2019 Speakers

Leshell Hatley is a passionate computer engineer, educator, and researcher who continuously combines these three attributes to create innovative approaches to teaching STEAM+CS concepts to students between that ages of 3 and 73. She has logged over 20 years hours teaching African-American and Latino elementary, middle, high school, and college students in formal and informal educational environments throughout NY, NJ, MD, and DC. As the Founder and Executive Director of Uplift, Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission embodies her passion, […]

Tammarrian Rogers is the director of engineering, at Snap Inc. She is also CTO of OPTYVA, a consultancy and digital media group specializing in sustainability, business transformation, design and development, communications, and community development. Tammarrian has many passions including mentoring and inspiring girls, women and people of color to explore careers in technology.

Dr. Joel W. Branch is Director of Platform Development and AI Architect at Lucd, Inc., where he oversees development of capabilities for streamlined deep learning solutions for large-scale distributed computing and big data enterprise platforms. Previously, Dr. Branch was a manager in the Advanced Technology Group at ESPN, where he worked on predictive analytics for sports data and media. Prior to ESPN, he was a Research Staff Member at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center where he investigated a range […]

Julius Valentine Maina currently serves as a Partnership Specialist within the U.S. Census Bureau for the upcoming 2020 Decennial Census. In this role, he has been charged with developing creative strategies for educating the State on the importance of participating in the upcoming Census as well as increasing Census participation within traditionally hard to count populations in Maryland. He also serves as the Chief of Staff for Janeya Griffin “The Commercializer” and Chief Impact Officer for Public Bloc. Prior to […]

Dr. Nicki Washington is an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at Winthrop University and author of Unapologetically Dope: Lessons for Black Women and Girls on Surviving and Thriving in the Tech Field. She previously spent nine years at Howard University as the first Black female faculty member in the Department of Computer Science. Her research on identity and culturally relevant pedagogy and curriculum to increase the participation and retention of underrepresented students in computer science includes partnerships […]

Dr. Sybil Rosado is a Cybersecurity Professional, Expert Trainer, Motivational Speaker, and Digital Anthropologist. She educates, equips, and empowers audiences to understand the complexities embedded in the evolving matrix of our global digital culture Primarily, Dr. Rosado works as a Professor of Cybersecurity, Criminal Justice, and Social Science at Benedict College. She also serves her college and community as a Board Member of Several Non-Profit organizations, she is a member of the State Guard Cyber unit, a college committee member, […]

Angela Washington is an experienced executive, with first-hand operational experience and has over twenty years of Federal Government experience, serving six presidential administrations. She held various program and specialized positions in key government agencies such as the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce. Angela joined the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) in January 1999 in the Office of the National Director, during the Clinton Administration. Currently, she is a Senior Business Development Specialist […]

Renetta Garrison Tull is Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Student Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC: An Honors University in Maryland), where she is the Co-PI and Founding Director for the National Science Foundation’s PROMISE: Maryland’s Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) for the 12 institutions in the University System of Maryland, and Co-PI Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate at UMBC.  Dr. Tull has worked with […]

Dr. Raquel Hill is an Associate Professor of Computer Science in the School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at Indiana University. She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Harvard University. Dr. Hill‘s primary research interests span the areas of trust, security, and data privacy. Her more recent work on data privacy uses the semantics of data to create privacy preserving frameworks for text data. Her inter-disciplinary work on the re-identification risks […]

Dr. Brewer does research at the intersection of social computing and accessibility.  As an Assistant Professor and Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow in University of Michigan’s School of Information (UMSI), she investigates how to create more meaningful and accessible online communities for aging populations and voice-based interfaces for people with vision impairments.   Her dissertation work focused on developing voice-based online communities for older adults with vision impairments.  In the past, she has conducted research at University of Maryland’s HCIL, Carnegie Mellon’s Usable Privacy and […]

Dr. Seals is an associate professor in Auburn University’s Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering.  Dr. Seals conducts research in Human Computer Interaction with an emphasis in advanced learning technology. The products are developed through this research may utilize the gamification of learning systems, adaptive learning strategies or the use of Augmented/Virtual reality.    Dr. Seals works with many programs focused on improving computer science education at all levels and to increase the computing pipeline by cultivating students’ interest […]

Dr. Felicia Doswell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Norfolk State University. Dr. Doswell holds a B.S. from Norfolk State University, a M.S. from Georgia Tech, and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, all in Computer Science. Her education is complemented by over five years of research and development experience and over ten years of academic teaching, research and service. Dr. Doswell has technical research interests in the areas of cybersecurity, networking, human computer interaction and […]

Gloria Washington is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Howard University, where she runs the Affective Biometrics Lab.  She has more than fifteen years in Government service and has broadly presented on her research throughout industry. Dr. Washington holds a BS in Computer Information Systems from Lincoln University of Missouri, and MS and PhD degrees in CS from The George Washington University.

