April is considered Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month in the United States. This month aims to enhance public understanding and appreciation of the significance of mathematics and statistics, emphasizing their importance in everyday life and various fields.

Additionally, April is observed as National Financial Literacy Month, reaffirming the commitment to promoting economic empowerment.

This month, Women of Color honors award winners who are making noteworthy contributions to our world.

Nominees have included winners of leadership awards in financial technology (fintech), whose work exemplifies excellence as they push boundaries and improve processes for a better world.

Renu Thomas was named an Advanced Leadership Initiative fellow in 2019, the same year she made the cover of WOC Magazine.

She graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering in Operations Research & Industrial Engineering. She is on the Board of Directors for the Medicare Rights Center.

Thomas was executive vice president of media operations, engineering, and information technology, establishing herself as one of the most prominent women technologists in television broadcasting and programming. Thomas also directed production activities and headed studio operations.

Mentorship is a cornerstone of these careers, and many winners have developed programs to ensure the next generation is not left behind.

For example, Carol Kaisy Majanga is empowering young girls in her home village in Kenya, creating opportunities where none existed before.

For her, giving back isn't just an obligation—it's a mission.

"We have to show these young girls that they can be scientists, engineers, and leaders," Majanga said. Her efforts have opened doors for hundreds of young women, providing them access to STEM education and mentorship.

Majanga began her career as an accounting manager for a sugar company in Nairobi. After relocating to Texas, she worked for a technology consulting solutions company.

She was an accounting manager for a company offering roadmap, strategic, and business intelligence services. Then, at a consulting firm specializing in CFO, controller, and accounting support, she held various roles, including senior accounting consultant, financial analyst of fixed assets, senior financial analyst, and business planning analysis manager for an eye care device company.

Majanga spent over a decade with a public accounting and investment services firm in the Dallas-Fort Worth area before moving to Abbott as a financial planning and analysis manager and assistant controller.

Sam Robbins, who decided to pursue a career in finance at the age of 17, is now the finance director at Zipcar Incorporated.

She has demonstrated exceptional leadership by guiding her team to achieve record-breaking financial results. Under her leadership, Zipcar's processes have transformed, resulting in significant multimillion-dollar expense reductions year after year.

Her impact goes beyond financial metrics—Robbins is a role model in STEM, leading a dedicated team focused on driving revenue.

She is well-known for her commitment to efficiency and data management and her ability to inspire those around her.

Among her notable achievements is creating a headcount position management tool that achieved a payment processing system that consistently reduced bad debt.

However, Robbins considers her most significant accomplishments to be helping others advance in their careers, gain promotions, and access opportunities in financial technology.

Olga Brown-Leigh serves as a portfolio manager at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where she manages a diverse workforce and oversees the programming, budgeting, and allocation of $170 million.

This portfolio supports critical information technology systems at the heart of the National Weather Service's mission to protect life and property.

One of the key initiatives she has led is the creation of the Professional and Technical (ProTech) Weather Domain.

This initiative involved managing $3 billion in indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity multiple-award contracts, several awards, and a single-award blanket purchase agreement vehicle.

The contracts are organized into five domains: satellite, fisheries, oceans, weather, and enterprise operations.

The ProTech Weather indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity has been well received, awarding over $315 million for scientific engineering services within four years of its five-year contract project.