Meet Our Team

Cathi founded IGNITE to help girls everywhere to believe in themselves and encourage each girl to strive to develop her abilities and skills. Cathi understands that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers offer women the opportunity to make their unique contribution to society while working in high paying roles, gaining confidence and in turn each one becoming a role model for the next generation.  Cathi sees her reward each time a girl understands that she is smart and capable and gains the conviction to accomplish her special dream.

WHY YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

As a former High Tech executive, I personally experienced the gender imbalance of those working in technology positions.  I was one of just a few dozen women at a Netscape conference in 1995 attended by a thousand people.  I was motivated to find a way to address this imbalance and help women discover how diverse and truly satisfying technology careers can be.  When I learned about IGNITE, I immediately recognized that IGNITE was the perfect way for me to make a difference and connect with young women while they are still at school and in the process of considering different career options.

HOW HAS IGNITE WORLDWIDE INSPIRED YOU?

It is inspiring to attend presentations and to see girls’ eyes light up when they meet successful women in technology, as the girls realize “I CAN do this too.  I CAN work in tech, I CAN be successful”  It’s watching empowerment in action.

WHAT VALUE DOES IGNITE WORLDWIDE PROVIDE FOR GIRLS?

Girls above all need role models, often currently lacking in popular culture.  They need role model of female professionals succeeding in STEM jobs and as executives.  IGNITE provides exactly this.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY?

Simply that IGNITE is the most successful program of its kind because it is tried and proven and has already touched and inspired thousands of girls.  IGNITE is so well established as a best practice to achieve gender equity in tech that is being implemented not only at schools across the US but also in schools in Europe and Africa.

BIO

Larisa Goldin is Founder and CEO of Dreamclinic, Inc., Seattle’s premier facilities for therapeutic massage and acupuncture, with locations in Seattle and Redmond and corporate clients that include leading area employers like Boeing, Twitter and the Polyclinic.  Dreamclinic is a recipient of multiple industry awards including King5 Best of Western Washington, Best of Citysearch, Allure Magazine and Seattle Magazine.  Larisa is also co-founder of Find Touch, a nationwide Job Search website and community hub for the massage industry. Prior to founding Dreamclinic in 2003, Larisa held a succession of senior level positions in the high-tech sector, her last as Director of Program Management for 4thpass (acquired by Motorola in 2002).  Before that, Larisa was Group Program Manager at Concur (CNQR) in 2000 and Manager of Internet Systems for InstallShield Software Corporation in Chicago (1995-1999). In her mid-twenties, Larisa founded and later sold Zelcor – a St. Louis based company specializing in wholesale distribution of computer supplies.

Larisa is a frequent guest speaker at the University of Washington Business School as well as an annual judge for the University of Washington EMBA Business Plan Competition.  She is a former member of the Women Presidents Organization and a current member of the prestigious Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) where she also serves as a Forum Moderator. Larisa is IGNITE’s current Board Director.

Manisha is Director of a team that builds strategic alliances between technology partners and ServiceNow, reporting to the Chief Innovation Officer. She serves as alliance architect for the most strategic platform partners of ServiceNow, driving product planning, engineering, and go-to-market efforts. She is an industry speaker, platform evangelist, and trusted advisor to Fortune 500 executive partners and customers. She has been a passionate volunteer and board member of IGNITE for about 10 years.

In 1984, I made the decision that a Secretarial position was not going to be my life career. I finished my AA in Business Administration and then took a course to be an Electronic Technician at the local junior college. After six months of class and only one of a few women that finished! I was offered an Electronic Technician Position with Boeing working on the Minuteman Missile Program. I worked in a Developmental Test Lab and tested Hardware and Software for the Air Force. I loved my job.

Then I started working with the world of Local Area Networks/Wide Area Networks (Routers, Bridges, Concentrators, Multiplexors, and High speed data transmission lines). I finished my Bachelor of Science in 1997 and decided I could go anywhere now. I liked my job, but I wanted to Engineer Networks. I heard there was a position available at Microsoft, so I decided to try for it. After going through one of the longest interview processes, I was hired. I started with the Development Lab Group (DevNet) and worked on installing networks for Developmental Labs, it was new and exciting!

In the summer of 2000, I took my Certification test for Cisco, and received a Cisco Certified Network Associate Certification. In 2006, I took my Project Management Professional Certification and am a Certified PM.   I worked 17 years at Microsoft in many different types of technical jobs:  I worked for the Network Performance Team.   The Network Performance Team was responsible for monitoring Microsoft’s Wide Area Network, reporting on trends and performance issues, grooming traffic and making circuit sizing recommendations, in order to maximize the efficient utilization of available bandwidth while minimizing overall costs by obviating the need for unnecessary circuit upgrades.  I was responsible for North America including Canada and Latin America.  I went on to be an Integration Manager for the Venture and Integration Team, bringing on new businesses to our network.  I became a Service Manager/Service Engineer for the Tools and Management Team, where I managed the network engineering team and stakeholders for the service.  I finished my career at Microsoft as a Business Manager for the Production Engineering Team, where I assisted with the Rhythm of Business and delivery of the new BI Dashboard.

After leaving Microsoft, I felt the need to continue my work in a contracting position.  Today I work for Insight Global LLC, contracting for T-Mobile as a Project Manager for the Engineering IP Network Infrastructure Organization.  I am responsible for projects related to infrastructure maintenance, driving infrastructure deployments, including build outs or expansions to all Call Centers.  It’s an exciting position and every day is a new day!  I love this job!  Contracting is new to me and this is a one year contract, but the people and the work I am introduced to is so worth it.

I don’t know where I will go next, but if I can give advice to anyone to succeed it’s never quit learning – YOU can do anything you put your mind too!

Amber Zertuche grew up in Fresno, California and got her B.S. in Optical Science and Engineering at University of California, Davis. She has worked with femtosecond lasers to create waveguides at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and worked as one of the few women Metrology Engineers on the primary mirrors for the James Webb Space Telescope at Tinsley Laboratories in Richmond, California. Seeing a need for more diversity in the engineering workforce, Amber went back to school to receive her M.S. in Math and Science Education at the University of California, Berkeley, with the goal to work at the high school level and directly encourage girls to pursue STEM education and careers. She became a Physics and Engineering teacher at Burton High School in San Francisco Unified School District and opened an IGNITE chapter there. Amber is also the Co-membership Chair at Double Union (a hacker/maker space for women in San Francisco), part of the Society of Women Engineers Golden Gate Section, an avid concert goer, vegan, and a yoga practitioner.

Lauren Johnson grew up in a military family in the Seattle area and went on to serve herself as an Air Force public affairs officer, deploying to the Republic of Mali and Afghanistan. After her honorable discharge, Lauren earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston, and she writes and lectures on military topics to help destigmatize the veteran experience, with a particular focus on female veterans. She recently returned to the Pacific Northwest and is exited to help destigmatize women in STEM fields as well.

Why are you involved with IGNITE Worldwide?

Because I was immersed in science at an early age and had opportunities to interact with females in STEM, I innocently believed that everyone had this opportunity as well. I came to realize that my experience was not typical. Girls need access to information about STEM careers and also need to see themselves represented so they know their dreams are achievable. I see the measurable impact that IGNITE has on girls. They have the chance to learn about and eventually contribute and lead in STEM, which will provide them with upward economic mobility. It is my privilege to serve IGNITE because of our shared value of equity and empowerment.

How has IGNITE Worldwide inspired you?

I am inspired by IGNITE’s fortitude and dedication to bring its programs to girls all across the globe. It’s worldwide outreach is ensuring that geographic location is not a barrier to girls who can benefit from panels and learning resources. Ghanaian intellectual, missionary and teacher James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey is quoted as saying “The surest way to keep people down is to educate the men and neglect the women. If you educate a man you simply educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a whole nation. IGNITE inspires me because they are changing the world by championing gender equity so that whole nations rather than individuals will have access to STEM exposure and STEM education.

What would you like our wider community to know about IGNITE Worldwide?

It is no small feat that IGNITE has embarked on and yet since it’s inception it has shown dedication to growth and expansion. IGNITE is providing girls with a seemingly simple passage to a life that I know is fulfilling, empowering and of service. To the panelists who share their stories, challenges and triumphs, IGNITE creates opportunities to reach back and provide the same guidance and hope that helped them succeed.

Bio
Sandra Newman is a Consultant in Quality and Compliance for Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical companies. Her career begun as a Quality Control scientist with Cell Genesys and since then has worked in various quality roles for companies such as Qiagen, AstraZeneca and Novavax. Under her leadership she has positioned industry-leading companies to thrive in the face of change by devising strategies, processes, and training solutions that close performance gaps, amplify quality, and foster collaboration. She has an unwavering commitment to building compliance-focused teams and empowering them with the knowledge, drive, and confidence to succeed.

