to females seeking STEM degrees and certifications. And our sponsors allow us to reach more women working in STEM today, by helping us spread our mission within their organizations and encouraging both their male and female employees to become active Women & Hi Tech members.”

When it comes to her predictions for what the next twenty years of growth for Women & Hi Tech will hold, Bormann thinks more robust diversity will be an essential factor. “I believe deeply in the mission of Women & Hi Tech--we need STEM career opportunities and paths to be equally inclusive to all.” Rebecca says she sits at executive IT meetings and across the negotiation table with women more often than she used to, but that breaking down gender barriers is just the beginning of the work required to diversify STEM fields. “Race, religion, age, and socioeconomic backgrounds are all part of changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all,” she said. “Historically, one perspective has dominated these industries."

"We all recognize that advancement and innovation can’t happen in a bubble. Each unique and diverse perspective brings new ideas, new angles, and new strategies that make us, our businesses and our organizations better.”

Bormann says that in the next two decades, she wants the vision and reach of Women & Hi Tech to empower individuals of all backgrounds to have the hope and vision to chase their dreams in STEM. “I want to see us do more to reach out, inspire and teach underserved girls about all the possibilities in STEM fields. I want to see male allies recognized at the Leading Light Awards—much sooner than twenty years from now! I know there will be a day that we will look at our membership and event attendance and see a diverse group of men and women representing all of the STEM fields. This is Women & Hi Tech’s future because from the beginning this organization has been committed to the idea that it takes all our contributions to drive meaningful progress. Whatever that mission looks like in the future, I know we will rise to meet it.”

Board Profile - Jo Basey

Fri, 31 May 2019 18:00:00 GMT

As a founding member of Women & Hi Tech, Jo Basey was one of a core group of women who agreed twenty years ago to take action against the implicit bias they saw in the STEM community around them. “The original intent was to involve, recognize, & promote women in STEM. There were roles we knew women were not getting recognized for taking on, and not getting promoted into because it wasn’t believed women could fulfill them.” Today, Basey remains an emeritus member of the board of Women & Hi Tech, where she feels her role is as a guide to help the organization keep focused on that mission.

“We have come very far in twenty years, but the girls we reach with events like Ignite Your Superpower and Passport to Hi Tech certainly aren’t stepping into management positions or joining the C-Suite of a company any time soon,” Basey points out. “For a while in the nineties, you could point to ten or more large Indiana companies with female CIOs. Now, it’s gone down again. Is that because women aren’t choosing those roles? I’m not sure. But if barriers exist, we need to continue to help raise awareness and break them down."

"When we aren’t at the board table, that means our perspective isn’t actually being included.”

Basey’s own career in STEM was not along a traditional linear path. As the oldest of five children, when she graduated high school, she had acceptances to study pharmacy at both Purdue and Butler. “But I was ready to get married, and five years of school just seemed like too much.” So, Basey got jobs in three different research centers at Indiana University, and didn’t start college until her youngest child entered kindergarten. “I had bosses that would not let me off work to go to school. It wasn’t like it is today. I had to make up any time I took off.” Jo described the hard work of carrying a stack of FORTRAN computer cards between campus buildings in the middle of the night to check her programming work. “My husband would say when I was crawling in bed at 2am, ‘What are you doing? You know you have three kids? You know you have to be at work at 8am?’ But I was determined to do this.”

Though Basey’s studies for her business degree involved learning computer programming, she never ended up working an IT or technical job. The Indiana University MIS research center where she worked was able to stretch five years of funding from an IBM grant into eight while they were developing The Information Management Affiliates Program. Kelley School of Business decided to keep those efforts as part of the Indiana Business Research Center. This early coalition focused on helping IT decision makers deal with pressing issues in their fast-changing field. “I’m not tech savvy so to speak, because I never had to apply it myself. I was staffing the programs to teach executives what they needed to know. I listened to the membership as to what kept them awake at night, what topics were on their list of worry and why? We then found the people the best at solving those issues, because they had already tackled them. They had success or failure stories to share. Our approach was, let’s come together and talk about this stuff, not reinvent the wheel.”

Basey’s experience with building contacts and her network of connections are part of the foundation of Women & Hi tech today. “In the early years I helped identify not only speakers for our forums, and potential corporate sponsors, but also suitable board members.” Jo also served as Women & Hi Tech’s treasurer for seven years, where her talent stretching a budget would find more application. “One of our first goals we achieved was hosting the Leading Light Awards, the first one in affiliation with Lilly Women’s Network and Women in Business. We didn’t give any scholarships or awards—just paying for the food was scary enough. But we kept doing it. Today, there’s a heck of a lot more of a cushion to be able to do things like the $20,000 in scholarships we are giving away at the anniversary celebration. The increases in corporate membership are allowing us to do good work that will make a difference in the lives of undergrads, graduate students, and professional women who all need dollars to further their education in STEM fields.” In 2018, Jo herself was recognized at the Leading Light Awards as a recipient of the inaugural Gustafson-Miller Change the Landscape Award, named in honor of two other founding women of the organization.

Jo says that in twenty years, she plans to be rolling up the ramp with her walker to attend another Leading Light Awards, one she hopes will fully reflect Women & Hi Tech’s deep impact on the STEM landscape. “In 20 years, I want to be able to point to things happening in politics, in university leadership, in the c-suites of private companies and say—we were part of that.”

Recap of the Women & Hi Tech's Spring Networking Event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Mon, 20 May 2019 11:29:57 GMT

On Wednesday, May 15, 2019, Women & Hi Tech greeted a sold-out crowd of sponsors, members, and friends at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) for the 2019 Spring Networking Event. Darcy Lee, President of Women & Hi Tech, kicked off the event by welcoming the crowd to IMS. Darcy also reminded the attendees that Women & Hi Tech continues to celebrate its 20th year as a non-profit in Indiana working to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

Darcy then introduced Sheetal Prasanna and Grace Ybarra, 2019 Indianapolis 500 Princesses. Sheetal, a 2018 Women & Hi Tech Leading Light Award (LLA) scholarship winner and Purdue engineering student, and Grace, a freshman at Indiana University, reminded the crowd that the Princess program is not a pageant, but rather celebrates Indiana's civic-minded and academically driven young women. Grace spoke about the courage exhibited by her mom, Susan Vaughn, Women & Hi Tech Board Member Emeritus, and how that encouragement has impacted her in her studies. Sheetal also provided a touching and inspiring tale of how winning Women & Hi Tech’s LLA scholarship opened doors to opportunities, such as the Indianapolis 500 Princess program.

Maria Alvim-Gaston, Networking Director for Women & Hi Tech, introduced Rebecca Ruselink, CIO of IMS, who urged the crowd to always be fearless and assertive in their careers.

Angela B. Freeman, President-Elect of Women & Hi Tech, thanked Rhonda Winter, former Board Member, who established this very popular event years ago. Angela also introduced Jimmie McMillan, Senior Corporate Counsel at IMS. Jimmie energetically spoke on technological advances used at IMS during the Indianapolis 500. The 200 event attendees, clad in Women & Hi Tech blue t-shirts, then ventured out to explore the garage areas of Gasoline Alley in the beautiful May weather.

Pictures from the event can be found online at https://womenandhitech.org/page-18294. If you have pictures from the event that you would like to contribute to Women & Hi Tech's photo directory, please contact Lori Boyer, Communications Director at communications@womenandhitech.org

Women & Hi Tech Seeking Corporate Engagement Director Candidates

Thu, 02 May 2019 21:00:00 GMT

The Nomination Committee for Women & Hi Tech is still seeking female and male candidates for the Corporate Engagement Director position on Board of Directors to help fulfill the mission of changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

Women & Hi Tech is run by an all-volunteer, working Board of Directors. Candidates for this position will bring wisdom, experience, effectiveness, candor, and creative thinking in his/her role on the Board of Directors.

The nomination deadline for this position has been moved back to Tuesday, May 28, 2019.

All nominations will be reviewed by the Nomination Committee. Nominees must be Women & Hi Tech members in good standing at the time of initial voting and must remain in good standing throughout their tenure. New board members take office in July, 2019.

Click here to view the description of the Corporate Engagement Director position.

To apply, please complete this application form by May 28, 2019.

Grown from STEM: April Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:02:00 GMT

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

In today’s market, you’re often more likely to encounter individuals who have non-linear careers than linear careers. Rather than climbing the career ladder, modern professionals are traversing an ever-changing lattice of jobs and opportunities. Although it was common for Baby Boomers to have fewer than 10 jobs their entire adult career (ages 25-50), Millennials and Gen Z are entering a job market where career flux is the norm. For example, it’s not uncommon for current professionals to hold a job that has seemingly little to do with the degree they received, or early career experience or expectations they have garnered.

For the past few months, we’ve profiled current and past Women & Hi Tech board members, highlighting their STEM career journeys and elements that have led to their success. Some of these women have had careers that went straight from point A to B; but many have taken a wandering journey to arrive in a STEM role where they feel valued and have impact. Take as an example our President-Elect, Angela B. Freeman, who started out as a Molecular Biologist and is now a Patent Attorney. Also, Past President, Audrey Taylor, founder and CEO of netlogx; she has become one of the most celebrated female businessowners in the state of Indiana without having any secondary education at all.

Sharing this wide variety of stories with you is intentional because we know it helps people understand how to make changes, advances, and take risks in their own careers. What unites these stories is the emphasis on a strong network, a supporting tribe, as well as mentors and champions that keep women grounded, oriented, and moving in the right direction in the ever-changing landscape of women in STEM. We are proud that Women & Hi Tech has supported and sustained this community over the last twenty years, and we will continue to highlight the stories and faces of female leaders that will guide Indiana into the future as a recognized leader of female STEM talent.

Our board profiles this month feature Tiffany Trusty, Manager of Mobile Medical Apps at Eli Lilly and Company, and Lori Boyer, Software Engineer at Barnes & Thornburg, LLP. Both are currently doers and leaders of Indianapolis’ vibrant and growing tech community. We hope sharing their stories offers insight into your personal and professional growth, and inspires you to positively impact your own life, our community, and women in STEM.

Profile: Tiffany Trusty, Board Member Emeritus and Manager, Mobile Medical Apps, Eli Lilly and Company

Profile: Lori Boyer, Communications Director and Software Engineer, Barnes & Thornburg

Sincerely,

Darcy Lee
Women & Hi Tech President
president@womenandhitech.org

*For more information on sponsoring a scholarship, please contact Rebecca Bormann, our Corporate Engagement Director at corpsponsor@womenandhitech.org.

Board Profile - Lori Boyer

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:01:00 GMT

When Lori Boyer graduated from Indiana University with a degree in marketing and sociology, she wasn’t sure what future lay ahead. Her decision on her college major had been largely influenced by the expectations of teachers and friends from her small home town about what was “expected” for girls to study. “Even just going to IU was a big enough risk,” Boyer said. “I did not have the confidence to break the mold and speak up, to say ‘Get out of my way! I’m a woman! Hear me roar!’ I don’t have regrets, but I wish I had joined computer clubs and found my nerds back in college.”

Instead, after graduation Boyer got a job at a software company in the human resources department. She soon got tired of being asked the same questions over and over. “I decided we needed an online FAQ, which at the time was a substantial undertaking,” she said. “Back in the days of dialup, you couldn’t just watch an online tutorial, or upload a file to a web host and call it done.” Boyer turned to the thick coding books in her office and began a journey of self-education that would define her career. “After I completed that project, I saw a position had opened up at our company for a junior web developer. I applied, and when I got it, I couldn’t believe it.” From there, lacking mentors, it was back to the books. After a few years learning the basics, Boyer began a journey of job-hopping, spending 1-2 years at each organization before she found her upward mobility was too limited for her liking.

“It seemed like the only way to get raises or to further my career was to accept a new position. Otherwise, it wasn’t happening at the same pace as my contributions to the team.”

That all changed when Boyer was hired by Barnes & Thornburg, where she continues to work happily after over a decade. “A lot of people think I must have some legal background, but my role here is centered on automation and integration. The software I write makes it so that others have an easier job because I’ve automated the way they can complete an assignment. For instance, one software I wrote took a 2-3-week manual process down to a few hours.” The project was a finalist for a MIRA Award. “Anytime I can take a procedure that is completed on paper and make it digital, that helps us grow, streamlines processes, and frees up trained minds like lawyers and paralegals to get back to practicing law,” Boyer said.

Though she started work at Barnes & Thornburg in 2006, Boyer didn’t learn about Women & Hi Tech until 2014, when a project she completed at the firm made her a finalist for a Leading Light Award in the Outstanding Achievement in STEM category. “I have always felt very secluded as a woman in tech, especially a self-taught one. As soon as I heard, I thought ‘Wow, that’s cool. I’m not actually alone.’ I started volunteering right away and joined the board in 2015 as Communications Chair, just as we were making major changes to the website and infrastructure.” Now in her second term on the board, Lori manages the organization’s social media and email marketing, website, and event registrations. “We had Facebook, Twitter, and a blog before I joined the board, but I am proud of the degree that I have helped elevate them and make them consistent,” she said.

