The 28th annual Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math STEM Conference will convene October 12-14, under the theme Waves of Change, Oceans of Opportunity. The three-day event will be held in-person in Detroit, Michigan, and on the WOC STEM digital twin experience DTX platform.
The WOC STEM Conference organizes prestigious awards ceremonies alongside various events to recognize extraordinary women from diverse backgrounds. Here is the list of the Women of Color STEM award recipients. The nominees include college students, mid-career professionals and managers, C-suite executives, innovators, visionary inventors, and impactful change agents. Each year, a panel of industry, academia, and nonprofits judges a pool of women in STEM nominated by organizations across the United States. Click here to see the full list.
Technologist of the Year: Mary Hor-Lao, software engineering director, Abbott Neuromodulation, Abbott
Career Achievement in Government: Patricia Sullivan, deputy dir., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center
Career Achievement in Industry: Kathleen Jolivette, VP-Vertical Lift, The Boeing Company
Career Achievement in Industry: Melissa Welch, MD, chief medical officer (CMO), Health Catalyst
Community Service: Shaneka Lawson, Ph.D., research plant physiologist, USDA Forest Service
Community Service: Maria Thorpe: dir. of human systems engineering department, systems acquisition, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division
Corporate Responsibility: Teresa Blanco, VP-Supply Chain Readiness, The Boeing Company
Corporate Responsibility: Toyin Ogunfolaju dir., Social Value & Equity Americas, Jacobs
Diversity Leadership in Government: Karen Hudson, chief, Avionics Engineering Division, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Engineering Directorate
Diversity Leadership in Government: Lyndsey McMillon-Brown, Ph.D., research electrical engineer, NASA Glenn Research Center
Diversity Leadership in Industry: LaDavia Drane, global head of inclusion, diversity, and equity, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Diversity Leadership in Industry: Deepa Shankar, dir. of partnerships, UL Research Institutes
Educational Leadership –College-Level Promotion of Education: Whitney Gaskins, Ph.D., asst. dean, University of Cincinnati
Educational Leadership –College-Level Promotion of Education: Anne-Marie Kosi-Koupe, Ph.D., lecturer, The University of Detroit Mercy
Educational Leadership –Corporate Promotion of Education: Kelly Keena, Ph.D., snr. dir., UL Research Institutes
Educational Leadership –Corporate Promotion of Education: Kadidia Thiero, PI/program lead, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
FinTech Leadership: Madhura Damle, business intelligence specialist., Lordstown Motors Corporation
Managerial Leadership: Manasi Reardon, Ph.D., director, R&D, Abbott
Managerial Leadership: Christina Upah, VP-Attack Helicopter Programs, The Boeing Company
Managerial Leadership: Dakeesha Wright, operations & site leader, Raytheon Technologies, Collins Aerospace
New Media/IT Leadership: Amanda Hundt, VP-Corporate Communications, Health Catalyst
Outstanding Technical Contribution: Michelle Chen, software systems engineer, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Outstanding Technical Contribution:Yagna Pathak, Ph.D., medical affairs manager, Abbott
Outstanding Technical Contribution: Ning Yu, Ph.D., cheif research scientist, Leidos
Pioneer Award: Jessica Jones, Ph.D., staff aeroelastician, Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company
Professional Achievement in Government: Ariel Ash-Shakoor, Ph.D., biomedical engineer, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Professional Achievement in Government: Natasha White, Ph.D., program manager, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Professional Achievement in Industry: Ashley Johnson-Long, Ph.D., plant engineering manager, IDM, Corning Incorporated
Professional Achievement in Industry: Laura Luengo, vehicle integration-voice of the customer supervisor, Lordstown Motors Corporation
Student Leadership –Graduate Level: Tracy Edwards, grad research asst., Isotope Harvesting Group, Michigan State University
Technical Innovation in Government: Chenelle Covin, technical writer-editor, U.S. Department of Defense
Technical Innovation in Government: Patricia McDaniel, Ph.D., snr. research scientist, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center
Technical Innovation in Industry: Clara Rivero-Baleine, Ph.D., Lockheed Martin Fellow, Lockheed Martin
Technical Innovation in Industry: Rashmi Prasad, Ph.D., staff researcher, General Motors LLC
Visionary Award: Anike Sakariyawo, founding executive dir., S.E.E.K. Foundation, Inc.
Special Recognition: Sabrina Bailey, VP-Operations–Integrated Product Support, HII
Special Recognition: Diedra Hollins, deputy CIO, Idaho National Laboratory
Special Recognition: Qiana Jackson, engineering program manager 3, Penn State Applied Research Lab
Special Recognition: Judith Jeevarajan, VP & exec. dir., UL Research Institutes
Special Recognition: Yoko Kawai Parker, scientist, systems engineering, L3Harris Technologies
Special Recognition: Autumn Leake, chief engineer, Naval Air Systems Command –NAWCWD
Special Recognition: Melody Martinez, branch chief, Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory
Special Recognition: Gitanjli McRoy, chief Engineer, EV Energy Management Systems, Ford Motor Company
Special Recognition: Ana Lucia Ochoa-Lorenzini, supply chain management dir., American Axle Manufacturing (AAM)
The Women of Color, STEM DTX Conference is an annual event celebrating outstanding achievements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). With nearly three decades of history, the conference provides a platform for individuals and organizations to recognize excellence, foster career development, and facilitate networking opportunities.
