2014 Women of Color | SPRING - VOL. 13, NO. 1

Women of Character, Courage and Commitment

$6.95

For Today’s Career Women In Technology & Business

Marillyn A. Hewson Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lockheed Martin Corporation

FORTUNE 500 CEOS

Mary T. Barra Chief Executive Officer General Motors Company

PUSH FOR

STEM INCLUSION

Ilene Gordon Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ingredion

RECOGNIZING WOMEN FOR JOBS WELL DONE! SPRING 2014 | www.womenofcolor.net

Phebe N. Novakovic Chairman and Chief Executive Officer General Dynamics

WHERE THE JOBS ARE

Andrew Castiglione, Field Maintenance Manager Naval Academy Graduate ‘98

OUR PEOPLE ARE AS DIVERSE AS OUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Shell employs a diverse mix of men and women of different nationalities and ethnic groups, orientations, backgrounds, abilities and cultures because we believe that every individual has something valuable to offer. We understand that the more diverse the workforce, the wider the variety of ideas we bring to the table and the better we understand our increasingly varied customer base.

To learn how you can become part of a diverse, international network comprising some of the finest minds in the business, visit www.shell.us/careers.

Let’s deliver better energy solutions together.

Interested in learning about life at Shell?

Scan to watch video.

An Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer, M/F/D/V.

Career Communications Group’s

For Today’s Career Women in Business and Technology

VOLUME 13 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2014

CONTENTS

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

14 COVER STORY

5 Women in the News

A STEM COMMITMENT No one should ever feel like a career in technology is out of reach. That’s why these four Fortune 500

New roles, awards and recognition for past WOC STEM Award winners.

7 Work-Life Balance Juggling busy lives is not easy but can be mastered. Four STEM professionals show you how.

CEOs are committed to doing all they can

11 Risky Business

to develop a pipeline

Janet L. Yellen took the reins as chair of the Federal Reserve Bank from outgoing chair Ben Bernanke in February.

of diverse talent and create opportunities for students to pursue their dreams.

20

17 My Greatest Challenge How Ingredion CEO Ilene Gordon conquered the challenge of leading.

TOP WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY

A canvas of women with amazing stories of STEM achievement.

28 Book Review

29 HOW IT IS CHANGING THE FACE OF FINANCE

Women in the STEM field share their favorite books that have helped them on their journey to success.

Drill down and review information technology’s impact on finance, Wall Street, and consumer retail, and spotlight trends that would inspire you.

32

TOP WOMEN IN FINANCE

They set rules, rate performance, lead teams, and invest money. 24 Women leaders in banking and finance you need to know.

46

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

37 Career Outlook • Job Horizon • Recruiting Trends • Professional Life • Operation Homefront • Benefits for Veterans • Top Women in the Military

Women who wear the gold.

2

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

www.womenofcolor.net

EDITORIAL PAGE

Career Communications Group’s

For Today’s Career Women in Business and Technology EXECUTIVE OFFICE Tyrone D. Taborn, Publisher and Editorial Director Jean Hamilton, President and CFO EDITORIAL Lango Deen, Technology Editor Rayondon Kennedy, Assistant Editor Michael Fletcher, Contributing Editor Gale Horton Gay, Contributing Editor M.V. Greene, Contributing Editor Frank McCoy, Contributing Editor Garland L. Thompson, Contributing Editor Roger Witherspoon, Contributing Editor GRAPHIC DESIGN Sherley Petit-Homme, Art Director Bryan Clapper, Graphic Designer CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT Eric Price, Vice President, Recruitment and Training Rod Carter, College Relations Ty Taborn, Corporate Development Imani R. Carter, Corporate Communications Specialist Brian Irving, Diversity Outreach SALES AND MARKETING Alex Venetta, Associate Publisher, Manager of Partner Services Gwendolyn Bethea, Senior Account Manager Sandra Harris, Senior Account Manager Kehinde Akiwowo, Senior Account Manager ADMINISTRATION Ana Bertrand, Conference Coordinator CONFERENCE AND EVENTS Rutherford & Associates 17304 Preston Rd Suite 1020 Dallas, Texas 75252 ADVERTISING SALES OFFICE Career Communications Group, Inc. 729 E. Pratt Street, Suite 504, Baltimore, MD 21202 Phone: (410) 244-7101 | Fax: (410) 752-1834 Women of Color (ISSN 1937-0555) is a publication for today’s career women in business and technology.

Women of Color magazine invites letters to the editor about any topics important to our readership. Article queries and letters should be sent to: CCG – Women of Color magazine, Editorial Department, 729 E. Pratt St., Suite 504, Baltimore, MD 21202. No manuscript will be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Women of Color magazine cannot be responsible for unsolicited art or editorial material. Subscriptions are $13/year. Please write to: CCG -Women of Color magazine, Subscriptions, 729 E. Pratt St., Suite 504, Baltimore, MD 21202. Copyright © 2014 by Career Communications Group Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

S

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) leaders in every sector of the economy recognize the benefits of having a diverse workforce as part of the strategy to remain competitive in a global economy.

STEM leaders also understand how technology has transformed the capture, processing, analysis and communication of data both up and down organizational hierarchies and horizontally across industries.

That’s why the four Fortune 500 CEOs on the cover are committed to doing all they can to develop a pipeline of diverse talent and create opportunities for students to pursue their dreams. Read the inspiring career stories of these role models and find out how you can make a difference in your network.

For Women’s History Month, Women of Color magazine brings you, as we have done for almost 20 years, true and amazing stories of achievement.

In this issue, we showcase some of the most accomplished STEM professionals and the jobs they do—celebrating leaders as well as rising stars. They excel in industry, at the Federal Reserve, main street banks, Wall Street, credit rating agencies, in the federal government, investment banks, mutual funds, and those who invest money for high net worth individuals.

WOC magazine also trumpets women who wear the gold.

After the five federal service academies—U.S. Military Academy, U.S Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy—opened their doors to women some 38 years ago, the first cohort began going into positions of leadership in 1980. Many of those distinguished graduates are featured in the Top Women in the Military.

This Women’s History Month issue of Women of Color magazine is filled with the stories of women who inspire. They continue to play an extraordinary role in the history of America and their communities. We celebrate their courage and determination.

Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WOCITC

Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/woctechnology

www.womenofcolor.net

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

3

Save the Date October 23-25, 2014

2014 Women of Color STEM Conference

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Connecting.

Mentoring. Learning.

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WOCITC Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/#!/woctechnology

Career Communications Group, Inc. | 729 East Pratt St., Suite 504 | Baltimore, MD 21202 | (410) 244-7101 | www.womenofcolor.net

WOMEN IN THE NEWS NEW ROLES, AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

J

Jean Chu took on a new role in 2013. She is the leader for cloud and smarter infrastructure for the IBM Software Group. She is responsible for account management of 12 top Tivoli Channel partners in North America, a group that includes value-added resellers and distributors, system integrators, and solution providers. In this role, she provides pre-sales technical enablement and product positioning, solution construction, implementation, and system integration within the technology, industry, or business specialty.

During the past year, Chu was recognized by her firm with the Plateau Award, which honors employees reaching a plateau of invention activity. Chu has received six patents— three in 2013. She has participated in several Leadership for Asian Pacifics events. In 2013, she also contributed to Asian Americans Committed to Excellence newsletter.

Chu has received several awards for managing client relationships; an IBM Software Group Tivoli award for demonstrating her ability to hold customer value foremost; a Tivoli VP award for leading business partners from growth mode to triple-A accredited status. She is also ranked as a top performer in exceeding Tivoli’s quota in North America.

Christell Williams is senior IT specialist on the IT Techline on the IBM System x and Networking team. Williams provides technical expertise to IBM sales specialists, client managers, business partners and IBM sale centers.

In 2013, Williams was nominated as a Women of Color Technology Rising Star. In the nomination letter from IBM, Williams was hailed for repeatedly demonstrating her “ability to develop world class server solutions based on complex business requirements.” She was cited as a leader “developing expert design knowledge in server architectures across node, chassis, rack, and networking components. Christell has done a superior job of applying these product specific skills to solve complex client issues around iDataPlex, Cluster, Analytics, and Cloud.”

Williams has worked predominantly for IBM since 1986 with a three-year break in the 1990s when she was an open systems consultant for Unisys.

“I provide solution design, consultation, product information, system configuration, pricing, ordering, sizing, solutions assurance and competitive assistance for clients,” states Williams in her resume.

www.womenofcolor.net

Williams holds a bachelor degree in computer science from Alabama A&M University.

Apparently Jenny Li doesn’t believe in keeping a good thing to herself. The senior certified IT architect and master inventor at IBM has coached 16 new inventors in 2013—10 of them have submitted filings with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

A prolific inventor, Li knows more than a little about patents.

She has had six patents issued and seven patents filed for in 2013 and currently holds 40 granted patents. She also has more than 50 pending patents including areas of contextual collaboration, RFID, wireless network, virtual universe, green data center, pervasive computing, social network security, cloud computing, etc.

Li is also organizing a patent boot camp to coach new Asian-American inventors.

In March 2013, Li joined IBM System Technology Group (STG) New Routes as a solution architect. Her responsibility is to help partners to differentiate their solutions in the marketplace by leveraging IBM’s technology.

Li held various technical positions in STG and has a diverse technical background. Her expertise includes application architecture, enterprise architecture and strategy, and enterprise solution research. Through STG, she has worked closely with partners on their solution business proposals.

She identifies technical “pain points” and gaps. Li also creates technical enablement plans that help partners optimize their solutions by leveraging IBM’s hardware and software technologies. Previously, she designed various industry solutions while she was a solution architect at the STG Advanced Client Technology Center.

Li has a master of science degree in industrial and applied mathematics from Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, and a bachelor of science degree in computing science from University of Alberta, Canada. She is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in computer science at Pace University, focusing on social network security. She has created a solution framework for her research at Pace University to use behavioral biometric to enhance social network security. Li plans to publish her work this year.

by Gale Horton Gay, ghorton@ccgmag.com

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

5

WORK-LIFE BALANCE JUGGLING BUSY LIVES IS NOT EASY, BUT CAN BE MASTERED

L

Long before she became a professional engineer, Jennifer Sesay took a courageous leap of faith. She moved from her home country of Sierra Leone to Wisconsin to attend college. She knew that if she stayed in Freetown, she had little hope of an accomplished and fulfilling life. The young woman with dreams of achievement came to the United States without any family or friends but with more than enough ambition and drive.

the support she needed.

Now she’s more relaxed. Outside of work, Sesay is involved with her church and volunteers in the community in addition to planning her upcoming nuptials and visiting with her fiancé’s family in Virginia. She tries to return to Sierra Leone each year at Christmas.

As for keeping balance in her life, Sesay sees progress.

A decade later Sesay is an electrical systems engineer with Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. in Savannah, Ga. Her job involves supporting the development and certification of some of the avionics systems on Gulfstream aircraft.

Sesay, 29, said her life now is fairly well balanced with challenging work, a fiancé she plans to marry in upcoming months, regular exercise, commitments to her church and community and adequate rest.

However, that wasn’t always the case.

Sesay recalled a time a couple of years ago she threw too much of herself into work and was not mindful of achieving better balance.

“There were times I would go home and dream about work,” Sesay said. “I was burning the candle at both ends.”

Now she rarely brings her laptop home and has made a conscious effort to focus on work while at the office and focus on everything else when she’s away from the job.

The wake-up call came after she got sick and couldn’t shake it. After repeated doctor visits, her physician suggested that her symptoms might be stress-related.

Sesay said that assessment caused her to question herself.

“I started looking inside. I asked what I am doing,” she said. “Maybe I need some help delegating. Maybe I am carrying too much myself. Maybe I don’t need to go to all these meetings.”

She decided to pump the brakes a bit at work and slow down. Sesay also made a courageous decision to go to management at her company and ask for help in prioritizing projects and delegating some tasks to others. She got

www.womenofcolor.net

“I think I have gotten better the older I get,” she said.

For nearly three decades, Agnes Morrow has held two important jobs: one as a chemist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the other as a mom. However, Morrow said she always viewed the mother role as her most important.

Thanks to the flexibility of her day job, Morrow has been able to volunteer for responsibilities related to Agnes Morrow, chemist, U.S. Army Corps of her children’s Engineers school and extracurricular activities such as swimming, basketball, band, numerous clubs as well as church involvement.

“My kids were always first on my list,” said Morrow, who recalled staying up late at night to finish work at home or go to the office on weekends so that she was able to attend her children’s practices, games, shows and other events.

She said during their formative years most of her volunteer work centered on their activities.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

7

WORK-LIFE BALANCE “I worked around it really well,” Morrow said.

she neglected while her children were growing up.

Morrow’s approach apparently did not impede her career. She’s held three positions with the U.S. Corps of Engineers—as a bench chemist, instrumentation chemist and research chemist. “It didn’t hinder me at all,” she said. Her current work at the Engineer Research and Development Center near Pittsburgh involves the cleanup of contaminated ground water at Army training ranges.

Morrow said she believes women have a unique inner strength.

After attaining her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Alcorn State University and her master’s in environmental science from Jackson State University, Morrow weighed the pros and cons of pursuing a Ph.D. and decided against it.

“Money is not everything,” she said. “A Ph.D. would take away from my family.”

Morrow’s oldest daughter is now 27 and in the early stages of her career as a chemist and her younger daughter is 19 and majoring in math in college.

According to Morrow, the key to achieving balance in one’s life is identifying what’s most important to you and focusing on it and learning how to say no. Each professional woman needs to determine her priorities and not worry about comparing themselves to others or keeping up with the Joneses.

Part of the reason for Morrow’s approach, she said, has to do with her character. “I gave my all to them (daughters) and my all to my work.”

Asked if being a fully committed mother and chemist was difficult, Morrow said it wasn’t.

“I didn’t look at it as losing sleep,” she said. “I enjoyed doing things with them. Since I have a positive attitude, it wasn’t that bad.”

In fact, Morrow said she once told a co-worker that if she died to make sure to let her daughters know that “I was happy and content with my life.”

Morrow said she has no regrets about the demands on her time and how she juggled responsibilities during their younger years. Now with her husband away from home quite often for his work and her daughters building their lives, Morrow said she’s enjoying the life of an empty nester. She now has time to read and exercise—activities

8

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

“I tell everyone females are survivors. We just do everything,” said Morrow, adding that women tend to make sure that their children and others are taken care of first and worry about themselves last. “We don’t complain.

We just do what we have to do. Whether we have a spouse or don’t have a spouse, it still falls on mom.”

Karen M. Potts credits having a flexible work environment and a spouse who is a true partner for her ability to juggle the demands of her private and professional lives.

Potts is senior director of customer planning and analysis for Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart, and is responsible for everything having to do with information technology (IT). She is also a wife and mother of three college-age daughters (two studying pre-med at Xavier University and one a recent graduate of Howard University who is in her first year of law school at Yale).

When her girls were younger, Potts and her husband, who is also a WalMart associate, divided home duties into morning and evening shifts.

She had the Karen M. Potts, senior director of customer morning shift planning and analysis for Sam’s Club, a diviand took care sion of Wal-Mart of everything involving getting them up and out the house and he was responsible for afternoon duties.

“The most important thing was having s support system,” Potts said. “Being organized helped me to be successful. I try to be very deliberate in what I am doing and how I utilize my time.”

www.womenofcolor.net

WORK-LIFE BALANCE Hiring a housekeeper to take care of routine chores helped Potts to free up time to be available and present at her daughters’ soccer games and other activities.

“It allowed me to be better able to spend time with them,” said Potts, adding that she is also fortunate to have a husband who has been actively involved in their children’s lives.

Working at an organization that values its employees and their families, and offers opportunities for training and growth is also important, she said.

Potts, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science, has been with Wal-Mart for six years and in her current position for seven months. Through her company, she had had different career opportunities with increasing responsibility. And her employer has been good about having flexible work schedules and allowing staff to work from home when conflicts arise. Potts added that her position in IT allows her to use cutting-edge technology for conference calls and working remotely, which is a plus for her family. One of Potts’ tactics is to block out time on her calendar at the start and end of each day for personal downtime.

“With the girls I was always able to structure their evenings so I could get a good night’s sleep and be ready for the next day,” she said.

She added that regular exercise has long been another crucial element in her day. Potts said she’s more alert and focused, less stressed and has a greater energy level when she’s exercising and is more lethargic when she’s not.

And geographic changes have also made a difference for Potts.

She recalled that while living in California, her commute could take as long as an hour but since moving to the smaller Bentonville, Ark., community it’s much easier to get around. Where she previously would take her clothes with her to change after working out, she now has time to exercise at a gym at 5 a.m.

Potts said listening to spiritual music while on the treadmill is one way she stays connected spiritually and that she often mediates during her workouts—all of which help to keep her grounded.

gling to find balance in their lives: • Make time for activities, events and issues that focus on what’s most interesting to you • Understand that you are a work in progress • Define your personal goals and find someone to share those goals with Chandra V. Curtis, Ph.D. long ago achieved harmony between her work life and personal life.

That’s because early on she determined that her health and mental well-being were just as important as her research and her career.

Curtis is the research and applied science team lead for Space and Naval Warfare System Center Atlantic’s Science and Technology Competency, which means she manages a group of scientists and ensures that the group’s scientific credibility is continually pushed higher.

However, dragon boat races, charity relay competitions, tutoring and mentoring are some of the activities Curtis embraces during her time away from work. Even when she was based overseas (in Singapore in an engineer and scientist exchange program and in Japan as associate director of the Office of Naval Research), she got involved in local cultural programs—taking an art of Japanese drumming class while stationed in Tokyo in 2008.

A single woman with no children, Curtis said sometimes others have expectations of what single women should take on as volunteers because their home life is different than women with spouses and children.

“I have seen some things that imply because I am single and I don’t have the same demands as someone with a family I can take on more,” said Curtis. However, she said it’s never escalated to the point of being a problem and that ultimately each woman must decide for herself.

Curtis has made helping youth find their way one of her priorities.

While she often judges youth science, technology, engineering and math competitions, she said one of her favorite and most rewarding volunteer experiences started as a particularly frustrating one.

She offers the following advice to young women strug-

www.womenofcolor.net

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

9

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Chandra Curtis, research and applied science team lead for Space and Naval Warfare System Center Atlantic’s Science and Technology Competency.

“I didn’t know how to get through…They (the youth) were so used to fighting and ignoring anyone who would come in,” said Curtis. “I believe they felt I was on there to fill a position and wasn’t really there because I cared. It took some time to develop trust.”

“When I talked to them, they don’t see women and they don’t see people of color that are successful if they are not in entertainment,” said Curtis. “I wanted to convey the message if you put your mind to it you can be as successful as I have been successful.”

At one point she wasn’t sure she wanted to continue volunteering because of her doubts about being effective.

