Women in Technology announces 22nd Annual Leadership Award winners

Women tech leaders in the DMV recognised for tremendous achievements and inspiring leadership.

Women in Technology (WIT), the premier organisation contributing to the success of professional women in the Washington, D.C. area technology community, announced winners of the 22nd Annual Leadership Awards at a Gala held virtually on Thursday, May 20, 2021. The evening honoured highly successful women who have inspired their industry counterparts and significantly impacted the local technology community.

The annual WIT Leadership Awards showcases the accomplishments and contributions of female leaders in entrepreneurial, STEM, academia, nonprofit and corporate roles across the Washington, DC technology landscape.

“Though this past year presented unprecedented challenges, our mission to celebrate inspiring female leaders in the technology community remains unwavering,” said Daphne Wotherspoon, WIT president. “This year’s winners represent a unique group as they’ve proven their ability to overcome adversity and continue to prioritise innovation, even in times of strife.”

This year’s winners are as follows:

  • Corporate Large-Market Sector – Nisa Moore, General Dynamics Information Technology
  • Corporate Mid-Market Sector – Michelle Tuggle, Okta, Inc.
  • Corporate Small-Market Sector – Manisha Morris, MSM Technology, LLC
  • Nonprofit & Academia – Sreelata Pillai, College Board
  • Rising Star – Shaleen Braley, General Dynamics Information Technology
  • Small Business/Entrepreneur – Jen Sovada, Avantus (formerly MissionTech Solutions)
  • STEM Leadership – Patty Obermaier, Microsoft Corporation
  • Unsung Hero – Jessica Langlais, Alpha Omega Integration, LLC

The Leadership Foundry, a signature program of WIT created to prepare women for corporate board service, also presented its annual Corporate Leadership Award to Booz Allen Hamilton. The Corporate Leadership Award recognises local public companies making a difference in gender diversity on their Board of Directors and the C-Suite.

In addition to the above winners, this year’s WIT President’s Award was given to Cristine Gollayan. Throughout her career, Cristine has been a role model for women in technology and cybersecurity and through her outreach and volunteer efforts, she has inspired future generations of young women to embrace STEM education and careers. This year as the WIT President-Elect, she launched a successful podcast series for WIT, driving greater engagement in the community and offering a new platform for women leaders in the D.C. area to share their unique expertise and perspective. She has helped to drive membership goals across the organisation and represents the best that WIT has to offer in all that she does.

READ MORE:

About Women in Technology

Women in Technology (WIT) is a not-for-profit organisation with the mission of advancing women in technology — from the classroom to the boardroom. With more than 1,000 members in the Washington, D.C. area, WIT fulfils its vision by providing leadership development, technology education, networking, and mentoring opportunities for women at all levels of their careers and girls interested in STEM. 

For more news from Top Business Tech, don’t forget to subscribe to our daily bulletin!

Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter

Amber Donovan-Stevens

Amber is a Content Editor at Top Business Tech

Tech and Business Outlook: US Confident, European Sentiment Mixed

Viva Technology • 11th February 2025

The VivaTech Confidence Barometer, now in its second edition, reveals strong confidence among tech executives regarding the impact of emerging technologies on business competitiveness, particularly AI, which is expected to have the most significant impact in the near future. Surveying tech leaders from Europe and North America, 81% recognize their companies as competitive internationally, with...

How smart labels are transforming supply chains

Sharath Muddaiah • 27th January 2025

As e-commerce continues to rise globally, the impact of just-in-time manufacturing and rising consumer expectations mean the need for real-time visibility has never been greater. Smart labels directly address this demand, offering solutions to long-standing challenges like shipment delays, theft, and the lack of traceability. With the smart label market projected to grow from $14.1...

The rise of loyalty apps

Sue Azari • 17th January 2025

Increased choice and a consumer more price sensitive than ever before, has made customers far more likely to shop around for the best deals. Price is now the number one factor in brand consideration. In an effort to bag a bargain, loyalty programs have become increasingly popular with consumers, with nine out of ten in...

Rocket launch challenges Elon Musk’s space dominance

Professor Sultan Mahmud • 16th January 2025

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s space company has blasted its first rocket into orbit in a bid to challenge the dominance of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The New Glenn rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 02:02 local time (07:02 GMT). It firmly pits the world’s two richest men against each other in...

Giesecke+Devrient launches new Smart Label at CES 2025

Giesecke Devrient • 06th January 2025

G+D has today launched the G+D Smart Label, its innovative tracking solution that transforms any package into an IoT device. Ultra-thin and only slightly larger than a credit card, the new Smart Label proposition has been jointly developed by G+D in conjunction with its hardware partner, Sensos to enable cost-effective, accurate location tracking for a...

Choose an AI solution to transform beyond technology

Kit Cox • 09th December 2024

The first step is knowing exactly what your business wants to achieve with AI; think faster, smarter and more efficient. Once you know what you are working towards, you can start looking for a solution that can help you make it a reality. AI integration can feel like a daunting task at the beginning, so...

A Roadmap to Security and Privacy Compliance

John Lynch Director of Kiteworks • 04th December 2024

Only by understanding the current regulatory environment and implementing robust data protection measures, can organisations enhance their security posture, ensure compliance, and build resilience against the latest cyber threats. This article provides a comprehensive roadmap of how to do it.