The Women of Color STEM Conference has been a north star for over a quarter of a century. The event is widely respected as a place of community and encouragement for women who are working to make the world a better place.

What began as a new award show has flourished into a reliable pillar of the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) community. Over the past 25 years, the Women of Color STEM Conference has grown strong, recognizing thousands of women for their work and helping each generation to pass the torch and pay it forward.

Embracing the Change was the theme of this year's Leaders & Legends Recognition Event at the Women of Color STEM Conference. Sponsors of the breakfast program included Abbott, L3 Harris, Leidos, and Women of Color magazine.

During the first half of the show, ten special recognition awards were presented to the following scientists and engineers:

Award presenters included Paul Ferraro, president of Air Power, Raytheon Technologies, Cleophus Thomas, vice president of strategic development at Jacobs, Yen Ling Low, divisional vice president of scientific and medical affairs, Abbott Laboratories, Paul Harris, executive vice president and chief sustainability and compliance officer at Huntington Ingalls Industries, and Jessica Coots, senior director of engineering at L3Harris Technologies, who later appeared on the discussion panel.

Other presenters were Steve Cook, senior executive and group president, Leidos, Col. (Promotable) Antoinette R. Gant commander and division engineer of South Pacific Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Scott House, Abbott's senior vice president, quality assurance, regulatory and engineering Services, Lori Kahn, systems engineering manager, Lockheed Martin, Tashi Carper, director, inclusion & diversity, Leidos, and Paul Zhgilov, general manager, Otis Elevator Co.

"What makes this Leaders & Legends so unique is the combination of some recognition awards and an intimate conversation afterward with trailblazers in the STEM universe," she said in her opening remarks. "This morning, we will talk about embracing the change we face. The realities? Medical, scientific, political, educational, and social."

Joining the 2019 Women of Color Technologist of the Year on stage were Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Jessica Coots, senior director Of engineering at L3Harris Technologies, and Dr. Beverly D. Thompson, senior scientist, Leidos.

"Relationships are important so it matters who your mentors are," said Ashby who won the top award at the 2022 Women of Color STEM Conference "They have to be people who are not trying to make me into them but are trying to help me become the best person I can be. Someone advised me of this about what I should do next. Where do your gifts and talents meet the greatest need? So every job I've had has been my favorite job at the time. Because I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Six months ago, I didn't know that I was going to be president of UMBC."

Dr. Thompson said when she began her career at Leidos, which at the time was SAIC, she had just earned a doctorate.

"I joined this team and was going to be a high performer," she said. "But evolution often mirrors where we're going in our professional careers. I got the opportunity to do breast cancer research and am now in charge of the breast cancer research team and learning how to collaborate with other organizations."

Thompson also did a course in peacebuilding and now gets invites from organizations working in community engagement and conflict zones in Africa.

Coots, an electrical engineer by trade, wanted to prove her worth through her technical abilities by designing the best circuit cards and systems. Today, she leads more than 1,200 systems engineers. Her advice to early-career professionals is to visualize one's career through multiple paths.

Ten years into her career, Coots also realized the importance of networking and participating in employee resource groups, professional societies, and external conferences.

"Look around at leaders you admire," she advised. "Look around at colleagues and the paths they are taking. Don't be set in one direction. Stay agile. Stay flexible. Be able to pivot."