However she went on tutoring the young people in math, current events, English and attempting to broaden their horizons and build their self-esteem. She explained that too many of the children she encountered were content to work fast food jobs and live at home.

A graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where she earned three degrees (bachelor, master and doctorate) in electrical engineering, Curtis served the U.S. Navy as a civilian for just over five years, but has been a civil servant for almost 12 years.

by Gale Horton Gay, ghorton@ccgmag.com

10

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

www.womenofcolor.net

RISKY BUSINESS JANET YELLEN TAKES CHARGE OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE

J

Janet L. Yellen took the reins as chair of the Federal Reserve Bank from outgoing chair Ben Bernanke in February, making her the first woman to hold the post in the Fed’s century-long history.

The job is arguably the most influential economic policymaking job on the planet. And although economics remains a male-dominated field, it is hard to imagine anyone having better credentials than Yellen for the post.

And while her job requires her to dwell in the esoteric and mysterious world of monetary policy, she said she never forgets the goal of her work is to improve the lives of everyday Americans.

“The mandate of the Federal Reserve is to serve all American people, and too many Americans still can’t find a job and worry how they will pay their bills and provide for their families,” she said at the White House after being nominated to be Fed chair. “The Federal Reserve can help if it does its job effectively.”

Yellen, 66, comes to her new job after a long career as an economist and more than a decade in top positions at the Fed, including three years as vice chairman. In that time, she has earned a reputation for having sound judgment and a keen understanding of the Fed’s mandate, which is frequently in tension: to keep inflation under control while lowering unemployment and stoking economic growth.

“Dr. Yellen’s experience is unmatched,” Sen. Tim Johnson, a South Dakota Democrat who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, said before Yellen’s confirmation.

“She currently serves as a member and vice chair of the Board of Governors; she previously served as a member of the Board of Governors in the 1990s; she was the chair of President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisors; and she served six years as president of the San Francisco Fed.” Beyond that, Johnson noted, Yellen has an impressive academic record. She has been a professor at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Previously, she was a professor at Harvard University, as well as a faculty member at the London School of Economics. She is a summa cum laude graduate from Brown University, and she received her Ph.D. in economics from Yale University, where she was the only female candidate in her doctorate class of two dozen.

“Dr. Yellen has written numerous research papers on

www.womenofcolor.net

Janet Yellen, chair, Federal Reserve Bank

the labor market, unemployment, monetary policy, and the economy. Her expertise in these areas, including her understanding of the relationship between Fed policy and the labor market, would be valuable as we chart the course back to full employment,” Johnson added.

President Obama called Yellen’s appointment “one of the most important economic decisions that I’ll make as president—[and] one of the most important appointments that any president can make—because the chair of the Fed is one of the most important policymakers in the world, and the next chair will help guide our economy after I’ve left office.”

Yellen steps into this pivotal role running the nation’s central bank at a particularly risky moment. In the wake of the recession, the Fed has kept interest rates close to zero, which has put pressure on savers dependent on normal interest rates and even pension funds whose liabilities, under accounting rules, go up when rates are down.

In addition, the Fed has pumped trillions of dollars into the economy to keep interest rates low in hopes of stimu-

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

11

RISKY BUSINESS

lating growth. The bank now holds nearly $4 trillion in bonds and other securities, which it is going to slowly sell in the coming months and years.

But scaling back Fed support of the economy comes with its own set of potential pitfalls. Critics contend that the Fed’s bond buying program, while no doubt helping to revive the housing market and stoke consumer spending, has fueled an unsustainable run-up in stock prices, while depressing interest rates for savers. Now, they say, the problem is if the Fed retreats, stock prices could tumble, sending a shock through a still fragile, if recovering, economy.

to warn that problems in the subprime part of the housing market could hurt the broader economy.

During her years in Washington, Yellen joined departed chairman Ben S. Bernanke in pushing for more transparency at the Fed, an institution that has faced suspicion in the past because of its once-secretive processes. She led the bank’s efforts to establish an explicit target for inflation—which is 2 percent—and develop guidelines for when the Fed would consider raising interest rates.

“In this and many other ways, the Federal Reserve has become a more open and transparent institution,” Yellen said during her confirmation hearing. “I have strongly supported this commitment to openness and transparency, and will continue to do so.”

“I have been a long-time critic of the Fed’s quantitative easing purchases,” said Sen. Mike Crapo, the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, before Yellen’s confirmation. “I am concerned that markets have become overly reliant “The mandate of the Federal Reserve on them. That is why it is essential to know how Dr. Yellen…would is to serve, and too many Americans manage the process of normalstill can’t find a job and worry how izing monetary policy.”

they will pay their bills and provide

Yellen spent much of her academic career at the University of California at Berkeley, where her research focused on the roots of unemployment. Yellen also has a long history at the central bank.

She worked there as an international economist in the 1970s and met her husband, Nobel Prize laureate economist George Akerlof, in the Fed’s cafeteria.

Now that she is in charge at the for their families. The Federal Reserve Fed, the central bank’s handling of the bond-buying program can help if it does its job effectively.” remains her biggest test. In the — Janet Yellen weeks before Yellen took the helm of the Fed, the stock marShe returned to the Fed in the ket had some tumultuous days 1990s to serve on the Fed’s after many months of record Board of Governors before joining the Clinton administrahighs, underscoring the fact that managing the withtion as head of the Council of Economic Advisers. Now drawal puts her in delicate and uncharted territory. she is on to the biggest economic policy job of all.

Yellen has made clear that she has supported the bond “With the bipartisan confirmation of Janet Yellen as the buying program and would keep at least some of it in next chair of the Federal Reserve, the American people place until the economy is on sure footing. “A strong will have a fierce champion who understands that the recovery will ultimately enable the Fed to reduce its ultimate goal of economic and financial policymaking is monetary accommodation and reliance on unconvento improve the lives, jobs and standard of living of Ameritional policy tools such as asset purchases,” Yellen said at can workers and their families,” Obama said after Yellen’s her confirmation hearing. “I believe that supporting the confirmation. “She understands that fostering a stable firecovery today is the surest path to returning to a more nancial system will help the overall economy and protect normal approach to monetary policy.” consumers. I am confident that Janet will stand up for American workers, protect consumers, foster the stabilIn the past, Yellen has proved to be an uncanny forecaster ity of our financial system, and help keep our economy of where the economy was headed. She was president growing for years to come. of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco during the housing boom and was one of the first major economists

by Michael A. Fletcher, mfletcher@ccgmag.com

12

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

www.womenofcolor.net

From network and program security administrators to systems and manufacturing engineers, General Dynamics offers exceptional career opportunities.

Josephine Fletcher Logistics Engineer

Visit us at www.gd.com/employment for more information.

Flor Aguilar Kim Program Manager Combat Operations Center

w

2012 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS

Marillyn A. Hewson

Mary T. Barra

Phebe N. Novakovic

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Chief Executive Officer General Motors Company

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer General Dynamics

A STEM COMMITMENT

M

ary Teresa Barra—first female chief executive officer of General Motors— joined GM in 1980 as an 18-year-old co-op student at the General Motors Institute (Kettering University). Mixing school and work in rotation at the Pontiac Motor Division, Barra studied electrical engineering at General Motors Institute, obtaining a Bachelor of Science. Clearly on the fast track, she was promoted quickly through engineering and staff positions. By 1988, she earned even further professional development recognition through a GM fellowship for an M.B.A. at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. With 33 years of experience at GM, Barra has risen through a series of manufacturing, engineering, and senior staff positions.

At the end of 2013, GM announced that Barra would succeed Daniel Akerson, the former chairman and CEO of General Motors who served from 2010 to 2014. As CEO, Barra leads company efforts to strengthen GM in automotive design and technology, product quality, customer care and business results for 56 GM plants, annual production of more than three million vehicles and powertrains, and 74,000 workers.

“Diversity is deeply woven into the fabric of GM,” said Akerson, who won a BEYA for advancing diversity in the 14

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014 www.womenofcolor.net

workforce at a recent Career Communications Group (CCG) event. “Diversity is about talent and finding the best people for the job. If you get this equation right, underrepresented people will naturally rise to leadership positions,” he said.

To help that rise, the 106-year-old automobile manufacturer continues to shape the next generation of leaders and innovators for the auto industry and develop diverse talent for its future needs.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014 www.womenofcolor.net

14

“STEM-based careers provide some of the most dynamic and innovative jobs in America today,” Barra said. “We need to do a better job of introducing young people to STEM from an early age, and of demonstrating just how fulfilling a technology-based career can be for them and their families.

One of the best opportunities we have is with women and Hispanics and African-Americans. These students make up a significant portion of our future workforce, yet they are the most underrepresented groups in many STEM fields today.”

Over the last decade, the GM Foundation has helped prepare students to graduate with STEM, design and manufacturing degrees through the University-Organization Partner Program, with donations totaling $31.3 million. Since its start in 2011, the Buick Achievers Scholarship Program has awarded $16.5 million to students across the U.S. This year, the program will award 100 scholarships of up to $25,000 per year, renewable for up to four years, or up to five years for qualified engineering programs. In August 2013, GM donated $900,000 to Project Lead the Way, which brings together the application of math and science principles in a real-world context, helping students develop problem-solving skills that will prepare them for college and careers.

This February, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) also announced a $6 million national partnership with Lockheed Martin to expand PLTW’s science, technology, engineering, and math programs in urban school districts.

“An education in the STEM disciplines enhances analytical thinking, which is essential to make sound, fact-based business decisions that drive results. ” —Ilene Gordon, president and CEO, Ingredion Inc.

According to Lockheed Martin’s STEM education webpage, the corporation also provides support to 4-H Robotics: Curriculum and Clubs, Great Minds in STEM, and Girls, Inc., the company’s pilot program which connects Lockheed Martin volunteers with girls ages 9-11 to strengthen interest and confidence in pursuing STEM education and careers.

“To be successful, we must find a way to motivate young people to pursue careers in STEM,” Marillyn Hewson said at the CCG event. “We need to do everything we can to develop a strong pipeline of diverse talent and create opportunities for students to pursue their dreams. No one should ever feel like a career in technology is out of reach.”

Hewson has been the CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation since January 2013—the first female CEO at one of the world’s largest defense contractors. Like Barra, a 30-year veteran of her organization, she also joined Lockheed Martin in the 1980s.

According to the Washington Post, Hewson started in 1983 as www.womenofcolor.net

a senior industrial engineer working on military aircraft, a new program that provided opportunity for Hewson to advance.

Over the course of Hewson’s 29-year career she has held 19 leadership positions that included running the company’s electronic systems business, the Post said.

In recent years, General Dynamics has bought companies with expertise in expected growth areas such as health technology and cybersecurity. To guarantee a future supply of highly skilled employees, GD partners with organizations such as Jobs for America’s Graduates and sponsors many scholarships at the community college and university level.

GD also supports diverse communities where employees work and live through organizations that have an education focus, particularly STEM. “Differences in race, ethnicity, gender and experience provide the environment in which diversity of thought can flourish, and it is that diversity of thought that ultimately makes us stronger and better, and, on a human level, richer,” said Phebe Novakovic, chairman and CEO of General Dynamics.

Novakovic joined GD in 2001 and became president and chief operation officer in 2012. She has served as the chairman of the board and CEO of General Dynamics since January 2013. She graduated from Smith College in Northampton, Mass., and received an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1988. She worked for the Central Intelligence Agency. From 1997 to 2001, she worked for the United States Department of Defense.

At The Chicago Network’s Women in the Forefront Luncheon on April 19, 2013, keynote speaker and chairman, president and CEO of Ingredion Incorporated, Ilene Gordon, discussed the importance of a STEM education and shared how Ingredion is playing its part to promote women in STEM careers.

“An education in the STEM disciplines enhances analytical thinking, which is essential to make sound, fact-based business decisions that drive results. So without ‘shop class’ in elementary school, physics and calculus in high school, math and science classes in college, and an education at a business school that ranks among the best in the world, I would not have been prepared for the opportunities that I’ve had. It’s perhaps not a surprise that close to two-thirds of the women CEOs of the Fortune 500 have STEM degrees.

“While I was lucky to have support in these fields from an early age, not all girls do. Therefore Ingedrion is a strong supporter of Girls for Science, a nonprofit dedicated to exposing Chicago girls to science, technology, engineering and math at a young age. Such a program is a catalyst but without additional opportunities and higher education, the dream of budding STEM professionals could be thwarted so continued public and private support of STEM education for our young women in our nation’s schools and colleges must be a priority,” Gordon said.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

15

CELEBRATING WOMEN OF CHARACTER, COURAGE & COMMITMENT WOMEN OF COLOR MAGAZINE’S OUTSTANDING 12 Eleanor K. Baum became the first female dean of an engineering school in the United States in 1984. In 1995, she was elected president of the American Society for Engineering Education, another first for a woman.

Ursula M. Burns serves as Chairman and CEO of Xerox.

She is the first African-American woman CEO to head a Fortune 500 company.

Lina Echeverria was the first woman to seek admission to and graduate with a degree in engineering geology from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia at Medellin.

Dr. Aprille Ericsson is the first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Howard University, as well as a Ph.D. in Engineering at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center.

Lillian Evelyn Moller Gilbreth (May 24, 1878 – January 2, 1972) was one of the first working female engineers holding a Ph.D. Dr. Asha Goyal was vice president of quality for IBM Global Services. Her mobility issues as a result of polio at age 2 drove her passion for innovation.

16

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

Vice Admiral Michelle Howard is the U.S. Navy’s first ever female four-star admiral. Howard is the first woman to be named Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

Duy-Loan T. Le is an engineer and the first woman and Asian to get elected to the rank of Texas Instruments Senior Fellow.

Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman in the world to go to space when she served on a nine-day mission aboard the shuttle Discovery in 1993.

Irene Hernandez Roberts is an IBM Master Inventor with over 50 IBM Patents.

Rear Admiral Eleanor V. Valentin is the first female flag officer to serve as director of the United States Navy Medical Service Corps.

Chien-Shiung Wu (May 31, 1912 – February 16, 1997) was a Chinese American physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, helping to develop the process for separating uranium metal into the U-235 and U-238 isotopes by gaseous diffusion.

www.womenofcolor.net

MY GREATEST CHALLENGE

Ilene Gordon, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Ingredion

HOW INGREDION CEO ILENE GORDON CONQUERED THE CHALLENGE OF LEADING

I

Ilene Gordon has long been big on using analysis for problem solving. In her first year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), she was actively considering math education as a career. While working on her bachelor’s degree in mathematics, she took a summer job as a teaching assistant at a private school. Gordon remembers having a wonderful experience teaching students how to use the computer in a productive way. But the six-week assignment also brought the rookie teacher an unforeseen challenge.

“My reaction was if this is the ultimate, and I am looking for even bigger challenges, then I think I’ll apply to business school,” she said.

On the surface, a graduate program in business administration or management seems a huge leap from teaching basic computer skills or high school algebra, geometry and trig. Gordon herself says she felt a bit ahead of her time—partly because in the 1970s the mathematics field didn’t offer the range of careers for women they do now.

Gordon notes that opportunities were opening up in engineering, but most women that had been a math major seemed to end up going either into computer science, the actuarial field or maybe to a bank. She, however, spotted an opportunity for a female mathematician in

www.womenofcolor.net

business and management and courageously helped blaze the trail.

“In my business school class there were 20 women,” said MIT Sloan alumna Ilene Gordon, SM ’76. “Today approximately 30 percent of the students in the top graduate business schools are women.

“I think I would’ve ended up in a field that used my problem solving and analytical skills. So I’m excited I chose the field of business, which has so many opportunities for people with strong analytical and problem solving skills.”

Armed with the tools and resources to achieve a successful career in business, Gordon, by age 20, was committed to running a business, building a team and a company.

After B-school, she joined a Boston consulting firm founded by a man who’d earned an undergraduate degree in engineering before attending Harvard Business School.

“I was interested in problem solving,” she said. “And they were looking for people to join the European office so I volunteered to go to London. It was my first international (those days it was international not global) experience and I was exposed to international businesses.”

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

17

MY GREATEST CHALLENGE

Gordon also met her future husband in her new employer’s Boston headquarters.

“We were going to stay in London 3-5 years but the company decided to open a Chicago office, another opportunity that came early, to open up a new office and help build the business.”

On reflection, Gordon says that maybe the challenge of opening up an office wasn’t in the original plan but she’s always been willing to be flexible and change the plan for the right opportunity. She also said choosing to go into consulting and getting international experience was one of the most critical decisions in the first 14 years of her career. Another important event she says was joining a corporation. But Gordon always wanted more than to “be a good cog in the corporate wheel.”

“I had two different positions and was given the opportunity to be a line manager,” she said. “I had a mentor who was willing to put me in charge of running a business. I was 32 years old and running my first P&L.” Gordon says although she embraced learning about strategy—how to build companies, market share, and competitive advantage—and was good at it, what she learned in her profit and loss job was that setting strategy, while challenging, is really the easy part.

“Actually implementing a strategy is more challenging because it requires leading and motivating people to do things they didn’t think they could do,” Gordon says.

“You must have a strategic plan to start with, but taking it to implementation—hiring the best people, executing against that plan, and being relentless with goals and measurements—that I think, really separates successful people from those that are less successful.”

Gordon has proven that success over and over. Since she joined Ingredion in 2009 as chairman, president, and CEO, she has grown the market from $2.2 billion, increasing sales to $6.5 billion. Last March, Gordon told Forbes’ Jenna Goudreau that she was able to come into a legacy business, make major changes, and take it in a new direction because she likes challenges and surrounds herself with people who feel the same way. She famously updated and implemented a strategy that hadn’t been

18

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

refreshed in years, and managed the largest acquisition in the company’s history. She then boldly changed the company’s name from Corn Products International to Ingredion Incorporated, and showed the strength of character to bring people together, get everyone excited, and reorganize the company.

In December 2013, Gordon told Women of Color magazine, “I’ve been with the company for four and a half years and we have more than doubled our value creation for shareholders. Now we’re $6.5 billion in sales. We laid out our plan and have a strong balance sheet; great people and a leadership position in the ingredient solutions market,” adding, “As an ingredient company, there’s no reason why we can’t continue to grow and create even more value for our customers, employees and our shareholders. It’s not about what you’ve done in the past but about the value you’re going to create in the future.”

Previously, as president and CEO of Alcan Packaging, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Group, Gordon led the $6.5 billion global packaging business. Prior, she was a senior vice president of Alcan, Inc. and president of Alcan Packaging’s $1.4 billion food packaging Americas unit. Before Alcan acquired Pechiney in 2003, Gordon was Pechiney’s senior vice president and president of plastic packaging, where she was responsible for a business with locations in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Gordon was the first female officer at Tenneco Inc, and spent 17 years in executive roles at the Packaging Corporation of America, a division of Tenneco Inc. She was vice president and general manager of the company’s folding carton business, vice president of operations at the Tenneco corporate level, VP, total quality management, which included continuous improvement, VP and general manager of corrugated and specialty packaging; and vice president of strategy.

