Women & Hi Tech Announces Leading Light Award & Scholarship Nominees

Over 80 women & male allies in STEM to be celebrated on October 6^th.

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Women & Hi Tech is pleased to announce over 80 nominees and applicants for its Leading Light Awards & Scholarship Gala. This signature, biennial event focuses on celebrating Indiana women in STEM - women who are risk-takers, leaders, educators, mentors, and those who are changing our local STEM landscape. At the Indiana Roof Ballroom on October 6^th, the organization will announce the award and scholarship recipients at a gala celebration. As one of Women & Hi Tech's Annual Corporate Sponsors, and scholarship sponsor, Bell Techlogix is proud to help share this exciting announcement.

The theme of this year's event will be "In This Together." Indiana's STEM community continues to grow and thrive as we all come together and innovate through diverse perspectives. Women & Hi Tech envisions STEM industries transformed by collaboration, and promotes, supports, and cheers on the women and male allies making it possible. The Leading Light Awards & Scholarship Gala is a signature, biennial event to celebrate the outstanding women and male allies who are working to advance STEM fields while cultivating a diverse pipeline of talented, future STEM leaders. When we work together to level the playing field, the outcomes are more valuable to all.

The program emcee is Jennie Lopez, head of Global Recruiting and Talent Acquisition for Eli Lilly and Company. Jennie embodies "Bring Yourself to Work" in everything she does. She empowers diversity, and engages employees and organizations, to achieve new highs. Women & Hi Tech would also like to recognize and thank Eli Lilly and Company for their Signature Sponsorship of the 2022 Leading Light Awards & Scholarship Gala.

For more information about the Leading Light Awards visit https://womenandhitech.org/2022-Leading-Light-Awards/.

Equity and Inclusion Champion Award 

• Angel Henry, Sr. Director of Transformation Value Management Office & DEI Vice-Chair, Genesys
• Candy Gee, Diversity and Inclusion Partner, Roche
• Holli Harrington, Senior Director of Supplier Diversity and Diversity Officer, Indianapolis Airport Authority
• Kristen Cooper, CEO and Founder, The Startup Ladies
• Sonal Sheth Zawahri, Founder, Tru You
• Stacey McCreery, Founder and CEO, ROI Search Group

OperationALL Male Allies Award 

• Glenn Keller, IT Director, Countrymark
• Luke Zhang, Data Scientist, Resultant
• Michael Hineline, CEO, Make Ripples LLC
• Michael Loggins, Global Vice President, Information Technology, SMC
• Ron Frankenfield, CEO, Bell Techlogix
• Scott Bess, Executive Director, Purdue Polytechnic High Schools

Mentor Me! Award Nominees 

• o Jaylan Fisher, Coach, Speaker, HR Generalist, GoalFit LLC/120Water
• o Teresa Conroy-Roth, Senior Technology & Business Executive, AXIA Consulting
• o Wendy Stein, SVP, Site Head Indianapolis, General Manager Roche Diagnostics Operations, Roche

Leadership Award Nominees 

• Akilah Darden, President, The Darden Group LLC
• Christine Skaggs, Advisor in Analytical Pharmaceutical Design, Eli Lilly & Co.
• Danielle Shockey, Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Central Indiana
• Katherine Kiang, Sr. Scientist, Eli Lilly & Co.
• Linda Calvin, Tech Executive, Transcend Consulting
• Mariah Oliver, Founder & CEO, Boss Babe Network
• Melissa Lavella, Technical Support Supervisor, Roche
• Robyn Miller, Associate Director--Digital Health Application and Operations, Eli Lilly & Co.

Risk Taker Award Nominees 

• Brei Cecil-Satchwell, Director of Foundation Operations, TechPoint Foundation for Youth
• Faith Rainey, Manager, Customer Support Center, Roche Diagnostics

Rising Star Award Nominees 

• Jakki Kielty, Area Manager, Endress + Hauser
• Jamie Inskeep, Director of Programs, TechPoint Foundation for Youth
• Katie Obbagy, Senior Specialist - Technical Functional Excellence, Cummins Turbo Technologies
• Maria Hult, Subchapter Lead- Complaint Investigation Resolution, Roche Diagnostics
• Mariah Oliver, Digital Marketing Professional and Founder of Boss Babe Network, TeeSnap, BBN, Behind the Screen
• Marie Hendrickson, Senior Software Engineer II, Sallie Mae Bank
• Michelle Sharon, Manager, Roche Support Network Customer Support Center - Systems & Compliance, Roche Diagnostics
• Pallavi Satsangi, Global Customer Quality Engineer and North America Warehouse Quality Operations Management, Cummins Inc
• Sonal Sheth Zawahri, Founder, Tru You
• Stephanie Sponsel, Chief Operations Officer, netlogx