Sandra Newman grew up in the West African nation of Ghana. She participated in a science clinic for girls, where she met women with successful STEM careers and was inspired to pursue STEM herself. She is a mentor for WIB (Women in Bio) where she provides support for other women in their careers. She is also an adjunct instructor in Genetics.

In her free time Sandra enjoys reading, baking, decorating and spending quality time with family and friends.

Elizabeth Hunter is an incredible champion of IGNITE Worldwide’s mission to inspire girls to pursue futures in STEM careers. Elizabeth is a nationally recognized telecom executive in IT, pre and post merger integration and cross-functional programs. A creative problem solver, she’s led numerous strategic planning efforts, task forces and rapid results operational initiatives in structured, unstructured and regulatory environments. Elizabeth is currently leading the integration management office for the T-Mobile/Sprint merger. Her previous roles at T-Mobile include, serving as the primary IT liaison to the corporate strategy and marketing organizations, leading the IT portfolio, PMO, release management, architecture, technical design and compliance and controls organizations. Her prior experience includes leading the merger integration organization and managing customer experience while at AT&T Mobility, and a variety of roles in corporate development, product management at IT Dobson Communications. 

Elizabeth is the executive sponsor of both the Women’s Leadership Network and the Women in Technology Employee Resource Groups at T-Mobile US. She has been recognized as a top 10 national finalist in the Advocate of the Year category from the National Women in IT Awards in 2018, and was included in the 100 Corporate Women Leaders in STEM from STEMConnector in 2017. Her speaking engagements include Grace Hopper, Hopper x 1 Seattle as a Keynote Panelist on Gender Equity, Cultural Bias and Gender Diverse Teams; Lesbians who Tech on Flexible Consumption in the Digital Era; the keynote speaker at the Ericsson Women’s Leadership Summit on The Accidental Technologist; and as a panelist at the Women in Tech Regatta on Leadership Building Credibility: How to Take a Seat at the Table. Elizabeth lives in Bellevue and has two kids, both of whom keep her active, while her husband keeps her sane.

Sandy Carter is Vice President, Public Sector Partners and Programs at AWS. In this role, she is responsible for driving next-generation partnering. Her responsibilities include evolving partner models to intensify partner innovation, AWS cloud adoption and creation of mission critical cloud solutions with partners across public sector. She is focused on growing the partner ecosystem as a major driver for public sector and contributing significantly to the success of public sector customers. She previously built an enterprise workload team as the Vice President of Enterprise Workloads at AWS focused on migration and modernization through containers and serverless.

Sandy has been a founder and CEO of a startup, and her last role at IBM, she ran the Cloud and AI/ML Ecosystem on behalf of the IBM corporation. Sandy is the Chairman of the Board of Girls in Tech, Chairwoman for WIoTCoE, and an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University Silicon Valley.

She is the author of Extreme Innovation: Three Superpowers for Purpose and Profit. Sandy is a Federal 100 Award Winner, Stevie Award Winner for Women of the Year Technology,

Women in Tech: Top 50 Influencers, Top 40 Cloud Computing Influencers on Twitter, Top 50 Digital Influencers, Awards Magazine Top 50 Women of Influence, Top 15 IoT Premier League, Lifetime Achievement Winner, ‘Excellence in Cloud Achievement’, AI Innovator Nominee of the Year, Top 10 AI Influencers 2019, and the Top 10 Cloud Computing Influencer.

Lindsay is a seasoned technology executive with extensive background in product management, solutions, development & delivery. She has demonstrated leadership in various technology program transformations, created and expanded product and service lines, managed global teams, while exceeding clients and customers’ expectations. She is a charismatic leader who builds high-performing teams that are process-driven, results-oriented, and customer centric.

Lindsay recently joined Afiniti in September 2020 as Vice President of Global Deployment. Afiniti is the world’s leading applied artificial intelligence and advanced analytics provider. Afiniti Enterprise Behavioral Pairing™ uses artificial intelligence to identify subtle, valuable patterns of human interaction in order to pair individuals on the basis of behavior, leading to more successful interactions and measurable increases in enterprise profitability. Previously, she also worked as a Director of Product & Technology for T-Mobile, where she primarily focused on billing technologies for more than 9 years in this telecommunications company. She also worked at Hewlett-Packard and Procter & Gamble in various roles within the technology space such as business intelligence, finance, marketing, and product lifecycle. She started her position almost two decades ago as a systems analyst and worked her way up in various technology roles that have molded her into becoming this exemplary woman technology leader today.

She is proud of her Filipino-Chinese heritage, as she was born and raised for the greater part of her life in the Philippines. She currently lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her wonderful husband, where they treat each other as equal partners, and 2 young children – a daughter who aspires to be a scientist and a son who loves music and reading.

Having such great influences in her life, from both men and women, Lindsay would really like to pay it forward and encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM in their education and career choices. It has opened so many doors for her and she wishes this for every single girl in the world. We live in a world that’s technology driven now and much more so in the future. The world’s success is attributed to great scientists, technologists, researchers – many who are women that are under-recognized and deserve as much credit, if not more, as men. IGNITE Worldwide has inspired Lindsay to be part of this wonderful organization that gives opportunities to all girls around the world to gain an equal footing just like everyone else. IGNITE Worldwide is growing tremendously and Lindsay encourages all women in technology and sciences, just like herself, to step up and help in any way, shape, or form possible.

Kathleen Nguyen is a highly adaptive, director-level IT leader obsessed with delighting customers by collaborating and engaging cross-functional teams to deliver meaningful solutions that support the patient experience, bringing transformation to healthcare systems. She has extensive background in healthcare information technology, electronic health systems, strategy development and roadmap execution, digital design and innovation, and compliance regulations surrounding HIPAA, HITECH and Privacy Rules.

Kathleen was born in Saigon, Vietnam and at the age of 5 immigrated with her parents and older brother to the United States.  Her family settled in South Seattle, Washington where she attended schools within the Highline School District and went on to graduate with her Bachelors of Science in Health Information Management and Master’s in Health Informatics and Administration from the University of Washington.  She recalls her first real encounters with the healthcare system starting at the age of 10, when she accompanied her parents to their medical appointments to serve as their interpreter. While medical appointments weren’t entirely fun for a 10 year old, she took an immediate interest to healthcare.

Today, she pulls those early experiences into her daily work to deliver solutions that delight patients and care teams of all backgrounds.  As the Seattle Children’s IT Director, Kathleen is responsible for designing and implementing enterprise-wide technology strategies to improve the clinical communication experience across the enterprise, delivering innovative collaboration tools to enhance operational reliability and customer productivity.  Kathleen is constantly looking at equitable ways to engage diverse customers from various backgrounds.  Kathleen also serves on the University Of Washington School Of Public Health Advisory Board to continue promoting the field of healthcare technology and informatics, and serves as a mentor for the students.

Drawing from her personal experience as an immigrant woman of color IT leader, Kathleen is a strong advocate of STEM access for young girls today.  In particular, she hopes to empower more girls to pursue IT healthcare executive career paths.

Migdalia “Mig” Vazquez has more than 28 years of experience as a leader in education, bringing a passion for career development, coaching and instructional design to every role she takes. Since 2018, Vazquez has served as Campus President for Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Prior to her promotion to Campus President, Vazquez served as Director of Operations – Education and Director of Admissions at UTI Rancho Cucamonga in her more than 17 years with UTI. In 2006 and 2007, Vazquez won the Campus Admissions Director Sales Award each year.

Vazquez has worked in education since 1992, working in Student Services Director and Admissions Representative positions for colleges in southern California. The unique nature of watching students’ lives transform and being able to encourage people to pursue their dreams and have a career, versus just a job, has kept Vazquez entrenched and curious about the education field for nearly three decades.

Vazquez brings a people-centered approach to her role as UTI Rancho Cucamonga Campus President. Vazquez translates the importance of productivity and sound educational outcomes into community-building on campus, working closely with instructors to meet emerging student needs.

Vazquez plays an instrumental role in student retention efforts and campus-wide initiatives to drive student engagement. UTI Rancho Cucamonga regularly hosts student car show events, including car contests, and student appreciation events that recognize students for their achievements. The “In the Driver’s Seat” events at UTI Rancho Cucamonga give students the opportunity to learn more about subjects they’re interested in before graduation, through events and talks from professionals and UTI graduates working in the industry.