“It’s all about accountability,” Gordon surmises. “I tell our people here that we lay out a strategic plan; update it every year and then have an operating plan.”

The keys to success she says are laying out metrics.

“We call them key performance indicators (KPIs) where people commit to action plans they will implement during the year and measure the progress of those action

www.womenofcolor.net

MY GREATEST CHALLENGE

plans. We measure effectiveness about accountability. It’s doing what you said you were going to do. So we have a plan, layout targets and measurements and then measure every quarter how we’re doing against those targets.

At year end we evaluate: ‘did we achieve what we said we’re going to achieve?’ and lay out a new set of targets.

Sometimes it’s strategy or laying out the next stage of the implementation plan.”

On teaching and growing the next generation, Gordon says Ingredion spends a lot of time developing people internally as well as recruiting talent.

“I look for people that have an analytical view on the world.

I also look for people who are curious, in other words people who have a lot of questions. I call it ‘peeling the onion’ so that when they are in a job they don’t just take the information as given. They dig deeper and ask another question; they’re inquisitive but collaborative because this isn’t about someone being the smartest person in the room but working as part of a team instead of being the individual problem solver. Analytic, curious and collaborative are the three things that we look for in our people.”

When Gordon isn’t working, she likes to relax in nice weather, run on the beach in Aruba, or play a little golf with her husband and son. The couple has two adult children.

Women need to be their own Gordon also likes to watch movies. Her sister is an indeadvocates for STEM education and pendent filmmaker. One of her its importance of instilling analytical favorite films she says is “Gladiator” which she admits to have skill sets. watched multiple times.

“Part of our company culture is exciting and developing employees. So when we recruit people we tell them that we’re going to have a development plan to help get you to your objectives. This might mean getting someone international assignments, a short rotation, or operating experience where they get a chance to run a business as opposed to just analyze numbers in the office. We tell people that we’re going to mentor them, and we do.”

Gordon says that contrary to current trends she still plays an active role in interviewing.

“I interview a lot of people you wouldn’t normally think; people two or three layers down. I say to them we’re going to treat you like I was treated. We’ve put people in assignments bigger than they are—assignments that people are going to grow into. People have come back and said, ‘I really loved when I heard that you were going to challenge me and put me in a job that I may not be quite ready for, but you were confident that you’ll give me the opportunity faster that I would get at another company.’

“It’s important that we do that for new hires and people we’re managing internally,” she said.

Ingredion looks for people with analytical backgrounds.

Because no matter what field you’re in, whether it’s human resources, manufacturing, management or engineering, you need to have skills to analyze the facts and information to make recommendations, she said.

www.womenofcolor.net

“It shows strong leaders, strong women and values,” she said. “This is a movie that depicts all the themes I experience in daily life. It’s all about having a strategy and leaders who are collaborative. The ones who’re collaborative are the winners.”

Gordon is equally drawn to bestsellers. She even admits to reading Sheryl Sandberg’s bestseller, Lean In. “Not so much for me,” she explains. “I’m the lean-in pioneer, but it’s important to know what the people who work for me are reading and what the next generation is thinking about.”

Gordon is currently one of 23 women CEOs in Fortune 500 companies.

To the next generation of leaders she advises, “It’s important to be part of a team and add value. Look at every experience. Be willing to take a risk. That might be international assignments, working on the floor of a factory. People get mentored in many ways, by those more experienced than you and those that are your peers.”

by Lango Deen, ldeen@ccgmag.com

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

19

TOP WOMEN

IN TECH

F

or almost 20 years, Women of Color in Technology conferences (now Women of Color STEM) have offered recognition of some of the most significant achievements of women in innovation, and a point of connection for employers and women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

This cross-cultural event, in sync with its Women of Color magazine, has featured outstanding women making inroads in high-tech. WOC events and publications have long celebrated talented women who have excelled in the workplace or demonstrated excellence beyond the workplace. Some have shown leadership over a long career, while others still at the beginning of their professional lives are already making waves. Together they bring a unique combination of ideas and cultural experiences, diverse skill sets, perspectives and interests and bridge the gap with technology. Meet WOC magazine’s Top Women in Technology 2014.

20

WOMENOFCOLOR |SPRING 2014

www.womenofcolor.net

“HIGH PERFORMANCE. DELIVERED” Cheryl Moo-Young Senior Infrastructure Manager Accenture LLP For more than a decade, Moo-Young has been part of the synergy that has allowed companies, in both public and private sectors, to make major information technology transformations and exceed client expectations. She has developed the ability to overcome complex challenges, make difficult decisions under scrutiny, and help fulfill the Accenture slogan: “High Performance. Delivered.”

Moo Young started exceeding client expectations early. She joined Accenture in 2000, soon after graduating from Morgan State University with a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering. As a newly minted consultant, she designed infrastructure and gathered requirements for massive databases and software implementations. Five years later, she was program manager for a call center, responsible for managing a multi-year effort to consolidate Accenture’s contact center telecommunications infrastructure operations. Moo-Young’s team created a centralized telecommunications platform that enables Accenture to launch services on a global scale with multi-channel contact points. The service currently includes several thousand agents around the world.

By 2007, Moo-Young was program manager for a LAN and WAN for a technology merger. She also managed the first phase of a demilitarized zone (DMZ) re-design assessment, which provided the client with the solution they needed to obtain funding for design and implementation. She was responsible for creating DMZ infrastructure requirements, architecture and technical design and the schematic of the cost estimate.

A year later, she was deployment program manager for a network operations center build out for a major government client. Moo-Young was responsible for converting client sites to a global communications service provider’s backbone network, which included the planning of transition activities associated with implementing a standard technology for speeding up network traffic flow and making it easier to manage, and network operations center acceptance at these sites. Moo-Young coordinated design and engineering of technology, site preparation, data, customer management, change management, and knowledge transfer.

Now, as senior infrastructure manager, her impact has expanded beyond technology to include cross-functional breakthroughs for several clients, such as leading implementation of a major health exchange.

Under Moo-Young’s direction, a customized customer relationship management (CRM) interface, multiple service centers, and a printing facility that can process millions of pieces of inbound and outbound mail were planned www.womenofcolor.net

and launched in 18 months—significant accomplishment because implementation of this scale traditionally requires a longer timeframe.

Moo Young’s work is just the beginning of her legacy as a successful woman in technology. She wants to use technology to bridge the gaps in the methods used for customer interaction, and to enhance the quality of service provided to consumers.

“My commitment to focusing on STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math) is to bridge the gap between STEM and technology consulting,” Moo Young said. “Being a technology consultant enables me to tap into the logic I learned in engineering for solving my clients’ problems every day.”

Moo Young is the face of a modern-day technology leader. At work, she helps manage multi-million dollar networks and infrastructure for clients, which contribute significantly to sales, all in perfect balance with life as a wife and mother of three children. She is also involved in her community as a member of the Jack & Jill organization, and enjoys spending time feeding the homeless in the New York and New Jersey areas.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

21

Marian Croak Senior Vice President, Applications and Services Infrastructure AT&T Labs With over 30 years of experience, and almost 130 patents, Dr. Marian Croak has proven that she is a valuable member of the AT&T team. Currently, Dr. Croak is AT&T’s Senior Vice President of Applications and Services Infrastructure. In this position she manages over 2,000 world class engineers and computer scientists responsible for over 500 programs impacting AT&T’s Enterprise and Consumer Wireline and Mobility Services. Her responsibilities range from Product realization and Service Planning to Development and Testing. Dr. Croak earned a PhD. In Social Psychology and Quantitative Analysis in 1982 from the University of Southern California. In that same year she joined AT&T at Bell Laboratories. Dr. Croak recently received the award for Outstanding Technical Contribution in Industry at the 2014 Black Engineer of the Year Awards.

Patricia B. Morrison Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President Cardinal Health, Inc. Patricia Morrison is CIO and executive vice president of Cardinal Health. Prior to this position, she served as vice president at Motorola, Inc. where she oversaw the strategic, operational and financial aspects of information technology architecture, systems, tools, processes and infrastructure.Morrison has also held positions at Office Depot, Inc., Quaker Oats Company, General Electric Company and Proctor & Gamble Company.

She has been member of the Global Advisory Board at UST Global, Inc. since January 2009, a director of TechColumbus since December 2010 and also serves as director of the Columbus Museum of Art. In addition, Morrison sits on the board of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She has been a member of The Board of Directors of Splunk, Inc. since 2013, and is a member of the Advisory Board at Mainstay Partners, LLC. Morrison received her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Statistics from Miami University of Ohio.

Caroline Basyn

Christine Putur

Global Chief Information Officer Bacardi Limited

Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President Coach, Inc.

In April 2011 Bacardi Limited announced that Caroline Basyn has been named Global Chief Information Officer (CIO).

As CIO Basyn leads the company’s information technology organization globally in the development and delivery of business solutions through people, process and technology innovation. Currently based in Geneva, Switzerland, Basyn joined Bacardi Limited in 2011. Before joining Bacardi Limited, Basyn spent 26 years with Proctor and Gamble holding leadership positions, most recently Director of Trade Fund Management Solutions. Basyn attended Université de Louvain-la-Neuve in Belgium where she earned both Undergraduate and graduate business degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science.

With over 25 years of broad-based information technology (IT) experience, Christine Putur is the Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President of Coach, Inc., a position she has held since January 22, 2013. At Coach, Putur sets the company’s information systems strategy and oversees the operation of service delivery. Prior to Coach, Putur was the chief information officer and senior vice president of Staples, Inc. She worked with Staples for over 12 years, having the opportunity to get involved in different areas within the company such as ecommerce, strategy, retail, supply chain and global corporate functions. Putur has a Bachelor of Arts in Administrative Science/Math from Colby College and a Master of Science in Management Information Systems from Boston University.

Ivy Chin Senior Vice President, ecommerce Belk Ivy Chin joined Belk, largest privately owned department store, as senior vice president, ecommerce in 2009 overseeing merchandising, marketing, creative, and operations. Under Ivy’s leadership, Belk dot COM has been named as one of the 22

fastest growing e-retailers by Internet Retailer. Chin was previously vice president of strategic and multimedia operations at West Chester, Pa.-based QVC Inc. until she left to join Belk Inc. She was QVC.com’s first information architect and led a team of developers, designers, and content staffers in merchandising before heading up the application development team.

Chin was named Computerworld’s “Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2010. She is on the Board for Classroom Central, a local nonprofit organization providing free school supplies to schools in the Charlotte area.

WOMENOFCOLOR |SPRING 2014

Peggy Colsman Vice President and Chief Information Officer Chevron Corporation Peggy Colsman is a graduate of the University of Arizona, where she completed her undergrad and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems. She then www.womenofcolor.net

went on to receive her MBA from the university of Houston.

Colsman is a seasoned veteran in the field of information technology, having worked at Shell Oil Company, Lyondell Chemical, and Hanover Measurement Services Company before joining Chevron Phillips Chemical in 2005. By 2008 she was named to the position of Vice President of the information technology department and also the company’s Chief Information Officer.

supporter of the arts. She has served on the board of the Children’s Theater Company, is a member of the Science Museum of Minnesota, and is a violinist with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Wise is a graduate of St. Olaf College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and chemistry, and Cornell University where she received a Ph.D. and Master of Science degree in operations research and applied math.

Susan Howes

Kristy Folkwein

Reservoir Management Organizational Capability Consultant Chevron Corporation

Vice President and Chief Information Officer Dow Corning

Susan Howes is Reservoir Management Organizational Capability Consultant at Chevron. In this position Howes provides leadership to drive the movement of resources to reserves to productions, she consults with reservoir management practitioners, and she facilitates reservoir management framework reviews. Howes is also Chevron’s UT Recruiting Team Lead for Petroleum Engineering and Drilling. She also serves as president of Cheveron’s Women’s Network, having previously served as the vice president. Howes earned her Bachelors of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Howes currently serves as Chair of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Soft Skills Council.

Kristy Folkwein received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University and her Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Toledo. In 2010, she became vice president and chief information officer for Dow Corning. At Dow Corning, she provides executive leadership for the Global Business Services (GBS) group, aligns the function’s overall activities to meet the needs of the company and customers around the world.

Before joining Dow Corning, she served as vice president of information technology at Ashland, Inc., where she assisted in leading eight implementations of SAP within North American, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Adriana Karaboutis

Nancy A. Alvarez

Global Chief Information Officer Dell

Senior Director of Medical Information Endo Pharmaceuticals

Adriana Karaboutis is a former president of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology and member of the Manufacturing Executive Leadership Board and. Professionally, Karaboutis is the global chief information officer at Dell. In this position, her role ranges from managing an efficient global information infrastructure to creating innovative breakthroughs.

Before her move in the company, Karaboutis was the vice president of Information Technology at Dell. During her career, she has led a transformation of the company’s manufacturing operations by rolling out a manufacturing execution system. Prior to joining Dell, she worked at General Motors and Ford Motor Company for 21 years. Karaboutis attended Wayne State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Master of Science in Electronics and Computer Control Systems.

Nancy A. Alvarez is the senior director of medical information at Endo Pharmaceuticals. She has had prior experience in both community and hospice/palliative care practices. Alvarez is an American Public Health Association (APha) trustee and has served on the Board’s Executive, Performance Improvement and Strategic Directions Committees. Alvarez has several distinctions and honors including serving as the national president for Phi Lambda Sigma, Pharmacy Technician Certification Board Council Chair and inaugural member, and Phi Delta Chi Grand Vice President for Collegiate Affairs. She received Arizona’s Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award; Employee Pharmacist of the Year Award, Pharmacy Leadership & Educational Institute Prescott Award, APha Good Government Pharmacist of the Year Award and the list goes on.

Dr. Theresa Wise

President, Information Systems Exelis

Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President Delta Air Lines Inc. Dr. Theresa Wise is the chief information officer and senior vice president of Delta Air Lines Inc., where she leads over 2,000 professionals who leverage technology to enhance the customer experience with Delta, and also oversees the airline’s IT group. Before working with Delta, she was the vice president of Northwest Airlines, LLC. In 2011, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal named Dr. Wise “Chief Information of the Year.” Aside from her interest in technology, Dr. Wise is a www.womenofcolor.net

Dr. Pamela Drew

Dr. Pamela Drew was appointed president of Information Systems at Exelis Inc. in January 2013. She s responsible for leading the effort to apply the engineering and science talent Exelis has in system development, networking, radio frequency communications and information systems. Her team will provide capabilities for critical missions that include defense and intelligence systems, air traffic management, space and earth science, and homeland defense. Before joining Exelis, was the senior vice president of Strategic Capabilities and Technology WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

23

at TASC. Drew also worked with Northrop Grumman Corporation and The Boeing Company. She was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the Washington D.C. chapter of the National Defense Industry Association. Drew also serves on the Strategic Advisory Councils to the Chancellor and Dean of Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she received her doctorate and master’s degree in computer science and bachelor’s degree in mathematics.

Belinda Watkins Vice President of IT of Network Computing FedEx Services Belinda Watkins is Vice President of IT of Network Computing for FedEx Services, where is responsible for the Network Computing organization which develops, designs, and engineer’s communications based solutions in support of both strategic corporate projects and ongoing user requirements for FedEx Corporate, Express, Ground, and Office. Prior to her time at FedEx Services, Belinda served as Vice President of Infrastructure Support for Sara Lee Foods, and in the late 90’s, Watkins worked with Jimmy Dean Foods, where she served as Vice President and CIO.

Suzanne McGee Beckstoffer Director of Technology Development Huntington Ingalls Industries Suzanne McGee Beckstoffer is the director of technology development at Huntington Ingalls Industries, a Fortune 500 shipbuilding company. Beckstoffer graduated from North Carolina State University in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and received her M.B.A. from The College of William & Mary. She has served as vice president for membership at the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineering, organized in 1893, to advance the art, science, and practice of naval architecture, shipbuilding and marine engineering. Beckstoffer has also been honored for excellence as one of North America’s “Notable Women in Business.” This honor not only rewards professional excellence but additionally acknowledges the fact that as a woman in her profession, Beckstoffer has defied the odds and has made it to the top ranks of her field.

24

WOMENOFCOLOR |SPRING 2014

Jeanette Horan Vice President and Chief Information Officer IBM Jeanette Horan earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of London and an M.B.A. from Boston University. Horan joined IBM in 1998 and prior to 2006 was the general manager of IBM’s Silicon Valley Laboratory. She was appointed chief information officer of IBM in 2011. Her organization provides capabilities for IBM’s workforce, drives IT excellence and supports transformation. Emphasis is on social, mobile, cloud and analytics; and how to use these technologies to enhance employee and client experiences. As part of her business and personal involvement in the advancement of technology and service to the community, Horan serves on the board of Microvision Inc., an innovative display and imaging solutions company. She also serves as a director on the board of Jane Do No More Inc., an organization committed to improving the way society responds to victims of sexual assault.

Jen Fitzpatrick VP of Engineering, Google Maps and Local Google Very few people had heard of the small startup when Jen Fitzpatrick took an internship in 1999. Looking back, she says it’s been fun and exciting to watch Google grow into a company everyone had heard of and work on different products anyone can use. “Google was my first work experience, “she says on the “Jen Fitzpatrick, MAKER at Google” video. “I was part of our very first summer intern class. There were four of us.” Fitzpatrick also feels lucky that she never felt isolated, even in the early days of Google. “There were always other women around,” says the wife and mother of two. “Working and having a family is the perfect balance.” A founding member of Google’s User Interface (UI) team, she led design, testing and implementation of numerous features and changes to the Google.com site. She also served as the engineering director for Google Adwords and Google’s systems engineering group.

Fitzpatrick joined Google in June 1999 as a software engineer.

She is a graduate of Stanford University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Symbolic Systems and a master’s degree in computer science.

www.womenofcolor.net

Sondra L. Barbour

Jeanne Jackson

Executive Vice President, Information Systems & Global Solutions Lockheed Martin

President, Product & Merchandising Nike

Sondra Barbour‘s 20-year career includes development of large-scale information systems. Under her leadership, IS&GS employs 26,000 professionals, who provide information systems, security and services supporting customers worldwide.

Most recently, Barbour was SVP of Enterprise Business Services and the corporation’s CIO. In this role, she was responsible for information technology operations, including protecting the company’s infrastructure and information from cyber threats.

In previous roles, she led Shared Services and Internal Audit organizations that provided knowledge and oversight of supply chain activities, internal controls, risk management and more.

Barbour holds a bachelor’s degree from Temple University in computer science and accounting.