As Sr. Manager of Corporate Business Development and Strategy in the AI & Intelligent Cloud group at Microsoft Corporation, Kiesha drives alliances with global Fortune 500 companies and late-stage startups to accelerate digital transformation in strategic industries. In this role she spearheads key strategic partnerships and negotiates contracts needed to support innovation in the businesses of Microsoft partners and customers with new digital services and business models. She is an alumna of Spelman College with 17 years of experience in […]

Dr. Cheryl A. Swanier is the Department Chair of Mathematics and Computer Science and an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Claflin University where she is named the Henry N. and Alice Carson Tisdale Endowed Professor. Dr. Swanier conducts research in Human Computer Interaction with an emphasis in visual programming of educational simulations with end user programming and educational gaming technologies. Swanier was selected as a Visiting Research Scientist at Google in Mountain View, California for their Inaugural Faculty in […]

Afua Bruce is the director of engineering for New America’s Public Interest Technology program. Bruce joins New America after spending several years working in the Federal government—at the White House and at the FBI. During the Obama Administration, Bruce served as the executive director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s National Science and Technology Council at the White House. In this role, she oversaw 100 different Federal inter-agency working groups, tackling challenges on environment, and sustainability, homeland and […]

Yolanda A. Rankin  is currently an Assistant Professor in the College of Communication & Information at Florida State University and the Director of the Designing Technologies for the Underserved (DETOUR) Research Lab. Her research interests include identifying best practices and pedagogical strategies for the recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations in Computer Science education, leveraging game-based social interactions between native and non-native speakers to promote Second Language Acquisition, and defining methods to engage members of underserved populations in participatory design […]

Fayo Ojo is an undergraduate, computer science student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. There she is a leader in the Society of Women Engineers and Computer Science Education. In addition, she is a researcher in human-centered computing (HCC) and hopes to pursue HCC at the graduate level.

Sheena Erete is an assistant professor in the College of Computing and Digital Media at DePaul University and co-director of the Technology for Social Good Research and Design Lab. With a background in computer and social science, she is an expert in understanding how to situate and evaluate the use of technologies in resource-constrained communities to address issues such as violence, civic engagement, health and STEM education. With all her work being community-based, Dr. Erete takes an asset-based approach to […]

Christina Harrington (she/her) is a designer and scholar and currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Inclusive Technology Lab at Northwestern University. Christina conducts qualitative and exploratory design inquiries to understand the health technology needs and experiences of individuals who have been marginalized along multiple dimensions of identity (age, race, ethnicity, income, class), employing methods of co-creation and community-based participatory research to address health equity. Most recently, her research explores the ways participatory design research can support both function and […]

Titilayo ‘Titi’- I am a current design researcher at Microsoft with a background in CS and Applied Math from Illinois Tech and a Masters in HCI from Georgia Tech. I like working on software and bringing the user’s voice into the product process. In my spare time, I love to travel and try to experience cultures and love meeting people.

Tawanna Dillahunt is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Information and holds a courtesy appointment with the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department. She leads the Social Innovations research group, an interdisciplinary group of individuals whose vision is to design, build, and enhance technologies to solve real-world problems affecting marginalized groups and individuals primarily in the U.S. Her current projects aim to address unemployment, environmental sustainability, and technical literacy by fostering social and sociotechnical capital within […]

Angela Smith is a 3rd-year doctoral student in the Technology & Social Behavior program at Northwestern University. Currently, she works with Madhu Reddy within the People, Information, & Technology Changing Health (PITCH) Lab. Angela’s current research focuses on technology within a homeless shelter network (HSN). More specifically, how we can leverage technology and its design to improve the collaboration as well as the development of social trust and social capital in homeless emerging adults’ transition to mainstream society.

Ailsa Gilliam is an entrepreneur with a passion for leveraging technology to combat domestic violence and foster women’s empowerment.  A prior technology executive, this Harvard Master’s candidate is a 20 year veteran of commodities and investment banking.  Leveraging her corporate expertise, she creates video games that provide the player with strategies for safety and freedom from abuse, raising awareness of the subtleties of domestic violence. Ailsa also co-founded Recycl.it seeking to recycle Caribbean waste plastic into synthetic crude oil. A […]

Pamela Gibbs is currently Human Factors Engineer and Researcher at Northrop Grumman,  and an Information and Interaction Design doctoral candidate at the University of Baltimore. Her research focuses on the utilization of video games as a medium to encourage learning and increase participation of underrepresented and lower socioeconomic status groups in the STEM field. She holds an MBA and dual Bachelor of Science degrees in International Business and Marketing from Penn State University. She is also a proud wife, mom […]

