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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.

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.

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

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.”

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!”

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. 

1. Incorporate members representing broad dimension of diversity to increase “Diversity of Thought” of teams
2. Be aware of your privilege, the gradations of privilege, and use your privilege to empower others
3. Forge strong relationships, leverage your position, and have the integrity to be your authentic self
4. Do not work twice as hard, but demonstrate excellence in all that you do and how you show up
5. Expose diverse girls/women and engage male allies
6. Use your network and be an advocate
7. Manage work environments to promote inclusion
8. Service, training, & teambuilding expectations or requirements should be tied to or reflected in compensation and/or career advancement
9. Empathy is humanness – One does not have to understand or know to advocate or act
10. Women have a responsibility to mentor; mentees are not offspring
11. “Girl Power” is required for diverse women to advance
12. 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.

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

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.

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 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.  

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

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

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