Vazquez holds a Bachelor of Science in Business degree from the University of Phoenix and an Associate of Science degree in Fashion Merchandise Marketing from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. While in fashion school, Vazquez considered a career as a shoe designer. As a college student, she started working in education, which ignited her interest in that field and became her chosen career path.

Vazquez was born in 1969 in Los Angeles, California, to Mexican parents and is fluent in English and Spanish. Vazquez and her husband Gustavo Valle have been married for 23 years. They have a 13-year-old daughter, Dalia. Vazquez and her family enjoy beach camping, hiking and being active outdoors. Vazquez recently ran her first 5K in Huntington Beach and is training for a 10K race

Mike Mullane
Managing Director, Accenture

Mike has worked in the Communications, High Tech, Products, Healthcare, and Resources industries, leading some of the most complex transformation engagements and helping his clients accelerate the speed in which new ideas, products, and services are brought to market.  Mike began his career with Accenture in 1992. Prior to this, he was a Bullpen Catcher for the San Francisco Giants and a member of the 1989 National League Championship and 1987 National League Western Division Championship teams.  Mike earned a BA in Business Administration and Finance from St. Mary’s College of California.  He and his wife, Julie, have four children and reside in Northern California.

Dan Rogers is the CEO of Point to Point Transportation, a Seattle-based company delivering peace of mind with custom shipping solutions for corporate events. Dan is one of IGNITE Worldwide’s most dedicated supporters, helping the organization grow to reach new heights and serve more girls every year.

Craig Newmark is a Web pioneer, philanthropist, and leading advocate. Most commonly known for founding the online classified ads service craigslist, Newmark works to support and connect people and drive broad civic engagement.

In 2016, he founded Craig Newmark Philanthropies to advance people and grassroots organizations that are “getting stuff done” in areas that include trustworthy journalism & the information ecosystem, voter protection, women in technology, and veterans & military families. At its core, all of Newmark’s philanthropic work helps to strengthen American democracy by supporting the values that the country aspires to – fairness, opportunity, and respect.

Newmark serves on the board of directors of a number of organizations, including Blue Star Families, the Center for Public Integrity, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, Girls Who Code, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American, Poynter Foundation, Sunlight Foundation, VetsinTech, and Women in Public Service Project. He also serves on the Board of Overseers of the Columbia Journalism Review and on the advisory board of nearly twenty other nonprofit organizations, including DonorsChoose.org, EFF, New America Foundation, Voto Latino, Wikimedia Foundation, and Women Who Tech.

In 1995, Newmark started curating a list of San Francisco arts and technology events, which he personally emailed to friends and colleagues. People were soon calling it “Craig’s List,” and when Newmark turned it into a company, he monetized it minimally, opting for a business model that prioritized “doing well by doing good.” Today, more than 5 billion ads have been posted on the site, the vast majority for free. Newmark has not been involved in the day-to-day management of the company since 2000.

Born in Morristown, New Jersey, Newmark earned degrees in computer science from Case Western Reserve University. He lives in San Francisco and New York City and enjoys birdwatching, science fiction, and Dad jokes. Newmark travels the country speaking about the initiatives he supports, and he uses Twitter to further get the word out – and share photos of birds.

Updated October 2019

Orlando is the Chief Customer Officer and General Manager of the United States at Afiniti. He is responsible for business development, managing key client relationships, overseeing deployments, and managing Afiniti’s team, operations, and strategy in the US. Orlando has been with Afiniti since 2008.

Prior to joining Afiniti, Orlando served as a Senior Business Operations Manager at Chase where he was responsible for inbound and outbound sales performance for card service and for overseeing more than 2,000 employees in vendor operations in India, the Philippines and South America. He also served as Vice President at Providian Financial, where he managed telemarketing quality and training teams supporting outbound and inbound calling.

Today, Orlando serves on the Global Board of Directors for Women in Cable Television (WICT) and The National Kidney Foundation.

Why are you involved with IGNITE Worldwide?

The reason I’m involved with IGNITE Worldwide is quite simply because it is an organization that is dedicated to spending time with young girls within communities to spread awareness about careers in STEM.  When I was in college, organizations like this did not exist, nor did we have any idea of what would happen once we finished college with a degree in STEM and how to actually apply it.  We kind of winged everything  This is a step before any college consideration path, which is an extremely powerful and necessary tool to have.

How has IGNITE Worldwide inspired you?

IGNITE Worldwide has inspired me to be a better leader, influencer, and teacher in STEM careers for the youth in my community.  I discovered IGNITE Worldwide through my employer, T-Mobile, and was fortunate enough to attend the Annual Gala during the Spring of 2019.  It was truly inspiring to not only hear our SVP, Elizabeth Hunter, in her key note speech describe the impact of this organization, but to also hear it from the girls themselves.  The messages delivered were genuine  and moving.  I knew from that moment on that I wanted to continue to be a part of IGNITE Worldwide, and to also be able to inspire young girls within my community about careers in STEM.

What would you like our wider community to know about IGNITE Worldwide?

I would like the wider community to understand that there is something very powerful about a group of individuals coming together to support the youth, especially girls, in STEM careers.  I’ve seen the positive impact that it has brought to the young girls who are a part of this organization. The coaching and knowledge that IGNITE Worldwide provides to these young girls instills the confidence that they will carry with them into the future.

Bio

Jenny Phillips is a Sr Software Development Manager at T-Mobile with the Transformation, Engineering, and Quality Organization within Product and Technology.  Her career journey with T-Mobile began in 2015.  She started her career in IT with Intuit back in 2003, and has also spent time at companies such as Roche Diagnostics, Expedia, and Microsoft.  She has a passion for building and leading teams across complex technical initiatives, as well as closely engaging with team members on their career journeys to help bring out the best in their skillsets.

Jenny is a mentor with the UW Husky Tech Program at the University of Washington where she coaches students who are majoring in CIS.  In her discussions with her mentees, she provides insights into internship programs, what to expect in the day and life of a technical role, and most importantly, listen and learn from them.  Jenny is also involved in volunteer opportunities, where she most recently led a volunteer event for her work organization during the holidays that involved stocking stuffers for homeless children and also revamping their website.

Jenny has a daughter in college, and at home she lives with her husband and 2 cats.  She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and discussing the possibility of time travel.

Bio

In the Telecommunications Industry, I am recognized as a Global Leader in Digital Transformation in the areas of Cloud, Analytics, Mobility, Social, 5G, and IoT. I am passionate about  collaborating with clients to build thought-provoking business models through digital transformation. As a Global Leader in IBM’s Services Business, I focused on collaborating with Telco’s on their corporate vision as a trusted advisor. I have traveled worldwide to meet with colleagues and clients to create, innovate, and jointly develop solutions that matter. I’m adept at working across cultures with clients from Fortune 500 enterprises to start-ups within these organizations. My career has allowed me to travel and engage with clients from the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, India, and China. I have over 25 years of Cross-Industry knowledge coupled with the ability to lead and manage critical Go-to-Market (GTM) initiatives across multiple industries simultaneously. I have significant Telco GTM experience in Government, Smart Cities/Venues, Retail, Automotive, Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics, Energy & Utilities, Healthcare, and Worker Safety/Insurance. I am highly adept at working and executing programs with C-suite clients and within complex organizations. I am tenacious, high-energy, and results-driven. I am a strong advocate for Women in STEM and in 2020 I was invited to join IGNITE’s Worldwide Executive Advisory Board. I am passionate about mentoring young girls and women to explore careers in STEM. I am based in Colorado and I travel globally.

WHY YOU ARE INVOLVED IN IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

When I was in 7th grade I was asked by my gymnastic coach, Ms. Borgo, if I would be interested in teaching our new young gymnasts. The opportunity to work with these young girls and watch them achieve a backbend or a back handspring was so inspiring. My gymnastic coach then realized that I loved math and in 8th grade she asked me if I would manage the check-in desk in which many of the families paid for classes with cash or a check. The opportunity to combine my love for teaching and business in 8th grade gave me incredible confidence. I loved math and I continued to take advance classes in high school and college. In college my Advisor, Cathy, encouraged me to explore an Engineering Degree; she also introduced me to an IBM recruiter that was looking for diverse engineering candidates for internships. I started working at IBM when I was 19 years old which led to a 34 year career with the company. As I reflect on my journey I recognize how important these relationships with women were that saw my potential and in addition were role models in STEM. I am honored to work with IGNITE worldwide to encourage young girls to believe in their natural talents and pursue careers in STEM.