Patty Hatter Senior Vice President, Operations and Chief Information Officer McAfee, Inc. Patty Hatter is responsible for sustainable transformation of McAfee’s processes and infrastructure. As CIO, Hatter leads all facets of McAfee’s ongoing transactional business and shared services, as well as IT, risk and compliance, and M&A integration. She joined McAfee with more than 20 years of experience leading operations at Fortune 500 companies in high tech, telecom, financial services, and healthcare. As vice president of quote to cash at Cisco, Hatter’s team’s efforts helped to enable and support Cisco’s growth and scalability as net sales grew from $22 billion in 2004 to $40 billion in 2010 during her tenure. Prior to Cisco, Hatter spent more than 15 years at AT&T in planning, development, and managing the professional services business unit within the United States and Europe. Hatter holds a master’s as well as bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University.

www.womenofcolor.net

Jeanne Jackson leads Nike’s product engines and merchandising.

She is responsible for driving strategy for creating footwear, apparel and equipment for the company and leading merchandising of product. Jackson was president of Direct-toConsumer for Nike, Inc., where she oversaw consumer-direct efforts, aligning the power of Nike’s brands to deliver a compelling consumer experience at retail and online. Jackson’s career spans 30 years in retailing and marketing, having served as CEO of Walmart.com, CEO of Gap, Inc. Direct, president and CEO of Banana Republic. She’s also held retail leadership roles with Victoria’s Secret, The Walt Disney Company, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Federated Department Stores.

Kathy Warden Corporate Vice President and President Information Systems Northrop Grumman Kathy Warden manages 1,500 people who support cyber, information and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions for defense and intelligence customers.

Warden began her career working with General Electric, working her way up from systems development to product management and strategy. After leaving GE, she joined a start-up, leading a management consulting practice that was acquired by Veridian. At that point, she began working with federal government customers such as the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. For the last 10 years, Warden was a general manager for various defense and intelligence businesses at General Dynamics. She now serves

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

25

Pam Askins Assistant Vice president, Information Technology and Strategic Planning Pacific Life Pam Askins joined Pacific Life in 2003 as the director of application development in the Life Insurance Division. She was accountable for managing various teams over the years including the Administrative Systems, Workflow, and Document Center application teams. In 2011, Askins assumed responsibilities for developing capabilities focused on increasing sales within the emerging affluent marketplace. As assistant vice president, Askins expands upon her leadership responsibilities managing both business initiatives and technology projects.

She has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Stanford University.

Rose Littlejohn Managing Director, Security Meeting and Events Services and US Travel PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Rose Littlejohn is responsible for the firm’s crisis management, background screening, physical security, information security, travel security, forensic investigations and security awareness programs. Prior to joining PwC, she was responsible for security operations in over 30 countries as the director of Global Security and Ethics Officer for American Standard Co. Her accomplishments include implementation of a global background investigation and drug-free workplace program, security guards management and the resolution of complex kidnappings overseas. Littlejohn holds a bachelor’s in business management and an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix.

She also holds the designation of a Certified Fraud Examiner and has served as chairperson for the Economic Crime Council. Additionally, she serves on the board of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York. She has consulted with The Conference Board on women and travel security programs and has authored an article entitled Women at Work and Making a Place for Ethics.

Cheryl Whitis Chief Information Officer VP of Information Systems, Network Centric Systems Raytheon Cheryl Whitis is responsible for operations of Network Centric Systems information solutions. Before joining Raytheon in 2007, Whitis was CIO and VP of information technology for L-3 Communications Integrated Systems. In this role, she had board executive responsibility for managing and directing IT across integrated systems and ensuring projects and investments aligned with strategy. Whitis joined L-3 in 1989 as a senior business systems analyst responsible for the U.S. customs IT contract. In 2000, she was promoted to director of strategic planning and direct programs. In this capacity, she directed objectives and strategic plans for the IT function to meet business goals. She served in this capacity until 2001 26

WOMENOFCOLOR |SPRING 2014

when she was named VP and CIO. Whitis earned an associate of science degree in data processing from Cameron University and a Bachelor of Science in business management from LeTourneau University.

Diane Jurgens Managing Director Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co., Ltd. Diane Jurgens has a strong background in technology, and is currently the managing director of Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co., Ltd., a joint project created by General Motors Company and the SAIC Group. With Shanghai OnStar, Jürgen’s role is to oversee business operations and strategic planning in China. Jürgen’s’ previous roles with General Motors include Global Product Development Information Systems & Services, CIO of the GM China Group, and CIO of Asia Pacific. Jürgen’s recently received the Magnolia Award from the Shanghai Municipal Government for her contributions to the economic and social development of Shanghai. Having graduated with honors from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering, Jürgen’s went on to receive her Master of Business Administration degree in international business from Seattle University.

Alla Whitston Chief Technology Officer, Enterprise Bank of America As CTO for Bank of America’s enterprise functions, Alla Whitston is responsible for supporting various units including global technology and operations, corporate audit, finance, human resources, marketing and corporate affairs, as well as legal, compliance and regulatory. She is also the relationship manager for IBM. Whitston’s team operates in more than ten countries and includes 1,900 employees and contractors. As end computing executive, she is responsible for end-to-end technology supporting all communication and collaboration technologies, secure messaging, spam/anti-virus, Office Suite and managed desktop and print/ fax services. Whitston joined Bank of America in 2011 from JP Morgan where she served as a managing director within Investment Banking. She has also held positions at Bear Stearns, Goldman Sachs, Bankers Trust and Home Insurance.

At Bank of America she has also been active in the Emerging Leader Program, Information Technology Senior Management Forum. She was responsible for the Female Executive Director leadership agenda t JP Morgan, including internal and associated university formal mentoring programs, and an executive committee member for GS Women in Technology at Goldman Sachs. Whitston earned a degree in Computer Science from Georgia Technical University www.womenofcolor.net

It takes the best and the brightest to

be L-3

L-3 is a top ten U.S. defense prime contractor, Fortune 200 company, and key provider of mission-critical technologies to military and commercial customers.

But more than anything else, L-3 is its people. Every individual in our company brings a unique background, perspective and set of abilities. These differences improve our creativity, innovation, agility and execution. Diversity is a key part of our business strategy — and a big factor in our ongoing success.

We have assignments in the U.S. and around the world in Engineering, Program Management, Business Development, Cybersecurity and more! Share your ideas and help us develop the game-changing technologies of the future.

Learn more and apply at www.L-3jobs.com

L-3 Communications Corporation is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. L-3 provides equal employment opportunity for all persons, in all facets of employment. L-3 maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks. We encourage veterans, disabled veterans and disabled individuals to apply for any open position for which they feel they are qualified.

BOOK REVIEW THREE ESSENTIALS FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

M

March is Women’s History Month, during which we celebrate women of character, courage and commitment.

Below, leading women in the STEM field have shared their favorite books that have helped them in their journey to success. Women of Color magazine present these books in hopes that you may find them helpful also.

“LEAN IN: WOMEN, WORK, AND THE WILL TO LEAD” BY SHERYL SANDBERG ISBN-13: 9780385349949 Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Publication date: 3/11/2013 Pages: 240 “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” is written by Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook. In the book Sandberg talks about the lack of women in leadership roles and offers simple solutions that can help women achieve their full potential. “…[V]ery inspiring. Two of my favorite chapters are ‘Sit at the Table’ and ‘It’s a Jungle Gym, Not a Ladder.’ I encourage everyone to read it. No, I’m telling everyone to ‘Lean In!’” —Courtney Coulter, computer engineer, Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (or I2WD) US Army Communications-Electronics RD&E Center

“THE FIRST 90 DAYS “ BY MICHAEL WATKINS ISBN-13: 9781591391104 Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press Publication date: 11/1/2003 Pages: 208 When entering a new leadership position, the first 90 days are the most critical. In this book Michael Watkins, a noted expert on leadership transition, talks about

28

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

how critical the first few months are when you enter a new positions of leadership. He addresses common risks and challenges you are likely to encounter, and proven techniques to make the transition into your new position successful.

“This book helped me understand that what created my past successes as an individual performer or team member aren’t the same things that would make me successful as a leader.” —Robyn DeWees, director, Mission Assurance Northrop Grumman

“THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SUCCESS: LAWS OF LEADERSHIP FOR BLACK WOMEN” BY ELAINE MERYL BROWN, RHONDA JOY MCLEAN, MARSHA HAYGOOD Hardcover: 176 pages Publisher: One World/Ballantine; 1 edition (March 2, 2010) ISBN-10: 0345518489 ISBN-13: 978-0345518484 This book is a great book written by three Black executives who have climbed the ladder of success and wish to reach back and help as many women professionals as they can. They share their ideas and experiences. “[The Little Black Book of Success] is a great book that shares strategies to help all black women, at any level of their careers.

It focuses on the building blocks of true leadership—self-confidence, effective communication, collaboration, and courage—while dealing specifically with stereotypes.” —Paige Lewter, electronics engineer, Naval Air Systems Command

Compiled by Ray Kennedy, rkennedy@ccgmag.com

www.womenofcolor.net

HOW IT IS CHANGING THE FACE OF FINANCE FINANCE, WALL STREET, AND CONSUMER RETAIL NEED YOUR EXPERTISE

By Frank McCoy

W

omen of Color magazine is sure that STEM leaders and rising stars like you understand how Information Technology has transformed the capture, processing, analysis and communication of data both up and down organizational hierarchies and horizontally across related sectors.

Let’s drill down and review information technology’s impact on finance, Wall Street, and consumer retail, and spotlight trends that should inspire STEM students in 2014 and beyond to enter those sectors.

FINANCE Whether as an individual accountant or at a hedge fund, the hyper-speed of automatic transactions via shared service centers and outsourcing makes business both more efficient and precarious.

www.womenofcolor.net

Of course, while increased speed and data accumulation doesn’t alter finance’s basic tools, techniques, or functions, it does require that organizations hire information technology specialists for other purposes. These include technologies to control employee use of personal and company digital devices, strengthen cyber security, and create and monitor cloud-based platforms.

The importance of IT’s relationship to finance is evident. In her 2000 paper, “Catalytic Impact of Information Technology on the New International Financial Architecture,” University of Washington School of Law Professor Jane K. Winn called finan-

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

29

cial markets “the first organized, global information markets operating through networked computers.”

Her analysis is borne out in sources including a Demand Media report on the importance of information technology in finance that spotlighted information technology’s historical impact on that vital sector.

1960s: the New York Stock Exchange cut trading days as trade volume exceeded the ability to process it manually.

1970s: electronic checking and credit card processing spread nationwide as computer technology, local networks, and electronic data processing firms shared information.

1990s: Banks harden cyber security technology, begin using web-based commercial transactions, and by 1998 “more than $50 billion worth of transactions” are done online.

CONSUMER RETAIL How will Google, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Tesla, and other digitally-innovative companies transform consumer retail? Here’s the lowdown.

Last year, J.P Gowinder, a Forrester Research vice president and principal analyst wrote a commentary for Forbes. It was titled Google is Poised to Revolutionize Consumer Retail and Gowinder said that “consumer retail stores act as de facto extensions of the information technology department in today’s BYO (Bring Your Own Office) world.”

What does that mean and how will it impact your job opportunities? At Google, which is engaged in a steel cage battle with Apple for customers and prestige, CEO Google’s competitors will also need people STEM Larry Page is considering opening physical stores majors to collect, analyze, use, store and protect to advertise and sell its the digital consumer data they gather via social products: Android-based Nexus smartphones, networking and from point of sales.

Google Glass, Chromecast, Chromebooks, and maybe even self-driving cars someday.

2007: Murithi Mutiga, an editor at the Nation Media Group in Kenya, reports that in that year his country launched the world’s first mobile banking system. In 2012, 18 million Kenyan web banking subscribers processed transactions equal to $11.5 billion of the country’s $37 billion GDP. 2013: Gartner, an IT research and advisory firm, wrote that global mobile payment transaction values would be $235.4 billion. A year earlier, payments equaled $163.1 billion. The number of global mobile payment users was projected to be 245.2 million in 2013, up 45 million from the previous year.

WHERE ARE THE IT FINANCE/WALL STREET JOBS? At the least, to operate, maintain and upgrade an information system for a financial firm requires hardware and software, technology vendors, employee training, technicians, cyber security experts and systems engineers. Plus, those STEM graduates with M.B.A. degrees will rise higher as they can speak money as well as talk tech.

Beyond traditional public, private and non-profit financerelated brick-and-mortar organizations, would-be finance and information technology professionals should consider reviewing and contacting the World’s Best Internet Banks (http://www.gfmag.com/tools/best-banks/12787-worldsbest-internet-banks-2013.html#axzz2q0nJHDGI). In 2013, Citi won multiple honors in the Best Corporate/Institutional Banks category, including the Best Overall Internet Bank award. Wells Fargo was also recognized.

If so, Google, which opened a Chrome Zone retail store in London in 2011, will join Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung, which has created space in other stores for its products, and will offer customers access to their product and services. Today’s STEM students will be the ones to support tomorrow’s ecosystems for those companies.

CONSUMER IT AND ENGINEERING JOBS How might Google’s potential venture affect STEM students?

A Morgan Stanley retail study reported that, “Various Google job postings seek engineers to ‘develop, test, and deploy retail Point of Sale systems’ (POS), requiring skills such as ‘experience spanning any of the top tier platforms including: IBM, NCR, Retalix,’ various retail POS systems.”

Google’s competitors will also need people STEM majors to collect, analyze, use, store and protect the digital consumer data they gather via social networking and from point of sales.

The Mountain View company will lead the pack in how it uses everything it learns from the billions of daily searches users conduct for something to do, watch, or listen, and uncover new and personal ways to contact and/or influence customers before, during and after they visit a Google store.

Cross-collaboration with Android-reliant companies is also likely, and every step of the process will demand information technology expertise.

Comments by Arvind Desikan, head of consumer marketing

30

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

www.womenofcolor.net

at Google UK, are the flashing “go” sign. In 2011, Desikan said of the Google Chrome Zone store, “ It is our first foray into physical retail. This is a new channel for us and it’s still very, very early days. It’s something Google is going to play with and see where it leads. We found anecdotally that when people tried the device and played with it, that made a huge difference to their understanding of what the Chromebook is all about. We want to see whether people understand what this device is all about and monitor their reaction when they try it out.”

IT, THE INTERNET OF EVERYTHING, AND YOUR EMPLOYMENT Older people may find the Internet of Everything (IOE) to be potentially intrusive. Younger ones will only consider it, and the billions of sensors and devices in it, as the seamless support system of their daily life.

At networking giant Cisco Systems, it “defines the Internet of Everything as the networked connection of people, process, data, and things.” By 2023, the company predicts that net profit of that sector may be equal $14.4 trillion.

The IoE, says Cisco, will be driven by “connecting the unconnected”—people-to-people, machine-to-people, and machineto-machine—via the Internet of Everything , and $3.7 trillion in net profit will derive from customer experience, much of which will be connect to retail.

STEM professionals will be necessary to support, expand and protect the Internet of Everything, as The Economist Intelligence Unit, and Information Week magazine predict that information technology’s impact on the IoE and consumer retail will: • Create ever-larger waves of consumer-generated data • Produce a torrent of consumer-directed products and services • Force companies to interconnect networks of products, support and services • Increase demand for technology infrastructure to store and protect data • Raise the bar for corporate skill development • Lead to accepted interconnectivity and data-sharing standards • Spike demand for employees with multi-disciplinary experience in sensors, networking and analytics • Unlock new revenue streams from old products • Inspire innovative working practices or processes • Transform existing business models and strategies • Increase the need for technology infrastructure, energy, supply chain, logistics, data, and asset managers • Make graduates with internship experience in the above areas more attractive.

• Boost visibility of prospective hires with STEM and business backgrounds • Increase hiring of business intelligence designers who can “turn all of that information into stuff the executive suite, www.womenofcolor.net

marketing, and other non-technical business units can actually understand and use” • Spike demand for DevOps Experts who can build and maintain cloud infrastructure and mobile apps

RADIO FREQUENCY INDENTIFICATION (RFID) Key components for effective use of the Internet of Everything are sensors such as Radio Frequency Identification Devices. The following are January 2014 Careerbuilder.com RFID-related jobs found on Careerbuilder.com (search word: RFID). They all require experience, and that is what internships are for, but recommended STEM degrees for entry are noted below.

• Real-time system location architects: B.S. degree in computer science • Wireless engineer: B.S. degree in business or information technology • Application Engineer Project Manager: B.S. degree in electrical engineering/computer science • Electrical Design Engineerg: B.S. degree in electrical or electronic engineering • Senior Software Engineer – Cryptography: B.S. degree in electrical engineering/computer science Last year, Consumer Goods Technology (CGT) published two articles that point where information technology and consumer retail may be going. CGT distilled trends within a McKinsey & Company study and reported that consumers will someday have “the world’s largest store in every pocket.”

• During the past 10 years, CGT said that e-commerce grew 18 percent annually and in 2013 was equal to 8 percent of total retail sales. If as predicted, U.S. mobile smart phone penetration rises from today’s 40 percent to 60 percent, digital business will skyrocket and that will increase demand for STEM graduates in the sector.

• Based upon McKinsey’s study, CGT noted that marketers now spend more than 50 percent of their ad budget on digital advertisements.

• Based upon the pattern set by Amazon, someday consumers may expect every retailer to ship items as quickly as it does. McKinsey projects that the top 150 metropolitan statistical areas, home to almost 75 percent of Americans, will soon have same-day delivery.

• The McKinsey report also stated that increasing numbers of Americans are conducting consumer retail business with alternative companies such as craigslist, eBay and Etsy, which has almost one million small businesses. And each of those entities needs professionals to keep business churning profitably.

All of which should bolster the confidence of STEM students at they know these and other organizations need your expertise, and someday you will become their leaders.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

31

TOP WOMEN IN FINANCE THEY SET RULES, RATE PERFORMANCE, LEAD TEAMS, AND INVEST MONEY: 24 WOMEN LEADERS IN BANKING AND FINANCE YOU NEED TO KNOW

By Frank McCoy

I

n March, Women’s History Month, Women of Color celebrates banking and finance leaders and rising stars. They excel at the Federal Reserve, commercial banks, credit rating agencies, in the federal government, investment banks, mutual funds, and those who invest money for high net worth individuals.

32

Janet Yellen

Wendy N. Ross

Chair Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Bank

Marketing Director American Express-Enterprise Growth

On February 1, 2014, Janet Yellen made history herself, becoming the Fed’s first woman leader. She had been vice chair of the Fed Board, and previously president and CEO of the 12th District Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco. The holder of a Ph.D. in economics from Yale University and a Brown University undergraduate degree, she served as a professor emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley and has a timely specialization: the causes, mechanisms, and implications of unemployment.