“I also really enjoy getting out in the Indy tech scene to speak at events and encourage women to pursue STEM Careers,” Boyer added. “That’s something that even 3.5 years ago when I started on the board I was terrified of. I was so scared they would ask a question and I wouldn’t know the answer. I had big impostor syndrome. Thanks to Women & Hi Tech, I have grown beyond that.” In 2018, Lori was named a TechPoint #Tech25 Winner. “Basically, this is an award for the techies hanging out behind the scenes that aren’t in the C-suite.” she described. “The other 24 are also all people like me who have been around, but aren’t executives or CEO's, yet do so much that they are important to an organization.”

Continuing her self-education, Lori also applied for a #GrowWithGoogle scholarship and was accepted to complete a certification in Android development. “Is it something I use every day? No. But it’s now a skill I have that’s totally different from the code I write in my day job. Learning different coding languages makes me happy. I like a good challenge!” Opportunities like this are one of the reasons Boyer is so delighted that Women & Hi Tech has started to offer professional development grants as of 2018. “If you’re a grown person and already in a job, how are you supposed to progress your career? Sure, take classes in your own time…but the funding isn’t always there. I like that we support nontraditional paths, because across the Indianapolis STEM community, other organizations do too.”

Lori predicts that it’s through shared goals with other local organizations that Women & Hi Tech will be able to do more and more within the next twenty years. “It’s great to see all these different groups starting to come to a place where we all work together and know each other’s value,” she said. “That works well for us to connect our members with opportunities. What’s coming next for us is more. More outreach. More members. More partners. More growth. And more success in accelerating STEM innovation by encouraging talent to pursue passion.”

Twitter

Board Profile - Tiffany Trusty

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 15:00:00 GMT

When Tiffany Trusty was invited by a friend to attend the Leading Light Awards in 2010, she accepted with some reluctance. As someone with a desire to be recognized for her talent first and foremost, she had been resisting women’s networks her whole career. As the second female graduate of Rose-Hulman, Trusty was used to being the only woman in the room, and didn’t really mind it. “I transferred in because they didn’t even go coed until two years into my college career,” she recalled. “I was the only girl in every class. I guess that was when I first felt the responsibility to stand up and say, ‘I am a woman in tech—hello!’”

Surrounded by female peers at the Leading Light Awards, Trusty said she had never felt more comfortable.

“I suddenly realized that this was something I hadn’t known I needed all along.”

Trusty sought out every board member she could find in the room and asked each how she could get involved. Her passion for mentorship came out in most of those conversations, and Trusty was invited to present at the next board meeting about mentorship opportunities. “They politely said no to my ideas….and they also asked me to join the board.”

Though the organization had always been called Women & Hi Tech, they badly needed a website, had two online followers, and were still using pen, paper and hand written checks to check in guests at events. As a seasoned web developer, Trusty joined the board in the role of Communication Chair and took on the task of growing web presence with a site, social media, and an email list. “Once that was under control, we still had to tackle the burden of spreadsheet hell,” she recalls. With the help and insight of Lori Boyer & Elyse Swoverland, Trusty helped Women & Hi Tech deploy new technology that would integrate the website with membership records, event registrations, and reminders for renewal. “I couldn’t believe I was at the table with these brilliant inspiring women,” Trusty remembers of her time on the board. After Boyer came on as Communications Chair, Trusty transitioned to the role of Technology Chair and the duo continued to help Women & Hi Tech accelerate growth through strategic use of software and web presence.

Tiffany also took over linkage duties and continued Women & Hi Tech’s commitment to the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing award. “In addition to judging the awards and earmarking funds to give a small honorarium to each winner, we also get the invaluable opportunity to sit at a table with these girls and simply encourage them to keep aspiring,” Trusty said.

When her employer of sixteen years, Motorola, severely downsized in 2011, Trusty felt the strength of her network through Women & Hi Tech even more. “I felt so much karma given to me during that time,” she said. “I could have had a knee-jerk reaction and taken another corporate job. Instead, I decided to freelance and really get to know the tech landscape in Indy. Because of my connection with Women & Hi Tech, I never hurt for clients.”

After five years freelancing, Tiffany knew she loved mobile apps. “By then Scott Jones had started Eleven Fifty, and that sparked my passion—the idea of junior engineers that will grow here over time to make our beloved tech community a strong one.” It was teaching at the Eleven Fifty Academy that Tiffany also discovered new skills. “Before then I wanted to get deep in the code and make a beautiful product. But I was never so rewarded by a product as I was when I saw an apprentice get their first job. It was then I realized I had a passion for growing talent.”

With an expanded skill set Tiffany returned to her freelance business in 2017—this time, also as a new mother. “Earlier when I had been freelancing, I would go networking every night. But as a new mom, instead of going to ten events, I decided to host my own and invite everyone I wanted to see.” Her monthly “IT / Nerd Happy Hour” continues to this day at Ale Emporium, though the very first meeting led Tiffany into another professional opportunity. “A Rose-Hulman alum showed up, and we got to talking about mobile apps at Lilly. A short time later, that led to me being recruited.” Today, Tiffany works for Eli Lilly as a manager of software execution leads, leading teams that are developing digital products to help diabetics live a better life. “I know I love enabling brilliant people to do the best work and luckily at Lilly I’m surrounded by brilliant people. I want to remove the blockers and encourage and enable them to fly.”

This inspiration also extends to her work in the STEM community, where Trusty hopes to remove blockers for young professionals. Tiffany is currently at work with Vincennes University to raise the profile of an innovative new on-campus living and learning community specifically for women in STEM. She also regularly speaks at conferences and is a member of the National Center for Women in IT Affinity Group Alliance and the Women in STEM Initiative. Rose-Hulman awarded Tiffany a Career Achievement Award in 2017, not for her innovations in development, but for her contributions as a leader to the STEM community. “At first I tried to tell them I didn’t know if I deserved the award, but after they said why, I understood that I did deserve it,” she said. “I have both taken it upon myself and taught every woman I mentor--go out and show up. Go to conferences, stand up and speak! Do this because when a woman walks in a room and sees another woman standing at the head, we feel a little more confident.“

On the other hand, Trusty’s biggest wish for Women & Hi Tech moving forward is an increased number of male allies, in membership and in leadership. “I love the support group and life raft we have created and the comfortable network. But there are so many men who want to help, who don’t know how, and who need to be welcomed,” she said. “We have a responsibility overall to encourage the next generation to keep going. Boys and girls. Together.”

Grown from STEM: March Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 12:03:00 GMT

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

As we near the end of this year’s Women’s History Month, Women & Hi Tech would like to pay tribute to all of the fearless female leaders who have come before us, and upon whose shoulders we stand. We would also like to recognize the upcoming centennial of the Women’s Suffrage movement, which led to the constitutional amendment providing women the right to vote. While working to promote women’s personal rights, further advancements have also been spearheaded by women to support their professional equality when working outside of the home. Women like Marie Curie, Grace Hopper, Elizabeth Bragg, and Katherine Johnson - each of whom made significant contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), respectively. Importantly, the leadership of these and many other women throughout history has not only resulted in STEM industry innovations, but has established a benchmark of the value realized when female leaders contribute their style and expertise to STEM industries.

In honoring female leadership in STEM nationally, we would be remiss to not highlight Women & Hi Tech’s own history as a local force to promote the advancement of women in STEM in this community. For twenty years, Women & Hi Tech has driven change in the landscape of women represented in STEM in Indiana to be equally inclusive to all. While there have been significant increases in the number of female STEM practitioners over the last two decades, in 2019, women still occupy only about 24% of STEM careers and hold only about 18% of STEM leadership roles in the U.S.¹

In addition, female STEM entrepreneurs only make up about 5% of the 30% of female-owned businesses nationwide.² Moreover, female entrepreneurs only receive about 18% of the venture capital secured by their male counterparts, but generally report about 12% higher revenue as compared to male-owned businesses.³ Accordingly, the role of the female STEM entrepreneur is evolving and increasing as women continue to make multi-faceted impact in the world of STEM, not just as practitioners, but also as businessowners.

In this third edition of Grown from STEM, Women & Hi Tech would like to recognize two female STEM entrepreneurs who started their tech-related businesses here in Indianapolis. Audrey Taylor is the Past President of Women & Hi Tech, and is the CEO of netlogx. Susan Vaughn is a Board Member Emeritus of Women & Hi Tech, as well as the President and CEO of The Project Authority, Inc. Please read more about Audrey and Susan and how their STEM backgrounds, business acumen, and organizational leadership skills culminated in the establishment of thriving businesses as female STEM entrepreneurs.

Profile: Audrey Taylor, Past President of Women & Hi Tech and CEO of netlogx

Profile: Susan Vaughn, Past President/Board Member Emeritus and President & CEO of The Project Authority, Inc.

Kind regards,

Angela B. Freeman, Esq.
Women & Hi Tech President-Elect and 20th Anniversary Committee Chair
presidentelect@womenandhitech.org

¹Neal, Stephanie and Smith, Audrey. "Are We Underselling the Promise of Women in STEM Leadership Roles?" DDI World, https://ddiworld.com/challenging-thinking/are-we-underselling-women-in-stem-leadership-roles

²Kymn, Christine. "Help Wanted: Seeking Women Entrepreneurs in STEM." Brookings, 8 December 2014, https://www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2014/12/08/help-wanted-seeking-women-entrepreneurs-in-stem/

³Weisul, Kimberly. "When It Comes to Revenue, Women Entrepreneurs Are Pummeling the Guys." Inc, 6 June 2018, https://www.inc.com/kimberly-weisul/boston-consulting-group-female-founders-higher-revenues.html

Board Profile - Susan Vaughn

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 12:02:00 GMT

Susan Vaughn got involved with Women & Hi Tech at a crossroads in her career. She worked for ten years as a consultant for accounting firm Crowe Chizek, supporting them in managing projects and improving processes. Then, the day came when her next move was to take the step up and become a partner. “I would have been the first female partner in our Systems Consulting Group in Indy,” Vaughn remembers. “But in that moment, I looked up and saw that everyone above me was travelling all the time. They were all men, with wives who stayed home with the kids, or had a nanny.” As a new mother, she knew this would not work for her family. She started looking for like-minded people who could help her define the next best step. “I wanted to find role models who I could look up to and learn from about work-life balance. I found so much more than that; I found a family in Women & Hi Tech.”

Vaughn joined Women & Hi Tech in 2000 and is one of its longest-running consistent members. “As I was starting my business The Project Authority almost 19 years ago, I was networking a lot. I found that a lot of the interactions and conversations I was having were surface level; that is, until I found Women & Hi Tech. The relationships I developed through Women & Hi Tech were unique and valuable.” This inspired Vaughn to get involved with the Board of Directors. She served as both Executive Women’s Forum Director and Technology Director before being nominated President. During her presidency, Vaughn leveraged her project management expertise to improve the experience for all the women who volunteered on the Board of Directors. “We clearly defined every Director’s role, and what responsibilities were tied to each role. If a board member needed help, they could ask for it, but mostly they could do it on their own. This was a pivotal change,” she explained. “Before I was President, the women in that role got so burned out they sometimes left the organization. Now, people stay on the board and stay active members long after their presidencies have ended, and I think that’s at least in part due to my impact.”

The year she was President, Vaughn also chaired the Leading Light Awards, simply due to the need for volunteers.

“One of the ways I have seen the organization grow and change is in doing a much better job of supporting and leveraging our members who want to volunteer and helping them find opportunities that align with their interests.”

She thinks this is especially true when it comes to the organization’s engagement at the K-12 level through events like Ignite Your Superpower! (IYS) and Passport to Hi-Tech. “Women & Hi Tech facilitates these programs in order to further our mission to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be more inclusive. For our members, they value these programs for that reason as well, but also value in the opportunity to volunteer in helping others and giving back to the community, while creating camaraderie with other women in STEM.”

As a single mother to two daughters, Grace and Gabi, Susan sees firsthand the impact that involvement with Women & Hi Tech can make on young women. “Both my daughters have come to events with me, and I have tried to teach them the value of networking and stepping outside your comfort zone. Even today in my role helping my clients’ tech sides and business sides communicate with one another about a project, I am frequently the only woman in the room. That requires the confidence to step up and assert yourself, which I developed alongside many of my role models in Women & Hi Tech.”

Susan thinks one of the most valuable offerings Women & Hi Tech can make to girls and young women moving forward is teaching not only the power of networking, but how to do it well. She told the story of how The Project Authority landed a big client early on because Susan showed up to an intimidating event. “Of the 200 people in the room, 190 were probably men,” she said. “I realized quickly that showing up as a woman made me stand out, and that if I stood out in the right way, I could make the most of that. There is more we could do around that piece of growing young girls and teaching them how to go out and hustle. You have to make yourself uncomfortable, but in the right ways.”

Susan’s unique insight into risk and return as a project manager also supports this philosophy. “A lot of times on a project, everyone around me is saying we don’t have to worry about a risk, because it’s unlikely to occur. But whether I’m helping a robotics company pull off a new product or helping a major health system deploy a new website, I know that there will always be risks and we should choose the places we take those risks strategically. In the same way, if you go to an event, it is easier and maybe more fun to sit with the people you know,” she pointed out. “But then you’re taking a bigger risk you don’t even see – missing an opportunity. The short-term challenge of going to meet someone new, of stepping up, might seem more difficult, but it’s also the route to bigger and more fulfilling success.”