STEM is a potential career path for everyone! I am so thankful for the incredible role models that encouraged me as a young girl to explore STEM courses that taught me to be creative and innovative. My goal is to interact with our young talent and to inspire them to understand their unique gifts and to pursue careers in STEM. Please join me in donating to our future talent.

HOW HAS IGNITE WORLDWIDE INSPIRED YOU?

I love how IGNITE has recognized the importance of educating and encouraging girls to believe in themselves and to understand the possibilities of their dreams. Educating teachers globally and introducing girls to women that have careers in STEM provides them role models at an early age and opens their minds to a vast number of opportunities that they may not have thought about previously. IGNITE’s programs provide a safe place for girls to gain confidence and to believe in their futures in STEM.

IGNITE Worldwide has created a STEM curriculum that targets girls very early in their education. I’m inspired by IGNITE’s global impact especially in marginalized communities. Implementing these programs at an early age gives these girls the opportunity to learn and truly visualize all of their individual potential in high wage STEM fields.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE OUR WIDER COMMUNITY TO KNOW ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

Support IGNITE today. You have the opportunity to invest in our future talent. Girls in elementary school, middle-school and high-school need to have access to the programs and a network of STEM support that will encourage them to continue to be passionate about their ideas and to invest in themselves. IGNITE’s programs for the Teaching community gives girls insight into a global ecosystem of talent in which they can find role models that are similar to them which they may not have realized even exist.

IGNITE has a 22 year history of positively impacting girls’ futures. By working to make sure girls develop a sense of curiosity along with a feeling of self-confidence, IGNITE’s talented leadership encourages them to explore the STEM world around them. This curriculum helps girls gain an understanding of the vast number and types of careers in STEM. This allows them to explore STEM roles that complement their interests and talents all while improving their potential for financial independence. IGNITE understands that our collective future depends on investing in diverse talent today.

Why are you involved with IGNITE Worldwide?
I am always seeking opportunities to create privilege and close gaps for underrepresented brilliance, especially for young girls. I am honored to pursue this passion by contributing to the work of IGNITE Worldwide.

How has IGNITE Worldwide inspired you?

It has inspired me to continue to pay it forward in inspiring, influencing and igniting passion in young girls to feel empowered, brilliant and validated in their dreams. IGNITE reminds me that I must use every platform possible to build a bridge for young women to cross and live their full potential without barriers.

What would you like our wider community to know about IGNITE Worldwide?
That IGNITE Worldwide is not only changing the trajectory for the young girls that are a part of is program, but through these young girls, creating new narratives and new legacies for generations to come.

Bio

Khalilah Lyons is a diversity, equity and inclusion strategist and enthusiast devoted to advocating for underrepresented and untapped talent and brilliance in others.

Her HR experience ranges from Fortune 500 corporations and manufacturers to digital start-ups, and she is currently driving diversity, equity and inclusion at Discover Financial Services. In addition to her corporate role, Khalilah aligns her passion to disrupt exclusive narratives and create opportunities for inclusion and diversity for various groups across Chicagoland. She serves as a D & I expert for several nonprofits, sharing inspirational and actionable messages as a keynote speaker, mentor, advisor, thought leader, board member and volunteer. Her purpose, experience and enthusiasm drive her to present compelling stories, to facilitate workshops, to influence youth and to create spaces for courageous — and often provocative — conversations.

When not working, she spends time with her two children being inspired by their approach to and perspective on life. She lives life fully as a dedicated mother, sister, friend, change agent and disruptor.

Verdel A. Jones is a passionate experienced educator and longtime TV Host of the popular show, Conversations with Verdel Jones. As founder of Deliteach Enterprises, LLC, she has been able to provide various services including speaking and hosting events dedicated to supporting her community. Her annual Write, Rhyme and Recite Collective has awarded over $5,700 in scholarships to students attending college. She’s made a significant impact on students as an educator for over 25 years. For the past 15 years, she has been the Director of Guidance and Support Services for the Plainedge School District.

Verdel’s talk show, Conversations with Verdel Jones is featured on several media platforms and aims to provide relevant information to her viewers. Being a teacher at heart, her passion is focused on sharing conversations that inform and enlighten – in the hopes that individuals learn something they may not have known.

She’s also the author of the must-have book, The Parent Agent: How to Represent Your Child and Get Them Into the College of Their Choice. Her extensive knowledge of the college exploration and selection process; current educational issues; and the social and emotional challenges students experience, make her an expert in her field.

As an inspirational speaker, Verdel can present on a myriad of topics from education and media to family and relationships. She is also the co-host of a groundbreaking intergenerational talk show, Let’s Kick It With The Jones, which also stars her husband, Jeremiah and their grownish children Marcus and Miya.

Verdel received her master’s degree in educational leadership from Long Island University, a master’s degree in secondary education from Hofstra University, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. She has been married for over 30 years to her high school sweetheart, and has two adult children.

Kenya Dunn is the visionary and founder of The Power-Filled Woman brand. The Power-Filled Woman’s mission is to impact the lives of 1 million women across the globe. Kenya is fulfilling her mission through her annual conference, Power-Filled as well as her global community organization for women of color, The Power Tribe. Prior to the launch of her business, Kenya spent 20 years in leadership roles in corporate America.

She also has a full-service coaching and consulting firm where she works with businesses and corporations to develop growth strategies through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens. Kenya also offers executive coaching services. Kenya’s passion is creating experiences that have a positive effect on the character, behavior, and development of others.

Kenya has recently joined the executive team of LifeTagger, Inc, a tech startup company, as their Chief Operating Officer. This role catapults Kenya into another space where women of color are underrepresented.

She currently serves on the board of the Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative, an organization focused on eradicating systemic racism in education. She is also Executive Fellow for Diversity Equity and Inclusion with the Metro Charleston Chamber of Commerce where she works with the chamber and its members to develop diversity, equity and inclusion strategies. Kenya is a highly influential woman in the business community in Charleston, South Carolina. She leverages her influence to advance the interest of women and people of color.

www.powertribecommunity.com
www.lifetaggerapp.com

Rebecca Straka is the Chief Information Officer at Weyerhaeuser Company (WY (NYSE)).  She has over 30 years of IT industry experience leading diverse, global teams and large, complex technology and business programs requiring significant change and investment.  Rebecca recently returned to Weyerhaeuser Company after 10 years; a company where she started her career as an IT intern.  Most recently she was Vice President of Enterprise Technology and Shared Services at Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI); leading corporate, supply chain and merchandising systems, Business Office/PMO, and enterprise infrastructure including retail technology.  At REI, she led a multi-million-dollar data center transformation program to increase systems resiliency, improve cybersecurity posture, and launch REI’s cloud journey; implemented buy on line pick up in store capabilities; and, launched the IT roadmap to transform the enterprise product flow capabilities in support of REI’s growth agenda.  Prior to REI, Rebecca spent 4 years at Zones, a national provider of IT solutions, as VP of Business Operations.  She has a business degree from Washington State University, a Master of Science degree in leadership and management with an emphasis on change and innovation from Western Governors University and certified in Lean/Six Sigma.

Why are you involved with IGNITE Worldwide?

Selecting a technical profession was one of the best life decisions I have ever made.  But the choice wasn’t made easy by education systems then, as girls’ time was spent learning cooking, sewing, and shorthand.  Much progress has been made since, but there is so much more to do and IGNITE fundamentally recognizes this fact.

How has IGNITE inspired you?

The leadership is passionate and dedicated to the cause in a serious way and with a formula that pairs professional educators with technologists who share the same goals.  They inspire me because they inspire others.

What would you like the wider community to know about IGNITE Worldwide?

It’s a great organization and your time, dollars, and attention are both appreciated and well spent.

Bio

Lisa began a career in technology in 1982.  She has held a number of both technical and executive roles across a range of global firms and start-ups.  She is currently a Managing Director in Deloitte Consulting’s Cloud Engineering practice while serving on non-profit boards.

WHY YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

I have worked in technology for almost 30 years. I didn’t plan this path in life deliberately, I loved studying Computer Science and Math in school and it led to an amazing career. That career has given me choices in life. It has enabled me to take care of my family and to give to others. It has always been challenging and inspiring. The same opportunity has to be open to all women, from all backgrounds, and that is IGNITE’s mission. IGNITE enables girls to see the possibility of what a career in tech can mean to them.

HOW HAS IGNITE WORLDWIDE INSPIRED YOU?

