2023
Year Women of the
CELEBRATING SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS AND OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS IN STEM DISCIPLINES
10 CAREERS TO SATISFY YOUR PASSION FOR MATH
5 WAYS TECHNOLOGY IS IMPROVING HEALTHCARE
We champion Black talent at every level. And we’re using advocacy, supplier diversity and community efforts to drive a more equitable future for all. Learn more about our diversity and inclusion efforts at rtx.com/careers
Learn about the female leaders making waves in technology and various fields
Unlock success with hard work and a growth mindset: Learn from Josnelly Aponte’s early lessons
Exploring the State of Women in STEM: Discover the latest trends and opportunities
Honoring Community Service: Meet Karriema Calhoun and Cesanee Johnson, recipients of the 2022 WOC Community Service award
Embracing Technology in Healthcare: Understand the impact of technology on our health and well-being
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Learn how to build confidence in your skills and abilities
Transforming Technology in Nigeria: Learn about Oluwasun “Seun” Runsewe’s innovative approach to technolgy
Math Careers in STEM: Discover the wide range of opportunities available in the field of mathematics
Allyship in Action: Hear from the Department of Energy director on the importance of support and inclusion
Clockwise: Sarita Rao, SVP, AT&T Integrated & Partner Solutions; Stephanie C. Hill, EVP, Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems; Sonya Sepahban, CEO, OurOffice Inc, a leader in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); Olabisi Boyle, VP, product planning and mobility strategy for Hyundai Motor North America; Aruna Anand, President and CEO, Continental’s Automotive group sector in North America; Alicia Boler Davis, CEO of Alto Pharmacy; Donna L. Bell, Ph.D., EVP, product creation, engineering, and supply chain, Lordstown Motor Corporation (LMC); Mei Cai, director of Battery Cell Systems Research, General Motors (GM) Global Research and Development Center; Aleksandra Boskovic, VP, optical communications technology development, Corning.
Women’s exclusion from the digital world has shaved $1 trillion from the gross domestic product of low- and middle-income countries in the last decade, according to a UN Women’s Gender Snapshot. Without action, the loss is estimated to grow to $1.5 trillion by 2025. Lack of inclusion comes with massive costs.
Last winter, the United Nations announced that it would observe International Women’s Day 2023 (IWD2023) under the theme, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.”
According to the UN, the organization will highlight inclusive technology and digital education under the theme. In addition, IWD 2023 will explore the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities.
Since 1997, the National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA), founded in 1980 as the National Women’s History Project (NWHP) in Santa Rosa, CA, launched a website to serve as the digital clearinghouse for multicultural women’s history information. NWHA also spearheaded the movement for March to be declared National Women’s History Month and announced last year the women’s history theme for 2023, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.”
According to NWHA, throughout 2023, it will encourage recognition of women, past and present, who have been active in media and storytelling, including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, and more. The theme honors women in every community who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art, pursuing truth, and reflecting the human condition decade after decade.
Since 1996, Women of Color magazine has celebrated progress as it mapped future success. The stories in our premiere spring edition in 2007 show how diverse women excel in male-dominated fields. The cover story—our list of technologists and 100 category award winners—featured some of the best. We dedicated that first print edition to girls and women who don’t understand that everything we see, hear, and touch is associated with science and engineering.
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Hamilton, President and CFO
Vice President, Human Resources
EDITORIAL AND Rayondon Kennedy, Manager, Digital and Print Operations CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Horton Gay, Contributing Editor
L. Thompson, Contributing Editor
Witherspoon, Contributing Editor
GRAPHIC
Tyrone D. Taborn CEO and Chief Content OfficerDIGITAL PLATFORM
McKinley, Metaverse and Virtual Experience Strategist DEVELOPMENT
Stevens, Director of Metaverse Platforms Adbul-Malik Mahmud, Director of Virtual Reality Programs
Fooks, Digital Platform Development Specialist
CORPORATE AND Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd, CCG Alumni Committee Chair and ALUMNI RELATIONS
Dr. Eugene DeLoatch, Chairman, BEYA Alumni Group Vice Admiral Andy L. Winns, USN (Ret) National Chair,
Military Alumni Oliver “Bo” Leslie, Retired Program Manager, Historically
Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions, The Boeing Company
Monica E. Emerson, Women of Color STEM Conference
National Chair
Matt Bowman, CCG Military Program Manager Stars and Stripes
Committee Executive Director/Chief of Staff for VADM Walt Davis, USN (Ret.)
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Gwendolyn Bethea, Vice President, Corporate Development
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JOBMATCH AND STUDENT
Ashley Turner, University Relations Manager DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Rod Carter, Recruitment Specialist, College Relations
Shelia Richburg, College Coordinator
CONFERENCE AND EVENTS
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magazine. “We utilize data to understand how customers use our system and when it is used. As you can imagine, we have 1.8 million customers around the state (of Michigan), and we measure their energy use minute by minute. That’s a lot of data to process.”
An early adopter of analytics, Aponte was the only electric and gas regulatory proceedings expert to complete a CE program. The new learning allowed Aponte to bring others along for a more significant impact on customer savings, a reduction of human struggle built into inefficient processes, and equitable information around rate cases to the Michigan Public Service Commission.
Reflecting on her parents’ passion for lifelong learning, Aponte said her biggest takeaway was that there is always something to improve.
Josnelly Aponte Director of Revenue Requirements and Analysis Consumers EnergyJosnelly Aponte is the director of revenue requirements and analysis at Consumers Energy. She also won the 2022 Women of Color FinTech Leadership Award, which recognizes leading women developing financial technology products, devices, or processes. Aponte’s nomination for the award was endorsed by the Minority Advisory Panel, an employee resource group at Consumers Energy that promotes a culture of diversity and inclusion among minorities through education, development, and networking.
Aponte’s leadership has shone through in many examples, mainly because she laid the groundwork. Spreadsheets had always made her accounting life more efficient, but at Consumers Energy (CE), she saw new opportunities for financial modeling.
“Within the utility industry, metadata became more prevalent in the last few years,” she told Women of Color
“My dad was an accountant, so I had to follow in his footsteps,” she said. “But I had a more artistic inclination, so I had to learn to love my trade. Both of my parents grew up poor. They went to college later in life, understanding that it would bring financial security. My dad didn’t get his college degree until I was 8. My mom didn’t finish high school or obtain her college degree until she was 50. She became a lawyer. My dad was a big proponent of learning a second language, how to swim, and all the skills that will be helpful at some point in life.”
Aponte’s father lived long enough to see her achieve success. In 2006, she was transferred from a CMS Energy affiliate to Michigan because of her knowledge of accounting and ability to communicate in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. By 2010, as she was acclimating to the U.S., she made time to join the Junior Welfare League, where she served as a volunteer board member. Under her leadership, the organization funded educational and social programs benefiting thousands of people. She is now the chief administrative officer of the
Jackson Preparatory & Early College Board of Governors and a member of the Jackson Community Foundation Financial Committee.
Looking back, Aponte said volunteering looked different while growing up because “in Latin American countries, poverty is so prevalent,” adding that volunteering meant “helping your neighbor because everybody is in need,” she said.
Aponte confessed that raising kids has been challenging because “you’re fighting against the world to maintain your traditions,” she said. Aponte’s daughter recently graduated high school and obtained an associate degree simultaneously. She was born in Venezuela and arrived in the U.S. when she was 2 years old.
Initially, Aponte found corporate America overwhelming. The problems became more complex as she gained influence. Her most daunting challenges were office
politics, building work relationships, and navigating the hidden rules of her new workplace.
“There’s a lot of good and bad memories,” Aponte said of her early days as a transplant from Venezuela.
A 2022 McKinsey Women in the Workplace report, conducted in partnership with LeanIn.Org, surveyed more than 40,000 employees and conducted interviews with women of diverse identities—including women of color—to get an intersectional look at biases and barriers. According to the report, Latinas and Asian women are more likely than women of other races and ethnicities to have colleagues comment on their culture or nationality.
“Sometimes it’s very subtle,” Aponte remarked. “I have found myself thinking after an interaction, wow, that wasn’t nice. But it comes with disbelief that people can cross that line,” she said, adding that cultural stereotypes she has had to deal with are of Latin women being passionate and intense.
“There have also been situations where if I bring a message to the table as a woman who is confident in what I’m sharing, it’s very evident that I have been dismissed because I bring that passion.”
Her advice to new graduates is to persevere. “Even when people ignore you or give others credit for your point of view, eventually, I could prove my point with data,” she said. “That was a journey I had to live through. It took a while for people to buy into robots and automation, but I didn’t give up.”
Speaking to her younger self, she said relationships are the most important thing people can develop. “You get to know people, and people get to know you. As immigrants, we come in and work, work, work. Then we feel isolated. It’s easy to get into that mode and not focus on what’s most important, and that is relationships.”
Aponte also said it is important to trust yourself. “Sometimes we doubt ourselves, but if we know in our gut, heart, and mind what is the right thing to do, then go for it.”
We utilize data to understand how customers use our system. As you can imagine, we have 1.8 million customers around the state (of Michigan), and we measure their energy use minute by minute. That’s a lot of data to process.
At Abbott, our 99,000 employees lend their talents and perspectives to create a culture of innovation that helps us face the world's healthcare challenges. We work together to help people live not just longer, but better, in the more than 150 countries we serve.
Our products and technologies - in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and established pharmaceuticals - create more possibilities for more people at all stages of life.
We are honored to recognize our 2018 Women of Color STEM Technology Rising Star and Technology All-Star award recipients. Thank you for your dedication and contributions.
Discover the career of a lifetime - search our current opportunities at www.abbott.com/careers.