You Inspire Us! Award Nominees 

• Akilah Darden, President, The Darden Group LLC
• Jessica Baker, Consultant Scientist, Eli Lilly & Co
• Katherine Kiang, Sr Scientist, Eli Lilly & Co
• Katie Obbagy, Senior Specialist - Technical Functional Excellence, Cummins Turbo Technologies
• Sonal Sheth Zawahri, Founder, Tru You
• Terri Trabue, Contract Analyst-Gross to Net, Roche Diabetes Care

Outstanding Educator in STEM Award Nominees 

• Genevieve McLeish Petty, Computer Science Teacher, Cold Spring School
• Megha Juneja, School Support and Coach Manager, Purdue Polytechnic High Schools
• Sarah Mundy, Science Teacher, Purdue Polytechnic High Schools
• Sharita Ware, Engineering and Technology Educator, East Tipp Middle School
• Susan Elliott, STEM Teacher, Lowell Elementary

Outstanding Achievement in STEM Award Nominees 

• E. ZeNai Brooks, Controller, Corporate Responsibility and Foundation, Cummins; Chief Strategy Officer, Mind Your Business Accounting and Consulting; First Lady, New Liberty Missionary Baptist Church
• Kristen Cooper, CEO and Founder, The Startup Ladies
• Rabia Khan, President, Managed System Solutions
• Sonal Sheth Zawahri, Founder, Tru You

Change the Landscape Award Nominees 

• Akilah Darden, President, The Darden Group LLC
• Christine Krull, Program Director, Roche
• Dawn Rosemond, Firm Diversity Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP; Published Author (Boss Presence), Speaker and Founder, Reign Today
• Deborah Pollack Milgate, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg
• Sarah Burns, Senior Director, Global Scientific Communications, Eli Lilly & Co.
• Stacey McCreery, Founder and CEO, ROI Search Group

Undergraduate Scholarship Applicants

• Alivia Fields, Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology, Purdue University
• Courtney Mummert, Interior Design Science, Ball State University
• Jaden Soller, Cybersecurity, Anderson University
• Jazlyn Collyear, Cybersecurity, Indiana Tech
• Jordan Clark, Engineering, Taylor University
• Odessa Lyon, Biology, Indiana University
• Rebecca Boyd, Chemistry, Purdue University
• Zoe Barnsfather, Integrative and Organismal Biology, Indiana University
• Allie McClure, Mechanical Engineering, University of Indianapolis
• Amerti Guta, Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, DePauw University
• Audrey Harrison, Neurobiology and Physiology, Purdue University
• Corissa McClammer, Biotechnology, Ivy Tech Community College
• Danielle Cook, Information Systems, Indiana Institute of Technology
• Ella Virt, Cybersecurity, Purdue University
• Evie Iles, New Media and Informatics, IUPUI
• Gracie Hicks, Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry, Marian University
• Hannah Ruppert, Engineering, Indiana Wesleyan University
• Jadelynn Logan, Biology & Computer Science, Ball State University & Ivy Tech Community College
• Jessica Djessa, Engineering, Hanover College
• Kimeesha Graham, Electrical Engineering and Chemistry, Marian University & IUPUI
• Lauren Davis, Chemistry & Spanish, Saint Mary's College
• Lily Woeste, Biomedical Engineering and Biology, Marian University
• McKenna Stahl, Kinesiology, Purdue University
• Rashi Tyagi, Computer Science, IUPUI
• Samantha Schick, Biology with a focus in Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Franklin College
• Sara Lake, Nursing, Manchester University
• Summer Sexton, Informatics, Media Arts, and Science, IUPUI
• Stephanie Lawrence, Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, Marian University & Purdue University

Graduate Scholarship Applicants

• Anusuya Das, Law. IU McKinney School of Law
• Jalynn Gorman, Occupational Therapy, Huntington University
• Kelly Orze, Physician Assistant Studies, Franklin College
• Kimberly Wheaten, Epidemiology - Concentration in Diabetes and Cancer, IUPUI
• Lovette Coston, Information Systems, Indiana Wesleyan University
• Mariah Judy, Physical Therapy, University of Indianapolis
• Michiko Jackson, Information and Communication Sciences, Ball State University

Professional Development Grant Applicants

• LaJoi Robinson, Startup Ladies Membership
• Dinah Allen, UX/UI Design Certificate

Women & Hi Tech is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in Indianapolis in 1999. Women & Hi Tech is a pillar of the Indiana STEM community and provides valuable resources to STEM professionals and students. With a membership of almost 2000 professionals and students operated by an all-volunteer working Board of Directors and Emeritus Members, Women & Hi Tech is the only non-profit organization founded and focused in Indiana that is dedicated to changing the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all.

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