I was asked to speak on an IGNITE panel at work (and I quickly became an IGNITE sponsor). This was my first introduction to IGNITE. We were asked to talk about our careers and for the first time in my life, I was able to tell others about how much my career has truly meant to me. That above all else, my technology career enabled me to live a full and independent life. If I can do that, I know that every girl can also attain this goal.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE THE WIDER COMMUNITY TO KNOW ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

In Trevor Noah’s book, “Born a Crime”, he tells the story of how his mother showed him what was possible in life by the way she lived. He writes, “We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from, your imagination can be quite limited…the highest rung of what is possible is far beyond the world you can see.” IGNITE makes careers in STEM visible and viable to girls. It is fair. It reaches across socioeconomic boundaries. It is inspiring and it successfully shows girls what is possible.

BIO
Marianne Marck has enjoyed a long technology career. She got her start as a software engineer and moved into engineering management with ever expanding leadership roles. She has worked for software companies, internet companies, and retail businesses. Today, Marianne is the CIO at Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers where she oversees all aspects of technology. She has been with Ritchie
Bros. since April 2016. Marianne also served as the SVP, Consumer Facing Technology at the Starbucks Coffee company for over 4 years. There she led IT for China Asia Pacific and led engineering for global consumer facing technology. This included technology for retail, mobile, online, integration, and loyalty programs. Marianne served as the SVP of technology at Blue Nile. While there, she led multiple initiatives including launching the company’s first mobile app and international expansion. For five years Marianne served as Vice President of Engineering for the Disney Interactive Media Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company. While at Disney, Marianne led the software engineering teams that built technology for the company’s online advertising,content management, mobile applications and online video players. Her team was awarded multiple patents for their innovative contributions. Marianne served for 5 years in various capacities at CNET Networks, most recently as Senior Vice President of Technology Infrastructure. Marianne served as engineer and engineering manager at Sybase, an enterprise software company. She was at Sybase for over 6 years. She was also a software developer at the IBM Almaden Research Laboratory. Marianne holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Mills College and has done graduate work in computer science and executive management.

Megan Howard Kelly, a Baton Rouge native, is a proud wife and Mom to two beautiful little girls.  She is most passionate about all things creative, with a special love for branding and web design.

Megan holds a bachelors degree in mass communication from Southern University A&M. She is the owner of MHK, a branding company helping small businesses tell their story, build a solid brand and display it through their website.  MHK also specializes in the field of Public Relations.

Megan is the founder and CEO of The Mompreneur Nation, a national online group with local tribes for Mom-owned businesses. The group began locally in October of 2018 and has since expanded nationally.

She began her career in the news broadcast field as a TV producer/reporter for the CBS affiliate, WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge, for several years learning the market and developing lasting relationships. Megan is most recently a graduate of Leadership Baton Rouge 2017-18.

Additionally, she served as the Creative Director of Encounter Church for 16 years overseeing website development, graphic design, branding, video production, social media and marketing.

Prior to MHK, she, along with her husband Trey, owned a wedding videography company.

Megan is also a passionate advocate for domestic violence. As a survivor, she believes it’s important to speak up and end the silence and stigma behind Domestic Violence.

WHY YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

IGNITE focuses on giving girls learning opportunities, moments to be inspired by what they can accomplish and what they’re capable of. The focus of the organization ensures that many girls who otherwise would not see themselves as STEM professionals, will have a chance to consider and grow their interest in this space. It opens up opportunities for them – and repeatedly counters years of reinforcing that this career path is not a place for them.

HOW HAS IGNITE WORLDWIDE INSPIRED YOU?

Once, a group of IGNITE girls showed up at my office door. I wasn’t expecting them and at the time, I wasn’t familiar with IGNITE. My staff and I had the time to spare, and we were all passionate about showing these girls the possibilities – it was so great to see their eyes light up, to introduce others to them who they could see as role models, to give them a workshop that showed them that technology can be fun, creative, and accessible. Ever since then, I have been inspired by what IGNITE does to take girls out of their usual environment and expose them to things that they otherwise would not think is possible for them.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE OUR WIDER COMMUNITY TO KNOW ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

Why are you involved with IGNITE Worldwide?

I grew up studying mathematics and mechanical engineering in France, before moving to the US. From the start of my high school thru college, the vast majority of my classmates were male students. Being the proud father of 2 kids (a boy who is a senior in college and a girl who is a freshmen in HS), I want to ensure that my daughter, and other girls of her age group, are aware of STEM opportunities and have the confidence to thrive in a STEM career.

How has IGNITE inspired you?

I am impressed with how IGNITE teams up with the teachers in the various school district in a seamless environment to make this part of the students curriculum.

What would you like the wider community to know about IGNITE Worldwide?

IGNITE Worldwide focuses on balancing gender equity in STEM by working directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes STEM education and career advancement for girls from historically marginalized communities.

Bio

Olivier is a Principal with Deloitte Consulting, LLP focused on Mergers & Acquisitions.

He has worked on global M&A integrations and divestitures ranging from $700M to $85B. He is the M&A Offering Portfolio Asset Leader and played a critical role in the design, launch and on-going improvements of Deloitte’s Total M&A Solution platform. He serves as the Lead Client Partner to T-Mobile and spends most of his time in the High Tech and Telecom industries.

Olivier has over 25 years of M&A experience including due diligence, integration, divestiture, carve-out and restructuring projects. Olivier has a deep IT background and was Director of Global Telecom at a Fortune 100 company, and was CIO at a multi-billion dollar financial institution prior to joining Deloitte. Olivier has published several articles on M&A technology integrations and divestitures.

Olivier was born and raised in France where he studied Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering. He currently lives in Chicago, is married to a school teacher and has a son who is a Senior in College, and a daughter who is a freshmen in High School.

Lorraine Bassett, PhD, is the WWPS Chief of Staff to Sandy Carter, VP, AWS WWPS Partners and Programs. In her almost 5 year tenure at AWS she was also WWPS Principal Technical Business Development Leader for Amazon Web Services IoT (Internet of Things). She led the organization’s strategy and go-to-market vision for IoT in the Public Sector, including Smart Cities, Smart Grids, Smart Campus, Healthcare, Transport, Public Health, and NGOs/NPOs. Her previous role at Global Alliance Leader for DXC Technology. In this role she won 2020 Stevie Awards for Business Development Achievement after closing the largest partner deal in AWS history. Lorraine has worked in technology for more than 30 years, initially working on the Big Bang Project at the International Stock Exchange, to building and optimizing some of the largest networks in the world. Her experience includes senior and global positions at Compaq Computers, CA, DuPont, EMC, Concord Communications and Racemi. She also founded and led Confluence Group, a leadership company with the vision and intellectual property to implement organizational performance for companies to maximize performance. As someone who came up through the projects, and fell forward through trust, luck and opportunity, she is deeply passionate about enabling others to create their own opportunity and maximize their potential.

WHY DO YOU SUPPORT IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

I think the greatest gift we can give the world is to set up the next generation to succeed. As a father of four daughters, I taught them tile-based coding by at 4. At age 6, they began block-based programming. And by age 7 or 8, they learn text-based programming with Small Basic. By 10 or 11, they’ve learned Python and Java.

We live in a country where 85% of STEM jobs are in technology. In Washington state, we have 23K open computing jobs and only 1K computer science graduates. Of all the jobs opening in computing (in 2020), US graduates will only fill 29% of those jobs, and women will fill only 3% of them. There is a need that will open the future of the next generation and, if the need is met, will help their generation’s national economy possibly more than any other factor. And that will be done simply by filling those jobs with graduates.

My passion for our next generation led me to helping lead the Small Basic team at Microsoft. After we ran our first “Every Girl Can Code” Microsoft Hackathon in 2016, I met Cathi Rodgveller. I learned about the great work that Ashley Myers and Aparna Vishwanathan were doing to run “Teaching Kids Programming” workshops at Microsoft, with Microsoft Small Basic. As the tides were turning (and the guard was changing), we had the opportunity to build up a team to continue their work and run our current Microsoft Coding Workshops series, leveraging Small Basic. We average about 70 students a workshop and one workshop a month now, with our largest workshop currently at 111 IGNITE students. And we continue to push the envelope (rip open the thinking box) as we look at running Mobile Coding Workshops (at the schools), Virtual Sessions, Coding Clubs, and a Coding Conference, as well as open up more workshops and sessions to elementary schools.