Susan's LinkedIn
Susan's Twitter

Board Profile - Audrey Taylor

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 12:01:00 GMT

At age 10, Audrey Taylor watched a single woman — a police officer with no husband, no children — buy a home and move into her neighborhood in the UK. That episode opened Audrey’s eyes to the possibilities for women, particularly in male-dominated fields like IT. At a young age, Audrey became determined to use her drive, thirst for knowledge, and penchant for leadership to make an impact for herself and other women.

Audrey became a force in the technology space early in her career — without a college degree. Her goal to travel the world one tech project at a time brought her to Indiana in 1991 as a consultant on a project for the state government. “Tech is really the only global career. There’s no need to be retrained when you go to another nation since the cutting-edge tools and state of the industry translate easily across borders.” Her years as a consultant empowered Audrey with skills in relationship management and service delivery, along with exposing her to the importance and power of data before Big Data was even on the radar.

In 1998, Audrey founded her company netlogx in Indianapolis to guide enterprise organizations as they navigate change and make that change work for them by solving complex business challenges. “Every organization today is a tech-reliant organization, even if they aren’t in a STEM industry. netlogx helps these companies make better technology selections, both to optimize the benefit of their investment and to ensure they are legal compliant and following best practices. We help organizations survive and thrive in a dangerous world.” Now in its 21st year, netlogx has a presence in eight states and has been named a Best Place to Work five times, including the last four consecutive years. The business is starting to explore a foothold in Europe as well.

In and outside of netlogx, Audrey is passionate about supporting women and diversity. Around the time she was creating netlogx in the late nineties, Audrey discovered an emerging organization, Women & Hi Tech, that supported both women and diversity as well. “It was incredible to discover a strong group of women I respected, and I was eager to be a part of it.” After a few years spent building her business and raising her two sons, Audrey had the opportunity to become an active member of Women & Hi Tech, going on to serve the organization in multiple capacities.

“My vision for netlogx has always been that it become and remain a place where people from a diverse array of backgrounds can feel heard, supported, and grow as professionals; a business that is diverse by design. I knew that Women & Hi Tech’s mission was directly aligned with netlogx’s operating principles, so the first way I got involved was to support them through corporate sponsorship. As a woman-owned business, it is our responsibility to encourage diversity and inclusion everywhere.”

Audrey also got involved with the organization by joining its Board of Directors as Treasurer, a role she held for two years before being nominated as the board’s President. “I had used my time as Treasurer to reinforce the accountability with which the organization was already managing its budget. As President, I took the opportunity to focus on another one of my passions: mentoring.”

At the time of Audrey’s presidency in 2017-2018, Women & Hi Tech had reached a critical mass of members, meaning it was no longer sustainable for the organization to individually match its members with mentors or mentees. “To meet the needs of members who wanted to provide mentorship,, I established a partnership with the Pass the Torch for Women Foundation. Partnering with Pass the Torch provided us with the opportunity to not only introduce STEM fields to young women, but also deliver value efficiently to our members and elevate another group, already aligned with our mission, in the community.”

Audrey also worked behind the scenes to improve the board’s efficiency by implementing a consent agenda that could be reviewed and discussed before meetings. “With an all-volunteer board, every Director is working very hard and deserves for their time to be respected, and for their issues to be heard and addressed.”

Today, Audrey sees Women & Hi Tech continuing to become more outward-facing in the community rather than simply serving as a support group for our members. “We are increasingly realizing women can’t make change by simply talking to a room full of women. Male allies have always been important, as are the young people we are reaching through our K-12 and college outreach initiatives.”

“It is so important that we raise strong people to be prepared for the future together. This can’t just be about one type of person; it’s about all people working together to make the world a better place.”

In her decades spent in Indianapolis, Audrey saw great strides in the movement for equality and diversity but says there is still a way to go for things to move in the direction of inclusion. “The talent shortage in Indianapolis and across the world is putting pressure on the industry to seek change. Hiring people who don’t look and sound like us has now become a business need, not just an option, and that’s a good thing.”

At netlogx, Audrey has always prioritized these hiring practices, not for a pat on the back, but to protect against blind spots and undetected bias. “Without diversity, you have no ability to progress,” she observed. “I’m aware that even at my business, we may have a lot of female leaders, but a lot of them look like me. So, I’m always trying to make us diverse by design. Without diversity, you end up with biased artificial intelligence, unnoticed risks, and other unintended consequences.”

In Indianapolis, Audrey says one of the biggest barriers to more diverse STEM work environments can be the educational barriers to entry. “There have been good conversations locally around what it takes to get hired into tech positions — do you need a degree? Or just a boot camp style education? There’s a lot of lip service paid to not needing a degree, but in job postings, the policy hasn’t changed and only degree holders can apply. There’s still a long way to go.”

This is one reason Audrey thinks Women & Hi Tech will still be essential to the Indianapolis STEM community twenty years from now. “This organization is a locally developed reaction to a local need, and as a result, it’s been able to adapt over time as the need changes. It was valuable 20 years ago, and it’s valuable today in a different way. We can’t know what the needs will be 20 years from now, but we can stay flexible and adaptable enough to meet those needs.”

netlogx Website

Audrey's LinkedIn
Audrey's Twitter
netlogx Twitter

Women & Hi Tech Announces Call for Nominations for Board of Directors Openings

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech has been positively impacting girls and women in STEM in Indiana for twenty years. In this milestone year, Women & Hi Tech is seeking candidates for open positions on its Board of Directors who can help fulfill the mission of changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all through providing mentoring, education, networking and professional development, while recognizing and supporting girls and women in STEM.

The Nomination Committee is seeking female and male candidates for four positions: 1) K-12 Outreach Director, 2) Leading Light Awards Director, 3) Corporate Engagement Director and 4) Community Outreach Director (a new position). Women & Hi Tech is run by an all-volunteer, working Board of Directors and are looking for candidates who are actively engaged with the organization, and will bring wisdom, experience, effectiveness, candor, and creative thinking to the organization. We don’t take the term “working board” lightly. At any given time, a Director is leading her/his own area of responsibility while also contributing to other areas or the organization, including serving on committees, and representing Women & Hi Tech in the community at various events.

The call for nominations closes Monday, April 15, 2019. Multiple nominations from a single candidate are permitted. All nominations will be reviewed by the Nomination Committee. Nominees must be Women & Hi Tech members in good standing at the time of initial voting and must remain in good standing throughout their tenure. New board members take office in July, 2019.

To assist you with nominating candidates, below are descriptions for the open board positions.

K-12 Outreach Director
Leading Light Awards Director
Corporate Engagement Director
Community Outreach Director (a new position)

SUBMIT NOMINATION

Grown from STEM: February Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Wed, 27 Feb 2019 18:03:00 GMT

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

Whenever someone asks me what makes Women & Hi Tech special or important – why I spend so much time committed to this organization – many reasons cross my mind. We invest in the future of women in STEM by awarding scholarships. We make it a priority to recognize and celebrate women of achievement in STEM. We connect with young girls to inspire and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM. The list goes on. But when you look deeper, the number one thing that makes our organization so impactful is our members and the meaningful connections we forge with one another.

When Tiffany White was President, I heard her refer to Women & Hi Tech as “my tribe.” That has really stuck with me, and I see it each day with more clarity. We are all very different, but as women we face similar challenges. Together with our male allies and sponsors, we pursue common interests – to attract more girls to STEM, and to retain and support those women working in STEM careers. As we pursue these interests, we stand by one another, support one another, promote and advocate for one another. It’s this softer side of what we do that really makes our organization unique. This article about Why Women Need a Tribe sums it up pretty well. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read it, and to watch this video we produced for the 2018 Leading Light Awards to understand why what we do is so important and the full impact our work achieves.

We’re grateful for your support these past 20 years and look forward to continuing to serve women in STEM in Indiana for many years to come. One way we’re investing in this future is by offering $20,000 of scholarships to female STEM students in Indiana via our “#WHT20for20” campaign*.These honors will be awarded at our 20th Anniversary Celebration Event on Friday, August 16, 2019. We’ll be announcing details about these scholarships soon, so keep your eyes peeled for more information.

Finally, I invite you to learn a little bit more about our all-volunteer Board of Directors – the women who dedicate their time, energy and resources to make our mission a success. This month’s featured Women & Hi Tech profiles are President-Elect Angela B. Freeman, and past President/emeritus member Deborah Pollack-Milgate. These colleagues share how their professional journeys and current careers intersect with STEM and give perspective on how far we’ve come in supporting the advancement of women in STEM in Indiana.

Profile: Angela B. Freeman, President-Elect of Women & Hi Tech and 20th Anniversary Committee Chair, Patent Attorney at Barnes & Thornburg

Profile: Deborah Pollack-Milgate Past President/Emeritus Member, Partner at Barnes & Thornburg

Sincerely,

Darcy Lee
Women & Hi Tech President
president@womenandhitech.org

*For more information on sponsoring a scholarship, please contact Rebecca Bormann, our Corporate Engagement Director at corpsponsor@womenandhitech.org.

Board Profile - Angela B. Freeman

Wed, 27 Feb 2019 18:01:00 GMT

When Angela B. Freeman found her second career as a patent attorney at Barnes & Thornburg, she also found Women & Hi Tech. In her first career as a molecular biologist, she worked for over a decade at Eli Lilly studying how differences in the human genome affect a person’s reaction to medicine. “It showed me that on a genetic level, we are all different, but we are much more similar.” In 2008 during the economic crisis, Freeman started thinking about her Plan B. “I realized that I didn’t have a backup plan if I got laid off, but I was unsure what would make me happy.” The answer came in the form of a guest speaker at Lilly who was both a medical doctor and a lawyer. “The questions of privacy, intellectual property, and ownership of the genetic data we were generating as scientists had never crossed my mind. But the second it did, I was fascinated.”

Like any good scientist, Freeman spent a year doing research on law school before she enrolled. She also kept her full-time job at Lilly, with her husband, sons, and mentors cheering her on. “I have had many great mentors in my career, and 90% of them have been Caucasian males because that is what STEM leadership has looked like historically. However, my supervisor at that time, an openly lesbian Latina M.D. and Ph.D. scientist, convinced me that I was a great scientist, but would be an even better lawyer.”

Although her professional experiences have mostly been positive, Freeman has experienced setbacks that highlight the great potential to create a more equal and inclusive workplace environment in STEM. As a diversity advocate, this outstanding need inspired her to get involved with Women & Hi Tech. “Deborah Pollack-Milgate told me there was an open position on the board for a Networking Director and I knew that was a great fit for me. I spent the last four years working to make our networking events bigger, better, and more inclusive to all.”

Freeman currently serves as the President-Elect and will assume the role of President in July 2019. “To vote me in as the first African-American President of Women & Hi Tech in the year of our 20th anniversary reflects the board’s commitment to advancing diversity in STEM. We are continuing to grow as an organization that elevates all women equally; I am very proud of that” Freeman said.

“One of the biggest changes I have seen in STEM over the last 20 years is that less time is required to convince others that my road in STEM, as a diverse woman, has had challenges that Caucasian women often do not encounter, including both unconscious bias and outright discrimination. These barriers to women, particularly women of color and other diverse women, have not disappeared. So, having a platform to exemplify a diverse woman who is successful in STEM in spite of those challenges is a major victory.”

Women of color receive less than 5% of bachelor’s degrees across all STEM fields. However, Freeman believes Women & Hi Tech will help increase those statistics in Indiana. “To be it, you must see it,” exclaimed Freeman, who appreciates that diverse girls must be exposed to professional women that look like them. “Programs like Passport to Hi Tech and Ignite Your Superpower! are key for outreach to more diverse girls,” said Freeman. “Women & Hi Tech will continue to seek community partners to support our outreach to diverse and rural girls from kindergarten through college and well into their professional careers.”

“In the next 20 years, I hope to see the Indianapolis community embrace Women & Hi Tech the same way we have embraced this community,” Freeman said. “We are locally founded, and locally focused on advancing and encouraging women in STEM to remain here, although I don’t believe our history is recognized by the local community as such. That is one of the many reasons I am so grateful and excited to have this opportunity. I know I will not be the only diverse woman to lead Women & Hi Tech in the future, but I am honored to be the first, and I take that responsibility very seriously. As such, I plan to spend the rest of my tenure ensuring that Women & Hi Tech is positioned to expose the next generation of girls in Indiana, particularly diverse girls and women, to all the possibilities available to them in the world of STEM. If I can do that, then I believe my leadership of this organization has been effective.”

Barnes & Thornburg Website

Board Profile - Deborah Pollack-Milgate

Wed, 27 Feb 2019 18:00:00 GMT

Deborah Pollack-Milgate has practiced intellectual property law with Barnes & Thornburg for almost twenty years. “I consider intellectual property to be at the core of all of STEM. If you haven’t preserved your intellectual resources, it can be the make or break of an organization.” Pollack-Milgate is also committed to helping women advance in their fields, including in her chosen field.“ Many women as employees are concerned with protecting intellectual property at a high level. But even at the ground level, many women are inventors themselves. They deserve their creations to be protected on their behalf.”

