Get To Know Our Finalists for the 25th Annual WIT Awards – Medium/Mid-Sized Category
Chintan Patel
Chintan Patel is an accomplished Chief Information Officer at National DCP with over two decades of experience driving digital transformation and operational excellence across global retail and supply chain organizations. She has led large-scale technology initiatives, including digital transformation, legacy modernization, cloud migration, and M&A integrations, transforming IT into a strategic business enabler.
Currently, Chintan is leading a multi-year modernization effort, including the rollout of AI-enabled supply chain platforms supporting over 10,000 Dunkin franchisees in 40 countries. Known for her visionary leadership and collaborative approach, she builds high-performing, inclusive teams that deliver innovation at scale. A passionate advocate for diversity in tech, Chintan mentors emerging leaders and frequently shares her insights on leadership and inclusion through speaking engagements and industry forums.
Kerri Sauer
Kerri Sauer (She/Her/Hers) is a Global Technology Leader and Catalyst for Change known for a keen focus on delivery, execution, transformation, and change management. Sauer currently serves as the Leader for the U.S. Payments Practice at Sia Partners where she guides the firm’s go-to-market strategy, client delivery, and team development across major accounts. With deep expertise in Payments Modernization, Digital Transformation, and Scaled Agile Delivery, Kerri has led numerous companies through complex engagements across card processing, core banking modernization, and regulatory compliance. Her ability to deliver results in fast paced, high-stakes environments has made her a trusted advisor to senior executives in the C-Suites across banks, fintechs, and processors. Prior to joining Sia Partners, Kerri served at the Officer level as the Vice President of Transformation for Fannie Mae, the leading source of mortgage financing in the United States.
In her role as the head of Transformation at Fannie Mae, Kerri was responsible for the design and execution of their Digital Transformation Roadmap, support and oversight for cross-functional program management, ongoing maturation and expansion of the Enterprise Operating Model and training strategy, as well as the DevSecOps and Agile Practices, including the Agile Center of Excellence.
She has 25 years of experience in Consulting, IT, and the Financial Services & FinTech industries. Prior to Fannie Mae, Sauer ran the Agile Center of Excellence at Truist Bank (SunTrust & BB&T), and previously worked with North Highland and Elavon. Kerri has a reputation for being the go-to leader to engage for impact, regardless of the situation and believes in bringing your whole self to work and any situation. Because of this philosophy, Sauer has a significant track record of building high performing and engaged leadership teams that have an immediate effect on the entire organization.
Kerri is also a highly engaged community leader within Atlanta, serving on non-profit boards, volunteering, and advocating on behalf of various causes, and is particularly known for being a STEAM champion (don’t forget the A!). She has served as a Board Member of Hands On Atlanta and a member of the Advisory Council for Chris180, WIT (Women in Technology)’s Director for their Executive Coaching Program, UNCF Atlanta, Out Front Theatre Company – Atlanta’s only LGBTQIA+ theatre (founding Board Member, former President and Chairwoman of the Board and subsequent Advisory Board member), Girls Inc. of Atlanta, and Theatre Emory. She is a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2017 and Leadership Cobb’s Class of 2022.
Paula Wagner
Paula Wagner is a trailblazing CIO and transformative technology leader who has redefined the impact IT can have on enterprise growth. She is known for building AI-native, future-forward organizations that don’t just adapt to change—they anticipate it, lead it, and scale because of it. With a career spanning energy, media, hospitality, and insurance, Paula brings a powerful mix of technical depth, business savvy, and bold, outcome-driven leadership. As Chief Information Officer at Mansfield Energy, Paula is architecting a sweeping transformation—turning a legacy business into a modern technology enterprise.
She’s elevated IT from support function to strategic powerhouse: embedding intelligence into operations, launching enterprise-grade digital platforms, and leading product teams deliver at a pace once thought impossible. Under her leadership, IT has become a core value creator—not just internally, but for Mansfield’s partners and customers alike.
What drives Paula is the belief that technology, when done right, can fundamentally reshape how businesses operate and how people work. She is passionate about building high-performance cultures, mentoring future leaders, and leading organizations through inflection points with purpose and precision. Her edge lies in her ability to turn ambiguity into direction—and direction into momentum.
She sees around corners, galvanizes teams, and executes with clarity and conviction. Whether she’s reimagining legacy systems or unlocking new commercial opportunities with AI, Paula doesn’t just keep pace—she sets it. Because for Paula Wagner, the future isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you create.