Arjuna Capital and Proxy Impact released their sixth annual “Racial and Gender Pay Scorecard” to mark Equal Pay Day on March 14. Of 68 companies examined, 13—Target, Starbucks, Mastercard, Microsoft, Pfizer, Bank of New York Mellon, Citigroup, Adobe, American Express, Visa, Lowe’s, Best Buy, and Home Depot—receive an “A,” while 25 companies receive an “F.” Target is the first company in the history of the scorecard to earn a perfect score—A+. The grades are based on quantitative disclosures (versus qualitative assurances). The 68 companies in the ranking have all been engaged by
investors through shareholder proposals and asked to improve their pay equity disclosures.
“Women and people of color are almost always deeply underrepresented in higher-paying positions,” said Michael Passoff, CEO of shareholder advocacy firm Proxy Impact. “Median pay gap data sheds light on that problem, and studies show that companies that disclose pay gaps are more likely to fix them.”
• In 2020, women’s labor force participation rate was 56.2%. Women also accounted for 51.7% of all management, professional, and related occupations. However, only 19.4% of software developers, 29.3% of chief executives, and 37.4% of lawyers were women. By industry, women accounted for more than half of all workers within several sectors in 2020:
• Comparably, women were substantially underrepresented (relative to their share of total employment) in manufacturing (29.5%), agriculture (27.7%), transportation and utilities (24.1%), mining (14.5%), and construction (10.9%).
NUMBER OF DEGREES AWARDED TO WOMEN2
Education and health services
74.6%
Other services - 52.6%
Financial activities - 51.9%
Leisure and hospitality - 50.4%
In 2020, 47.2% of women ages 25 to 64 held a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 11.2% in 1970. Only 4.8% of women in the labor force had less than a high school diploma—that is, they did not graduate from high school or earn a GED—down from 33.5% in 1970.
In the United States, women make up only about one-third of the STEM workforce,5 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It’s worth noting, however, that the share of women in STEM grew from 32% in 2010 to 34% in 2019, and that this growth was due to the increase in the proportion of women with a bachelor’s degree or higher in STEM from 42% (5 million women) in 2010 to 44% (7 million women).
Women and certain minority groups—Blacks, Hispanics, and Native American or Alaska Natives—are underrepresented in the STEM workforce relative to their proportion within the U.S. population.
Women make up only about one-third of the U.S. STEM workforce.54U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 3Statista 5Science and Engineering Indicators, National Science Foundation | National Science Board, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
In 2020-21, the total number of degrees awarded in the United States was 5,241,937, based on reports from 5,832 institutions.
An engineering career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is a chance to see some of the most beautiful and remote places in the United States. It also lets you make a long-lasting impact on the land and public as you help sustain the Nation’s forests and grasslands.
“The Forest Service is a great career choice for the person who enjoys the outdoors and a variety of engineering challenges.”
Brandon Taglioli Assistant Forest Engineer Black Hills National Forest
Service to others comes naturally to some, and it seems to be a companion trait to those who also are hardworking and accomplished. That’s certainly the case for two 2022 Women of Color Community Service awardees. Cesanee Johnson and Karriema Calhoun have given their time, talent, vision, and leadership to an array of community efforts that have impacted the lives of youth and adults.
Cesanee Johnson wears two hats as program manager and business operations lead for naval air missiles within Raytheon Missiles & Defense (RMD), a Raytheon Technologies (RTX) business. She manages the Tomahawk Engineering Supportive Services (ESS) program and supports the Naval Power Mission Area executive director. In these roles, Johnson is responsible for the proposal, negotiation, award, and management of ESS Tomahawk programs for the U.S. Navy. Additionally, she supports the execution and performance of priorities for the NAM portfolio, with annual sales of more than
and executing projects to meet or exceed schedule commitments while delivering customer-focused solutions to improve business operations.”
Before her current roles, Johnson was a program integrator and senior technical planner in the Program Management Excellence department, where she spent most of her 14-year RMD career. Earlier in her career, Johnson was an IT project manager at Human Resources Development Institute and a consultant at Accenture in the behavioral health and pharmaceuticals/management consulting industries, respectively.
A dual-degree engineering graduate, Johnson received a bachelor’s in mathematics from Spelman College and a mechanical engineering degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She is also a certified project manager through the Project Management Institute.
She also chairs her family foundation, created to perpetuate the legacy of her late great grandmother Flora D. Parrish, who donated her land to the State of Mississippi for a 4-H Camp for African Americans when the state was segregated in the 1940s.
“As an adult, I proactively use my time, talent, and
“As an adult, I proactively use my time, talent, and treasure to improve the lives of others through acts of service that benefit people in my community.”
treasure to improve the lives of others through acts of service that benefit people in my community,” said Johnson, who was awarded a 2022 Women of Color Community Service Award.
This sentiment is made apparent by Johnson’s 1,000 hours volunteering with the Metropolitan Board, an auxiliary of the Chicago Urban League. Johnson is passionate about inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders. In addition to chartering a National Society of Black Engineers Junior (NSBE Jr.) chapter at a local school, she creates and leads hands-on STEM activities for youth. She’s been involved in chairing, organizing, decorating, and raising money for fundraising events.
When Johnson’s employer downsized after 9/11, she turned her attention to volunteering for Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. She was paired with a young mentee with whom she has forged what she believes will be a lifelong bond. In addition to introducing the young lady to community service projects, Johnson has helped her fill out scholarship and college applications, encouraged her to play tennis, and showed up at her school with balloons on her birthday.
Her mentee, citing their 15-year-plus relationship, shared in a letter of recommendation for Johnson’s Women of Color Community Service Award nomination that Johnson taught her the value of giving back to the community.
“She became more than a person doing volunteer work; she became my family, my friend, my real sister. She also had an influence on me going to her alma mater Spelman,” stated the young woman, who is now a pharmacist.
“In everything I do, I find ways to use my talents to elevate experiences, especially for the benefit of inspiring others and impacting change in the community.”
Karriema L. Calhoun is the indirect supply chain manager of factory and production for The Boeing Company in South Carolina. She oversees purchasing equipment and services to support manufacturing and production programs with a cumulative contract value totaling more than $1 billion. She joined Boeing in 2014 and previously held positions at the company as a
facilities and asset management manager and IT process analyst.
Calhoun earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of South Carolina. She also holds an M.B.A. from Charleston Southern University.
“She is a strong advocate for women employees in our company and consistently uses her platform as a manager and volunteer leader to push for policy changes and support to ensure there is equity in the workplace,” stated Tommy Preston Jr., vice president of ethics for Boeing, in a letter of recommendation. “She is one of the first people the company looks to represent us externally because of her passion, effectiveness, and, quite frankly, the respect she has built in the community.”
“Resilient” and “determined” are words used to describe Calhoun, the youngest employee, the only woman, and the only African American in the office when she worked as a cyber security compliance analyst at Athena Consulting Group. Shortly after joining Boeing, a routine medical exam diagnosed a noncancerous brain tumor. She pushed herself to finish as much coursework as possible before the surgery and submitted her final assignments while recovering.” She met her goal and received a second master’s degree in information systems technology management from Capella University. Calhoun, who was awarded a 2022 Women of Color Community Service Award, has a passion for providing STEM opportunities to underserved groups, especially minorities, women and girls, and people in rural communities.
In 2022, she organized volunteers and planned handson STEM activities for 150 students and 50 adults in support of Legacy Flight Academy’s unique “Eyes Above the Horizon” event, which fosters interest in aerospace careers through flight introductions, mentorship, and exposure to the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.
In 2021, she leveraged her role to host two COVID-19 vaccine clinics at Boeing South Carolina and administer the first and second doses to nearly 2,000 community members.
For several years, she volunteered with Boys With A Purpose, an after-school program that provides elementary school boys with life skills. She brought in STEM professionals as guest speakers and piqued the boys’ curiosity about technology careers, expanding their interests and future options. She participated in the launch of a sister program, Girls With Dreams, and led its first STEM engagement session.
Calhoun has served as the diversity and inclusion representative to Boeing’s South Carolina STEM Council and is currently chair of the Boeing Black Employees Association in South Carolina.
She also frequently volunteers with the Boeing DreamLearners program to provide instruction and experience in STEM subjects to South Carolina students.
In the community, Calhoun volunteers with several groups, including but not limited to the YMCA and YWCA of Greater Charleston, Lowcountry Food Bank, Spirit of the Holidays, and 9/11 Heroes Run. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Twenty Pearls Foundation of Charleston, a scholarship and service nonprofit organization founded by the Gamma Xi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Calhoun credits her family and background with inspiring her to serve others.
“Growing up in a rural area, my family and a very close community shaped much of who I am today,” said Calhoun. “They taught me to help others; it’s where I first learned to serve. Others helped me get here, and this is why I pay it forward.”
“Growing up in a rural area, my family and a very close community shaped much of who I am today,” said Calhoun. “They taught me to help others; it’s where I first learned to serve. Others helped me get here, and this is why I pay itKarriema L. Calhoun Indirect supply chain manager, factory and production The Boeing Company in South Carolina
At Jacobs, we work every day to make the world better for all. We embrace all perspectives, collaborating to make a positive impact. From addressing water scarcity and aging infrastructure, to ensuring access to life-saving therapies, protecting against sophisticated cyberattacks and exploring beyond our Earth, we put people at the heart of our business and maintain an unparalleled focus on inclusion.
Together, we’re pushing the limits of what’s possible.
Learn how you can join our team of visionaries, thinkers and doers in solving some of the world’s greatest challenges at jacobs.com/careers.