Siobahn received her BS in Computer Science from Winston-Salem State University in 2005, her master’s degree in Information Science from North Carolina Central University in 2009, and in 2018 obtained her master’s and doctorate of philosophy degree in Computer Science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Siobahn is the first female Computer Science Ph.D. graduate from the department. She is a Lecturer for the Department of Computer Science at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an […]

Victoria is committed to helping those who seek to change their communities and the world. She prides herself on being more than an attorney to her clients, realizing that often her clients need more than just information and services rooted in law—they need counsel that takes into consideration the client’s personality, goals, financial situation, and strategy. Prior to opening her law firm, Victoria clerked in the District of Columbia Superior Court, spending one year on civil matters and another year […]

In 2007, Andrea Hence Evans, Esq. launched the intellectual property law practice, The Law Firm of Andrea Hence Evans. Attorney Evans career path is unique since she worked at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for approximately 5 years as both a patent examiner and a trademark examining attorney after graduating from law school. Andrea Hence Evans, Esq. is a 2002 graduate of The George Washington Law School in Washington, DC. While attending law school, she took advantage […]

Rati Thanawala spent 39 years in the high-tech industry, the last 17 as Vice President at Bell Labs. Rati came to the US from India on a Rotary Graduate Scholarship and joined the inaugural batch of grad students pursuing a PhD in Computer Science at Yale. After her PhD, she joined Bell Labs, which was part of AT&T, in software development. At Bell Labs, Rati pioneered the creation of techno-economic models for making complex decisions about new technologies. She established […]

Lori Mitchell is a geek, nerd, dork and all around tech enthusiast who founded Black Women in Technology in 2014. Despite all reports on the lack of black women in technology, she created BWIT to find them and give them cause to stake their claim in the vast tech universe.

Dr. Sydeaka Watson is a Principal Data Scientist at Korelasi Data Insights, L.L.C., an independent analytics consulting company. She earned a Ph.D. in Statistics from Baylor University and has several years of teaching experience at various colleges and universities. In her 5 years as Research Assistant Professor in The University of Chicago Biostatistics Laboratory, she consulted with over 110 biomedical research teams in The University of Chicago Medical Center, specializing in experimental design of clinical research studies and data analytics. […]

Attorney Aimee Griffin, managing attorney of The Griffin Firm PLLC. The Griffin Firm serves communities in Massachusetts, Maryland, District of Columbia, Georgia, and North Carolina. As an incorporator, Clerk and Corporate Counsel for the US Black Chambers, Aimee works to create, protect and transfer wealth for community enhancement. The Griffin Firm works with individuals and families to create generational wealth retention strategies. Aimee uses Trust and estate planning to support families to build generational wealth using tools that minimize taxation […]

Nikki D. Lee is the founder and CEO of KiLee Solutions, a technology development and consulting company. She holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Florida State University, a M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Concentration: Telecommunications and Networking) from Johns Hopkins University and is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Nikki began her career in a government intelligence agency before transitioning over to industry. She has over 20 years of experience working with Intelligence Community partners providing technical […]

Deena Davis is the Vice President and CEO of Alpha Omega Bioservices, Inc. She also serves as the managing partner of CT3 Properties, LLC. Alpha Omega Bioservices, Inc. provides biotechnology support services to the government and private sector. CT3 Properties is a real estate investment firm. Mrs. Davis graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a BS degree in Computer Science. She received a MS degree in Computer Science from Michigan State University. She spent many years developing software […]

Dr. Estwick is the Principal & Founder of The Acorn EdTech Group, a boutique education technology consultancy, which focuses on STEM education with special emphasis on computer science and cybersecurity for K-12 and under-represented populations. She has over 20 years’ experience in the information security industry and is currently the Program Director for the National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College and serves as the Co-Vice President for the Women in Cybersecurity Mid-Atlantic Affiliate. Prior to her academic and professional pursuits, […]

Dr. Brandeis Marshall, Founder and CEO of the data.ed.x group, is a successful professor, scholar and mentor. She is involved in a number of projects, workshops, and organizations that support data literacy and understanding, share best data practices and broaden participation in data science. Dr. Marshall brings nearly 15 years experience in higher education, and 10 years teaching databases and data-related courses. She has secured over $1.2M from federal and industry funded sources, serving as the principal or co-principal investigator, […]

Jamie Berger is a Computer Science Master’s student at Michigan Technological University. She performs community-based education research on Native American relationships with computing and how to modify computer science curricula to harmonize with Native American traditional values. Outside of the university, Jamie is actively involved in science communication to inspire others into computing. She shares stories of successful diverse individuals in technology, tips for surviving graduate school, and her personal experiences as a student. A unique portion of her science […]