While Pollack-Milgate learned about Women & Hi Tech through its long-standing partnership with Barnes & Thornburg, she joined because she saw the value for all women in STEM. “It’s incredibly fun to see and hear what everyone is out there doing. Before Women & Hi Tech, the Indiana organizations for women in STEM were specific to certain professions, like engineers or chemists. But we face shared problems across our industries,” she pointed out. “Even in law, the same issues come up. This organization is a place where women feel supported in overcoming barriers, aside from the industry-specific challenges.”

Her enthusiasm and volunteer support led to Pollack-Milgate being invited to become a board member, specifically focused on planning the Executive Women’s Forums. She held this role for three years. “The Executive Women’s Forums have always been at the core of Women & Hi Tech is. I was very mindful in making sure we continued to have creative and solid content. I’m proud of my leadership in that role.” The board then invited Deborah to become President, which she accepted, assuming the role in July 2013. “My goals were to deliver growth and diversify our appeal even further. We were starting to have greater financial resources, so I put forward the idea of the scholarship program, which we then adopted.” During her tenure, Women & Hi Tech also launched the Passport to High Tech event for girls, in partnership with Conner Prairie. She is also proud of having led the board to revise the categories for the Leading Light Awards, broadening them to allow more women to be nominated and recognized.

After her time as President, Deborah remained on the board for another year to continue planning the Executive Women’s Forums. “By developing our reputation for top-level content, we have been able to expand our membership and include women from more professions and backgrounds than ever,” she said. “As Women & Hi Tech grows, I hope we continue to explore concrete and tangible ways to propel women in STEM forward in Indiana.”

"There are a lot of challenges out there. Women & Hi Tech can help women in Indiana actually break the glass ceiling versus just talking about doing it".

Deborah is confident Women & Hi Tech will positively influence women in STEM because of the strength and brilliance of the community that supports its success. “It used to be that women in STEM may have felt they had to stay among males to connect with peers. But now we are finding and supporting each other, and we know we can succeed in STEM fields in Indiana. For twenty years, Women & Hi Tech has been at the center of that amazing shift. I hope I have left this incredible organization better than I found it, and I know it has left me a better person than I was before I joined.”

Barnes & Thornburg Website

Grown from STEM: Inaugural Edition - Women & Hi Tech Celebrates 20 Years

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 11:00:00 GMT

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

Happy New Year! 2019 represents Women & Hi Tech’s 20th year as a non-profit organization and successfully effecting change to advance women in STEM in Indiana. Founded in 1999 by an academic at Indiana University and a scientist at Eli Lilly, Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. As such, throughout this year, we will provide our signature programs and events (e.g., Executive Women’s Forums, Passport to Hi-Tech, Ignite Your Superpower (IYS), OperationAll, Spring and Holiday Networking events, the Fall Retreat in French Lick, IN, and more) with a particular focus on our theme of "Celebrating Our Past and Investing in Our Future".

In addition to celebrating our past 20 years of supporting women and girls in STEM in Indiana, Women & Hi Tech has pledged to invest in our future by providing $20,000 of scholarships to female STEM students in Indiana - via our “#WHT20for20” campaign.* Women & Hi Tech will also host our official 20th Anniversary Celebration Event, which is scheduled on Friday, August 16, 2019. Scholarships will be presented to the “#WHT20for20” award winners during our 20th Anniversary Celebration Event.

Many of you have joined us for our biennial signature event, the Leading Light Awards (LLAs), where we recognize the contributions and achievements of female STEM students and professionals in our community. As a follow up to the 2018 LLAs and in preparation for the 2020 LLAs, we intend to celebrate our past 20 years by highlighting our own members who have advanced the cause and careers of women in STEM in Indiana through their contributions to Women & Hi Tech.

Accordingly, we would like to introduce you to our first edition of the new Women & Hi Tech newsletter entitled Grown from STEM. As a celebration of this, our 20th Anniversary year, Grown from STEM will feature short biographies of Women & Hi Tech Board members who have made a significant impact in our community through their contributions to this organization. In doing so, we hope to shed some light and provide real-life examples of the different roles, organizations, and industries where women in STEM make an impact, and the paths they took to get there. In this inaugural edition of Grown from STEM, we highlight our President, Darcy Lee, and the CEO of Pass the Torch for Women Foundation, Deb Hallberg, who is an Emeritus Board member of Women & Hi Tech.

In their professional lives, Darcy and Deb possess expertise in the area of Business Development for STEM organizations, such as an agency that serves clients in STEM or a law firm that protects STEM technologies. Please enjoy our first edition of Grown from STEM, where Darcy and Deb provide their perspective on the past evolution and future growth of Women & Hi Tech and the advancement of women in STEM in Indiana.

Profile: Darcy Lee, President of Women & Hi Tech and Director of Accounts at Metonymy Media

Profile: Deb Hallberg, Board Member Emeritus and CEO at Pass the Torch for Women

Kind regards,

Angela B. Freeman, Esq.
Women & Hi Tech President-Elect and 20th Anniversary Committee Chair
presidentelect@womenandhitech.org

*For more information on sponsoring a scholarship, please contact Rebecca Bormann, our Corporate Engagement Director at corpsponsor@womenandhitech.org.

Board Profile - Darcy Lee

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 11:00:00 GMT

Like many women pursuing a career in STEM, in college Darcy Lee often found herself one of only a few women in the room. She enrolled at Indiana University to study biomedicine, but after her first semester she felt she didn’t belong and changed her major to Cognitive Science. “I was still driven to be a scientist, but didn’t feel like I could thrive in biomedicine. I felt treated differently, even unfairly, just because I was a girl,” Lee said. “Cognitive Science and Psychology were forward-thinking scientific disciplines that then were more welcoming to women.” She believes in 2019, there is far more support and encouragement for young girls interested in STEM fields, but notes we still have a long way to go.

Shortly after moving to the Indianapolis area, Darcy was introduced to Women & Hi Tech by its then president, Tonya Hanshew. “At first, I just attended a few events to see what they were like and what the organization was all about. Then I found myself always wondering when the next event was because I enjoyed them so much. That’s when I knew I wanted to get involved on a deeper level,” Lee said. She inquired about volunteer opportunities and began helping with event registration. “It was a great way to meet and connect with like-minded women, including members of the board. I also really believed in their mission, and wanted to be a part of making changes for women in STEM,” Lee said. In 2015 Darcy was asked to chair the next year’s Leading Light Awards, which she did with great success. During its planning, she was asked to join the board as its Treasurer. This was where Lee saw additional opportunities to help the organization grow – through helping to develop more operational efficiency and sustainable infrastructure. “We are an all-volunteer working board. Our Directors focus most of their time on their specific areas, plus serving on committees to develop and assist other areas,” Lee said. “I saw how new software and new approaches to documentation could help us make great strides forward in our ability to serve our members.”

Her tenacity, leadership and willingness to jump in and tackle tasks even outside her specific role made a big impression on the Board of Directors, and part way through her term as Treasurer, Darcy was selected to become the organization’s next President. “I was kind of blown away,” she remarked. “But honestly it’s a great example of what we do in Women & Hi Tech. We see the best in one another, and we help one another shine.”

Prior to becoming President, Lee spent a year as President-Elect learning from then-President Audrey Taylor. “She taught me a lot about being a compassionate and effective leader and always keeping the best interest of our members in mind,” Lee said. That year also allowed her time to begin laying the groundwork for key growth focus areas, including sponsorship and outreach.

Currently halfway through her tenure as President, Lee continues her mission to help Women & Hi Tech solidify its uniqueness and value in the community and expand its impact. “One of the things we do well is provide opportunities for women in STEM to connect with one another in meaningful ways,” Lee said. “Connectedness is highly valued among our members, so I am always thinking about ways to engage new areas of the community and give women in STEM the support they need to thrive.”

"Women need more than education and professional development to be successful. We need a support network, opportunities to grow, allies and sponsors, and recognition for our achievements. I love Women & Hi Tech because it fills these gaps in the development of women in STEM".

Lee’s experience in business development has been an asset in helping Women & Hi Tech members and sponsors connect with one another in meaningful ways. Networking and making connections with members and STEM-related businesses in Indiana have been the linchpins for the organization’s recent growth. Since 2015, the number of sponsors has nearly doubled. “I look at corporate sponsorship not only as a way to positively impact those organizations but also as a way to engage with and create connections between more women in STEM than we can reach through individual membership,” Lee said.

Darcy points out that at a basic level, STEM requires confidence and access to resources, something not guaranteed to women pursuing education and careers in those fields. Lee knows Women & Hi Tech has an important future bringing more resources to women across the state, and to attract more girls to STEM careers. “Achieving these goals is about seeing the bigger picture, then breaking it down into smaller initiatives and tactics that advance that goal,” Lee said. “In twenty years, we’ve created a lot of great programs and opportunities for women in Central Indiana. We intend to continue to build and are beginning to look at ways to replicate our success throughout the state.”

Metonymy Media Website

Board Profile - Deb Hallberg

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 11:00:00 GMT

Deb Hallberg became a member over 15 years ago, when she was doing business development at the law firm Barnes & Thornburg, one of Women & Hi Tech’s oldest partners in the community. “One of my colleagues held a board position for Women & Hi Tech, but he saw I could do more in the role to advance the organization than he could, so asked me to take over.” Hallberg’s connections, charisma, and drive made her a natural fit for the role of Director of Events, which included planning Executive Women’s Forums and the biennial French Lick retreat. She held these duties for nine years and has been an active emeritus board member since then. “In addition to delivering content relevant to our members, over time we’ve been able to establish the Executive Women’s Forums as an opportunity for the speakers and panelists to have their voices amplified in the community,” Hallberg said. “With that, we’ve been able to raise the bar on the quality of the speakers and the events to better serve our members. From sixteen years ago to now, things have become much more sophisticated, and much more focused on STEM.”

Hallberg said it hasn’t always been easy for her to stay involved with Women & Hi Tech. But every year when she looks at her busy schedule, Women & Hi Tech stands out as one where she knows her involvement makes a real difference for women. “In my role as Business Development Manager at Barnes & Thornburg I interacted with a lot of STEM professionals in life sciences, technology, cybersecurity, and more. But there were never many women. I was always trying to help the women I knew get ahead and feel supported, and Barnes & Thornburg was a great help in meeting women who needed to be connected, both to each other and to our organization.”

Last year, Deb became the CEO of one of Women & Hi Tech’s partner organizations, Pass the Torch for Women Foundation (PTTFW) - a non-profit that develops female professionals and students through mentorship and other professional support. “We’re about helping women look outside the box when contemplating their career and we provide a place to ask questions and explore opportunities,” she said of PTTFW. As she leads this great organization into the future, she’s happy to have experiences with organizations like Women & Hi Tech to reflect on.

“One thing Women & Hi Tech has done very well is recognize when it was time to diversify. Originally, there was a big focus on academic sponsors and doing remote programming. Then we realized that to be successful, we needed corporate sponsors and to attract the interest of professionals.” Hallberg reflected on the creation of the Leading Light Awards as one of the wisest steps the organization has taken to advance its mission. “It’s an opportunity to recognize women of all ages and levels for their excellence in STEM,” she said. “It provides a great return to sponsors, and great value to women and the community.” She also commented that she’s been happy to see Women & Hi Tech continue to attract male allies like her friend that connected her with the board to begin with. “We have always been lucky to have men among our membership who see the value of what we do,” she said.

Hallberg believes Women & Hi Tech will continue to grow and succeed at connecting women in STEM across Indiana thanks to the excellence of its members. “The quality of our members, I would rate as passionate rock stars,” she said. “As we get more diversity in our membership, the engagement and personal growth of our members keep us a central part of the STEM community.”

Pass the Torch For Women Website

Mentoring Opportunity: Pass the Torch for Women Foundation

Fri, 11 Jan 2019 18:00:00 GMT

Mentorship is an important way to contribute to women’s growth and success, and to help increase the presence of female leaders in STEM fields. In partnering with Pass the Torch for Women Foundation (PTTFW), Women & Hi Tech is pleased to provide opportunities for mentorship (including mentoring certification programs), networking and leadership training to its members through three key programs:

* Project Grow – female college students receive mentoring and leadership development opportunities to keep them on their path of completing their education goals, and to propel them in their careers post-graduation. Many of the students the Foundation serves are 21st Century Scholars.

* Developing Professionals –professional women in the entry-level to mid-level of their career are paired with an executive mentor while also serving as a mentor to a student, with additional opportunities for networking and sharing best practices with others in the community.

* 500 Circle – senior female and male executives serve as mentors in both the Project Grow and Developing Professionals programs, support Pass the Torch for Women’s programming initiatives, connect with other executives to share best practices, participate in peer mentoring, and support Pass the Torch for Women Foundation through tax-deductible contributions.

Mentors are paired with mentees three times per year, at one hour per month (either by phone or in person), with a minimum 4-month commitment.

“Through this partnership, and with the participation of our members, we can support women throughout their career lifecycle; and attract, retain and grow women in STEM fields in Central Indiana.” -- Darcy Lee, President, Women & Hi Tech

To sign up to become a mentor/mentee* or to learn more, please contact:

Erica Billingsley
Client Success Manager
Pass the Torch for Women Foundation
(877) 796-1592
erica@passthetorchforwomen.org

* Members of Women & Hi Tech should be sure to mention they are members when reaching out to Pass the Torch for Women.