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Angela Williams-Terrell, Sr. Project CoordinatorTechnology is changing rapidly, shifting how we live our daily lives. Technological advancements have improved how people exercise, sleep, eat, and even how they receive medical attention. Medical advancements have allowed people to live longer, healthier lives. This is a progressive time to be at the forefront of medical technology.
Nadine Louis is the director of client success at Health Catalyst. She moderated a conversation at the 2022 Women of Color STEM Conference about how new technology is helping people receive top-notch medical care. With over 20 years in healthcare, Louis is very familiar with the technological advancements that are improving the medical world for patients from every walk of life.
“Technology has changed the way we think about the healthcare industry, and due to this change, the future of healthcare is right in front of our eyes,” Louis said.
Suneela Joshi, director and chief engineer of
Nadine Louis, Director of client success Health Catalyst
Suneela Joshi, Director and chief engineer of digital health Abbott
Trudy Sullivan, Chief communications and diversity, equity, and inclusion officer Health Catalyst
digital health at Abbott, and Trudy Sullivan, chief communications and diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at Health Catalyst, joined the conversation. Joshi talked about how keeping a healthy work-life balance is extremely important to success. She also emphasized how important it is to take care of yourself and your health first. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, Joshi ensures she gets plenty of exercise every day and cooks healthy meals for herself and her family.
“If there is one message I want to give to women out
there is that career and family are extremely important, but please do not neglect yourself,” Joshi said.
Joshi said that in the 1990s, people gravitated toward technology and computers, but that is not the case anymore. Technology finds people now, from online shopping to social media. All of this led to digital health. But what is digital health? Joshi defines it as using communications technologies in health professions to manage illnesses and health risks and promote wellness.
“These technologies span a wide range of uses from general wellness applications to medical devices,” Joshi said. “They can empower patients to make better, more informed decisions about their health and provide new options to clinicians and patients.”
During the pandemic, people relied on technology to get their needed care. Some turned to telehealth for
checkups, psychological care, and much more. Joshi said that since people have discovered the advantages of telehealth, the world has not returned to pre-COVID practices. Older people unfamiliar with computers now have access to health care apps on their phones.
Sullivan spoke on the importance of equity, which is the attainment of the highest level of health for all people. She said hospitals and other health care providers are employing different strategies to improve health equity.
“Unfortunately, we know in today’s environment that not every patient has the same access to quality care,” Sullivan said. “If we have the ability to use data and analytics to drive the disparities out of care and transform care for every patient on the planet, we have much more ability to leverage and use the incredible technologies and solutions for everyone.”
Sullivan said Health Catalyst is using data and analytics to drive change in the disparities some groups face in health care. During the pandemic, these disparities were apparent as people of color—specifically Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans—dealt with the impact of COVID more than other racial groups. Augmented intelligence is being used to identify and eliminate health care disparities.
“That translates into an ability to invest resources in areas that need focus and to see outcome improvement clinically, financially, and operationally,” Sullivan said.
It is easy to see how technology is improving health care for people of all genders, races, and ages. These changes are shifting the medical world into a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all patients.
“Technology has changed the way we think about the healthcare industry, and due to this change, the future of healthcare is right in front of our eyes.”
— Nadine Louis
To watch the full seminar, follow this link:
the world smarter, more connected
Everyone assumes what you do in your academic career will turn into a passion, if it isn’t already. That’s so far from the truth. I played six different instruments in high school. I taught myself the instruments, and I eventually became the only female in an all-male jazz band. I turned a passion into an opportunity that allowed me to travel the world. However, I majored in chemistry in college, and the reason had nothing to do with personal passion. (It had more to do with a guy I liked, but that’s a different story.) Outside of the world of chemistry, I studied algorithms and graphic design, and I eventually began coding. Those were more of my passions. I used my academic experiences and training to shape one facet of my career, but they also fostered a connection to what would become another trajectory of my professional career, which is currently being the CEO of three IT startup companies.
will open up? Are you ready to take action right now on something? If not, here are the tips I recommend to prepare yourself for the moment, when it happens (and it WILL happen).
Define your passion. Do you know what your passion is?
It’s that one thing that, even if you were never paid to do it, you’d jump at the chance to do it every day. It makes you smile inside and out, and it’s something you have an emotional connection to. It may be decorating, teaching, hiking, ANYTHING. Take some time to discover what that driving desire is and think about why you love doing it. Breathe life into your idea. Once you have discovered your passion, consider how you can monetize it. Map out a business idea (not business plan) around your passion. Is it something you will do alone, or can you do it with a group of people? Will it impact your personal life? How much will you need to invest? Will it require a brickand-mortar distribution site, or can you do it online? Ask yourself a million questions, even the hard ones, regarding how to realistically make this a business. Think through your process because success will only come when you determine how to execute your idea precisely and specifically.
Christine Burkette CEO, Promising Integrations Consulting Firm, Inc.
What is my point? Yes, you may have a degree. And yes, you will always have your educational experiences. But you don’t necessarily have to be tied to that training or resulting job for the rest of your life. Why? Because every aspect of your life will involve some aspect of your true passion. The question is, are you poised right now to make the most of the opportunities your passion
Consider how your passion can impact others. What you decide to do will absolutely help to sustain you financially, but your success should inspire others to pursue other positive actions, either for themselves or others in the community. Passion is attached to your heart’s desires, and that drive will inevitably resonate with someone in an aspirational way.
Anything, and I mean ANYTHING, that you’re passionate about can become a successful enterprise. If you love decorating, offer to be the event planner for someone’s event. Then, knock it out the park! If you enjoy dining out, be a local food critic with blogs or review. The ideas and opportunities are limitless. It will take time, creativity, and planning, but let passion win out. Success and happiness are inevitable if you do.
interviewed her for its “Women in Tech Docuseries” (https://youtu.be/LKzXot591KI).
According to its website, Techplus creates a platform for startups while building a community of tech enthusiasts in Nigeria and curating experiences and insightful data for tech inclusion and social change.
Early in her career, Runsewe earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Covenant University, a Christian university in Ota, about 300 miles southwest of Abuja. After graduation, she gained certification in SAP management software and data processing. The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), a U.S.-based group, also issued her IT certifications.
One of Runsewe’s first jobs was as sales lead for a payment processor of more than 80,000 businesses. Prior, she served as a project coordinator for Project Africa, KPMG’s initiative to push the frontiers of financial services in Africa. When Techplus interviewed Runsewe, she was CEO of Switch by Sterling Bank. Below are excerpts from her story:
You may not have heard of Oluwaseun “Seun” Runsewe, but she is a rising star in global technology. On Dec. 5, Reach 4 Digital Skills (@ r4digitalskills) tweeted Runsewe, who goes by the handle @SRunsewe, was live on stage.
A week earlier, GiddyUp (@Giddyup_ng), which scales creative businesses with access to knowledge and support, introduced her as its creative highlight. “Seun stands out as one of the women in IT to watch,” the Lagos, Nigeria-based business said. In April 2020, Runsewe, then a product director at OPay NG, served as a panelist on the fintech panel of the 10th annual MIT Africa Innovate Conference.
Currently a senior product manager at Chipper Cash, CEO of Switch by Sterling Bank, and founder of Biamo Money, Runsewe first came to the world’s attention during International Women’s Day 2019 when Techplus
Growing up in Nigeria, Runsewe wanted to be an engineer.
“I come from a close-knit home,” she told Techplus. “I had two siblings. I am the first. A strong influence is my mother. She raised my siblings and I alone, and she never gave up…While in school, I was shaped by the internships that I took. I had my first job at 17. My mother was not going to allow anyone to sit at home for summer.
“I wanted to study aeronautics but ended up studying business administration at Covenant University. That is where I took an interest in technology. In university, I was certified as a consultant and then a professional project manager for IT projects with CompTIA.
“I got my first peek into how cool technology was when
a friend was implementing SAP ERP (an enterprise resource planning software developed by SAP) for an oil and gas company,” she said. “I was just taken by it. That is how my little dance with technology started.
“The advice I give to young girls interested in technology is: be curious,“ she added. “There is no ceiling. There is no boundary to anything. Be open. Because in this world, in this space, things happen so fast.”
Runsewe urges women in tech to show young girls that there is room for them in tech. She also advised successful women to be more vocal about their careers. However, she confessed to being “wary” of the term mentor.
“People think a mentor is someone we just take advice from, but I think people can influence each other. There are communities in Nigeria that women in tech can benefit from and mentorship programs that people can take advantage of to start relationships with people who are doing amazing things in technology. Network with people. Hopefully, you can get more done.”
Runsewe’s LinkedIn page (https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ oluwaseun-runsewe?trk=public_profile_browsemap) has more than 10,000 followers. A seasoned business leader, she also describes herself as an advocate for people and development. Since June 2022, she has served as an information security analyst at Chipper Cash, a company that sends and receives money across Africa. Other roles she has held include vice president of growth with Softcom Limited Graphic. She is also doing a master’s degree in cybersecurity at the University of Chester and hopes to graduate in 2023.
In May 2021, she was featured by Vogue India (https:// www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/west-africawomen-technology-industry-professionals). Runsewe told the global magazine that she was looking to launch a digital bank for mothers.
“I became a single mother a month after I turned 25 with less than $15 to my name, so I’ve had to figure out how to make and manage money for my son’s future while working in fintech over the past five years,” Runsewe
said. “My mission is to put the same tools and knowledge that have worked for me in the hands of as many mothers as possible—especially single mothers.”
“I got my first peek into how cool technology was when a friend was implementing SAP ERP for an oil and gas company. I was just taken by it. That is how my little dance with technology started.”