American Express is where Wendy Ross wants to be. Prior to joining the card colossus, the Morgan State University graduate, with an M.B.A. degree from The University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business, was a leader at BearingPoint, Procter & Gamble Co., and Kraft Foods. Prior to her current post at American Express, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. sister was leader of the American Express Prepaid Card business unit.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

Wanji J. Walcott SVP, Managing Counsel American Express At American Express, the paralegals and lawyers representing its worldwide technology organization and shared services unit, and clients with Internet law issues, are led by Wanji Walcot, who received her B.A. and J.D. Degrees from Howard www.womenofcolor.net

University. Prior to Amex, she worked at global law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, a telecom software provider, and Lockheed Martin. The recipient of American Express Technologies’ highest recognition for performance, the Top Owners Award, Walcott founded the American Express pro bono program.

Rhupal J. Bhansali Senior Vice President Chief Investment Officer International Equities Ariel Investments At $8.4 billion Ariel Investments, Rhupal Bhansali manages the mutual fund’s global portfolio and its financial and retail sectors. Before Ariel, the veteran analyst oversaw institutional and retail portfolios at MacKay Shields, and was portfolio manager and co-head of Oppenheimer Capital ‘s international equities. Bhansali received a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Commerce in international finance and banking from the University of Mumbai, and an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Rochester.

Lucy Cruz Vice President Credit Risk Specialist Bank of America For more than 20 years, Lucy Cruz has gained experience and stature at leading financial institutions including RBS Global Banking, Omnium LLC, and Morgan Stanley. As an expert risk analyst, she helps manage credit relationships and facilitate the internal credit process. Her responsibilities include identifying how central bank rules impact traded financial products and margin loans portfolio. Cruz has a B.A. degree in business administration from City University of New York-Baruch College, and an M.B.A. from Hofstra University.

Colleen Taylor Executive Vice President Capital One Financial Last year, American Banker newspaper reported that Colleen Taylor, as the leader of Treasury Management, transformed its support and service processes. The publication also named Taylor as a woman to watch as she had overhauled new hire training, improved technology, unified the client services staff, and created a liaison team to handle bank www.womenofcolor.net

internal client service requests. Before the former Wachovia Bank Senior Vice President joined Capital One in 2009, she worked at JPMorgan Chase, and The Chase Manhattan Bank.

Elizabeth C. López Director Global Subsidiaries Treasury, Corporate & Investment Banking BBVA Compass Prior to joining BBVA, a bank holding company, López spent seven years at Citi rising to the position of treasury consultant. While working at BBVA and she is also studying at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business to earn a Master of Business Administration with a specialty in finance and marketing. López has two undergraduate degrees. One in economics, and Latin American studies from the University of Texas at Austin, and another in business economics from the Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Chile.

Mayerlin Fattibene Vice President BNY Mellon Mayerlin Fattibene joined BNY Mellon’s Global Corporate Development-Mergers & Acquistions in May 2013. Previously she had worked for financial service companies including CIT, AIG, and JPMorgan Chase. Fattibene received her B.A. degree in international business and finance from New York University and her M.B.A. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Since 2009, she has been a vice president of strategic partnerships of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance & Accounting.

Deborah C. Wright Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Carver Bancorp Carver Federal Savings Bank, which is part of Carver Bancorp Inc., has 10 branches spread across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. In 1999, Deborah C. Wright, who had been president and chief executive officer of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation, became CEO of Carver. Wright earned her bachelor’s degree, M.B.A degree, and law degrees at Harvard University. Last December, Wright told American Banker that Carver would “target” New York City’s under-banked citizens.

Jacqueline Beato Vice President of Finance Caesars Entertainment Corporation Jacqueline Beato leads an eight-person team at Caesars Entertainment Corp., a global gaming, hotel and resort company.

She joined Caesars after working as a president’s associWOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

33

ate at Harrah’s Casino in Joliet, Ill., and at a member of the equity derivatives trading unit Deutsche Bank. She earned a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering degree from the University of Miami and an M.B.A. degree from Harvard Business School.

Gillian Yu Credit Suisse Securities In 2013, Gillian Yu, in Credit Suisse’s San Francisco office, was recognized by Barrons as number two on its list of Top Women Financial Advisors. She had been listed as 20th on the previous year’s list. Her ranking in Barron’s reports reflected “the volume of assets” she or her team oversaw, revenues generated, “and the quality of the advisors’ practices.”

Yu’s typical account containing $20 million, and a typical net worth of her investors was $50 million.

Wanda Felton First Vice President and Vice Chair Export-Import Bank of the United States Coming full circle, Wanda Felton began her investment career as an ExIm Bank loan officer.

During 15 years prior to joining the nation’s official export credit agency in 2011, she was a private equity specialist and rainmaker of investment capital. Clients including investors in sub-Saharan Africa, part of her current portfolio. She also ran her own financial advisory firm, MAP Capital Advisors. Felton holds a B.A. Degree from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from Harvard.

Lucy Baldwin Managing director Goldman Sachs It takes special talent to become a managing director at any firm. For Lucy Baldwin to do so at 28 and to head the London-based European retail and consumer equity research team and as Forbes magazine reports to become co-chief of the equity research consumer business unit in Europe is epic (my word not Forbes). Baldwin studied economics at Birmingham University.

Stephanie Smith Managing Director Global Head Credit Operations Goldman Sachs Stephanie Smith is a graduate of the Zicklin School of Business at City University of New York – Baruch College. She had previously worked at United Healthcare.

34

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

Joyce Chang Managing Director Global Head of Fixed Income Research Corporate and Investment Bank J.P. Morgan Joyce Chang’s portfolio for J.P. Morgan’s corporate and investment bank operations includes using political and economic intelligence to provide forecasts on world fixed income markets. Chang, American Banker reports, also “oversees research on currencies, public finance and securitized products.” Institutional Investor rewarded her emerging markets research team with No. 1 ranking three times. She has a B.A. degree from Columbia and an M.P.A. degree from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.

Valerie Garcia Houts Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Merrill Lynch Bank of America In 1999, Valerie Garcia Houts received her M.B.A. degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Last year, Barrons ranked her sixth on its 2013 Top Women Financial Advisors list. Her typical account was worth $50 million and the typical net worth of her clients was $500 million. In 2010, On Wall Street listed Houts on its “Top 40 Advisors Under 40” list.

Melissa Corrado-Harrison Private Wealth Advisor Merrill Lynch Bank of America In 2013, Barrons ranked Melissa Corrado-Harrison, a managing director in wealth management, as 13th on its Top Women Financial Advisors list. Based in Denver, her typical account was worth $25 million and the typical net worth of her clients was $50 million. Corrado-Harrison received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado System.

Kimberly Lyons Assistant Vice President/Analyst Moody’s Investor Service At Moody’s Investors Service, which provides credit ratings, research, tools and analysis of financial markets, Kimberly Lyons is a U.S. states ratings analyst. Her portfolio includes Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin. She had worked at Financial Guaranty Insurance Company as a surveillance associate. She received both her B.A. degree in sociology and a Master of Public Administration from the University at Albany-SUNY.

www.womenofcolor.net

Carla Harris

Bita Ardalan

Vice Chairman and Managing Director Senior Client Advisor Morgan Stanley

Executive Vice President Union Bank

In the wealth management division, Carla Harris’ goal is to create increased revenue through client penetration.

In 2013, President Barack Obama appointed the Magna Cum Laude graduate of Harvard University and holder of an M.B.A. degree from Harvard Business School as chair of the National Women’s Business Council. Harris, who joined Morgan Stanley’s mergers and acquisitions team in 1987, is also the chair of the Morgan Stanley Foundation.

Sandra Harris Executive Director Morgan Stanley Prior to Morgan Stanley, Sandra Harris worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Invesco, and Naiman Point Advisors. The Certified Financial Analyst is a graduate of Mills College and has Finance Degree from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.

Ranjana B. Clark Senior Executive Vice President Union Bank As Head of Global Transaction Banking, Ranjana Clark oversees Union’s treasury management and global trust and custody businesses and company-wide digital capabilities for parent Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Americas Holdings. Previously, Clark was PayPal’s chief customer and marketing officer, president of global business payments, Western Union’s head of global strategy, and chief marketing officer at Wachovia.

She received her M.S. degree in marketing from the Indian Institute Of Management and an M.S. degree in finance from Duke University.

www.womenofcolor.net

Since joining Union Bank in 1986, Bita Ardalan has risen steadily. In July 2013, she was tapped to lead commercial banking in the western region from southern California through Washington state. Ardalan had been heading the bank’s national specialized lending group’s sales, marketing and credit management of units including commercial finance, environmental industries and fund finance. The graduate of Williams College earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and finance.

Avid Modjtabai Senior Executive Vice President Consumer Lending Wells Fargo Avid Modjtabai has been on a promotion escalator since Women of Color profiled her in 2011. She is the leader of Wells Fargo’s consumer lending operation, and from that post the bank’s former chief information officer of technology and operations oversees business units including auto finance and student loans and consumer credit cards. For Modjtabai, a Stanford University industrial engineering graduate with a Columbia University Master’s in Business Administration degree, the crown jewel of her portfolio is Wells Fargo’s mortgage originator and service division: the nation’s largest.

Michelle Thornhill Senior Vice President Strategy and Integration Manager - Diversity and Inclusion Wells Fargo The combination of a Harvard Master of Public Administration degree and a Virginia Tech B.S. in financial management is powerful. Thornhill has used that academic foundation as she developed and managed Wells Fargo’s enterprise marketing and engagement strategy for Black consumers and communities. So it was a tribute to her success in May 2013 when she was promoted to bank-wide strategy and integration manager and a direct report to the financial giant’s enterprise diversity and inclusion manager.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

35

Diversity, Inclusion and Opportunity - the Ingredients of Success

Bright futures start at Ingredion Incorporated.

www.ingredion.com/careers

CAREER OUTLOOK An in-depth look at a cutting-edge industry within STEM. We tell you where the jobs are, why you want them, and, most importantly, how you get them.

SPOTLIGHT ON VETERANS

INSIDE: JOB HORIZON  RECRUITING TRENDS  PROFESSIONAL LIFE  OPERATION HOMEFRONT  BENEFITS FOR VETERANS 

www.womenofcolor.net

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

37

CAREER OUTLOOK

JOB HORIZON VOW TO HIRE HEROES ACT: ENDING VETERAN UNEMPLOYMENT

A

pproximately 160,000 active duty service members and 110,000 National Guardsmen and reservists transition to civilian life each year. But for too long, veterans were patted on the back for their service and then pushed out into the job market alone.

In 2010, a Department of Labor report found nearly 1 million unemployed veterans in the United States. The average unemployment rate among returning veterans was 11.5 percent―one in 10 couldn’t find a job to support their family, didn’t have an income that provided stability or work that provided them with the pride that is so critical to their transition home.

The following spring, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) traveled throughout Washington state to talk to veterans, employers and experts about the barriers veterans face in finding employment. In May 2011, Murray, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced the basis of a comprehensive bill to put America’s veterans back to work.

The legislation was designed to provide job skills training as veterans left the military and by easing the training and certification process veterans face. The bill came on the eve of Veterans Day 2011 at a time when nearly 1 million American veterans were unemployed.

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act combined provisions of Senator Murray’s original Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, Chairman Jeff Miller’s Veterans Opportunity to Work Act, with a tax credit for employers that hire veterans and job training assistance for veterans from earlier eras.

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act made the Improving the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) mandatory for most service members transitioning to civilian status, upgraded career counseling options, and resume writing skills, as well as ensured the program is tailored for the 21st century job market. The bill allowed service members to begin the federal employment process prior to separation in order to facilitate a seamless transition from the military to jobs at Veteran Affairs, Homeland Security, or other federal agencies.

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act also provided nearly 100,000 unemployed veterans of past eras and wars with up to one year of additional Montgomery GI Bill benefits to qualify for

38

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

jobs in high-demand sectors, from trucking to technology.

Disabled veterans got up to 1-year of additional Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Benefits.

The bill required the Department of Labor to take a hard look at what military skills and training should be translatable into the civilian sector and work to make it easier to get the licenses and certification our veterans need. Tax incentives of up to $5,600 were provided for hiring veterans, if the veteran has been looking for work for six months or longer and up to $9,600 for hiring disabled veterans.

This fall, a story in the Washington Post which appeared on Veterans Day showed that although the jobless rate for all U.S. veterans was just 6.9 percent in October—slightly lower than it is for the population as a whole—the unemployment rate for veterans who have served since 9/11 stood at 10 percent, with 246,000 out of work.

“That’s the same rate as it was a year ago, and it’s a higher jobless rate than it is for non-veterans, after adjusting for age and demographic factors. That is, even when you factor in the dismal U.S. economy, recent veterans are still having trouble finding work,” the Post’s Brad Plummer wrote.

A February 2013 report prepared by the National Economic Council and the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, with assistance from the defense, treasury, health and human services, and labor departments, Veterans Affairs, transportation, the Domestic Policy Council, National Security Staff, and the Office of the First Lady, discussed the challenges that confront service members, military spouses and veterans in establishing their qualifications for civilian employment.

Frequent moves combined with different requirements for occupational licenses across state lines can make it difficult and costly for spouses of active duty military to find a job, the report said. Adding that despite having valuable experience, veterans frequently find it difficult to obtain private sector recognition of their military training, experiences, and skill sets through civilian certification and licensure. This also makes it difficult for the private sector to capitalize on the resources and time spent training and educating service members.

www.womenofcolor.net

CAREER OUTLOOK

RECRUITING TRENDS BENEFITS OF HIRING US WAR VETERANS

M

any U. S. military members have gone off to war and come home to try to find normalcy again in their lives. Part of that is trying to re-enter the civilian life they once led. It is tougher and tougher for those veterans to find work, though. It is understandable that employers would be leery of hiring recent war veterans. There are many issues those of us who have never faced war in person could possibly understand.

But the reality is that our war veterans need to work and they need to learn how to transition back into civilian life. We owe it to them to give them the opportunity to do just that.

ADVANTAGES TO EMPLOYERS OF HIRING WAR VETERANS: 1. Discipline Veterans have had to learn to be disciplined in everything they do. They have learned how to be patient and to obey orders. Although we don’t call it obeying orders in the civilian workforce, it amounts to the same thing. The employer is the company officer and the employee is the soldier. The employer tells the employee what to do (the order) and the employee, ideally, will follow that instruction. Civilians often have their own idea of how to handle the “orders.” Soldiers already know how important it is to follow through on whatever they are told to do, even when they don’t understand why.

2. Hard Workers There are no workers who will work as hard as someone who has been to war. They have done the dirtiest work and dealt with the most stress any human being could be asked to endure. They stand strong in the face of adversity and with death all around them. It is safe to say that they are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

3. Training U.S. military service members have a lot of training in many different areas. You will be surprised how much a military member knows and how that training can be put to use in your company. There are drawbacks to having someone who has been to war working in a company because of the posttraumatic effects, but there are more advantages to hiring them. Find out what types of training the war veteran has before you decide that he or she won’t be a good candidate based on the fact that he or she may have been in a war zone. You will be shocked what knowledge you find in people who have been in the military forces.

4. Longevity People who have been in the military have learned to stick

www.womenofcolor.net

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion work into the night constructing an observation post along Route Cowboys, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Second CEB’s mission included the construction of three observation posts on Route Cowboys.

things out no matter what happens. They have the ability to stay with things even when others would have walked away.

This is proven by the fact that they stayed in a war zone where no one really wants to be. They have seen things that no person should ever have to see and they stuck it out because that is how they are trained to do. If the veteran could stick it out in a war zone, they will certainly be able to stick it out in a company when things get rough.

These are just some of the reasons that employers should consider hiring a war veteran in the United States. War veterans certainly have circumstances that can cause some issues. That is to be expected. I would urge you to consider what they have given to the country though. They put their lives on the line for all of us. They saw things that most of us would have run from. There are challenges that have to be overcome, but helping a veteran re-enter civilian life can be one of the most important things that you will ever do. It gives them a chance and they certainly deserve that. If you are one of the companies that have decided not to hire war veterans because of the possible issues, change your thinking. There are a great many benefits to hiring a war veteran as well.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

39

CAREER OUTLOOK

PROFESSIONAL LIFE ONLINE RESOURCES FOR VETERANS SEEKING JOBS

J

oining Forces, spearheaded by first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, is designed to gather the public together in a collective effort to lend support to military families.

One of the key missions of Joining Forces is to focus on job availability for soldiers coming home from active duty, and the spouses of those vets, who might also need new jobs due to transfers.

If you, or someone you know, is a veteran looking for work, here are six online employment sites that can be helpful: 1. Military.com This site offers a career section with the “largest veteran job board in the world.” Here individuals can search for jobs, create and post resumes, network with other veterans and find career fairs to attend in their own locales.

2. VetJobs This is considered one of the leading boards for veterans. It is sponsored exclusively by Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Registration is free and veterans can do a search for current job openings and also post a resume.

3. America’s Veteran This is the official website of the U.S. government. It is operated by the Office of Personnel Management to assist veterans who might be looking for jobs within the federal government.

4. G.I. Jobs This site provides career advice and tips on how to find a job in the civilian workforce. They issue a newsletter and also have pages on Facebook and Twitter.

5. National Veteran’s Foundation The National Veteran’s Foundation (NVF) serves the crisis management, information and referral needs of U.S. veterans and their families. The foundation has both a legal center and an employment center with job listings. This site operates the nation’s only free helpline for all veterans and their families. There is also a live chat forum available. One section is dedicated solely to new veterans. There is a downloadable booklet to help veterans navigate the complexities of dealing with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

6. MilitaryHire.com A site developed and maintained by a team of military veterans 40

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

First lady Michelle Obama announces new hiring commitments by the private sector as well as major accomplishments of the Joining Forces initiative during remarks at Naval Station Mayport. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden created Joining Forces to bring Americans together to recognize, honor and take action to support veterans and military families as they serve our country and throughout their lives.

and corporate hiring authorities. Its purpose is to “serve those who served.” Veterans can sign up for free, search the job database, post resumes and apply for jobs online. The homepage lists upcoming job fairs.

These six online resources combined give veterans access to potential solutions to every conceivable job issue they might encounter in their post-military career journey.