Call for Nominations for the Board of Directors – Collegiate Outreach Director

Sat, 13 Oct 2018 21:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is seeking candidates to fill a vacancy in its Board of Directors. This person will serve as the Collegiate Outreach Director. We are a volunteer, working board, committed to changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. No box-checkers, please. In other words, we’re looking for someone who is not only passionate about our mission, but is also willing to commit their time and resources to help us achieve that mission.

We’d also like to emphasize that this position is open to women and men, and that he/she does not need to be located in Indianapolis (but must have the ability to travel to Indianapolis for board meetings, events, and meetings as necessary).

A description of the role and its responsibilities is listed below. To apply, complete this online form by Monday, November 12. Please share this information with your networks and help us find the next great addition to our board!

COLLEGIATE OUTREACH DIRECTOR:
The Collegiate Outreach Director role is a volunteer, voting position on the Board of Directors.

Term of Office: Two (2) years

Qualifications:
The Collegiate Outreach Director has demonstrated a willingness and enthusiasm to work towards the mission of Women & Hi Tech. She/he has demonstrated the ability to positively influence others and the willingness to solicit and obtain substantial financial contributions.

The Collegiate Outreach Director should have experience in a higher education environment, with special consideration given to those with experience specifically in STEM education. She/he must have knowledge of the changing needs of women and the changing landscape of STEM education, and reflect the interests of the community and Women & Hi Tech members. Additionally, travel to different parts of the state for collegiate engagement will become increasingly important, so this role will require the flexibility/ability to travel.

All Directors shall be a member in good standing at time of initial voting and must remain in good standing throughout their tenure.

Responsibilities:

Grow collegiate memberships and sponsorships throughout the state of Indiana
Increase collegiate attendance (staff and students) at events
Identify, manage, and grow community relationships with colleges, universities, and professional development institutions throughout the state of Indiana
Understand and communicate involvement with Women & Hi Tech with respect to:
- Benefits of membership and sponsorship
- Programming, event and scholarship opportunities
- Gaining input and feedback to determine how to improve and expand services and programs for collegiate audiences
- Presenting suggestions to the board for additional programming and events
Coordinate with other Directors, especially K-12 Outreach Director, on:

- Initiatives, activities and programming that reach multiple constituencies
- Evaluating outreach opportunities for W&HT, whether from outside the organization or proposed internally, and making recommendations to the Board of Directors for their action
Plan and execute events targeted towards our collegiate members within approved budget
Lead initiatives and communications involving collegiate and professional development scholarships
Attend Executive Women Forum, Networking Events, and Leading Light Awards
Participate in panel discussions and other events as a representative of Women & Hi Tech
Participate, as much as possible, on Women & Hi Tech service or advisory committees

Time Commitment:

5 – 15 hours per month
Board members are expected to attend twelve (12) one and a half hour-long board meetings per year, typically held on the first Wednesday of the month from 11:30am-1:00pm downtown Indianapolis

Call for Nominations for the Board of Directors – Community Outreach Committee Members

Sat, 13 Oct 2018 21:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is seeking candidates for a new committee, focused on supporting our community outreach efforts, and strengthening and growing our presence at community and industry events.

The committee will be comprised of 3-4 individuals (women and men), and reports directly to the President of the Board of Directors (although this may change in the future).

To apply, complete this online form by Monday, November 12. Please share this information with your networks and help us create a fantastic committee to help us better serve women in STEM in Indiana.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMMITTEE MEMBER:
The committee member role is a volunteer position that holds no voting rights.

Term: (1) year

Qualifications:
Candidates must demonstrate a willingness and enthusiasm to work towards the mission of Women & Hi Tech. They have the ability to positively influence others.
Ideal candidates have experience in event planning and management, with special consideration given to those with experience specifically in STEM-related fields. Candidates must have flexibility in their schedule to accommodate booth setup/teardown at various times of day, ranging from early morning to late evening. All candidates must be members in good standing and must remain in good standing throughout their time on the committee.

Responsibilities:
Phase I – Initially, responsibilities will include:

Coordination, delivery, setup and tear down of the Women & Hi Tech booth for various events, including K-12 outreach events, collegiate outreach events, networking events, women’s events, industry-specific events, etc.
Coordinate with Volunteer Director to provide trained members or board members to staff the booth
Store and manage booth materials
- Includes dry cleaning table covers, re-stocking candy, and keeping an accurate inventory of all items
Maintain booth calendar
Purchase new equipment with board approval
Participate in a monthly call

Phase II – Once the committee is up and running, it will also be responsible for:

Looking for opportunities to be present at STEM-related events throughout Indiana

Time Commitment:

• 5 hours per month

Women & Hi Tech Announces Winners of Scholarships and Awards

Fri, 05 Oct 2018 12:00:00 GMT

The Leading Light Awards were held on October 4, 2018 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom and celebrated the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The event was emceed by Gerry Dick of Inside INdiana Business.

Women & Hi Tech President and Director of Accounts for Metonymy Media, Darcy Lee, welcomed attendees to the gala and spoke of the 19-year history of Women & Hi Tech serving girls and women in STEM in Indiana. Jo Basey was awarded the inaugural Gustafson-Miller Change the Landscape Award for her lifelong contributions to women in STEM and Information Technology, and Lisa Laughner, President & CEO of Go Electric, was awarded the Barnes & Thornburg Hi-Tech Woman of the Year award for outstanding achievements over the course of her career – and recent successes with Go Electric.

The evening included remarks from honored guest Blair Milo, Indiana’s Secretary of Career Connections and Talent, and featured presenters from Eli Lilly and Company, Rolls-Royce, Barnes & Thornburg, Salesforce, Pass the Torch for Women, IUPUI’s Kelley School of Business, Indiana State University, Eleven Fifty Academy, and IU First Lady Laurie Burns McRobbie.

Winners announced during the event include:

Women & Hi Tech Undergraduate Scholarship - Sheetal Prasanna, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Women & Hi Tech Graduate Scholarship - Monica Olson, Purdue University
Women & Hi Tech Professional Development Scholarship - Candace Studebaker, Science Central (Fort Wayne)
Women & Hi Tech Professional Development Scholarship - Noelle King, St. Richards Episcopal School
SIM Indy Leading the Future Scholarship - Melissa Beer, BS, Mathematics - Quantitative Analysis, Franklin College

Mentor Me! - Jan Allen, Roche
Risk Taker - Dr. Lakshmi Sastry Dent, Corteva Agriscience - Agriculture Division of DowDuPont
Rising Star - Dr. Debby Basu, American Society for Clinical Pathology
You Inspire Us! - Dr. Carlotta Berry, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Outstanding Educator in STEM - Sara Roberts, Northwestern Consolidated School District of Shelby County
Outstanding Achievement in STEM - Dr. Carla Klittich, Corteva Agriscience - Agriculture Division of DowDuPont
Leadership - Meagan Rater, Rolls-Royce
Barnes & Thornburg Woman of the Year - Lisa Laughner, Founder, CEO & President, Go Electric Inc.
Gustafson-Miller Change the Landscape Award - Jo Basey, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, Indiana Business Research Center (Retired)

Women & Hi Tech Announces 2018 Leading Light Awards Nominees

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 13:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce the nominees for the 2018 Leading Light Awards. The number of award nominees is up 25% from 2016. In addition, the expansion of scholarship categories to include professional development as well as undergraduate and graduate scholarships has increased the number of scholarship nominees by over 50% from 2016. The full list of award and scholarship nominees can be found online at womenandhitech.org/2018-LLA-Nominees

The Leading Light Awards recognizes and celebrates women of achievement in STEM- women who are innovators in their industries, and have shown expertise, professionalism, leadership, service, courage, and tenacity throughout their careers.

"We’re thrilled that this year’s award nominees represent a vast array of women in STEM in Indiana. Although there will only be one winner in each of the seven award categories, an important part of the evening is celebrating and recognizing the achievements of all the nominees, because each and every one of them is making an impact in their field," said Ali Hromis, Leading Light Awards Director of Women & Hi Tech.

Winners will be announced during a ceremony and gala emceed by Gerry Dick on Thursday, October 4, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom – Indianapolis.

During the ceremony, Women & Hi Tech will award at least two $5,000 scholarships to women pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in STEM-related fields. Additionally, and new to 2018, two $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to women looking to take their careers to the next level or to change the direction of their career.

Darcy Lee, President of Women & Hi Tech, remarked, "By focusing on women pursuing higher education in Indiana with intent to stay in Indiana, we’re really helping to ensure a strong talent pipeline. We’re re-investing in our community and supporting girls and women in STEM at all stages of their careers."

For more information about the Leading Light Awards, please visit our website at womenandhitech.org/2018-LLA-Overview.

Women & Hi Tech wishes to congratulate our very own Lori Boyer, Communications Director of Women & Hi Tech and .NET Developer at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, as a 2018 Tech25 Winner.

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 12:00:00 GMT

"I'm super excited and honored to be a winner of a 2018 Tech25 Award", said Lori Boyer, Communications Director for Women & Hi Tech. "It's amazing to be included with such an outstanding group of individuals from the Indianapolis tech community.” Now in its fourth year, the Tech 25 Awards honor a prestigious selection of twenty-five individuals who are critical and exceptional performers helping to grow our community’s tech and tech-enabled companies, but who — not being the CEO or other top executives — don’t get celebrated publicly as often.

"In addition to her job as a .NET Developer, Lori is a tech leader who works tirelessly every day as a member of our Board of Directors to give other women and girls in Indiana opportunities in STEM fields," said Darcy Lee, President of Women & Hi Tech. "Her passion for the work we do is admirable, and we're very proud of her achievements! She is most definitely an exceptional performer helping to grow our tech community."

For more information on the TechPoint Tech25, please go to their website at https://techpoint.org/2018/07/techpoint-announces-class-of-2018-tech-25-winners/.

Gerry Dick to Emcee the 2018 Women & Hi Tech Leading Light Awards

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 12:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce that Gerry Dick will emcee the 2018 Leading Light Awards on October 4, 2018 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. Gerry is the host and creator of Inside INdiana Business television, Indiana's only statewide television business program. Of his many accolades, Gerry has been awarded the state’s top honor, the Sagamore of the Wabash, three times, by Governors Kernan, Daniels and Pence. He has been awarded Ernst and Young’s prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award and recognized by the Small Business Administration as its Journalist of the Year. Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick has received an EMMY four times for best interview/discussion program/series or special.

"Gerry is a visionary who has had a tremendous impact on the state of Indiana. He’s been a longtime supporter of Women & Hi Tech," said Darcy Lee, President of Women & Hi Tech. "As we push forward in our mission to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all, we need male allies like Gerry to facilitate change in our workplaces, and our culture. We’re honored to have him emcee the 2018 Leading Light Awards."

The Leading Light Awards recognize and celebrate women of achievement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) - women who are innovators in their industries, and have shown expertise, professionalism, leadership, service, courage, and tenacity throughout their careers. Women & Hi Tech also supports the next generation of women in STEM through scholarships (undergraduate, graduate, and professional development scholarships). For more information about the Leading Light Awards, please visit our 2018 LLA Overview page.

A thank you from Past-President, Audrey Taylor

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 12:00:00 GMT

On June 30, 2018, Audrey's year-long presidency of Women & Hi Tech came to a close, but not after quite an exciting and eventful year of working toward our goal of changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

Read the open letter to Women & HI Tech from Audrey.

Women & Hi Tech would like to congratulate Angela B. Freeman of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, our newly elected 2018 President-Elect and former Networking Director!

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 12:00:00 GMT

Angela was recently announced as a member of Class XLIII of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Series® (SKL). SKL is a 10-month flagship program that is organized by Leadership Indianapolis and brings together 25 emerging leaders annually to learn about the issues that drive Indiana. Rebecca King, President & CEO and SKL Program Director at Leadership Indianapolis stated “we are proud to support these emerging leaders and their key role in Central Indiana’s future. Our community will be strengthened by their passion, insight, and leadership.” John Lechleiter, former President and CEO of Eli Lilly & Co. will serve as Moderator for SKL Class XLIII.

For more information about SKL please go to their website at http://www.leadershipindianapolis.org/portfolio/skl/

Women & Hi Tech Announces 2018/2019 Board Members

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 12:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce the Board of Directors for the term that commenced July 1, 2018.

