The Women to Watch Summit, hosted by Career Communications Group's Women of Color magazine, was held last week. The event was sponsored by the 28th annual Women of Color in STEM Conference, which will take place from October 12-14, 2023.

More than 800 STEM professionals participated in the online Summit through the Women of Color (WOC) STEM digital twin experience (DTX) platform in the STEM City USA metaverse. Attendees were able to engage in immersive and interactive experiences throughout the event.

The Summit's keynote speaker, Brigadier General Janeen Birckhead, stressed the importance of having role models, mentors, coaches, and sponsors invested in your career success.

The first seminar of the event featured influential leaders such as Health Catalyst experts Jo Laucirica and Tamika Gray, and Daphne Brooks from the Department of the Air Force. They discussed the advantages of employee resource groups and the role of affinity groups.

Additionally, Detroit's new digital equity director, Christine Burkette, Sondia J. Christian of the HII-Ingalls Division, and Jeannice Fairrer-Samani, an expert in digital transformation, shared insights on how to support more women at the executive level. The event also included contributions from Steffanie Easter, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer of CAES, and Donna Bell, executive vice president of product creation, engineering, and supply chain at Lordstown Motors.

"Our goal is to create a supportive environment where women in STEM can thrive, and we are thrilled to see the overwhelming response to this year's summit," said Tyrone D. Taborn, the founder and chairperson of the Women of Color in STEM Conference. "With over 800 attendees, we have not only shattered previous records, but we have also sent a powerful message that Women of Color in STEM are a vital and rapidly growing force in these industries."