If you would like more information on how you can become involved in the “Joining Forces” initiative visit the website here http://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces Opportunities with Shell If you are you looking for an organization that allows you to translate your skills into a civilian career, or a challenge that will launch your career into a relevant mission area, then consider Shell. According to their website, Shell offers a variety of operators, technician, and maintenance positions in plants, refineries and field operations onshore and in the Gulf of Mexico. Whether you’re a student Veteran or Officer studying for a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D., the oil giant offers a chance to help solve some of the world’s biggest energy challenges while pursuing your passion and fulfilling your potential. Shell Military Recruiters regularly attend military recruitment events and career conferences. Shell is a “100,000 Jobs Mission” company, committed to hiring veterans and sharing best practices. The 100,000 Jobs Mission has now doubled its commitment. In total, the companies plan to hire a total of 200,000 by 2020. http://www.shell. us/aboutshell/careers-tpkg/military-veterans.html www.womenofcolor.net

CAREER OUTLOOK

WHO’S HIRING VETERANS? T

he Stars and Stripes BEYA Veteran Transition Initiative is devoted to promoting and supporting our men and women in and out of uniform. It features seminars and a career fair that helps veterans transition into education, jobs and business. As part of the Career Fair held Friday, February 7, 2014 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Hotel, panelists discussed top programs that offer opportunities for veterans, and General Motors, JPMorgan Chase and AT&T were recognized for their veteran initiatives. Below is a complete list of organizations that were hiring at the job fair.

EMPLOYERS AT THE 2014 STARS AND STRIPES BEYA STEM VETERAN TRANSITION INITIATIVE The Aerospace Corporation

Huntington Ingalls Industries

Raytheon

BAE Systems

Lockheed Martin

USAA

Boeing

MITRE

U.S. Air Force

Central Intelligence Agency

Navy Civilian Careers

U.S. Army

General Dynamics

Noblis

U.S. Coast Guard

General Motors

Northrop Grumman

World Wide Technology, Inc.

George Washington University

PNC Bank

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FOUR’s Detail Four, all female build team; BU3 Kadisha Lee, BU3 Gafayat Moradeyo, BU3 Jessica Vera , CECN Carla Diaz-Castillo, BUCN Shayla Miles, BU3 Amber Mann, SWCN Kacie Dunlavey, and BUCN Shelby Lutrey. NMCB FOUR is a component of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command that provides contingency engineering and construction across Afghanistan in support of the overall mission of International Security Assistance Forces and regional commander requirements.

www.womenofcolor.net

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

41

CAREER OUTLOOK

Military families pick up backpacks full of school supplies at five regional distribution events held August in Washington, D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia. Nationwide, the Back-to-School brigade program distributed $4.9 million in school supplies, including 41,000 backpacks.

Locally, the D.C. Metro Field office gave 4,200 backpacks to military children in Washington, D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia.

OPERATION HOMEFRONT SOMETIMES ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK

S

ince its creation in 2002, Operation Homefront has met over 741,000 needs of military families and military personnel returning from duty. Operation Homefront provides emergency financial assistance. They also help with healthcare services, home repair and home items, moving and relocation as well as auto repair. In addition, the organization runs community events and programs such as the Back-to-School Brigade, Hearts of Valor and Homefront Celebrations. The scenarios below illustrate just a few of the many services offered by Operation Homefront D.C. Metro, which serves Washington, D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia.

42

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

www.womenofcolor.net

Army Specialist Brandon Boyd is the father of four. Wounded in combat in Iraq, he suffered multiple injuries, most significantly breaking his back. After recovery, Boyd was found medically unfit to serve, so he retired from the military and applied for veteran benefits in 2011. As he transitioned to civilian life, he also began searching for a job. In the meantime, the young family scraped by.

Bills began piling up as Boyd waited for a job offer and for the VA benefits check to arrive in the mail. Baby supplies and groceries were soon in short supply. That’s when the family reached out to Operation Homefront. They’d found out about them through the military family network. The D.C. Metro chapter helped pay an outstanding utility bill to keep the lights on and heat running, and provided grocery gift cards to buy food and baby supplies.

The husband and wife also got a new mattress from a donation the chapter received from a local Ashley Furniture home store.

And when Boyd’s job offer finally came, the chapter provided donated suits for him to use as he returned to the workforce.

Boyd started his new job early this year and the VA benefits began arriving in March.

But just as things seemed to be falling into place, the family car broke down. In desperation, the Boyds reached out again to Operation Homefront (OH) DC Metro. At the time, the family was no longer eligible for financial assistance since they had begun receiving VA benefits. Although OH could not help, they connected the family with a local mechanic at Fries Automotive in Manassas, Va., who offered to discuss a possible discount with management. OH later learned from the Boyds that the shop offered to donate the labor and went even further to discuss a discount on the cost of the parts with the supplier. It didn’t end there.

Curry’s Auto Parts Supply of Manassas also stepped up and agreed to donate the needed parts at no cost. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

Army Staff Sgt. Alejandro Jauregui, wounded April 8, 2012 and recovering from a double amputation, yearned for his family to join him at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Prior to the family’s arrival, it was discovered Walter Reed’s family quarters did not have enough beds to accommodate both children. In response to a request from the soldier’s unit, OH D.C. Metro Chapter reached out to do-

www.womenofcolor.net

nors and companies to find a bunk bed. After many calls, Value City Furniture of New Carrollton, Md., offered the perfect set at a 50 percent discount. Coordination between OH and the Battle Company at Walter Reed ensured the bunk beds were set up in their room before the boys arrived.

In October, a mother attended the Star Spangled Babies baby shower sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton. Below is a thank you note: I hope this email finds you doing well. I wanted to send my personal thanks for such a lovely and heart felt event that you all hosted. I attended the Star Spangled Babies baby shower on the 15th and I must say that I was touched greatly by the generosity that you all extended. The opportunity provided to meet local moms-to-be, make new friends, the amazing gifts and to have an overall great morning of being pampered, relaxing and having a wonderful time meant more than words could begin to express. I did not get the names of all of the vendors but I would like to also extend my gratitude to Booz Allen Hamilton, the many volunteers, and all of the other booths that were there and sponsored the event as well. It was truly a first-class experience and something that I will remember for a lifetime. Words can’t fully express how appreciative or thankful I am. Take care and have a wonderful day.

Nearly 150 military spouses were honored at an appreciation dinner headlined by Dr. Tyrone Taborn, Career Communications Group’s publisher and CEO, and hosted by BlackBerry and Operation Homefront. Each military spouse received gift bags including a new BlackBerry phone.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

43

CAREER OUTLOOK

PROFESSIONAL LIFE A SUMMARY OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BENEFITS

V

arious benefits are available from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans and their spouses and children. These include compensation and pensions, survivor benefits, education, vocational rehabilitation, home loans, and life insurance.

1. Compensation and pensions Disability compensation is paid to veterans who suffer from injuries or diseases incurred during their time on active duty, or were made worse because of military service. Additional payments may be made to a veteran who has a spouse or children, or who has a very severe disability, or who has a disabled spouse. The benefits are not taxed.

A Veterans Affairs pension may be paid to veterans aged 65 years and over. A person under 65 may qualify if he or she is totally and permanently disabled. An income test applies.

Disabled veterans may also receive an aid and attendance benefit if the veteran needs the assistance of another person with their day-to-day activities such as washing and eating, or is bedridden, in a nursing home, or blind. A housebound benefit is also available. Both are paid in addition to the pension.

A death pension benefit is payable to surviving spouses and dependent children. There is an income test to qualify.

44

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

Burial allowances include a gravesite in a national cemetery, a headstone or a marker, a flag, a presidential memorial certificate, and ongoing maintenance of the grave.

2. Survivor benefits Veterans Affairs offers a number of benefits to the spouse and children of a veteran who died in service or from a servicerelated disability.

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a monthly payment of $1,154 (in 2009) available to a spouse. He or she will receive an extra $286 a month for each child. This is a tax-free benefit. A spouse who remarries at age 57 years or over can continue to receive the benefit. A $250 transitional benefit is also paid each month for two years if the spouse has children under 18 years.

A lump sum DIC for surviving children if there is no surviving spouse is currently $488 for one child. This amount reduces with the greater number of children in the family, right up to nine children who each receive $217.66.

A parents’ DIC may be paid as a monthly benefit to the parents of a veteran who dies in active service. The benefit is means tested.

www.womenofcolor.net

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program pays a monthly education or training allowance. The spouse or children can receive this monthly payment for up to 45 months.

Work-study employment is available to a spouse or children who study full time or at least three-quarter time toward a degree or a vocational or professional qualification.

Other benefits include Vet Center bereavement counseling, and beneficiary financial counseling services, as well as those listed under other headings.

3. Education Benefits for training and education are available under various programs. The benefit can usually be used for a degree or certificate course, apprenticeship, flight training, or a correspondence course. Under some circumstances, a remedial, deficiency, or refresher course might be approved.

From Aug. 1, 2009, the new Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay tuition and fees to an institution of higher learning, as well as for books and supplies to the value of $1,000. It will also pay a monthly housing allowance and a one-off payment for those in rural areas. The education benefits will be available for 15 years after release from active duty and can be paid for up to three years.

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty also provides up to three years of education benefits for veterans. Benefits under this program are available for up to 10 years.

The Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve offers similar benefits to the active duty program but to members of reserve forces such as Army Reserve and Navy Reserve.

A Reserve Education Assistance Program gives education benefits to reserve officers called up to war or national emergency.

A $600 buy-up program allows certain service persons and reservists to contribute up to $600 to the GI Bill and receive extra benefits up to $5,400.

Veterans Education Assistance Program is for veterans who first entered service between 1977 and 1985 who made contributions to this program from their pay. The government will contribute $2 for every dollar and the money can be used for various courses.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program pays for education and training of dependents of those who died on active duty, or died or became totally disabled due to a service-related condition. Special restorative or vocational training may be available.

www.womenofcolor.net

4. Vocational rehabilitation The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program assists veterans with a service-related disability to prepare for work, find a job, and keep it. This includes services such as an evaluation to determine a veteran’s abilities and skills, learning job seeking skills and resume writing, help finding a job, on the job training, and tertiary training at a college or a vocational or business school.

Free vocational education counseling is available to veterans and dependents. Services might include aptitude and interests testing, exploring different occupations and setting goals, and examining education or training options.

5. Home loans A Veterans Affairs Home Loan is available to eligible veterans.

This includes those who served in World War II or the Korean, Vietnam, or Gulf wars for at least 90 days, or less than 90 days if discharged due to disability. It also includes those who served at least 180 days during peacetime.

A departmental loan counselor can be appointed to a veteran who is experiencing mortgage difficulties. Services to help avoid foreclosure include a repayment plan, special forbearance, loan modification, extra time to arrange a sale, short sale, and a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

A Veterans Affairs Home Loan to a surviving spouse may offer a better interest rate than other home loans. Under the Home Loan Guaranty, a spouse may be able to secure a guaranteed loan through a private lender. This could be for a new or existing home, or renovations, or to refinance an existing mortgage.

6. Life insurance Veterans Affairs offer life insurance benefits to veterans who cannot get private cover due to a service-related disability.

Service members’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) members who are discharged due to totally disability may be able to stay covered for up to two years without cost.

All SGLI members automatically qualify for the Traumatic Injury Protection program. This is effective from Dec. 1, 2005, and applies retrospectively to Oct. 7, 2001 for injuries sustained in the Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom operations.

Payments are available to spouses of deceased veterans under SGLI. The maximum amount is $400,000 and is not taxable.

Payment can be a lump sum or 36 equal monthly installments.

Family SGLI provides a further amount of up to $100,000 for a spouse and $10,000 for each child.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

45

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

A

fter the five federal service academies—U.S. Military Academy, U.S Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy , U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy—opened their doors to women some 38 years ago, the first cohort began going into positions of leadership in 1980. Those distinguished graduates, some of whom are featured in the Top Women in the Military list, have broken through the brass ceiling as they served the nation.

Photo: Army 1st. Lt. Demetria Elosiebo inspects a UH-60 Black Hawk tail rotor during a pre-flight check. Elosiebo, who recently graduated from flight school, is the first African-American female aviator in the District of Columbia Army National Guard.

46

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

www.womenofcolor.net

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Darlene Iskra was one of the first female line officers to graduate from the Naval School of Diving and Salvage in 1980. Taking advantage of opportunities the Navy had to offer in the expansion of women’s roles, she served on several Navy staffs and on four salvage ships. In 1990, Iskra took command of USS Opportune, becoming the first woman commander of a commissioned naval vessel. After 21 years of service, Iskra retired from the Navy in April 2000.

tionships, and response to career and personal challenges.

Seven years later, she did a Ph.D. study on women who have risen to the top of a masculine institution, and the strategies they used. Iskra’s book “Breaking through the Brass Ceiling: Strategies of Success for Elite Military Women” came about as a result of this study on the small group of military women who have Adm. Michelle Howard is the highest rankbroken through ing woman in the U.S. military. She is the first female four-star admiral in the Navy’s the “brass ceiling” 238-year history and the first Africanand their strateAmerican woman to attain four-star rank gies for career in Pentagon history. success—decisions about career vs. family, leadership, behavior in the workplace, mentoring rela-

Writing in TIME magazine, Iskra said:

In 2011, the author was interviewed for an upcoming edition of the CBS Early Show. They were doing a segment on Brig.

Gen. Loretta Reynolds, the first female Marine Corps general to have graduated from the Naval Academy (1986), eighth woman to become a Marine Corps general in its history, and the first female Marine to command in a combat area.

“In the military, firsts are a record of the doors that are slowly being opened to women. They are important in that they show an evolutionary change in the roles of women in the service of our country. I know: I was the first woman in history to command a U.S. Navy vessel.

“Brigadier General Reynolds has been in the Marine Corps for a quarter-century. She has lived and breathed the corps and negotiated challenges she had to overcome to get to her current position. The challenges she may face will probably not be new to her, but her response will certainly be different from those of her male predecessors. Her male subordinates will have to accommodate that. That’s the way of the military: she who wears the gold, rules!”

U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., was founded in 1802 U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., in 1845 U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., in 1876 U.S Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., in 1943 U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1954

AIR FORCE Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger Commander Air Force Materiel Command

G

en. Janet Wolfenbarger began her career as an engineer in acquisition. Today, she commands 80,000 people in the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). The AFMC provides support that keeps weapon systems ready for war through logistics and acquisition management services. Gen. Wolfenbarger is a 1980 engineering sciences graduate of the Air Force Academy. She also holds a 1985 master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned a master’s in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University in 1994. www.womenofcolor.net

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

47

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Lt. Gen. Judith Fedder Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics Installations and Mission Support

L

t. Gen. Judith Fedder is responsible to the chief of staff for management of Air Force logistics readiness, aircraft and missile maintenance, civil engineering and security forces, as well as setting policy and preparing budget estimates.

Lt. Gen. Fedder is a graduate of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program at Michigan State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in dietetics, a master’s degree in systems management and is a distinguished graduate of the Air Command and Staff College.

Lt. Gen. Susan Helms Commander, 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), Air Force Space Command Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, U.S. Strategic Command

L

t. Gen. Susan Helms was assigned as a weapons separation engineer after commissioning at the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1980. As a flight test engineer, she flew in more than 30 types of aircraft and was a U.S. Air Force exchange officer to Canada’s Aerospace Engineering and Test Establishment. In 1990 she became an astronaut and on Jan. 13, 1993, then an Air Force major and a member of the space shuttle Endeavour crew, she became the first U.S. military woman in space.

Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson

leading to a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant. She was a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Academy in 1981, and completed graduate studies as a Rhodes Scholar before earning her pilot wings in 1984.

Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center Air Force Space Command

L

t. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski entered the Air Force in 1978 through the ROTC program at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She then attended University of California at Berkeley and received a Doctorate of Philosophy in chemical engineering, entering active duty in 1982.

Currently, as the commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center she leads 5,000 employees and an annual budget of $10 billion. The general manages the research, development, acquisition, and sustainment of satellites.

Lt. Gen. Lori Robinson Vice Commander Air Combat Command

L

t. Gen. Lori Robinson assists leadership of the Air Combat Command (ACC) in maintaining combatready forces for deployment. ACC operates 1,300 aircraft, 22 wings, 14 bases, and 500 organizations in 50 locations with 83,838 active-duty and civilian personnel. General Robinson entered the Air Force in 1982 through the ROTC program at the University of New Hampshire. She has served in a variety of positions as an air battle manager, including instructor at the Air Force Fighter Weapons School.

Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy

L

t. Gen. Michelle Johnson has served as superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy since Aug. 2013. She directs a 4-year regimen of military training, academics, athletic and character development programs

48

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

Each April, the Department of Defense observes Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month and commits to raising awareness and promoting the prevention of sexual violence. The 2014 Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign focuses on healthy sexuality and young people.

This April, support the many ways the Department of Defense works within each service, across the department and in our communities to combat this issue.

www.womenofcolor.net

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter

Maj. Gen. Sandra Finan

Air Force Civil Engineer, Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics, Installations & Mission Support

Commander, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center

M

aj. Gen. Theresa Carter is responsible for installation support at 166 Air Force bases with a budget of more than $12 billion. She is also responsible for training the 60,000-person engineering force, and for planning, development, construction, maintenance, utilities and the environmental quality of bases valued at more than $251 billion. A career civil engineer, she entered the Air Force in 1985 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program at Purdue University.

Maj. Gen. Sharon Dunbar Commander Air Force District of Washington

M

aj. Gen. Sharon Dunbar is dualhatted as commander of the Air Force District of Washington and 320th Air Expeditionary Wing. The Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) provides major command-level support for 60,000 military and civilian personnel.

Dunbar is also the Uniform Code of Military Justice authority for 40,000 Airmen.

The general was commissioned in 1982 upon graduation from the Air Force Academy.

M

aj. Gen. Sandra Finan is commander of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center.

The center comprises more than 3,500 Airmen at 11 locations in the United States and Europe and is responsible for nuclear weapons sustainment. General Finan entered the Air National Guard in 1982 as an enlisted cryptographic equipment repairperson. She received her Air Force commission in 1985 as a distinguished graduate of Officer Training School.

Maj. Gen. Stayce D. Harris Mobilization Assistant to the Commander 18th Air Force

M

aj. Gen. Stayce Harris received a commission through the University of Southern California’s Air Force ROTC program. She served on active duty until joining the Reserve in 1991. She has commanded an airlift squadron, an expeditionary operations group and an air refueling wing. In her civilian occupation, she is a commercial airline pilot flying routes to Asia and the Middle East.

Maj. Gen. Dorothy Hogg Assistant Air Force Surgeon General, Medical Force Development and Chief of the Nurse Corps, Office of the Surgeon General

Maj. Gen. Barbara Faulkenberry Vice Commander 18th Air Force

M

aj. Gen. Barbara Faulkenberry entered the Air Force in 1982 as a graduate of the Air Force Academy. Currently, she is vice commander of the Air Mobility Command’s sole warfighting numbered air force. 18th Air Force is responsible for providing rapid, mobility and sustainment for America’s armed forces through airlift, aerial refueling, and aeromedical evacuation with more than 39,000 active-duty Airmen, Reservists and civilians and approximately 1,300 aircraft. www.womenofcolor.net

M

aj. Gen. Dorothy Hogg’s directorate is responsible for medical force education and training. As Chief of the Nurse Corps, she evaluates nursing policies and programs for 18,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian nursing personnel. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Southern Maine in 1981 and received her commission in 1983.