Elected Officers of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

President: Darcy Lee, Director of Accounts & Business Development, Metonymy Media
President-Elect: Angela B. Freeman, Intellectual Property/Patent Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Treasurer: Bobbie LaFollette, Senior Business Analyst, Baker Hill
Secretary: Kelly Ragle, Project Coordinator, Pondurance

Elected Directors of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Communications Director: Lori Boyer, Software Applications Developer, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Corporate Engagement Director: Rebecca Bormann, Managing Director of Sales and Services, Bell Techlogix, Inc.
Executive Women's Forum Director: Linda Hicks, Vice President of Midwest Operations for ECC Horizon
Individual Membership Director: Wendy Maple, Outreach Consultant, netlogx
Leading Light Awards Director: Ali Hromis, Release Manager, Salesforce
Membership Administrator: Carol Ganz, Director of Client Experiences, Six Feet Up, Inc.
Networking Events Director: Maria Alvim-Gaston, Principal Research Scientist, Eli Lilly and Company
Outreach - Collegiate Director: Barbara J. Alder, Director, Office of Engagement for Metropolitan Indianapolis, Purdue University
Outreach - K - 12 Director: Janette Allen, Manager Requirements Analysis and Engineering, Roche
Past President: Audrey Taylor, Founder and CEO, netlogx
Volunteer Director: Karen Harris, Vice President & Information Officer Manufacturing and Quality, Eli Lilly and Company

Elected Emeritus of the Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors:

Jo Basey, Retired, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University
Angie Engel, Sales Executive, Perficient
Gail Farnsley, Senior Executive Partner, Gartner
Deb Hallberg, Business Development Manager for Industry Groups, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Tonya Hanshew, Founder & CEO, Write 4 the Win, LLC
Rajinder Heir, Enterprise Security Program Consultant, Information Services Agency, City of Indianapolis | Marion County
Melissa Lavella, Quality Supervisor, Roche
Patsy Lentz, Retired Business Development Professional
Jayne Merryman, Enterprise Account Executive, Dell EMC
Jane Richardson, IT Strategy and Corporate Strategic Alignment Leader, Cummins Inc.
Tiffany Trusty, President, Trusty Applications and Android Architect, Eli Lilly and Company
Susan Vaughn, CEO, The Project Authority
Tiffany White, Head of DaVinci, Rolls-Royce

Please take 10 minutes to complete this survey by July 18, 2018.

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 15:00:00 GMT

Our friends at Ladies in SaaS, IWiT, and Powderkeg have put together a survey to analyze the state of the Indiana tech workforce, and we'd like to ask you to complete the survey which can be found online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SeeYourselfHere

The purpose of the survey is to analyze the state of the Indiana tech workforce regarding pay, promotions, opportunities for advancement and leadership role, and more. By contributing your responses, you are helping the Indiana technology industry to drive better programming and incentives to drive Indiana to become a tech leader in the nation!

Please be sure to complete the survey by July 18, 2018, and then keep an eye out for the results, which will be launched in mid-August.

Women & Hi Tech on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 13:00:00 GMT

ICYMI: Here's our segment from Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick where Darcy Lee and Ali Schultz Hromis talk about Women & Hi Tech and the upcoming 2018 Leading Light Awards.

Know an amazing woman in STEM? Be sure to nominate her for a 2018 Leading Light Award or Scholarship at http://womenandhitech.org/2018-LLA-Overview #WomenInSTEM #2018LLA

2018 Spring Networking Event a Huge Success!

Wed, 23 May 2018 12:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech (W & HT) would like to thank everyone for making the 2018 Spring Networking event a huge success. Dressed in brand new, ladies-cut W & HT t-shirts, event attendees began their evening at the Legends Club in Bankers Life Fieldhouse with all-you-can-eat food and beverages, including an ice cream sundae bar, as attendees enjoyed an action packed basketball game where the Indiana Fever succumbed to the LA Sparks.

During half-time of the game, Women & Hi Tech was featured with an official announcement about the organization as the W & HT Board waved to the audience and to attendees in the Legends Club from the game floor.

After the game, W & HT attendees met at center-court of Bankers Life Fieldhouse for the following pictures. (Click the pictures to see a larger version). It was a great night of food, fun, and networking with members of Women & Hi Tech and ladies of the Indiana Fever! More pictures from the event can be found online here.

Pass the Torch for Tech Breakfast - #Partner2Grow

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 12:00:00 GMT

There was a wonderful turnout for Pass the Torch for Tech on April 24, 2018, as there were over 400 guests in attendance. There was diversity of all types; gender, racial, life experience, educational level, and even political affiliation. Everyone working toward changing the landscape for women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. The event was even highlighted on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.

There were members from Women & Hi Tech, Pass The Torch For Women, and Indy Women in Tech in attendance as well as friends from TechPoint, Eleven Fifty Academy, and many other organizations who were all there to celebrate mentorship. When asked to name his mentor, Mayor Joe Hogsett said Mayor Greg Ballard had been a mentor to him on Women in STEM issues.

During this amazing event, we raised over $4,100 for the Carla Perinne Perry Award. These funds will be allocated to provide scholarships to multiple IWiT Project Grow students. If you did not get a chance yesterday and still wish to donate, please visit the website here.

To learn more about the three organizations in the formal partnership, Pass The Torch For Women, Indy Women in Tech, and Women and Hi Tech, be sure to check out their websites!

Should you be interested in mentoring or learning more information about Pass The Torch For Women Foundation, please email info@passthetorchforwomen.org.

Executive Women's Forum - Sex, Power, and the Workplace: A Candid Conversation

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 20:00:00 GMT

The April 24, 2018 Executive Women’s Forum was a candid conversation with four powerful and successful women who have experienced challenges, frustrations, harassment, culture issues and more throughout their careers. This conversation offered suggestions, ideas and data as to why this happens, how we can choose to handle situations, and learning to recognize our own super power and in turn, what that requires us to do.

Reading list from the event.

Congratulations to Christi Garcia

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 17:30:00 GMT

Thank you to all our members who completed the membership survey! We really value your input, and we're reviewing all of your responses. Congratulations to Christi Garcia...we drew your name from the list of members who responded to our survey. Your $100 Amazon gift card is on it's way.

Congratulations to Meisha Wide!

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 18:00:00 GMT

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table at the Ladies in SaaS Advancing Women In Tech event last week. As promised, we drew a name from the bowl for a FREE one year membership to Women & Hi Tech. Congratulations Meisha Wide, you're the winner!

Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2018-2019 Board of Directors.

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 13:00:00 GMT

This is an exciting time to join the Women & Hi Tech leadership team. Serving on the Board of Directors is a chance to help improve our programs and services, and further our mission to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all through providing mentoring, education, networking and professional development, while recognizing and supporting girls and women in STEM.

The Nomination Committee is seeking candidates for Secretary, Executive Women’s Forum Director, Networking Events Director, and K-12 Outreach Director. Women & Hi Tech is run by an all-volunteer, working Board of Directors. We’re looking for candidates who are actively engaged with Women & Hi Tech, and will bring wisdom, experience, effectiveness, candor, and creative thinking to the organization.

The call for nominations closes Monday, April 16, 2018.

Learn more...

Tiffany White pushes the frontier of Indy aerospace tech -- via TechPoint

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 16:00:00 GMT

Thank you TechPoint for the great article about our Past-President, Tiffany White. Read the article here.

TechPoint Announces 2018 Mira Award Nominees

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 15:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve that goal, we work to connect female STEM professionals with each other and our community in Indiana.

Today, as we again celebrate the thriving tech scene here in Indianapolis with the announcement of the nominees for the 2018 TechPoint Mira Awards, we at Women & Hi Tech have two reasons to celebrate:

First, we want to share our heartfelt congratulations to the Women & Hi Tech members and sponsors who made the list of Mira Award Nominees!

Second, we want to thank our board members Tiffany White, Past President, and Lori Boyer, Communications Director, for their contribution as judges for this year's record breaking crop of Mira Award applications.

As you see Women & Hi Tech actively pursues our mission every day.

Women & Hi Tech Encourages Women in STEM to Embrace Their Diversity

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 23:00:00 GMT

Own who you are and use your voice. This was the consistent messaging delivered by a panel of diverse female professional leaders, who spoke in front of a packed audience at a Women & Hi Tech (W&HT) “Special Edition” of its Executive Women’s Forum on February 1, 2018. The program was organized by Angela B. Freeman, W&HT Director of Networking Events, to highlight the organization’s new mission statement that emphasizes equality and inclusivity amongst women in STEM.

The event entitled, “A Double Whammy or Triple Threat: The Disparity of Diversity Amongst Women in STEM” was held to provide practical tips and tools on how to advance diverse female talent in the workplace. The panel shared their personal experiences and offered suggestions on how to promote self-worth.

“You’re in the room for a reason; say what you have to say and say it loud and clear,” said Nicole M.B. Mitchell, the Inclusion and Diversity Officer at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana. “Be confident in the voice you have and use your unique position.”

Retired Eli Lilly Director of Medical Communications Elcira Villarreal imparted her mother’s wisdom, “You are not better than anyone, but no one is better than you.” She added, “Keep your humility, but respect yourself, respect others, and expect others to respect you.”

The audience was challenged to utilize their privilege as professionals in STEM to help and champion other women, especially young girls.

As a middle school student shared at the 2017 Ignite Your SuperPower (IYS)™event, “Today I learned girls can do anything!”, stated Audrey Taylor, President of Women & Hi Tech and founder and CEO of netlogx, an information risk management company. “We need to encourage and promote each other,” said Taylor.

This dynamic panel also included Tuhina Chakrabarti, Vice President of Engineering, FLIR Systems; Ting Gootee, Chief Investment Officer, and Founding Member of Elevate Ventures; Rafia Khader, Program Manager, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, IUPUI, along with the panel moderator, Dawn Rosemond, Partner and Director of Diversity, Professional Development, and Inclusion at Barnes & Thornburg, LLP.

In addition to participating in a “privilege” activity, all attendees left the program with practical takeaways and action items as follows:

Promote Diversity of Thought
Use Your Unique Position to Learn and Lead
Exemplify Your Best Self
Each One, Teach/Reach One
Be Aware of Your Privilege and the Gradations of Privilege
Ignite Your SuperPower (IYS)™
Own and Leverage Your Power and Privilege through Sponsorship
Advocate in a Nuanced Manner
Make the Business Case for Diversity
Time is Now!

Attendees socialized at a networking reception to conclude Women & Hi Tech’s 2018 kickoff event.

Pictures from the event can be found here on our website.

Congratulations to our President, Audrey Taylor; NAWBO Member of the Year

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 13:00:00 GMT

Congratulations to our President, Audrey Taylor on being awarded Member of the Year at the 14th Annual National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Visionary Awards Luncheon.

Learn more about NAWBO Indianapolis by visiting www.nawboindy.org.

2017 Volunteer of the Year - Kelly Ragle

Sun, 10 Dec 2017 13:00:00 GMT

Announcing our 2017 Volunteer of the Year, Kelly Ragle! Kelly volunteered for our Holiday Networking Event, Executive Women's Forums, Passport to Hi Tech and our Spring Networking Event at IMS. Whenever there was a call for volunteers, Kelly was always willing to help.

Pictures from the 2017 Holiday Networking Event

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 13:00:00 GMT

We've posted some pictures from the Holiday Networking Event online. Do you have some great pictures you'd like added? If so, please email our Communications Director, Lori Boyer at Communications@womenandhitech.org.

2017 Scholarship Winners Announced

Thu, 07 Dec 2017 13:00:00 GMT

With thanks to our outstanding sponsors, Women & Hi Tech is honored to provide three scholarships this year to women studying science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) in Indiana with the intent to remain in the state after graduation. The scholarships (one graduate and two undergraduate) were awarded last night during the Women & Hi Tech Holiday Networking event held at the Skyline Club in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

Scholarship Winners include:

Trishnee Bhurosy, a Doctoral Candidate at Indiana University studying for her PhD in Health Behavior with a minor in Nutritional Epidemiology.
Lauren Ravenell, a student at Ball State University, studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommnications with a focus on Emerging Media with minors in Computer Science and Spanish.
Alexa Kovacs, a student at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, studying for a Bachelor of Science with double majors in Mathematics and Economics.

"Women & Hi Tech encourages and celebrates all women can, and do, achieve in STEM fields," said Audrey Taylor, President of Women & Hi Tech. "In awarding these three scholarship awards, Women & Hi Tech is supporting amazing women on their educational journey into STEM careers and it is an honor to be this year's President celebrating Trishnee, Lauren, and Alexa."

Volunteers Needed for Holiday Networking Event

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 13:00:00 GMT

Volunteers needed at the 2017 Women & Hi Tech Holiday Networking Event on December 6, 2017 at the Skyline Club, located at American Square, 36th Floor, Indianapolis, IN 46282. As a volunteer you will run the sign in table and our gift table. You must be registered for the event to volunteer.

To register to be a volunteer, go to http://signup.com/login/entry/3726532020122

Audrey Taylor and Lori Boyer at the Women in Technology Workshop

Sat, 04 Nov 2017 19:00:00 GMT

Our President, Audrey Taylor, and our Communications Director, Lori Boyer represented Women & Hi Tech at the Women In Technology Workshop on November 4, 2017. Even Former Mayor Greg Ballard was there to speak to the crowd!

Volunteers Needed for #GrowWithGoogle

Fri, 03 Nov 2017 12:00:00 GMT

#GrowWithGoogle is coming to Indianapolis on November 10th and 11th at the Indiana State Museum. Women & Hi Tech is going to have a table at the event, and we need a few volunteers to "woman" the table throughout the day. Are you available for a few hours? If so, signup online at the following link: http://signup.com/go/gbdsxUA

Not familiar with the exciting #GrowWithGoogle event in Indianapolis? Learn more at g.co/GrowIndy

Stop by our booth on 11/7/17 at the Indiana Conference for Women

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 12:00:00 GMT

Stop by our booth on 11/7/17 at the Indiana Conference for Women and drop off your business card for a chance to win a 2018 membership with Women & Hi Tech. #ICFW17 #WomenInSTEM

Angela B. Freeman featured in work style section of Indiana Minority Business Magazine.

