A Prestigious Gathering in Washington, DC
The North America Women in Tech® Regional Awards, a prestigious event recognizing outstanding achievements in the technology sector, took place on September 19th at the French Embassy in Washington, DC. His Excellency Laurent Bili, Ambassador of France to the United States, delivered the opening remarks, setting an inspiring tone for the day’s proceedings.
Part of a Global Initiative
This event marked the second stop on the Women in Tech® world tour, which comprises seven regional awards ceremonies and one global finale. The day began with a highly executive ELEVATE Symposium at American University’s Washington College of Law, featuring engaging discussions on emerging technologies’ role in promoting gender equity, the impact of AI on the future of business, and leadership needs to attract and retain women in STEM..
Distinguished Speakers and Panelists
The event brought together an impressive lineup of presenters and panelists to discuss an array of topics spanning technology, leadership, and equity.
Emerging Tech Impact on Gender Equity – Featuring Kara Calvert, Vice President for US Policy at Coinbase; Amanda Wick, Founder and CEO of Women in Crypto; Andrew Feldman, CEO and Co-Founder of datacenter startup Flexnode; and Dr. Diana Burley, Vice Provost for Research and Innovation at American University
The Female Future of AI – A fireside chat between Lucy Melvin, Deloitte AI executive, and Victoria Houed, US Commerce Department Head of AI
Attracting and Retaining Women in STEM – Highlighting Andrea Mohamed, Co-founder and COO of Quantum Bloom; Patti Curtis, research executive with STEMnext; Cari Bohley, VP of Talent Management at Peraton; and Doreen Harwood, retired Department of Defense intelligence community executive and Chair of the Ft. Meade Alliance Education and Workforce Committee.
The Power of Public and Private Sector Collaboration – Erin Shepley of the US DHS CISA Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, Kristin Sargent of Sargent Initiatives, Jaime Fitzgibbon of DIU, and Melissa Weise of AWS
Motivational presentations – Marisa Murray, Founder and CEO of LeaderLey and TedX speaker and author; Kathryn Rose, CEO & Founder of ChannelWise, US Special Envoy to Women in Tech® Global, and the North America 2023 Best Ally Awardee; Jennie Blumenthal, author, speaker, and co-founder of Ellevoy; and Sandrine Tshiamala, NGO executive.
The day was facilitated by Nyla Beth Gawel, Country Director of Women in Tech® USA.
Ambassador’s Call to Action
Ambassador Bili emphasised the importance of empowering women in tech, stating, “When we empower women in tech, we empower the future. We unlock a wealth of untapped potential, creativity, and diverse perspectives that are essential for driving innovation and solving the complex challenges of our time.”
Celebrating Excellence: Award Winners
The evening ceremony celebrated outstanding women, initiatives, and allies across nine categories. Notable winners included:
- Aspiring Teen Award: Mary Adegbesan
- Best Ally Award: Barbara Grofic
- Most Impactful Initiative: QuantumBloom
- GreenTech Startup Award: Tonya Hicks
- Woman in Web3 Award: Sandy Carter
- Most Disruptive Award (powered by Amazon): Yuexing Hao
- Tech Diplomacy Award: Nadine Farid Johnson
- Global Leadership Award: Jennie Blumenthal
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Paula Hunter
Sponsors and Support
The event was made possible through the support of sponsors including Amazon, Deloitte, Coinbase, Service Now, Flexnode, Veeam, and HD Gatanas LLC. We express our gratitude to the Embassy of France in the United States for their invaluable assistance in hosting this celebration of women’s achievements in technology.
Looking Ahead
As the Women in Tech® World tour continues, this North American regional event stands as a testament to the growing recognition of women’s contributions to the tech industry and the ongoing efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the field.
Women In Tech LATAM
WIT-Latam
Best Ally
Lifetime Achievement
Most Impactful Initiative
Most Disruptive