She earned a master’s in public administration from Troy State University in 1992 and a master’s in nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

49

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Maj. Gen. Wendy Masiello

Maj. Gen. Margaret H. Woodward

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition

Director of the Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

M

aj. Gen. Wendy Masiello is responsible for acquisition of weapon systems, logistics, and contingency support for the Air Force.

General Masiello has served as principal contracting officer for surveillance and reconnaissance systems, weapon systems and test ranges. She has also served as the director of contracting at two systems acquisition centers. Masiello was commissioned in 1980 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Texas Tech University.

Maj. Gen. Susan Mashiko Deputy Director, National Reconnaissance Office

M

aj. Gen. Susan Mashiko assists the director and principal deputy director in managing operations of the National Reconnaissance Office. As commander, Air Force Space Command Element, she manages Air Force personnel and resources assigned to the NRO and serves as the senior adviser to the director on all military matters. General Mashiko entered the Air Force as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy where she earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering.

Maj. Gen. Margaret Poore

M

aj. Gen. Margaret Woodward directs Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response to develop and implement prevention and response programs. The office addresses sexual assault prevention, education, victim assistance and assessment efforts.

Prior to her current assignment, Gen, Woodward was chief of safety of the Air Force and commander of the Air Force Safety Center. General Woodward entered the Air Force in 1983 as a graduate of Arizona State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering.

Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno Commander, 45th Space Wing, and Director, Eastern Range, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla

B

rig. Gen. Nina Armagno is responsible for launching U.S. government and commercial satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. She is also the final authority for launches on the Eastern Range, a 15-million-square-mile area which supports an average of 15 launches per year aboard Delta, Atlas, Falcon, Navy and emerging launch vehicles. General Armagno entered the Air Force after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 1988.

Commander, Air Force Personnel Center

M

aj. Gen. Margaret Poore ensures that commanders around the world have skilled Air Force personnel to conduct the mission. The Air Force Personnel Center’s diverse workforce, with 10 subordinate units, has 3,600 Air Force military, civilian and contractor personnel responsible for worldwide operations for 1.77 million Airmen and family members. General Poore was commissioned through Officer Training School and entered the Air Force in July 1987.

50

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

Brig. Gen. Sylvia Crockett Assistant Division Commander, 40th Infantry Division Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, California

B

rig. Gen. Crockett heads up communications for the state of California’s military department, overseeing media and government relations. She also has a combat role as the assistant division commander for the Guard’s 40th infantry division. Brig. Gen. Crockett started her career in 1982, with the 129th Air Rescue Wing. She is the first Latina general officer in California National Guard history.

www.womenofcolor.net

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Brig. Gen. Dawn Dunlop

Brig. Gen. VeraLinn Jamieson

Director of Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments Headquarters Air Education and Training Command

Director of Intelligence, Headquarters Air Combat Command Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.

B

rig. Gen. Dawn Dunlop assists the Air Education and Training Command in programming $6.9 billion that supports 62,000 personnel.

Spread across 22 bases, the command is charged with recruiting and training for the U.S. Air Force. Dunlop earned a Bachelor in Engineering Sciences and is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. She also holds a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering.

Brig. Gen. Gretchen S. Dunkelberger

B

rig. Gen. Vera Linn Jamieson guides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tactics, techniques, procedures, and training applicable to Air Combat Command forces. An Air Force Fighter Weapons School graduate, she has commanded an intelligence squadron and a joint intelligence operations center.

Brig. Gen. Linda R. Medler Director, Capability and Resource Integration (J8) U.S. Cyber Command

Air National Guard Assistant to Gen. Hogg

B

rig. Gen. Gretchen Dunkelberger serves as the Air National Guard’s assistant to the Air Force chief nurse.

She is responsible for advising on all programs and policies related to recruitment, training, and retention of the nearly 3,000 commissioned and enlisted nursing personnel in the Air National Guard. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of New Hampshire in 1983 and joined the Air Force the same year.

B

rig. Gen. Linda Medler oversees execution of the Cyber Command’s budget for the U.S. Department of Defense and led development of the Cyber Mission Force integrated master plan. This covers three areas: Defend the Nation in Cyberspace, Provide Support to Combatant Commands, and Protect Department of Defense’s Information Networks. Medler entered active duty as a Marine.

After graduating from boot camp, she served in the Marine Corps Reserve. She was commissioned from the Air Force Officer Training School in 1987

Brig. Gen. Gina Grosso

Brig. Gen. Martha Meeker

Director, Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Headquarters U.S. Air Force

Vice Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center

B

rig. Gen. Gina Grosso is the director, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. She entered the Air Force in 1986 as a Reserve Officer Training Corps after earning a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics and Industrial Management from Carnegie-Mellon University. She also holds an M.B.A. from the College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval Command and Staff College.

www.womenofcolor.net

B

rig. Gen. Martha Meeker also earned her commission as a graduate of the Air Force Officer Training School in 1987.

Her assignments include duty as an EC135, KC-135 and E-3 instructor navigator within Strategic Air Command and NATO. Currently, as vice commander of the Air Force’s Expeditionary Center she provides oversight for support, response, and mission sets within the global mobility enterprise.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

51

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Brig. Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost

Brig. Gen. Cassie Strom

Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate

Assistant to The Judge Advocate General of the Air Force

B

rig. Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost is responsible for recommending policy on Europe, Eurasia, and NATO to the director for Strategic Plans and Policy and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Van Ovost graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1988. After earning her wings, she served as an airlift pilot and became a test pilot on the C-17A program as well as an instructor at the Test Pilot School.

Brig. Gen. Carolyn Protzmann Assistant Adjutant General - Air, New Hampshire National Guard Commander, New Hampshire Guard

B

rig. Gen. Carolyn Protzmann is responsible to the Adjutant General for the operational readiness of the New Hampshire Air National Guard.

She is a dual-status commander, who authorizes control of active-duty troops as well as National Guard troops during state emergencies. General Protzmann joined the Air Force in 1978, receiving her commission through Officer Training School in 1979.

Brig. Gen. Allyson Solomon Assistant Adjutant General Maryland Air National Guard

B

rig. Gen. Allyson Solomon began her military career by enlisting in the Maryland Air National Guard in 1979. She is the first African American appointed a senior commander in the Maryland Air National Guard. In January 2003, she was the first woman to be promoted to colonel in MDANG history. In 2006, she was selected to serve as the chief of the office responsible for managing the careers and training of over 350 general officers nationwide.

52

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

B

rig. Gen. Cassie Strom is director of the Veterans Advocacy Project and Air National Guard assistant to the judge advocate general of the Air Force. The Veterans Advocacy Project is a non-profit organization interested in assisting individuals who require better insight into obtaining service connected benefits and entitlements which veterans so badly deserve.

Brig. Gen. Carol A. Timmons Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Delaware National Guard Commander, Delaware Air National Guard Assistant Adjutant General

B

rig. Gen. Carol Timmons is responsible for providing ready forces in support of mobilization and emergency operations. Timmons develops programs and policies in support of Delaware’s C-130 Wing and maintains liaison with major commands and the National Guard Bureau. In 1980, Timmons earned her commission through Officer Candidate School. In 1981, she earned her Army pilot wings and in 1984 she was awarded her Air Force pilot wings.

Brig. Gen. Jennifer Walter Chief of Staff of the Iowa Air National Guard

B

rig. Gen. Jennifer Walter assists Iowa’s Adjutant General.

Previously, she held the position of vice commander of the 132nd Fighter Wing where she was responsible for exercising command over 970 personnel and 21 aircraft.

Airman Walter began her career as a technician in 1975.

She received commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1986.

Three years later, she earned a Bachelor of Science from Upper Iowa University.

www.womenofcolor.net

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Brig. Gen. Linda Urrutia-Varhal

Brig. Gen. Sarah Zabel

Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance

Director, Command, Control, Communications and Cyber (C4) Systems

B

rig. Gen. Linda Urrutia-Varhall was commissioned in 1984 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. The general has held command and staff positions in the wing, major command, headquarters and joint environments.

In 1998, she was named to command the first Air Force Information Warfare Flight at 9th Air Force/Central Air Forces, Shaw AFB, S.C.

B

rig. Gen. Sarah Zabel is responsible for planning, integration, operations and maintenance of the U.S. Transportation Command’s C4 systems. She also serves as the command’s chief information officer, responsible for the investment strategy for all information technology resources. General Zabel earned her commission from the Air Force Academy in 1987.

ARMY Lt. Gen. Kathleen M. Gainey Deputy Commander U.S. Transportation Command

L

t. Gen. Kathleen Gainey is deputy commander, U.S. Transportation Command. Her previous commands include the 5th Heavy Boat Company and the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. She received her commission as a second lieutenant through ROTC in 1978, after graduating from Old Dominion University, with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education

commanding general of the Army Medical Department and Medical Command.

Lt. Gen Patricia E. McQuistion

L

t. Gen. Patricia McQuistion assumed duties as deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Materiel Command Aug. 7, 2012. She previously served as commanding General, Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island, Ill. She is a 1980 graduate of the University of Akron, Ohio, where she earned a commission in the U.S. Army through the ROTC program.

Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho

Maj. Gen. Marcia Anderson

Surgeon General and Commanding General U.S. Army Medical Command

Senior Advisor to the Chief of the Army Reserve U.S. Army Reserve

L

t. Gen. Patricia Horoho assumed command of the Army Medical Command on December 2011 and was sworn in as Army Surgeon General two days later. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina in 1982 and a master’s in clinical trauma from University of Pittsburgh. She is the first female and first Nurse Corps Officer nominated by the President of the United States as surgeon general and www.womenofcolor.net

M

aj. Gen. Marcia Anderson is senior advisor in the Army Reserve. She advises on policies and programs including force structure, the Congressional budget and appropriations, development of manpower and personnel policies. Maj. Gen. Anderson has commanded at the company level through general officer. A citizen-soldier, Anderson is currently on leave from the United States Courts, where she serves as the Clerk of Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Wisconsin.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

53

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Maj. Gen. Deborah Ashenhurst

Maj. Gen. Maria Britt

The Adjutant General, Ohio Joint Force Headquarters – Ohio

Commanding General, Georgia Army National Guard

M

aj. Gen. Deborah Ashenhurst is responsible for the command of the Ohio National Guard and military readiness of the Ohio Militia. General Ashenhurst supervises four flag officer heads of these components and four deputy directors in the day-to-day operation and management of the agency. Ashenhurst’s career began in 1978 when she enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard. She was commissioned an Engineer Officer in 1980 through the Ohio Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School.

Maj. Gen. Julie Bentz Director, Strategic Capabilities Policy National Security Staff

M

aj. Gen. Julie Bentz is responsible for writing policy, coordinating dialogue, informing presidential budgetary decisions and building consensus in programs that develop United States strategic capabilities. She played a key role in developing government approach to nuclear forensics including the creation of the National Technical Nuclear Forensics Center.

Maj. Gen. Gwendolyn Bingham

M

aj. Gen. Maria Britt was commissioned from the U.S. Military Academy, a Second Lieutenant in May 1983.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in general engineering and a master’s in strategic intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College. She is a graduate of the Army War College and has a second master’s degree in strategic studies. Her military education includes the Military Police Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Jungle Warfare School, the Command and General Staff College.

Maj. Gen. Camille Nichols Commanding General Army Contracting Command

M

aj. Gen. Camille Nichols was named the deputy commanding general for support/chief of staff, U.S. Installation Management Command in July 2013. The command delivers installation services and sustains facilities in support of senior commanders to enable a ready Army. Maj. Gen. Camille Nichols enlisted in 1975 and has 20 years of experience in Department of Defense acquisition.

She was commissioned as an engineer officer from the U.S. Military Academy in 1981.

Maj. Gen. Joyce Stevens Assistant to the Adjutant General Texas Military Forces

Commanding General, White Sands Missile Range

M

aj. Gen. Gwen Bingham is the current commander of the White Sands Missile Range. She was the 51st Quartermaster General of the Army and commandant of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School—the first female officer to hold these positions.

She was commissioned second lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps a distinguished military graduate of Army ROTC.

54

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

M

aj. Gen. Joyce Stevens is the first female general officer in the Texas Army National Guard. began her military service in 1979. Most recently, she deployed as a task force commander in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Her unit was responsible for Base Operations, which entailed the management and security of Bagram Air Field (the largest U.S Base in Afghanistan).

www.womenofcolor.net

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Maj. Gen. Nadja West Joint Staff Surgeon, at the Pentagon Washington, D.C.

lege tuition, not knowing she would become an icon. Austin previously served as the director of logistics before taking her new post as the National Guard’s Adjutant General to the Army.

M

aj. Gen. Nadja West is the first African American two-star general in the Army Medical Command. She serves as chief medical advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Staff and combatant commanders. MG West is a graduate from the U.S. Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. She attended the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D. C., where she earned a Doctorate of Medicine.

Brig. Gen. Roma Amundson Assistant Adjutant General-Army for the Nebraska National Guard

B

rig. Gen. Roma Amundson is responsible for Nebraska Army National Guard Soldiers. She advises the Adjutant General on issues pertaining to education, training, and utilization and represents him and the command group when necessary. General Amundson received her commission from the Nebraska State Officer Candidate School program in 1980.

Brig. Gen. Patricia Anslow Assistant Adjutant General

B

rig. Gen. Patricia Anslow is the first woman in charge of the Arkansas Army National Guard. She is a 1989 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. She has had a 24 year career with the military including service as the commander of the 875th Engineer Battalion of the Arkansas Army National Guard during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006-2008.

Brig. Gen. Elizabeth Austin National Guard’s Adjutant General to the Army

B

rig. Gen. Elizabeth Austin its first female brigadier general in the North Carolina National Guard. The 32-year veteran initially enlisted into the Army National Guard to pay her colwww.womenofcolor.net

Brig. Gen. Margarett Barnes Deputy Commanding General U.S. Army Human Resources Command

B

rig. Gen. Margarett Barnes was commissioned in 1984 after earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her most recent assignment was as commander, Army Forces Command Augmentation Unit. During her tenure, she deployed with her battalion to Camp Wolf, Kuwait.

Brig. Gen. Margaret Burcham Commander, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

B

rig. Gen. Margaret Burcham became the first woman to be promoted to general officer in the Corps of Engineers, Jan. 2012. She is also the first woman to command a Corps of Engineers division when she took command of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, with the responsibility for the federal water resource throughout the Great Lakes and Ohio River basins. Burcham received her commission at the U.S. Military Academy in 1982.

Brig. Gen. Dana Capozzella Assistant Adjutant General-Army, Colorado

B

rig. Gen. Dana Capozzella as the primary advisor on all Army National Guard matters. She also serves as commander of the Colorado National Guard and is responsible for the readiness, training, and policies for all of the Colorado Army National Guard to support its State and Federal Mission. General WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

55

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Capozzella was commissioned in 1987 through the ROTC program at St. Lawrence University.

Brig. Gen. Maria Kelly Assistant Adjutant General

Brig. Gen. Carol Eggert Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Pennsylvania National Guard

B

rig. Gen. Carol Eggert is responsible for overseeing the readiness of the Pennsylvania National Guard and assisting the Adjutant General in operation of Pennsylvania National Guard forces.

General Eggert began her career as an enlisted soldier serving in the Army Band and the Army Recruiting Command. She was commissioned in 1985 through the Officer Candidate School.

Brig. Gen. Darlene Goff Director, Joint Staff - (SC) Joint Force Headquarters

B

rig. Gen. Darlene Goff enlisted in 1977 and then earned a commission in 1981. She has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Lander University and a Master of Arts in Computer and Information Resource Management from Webster University. She also holds a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College.

Brig. Gen. Janice Igou Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Virginia National Guard and Director of Interagency Operations

B

rig. Gen. Janice Igou received her commission as a Quartermaster Officer through ROTC. She then left active duty and joined the Virginia National Guard in 1991. She now serves as lead general officer for outreach to state and local leaders, organizations, and communities, as well as officials at the National Guard Bureau.

56

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

B

rig. Gen. Maria Kelly enlisted in the Army in 1983, and in 1988 she was commissioned through the ROTC program at Ohio University. She is deputy to the assistant adjutant general for Army, Ohio National Guard, and commander of the Special Troops Command.

Brig. Gen. Joanne Sheridan Assistant Adjutant General – Army for the Louisiana National Guard

B

rig. Gen. Joanne Sheridan serves as the principal military advisor to The Adjutant General of the State of Louisiana and is responsible for assisting deployment and coordination of programs, policies, and plans for the Louisiana Army National Guard. General Sheridan attended Northeast Louisiana University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.

She received her commission through the ROTC in 1983.

Brig. Gen. Marianne Watson Director of Manpower and Personnel National Guard Bureau

B

rig. Gen. Marianne Watson, director of manpower and personnel at the National Guard Bureau, received her commission and was selected as Honor Graduate of the Virginia National Guard Military Academy at Ft. A.P. Hill. In January 2000, she transferred to and continues to serve with the Minnesota Army National Guard. Brig. Gen. Watson has served at the National Guard Bureau since 1987.

Brig. Gen. Martha Wong Mobility Assistant, Director, Logistics, Engineering and Security Assistance (J4) United States Pacific Command

B

rig. Gen. Martha Wong has held numerous leadership positions in the Hawaii National Guard including commander, Hawaii State Area Command. She was commissioned in 1982 through the University of Texas (ROTC) as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Prior to commissioning, General Wong served as an enlisted member of the Texas Army National Guard. www.womenofcolor.net

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Brig. Gen. Kaffia Jones

Brig. Gen. Kathy Wright

Deputy Commander, 335th Signal Command (Theater)

Commander of the Wyoming Army National Guard and Assistant Adjutant General – Army

B

rig. Gen. Kaffia Jones provides critical communications and information services in support of forces in Southwest Asia. Recently she completed a 15-month deployment, providing communications support to the warfighter throughout South West Asia. Brig. Gen. Jones enlisted in the Quartermaster Corps in 1976 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Army National Guard in 1980.

Brig. Gen. Laura Richardson

B

rig. Gen. Kathy Wright is responsible for readiness, leadership, and strategic planning to support units with more than 1,700 Soldiers. Units of the Wyoming Army National Guard include field artillery, engineer, maintenance, aviation, command and control, and an Army band. General Wright began her career with the National Guard in 1973 as the sixth female to enlist with the Wyoming Guard. She received her commission from the Wyoming Officer Candidate Program on April 21, 1978.

COAST GUARD

Commander U.S. Army Operational Test Command at Fort Hood

Rear Adm. Linda Fagan

B

rig. Gen. Laura Richardson became the first female deputy commanding general of a maneuver division, July 2012, when she was selected deputy commanding general-support, for the 1st Cavalry Division. She was promoted brigadier general 2012. She was military aide to Vice President Al Gore and Army Liaison Officer to the United States Senate.