Sat, 28 Oct 2017 12:00:00 GMT

Angela B. Freeman, the Director of Networking Events for Women & Hi Tech and a Patent Attorney at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, was recently featured in the work style section of the Fourth Quarter, 2017 issue of Indiana Minority Business Magazine (IMBM). This edition of IMBM focused on minority professionals in the Technology and Innovation sectors, including STEM fields. Pictured with Angela are James Duke of IU Health and Kay C. Dee of Rose-Hulman.

http://www.indianaminoritybusinessmagazine.com/features/indiana-minority-business-magazine-fourth-quarter-2017

Congratulations to Tiffany Trusty on being chosen as a '17 Golden Laurel honoree.

Fri, 27 Oct 2017 12:00:00 GMT

Congratulations to Women & Hi Tech board member emeritus Tiffany Trusty on being chosen as a 2017 Golden Laurel honoree for excellence in technology! Tiffany was honored by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine on October 26, 2017.

Audrey Taylor & Lori Boyer speaking at The Future of Tech on 10/19/17

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 12:00:00 GMT

ICYMI: Women & Hi Tech President, Audrey Taylor and Communications Director, Lori Boyer will be part of a panel presented by the Kenzie Academy on 10/19/17 at ClearObject to talk about The Future of Jobs in Tech. Tickets are $10 each. Get registered at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-future-of-jobs-in-tech-tickets-38744145783

Tiffany White Speaking at IndyIoT on 10/25/17

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 11:30:00 GMT

Get registered for IndyIoT on 10/25/17 to hear from Women & Hi Tech Past President Tiffany White. https://www.clearobject.com/indyiot/

Audrey Taylor and Darcy Lee on Edge of Indy Podcast

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 19:00:00 GMT

Did you miss our segment on Facebook LIVE on the Edge of Indy on October 11, 2017? Now you can watch online. Go to: http://edgeofindy.com/episodes/ep-38-women-hi-tech-and-pass-the-torch-for-women/

Volunteers Needed for Three Events

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 12:00:00 GMT

Celebrate Science Indiana
Women & Hi Tech is in need of volunteers to fill our booth at the Celebrate Science Fair at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 7th from 9:30 am to 5 pm. If you are interested in helping kids with an activity, please signup with your availability by October 3rd at http://signup.com/login/entry/517006271104884034 . Knowledge on the subject matter is not required, as there will be a quick training session via phone to learn the activity ahead of time. More Info about the event can be found on http://www.celebratescienceindiana.org.

Young Women's Empowerment Conference
Women & Hi Tech is seeking women to be part of small committee of volunteers willing to share experiences of overcoming challenges in order to achieve the professional career you have today with girls at the Young Women's Empowerment Conference at Warren Central High School on Saturday, October 21st. To volunteer for shifts, please signup by September 30th at http://signup.com/login/entry/957006265045652065

Girl Scouts - Slumber at the Speedway
On October 28th, Girl Scouts of Central Indiana will host "Slumber at the Speedway", at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Over 4,000 girls and adults from across our 45 county jurisdiction are expected to attend. During the day the girls will get to participate in hands-on demonstrations and activities, ride their bike on the track and much, much more! To volunteer from noon - 5 p.m. please signup at http://signup.com/login/entry/1147006274207294046. Knowledge on the subject matter is not required, as there will be a quick training session via phone to learn the activity ahead of time

Stemming the Tide of Girls Leaving Science, Math -- via the IndyStar

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 12:00:00 GMT

The Indy Star came out to Ignite Your Superpower to see what we're doing to encourage middle school girls to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Read the article at http://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2017/08/23/stemming-tide-girls-leaving-science-math/572250001/

Apply now for a Women & Hi Tech Scholarship!

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 12:00:00 GMT

Attention, Women & Hi Tech members and friends! With thanks to our outstanding sponsors, Women & Hi Tech is honored to provide two $2,500 scholarships (one undergraduate and one graduate) to be awarded to women living in Indiana with plans to remain here after graduation. Application deadline is midnight, October 31, 2017. Apply at http://bit.ly/2sfKXVM.

Ignite Your Superpower on Inside Indiana Business

Sun, 13 Aug 2017 15:00:00 GMT

Did you miss our segment on Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick where we were talking about Ignite Your Superpower? Watch it online at http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/clip/13589667/ignite-your-superpower

Press Release: Introducing Ignite Your Superpower!

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 12:00:00 GMT

Indy Women in Tech, Conner Prairie, and Women & Hi Tech are excited to announce that the inaugural Ignite Your Superpower (IYS) STEM day will take place on August 17, 2017 at the University of Indianapolis.

With an expected attendance of more than 600 female middle school students, IYS will be a day full of fun-filled activities and events featuring more than 60 different companies and exhibitors specializing in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

VIP’s Sarah Fisher and Pippa Mann will kick off the event by speaking with the students joining us from the following schools:

Indianapolis Public Schools - Harshman Middle School - 7th & 8th grades
Warren Township Schools - Stonybrook Intermediate Academy - 6th grade
Warren Township Schools - Raymond Park Intermediate Academy - 6th grade
Warren Township Schools - Creston Intermediate Academy - 6th grade

During the Ignite Your Superpower event, students will be chaperoned by a volunteer "Superhero" who will lead them through the STEM exhibits. Students will have the opportunity to explore interactive presentations, watch live demos and work with some of the coolest tools in the industry.

“We hope the Ignite Your Superpower STEM Day will inspire these young girls to discover more about the wonders of STEM, and help spark a lasting interest that motivates them to pursue their passions,” said Karen Maginn, Director and Chair of Indy Women in Tech. “We hope IYS will serve as a model for future STEM days that can reach young girls throughout the state of Indiana.”

“This event serves as an excellent opportunity for girls in Indianapolis to explore all of the opportunities available to them in STEM fields,” Norman Burns, President and CEO of Conner Prairie, said. “We’re proud to partner with Indy Women in Tech and Women & Hi-Tech to support this event and our annual Passport to Hi-Tech at Conner Prairie.”

“We all have unique gifts; we just need to set them free," said Tiffany J. White, Past President of Women & Hi Tech. "IYS will help the girls, many of which come from low-income families, find their gifts, expand their horizons, and develop greater self-confidence."

Sponsors for the inaugural IYS include: Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, Rolls-Royce, University of Indianapolis, Docker and Eli Lilly. The full list of sponsors can be found online at https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/event-2489132.

About Indy Women in Tech
Indy Women in Tech is a public charity whose mission is to inspire women and girls of all ages to pursue STEM related employment in Indiana by exposing them to experiences and career opportunities in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as provide the necessary financial support, mentoring, training and education. For more information about Indy Women in Tech, please visit www.indywit.com.

About Conner Prairie
Spanning nearly 1,000 wooded acres in central Indiana, Conner Prairie welcomes nearly 400,000 visitors of all ages annually. As Indiana’s first Smithsonian Institute affiliate, Conner Prairie offers various outdoor, historically themed destinations and indoor experiential learning spaces that combine history and art with science, technology, engineering and math to offer an authentic look into history that shapes society today. For more information, please visit www.connerprairie.org.

About Women & Hi Tech
Women & Hi Tech is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to supporting women in STEM industries. Through networking, professional development, and opportunities to both mentor and learn, our members take steps daily to help each other claim seats at the table in science, technology, engineering, and math industries. For more information, please visit www.womenandhitech.org.

Contact:
To learn more about Ignite Your Superpower:

Women & Hi Tech
133 West Market Street, #220
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2801

Email: IYS@womenandhitech.org
IYS website: http://womenandhitech.org/event-2489132

Congratulations to Deb Hallberg on being chosen as a '17 Summer Golden Laurel honoree.

Sat, 22 Jul 2017 12:00:39 GMT

Congratulations to Women & Hi Tech board member emeritus Deb Hallberg on being chosen as a 2017 Summer Golden Laurel honoree! Deb will be honored by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine on July 27, 2017. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/events/674093189468568/

2017 - 2018 Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors

Thu, 06 Jul 2017 11:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce the Board of Directors for terms that commenced July 1, 2017.

Elected officers of the Women & Hi Tech board:

President: Audrey Taylor, Founder and CEO, netlogx
Vice President: Darcy Lee, Director of Accounts & Business Development, Metonymy Media
Treasurer: Bobbie LaFollette, CPA, Accountant, Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS)
Secretary: Elizabeth Dick, Senior Project Engineer, Allison Transmission

Elected members of the Women & Hi Tech board:

Communications Director: Lori Boyer, Software Applications Developer, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Corporate Engagement Director: Rebecca Bormann, Regional Business Development Manager, Bell Techlogix, Inc.
Executive Women's Forum Director: Lauren Riga, Founder, Full Circle Solutions, LLC
Individual Membership Director: Wendy Maple, Director of Client Services, Theoris Services
Leading Light Awards Director: Ali Hromis, Director, IT, Project Lead the Way
Membership Administrator: Carol Ganz, Director of Client Services, Six Feet Up, Inc.
Networking Events Director: Angela B. Freeman, Intellectual Property Associate/Patent Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Outreach - Collegiate Director: Barb Alder, Director, Office of Engagement for Metropolitan Indianapolis, Purdue University
Outreach - K - 12 Director: Melissa Lavella, Process Improvement Engineer, Roche Diagnostics
Past President: Tiffany White, Chief Project Engineer, U.S. Helicopter Engines, Rolls-Royce
Technology Director: Elyse Swoverland, Senior Software Engineer, Sallie Mae
Volunteer Director: Karen Harris, Vice President & Information Officer Manufacturing and Quality, Eli Lilly and Company

Board Member Emeritus:

Jo Basey, Retired, Kelley School of Business, Indiana UniversitY
Angie Engel, Account Executive, Sogeti USA
Gail Farnsley, Senior Executive Partner, Gartner
Robin Fleming, Senior Vice President, Technology, Angie's List
Deb Hallberg, Business Development Manager for Industry Groups, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Tonya Hanshew, Founder & CEO, Write 4 the Win, LLC
Rajinder Heir, COO, Information Services Agency, City of Indianapolis | Marion County
Patsy Lentz, Retired Business Development Professional
Jayne Merryman, Enterprise Account Executive, Dell EMC
Jane Richardson, IT Strategy and Corporate Strategic Alignment Leader, Cummins Inc.
Tiffany Trusty, President, Trusty Applications and Senior Technology Advisor, Eleven Fifty Academy
Susan Vaughn, CEO, The Project Authority

"Women & Hi Tech is one of the largest and fastest growing Indiana organizations," said Audrey Taylor, President of Women & Hi Tech. "The key goals for 2017-18 are to empower women, make Indiana business stronger and close the skilled STEM workers gap. Our all volunteer board has professionals and outstanding women in every STEM field and I look forward to working with the Board and all of our supporters to accelerate progress and achieve our ambitious goals."

To view the biographies of Women & Hi Tech's board members, visit the website at https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/Board

Tech Town Hall Focuses on Women in Tech

Wed, 05 Jul 2017 11:55:41 GMT

ICYMI: Watch Women & Hi Tech Board Member Emeritus Robin Fleming on the Inside INdiana BusinessTech Town Hall focusing on Women in Technology. http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/35818719/tech-town-hall-focusing-on-women-in-tech

Pippa Mann Announced as Keynote Speaker for Ignite Your Superpower

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 23:49:30 GMT

We are excited to announce that Pippa Mann will be the keynote speaker at Ignite Your Superpower (IYS) on August 17, 2017. Pippa is a powerful advocate for girls pursuing interests in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

We hope you'll register to be a Superhero at this amazing event. As a Superhero, you'll guide a group of middle school girls through the exhibits. You'll spend the day encouraging the girls, while designing helicopter rotors, playing with bugs and engaging in many more STEM activities.

The girls come from a wide range of backgrounds and diversities, so we hope to attract a diverse group of volunteers to show the girls anyone with passion for STEM can pursue an interest in STEM (even those who are under-resourced).

IYS is presented via a partnership between Conner Prairie, Indy Women in Tech and Women & Hi Tech. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. For more information and/or to sign-up to be a volunteer, go to https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/event-2489132

If you have any questions, please contact us at IYS@womenandhitech.org

IIB.com on the Partnership between Eleven Fifty Academy and Women & Hi Tech

Thu, 15 Jun 2017 12:12:06 GMT

ICYMI: IIB.com recorded a segment covering the partnership between Eleven Fifty Academy and Women & Hi Tech. Watch it here: http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/clip/13425262/eleven-fifty-academy-women-hi-tech-form-partnership

Eleven Fifty Academy and Women & Hi Tech Collaborate to Encourage Women in Tech

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 12:07:56 GMT

Today Eleven Fifty Academy and Women & Hi Tech announced a joint initiative to provide mentoring to women attending the Academy’s most recent software development course (JavaScript/June 2017). Members of Women & Hi Tech will meet weekly with these women to share how they got to where they are now, and answer any questions about their current role in a high-tech career. Additionally, Women & Hi Tech is helping Eleven Fifty Academy to identify companies that are willing to interview these students for internships and apprenticeship opportunities after graduation.

