WIT Leadership Awards
Market Connections would like to congratulate all winners of the 20th annual Women in Technology’s (WIT) Leadership Awards. Presented on Thursday, May 9th, the awards showcase the outstanding accomplishments and contributions of female leaders in academic, entrepreneurial, government and corporate roles across the Washington, DC technology community.
Market Connections CEO, Lisa Dezzutti (4th from left) with WIT award winners. Courtesy of Women in Technology
The 2019 winners include:
- Corporate: Large-Market Sector – Toni Townes-Whitley, Microsoft
- Corporate: Mid-Market Sector – Padma Chitrapu, Neustar, Inc.
- Corporate: Small-Market Sector – Hildi Pineda, AbleVets LLC
- Rising Star – Allison Farris, Microsoft
- Small Business/Entrepreneur – Janel Merritt, DigiDoc Inc. dba Public Sector Solutions Groups
- STEM Leadership – Meg Layton, Symantec Corporation
- Unsung Hero – Mahwish Hamlani, Accenture
- Government – Chérie Smith, U.S. Army Program Executive Office Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS)
- Women in Defense – Darlene Straub, Defense Information Systems Agency
- Academia – Jill Klein, American University
Additional Awards
United Therapeutics Corporation was presented the Leadership Foundry’s Corporate Leadership Award for their efforts in making a difference in gender diversity on their board of directors and in their C-Suite.
The WIT Champion Award, honoring a current member of WIT who has shown exemplary dedication to the organization and mission, went to Leslie Bauer, WIT Treasurer, and a CPA & Cyber Risk Executive.
The WIT President’s Award was given to Marian McKee, Senior Director, Global Operational Services at BioReliance and 2015-2019 Chair of the STEM for Her Board of Directors recognizing her work in fostering a strong partnership between WIT and STEM for Her (WIT’s non-profit foundation focused on promoting education to create awareness, excitement and opportunities among girls and young women to pursue successful STEM-related careers).
According to Margo Dunn, WIT president, the Leadership Awards Gala served as a double celebration: 25 years of Women in Technology and 20 years of their Leadership Awards program. Over the past 20 years, WIT has honored more than 1,000 stellar female leaders in technology.
In response to this monumental anniversary, Market Connections CEO and former WIT Board Chairperson, Lisa Dezzutti, said, “The mission of advancing women in their technology careers from the classroom to the boardroom is as important today as it was 25 years ago. I am so proud to be a part of an organization that continues to grow and deliver on its mission.”
See the Women in Technology’s full press release.