Brig. Gen. Tammy Smith Director, Human Capital Core Enterprise United States Army Reserve

B

rig. Gen. Tammy Smith is responsible for human resources policy to improve readiness across the Army Reserve of 205,000 Soldiers. Smith was a 4-year ROTC scholarship recipient and she graduated from the University of Oregon in 1986. During her 26 year military career she has served in logistics, initial entry training/basic combat training units.

www.womenofcolor.net

Deputy Director of Operations United States Northern Command

R

ear Adm. Linda Fagan, one of three military deputy directors of operations at the U.S. Northern Command, is the senior Coast Guard officer on staff.

She is principal advisor to the Northern Command commander on maritime domain awareness, maritime response and the Arctic. Admiral Fagan’s 27 year career has taken her to all seven continents. After graduating from the Coast Guard Academy in 1985, Fagan served for two years as a deck watch officer on board the Polar Star.

Rear Adm. Sandra Leigh Stosz Superintendent, Coast Guard Academy United States Coast Guard

R

ear Adm. Sandra Leigh Stosz was chosen by the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Robert J. Papp to become Superintendent of Coast Guard Academy in 2011. She is the first woman to lead a U.S. military service academy. Stosz, a 1982 graduate of the Academy, is the first female graduate to achieve flag rank. Adm. Stosz has also served as the commanding officer of Coast Guard Training Center. In 1990, as a Coast Guard lieutenant, Stosz became the first woman to command a Coast Guard cutter in the Great Lakes.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

57

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Rear Adm. Cari Thomas

Brig. Gen. Marcela Monahan

Commander, Fourteenth Coast Guard District

Assistant Deputy Commandant Combat Development and Integration

R

ear Adm. Cari Thomas’s area of responsibility includes, Guam, American Samoa and activities in Saipan, Singapore and Japan. A 1984 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, Thomas graduated with distinction from the Naval War College with a Masters of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.

She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Coast Guard Academy.

Rear Adm. Maura Dollymore Assistant U.S. Surgeon General Coast Guard’s Surgeon General and Chief Safety Officer Director of Health, Safety and Work-Life

R

ear Adm. Maura Dollymore supervises approximately 170 U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers and civilian professionals who deliver health care, safety and work-life/family services to active duty USCG members. She entered the Commissioned Corps in 1978 as a National Health Service Corps Scholar.

MARINE CORPS

B

rig. Gen. Monahan was commissioned in 1984 and assigned to the Education Center, Marine Corps Development and Education Command. Returning to reserve duty, her assignment to the 25th Marine Regiment quickly turned into mobilization in support of Operation Enduring Freedom until August 2003. Later she held billets as transportation officer, Marine Logistics Command. In 2008 she returned to active duty as the assistant chief of staff, G-7 Engineers.

Brig. Gen. Loretta Reynolds Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Commanding General, Eastern Recruiting Region

B

rig. Gen Loretta Reynolds was commissioned by the Marine Corps in May 1986 as a recent graduate of the United States Naval Academy. In 2011 she took charge of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. In March 2009, Reynolds assumed command of the Headquarters Group at Camp Pendleton. She deployed the Group to Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan from March 2010 to 2011, where the Group supported the efforts of I MEF FWD/Regional Command Southwest in Helmand Province.

NAVY

Maj. Gen. Tracy Garrett Special Assistant to the Commander United States Africa Command

Adm. Michelle Janine Howard Vice Chief of Naval Operations

M

aj. Gen. Garrett is a graduate of the Reserve Amphibious Warfare Course, Command and Staff Course, Reserve Intelligence Officers Course and the Advanced Logistics Officers Course. She is a former Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps student and 1978 graduate of the University of Washington, where she received her B.A. in English. She was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in June 1978.

58

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

A

dmiral Michelle Howard (Surface Warfare Officer), was confirmed by the Senate on December 20th to serve as vice chief of naval operations, the second highest-ranking officer in the Department of the Navy. In this position, she will help Admiral Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, manage operations while focusing on personnel, budget and military readiness. Adm. Howard is the first woman www.womenofcolor.net

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

to hold the job and the first female four-star admiral, the Navy’s highest rank.. From May 2004 to Sept. 2005, she was commander of Amphibious Squadron Seven. On March 12, 1999, Howard became the first African-American woman to command a ship in the U.S. Navy.

Vice Adm. Robin Braun Chief of Navy Reserve

a U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group. Tyson graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1979, majoring in English. Later that year, she attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned in December 1979.

Rear Adm. Annie B. Andrews Commander, Navy Recruiting Command

V

ice Adm. Robin Braun became the chief of Navy Reserve on the staff of the chief of naval operations in Aug. 2012. She is the first female leader of the Navy Reserve and the first for the reserve component of any service. A graduate of Northern Arizona University, she was commissioned in 1980 and designated a naval aviator in 1981. She has accumulated more than 5,800 flight hours in Navy aircraft. VADM Braun is the highest ranking female aviator. Her command tours include: Navy Air Logistics Office and Navy Reserve Carrier Strike Group 10 supporting the USS Harry S. Truman and Joint Task Force Katrina.

Vice Adm. Nanette DeRenzi Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Navy

V

ice Adm. DeRenzi is the principal military legal counsel to the secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations, and serves as the Department of Defense representative for Ocean Policy Affairs. She is the highest ranking female in the Judge Advocate General Corps, leading 2,300 attorneys, enlisted legalmen, and civilian employees of the Navy JAG Corps. She graduated from Villanova University in 1983 and was commissioned through the JAG Corps Student Program. In 1986, she graduated from the Temple University School of Law.

R

ear Adm. Annie Andrews assumed command of Navy Recruiting Command Aug. 29, 2013. She has served as commanding officer of the Boston military entrance processing station, Navy recruiting district San Francisco and the Navy’s recruit training command, where she led the training and education efforts of more than 100,000 recruits. Rear Adm. Andrews received her military commission through Savannah State University’s ROTC program earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Savannah State University.

Rear Adm. Sandra Adams Deputy Commander of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command

R

ear Adm. Sandra Adams was selected for her current assignment as the deputy commander of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command in Oct. 2012.

Her first flag assignment was as the Reserve deputy commander, Navy Region Midwest. She graduated from Michigan State University in 1978 and received her commission in 1981 from Officer Candidate School. Five years later, she transitioned to the Navy Reserve (NR). A full joint-qualified officer and a Capstone graduate, she earned her master’s in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in 2003.

Rear Adm. Nora Tyson

Rear Adm. Raquel Bono

Deputy Commander, US Fleet Forces Command

Director, National Capital Region Medical Directorate of the Defense Health Agency

V

ice Admiral Nora Tyson has recently been promoted to vice admiral and named as deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. She served as vice director of the Joint Staff since February 2012. Prior to that, Tyson was the commander of Carrier Strike Group Two from July 29, 2010 to January 12, 2012. She is the first female commander of www.womenofcolor.net

C

ommissioned in 1979, Rear Adm. Raquel Bono obtained her baccalaureate degree from the University of Texas and attended medical school at Texas Tech University. She completed internship and a General Surgery residency WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

59

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

at the Naval Medical Center, and a Trauma and Critical Care fellowship at the Eastern Virginia Graduate School of Medicine.

Shortly after training, Bono saw active duty as head of Casualty Receiving at the Fleet Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Rear Adm. Paula Campbell Brown Deputy Commander and Deputy Chief of Civil Engineers Deputy Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command

R

ear Adm. Paula Brown graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of the Pacific and was a direct commission to the Civil Engineer Corps in 1982. She was in active duty in Washington D.C. through 1986 before affiliating with the Navy Reserves in 1988. Rear Adm. Brown is a registered civil engineer and an environmental engineer. Her first flag officer assignment was as deputy commander, First Naval Construction Division.

Rear Adm. Althea Coetzee Rear Adm. Althea Coetzee Deputy Director, Contingency Contracting Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy

R

ear Adm. Althea Coetzee reported to Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy in Sept. 2013. As deputy director for Contingency Contracting, she is responsible for contract policy affecting deployed forces, humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, and disaster relief. Coetzee graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985 and earned her M.B.A. (Law) from National University. She left active duty and joined the Navy Reserve in 1993.

Rear Adm. Cynthia Covell Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel Commander, Navy Personnel Command

R

ear Adm. Cynthia Covell is the highest ranking human resources officer in the Navy. She received her commission via Officer Candidate School in 1980. In March 2012, she was promoted to the rank of rear admiral (Upper Half).

She is a training specialist and a certified senior professional in human resources.

60

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

Rear Adm. Sandy Daniels Senior Advisor for Space, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance

R

ear Adm. Sandy Daniels assumed her current position as senior advisor for Space to the deputy chief of naval operations for information dominance in April 2012. She was designated naval aviator in Jan. 1982 after graduating from the Naval Academy in 1980. Ten years later, she transitioned to the Reserve with 2,000 flight hours.

Her first flag assignment was as Reserve assistant, Communication Networks on the Chief of Naval Operations’ staff.

Rear Adm. Katherine Gregory Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Chief of Civil Engineers

R

ear Admiral Katherine L. Gregory is the first female flag officer in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps. She assumed command of Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific on July 9, 2010, and took command of all NAVFAC as the highest-ranked Civil Engineer in the Navy in the fall of 2012.

A 1982 graduate of the Naval Academy, she holds graduate degrees from University of Southern California and George Washington University.

Rear Adm. Martha Herb Reserve Deputy Commander, Naval Installations Command

R

ear Admiral Martha Herb is the only female Explosive Ordnance Disposal admiral. Commissioned via Officer Candidate School in 1979, she became one of the first three women officers to graduate from the Naval School of Diving and Salvage. Transitioning to the Reserve Component in 1983, she completed command tours to include: Mobile Diving and Salvage and Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity. She was selected to flag rank in 2010. In her civilian role, Dr. Herb is a licensed clinical professional counselor and certified counselor.

www.womenofcolor.net

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Rear Adm. Valerie Huegel

Rear Adm. Margaret DeLuca Klein

Commander, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group

Chief of Staff, J5, on the Joint Staff

R

ear Adm. Valerie Huegel was commissioned through Officer Candidate School in 1980. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from University of Delaware and her master’s degree in counseling from Troy State University. She transitioned to the Navy Reserve in 1986. She mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from October 2008 to January 2011, where she served as director of logistics for the Combined Joint Task Force –Djibouti, Africa. In her civilian career, Huegel has served within the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Rear Adm. Cindy Jaynes Program Executive Officer for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare Assault and Special Mission Programs

R

ear Adm. Jaynes has oversight for nine program offices and seven major defense acquisition programs.

She graduated from Indiana University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education, followed by a Master’s in Mathematics in 1982. She was commissioned in 1983 via the Officer Candidate School, and was designated an aeronautical engineering (maintenance) duty officer in 1985. She was also designated an Acquisition Professional Community member in 1996 and earned an M.B.A. from Norwich University in 2008. Jaynes also earned a Systems Engineering Certification from California Institute of Technology Industrial Relations Center in 1999.

Rear Adm. Margaret Grun Kibben 18th chaplain of the United States Marine Corps and Deputy chief of Navy Chaplains

R

ear Admiral Kibben entered active duty in the U.S. Navy in 1986 following studies for a bachelor’s degree from Goucher College. Kibben’s assignments include the U.S. Naval Academy as the first female chaplain. Most recently, Kibben was detailed to the Office of the Chief of Navy Chaplains, serving as the executive assistant to the chief of Navy Chaplains. She is the first Chaplain of the Marine Corps, and the first to hold that service’s highest rank for chaplains. www.womenofcolor.net

R

ear Adm. Klein was commissioned in 1981 upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy. She earned a Master of Education from University of Southern Maine in 1999. A naval flight officer, her assignments include command of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three; White House Military Office; Brookings Legislative Fellow for Senator Olympia Snowe; operations director, Naval Network Warfare Command; and most recently as Chief of Staff, U.S. Cyber Command.

Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle Director of the Navy Nurse Corps and Deputy chief, Wounded, Ill, and Injured U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

R

ear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle took up her new post Aug. 1, 2013.

Previously she was chief of staff, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and acting director, Navy Nurse Corps.

Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ship, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.

Rear Adm. Ann Claire Phillips Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Two

R

ear Adm. Ann Claire Phillips graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and received her commission through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1983. She is the first woman to command a pre-commissioning unit and become skipper of that ship, when she commissioned and commanded the guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin. She later became the first woman to command a destroyer squadron, when in June 2007 she took the helm of Destroyer Squadron 28.

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

61

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Rear Adm. Margaret Rykowski

Rear Adm. Elizabeth Train

Deputy Fleet Surgeon, United States Fleet Forces Command Deputy Director, United States Navy Nurse Corps, Reserve Component

Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence Director, National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office

R

ear Adm. Rykowski attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in 1976 and a Master of Science Degree in Nursing in 1981.Rykowski entered the Navy Reserve as a direct commission officer in 1987. She has held assignments in both medical and fleet hospital units. In the civilian sector, Rykowski is a nursing director at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.

Rear Adm. (select) Cynthia Thebaud Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific Commander, Task Force 73 Singapore Area Coordinator

ear Adm. Elizabeth Train assumed command of the Office of Naval Intelligence and became director, National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office in September 2013. She previously served as director for Intelligence, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff , where she advised the chairman on intelligence matters and served as the focal point for intelligence support to Department of Defense (DoD) crisis operations and indications within DoD. Train graduated from the College of William and Mary. She received her commission through the Officer Candidate School in 1983.

Rear Adm. Eleanor Valentin Commander, Navy Medicine Support Command Director of the Medical Service Corps

R

ear Adm. Thebaud graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. As commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur, the second female to command a Navy destroyer, Thebaud deployed in support of operations Iraqi Freedom.

Ashore, her most recent assignment as chief operating officer, Naval Education and Training Command, Thebaud oversaw operation of learning centers and training support centers with a continual focus on supporting the mission of enabling the Navy to be ready anytime, anywhere.

Rear Adm. Jan Tighe Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command Deputy Commander, U.S. 10th Fleet

R

ear Adm. Tighe assumed duties as deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/deputy commander, U.S. 10th Fleet on Nov. 2013. Previously, she was interim president of the Naval Postgraduate School. Tighe attended the Naval Postgraduate School and in 2001 was awarded a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a M.S. in Applied Mathematics. She was commissioned from the U.S. Naval Academy as an ensign (special duty cryptology) in 1984 after earning a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.

62

R

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

R

ear Admiral Eleanor Valentin is the first female flag officer to serve as director of the Navy Medical Service Corps. She took command of Navy Medicine Support Command and assumed duties as the 16th director of the Medical Service Corps on 1 October 2009. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Psychology at the University of Washington, she completed a master’s in public health (Health Policy and Planning), and a master’s in public health (Biostatistics) at the University of Hawaii.

Rear Adm. Elaine Wagner Commander, Navy Medicine East and Commander, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth

R

ear Adm. Elaine Wagner attended Butler University (B.A., 1976) and Indiana University School of Dentistry (D.D.S., 1980). She completed her Pediatric Dentistry residency at Riley Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis in 1982. She was commissioned and reported to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in December 1983.

Recently, she served as chief, Navy Dental Corps from July 2010 to Aug. 2013. In Sept. 2011 she assumed command of Navy Medicine East and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. www.womenofcolor.net

TOP WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Rear Adm. Diane Webber

Rear Adm. Patricia Wolfe

Commander of Navy Cyber Forces

Acting Commander, Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Director, Joint Reserve Force Defense Logistics Agency

R

ear Adm. Diane Webber is a leader in manning, training and equipping the Navy’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat systems and Intelligence (C5I) workforce. She took command of the Navy Cyber Forces Sept. 27, 2013 and is the highest ranking female Information Professional Officer Rear Adm. Webber holds certificates in Chief Information Officer and Information Assurance from the Information Resource Management College at National Defense University.

R

ear Adm. Patricia Wolfe joined the Defense Logistics Agency Joint Reserve Force as its director in Oct. 2011. She is a 1981 graduate of Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science in general science. She received her commission through the Villanova Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program. In 1987, she received her M.B.A. from Brenau University. She affiliated with the Navy Reserve following her release from active duty in 1987 and was promoted to flag rank in October 2007.

Army Spc. Nicol Vargas, Veronica Kramer, Autumn Aderhold, and Brandy Brasted all graduated from the Artillery School at the 139th Regimental Training Institute at Fort Bragg, N.C. on March 19, 2014. Each of these females soldiers are from different states across the U.S. and are the first National Guardsmen to complete the male dominated Artillery School.

www.womenofcolor.net

WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2014

63

Soar to greater heights

F

or more than a century,

tuskegee unIversIty

has Impacted socIety

In nearly every Industry beneFIcIal to mankInd.

t. washIngton’s

vIsIon In

1881

From booker

to today’s evIdent realIzatIon oF

academIc excellence In a contemporary settIng,

tuskegee

contInues

to soar to greater heIghts, makIng Its mark on a global communIty.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

For InFormatIon,

vIsIt www.tuskegee.edu or call

(800) 622-6531

Tuskegee University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral, professional, master’s and bachelor’s degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Tuskegee University.

tu_CEAPS_ad.indd 1

9/22/10 12:50 PM

© 2014 Lockheed Martin Corporation VC377_036

career achievement Iris Bombelyn Vice President, Mobile User Objective System Space Systems

managerial Leadership Sarah Travelute Senior Manager, Program Management – Subcontracts Missiles and Fire Control

technology all-Star winners:

technology rising Star winners:

Katherine Clinton Azita Kaovasia Shirley Long Valencia Mance Susan Pergrem Maria Rivera Nita Robertson-Smith Alesia Tisdall

Anisha Anthony Michelle Araya Grace Auyeung Linda Baek Letia Barnes Ayannah Buford Heather Booze Janice Burns Lori Charles Donna Childs LaChelle Fields

Rachel Gambin Terri Gomez Annitta Haywood Michelle Helaire Avery Huggins Carol Y. Hung Ammu Irivinti Madiha Jafri Anne Jobmann Regina Juarez Megan Lewis

Kathryn Martinez Kristan Morris Senthilvadivu Natarajan Margaret Nguyen Nicole Plair Nicole Powell Meena Rork Shanthi Saravanan Sejal Shah Dana Smith Sheena Studdard

HONOriNg acHievemeNt

is always an honor

“Every day we have an opportunity to model the values of diversity by encouraging our colleagues to bring their best

ideas forward, and by demonstrating the value of being collaborative,” words our Chairman, President and CEO Marillyn Hewson lives by at Lockheed Martin. We are proud to honor our current our Women of Color awardees — women who exemplify outstanding scientific and technical achievements with their leadership, innovation and inspiration.

www.lockheedmartin.com