At FM Global, we help clients identify the risks their businesses face and help them safeguard by building resilience to those risks — hence protecting their assets. I started nearly six years ago as a Field Engineer I. Due to the complexity of the visits I performed and the amount of work in my area, I’ve already moved to Field Engineer II, then Senior Engineer and now Engineering Specialist. Currently I am in the Earthquake and Chemical Risk Specialist program. The level of challenges and responsibilities that I face today is exponentially bigger than when I began. I feel like I’ve experienced so much in a relatively short time. There aren’t too many places this level of growth and exposure is possible.
What you are exposed to at FM Global is incredibly diverse, from the industries you engage with, to the people you meet, to the types of challenges you face and the opportunities for growth and ongoing success. I can’t think of anywhere else that can offer this range of experience.
Uncommon careers and an uncommon approach. Take a closer look, and discover just how different a career in insurance can be.
Your career. Explored. jobs.fmglobalcareers.com
Women of Color magazine’s annual 50 WOMEN TO WATCH awards recognize success and achievement in technology, telecommunications, finance, energy, healthcare, utilities, and more. This prestigious list showcases the trailblazing careers of diverse women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers nominated for recognition by major employers in the U.S. Their biographies not only celebrate their achievements but also offer a glimpse into some of the workforce challenges these winners have overcome.
KRISTIN BROWN is a senior Lake County site operations director at Abbott Laboratories. She has held leadership roles in engineering, supply chain, and project management. Currently, she leads a team of technical professionals dedicated to providing best-in-class service. She has also been active in employee resource groups, including Women Leaders of Abbott. Recently, she co-led mentoring circles, represented corporate engineering on the Engineering Executive Council, and led the Engineering Development Program. Externally, she promotes STEM opportunities by developing a pilot skilled trades apprenticeship via the College of Lake County.
ARMINDA PALACIO began her career in 1987 as a payroll clerk for a construction company in Phoenix, AZ. She worked for several companies before being hired by Actalent in 2016 as an engineering project controls analyst. Her ability to troubleshoot complications inherent in keeping an engineering office running has made her an invaluable asset. In addition, she cares for those who are less fortunate. Every year, she teams up with friends to make quilts. They work six hours a day for four days and then donate the quilts to Quilts of Valor and Project Linus for Abused Children.
KAREN SHARP is a systems engineer and cyber security expert at Aerospace Corporation. She has used technology in novel ways to improve the work of her customers and community while also boosting the understanding of technology’s potential to improve access to services, resources, and information. Before joining Aerospace in 2008 as an engineering specialist, she worked for Boeing and Raytheon, among others, as a contractor to the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Sharp earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Tennessee State University and a master’s degree in mathematics with an emphasis in computer science from Ohio State University.
CAMILLE WILLIAMS is an application engineer at Ansys. She has served in this position since May 2021. Her job involves providing customer technical support, helping customers get started with proprietary software, and introducing them to training manuals. In addition, Williams has worked on many projects utilizing Ansys products to showcase and sell to customers. Williams started her career as an intern with Quicken Loans, where she built code solutions and created templates for code production for IT teams. She earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering at Wayne State University and a master’s degree in computer software engineering from the University of Michigan.
ISABEL MORENO is an AT&T lead sales engineer. She specializes in networking technologies and is responsible for supporting AT&T sales through the Alliance & A.C.C. partner channel. Moreno assists partners by informing them about AT&T products and services with solution designs to meet customer requirements. Moreno and her family came to Southern California when she was 5. She is proud that she was the first in her family to graduate from college. Moreno is an example of a woman of color who has utilized STEM to improve her life, community, and the world.
A first-generation American and the first to go to college in her family, CARLA PRIETO had a vital role in the earned value management system (EVMS) recertification at Bell. As she progressed, Prieto later took on more responsibilities in program finance, becoming the first woman of color leader in EVMS at Bell. Currently, she serves as a senior manager for business operations on the Bell 360 Invictus program, which is Bell’s offering for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft. EVM is one of the critical systems monitored by the Defense Contract Management Agency to measure the scope, cost, and schedule of program/project performance.
MYLENE NOVELO is a senior business operations manager at Boeing Global Services (BGS). She leads a team of business integrators described as “the glue” for many BGS organizations. Novelo is also passionate about mentoring and coaching employees. In addition, she makes time to participate in Boeing Society of Women Engineers intern interviews. Novelo also actively supports humanitarian efforts. Through her church, she volunteers for park cleanups and planting, delivering meals to vulnerable people affected by a hurricane, and coordinating blood banks. While offramped to raise her family, she worked as a mortgage loan officer and sold Avon products.
STEPHANIE JENKINS is a chief technologist at Booz Allen Hamilton. She has led some of the firm’s most complex software development projects. She is highly respected as a role model in a community that includes software developers, cloud architects, testers, and data scientists. She is also actively involved in Booz Allen’s recruiting and hiring efforts and is engaged with minority-serving institutions, such as historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), where she mentors STEM-focused students. In addition, she has supported scholarship fundraising events as a member of Delta Sigma Theta and South Carolina State University alum organizations.
CAMILLE CARTER was hired as a systems administrator at the CACI Shared Services Center in 2017. By the fall of 2020, she was promoted to network engineer. Her contributions are crucial to the ongoing success of technology resources, such as a web utility for changing passwords and performing two-factor authentication. In addition, she is part of the team rolling out software-defined access identity, authentication, and wide area network fabric. Carter is also part of a group that helps rescue children from trafficking and exploitation. She is close to completing a bachelor’s degree in cyber security from Bellevue University.
RICHA VERMA is a senior lead engineer in power and controls at Collins Aerospace. She has worked in the industry for 7-plus years. Before that, she spent five years in the automotive industry. After graduating from college, she started her career working on designing and developing hardware multimedia for Ford vehicles. At Collins, she has worked on bus power control unit designs. She also developed an automation tool with the help of her team that has the potential to be used across multiple departments. In addition, Verma led the Buddy Program for Maternity as part of W3, which received good feedback.
NYDIA POMBO is head of controlling, architecture, and networking for North America at Continental Automotive North America. She is a financial executive with a record of success in leading organizations to profitability by spearheading strategic initiatives. She continually analyzes existing processes, identifies opportunities for improvement, and implements innovations that boost efficiency while capturing cost savings. In addition, she is recognized for cultivating collaborative and inclusive working environments that align cross-functional and cross-cultural team members around common goals. Pombo earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Florida Atlantic University and an M.B.A. from the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.
VANESSA ROSS is a lead programmer for Cornerstone
Consolidated Services Group. The catalog company specializes in warehousing, logistics, and distribution for several brands, including Frontgate, Ballard, GarnetHill, and HSN. Ross began her career coding for a library catalog system. At Cintas Corporation, she was responsible for developing the company’s financial/accounting and human resources systems. At Cornerstone, she has been a critical player in developing and implementing a change management
system for the IT group, upgrading the warehouse management system, and moving inventory from Roanoke, VA, to West Chester, PA. She has also branched out to mentor teammates.
LINGYAN WANG holds 10 U.S. patents and several international patents. In addition, she has produced 52 publications with over 6,000 citations. Her interest in nanostructured materials led to ceramics research. After joining Corning Inc., she designed a magnetic nanoparticle for biological separation, which launched as a product for the cleanup required to remove mineral oil, dyes, salts, and other impurities from DNA samples. While working on research projects, she often joins volunteers at the Corning Museum of Glass. In addition, she supports summer science fairs for high school students and college interns at Corning and serves in the Corning Technology Women’s Network.
TARA TRAVIS earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech in 2005. Since 2016, she has served as Cummins’s fuel system integration manager. She manages the development of product fuel system components in the U.S., United Kingdom, India, and China. In 2017, she was one of three women selected to participate in the executive leadership program at Smith College. She was also awarded the Rodica Baranescu Award for Technical Leadership Excellence during the 2017 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Conference. At the 2019 Cummins Women on Technology Convention, she spoke on the importance of inclusion.
Grace Hopper conference. She is also a Silver-tier facilitator of a Google initiative empowering women and other underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond. In addition, Carvalho has mentored several new Ford employees hired after their college graduation.
DEBRA BOSTON is a General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) senior data analyst. She has spent more than 20 years in health analytics and data management. She also has direct experience with Medicare health plan management systems, Medicare. gov systems, and Medicare claims data analysis. She has been recognized for enhancing federal system applications and extracting Medicare datasets to automate business processes. In addition, she has supported the maintenance of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services surveillance, epidemiology, and results database. Her contributions helped modify over 250 COBOL programs for more timely transactions and greater transparency.
RUNJUN GANDHI is now a supervisor in the industrial engineering group at General Motors. During her GM career, she has worked with teams to launch products in North American plants. She also developed a project management tool to track every launch’s progress. An average project file can have over 7,000 lines to follow a product’s design, build, installation, and production ramp-up. Gandhi was also recognized for her leadership in GM’s COVID-19 mask-making. Near the project’s end, 75 people in three separate shifts made over 106,000 masks per day.
ASHA CARVALHO is a senior technical product manager at the Ford Motor Company. She leads a global team to deliver cycle planning and resource management products critical for the planning and execution of vehicle production. Carvalho is Ford’s lead IT recruiter at the Society of Women Engineers conference and co-leads IT recruiting at the annual
MELINDA HINES is a strategic engagement manager and role model at World Wide Technology (WWT). She currently manages a team of 30-40 consultants. She began her career as an administrative assistant, directing calls for a group of staffing specialists, one director, and a senior vice president. She ,
, quickly moved up the ladder and served as an on-site specialist and sourcing consultant for a primary corporate account. She spent more than eight years at a provider of contract workers and other personnel services before working as a contractor for Sony PlayStation, Cisco Systems, Visa, and LinkedIn. She joined WWT in 2015.
