About the Women of the Year Awards

The Women of the Year Awards, hosted annually by Women In Technology (WIT), celebrates exceptional women across Georgia who are making a significant impact in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). Now in its 24th year, the WIT Awards honor leaders, innovators, and advocates who pave the way for future women in STEAM.

Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current role in the tech/STEAM field?

“My engineering journey began in school when I decided to make wooden spoons for fun after taking my first maker design engineering (MDE) class. I enjoyed that experience so much that I began making other items in my free time. From there I joined organizations like WIT and the Society of Women Engineers. Currently, I am a dual enrollment student at Kennesaw State University (KSU) and teach my class that I launched called Auto-CAN You Do It where I teach students how to do 3D modeling using CAD.”

What inspired you to pursue a career in tech/STEAM, and who has been your most significant influence?

“What inspired me to pursue a career in engineering was doing as many hands-on engineering projects in school. Using different engineering tools and coming up with new projects kept me excited to learn more about the field.”

What challenges have you faced as a woman/girl in STEAM, and how did you overcome them?

“A challenge I’m facing is finding internship opportunities. Currently, I am a member of the Robotics Team at KSU. Additionally, I recently became involved with an engineering research lab at KSU. Through these developmental opportunities, I am learning and gaining hands-on experience for future internship opportunities. ”

Can you share a moment or project you are particularly proud of in your career?  

“A moment that I am proud of was recently designing a hook in SOLIDWORKS for the payload interface release mechanism on my robotics team.”

What excites you most about the future of technology/your field?

“What excites me most about engineering is that the tools we make can be used broadly across different industries, but as engineers, we can also customize those same tools to fit the customer’s needs as well.”

How have you contributed to innovation or change in your organization or community?

“As I got more involved in engineering, I was constantly told how little representation there was for women of color in the field. As a female of color in the engineering space, I hope to serve as an inspiration to other young girls to consider an engineering career path.”

How do you use your position to empower or mentor other women/girls in STEAM?

“As a member of the Society of Women Engineers, (SWE), I was a SWE Next Influencer tasked with using the organization’s Instagram to promote SWE to other girls. I created and published a digital story in video format about my journey to an unexpected engineering career path. My goal was to share with career-undecided girls how I stumbled onto engineering and discovered my interest in the field.”

Can you give us an example of how you’ve supported diversity, equity, and inclusion in your work?

“In addition to making my CAD classes free, I also take time to be patient and encouraging to my students. Not all of my students’ first language is English and not all of them have access to a computer. Despite these challenges, I still encourage anyone interested in learning 3D modeling to join and ensure they can still participate in the session.”

What are your goals for the future, and how do you hope to continue making an impact in STEAM?

“In the future, I plan to major in mechanical engineering. One way I hope to keep making an impact in STEAM is by expanding the free Computer Aided Design (CAD) class I developed called, Auto-CAN You Do It, to teach students in schools. Currently, I teach the free AutoCAD 3D modeling virtual class to students globally and in my local community. “

How do you envision the future of women in technology, and what changes would you like to see? 

“I hope that in the future, more women and young girls will feel motivated and inspired to pursue a field in STEAM. I envision the fields of STEAM becoming more diverse with people from different backgrounds. A change I would like to see is more young girls participating in STEAM activities, like coding, robotics, or engineering design while they are in school! I would also love to see internship opportunities, especially in engineering, for high schoolers.”

Why is WIT’s mission essential and how do you see the organization influencing the personal and career growth of those involved?

“WIT Girls is so important because it exposes young girls to the many different careers in STEAM. By participating in WIT, girls can know which area of STEAM they are most interested in pursuing in the future and expand their professional network at a young age.”

What does selection as a finalist for the WIT Awards mean to you, and how do you feel this recognition can inspire others?

“Being a WIT Award finalist is very empowering and reassuring, especially since I started exploring engineering as a teenager. I hope this recognition shows others they can begin their STEAM journey any time without feeling intimidated and still make a contribution.”