Why I support IGNITE and continue to partner with them (and with our large team of astonishing volunteers), is best encapsulated by simply reading some of these quotes from the girls, about some of our IGNITE workshops… “The lessons at the beginning were Awesome. I love what we learned in Small Basic. I loved it so much that when I got home I downloaded this and did more coding.” – Grade 8 (blog); “What I enjoyed was the coding we did in the beginning and it made me think, what else can I do?” – Grade 9 (blog); “They showed us our potential as high schoolers, coders, and young women.” – HS Student (blog); “I learned that coding is easier than I thought. I was also inspired to study harder to attend college and continue my education.” – Grade 3 (yeah, she’s 8) (blog); “I told my mom how much I learned and how it inspired me. This is the first time I got to learn how to code, and I love coding so much now.” – Grade 4 (blog)

In other words, IGNITE helps us change the next generation. I expect that Washington universities will get flooded with young women pursuing technology degrees and classes. And those girls will spread out around the country, to dozens of other universities. Eventually, those colleges will wonder why Washington state is (and other IGNITE areas) spawning so many young women in technology education. And eventually, they’ll find the answer. The answer will be dozens of reasons (lots of technology companies doing great things, lots of passionate teachers and schools, and so on). But the core nucleus will be what we’re all doing with IGNITE… what you’re helping IGNITE do. You are helping IGNITE change our nation for the next generation.

WHAT ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE INSPIRES YOU?

I am astonished at how tirelessly and passionately the IGNITE team grows their program with schools and builds an impact in areas like San Francisco. Their team inspires me to keep going, to get our IGNITE programs running smoothly, and then to ask, “What’s next? What else can we do to help IGNITE?”

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

I’ve learned so much from IGNITE Worldwide. We’ll always want to teach these girls how to code and give them an early win in success in an area of STEM that seems too overwhelming. It inspires them to learn more.

But I’ve also learned how powerful these panels are. I’ve poured over hundreds of quotes from the students, and these young ladies remember the names and can accurately quote the women who are speaking into their lives. Your words have a major impact on these girls!

BIO

Ed is a Senior Program Manager in Azure Engineering at Microsoft. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, an MBA in Technology Management, and he has been a teacher at Bellevue College. He ran Microsoft customer feedback programs for Azure Development and Platform, as well as Visual Studio and Small Basic. (Check out his Small Basic book.) He now publishes a pipeline of content (whitepapers, articles, samples, e-books) for AzureCAT (Customer Advisory team). He holds 5 patent awards for multi-touch designs on Microsoft Surface, as well as 13 Microsoft Hackathon awards for innovations in Help, Search, and Computer Programming (for kids and girls).

By teaming up with legends like Liz, Holly, Megan, Chandler, Kristi, Karin, and Jenn, he loves to help IGNITE Worldwide run Small Basic coding workshops, which teach thousands of girls how to code. He’s passionate about helping tackle the 10 challenges he sees girls face in computer science education.

Before Microsoft, he worked at Disneyland (ask about the “vomiting on Tea Cups” story), worked on videogames for Nintendo (such as Tetris and Pikmin), as well as for IBM, Jaleco, and Square/Enix, and he ran two animation studios, creating CG cartoons (fruits and bugs, for example). He is a father of 5 children (four girls); his children begin learning programming starting at age 4. Find Ed on LinkedIn. For a list of his publications, see Ed Price – Bibliography

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Ashley is a driven advocate, policy strategist, researcher, and higher education professional with a demonstrated history of over five years working within the non-profit sector —centering her work on human rights policy, program evaluation, legal research, statistical analysis, and ethical data aggregation.

As a higher ed professional, Ashley is deeply committed to creating and sustaining transformative, equitable learning spaces that center intersectionality, inclusion, diversity, belonging, and accessibility. Ashley is passionate about increasing representation in STEM and is a strong advocate for the power of education, especially for those within historically marginalized populations.  Ashley is passionate about inspiring and empowering women and girls to discover their brilliance and thrive in their excellence.

As the CEO and Managing Partner of Inteligenca Inc. Carmen Marsh leads a team that consults small and mid-size businesses with cyber risk management, audit & compliance, including change management for large technical implementations. She started Inteligenca after 20 years working with companies needing people who understand technology, including Sony Incorporated, Stanford Research International, Meridian Systems/ Trimble, USC, and CEA. With its cyber risk management practice Inteligenca’s focuses on helping executives manage cybersecurity with a wide range of capabilities, including evaluation of existing security governance, security program development, regulatory and standards compliance, security risk quantification, and security education and training.

Carmen has also turned her energy towards creating opportunities for a new generation of digital warriors. She has founded the 100 Women in 100 Days Cybersecurity Career Accelerator program to develop security experts for companies like Intel, IBM, Centene, PCCI, and others. Carmen’s program provides these women with free education and accreditation needed to obtain the top industry certifications and prepares them for a job in cybersecurity.

She is also a founder of the “Cybersecurity Women of the Year Awards”. “Ally of the Year Awards”, Sacramento Valley Cyber Salons, and the CapitolSEC’ Election Security pitch events. Carmen graduated from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

WHY YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

I remember being the only girl in some of my STEM classes, and while I was supported by some great teachers, women who were role models in STEM careers were intermittent, and not always accessible to me as a younger student. I also grew up in a very privileged school system, which meant that I had access to a lot of technology classes. I got involved with IGNITE to make sure that women in tech are available to help girls in middle and high school navigate their career planning. I also got involved to make sure that girls from all backgrounds had a chance to learn to code and think about all the possibilities in a tech career.

FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, HOW HAS IGNITE WORLDWIDE HAD AN IMPACT ON GIRLS?

At every event, there is this magical moment when I get to see a girl light up with excitement when something clicks, whether it’s writing code to make something cool or listening to a woman in tech with whom they have a shared experience. That’s the moment when I can tell that they’re hooked and that they’ve suddenly been able to see themselves in a tech career, and it’s my favorite part of the day!

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY?

IGNITE is about more than just bringing girls into STEM careers. It also helps them develop confidence, gives them a chance to change paths and think about all their opportunities, rather than just the ones that may seem obvious by virtue of proximity.

BIO

Liz Bander is a Program Manager in the Skype group at Microsoft, helping people from around the world communicate and connect with each other, and on Microsoft Small Basic, to encourage people of all ages to learn how to code. She has a BA in English Language and Literature from NC State and an MBA from the University of Scranton. Liz believes that you can change the world with the magic of technology and volunteers with IGNITE to help every girl find that spark of curiosity and the confidence to try on a STEM career. She also volunteers with Girls Who Code, Microsoft DigiGirlz, teaches coding workshops in schools and mentors students interested in tech careers.  Liz is also the Technology Chair on the board of directors for the League of Women Voters Seattle-King County and committee chair for a study on internet privacy. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.

WHY YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

I am involved with IGNITE Worldwide because of my commitment to educating young women on the vast possibilities that exist from a career in STEM. I have seen first-hand the doors and opportunities in the tech industry and I want to continue sparking young minds. I want them to not be afraid but be brave and deviate from the norm. By being part of IGNITE, I am able to expand students’ knowledge and understanding of what STEM in the real-world is like – beyond school.

HOW HAS IGNITE WORLDWIDE INSPIRED YOU?

IGNITE inspires me by showing me the difference we can make in the future if we educate and help foster young minds today. By giving them the tools and providing them with support, IGNITE enables students to make informed choices – choices that could lead them to making the world a better place.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE OUR WIDER COMMUNITY TO KNOW ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

STEM is more than science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It provides tools of power and creativity and IGNITE embodies this very sentiment. I’d like the wider community to acknowledge how incredible it is when you provide students the ability to make their ideas and dreams come true.

BIO

As the Founder and CEO of Chameleon Technologies, Melissa is focused on the growth and strategic vision of the company.  Chameleon Technologies was established in 2000 and is known for providing superior service to our clients.

Chameleon Technologies has two distinct divisions of the company.  One division focuses on IT and core engineering staffing.  We staff contract, contract-to-hire, permanent/direct hire positions and manage project related work within well-known local brands across a variety of industries. The other division of our firm exclusively focuses on delivering solutions in the data services space. Our core areas of expertise fall within data analytics & BI, cloud services and IT infrastructure.  We believe that by making data consumable and easier for you to understand, you can make better and informed decisions for your business. Not only do we hope to solve your problems but also optimize and automate the way in which you do so. We make data accessible for you and your business.

Melissa supports the business community through her volunteering and board commitments.  She currently participates in the City of Kirkland’s Business Roundtable and the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce.  She serves as a Board member and co-chair for the Consulting and Business Development Center (CBDC) for the University of Washington, Foster School of Business. Melissa also resides on the Board for Attain Housing, which is helping fight homelessness on the Eastside.  In addition to these commitments, Melissa is actively involved with IGNITE (Inspiring Girls Now In Technology Evolution) Worldwide Washington, FIRST Robotics, 100% Talent, and The University of Washington Women’s Center.