TERESA CHAVEZ is a purchasing specialist at Gulfstream Mexicali in Mexico. Over the past four years, she has worked on critical projects. Most recently, she coordinated the procurement and delivery of capital expenses for a Cuyamaca building. Her leadership was instrumental in the successful delivery of all equipment selected. Other projects include indirect procurement for all capital expenditures and memorandum of agreement contracts. In addition, Chavez has delivered goods or services on time with her team’s support. Her focus on results has enabled her to handle the responsibility for several million accounts receivable and hundreds of purchase orders.
QUN “MAXINE” LIU joined Health Catalyst in 2019 and served as senior vice president of the partner program and M&A integration. She has over 13 years of strategy experience in healthcare technology. Early in her career, she developed a medical imaging application described as an Instagram for radiologists. As a business leader, she manages a team of project and program managers and innovation engineers. She collaborates with the acquired company, the M&A team, growth leadership, and product and operation leadership. In addition, she mentors other scientists and has been recognized by the Women Tech Council with a 2020 Strategic Innovator Award.
and members of the executive team and CFO staff, Marruffo’s role as head of global corporate financial planning and analysis spans corporate banking, wealth management, treasury, forecast planning, and analytics, with a focus in debt capital markets, capital allocation, cash and liquidity planning, counterparty risk management, bank relationships, mergers and acquisitions, and people management. She holds a business administration degree from Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, Venezuela, and is a chartered financial analyst.
PATIENCE LOWERY is a program manager within Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), the largest military shipbuilding company in the United States. At HII, she has held the roles of business operations manager, human resources manager, and program director. She has also led organizational changes while fostering growth in nonprofit programs by 300 percent. She sorted through business management challenges in a role that saw her empower her team’s professional development as she grew revenue from $3 million annually to ~$315 million over five years. Lowery earned a project management professional (PMP) certificate from the Project Management Institute in 2018.
As vice president of worldwide financial planning and analysis, OLGA MARRUFFO has one of the most critical roles in HP finance. Working with the CEO, chief financial officer,
MINGMING CAO is a senior software developer and engineer at the IBM Linux Technology Center. She grew up in a family of educators in China. Some of her favorite middle school memories are of the mainframe computers used in her school. Today, her accomplishments include software contributions to the Linux Ext3 file system and driving automation for IBM Power Systems and IBM cloud. As head coach of a high school team since 2019, she has taught Linux cyber security, Windows security, and networking security. In addition, her team successfully implemented the cyber program created by the United States Air Force Association., ,
STEPHANIE GEARHEARD
has served as an Infosys portfolio release manager since 2020. She joined the IT consulting company with 25 years of experience in project management. In her role as technology lead, AT&T Wi-Fi engineering software development processes have seen a marked improvement in metrics. For example, there has been a 38 percent productivity increase and a 91 percent defect reduction, which AT&T’s WiFi engineering leadership greatly appreciated. Gearheard is a shining star in a team of primarily male colleagues. She loves to help others in the areas of project management, release management, and change management.
JOELLE FRANCOIS is a manager of projects at Jacobs. She oversees project managers and the execution of capital water, wastewater, and water resources projects. Francois started her career after she graduated from the University of Central Florida with a master’s degree in civil engineering. Her first position was at a construction site. But a pregnant Black woman doing inspections was quite a novelty. After Francois’s husband entered medical school, they moved to different cities. Throughout her experience with various municipalities, airports, and other transportation agencies, she developed a keen insight into the workings of these agencies and broadened her horizons.
DANIELLE HILLIARD is an assistant supervisor in Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory’s concept design and realization branch. Two hundred branch staff design and build advanced prototypes for space exploration and national security missions. Before APL, Hilliard worked
at Cessna Aircraft and the Naval Sea Systems Command. In parallel to her professional career, Hilliard served as a U.S. Army reservist from 1993 to 2000. A year later, she joined APL’s air and missile defense sector as a lead engineer on weapons and sensor systems. She recently completed her Ph.D. in technology management at Capitol Technology University.
ARDIS CARLOS-ALIM is vice president of global engagement within the JP Morgan Chase (JPMC) cybersecurity team. In 2015, she planned events that impacted 300,000 JPMC employees. She also delivered the annual Cyber Awareness Month campaigns in October, which ran in major financial centers, including New York, London, and Hong Kong. In addition, Carlos-Alim has impacted the lives of many through mentoring and coaching. She regularly volunteers for internal events hosted by Women in Cybersecurity, and CyberKidz, an external cyber education program. In addition, she has co-led the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program in Jersey City, NJ.
CRYSTAL WOODS is a system engineering lead in integrated mission systems at L3Harris Technologies. She manages systems requirements for the C-130H Avionics Modernization Program. She routinely helps other systems engineers and is dedicated to giving back. As a member of the Diverse Employee Network, she supports Project Christmas Tree, which helps distribute Christmas presents to local agencies for area residents. She has also served as a mentor at a school for over 12 years, emphasizing the importance of STEM as an advocate for engineering education
THIS PRESTIGIOUS LIST SHOWCASES THE TRAILBLAZING CAREERS OF DIVERSE WOMEN IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) CAREERS NOMINATED FOR RECOGNITION BY MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN THE U.S.Patience Lowery, Huntington Ingalls Industries Mingming Cao, IBM Linux Stephanie Gearheard, Infosys Joelle Francois, Jacobs
and helping explain what an engineer does.
KJERSTEN KIPP is a systems engineer at Leidos, where she currently works in partnership with government and industry customers to lead information exchange venues with U.S. military units. Kipp began her career in the Navy. After separating from the military, she first worked for SAIC, then went outside the defense industry to serve as a tech director for Riverside Health Systems before managing IT projects for Dollar Tree. Outside of work, she is a coach for a nonprofit that trains young people to improve their times in road races and a running club that brings together runners and walkers.
AKOSS SCHUPPIUS is a project management professional at Logistics Management Institute (LMI). She oversees the LMI team supporting the strategic plan of the United State Postal Service (USPS). In addition to the USPS, she has supported initiatives for the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Defense, and Marine Corps Logistics Command. Schuppius is a founding member of LMI’s Minority Ethnicities affinity group and the change management community of practice. She volunteers as chair for the Rotary Club of Rockville, devoting time to the environment, peace, and the local community. She is a member of the University of Pennsylvania Black Alumni Society.
CASSANDRA BOLDEN is an IT manager in the enterprise operations business at Lockheed Martin. She mentors early-career employees, supports growth, and establishes the time for staff training and professional development. She also has management responsibility for over 180,000 personal computers and phone devices. In this role as leader of a team that is operational 24/7, one big challenge is finding balance. Bolden is also a volunteer in the school system, supporting her older daughter, son, and her youngest child, who was
born with Down syndrome. In addition, she is a Lockheed Martin Women’s Impact Network and Black Excellence Council member.
JESSICA RICHARDSON is currently a network/information technology cyber lead and program analyst at the Missile Defense Agency. In this role, she has managed a team of network engineers maintaining network uptime greater than 99 percent. Richardson’s work impacts the development of missile defense systems to defend the U.S., its deployed forces, allies, and friends, from missile attacks in all phases of flight. As MDA delivers the capability to the warfighter, the cyber security of MDA test networks is critical. In addition, Richardson has led the implementation of a network failover solution that ensures continuity during a network outage.
NORMA RIVERA is a technical specialist in the office of product support at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division. She leads a program that provides a vital service to the U.S. Naval fleet and warfighters with the latest tools and information. Rivera also provides support and guidance to the onshore fleet activities, training commands, and department personnel as the policy point of contact for the technical manual management program (TMMP) with the Naval Sea Systems Command and Naval Information Warfare Systems Command. She has overseen more than 5,940 TMMP customer service requests and serves as a mentor to team members.
NANYA ORIGBO is a senior software engineer at Zulily. She mentors junior engineers across the organization. After graduating as one of the best physics students from the University of Lagos in 2007, one of her first jobs was as an applications and software engineer with Huawei Technologies in Nigeria, where she worked for more than three years. In 2011, she moved to the UK to complete a
My first project at Lockheed Martin was managing the cabin modernization of the presidential helicopter, Marine One. This was a no-fail mission: safely transport the President of the United States. To this day, as I reflect on the magnitude of that responsibility, I’m still humbled by leadership’s trust in me. Explore careers at https://www.lockheedmartinjobs.com/national-diversity-events
Archana Senior Manager International Programs
I was very close to my grandmother. She was the ultimate servant leader, selfless and she personified ‘paying it forward.’ At Lockheed Martin, only here do I have the fortune to lead and serve others in so many ways. As a lead and ally for the Women’s Impact Network business resource group and information technology leader, I’ve created a groundswell of fearless allies committed to an inclusive environment. Now I stand on my grandmother’s shoulders and feel honored to give back to the world.
For more information visit lockheedmartinjobs.com/national-diversity-events
Director
Only here can I drive
as an ally and a leader.
master’s degree in Edinburgh and took up an appointment as a computer scientist with a geoscience research center. Later she completed another master’s in software engineering at Seattle University and joined Zulily in 2019.
BRIGETTE BLAIR is a mission assurance manager in the enterprise services mission excellence team at Northrop Grumman. The mission team is focused on continuous improvement that enhances the employee experience. Blair manages the delivery of operating objectives tied to sector and corporate strategic goals. Under her leadership, the enterprise services organization accomplished the growth of a lean agile culture and delivered new capabilities for service quality assessment and employee self-service. She sets expectations while leading by example. She has been chair of the Enterprise Services African American Task Group since 2019. Her certifications include a Six Sigma Black Belt & Green Belt.
