Women of Color magazine’s annual WOMEN TO WATCH awards recognize success and achievement in technology, telecommunications, finance, energy, industry, healthcare, utilities, and more. Register here.
This prestigious list showcases diverse women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers nominated for recognition by employers in the U.S. Their biographies celebrate their achievements and offer a glimpse into some of the workforce challenges these winners have overcome.
ASHA CARVALHO is a senior technical product manager at the Ford Motor Company. She leads a global team to deliver cycle planning and resource management products critical for the planning and execution of vehicle production. Carvalho is Ford’s lead IT recruiter at the Society of Women Engineers conference and co-leads IT recruiting at the annual Grace Hopper conference. She is also a Silver-tier facilitator of a Google initiative empowering women and other underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond. In addition, Carvalho has mentored several new Ford employees hired after their college graduation.
TARA TRAVIS earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech in 2005. Since 2016, she has served as fuel system integration manager at Cummins. She manages the development of product fuel system components in the U.S., United Kingdom, India, and China. In 2017, she was one of three women selected to participate in the executive leadership program at Smith College. She was also awarded the Rodica Baranescu Award for Technical Leadership Excellence during the 2017 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Conference. At the 2019 Cummins Women on Technology Convention, she spoke on the importance of inclusion.
LINGYAN WANG holds 10 U.S. patents and several international patents. In addition, she has produced 52 publications with over 6,000 citations. Her interest in nanostructured materials led to ceramics research. After joining Corning Inc., she designed a magnetic nanoparticle for biological separation, which launched as a product for the cleanup required to remove the mineral oil, dyes, salts, and other impurities from DNA samples. While working on research projects, she often joins volunteers at the Corning Museum of Glass. In addition, she supports summer science fairs for high school students and college interns at Corning and serves in the Corning Technology Women’s Network.
VANESSA ROSS is a lead programmer for Cornerstone Consolidated Services Group. The catalog company specializes in warehousing, logistics, and distribution for several brands, including Frontgate, Ballard, GarnetHill, and HSN. Ross began her career coding for a library catalog system. At Cintas Corporation, she was responsible for developing the company’s financial/accounting and human resources systems. At Cornerstone, she has been a critical player in developing and implementing a change management system for the IT group, upgrading the warehouse management system, and moving inventory from Roanoke, VA, to West Chester, PA. She has also branched out to mentor teammates.
