Women of Color magazine annually recognizes innovation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) at its Women of Color STEM awards.
This year's nominees include Bridget Chatman, the 2024 Technologist of the Year, and category award honorees, ranging from industry leaders to emerging talents.
Their work represents the finest in STEM as they push boundaries and enhance processes that contribute to a better world.
The WOC STEM Awards Conference is nearing three decades of shaping the future of technology. From the 1990s through the 2010s into the 2020s, WOC award winners have been the driving force behind tech.
TECHNOLOGST of the YEAR
Bridget Chatman, vice president, Business Development Transformation & Growth Academy, SAIC
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Career Achievement in Government: Toral Patel-Weynand, Ph.D., station director, USDA Forest Service-Research and Development-Southern Research Station
Sunita Satyapal, Ph.D., director, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology, U.S. Department of Energy
Career Achievement in Industry: Uma Amuluru, executive vice president & chief human resources officer, The Boeing Company
Adaora Nelson, Ph.D., vice president, Quality & Mission Assurance & CORE, Raytheon
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Community Service in Government: Tierra Campbell, training coordinator, Missile Defense Agency
Community Service in Industry: Krista Madril, laser jet R&D senior manager, HP Inc.
Melissa Martinez, Digital Learning & Integration
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY and DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP
Corporate Responsibility: Kellye Randle, senior manager/engineer, Raytheon, and RTX Business
Diversity Leadership: Shaneka S. Lawson, Ph.D., research plant physiologist, USDA Forest Service – Research and Development – Northern Research Station
Florencia Stanfield, chief diversity officer, Schaeffler
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP and ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP
Educational Leadership – College-Level Promotion of Education: Ke Wu, Ph.D., professor and assoc. dean of Graduate School, University of Montana
Educational Leadership – Corporate Promotion of Education: Hanan Alhaddi, Ph.D., senior manager, Enterprise Transformation, Ford Motor Company
Entrepreneurial Leadership: Donna S. Stevenson, CEO, Early Morning Software, Inc.
FINTECH LEADERSHIP
FinTech Leadership in Government: Olga Brown-Leigh, portfolio manager, DOC/NOAA/National Weather Services
FinTech Leadership in Industry: Carol Kaisy Majanga, asst. controller, Abbott Neuromodulation Operations and R&D, Abbott Laboratories
Sam Robbins, director of finance, Zipcar Inc.
MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP
Managerial Leadership in Government: Tinisha McMillan, director, J 3/5/7 (Operations, Plans and Exercises), Defense Information Systems Agency
Managerial Leadership in Industry: Courtney Mixon, senior director, Supply Chain, The Boeing Company
Cassandra Taliaferro, vice president and general manager, Corning Environmental Technologies
NEW MEDIA/IT LEADERSHIP
New Media/IT Leadership: Vanessa Ellerby, process management team lead, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific
OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL CONTRRIBUTION
Outstanding Technical Contribution: Hiromi Kawatsu, Ph.D., technology expert/labs manager, IBM Japan, Ltd.
Qiming Li, Ph.D., component engineering technical leader, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Kerrilee Stewart-Thomas, Ph.D., MEA process development lead, Accelera by Cummins
PRESIDENT's AWARD, PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT and STUDENT LEADERSHIP
President’s Award: Marie-Christin Anthony, global head of GCP/TI Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Google
Professional Achievement in Government: Michelle C. Kondo, Ph.D., research social scientist, USDA Forest Service
Isha M. Renta López, management and program analyst, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Zakia Williams-Greene, Ph.D., senior pharmacologist, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Professional Achievement in Industry: Krupa Deshmukh, Ph.D., program leader, biotechnology, Corteva Agriscience
Student Leadership – Graduate Level: Kara Combs, associate computer engineer, Air Force Research Laboratory
TECHNICAL INNOVATION
Technical Innovation in Government: Chanell Sally, equipment specialist (provisioner), Department of Defense, U.S. Army
Technical Innovation in Industry: Lu Huang, Ph.D., senior researcher, General Motors
Marvi Matos Rodriguez, Ph.D., director of systems engineering, integration and test, The Boeing Company
Jiwon Lee Moran, Ph.D., senior principal engineer, Collins Aerospace
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Chandace Richardson Arledge, VP, Growth & Sales Operations, Federal & Environment, Jacobs
Abhizna Butchibabu, Ph.D., vice president of product, Cambridge Mobile Telematics
Sondia J. Christian, Ed.D., director, business integration, HII
Anna Cordrey, deputy program manager, NASA Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Program
Ayana Graham, procuring contracting officer, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division
Monica Normark, Ph.D., director – Sustainable Aviation Fuel, KBR
Germaine Richardson, chief technology officer/TPgM- Health Missions Solutions Division/Health & Civilian Sector, Leidos
Sherri Suehle, mechanical engineer, Textron Systems
Audie Thompson, Ph.D., research biologist, United States Army Corps of Engineers
Yolanda Washington, business operations talent pipeline development, Google