During her time away from work, Melissa is drawn to helping organizations that help people through strife, primarily focusing on youth and children.  She has been a volunteer wish granter with the Make-A-Wish foundation, an organization she is very passionate about, since 2005.  Melissa currently lives in Kirkland with her husband, Ryan, her daughter, Olivia and their Havanese pup, Maui.

For more information on Melissa and Chameleon Technologies, please visit: www.chameleontechinc.com

WHY YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

I became involved in the early 2000’s when I first met Cathi Rodgveller.  Cathi was in role as Career Counselor in Seattle Public Schools. At the time, I was the only female Lead Program Manager at a large Corporation helping deliver key functionality in a major software release – I remembered looking around the room at a meeting, being the lone female and thought… Where are the female colleagues, is this an IT industry wide issue?  I assumed the women entering the workforce had not heard about the amazing opportunities awaiting them in STEM focused fields, so joined forces with Cathi to be the change. I helped lead events to invite young girls into the office so they could hear firsthand and learn about all the great opportunities awaiting them as they began to make career choices.

HOW HAS IGNITE WORLDWIDE INSPIRED YOU?

There is nothing better than sharing your story, and seeing the look in a young students eye, when they connect with your message. 

I was lucky growing up to have a family that encouraged me. We laughed and joked, and created our own take our daughter to work day years before it became a formal event.  My father taught me to be brave and independent! IGNITE gives me the opportunity to fuel that in others! Let them know, if I can do this – they can too!

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY?

Community is about us all working together, being inclusive and supporting each other in our professional ventures – and most importantly, through life.  Donating time, and or funds is greatly appreciated.

BIO

Award winning leader with strong business transformation skills. Proven track record of working closely with colleagues to quickly identify business challenges, develop and deploy change management plans, and leverage innovative solutions that empower teams to succeed! While travelling and living around the globe and working at Boeing, Microsoft, Hitachi, Bridge Partners, Expedia, and Alaska Airlines, she leverages strengths in role as an expert communicator and IT experience (depth and breadth) acquired throughout roles as: Director, Chief of Staff, Senior Manager (Program/Product/Customer Service), Communications Manager, Women in IT Lead, and prior IGNITE Board of Directors.

While working at Microsoft she was awarded the coveted Circle of Excellence award for leading the Women in IT efforts, and the remarkable collaboration between Microsoft and IGNITE. She was also a joint recipient in Washington DC when the IGNITE Organization received their STEM focused award on the house floor of Congress in Washington DC several years ago.

Heidi Toussaint is a Staff UX Researcher at Google where focuses on building exceptional experiences for enterprise and consumer products. In her previous work, she led research for Microsoft and Intel. She has also held engineering roles at GE Healthcare and Boeing. Heidi enjoys mentoring students in STEM and is an active member of diversity & inclusion efforts. She holds a Master’s of Science in Human Centered Design & Engineering from the University of Washington and has an undergrad in Computer Engineering. She currently resides in Seattle, WA with her husband and daughter.

Why are you involved with IGNITE Worldwide? 

I believe that supporting girls in STEM improves lives, especially when our support gives voice to underrepresented populations. IGNITE recognizes the impact girls’ involvement in STEM has on families, communities and corporations. Through IGNITE’s great work, we can increase equity and inclusion of underrepresented girls in STEM and later, in the workforce. This is one way we can change the world for the better – for all.

How has IGNITE Worldwide inspired you?

From childhood, boys and girls learn different approaches to language and communication and females engage in a communication style meant to promote social affiliation and emotional connection, while males engage in a style focused on exchanging information with little emotional import. The differences in metamessages result in misunderstandings. As girls grow into women, the language of conversation is primarily a language of rapport, a way of establishing connections and negotiating relationships … For most men, talk is primarily a means to preserve independence and negotiate and maintain status in a hierarchical social order. This society is built on language of men, white men. And for those of us who are women or other minorities, we struggle to navigate in the white man’s world – we do not speak white male. It is time we change the operating systems and level the playing field. IGNITE does this — and I find that VERY inspiring.

What would you like our wider community to know about IGNITE Worldwide?

Impacted by the quiet whispers of self-doubt coupled with the resounding voices of a white-male-dominated society gender inequity is normalized and feeds the way girls think, feel, act and believe about their role in the world. By the age of six girls and boys start absorbing sexist stereotypes around jobs for men and jobs for women. The whispers of self-doubt and fear become shouts and unless they are silenced, they are with girls as they become women and stay with them for life. Many girls do not have support to shut down those whispers much less the shouts. They pick up on signals that they are different and start taking small decisions about what is or what is not for girls; small decisions with big consequences. By the age of 13, that the confidence gap starts to show. IGNITE envisions a world where every girl has equal access to STEM education during their school day, so as they grow older, they are aware of STEM opportunities and they have the social and cultural capital to secure and thrive in a STEM career. IGNITE promotes economic equality and workforce development by cultivating a diverse pipeline of talent and supporting a sustainable future for girls and their families.

Bio

Susan’s mission and passion is helping women achieve workplace equity in professional environments created without them. Susan knows that to reach parity in the workplace and for individuals to have masterful communication styles and gravitas– both sexes need to understand and employ each’s communication style.  She leverages her vast communication, executive sales, and business development expertise to teach women the communication skills necessary to successfully navigate business organizations  built by men– and to help men appreciate how communications skills normally associated with women can propel them forward, as well as help them communicate effectively with women.  Susan is a masterful orator and trainer who enhances the communication skills of both sexes and improves the performance and culture of organizations.

Susan has worked with some of the most prestigious law firms and financial services institutions in the world. Susan is the co-author of the book, “THE ULTIMATE WOMEN ASSOCIATES’ LAW FIRM MARKETING CHECKLIST.” She has been published in California Lawyers Association and “The Art & Science of Persuasion” for “Legal Business World.” Susan also published an article in Mike O’Horo’s Rainmaker blog, “Good Questions Are More Powerful Than Any Answers.”

Susan’s work is focused on the academic research and major social scientists in the field. Susan was graduated with honors from Hawaii Pacific University with a Master of Arts degree in Communication and she was graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Political Science and Journalism, with a minor in Marketing. She also studied Marketing at Northeastern University in Boston. Susan has lived in Louisiana, Switzerland, Italy, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and now, California. Throughout her sojourns, she has developed a large, interconnected circle. Susan lives in the Bay Area.

Susan is currently the CEO of the Executive Institute on Inclusion and can be reached at susan@ExecutiveInstituteonInclusion.com.

Abhilasha Bhargav-Spantzel is a Principal Engineer at Intel, focusing on hardware-based security product architecture. She has 15+ years of experience in security and privacy. She completed her doctorate from Purdue University, which focused on identity and privacy protection using cryptography and biometrics. Abhilasha drives thought leadership and the future evolution of cybersecurity platforms through innovation, architecture, and education. She has given numerous talks at conferences and universities as part of distinguished lecture series and workshops. She has written 5 book chapters and 30+ ACM and IEEE articles and has 25+ patents. Abhilasha leads multiple D&I and actively drives the retention and development of women in technology. She is passionate about STEM K-12 cybersecurity education initiatives, as well as co-organizes regular camps and workshops for the same.

Shaude’ Moore is a Sr. Datacenter Security Manager at Amazon Web Services in Seattle, WA. Her primary job role is to manage and maintain site security operations within Seattle Datacenters ensuring consistent deployment of all required security policies and procedures and participate in re-occurring site audits and reviews. Shaude’ is engaged in Diversity hiring, Amazon Women in Engineering (AWE), Black Employees Network (BEN). She also volunteers her time as a Committee Vice-Chair for the King County Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee which is committed to contributing lifetime commitments through tribute and community activism that highlights social justice, racial equality and unity. Shaude’ is an alumni of Decatur High School, located in Federal Way, WA. She graduated from University of Phoenix (Western Washington Campus) in 2014 obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Services (BSHS) and a Masters of Business Administration in 2016 (MBA). Shaude’ is currently a Graduate Student at City University of Seattle enrolled in the Ed.d Program working to receive her Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership. Shaude’ has lived in the Pacific Northwest since the age of 7 and is the mother of one daughter named Saraiih. She has traveled to several countries working to stand-up AWS Security Datacenters and increase Operational Excellence. Shaude’ is passionate about leadership, Independence and the power of how testimonials and achievement can empower and inspire young women from different backgrounds and nationalities to reach their goals and SHINE.

WHY YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH IGNITE WORLDWIDE?

I have daughters of my own, and I want them to be inspired to work in technology. I myself was ignited just by someone showing me how to write my first SQL query. I now work as an Engineer in Business Analytics.

HOW HAS IGNITE WORLDWIDE INSPIRED YOU?