After service in the U.S. Navy, KIMBERLY E. SCOTT joined Otis in 2010. She has led efforts in service operations providing direction and oversight to five service regional field operation managers and 100 service managers. She has worked to improve operational efficiency while improving service delivery to customers. Her efforts have enabled the region to grow its service base and revenue. Recently, she worked on adding a new OHSA requirement to the company maintenance delivery systems. In addition, she leads the Women in Field Operations employee resource group, where she advocates and mentors women with few examples.
rather than in-studio appearances. Because of Franks’s leadership in testing, tweaking, and training with countless guests, on-air presentations have looked and felt as complete as they did before the pandemic. Franks has juggled this work while leading a diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative. She has also used her voice as a member of the Multi-Cultural Marketing task force.
SARA EL-KHATIB has been part of the Seagate community since she worked as an intern in 2015. After graduating from Colorado State University (CSU) with a degree in computer science, she joined Seagate’s research group. As part of that team, she contributed to improving test platforms for next-generation drive and object storage technologies. She has focused on mentorship, inclusive organizations, and underrepresented groups throughout her career. At CSU, she founded a chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, which continues to thrive. In 2021 she established the Longmont, CO chapter of the Seagate Professionals of Color.
LINDA CASTANEDA has decades of experience in automotive engineering and manufacturing, spanning the vehicle development process. She has a U.S. patent for a tool retaining a spare cover, granted in 2002. She was also awarded the 1998 SPE award for the most innovative plastics used for the Grand Cherokee spare tire cover. Currently, she is a planning manager for the RAM ProMaster battery electric vehicle project at Stellantis. In this role, she manages product development activities, crossfunctional alignment, risk management, and mitigation. Her ability to build strong relationships enables her success in these roles.
JADE FRANKS is an associate producer at QVC. During her career in television production, Franks has been instrumental in changing how traditional broadcast brings vendors and their products to life. She has worked with on-air guests to hone the use of Skype
A volunteer coach for no less than 19 sports, LYDIA CARTER is also a software engineer at Textron Aviation, home to the iconic Cessna and Beechcraft brands. Carter and her team support simulation for aircraft, including
the Cessna Sky Courier. They ensure that each device receives proper hardware and software integration, implement pilot and customer feedback, and assist with the certification of devices. As a result, Carter has been part of the successful certification and delivery of 10 instruments. This demonstrates that she is shaping the tools and technology to transform how pilots and aviation enthusiasts train for decades.
ANSHU SAXENA ARORA is an associate professor of marketing in the School of Business and Public Administration at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). In July 2019, Arora received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for establishing the Logistics & International Trade (LIT) Analytics Center of Excellence and developing a STEM-business-focused LIT concentration program at UDC. In addition, she serves as senior marketing editor for the International Journal of Emerging Markets. Arora was the editor for two 2020 issues on Global Value Chains, International Trade, and Markets: The Role of Emerging Economies, and Value Chain Innovations in Digital, Social Media, and Mobile Commerce.
After commissioning through the Reserve Officers Training Corps at Texas State University, MARISA TRAINOR entered the U.S. Air Force as a first lieutenant in 2019. Trainor is a mission element lead for the 800 cyber protection team at the 834th Cyberspace Operations Squadron at Joint Base San
Antonio. The 834th is charged with assuring the U.S. European Command’s mission to provide support to NATO and allied nations and the U.S. Strategic Command’s mission to deter and detect attacks. Trainor leads a cyber-incident response team to defend strategic networks for multidomain projection. Trainor deployed to Korea in 2022.
ERIN CUMBO joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2019. She has been a project manager in the civil works branch of the programs and project management division in the Little Rock District for three years. During this time, she has worked on numerous projects, including the Beaver Lake land acquisition study and the dredging maintenance program for a river navigation system. Before 2019, Cumbo worked at an architectural firm. She earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Howard University and has worked on historic preservation, residential and commercial construction, theater, and film set design.
AFRACHANNA BUTLER is a physical research scientist. A few months after graduation from Jackson State University, she was hired by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) laboratory in Vicksburg, MS. Like many biology graduates, Butler chose to study for postgrad qualifications to increase her expertise. She was sure she wanted a career as a research scientist, but she earned a master’s degree in biology in 2002 from Jackson
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State and worked part-time on a Ph.D. in environmental science, which she earned in 2009. Since then, Butler has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings and delivered platform and poster presentations at numerous professional meetings. Her research areas include transporting heavy metals such as lead in soil and using plants to sustainably manage contaminated soils, sediments, and surface and ground waters.
PATRICIA JOHNSON served for more than 15 years in the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. She has worked in the telecommunications/information technology field for over two decades and held federal civilian jobs in the Defense Department and Homeland Security. Currently, she is an information technology (IT) specialist in the enterprise services group of the Fort Huachuca engineering directorate of the U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command. Because of her early challenges as a woman of color in the male-dominated construction workforce, she has consistently advocated for minorities to get training for job opportunities in the field.
SHANDA ROBINSON is an Army financial management practitioner and Acquisition Corps member. Currently, she is a supervisory program analyst at the U.S. Army Space Missile Defense Command technical center in Redstone, AL. Her financial management oversight has received a commendation, including a fiscal year closeout of approximately $700 million in mission requirements and the U.S. Army Audit—Science and Technology Audit. In addition, her proactive leadership has allowed the technical center’s financial management team to excel in every area. As a result, it will impact the nation’s science and technology endeavors and space and missile defense capabilities.
Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center in the Northern Research Station of the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. She is an exemplary model for bridge-building between governmental, agricultural, professional, and ethnic cultures that often fail to connect. She led a program for undergraduate students at Purdue University to introduce aquatic science, forestry, ecology, herpetology, wildlife science, and other natural resources disciplines. She also collaborated to teach at a two-week summer camp. The students participated virtually and were introduced to the careers associated with forestry, fisheries, wildlife, natural resources management, and policy.
APRIL SMITH is among the few Black analysts at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Smith’s responsibilities to ensure safe nuclear operations require a high level of expertise in nuclear plant operations, reliability, probabilistic risk assessment, and human reliability analysis. A recent example of her contributions involved her review of a facility to process medical isotopes, ultimately used for diagnosing diseases through medical imaging. She also provided expertise to issue a nuclear operations license for uranium hexafluoride conversion. With this facility, the U.S. could provide a good source of enriched uranium to fuel U.S. commercial nuclear power plants.
SHANEKA LAWSON is a research plant physiologist at the Hardwood
TYRA HARRISON is a systems engineer in the open systems security engineering team at Walmart Inc. She earned a bachelor’s degree in computer technology from Bowie State University and joined Walmart Information Security. She has also served as a cryptographic appliances and systems engineering team member. Over the past two years, she has been certified as a Venafi security administrator. She has also received the CompTIA Security+ and GIAC information security certifications. She was nominated to receive the award for her passion for learning technology that
helps solve complex business problems, mentoring, coaching, research, and certifications for self-improvement.
TAMI HUDSON is a cybersecurity client officer at Wells Fargo. She spearheads the bank’s client and consumer cyber organization while interfacing with CEO and CIO leaders across lines of business, as well as individual and corporate clients. She is a changemaker in cyber security and has been a featured speaker at the Wall Street Journal Cybersecurity Conference and the NASDAQ Cybersecurity Summit. She participates in several cross-sector organizations across the financial services industry, including the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center and the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council. In addition, Hudson is an active mentor and program advocate with Girls Who Code.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, WATCH THE 2023 WOC RECOGNITION EVENT HERE:
The annual Women of Color STEM Conference—A Multicultural Event is produced by Career Communications Group Inc. (CCG), the leader in workforce diversity. For 27 years, the Women of Color STEM Conference has been a leading professional development and networking event. The Women of Color STEM Awards recognize women’s significant contributions and outstanding achievements in STEM disciplines. Women of Color magazine’s Women of the Year list showcases recent promotions, significant achievements, and appointments to boards of directors.
As director of Battery Cell Systems Research at General Motors (GM) Global Research and Development Center, Mei Cai, Ph.D., is responsible for innovations in advanced battery technologies for future electric vehicles. In 2022, she was recognized by Business Insider as one of the Electric-Vehicle Industry’s Power Players. She has over 27 years of industrial research and development (R&D) experience, including extensive experience in novel materials processing for automotive applications. Cai is the author or co-author of 25 scientific publications and holds more than 130 U.S. patents. In addition, some of her patents
have been licensed and commercialized by the industry. Her role gives her the potential to impact the future of electric vehicles, and she feels fortunate to be part of GM’s all-electric journey, from idea generation to technology development to product implementation.
Last fall, the University of North Texas System Board of Regents announced its selection of Sylvia Trent-Adams as the
sole finalist for president of The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. She became the seventh president in the university’s history on Jan. 1. Prior, Trent-Adams served as the executive vice president and chief strategy officer at HSC. A lifetime public servant, Trent-Adams began her public health career in 1992 by joining the Commissioned Corps before ultimately retiring in 2020 from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps with the rank of rear admiral upper half. Before joining HSC, Trent-Adams served as the principal deputy assistant secretary for health from January 2019 through August 2020.