Click here to see the video on Inside INdiana Business about this partnership.

Click here to read the full press release about this partnership.

"Unprecedented push underway to advance women in tech" - via IBJ.com

Sat, 10 Jun 2017 18:27:59 GMT

Be sure to check out the article in the IBJ about advancing women in technology in Indiana. https://www.ibj.com/articles/64165-unprecedented-push-underway-to-advance-women-in-tech.

Pictures from our Spring Networking Event

Sat, 20 May 2017 13:20:55 GMT

Looking for pictures from our Spring Networking Event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Go to https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/2017-Spring-Networking

Red Shield Radio Podcast Features Women & Hi Tech

Wed, 10 May 2017 22:44:08 GMT

On Sunday, May 7, 2017, our Women & Hi Tech President, Tiffany White, and Collegiate Outreach Director, Barb Alder, were on Red Shield Radio to talk about how Women & Hi Tech helps connect young women with STEM programs and careers.

Listen to the broadcast online at http://www.salvationarmyindiana.org/dw/podcasts/rsr-050717.mp3

Congratulations to Tiffany Trusty on her recent award from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Mon, 08 May 2017 15:24:18 GMT

Tiffany received the Rose-Hulman 2017 Career Achievement Award. Way to go Tiffany!!! Read all about the award at http://rosestem.rose-hulman.edu/s/1554/index.aspx?sid=1554&gid=1&pgid=405

ICYMI: Pictures from Passport to Hi-Tech are online.

Sat, 18 Mar 2017 21:30:00 GMT

Pictures from today's Passport to Hi-Tech are online. Enjoy! :-)

Passport to Hi-Tech featured on Inside Indiana Business

Tue, 14 Mar 2017 01:36:06 GMT

Did you miss the segment on Inside Indiana Business about Passport to Hi-Tech? If so, you can watch the video online at http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/clip/13165524/passport-to-hi-tech

Tiffany Trusty to speak at IU Center of Excellence for Women in Technology - CEWiT

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 23:56:45 GMT

Women & Hi Tech Board Member Emeritus, Tiffany Trusty, of Eleven Fifty Academy to speak at IU Center of Excellence for Women in Technology - CEWiT. Learn more at http://www.indiana.edu/~cewit/conference/index.html

Congratulations to Women & Hi Tech Past President, Jane Richardson

Tue, 07 Feb 2017 16:28:54 GMT

Congratulations to Women & Hi Tech Past President, Jane Richardson, of Cummins, on being elected to serve on the Information Services Agency's (ISA) IT Board for the City of Indianapolis - Marion County.

Learn more about the Information Services Agency at http://www.indy.gov/egov/county/isa/Pages/home.aspx

Tiffany White shares her experience as a woman in technology

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 16:30:00 GMT

Be sure to read this blog post on the TechPoint Foundation Website about long-time member and 2016-2017 President of Women & Hi Tech, Tiffany White.

https://www.techpointyouth.org/blog/2016/11/10/tiffany-white

Video from Inside Indiana Business - Women in Tech on the Rise

Sun, 16 Oct 2016 23:30:00 GMT

Did you miss the segment on Inside Indiana Business about women in technology? It featured two 2016 Leading Light Award nominees, Robin Fleming and Sally Reasoner. Watch the video...

Mentors see untapped potential for women in tech careers

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 16:01:07 GMT

Robin Fleming, senior vice president of technology at Angie’s List and a mentor for women in technology, said many don’t realize the opportunities that exist in the field. Read the full article...

Volunteer Opportunity - Young Women's Empowerment Conference

Fri, 16 Sep 2016 17:16:23 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is seeking women to be part of a small group of volunteers that are willing to share their experiences of overcoming challenges in order to achieve a professional career. You will be speaking with girls at the Young Women's Empowerment Conference at Crispus Attucks Magnet High School on Saturday, October 22nd. To volunteer, or to receive more information, contact Melissa at outreach@womenandhitech.org by September 30th

Volunteer Opportunity - Celebrate Science Indiana

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 17:14:03 GMT

Celebrate Science Indiana
Women & Hi Tech is in need of volunteers to fill our booth at the Celebrate Science Fair at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Saturday, October 1st from 9am to 5pm. If you are interested in helping kids with a bracelet activity that is designed to help them understand binary numbers and the basic building blocks of coding, please contact Patsy at volunteers@womenandhitech.org with your availability by September 23rd. Knowledge on the subject matter is not required as there will be a quick training session via phone to learn the activity ahead of time.

Congratulations to our 2016 Leading Light Award and Scholarship Nominees.

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 21:00:00 GMT

Congratulations to our 2016 Leading Light Award and scholarship nominees. We have a record number of nominees this year from a variety of prestigious and influential companies and universities. View the list of nominees.

Dr. Sue Ellspermann Announced as Emcee for 2016 Leading Light Awards

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Women &Hi Tech is pleased to announce that Dr. Sue Ellspermann will emcee the 2016 Leading Light Awards on October 6, 2016 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. Dr. Ellspermann is President of Ivy Tech Community College and most recently served as the 50th Lieutenant Governor of Indiana. Dr. Ellspermann has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, economic and workforce development and public service.

"Women & Hi Tech is delighted to have Dr. Sue Ellspermann as our emcee for the 2016 Leading Light Awards," said Tiffany White, President of Women & Hi Tech. "Dr. Ellspermann exemplifies the mission of Women & Hi Tech. As Indiana’s 50th Lieutenant Governor and now as the first female president of Ivy Tech Community College, Dr. Ellspermann continues to work tirelessly to increase the skill and education levels of Indiana’s workforce especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As an engineer, former business owner, nonprofit board member, wife, mother, and grandmother, Sue Ellspermann is an indisputable role model for women working in high tech."

The Leading Light Awards recognize women of achievement in STEM who have set an example to others by demonstrating expertise, professionalism, leadership, service, courage and tenacity in pursuing their chosen career. In addition to the seven Leading Light Awards that will be presented on October 6, 2016, multiple scholarships will be awarded to women pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in STEM, with plans to remain in Indiana after graduation. For more information about the Leading Light Awards, please visit https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/2016-LLA-Overview.

Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors Elects New Leadership

Fri, 01 Jul 2016 13:00:00 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce the Board of Directors for terms commencing July 1, 2016. Previous board members elected to new roles are:

President: Tiffany White, Chief Project Engineer - U.S. Helicopter Engines - Rolls-Royce
Past President: Jane Richardson, IT Strategy and Optimization Leader - Cummins Inc
Vice-President, Audrey Taylor, Founder and CEO - netlogx

New members joining the board are:

Secretary: Elizabeth Dick, Commodity Manager - Allison Transmission
Treasurer: Darcy Lee, Director of Accounts & Business Development - Metonymy Media
Executive Women's Forum Chair: Robin Fleming, SVP Technology - Angie's List
Technology Chair: Elyse Swoverland, Android & iOS Developer - Eleven Fifty Consulting

Transitioning from the board to board emeritus are:

Deborah L. Gordon, Vice President, Mobile Source Emissions Regulatory Activities, Allison Transmission
Tonya Hanshew, COO at Agency360
Rajinder Heir
Deborah Pollack-Milgate, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Tiffany Trusty, Director of Apprenticeship, Eleven Fifty Academy

“The Women & Hi Tech Board of Directors and Directors Emeritus consist of some of the brightest women in business and technology in Indianapolis, " said Tiffany White, President of Women & Hi Tech. "Because of their hard work and dedication as an all-volunteer board, Women & Hi Tech continues to grow and serve women interested in technology in Indiana."

View a full list of the Board of Directors and Directors Emeritus.

Tickets for the Leading Light Awards are now available for purchase

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 17:32:47 GMT

Purchase your ticket today for The Leading light Awards at the Indiana Roof Ballroom on October 6, 2016.

Call for Nominations for 2016 Leading Light Awards

Wed, 25 May 2016 14:46:05 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2016 Leading Light Awards. The Leading Light Awards recognize women of achievement in science, technology, engineering, and math who have set an example to others by demonstrating expertise, professionalism, leadership, service, courage and tenacity in pursuing their chosen career.

This year, there are seven Leading Light Awards being presented during this prestigious event at the Indiana Roof Ballroom on October 6, 2016. Nominations are being accepted now thru July 29, 2016. For details about each award and to nominate an outstanding female, please visit https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/2016-LLA-Nominations.

Volunteer Opportunity

Thu, 05 May 2016 14:42:54 GMT

Women & Hi Tech is in need of volunteers to support the Indiana State Museum Bicentennial Expo on Saturday, May 21st from 10 am to 5 pm. The event will be held outdoors under a tent, RAIN or SHINE. Tables and chairs will be provided.

As a volunteer, you will be assisting younger children with a DNA bracelet activity. Beads, pipe cleaners and instructions will be provided.

If you are interested in volunteering, please register online at https://wht.formstack.com/forms/volunteerregistration

Apply Now for Leading Light Award Scholarships

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 19:42:32 GMT

With thanks to our outstanding sponsors, Women & Hi Tech is honored to provide two $5,000 scholarships this year. The scholarships (one undergraduate and one graduate) will be awarded to women living in Indiana with plans to remain here after graduation to put their education to work in our community. The Women & Hi Tech Scholarships are open to women pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in science, technology, engineering or math. The two recipients will be honored at the Women & Hi Tech Leading Light Awards on October 6, 2016 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom.

Nominations are being accepted now thru July 29, 2016 at http://wht.formstack.com/forms/scholarship_form

Save the Date - Leading Light Awards - October 6, 2016

Sun, 27 Mar 2016 18:09:39 GMT

The 2016 Leading Light Awards will be held Thursday, October 6, 2016 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. Save the date and stay tuned for more information.

Link to books by Dr. Erin Albert

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 00:48:36 GMT

Looking for information on books by Dr. Erin Albert? Go to https://squareup.com/market/pharmllc

A great article by the Indy Star about Passport To Hi-Tech

Sun, 06 Mar 2016 01:00:00 GMT

Girls become scientists for a day at Conner Prairie. Read the article here:

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/2016/03/05/girls-become-scientists-day-conner-prairie/81267766/?hootPostID=8694cceebceaa8e3cb4c83317f97320c

WTHR features Passport to Hi-Tech

Sat, 05 Mar 2016 22:56:58 GMT

Thank you to WHTR for featuring Passport to Hi-Tech this morning. Watch the clip at http://www.wthr.com/clip/12264195/passport-to-hi-tech

Inside Indiana Business - Girls in Spotlight at Passport to Hi-Tech

Sat, 05 Mar 2016 22:48:42 GMT

Thank you to Inside Indiana Business for this great write-up about Passport to Hi-Tech. http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/31344166/girls-in-spotlight-at-passport-to-hi-tech

Congratulations to Audrey Taylor, Treasurer of Women & Hi-Tech, on winning a 2016 Enterprising Women of the Year award.

Sun, 28 Feb 2016 21:18:58 GMT

Read the full article about Audrey winning this prestigious award recognizing the World's Top Women Entrepreneurs at the following link https://netlogx.com/news/

Registration now open for Women & Hi Tech Executive Women's Forum on 3/17/16

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:47:38 GMT

Register now for our Executive Women's Forum with Dr. Erin Albert. The topic for this EWF is "2020 - Preparing for and Taking Advantage of the Multipational Workplace". Register online at https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/event-2046242.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CORPORATE MEMBERS

It's an exciting year for Women & Hi Tech! Along with some great events, we've got a new membership system! If you are an Individual Member, you've likely already signed up here: https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/Individual-Membership . But if you are a member through one of our amazing sponsors, we need to get you registered in the new system so that you can continue to attend Women & Hi Tech events for the Membership price (usually free).

Instructions:

Go to our Corporate Members Page here: https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/Corporate-Members
Click on your Company
Complete the registration form!

That's it! Stay tuned for upcoming information about our other 2016 events!

If you have questions about Corporate Sponsorship, please contact us at corpsponsor@womenandhitech.org

Women & Hi Tech is in need of volunteers to support the annual Passport to Hi-Tech event at Conner Prairie on 3/5/16!

Tue, 19 Jan 2016 14:56:34 GMT

Passport to Hi-Tech is an event for girls ages 7 to 12 to learn about careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. More than 1,000 participants will be joining us this year!

The Women & Hi Tech volunteers will be placed to help with event preparation, participant check-in, and drawing registration, among other tasks.

Women & Hi Tech has an opportunity for its members to be part of a short video series highlighting various careers in hi tech fields.

Thu, 24 Dec 2015 00:36:59 GMT

The video series will be shown to young girls in conjunction with the Passport to Hi Tech event with Conner Prairie in March. If you are interested in a video interview at your workplace, please contact us at outreach@womenandhitech.org for more information!

Save The Date - Passport to Hi Tech - 3/5/16

Wed, 23 Dec 2015 22:36:24 GMT

Mark your calendars for Passport to Hi-Tech at Conner Prairie on March 5, 2016. This annual event helps to engage and educate girls about STEM. We'll post more information about the event as it becomes available at
https://womenandhitech.wildapricot.org/event-2105185

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