2024 Women in Tech Awards
The 2024 Award Recipients will be introduced at the RockIT Women’s annual Women in Tech Awards on March 5 & 6, 2024.
ABOUT THE AWARDS:
The reviewing panel consists of qualified individuals from outside the Kentuckiana area to help remove bias in the selection process. Paid conference staff and Award Selection Committee members may not be considered for an award.
Nominee requirements:
At the time of nomination, the nominee must live and or work in or near the Kentuckiana region.
Nomination were due on January 1, 2024.
Must not have won the same award in the past.
“There is not only a place for women (and women of color) in the IT world; there are also places in the community where these women are recognized and championed. Being able to see oneself in spaces that break with the status quo and translate those experiences for others is itself a teaching moment...
source:
https://business.louisville.edu/karimi-confidence/”
2024 Award Winners and Finalists
Rising Star Award Winner
Samantha Allison
Account Manager & Marketplace Diversity Ambassador
TEKsystems
Rising Star Award Finalists
Jayna Newcomer
Technology Services Specialist
Dean Dorton
Vittoria Riedling
Electrical & Computer Engineering Student
Vanderbilt University
STEAM Leadership Award Winner
Polina Nikolova
Technology Services Associate Director
Dean Dorton
STEAM Leadership Award Finalists
Jennifer Gebhart
Senior Director, Application Development
Global Payments
Kim Krall
Senior Engineering Manager
Papa Johns
Heather MacKenzie
Director, Global Innovation Technology
American Printing House for the Blind
Male Ally Award Winner
Thomas Cooper
President & CEO
TEC Consulting
Male Ally Award Finalist
Ken Perry
Senior Software Engineer
American Printing House for the Blind
Rising Star Award
Purpose: To honor a woman in the beginning stages of her career who exemplifies potential and the future of women in technology. She is working in the technology trenches daily, making a substantive contribution to her organization or field.
Experience:
10 Years or less in technology related field
Achievement (25%)
Achieved a high level of competency.
Demonstrates success at implementing or promoting technology
Willing to take on new roles or projects
Focused on learning
Leadership (25%)
Demonstrates the ability to create and implement a vision for herself and others.
Motivates people in her sphere of influence and has a tangible track record to show it.
Leads by example. Inspires people in her sphere of influence to take smart risks and to drive positive change in their current and future professional lives.
Community Engagement (25%)
Engages in activities beyond her job responsibilities that contribute to helping and improving conditions of or for others in the technology community.
Focuses on efforts to advance the growth of girls and women in the technology industry.
Diversity (25%)
Proven track record of engaging in activities that focus on increasing access for a diversity of women (i.e. persons from underrepresented ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, etc.)
STEAM Leadership Award
Purpose: Recognizes an individual who has accelerated and advanced her career as a leader in the technology sphere and is dedicated to the advancement of women in technology.
Experience:
10 + Years in technology related field
Mentorship (25%)
Mentors other women above, below or at her career level in an effort to advance the growth of girls and women in the technology industry.
Develops future women leaders in her profession and/or community.
Advocates for other women and enables positive things to happen in their current and future careers.
Leadership (25%)
Leads and empowers others to be agents of change in the Technology Industry
Demonstrates the ability to create and implement a vision for herself and others.
Motivates people in her sphere of influence and has a tangible track record to show it.
Leads by example. Inspires people in her sphere of influence to take smart risks and to drive positive change in their current and future professional lives.
Demonstrates success at implementing or promoting technology, management principles or operational/organizational processes or change.
Acts with boldness by taking smart risks to advance organizational and personal goals. Risks may have yielded both successful and unsuccessful outcomes – learns from the outcome in either case.
Community Engagement (25%)
Engages in activities beyond her job responsibilities that contribute to helping and improving conditions of or for others in the technology community.
Encourages and enables a legacy of strong female leaders in the industry or in the community.
Diversity (25%)
Proven track record of engaging in activities that focus on increasing access for a diversity of women (i.e. persons from underrepresented ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, etc.)
Male Ally
Purpose: Recognizes a male who has been a fierce advocate for women in technology. Being a Male Ally entails working towards changing the culture in the organization, by being a role-model, by creating more role-models. It is not limited to advocating for or helping certain, specific women. While advocacy efforts might sometimes involve supporting specific women, it involves much more than that. Male advocacy is all about bringing in systemic change. Male allies relentlessly work towards changing the prevailing mindsets and attitudes.
Mentorship (25%)
Mentors women in their profession and/or community, particularly towards leadership roles.
Champions the cause of gender inclusion in technology and leadership
Mentoring men to be better allies
Leadership (25%)
Leads by example. Requires people in their sphere of influence to recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion.
Challenges the status quo to drive for a better and more inclusive environment.
Leads and empowers others to be agents of change in the Technology Industry
Acts with boldness by taking smart risks to advance the role of women in technology across their organization.
Community Engagement (25%)
Encourages and enables a legacy of strong female leaders in the industry or in the community.
Diversity (25%)
Proven track record of engaging in activities that focus on increasing access for a diversity of women (i.e. persons from underrepresented ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, etc.)
RockIt Women Presents the 6th Annual
Women in Tech Conference
March 5 & 6, 2024 • Louisville, Kentucky