Dr. Pamela McCauley is a 2022 inductee to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. She is an accomplished engineer, educator, and world-renowned advocate for science, technology, engineering, and math. She has authored more than 100 technical publications. She is an associate dean at the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University. Previous positions include Jefferson science fellow at the U.S. State Department and Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Associate Professor of
Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT. From 2018 to 2020, she was the program director for the National Science Foundation I-Corps program. She is a fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
Lordstown Motor Corporation (LMC)
announced Donna L. Bell, Ph.D., as the executive vice president of product creation, engineering, and supply chain in the summer of 2022. She is responsible for developing vehicles, subsystems, hardware and software, and supply chain partnerships from concept to launch. Bell has over 30 years of experience in engineering, product development, autonomous vehicle strategy, and research. Her work in electronic modules and infotainment systems earned her multiple patents. She provided critical leadership in building Ford’s Greenfield labs facility in Palo Alto, CA. In addition, she was responsible for acquiring talent, managing a multimilliondollar budget, fostering an innovation culture, and inspiring next-generation leaders.
LG Energy celebrated Denise Gray’s 2022 election as a National Academy of Engineering (NAE) member. According to the NAE, Gray was inducted for leadership in developing and producing electronic controls and battery systems for electrified passenger car propulsion system applications. Individuals in the newly elected class were inducted on Oct. 2, 2022. NAE membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering research, practice, or education, including significant contributions to the engineering literature” and to “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.”
Continental announced in November 2022 that Aruna Anand had been named the new president and CEO of Continental’s Automotive group sector in North America. A 25-year veteran of the automotive industry, Anand also retains her role as head of the architecture and networking business area for the North
Automotive. Since joining the company in 1997, Anand has held numerous leadership positions across the different business areas of the Continental Automotive group sector.
In 2020, Automotive News recognized her as one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Automotive industry. In addition, in 2018, Anand was honored with the prestigious Automotive News Rising Star award.
The Optica Board of Directors appointed Aleksandra Boskovic, Ph.D., as director-at-large from 2023–2025. Boskovic is the vice president for optical communications technology development at Corning. In her role, she ensures an integrated technology strategy and innovation delivery across fiber, cable, and
connectivity for the telecommunications sector at Corning. This includes delivering the most valuable components and solutions to Corning’s customers while capitalizing on competitive advantages in fiber, cable, connectivity, actives, and software. Boskovic joined Corning in 1997 as a scientist at Corning’s main R&D center in New York. Boskovic is an Optica fellow and member of the IEEE Photonics Society.
electronic projects and is a member of several innovation teams for consumer experience.
Alicia Boler Davis was appointed CEO of Alto Pharmacy in 2022. She leads a tech startup working to improve health care and pharmacy services. Before this role, she was a senior vice president at Amazon, responsible for fulfillment centers across 22 countries, Amazon Fulfillment Technology and Robotics, and sustainability. Before Amazon, Boler Davis had a trailblazing career at General Motors, where she progressed from intern to executive vice president. In 2018, Boler Davis was named one of The Most Powerful Female Engineers by Business Insider. In 2020 and 2021, she was one of Fortune magazine’s Most Powerful Women. In addition, she is a member of the Northwestern University Board of Trustees.
When Portland Business Journal partnered with Built Oregon to celebrate Black leaders in 2022, Delia Grenville, Ph.D., was one of Rose City’s Finest. A research scientist and tech strategist at Intel Corporation, Grenville’s inventions allow consumers to filter content streaming to their televisions via the Internet and provide the ecosystem to advertise and enhance the content viewing experience. As lead human factors engineer in Intel’s Digital Home User Experience Group, she was responsible for usage and experience definition for consumer electronics products. She also pioneered several programs for consumer
Sonya Sepahban was recently named one of the most influential corporate directors by WomenInc magazine. She started as a NASA engineer and “astronaut wannabe” and is currently the CEO of OurOffice Inc, a leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). OurOffice is trusted by iconic brands, public
companies, government and nonprofit entities, and tech startups, and has been recognized by industry leaders like Mercer and Deloitte and honored on the Top 10 in DEI. Before OurOffice, Sepahban was a senior executive at Fortune 500 companies with significant responsibilities, which included leading global DEI efforts. She is a thought leader on workplace culture and DEI, often writing and speaking on the latest trends and solutions. Sepahban has also held numerous board seats and advisory roles at tech startups, investment funds, and nonprofits. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Cooper Standard, a publicly traded automotive company.
Project Lead the Way elected Stephanie C. Hill to its Board of Directors in February 2022. PLTW is a leading provider of transformative learning experiences for PreK-12 students across the United States. Hill is currently executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS), a $16 billion enterprise employing nearly 35,000 people across the globe. The RMS portfolio includes
more than 1,000 programs, including helicopters, integrated air and missile defense, littoral warfare, undersea warfare, radar, electronic warfare, cyber solutions, C4ISR, and training and logistics systems. RMS supports the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, and Missile Defense Agency and intelligence, civil, commercial, and international military customers.
Olabisi Boyle is the vice president of product planning and mobility strategy for Hyundai Motor North America. Boyle is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of Hyundai’s U.S. vehicle lineup, leading long-range planning, and overseeing market research, business analytics, and advanced pricing. She also leads Hyundai’s U.S. mobility strategy, connected car technology, and future innovations. In 2021, Boyle was named an Automotive News All-Star for Product Development. In 2020, she was named to Automotive News 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry. Boyle has 20 years of automotive industry experience, including
engineering, product strategy, and manufacturing leadership roles at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Ford Motor Company. Boyle has been recognized for her career accomplishments.
Last spring, Sarita Rao, senior vice president of AT&T integrated and partner solutions, celebrated the Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community at AT&T. Rao has worked for the telecom company for over 30 years. Currently, she is responsible for leading AT&T’s business development and specialized sales efforts for next-
technologies to help business customers across industry verticals achieve their desired outcomes through innovation. Being AAPI is meaningful in different ways for more than 22 million Asian Americans, Rao wrote in her AT&T blog post. But at AT&T, where Asian American and Pacific Islanders made up 7.4 percent of the company’s U.S. workforce and over 11 percent of management, Asian employees are making an impact. AT&T has five AAPI-focused employee groups that create meaningful space and impact local communities.
Norma B. Clayton was recently appointed as a board member of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, a multinational tire manufacturing company. The first woman to hold a senior manufacturing position at Boeing, Clayton was also elected a National Academy of Engineering (NAE) member in 2022. She was recognized for leadership in transforming manufacturing and supply chain management and for innovative training programs for commercial aerospace industries. Clayton has served as a Tuskegee University Board of Trustees member since 2009 and as chair since 2019. Before joining Boeing, she held General Electric and Lockheed Martin management roles.
BrainChip Holdings, a worldwide leader in edge artificial intelligence on-chip processing and learning, has appointed Texas Instruments (TI) retiree Duy-Loan Le as a non-executive director. She also serves on the boards of Wolfspeed, National Instruments, Ballard Power Systems, and Atomera. Le has a remarkable professional history in both technological and executive management. She retired from TI as a senior fellow after 35 years. While at TI, she led the multibillion-dollar memory and DSP product lines with joint venture partners in five countries and three continents. She received Congressional Special Recognition in 2001 and a Texas State Recognition for Leadership.
Sherita Ceasar, senior vice president of technology environments and strategy for Comcast Cable, was a keynote speaker at a meetup held during a learning and networking event. Highlights of the day featured insights from Ceasar, followed by a panel of technologists sharing career advice. More than 50 students attended the event at Comcast’s Technology Center. Ceasar began her career at Northrop Grumman. She then moved to Motorola, working in component design and building pagers. As director of manufacturing, she was the highestranking Black female engineer at Motorola’s Paging Products Group. In 1996 she started at ScientificAtlanta as vice president of quality.
DON’T DROP THE ‘M’ IN STEM
TYPICALLY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CAREERS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM), THE JOBS THAT COME TO MIND ARE THOSE THAT MANY PEOPLE THINK OF AS SCIENTIFIC OR TECHNICAL. RARELY DO WE MENTION CAREERS THAT ARE IN THE “M” CATEGORY. ACCORDING TO THE OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK HANDBOOK, PUBLISHED BY THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, THE OVERALL EMPLOYMENT OF MATHEMATICIANS (AND STATISTICIANS) IS PROJECTED TO GROW 31 PERCENT FROM 2021 TO 2031, MUCH FASTER THAN THE AVERAGE FOR ALL OCCUPATIONS. IN THIS EDITION OF CAREER OUTLOOK, WE LOOK AT JOBS, EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS, AND THE ROLE OF MATHEMATICIANS.
> Jobs for Mathematics
Majors
> Top 5 Jobs You Can Get with a Math Degree
When students, graduates, and job seekers think of STEM careers, they often name careers in science, technology, and engineering. However, there is a wide range of rewarding, fulfilling careers in the field of mathematics. While some students and jobseekers might shy away from mathematics, do not let intimidation get in the way of seeking out one of the following interesting, attainable careers.
In fact, in the best-selling book, Overcoming Math Anxiety, by Sheila Tobias, math anxiety is discussed as an invented or imagined construct that hampers students from reaching their full potential.
Anyone can learn mathematics, and everyone’s expertise is needed in tackling the most complex problems of today and the future.
Financial analysts study trends in financial markets, analyze financial data, create models based on their analyses to inform organizational decision-making, and develop financial plans. Financial analysts are valuable members of their company and serve a key role in providing insights and quantitative data that inform key decision-makers and allow the company to make the best moves for its bottom line.
The demand for these professionals increases during periods of economic growth and positive market trends, but there is an overall steady growth for these positions as companies grow and strategize.
Another point to consider is that medium to large companies need financial analysts for their insights, allowing for a large smattering of jobs across all geographic areas. Depending on the company, these roles can also be held partially or entirely remotely. A financial analyst has a median salary of $83,000, with the highest 25 percent of analysts making an average of $112,460. An entrylevel salary for these positions is around $60,000.