It is an incredible pleasure to be able to give back to the community, and having the opportunity to teach and inspire the next generation. As you know, only 9% of the Engineering workforce today are women, that number is not acceptable to me. As we transition STEM and utilize more and more Artificial Intelligence (AI) and bots, we especially need to grow the female population, and diversity demographics in technology so representation is balanced.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT IGNITE WORLDWIDE WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY?

IGNITE is a program that can truly make a difference in the future. If we can inspire the youth of tomorrow to get started in technology, there is no limit to where they can go! Our mission here at Microsoft is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. At Microsoft we believe in what people make possible. Educating and inspiring these ladies so that they embark on STEM careers is a boundless step towards that ultimate mission.

BIO
I’ve been working at Microsoft for over a decade in various roles. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, and a Master’s Degree in Information Systems. I’m currently in my second year of my Doctoral Program in Information Systems and Leadership. My current occupation at Microsoft focuses on Data Analytics and Business Intelligence. My wife Amber is a customer service manager at SOG knives, and we have 2 amazing daughters, Megan, and Luci.

I became involved with IGNITE when they qualified for a grant from the Best Buy Seattle Fund, an extension of the Best Buy Foundation. This fund considers proposals from nonprofit organizations that serve the King County metro area, providing access to opportunities for teens through technology and career pathway organizations serving diverse youth. We felt that IGNITE was a perfect candidate and we are thrilled to be able to support this amazing organization.

How has IGNITE Worldwide inspired you?

IGNITE is inspiring because it creates excitement among girls and young women about technology and helps prepare them for tech-reliant careers, which was not an option for me when I was young. It is so exciting that IGNITE breaks down those barriers and gives their students opportunities for innovation, inspiration and leadership. Our world needs more creative thinkers and it is exciting to think that some of our future leaders are likely students of this amazing program.

What would you like our wider community to know about IGNITE Worldwide?

We need more diverse representation in all of our industries, but in particular STEM and STEAM. IGNITE can help pave the way to a more sustainable and bright future!

Dan Udoutch is a passionate chief executive officer (CEO) and multi-time industry leader who has brought multiple successful technology innovations to market. Dan has deep experience in enterprise sales, marketing, professional services, and partnerships. He has led organizations ranging from startups to enterprises with annual revenues of more than $250 million. Currently co-founder and CEO of RSquared, an artificial intelligence (AI) pioneer in the Workforce Intelligence market, Dan was previously CEO of Alpine Data Labs, an AI/ML platform firm he positioned for a successful exit via M&A to Tibco. Prior to that, he was CEO and president of Code Green Networks, a data-loss prevention company that he established as a leader in the healthcare vertical and led to a successful M&A to Digital Guardian. Dan has held prior executive roles at NavTeq, Netscape and Commerce One.

Madeline Fetterly is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Vital Voices Global Partnership, a global nonprofit that partners with and invests in women leaders around the world. Prior to Vital Voices, Madeline worked on the No Kid Hungry Campaign at Share our Strength. A native of Texas, Madeline has built a career building partnerships between philanthropic, mission minded individuals and non-profits doing amazing work. She has a masters degree in International affairs from George Washington University.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO LEAD IGNITE WORLDWIDE AT YOUR SCHOOL?

When I began teaching at Broadview Thomson, I read on their website and saw posters on the wall that we had an IGNITE program for girls but I didn’t know what it was.  The school counselors were in charge of our chapter and I really wasn’t involved my first couple of years at Broadview Thomson.  We had panels of women come to the school but did not go on any of the field trips.   I took over our IGNITE chapter in 2017-2018 school year when the counselor position was in transition.  The spring of 2017 was the first year I took a group of girls on a field trip to Microsoft.  It was really powerful experience. Since IGNITE gets grants to pay for the field trips and CTE also chips in for the buses I am able to take my girls. We have a large population of Free and Reduced lunch kids. Many can’t pay even a few dollars  to attend a field trip.  If IGNITE wasn’t able to get these grants I don’t think my students would get the exposure to possible careers in CS.

WHAT IMPACT HAS IGNITE WORLDWIDE HAD ON YOUR FEMALE STUDENTS?

Each year the girls really enjoyed meeting with the women on the Panel. They realized that it is possible for them to have a career in technology and that it doesn’t have to be programming. That if they are interested in photography or drawing or video games they can be involved too.  Last year was the first year that I took a group of 8^th grade girls to Microsoft. They had a blast.  Their reactions were very positive.  This year I have taken a group of 7^th & 8^th graders to Microsoft and we are planning on going to a more advanced programming trip in March. I believe that most of the same girls want to attend! I know that on our trip in the Fall one of the panel members mentioned that you didn’t have to be good at math to get a job in CS.  This made a huge impact on my students since most of them think they are bad at math.  One person there also a big impact because she had kids young, came from a rough neighborhood and was able to get a job at Microsoft and move her children to Seattle when she was older.  They realized that it was okay to make mistakes in your life and still be able to come out of it. I’m excited for our next field trip there March 6^th .   Recently, a former student who is going to Shoreline Community College, told me that in high school they did programming. Now it is easier for her since she had learned so many different programming languages in my class. That made me feel good.

ARE THERE ANY MEMORABLE STORIES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT HOW IGNITE WORLDWIDE HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON A PARTICULAR GIRL?

There was one 8^th grade girl this year who after going on the field trip went home and went on Simple Basic. She showed her mother and younger sister how to do it at home and came back to school bursting with pride and excitement.

Here is her thank you letter to Microsoft for the trip. “Thank you for hosting the IGNITE women in engineering event on November 2^nd.  The lessons at the beginning were awesome.  love what we learned in small basic. I loved it so much that when I got home I downloaded this and did more coding. The lunch was amazing, and the gift bag was cool too. But I came for the coding. My favorite part was when we made the turtle move and make different shapes. The women on the panel were truly inspiring. Inesha was really cool. I loved her story and how she got into coding. Because of what Microsoft and IGNITE do I was able to go and this raised my interest in computer science and coding through the roof. I hope to come to more IGNITE events to learn more about coding. Also, the lady teaching the coding portion was really cool.”

Another 8^th grade girl only went on the IGNITE trip to Microsoft for the lunch but ended up really enjoying herself and getting interested in coding.

Here is her letter,  “Thank you for hosting the IGNITE Women in Engineering event on November 2^nd.  I enjoyed the speakers talking about their lives and what made them want to do what they do. Really, I only went for the food, but when I arrived to Microsoft and we started coding and people started talking about what they do It got interesting. My favorite speaker was Pepsy, she didn’t sugar coat anything. Pepsy seemed very real when talking not saying the others didn’t. Pepsy’s story was interesting, I’m actually proud of her for making it to where she is now, she’s happy and successful. When we were coding I started to get a little frustrated I told myself to slow down and just enjoy my experience there. After, it got fun coding. I want to continue coding because right now it’s becoming interesting. Thank you for providing our lunch, it was delicious. I can’t wait to go back.”

Ingraham HS, Class of 2005

You don’t know, what you don’t know until someone comes and shows you what you are missing. IGNITE showed me technology careers are not just men coding behind desks, it’s also a group of talented women from different paths of life working together to shape our future. Whether its women actually sitting side by side with men coding together, or leading teams through product development, it was breaking stereotypes of the time.

Uma is a Senior Developer in the Dynamics CRM group at Microsoft. Currently, she is working on Azure Customer Insights which is a SaaS offering that brings together the enterprise data from multiple sources, and help in generating a 360 degree customer knowledge and insights using Big Data technologies. She is passionate about technology and holds  patents in solving some complex business scenarios. She has prototyped innovative projects in IoT that have industrial applications. Uma is also a mom of two.  She is an advocate for closing the gender gap in the STEM fields. She strives to bring a positive impact to the community by instilling the STEM interest in girls while they are young.

Ana Nicacio is a Senior Attorney at Microsoft Corporation, providing legal support to the Dynamics 365 business on acquisitions, integrations, and strategic technology licensing. Ana is also engaged with Microsoft’s Diversity and Inclusion initiatives and currently leads the Legal Department’s Employee Network for Hispanics and Latinos Legal Professionals. Prior to Microsoft, Ana held in-house counsel positions at Sage Software, KinderCare Education, and InFocus Corporation, where she dealt with worldwide intellectual property matters and technology transactions. Ana has worked and lived in South America, North America, and Europe, being educated in the common law and civil law systems. She is licensed to practice law in the United States and in Brazil. Ana is a strong believer in the power of education, and is passionate about inspiring and empowering girls to discover their talents, be educated, independent, and thrive.