Career Communications Group, Inc. Announces 2013 Women of Color STEM Conference Award Winners

Aug. 27, 2013 - PRLog -- Imani Carter
icarter@ccgmag.com
410-244-7101, ext. 124

BALTIMORE, MD– Celebrating the achievements of minority women is the focus of the 2013 Women of Color Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Conference, which will take place October 17-19 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas.

The 2013 Women of Color STEM conference is a multicultural event for women in scientific and technical careers. The conference features several key speakers who will address the underrepresentation of women in the disciplines. The conference will also host training seminars that will highlight important topics such as leadership and professional skills, diversity and inclusion, technical leadership and innovation and career outlook.

Tyrone D. Taborn, CEO of Career Communications Group, Inc., calls the awards a long-deserved recognition for talented women. "These women are outstanding achievers in very competitive fields where women do not always get a fair shot at leadership positions," Taborn says.

"Women make up more than half of the population of this country and are receiving more than half of the college degrees, yet too many women in today’s work force are trapped in low-paying and low-grade-level jobs," Taborn adds. "Given the growing diversity of the current work force, employers must commit not only to leveling the playing field but also to addressing those inequalities that limit women from achieving their full career potential."

One of the many goals of the National Women of Color STEM Conference, Taborn says, is to “provide employers with a unique opportunity to recognize those women within their ranks who are already successful, thus sending a clear message that there is room for many others who choose to follow.”

The 2013 Women of Color STEM Conference award winners under their respective categories are:

Technologist of the Year

Camille D'Annunzio
Manager, Automated Sensor Exploitation Technology Center
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems

Career Achievement - Industry

Iris Bobmelyn
Vice President, Narrowband Communications and Program Manager
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company

Pamela Carter
Vice President
The Boeing Company

College-Level Promotion of Education

Mary Benjamin
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff

Community Service
Dorothy Shaw
Manager Community Relations/Government Affairs
Huntington Ingalls Industries-Ingall Shipbuilders

Mini Balachandran
Production Lead (Industrial Engineering)
Navy
Entrepreneur Leadership

Leshell Hatley
Executive Director
Uplift, Inc.

K-12 Promotion of Education

Valarie Hawkins
PLTW/GGT Educator-Magnet Coordinator
Baltimore County Public Schools

Kimberly Puckett
Mathematics Instructor
Tri-Village Local School District

Managerial Leadership - Government

Deborah Ann Baker
PMA-234 Chief of Staff
Naval Air Systems Command

Managerial Leadership - Industry

Sarah Travelute
Program Management and Subcontract Senior Manager
Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control

Bernice Johnson
Senior Director of Risk and Analytics
Walmart, Information System Division

Andrea Bailey
Senior Software Engineer
IBM Systems x Technology Group (STG)

New Media/IT Leadership

Charneice McKenzie
Exercise Planner
United States Air Force

Outstanding Technical Contribution - Industry

Chee Ching
IT System Planning and Delivery
AT&T

Millicent Ruffin
Project Manager
Corning Incorporated

Pioneer Award

Rajani Sinha
Manager, Plant Supply Systems
Chrysler Group LLC

Marsha Brown-Hackworth
Senior Planner/Scheduler
General Dynamics/NASSCO

Professional Achievement - Government

Regina Goff
Chief, Financial Analysis Division
Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command

Valerie Poarch-Harding
Supervisory Computer Scientist
U.S. Army CECOM

Professional Achievement - Industry

LaQuita Hall
VP-Business Operations
AT&T

Student Leadership

Betzany Perez
Cadet
Saint Mary's University

Cheree Chisolm
Cadet
University of Arizona

Technical Innovation - Government

Deborah So'Brien
Logistics Management Specialist Team Lead
U.S. Army Materiel Command Logistics Support Activity

Technical Innovation - Industry

Tina P. Srivastava
Chief Engineer
Raytheon Company

Joan Wada
Technical Fellow
The Boeing Company

Special Recognition

Rhonda Brown
Senior Business Manager IT
AT&T

Selina Vik
Department Head, Training and Career Development
Dept. of Navy

Lakela Lofton
Nuclear Engineering Manager
Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding

Priyadarshini Bajoria
Group Manager
Infosys Ltd.

Brenda Sanders
Branch Manager, AIR-6.7.2.1
Naval Air Systems Command

Pamela Jones
Software Development Analyst
Northrop Grumman Corporation

Sonal Deshpande
Vice President Advanced Maritime & IAMD Systems
Northrop Grumman Corporation

Maria-Cristina Spiak
Quality Manager
The Boeing Company

Aimee Do
Manager
The Boeing Company

Cynthia McCollum
Professional Development Counselor
USAMC LOGSA

About Women of Color magazine:
Women of Color Magazine is published by Career Communications Group (CCG), the leader in celebrating diversity and promoting equal opportunity for minorities and women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). CCG provides leadership in talent management and career development, enabling employers to recruit, retain, and recognize highly qualified minorities.

For more information about this year’s awardees, sponsors, and registration details, please visit www.womenofcolor.net.