Are you a math major looking to join the healthcare, medical, or research education industries?
Consider a career as a biostatistician. These data science professionals work
with large amounts of medical data and research studies in medicine and public health. Biostatisticians are already in demand with significant predicted growth, in part due to the societal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A biostatistician conducts research, analyzes data, calculates summary statistics, evaluates and interprets the results of statistical modeling, and interprets visual presentations of statistical data. All these skills lead to solving specific problems in the biostatistician setting, such as a hospital or pharmaceutical company.
Biostatisticians earn an average of $75,000 with a bachelor’s degree, $90,000 with a master’s degree, and $105,000 with a doctorate degree. More experienced biostatisticians who take on leadership roles can make over $200,000 per year.
An actuary is another career steeped in mathematics with stable job growth and competitive salaries. These professionals use mathematics and data analysis to design and analyze financial plans and determine financial costs of risk and uncertainty. They use financial theories and models to assess the risk of possible events and inform management of their results in order to inform decisionmaking.
Actuaries work for financial firms, corporations, government agencies, market research groups, and often a variety of insurance companies. Actuaries must take large amounts of statistical and financial data, analyze it, draw conclusions, and present their findings to other stakeholders.
Actuaries have a median salary of $111,000, with the lowest 25 percent earning an average of $83,000 and the highest 25 percent earning an average of $151,000 per year. Actuaries need to hold a bachelor’s degree and then pass a series of exams for certification.
There are many more careers that rely heavily on math expertise with similar degree requirements and competitive salary ranges. Do not let math anxiety discourage you. Anyone can learn math; it takes perseverance and a time commitment, but the payoff is worth it!
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Likewise, there is a growing demand for these occupations, as they require specific degrees and sometimes specialized certifications. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall employment of mathematicians and statisticians is projected to grow over 30 percent in the next 10 years, which greatly outpaces the average for all occupations.
Where are these jobs located? The proliferation of remote work has greatly altered the location considerations of many industries, and math careers are certainly included in that shift. Much of the work in math careers can be done remotely with minimal to zero in-person presence required. This benefits both the employer and the employee—as the best-qualified candidate can fulfill the
role regardless of their proximity to the physical office.
Still, individual employers may require or prefer in-person work, so be sure to do your research prior to applying for open positions. Likewise, some roles within government agencies are located within specific areas, such as Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, or branches throughout the United States.
One major trend in math careers is the increased use of vast amounts of data, artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and cloud computing. There are a number of future-forward math careers that are likely to be in demand in the future. These industries and occupations are most likely to have increased job growth due to the cutting-edge nature of their work.
One particularly futuristic career is space supply chain manager, a professional who ensures that products and equipment are manufactured and delivered in the most efficient manner possible. Relying
on large amounts of data, data analytics, modeling, and a logical approach to problem-solving, these professionals will make sure that people living or working in space have the items they need.
A biostatistician is another future-forward career that relies heavily on mathematics. These professionals rely on math and medical data to perform research, conduct and analyze trials, and present their findings.
Data architects work in both mathematics and computer science in order to design and build data storage systems that collect data safely and securely.
A math-based career that is seeing a resurgence in demand is a statistician. Traditionally, statisticians worked in research and academia. With the explosion of data-driven decision-making and the integration of metadata and data analytics into virtually every sector, statisticians play an increasingly relevant role in most companies.
Preparing to enter a career that relies heavily on mathematics will require at minimum an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in some area of mathematics, such as statistics, mathematics education, mathematics, applied mathematics, physics, or actuarial science.
You’ll want to speak with your current teachers, college advisor, and other trusted adults to determine the best major for you based on your career goals. For example, if you’re considering working in the pharmaceutical industry as a biostatistician, you’ll want to major in statistics and also consider a dual major or minor in medicine or healthcare. If you’re considering a career in data analytics, you may consider a math major with a minor in data science.
Other than hard skills gained through college undergraduate and graduate programs, consider utilizing internships and other experiences to gain soft skills, networks of support, valuable job connections, and priceless on-the-job
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experience. You can find local internships by checking with your university or college mathematics department, searching for jobs on Indeed and LinkedIn, or using government programs such as the Department of Defense STEM Internships program. Internships are a great way of discovering which careers are right for you and which areas of growth you might work on. These internships can help prepare you for one of the future-forward STEM careers in mathematics!
One major trend in math careers is the increased use of vast amounts of data, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and cloud computing in STEM careers.
energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy sources. To guide people who are adept at leading initiatives and R&D that will ensure Americans have access to clean energy by 2050 is powerful. However, it does pain me when the demographics show that with all the talent, only a few women of color with STEM degrees are represented in the department. I recently attended a conference sponsored by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). I witnessed over 400 people who were descendants of Indigenous people and either had degrees or were committed to pursuing and getting degrees in STEM. In addition, they were passionate about being involved in renewable energy R&D to bring that knowledge back to their tribal communities. So why are only a tiny percentage of Native Americans working for the department? In my opinion, some in decision-making positions are not doing due diligence to ensure they open opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and People of color (BIPOC) professionals. Instead, I believe they identify candidates with whom they feel comfortable. However, I don’t think most do so intentionally. But no company should rely on comfort when it comes to hiring and building a pipeline for succession planning, enriching company culture, and
Michelle Pannell Director, Workforce Management Office Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of EnergyIlike to say I started my federal career with Barack Obama since it was the same month he took office as the president of the United States. Therefore, it was an honor to serve as director of human resources management in the Executive Office. In that role, I oversaw agencies that structure federal government operations. In addition, I ensured that the right people were hired in the right way to do the job.
After a stint away from the government, I returned in 2021 to join the Department of Energy as director of the workforce management office in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. During my brief tenure, I’ve learned much about what the government is doing to ensure energy is more affordable and develop
bringing DEI to the table. That’s where change has to happen. But here’s the caveat: This message cannot solely come from people of color. Case in point, one of the office directors in my department, who happened to be a Caucasian male and former Navy officer, attended the AISES conference with me. His takeaways were eye-opening: “I didn’t know there’s so much diversity out there! Why aren’t we doing more? We have to do more!”
He demonstrated with his actions that professionals shouldn’t have to look like the audience to learn from other cultures. That’s one way we can facilitate change. We need people from all races and ethnic backgrounds. We need everyone, not just people of color, to get more involved.
Sadly, this isn’t the first equity rodeo. As far back as the Bush and Clinton administrations, there were initiatives to strengthen diversity and inclusion. It’s not about meeting quotas. Companies often want to hire the best people, but who’s to say the person of color you looked over wasn’t the best candidate? It’s hard to prove yourself when you’re not even given a chance or invited to sit at the table.
Equity and inclusion efforts should not be separate conversations in special meetings or listening sessions. Instead, diversity should be part of shared information when discussing data, metrics, and numbers. It needs to be infused into any presented report, not just a report focusing on meeting diversity goals. To be exact, inclusion shouldn’t be a “goal.” It should simply be! Sadly, even in 2023, we aren’t there yet. When there are discussions about diversity initiatives, but no action plans to implement them, true change cannot, will not, and has not occurred. The efforts only end up as a tagline, hashtag, or something to mention on a quarterly business call. No one does the work, and the proof is in the numbers (or lack thereof). There need to be more people sitting in leadership roles who want to make this a priority. This is why people of color need to be hired in decision-making executive positions, not to meet goals or quotas but to bring a different perspective to how we look at and approach business. This is key in pushing the needle forward. However, this way of thinking must start well before we get to the hiring stage. It must begin as individuals decide about the industries they want to pursue. It needs to start in our educational institutions, but sadly that is only sometimes the case. I know this firsthand because I have an 18-year-old daughter majoring in computer science at a predominantly white institution (PWI). As one of the few people of color in her class, she often felt intimidated despite being a National Honor student on an academic scholarship. This is common among women of color pursuing degrees in the STEM field, particularly African Americans. Perhaps that is why only 7 percent of African-American students who attend PWIs graduate with a STEM degree, while 25 percent of students who attend historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) graduate at a higher rate. It only takes one bad experience to deter people, which
can be detrimental to the cause of advancing STEM industries. The U.S. Department of Education reports that only 7 percent of African-American students attend HBCUs, while 53 percent attend PWIs. This is part of the reason why there are challenges in getting qualified BIPOC professionals into the STEM pipeline.
With Executive Order 14035, “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce initiative,” the Department of Energy can break down exclusion walls through innovation. I plan to be a part of that change by collaborating with other vested members across the department. Moreover, I want to help create business plans for hiring managers within my office at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy so they will have a toolbox of resources to facilitate true change in equity affairs. It will be a serious educational process, but it will be worth it if managers and leaders take ownership. And, as the saying goes, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” I hope to teach leaders how to fish to sustain this mandate and continue it on their own. I am responsible for educating and ensuring that other BIPOC professionals have opportunities to sit at the leadership table. If done well and with all cultures invested, our collective impact will last well beyond our years, encouraging young men and women of color to pursue careers in STEM. That’s the type of change I want to be known for.
“It will take a multicultural village to make a genuine impact across the public and private sectors. And, if done well and with all cultures invested, our collective impact will last well beyond our years. That’s the type of change I want to be known for.”
As one of the fastest growing global life science companies, Sartorius is part of the solution in the fight against Covid-19, cancer, dementia and many other diseases. This offers numerous opportunities for our people to grow with us and make an impact with their work.
Apply today at www.sartorius.com/careers
Sartorius is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.
“After Vitalware was acquired, by getting involved with Shades, I was able to more quickly meet Health Catalyst senior leadership and develop meaningful relationships.” 6
