Leila Barkhadle
Compliance Sr. Director at Equifax

Leila’s leadership as the Security & Compliance manager upholds the organization’s security standards. Efficiently managing the front door process for security requests ensures regulatory compliance and a robust security posture. Her expertise in infrastructure program management leaves a lasting impact, navigating complex projects with proficiency. Leila’s dedication to fostering an inclusive workplace is commendable, participating in various committees and mentorship programs. Recently nominated for WATT Woman of the Month, her support empowers women and positively impacts their careers. With a Bachelor of Computer Science, Leila has gained valuable experience working at Boeing, IBM, and Equifax throughout her career. Her technical background has contributed to her success as a program manager and leader.

Outside of her professional life, Leila has a family with two children. Her oldest daughter recently graduated from UGA, majoring in MIS (Management Information System), and her youngest has just started high school at FSA. Both of her kids attended Fulton Science Academy, which focuses on STEAM education, and that’s what she promotes and encourages.

Monique Hart
Vice President of Information Security at Piedmont 

Monique is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in Cybersecurity, Risk Management, IT Governance, Vulnerability Management, and Incident Response. Her work has crossed multiple industries including Healthcare, Food & Beverages, Media & Entertainment, Transportation, and Telecommunications. Currently, she is the Vice President of Information Security for Piedmont – a 22 hospital system and the largest healthcare provider in Georgia. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the security of electronic Healthcare information and content as it pertains to Piedmont’s business, employee, and patient data.

Monique acquired her MBA with honors from Kennesaw State University. She also graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Information Technology and is a HealthCare Information Security and Privacy Practitioner: certified in Risk and Information Systems Control. She participates in many advisory panels and currently serves as VP of the InfraGard Atlanta Board.

Off hours, she enjoys reading a book, mentoring others, or cheering for her favorite soccer team on the sidelines.

Anju Mathew
CEO & CO-Founder of OncoLens

Anju is CEO and co-founder of OncoLens. Most recently, she was the head of technology and innovation at McKesson’s Medical Surgical business unit where she led the development and launch of several successful tools and business partnerships. Prior to her role at McKesson Medical Surgical, Anju was part of McKesson’s corporate strategy group. She was also co-founder and executive at LumaMed, a medical device company focused on cancer imaging. A serial entrepreneur, Anju has raised more than $15M in funding, won numerous accolades including, Georgia Titan 2023, Women 2.0 2009, Women in Science (WIT) nominee 2021 and the TAG top innovator’s award. She is very passionate about innovation and technology startups – is an active angel investor, a prior member of the Atlanta Technology Angels group and served as board member at technology startups. She has served in strategy and technology roles at various companies including Thomson Reuters, A. T. Kearney, IBM and i2 Technologies. Anju has an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology. In her free time, Anju enjoys spending time with her family, going on long walks, watching movies and traveling around the world.

D’Lovely Gibson
SVP, Product, D&A and Technology Planning and Execution at Equifax

D’Lovely is a resilient leader with a diverse background in technology and business. With 20+ years of experience, she has excelled in delivering complex, global initiatives and driving organizational “firsts”.

D’Lovely has built her career pioneering enterprise solutions in both government and private sector roles at the Centers for Disease Control, Warner Bros., AIG, IHG, and Delta. Currently, she is SVP for Product, D&A and Technology Planning and Execution at the forefront of a

groundbreaking $1.5B cloud transformation. Her blend of expertise in technology, governance and communications position her as an invaluable asset at the executive leadership level.

D’Lovely leads with a strong focus on people by playing to their strengths to build momentum, trust, and accountability. An advocate for women in technology, she is a member of the

Executive Advisory Board for Lesbians Who Tech and an executive sponsor for Equifax’s Women Advancing Technology Together affinity group dedicated to increasing the visibility of women IT professions.

Jasmine Grant
SVP, Head of Treasury Technology at Truist

Jasmine joined Truist bank in 2012 and has over 25 years of professional services experience. She currently leads the Treasury Solutions Technology division as part of the Wholesale Technology organization at Truist.

She has enjoyed working across a wide spectrum of financial services primarily in Treasury, Broker Dealer, Private Wealth (Merrill Lynch), and Mortgage (Bank of America). In addition, she drove management consulting engagements with KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers to deliver large scale transformation initiatives (merger integration, organizational restructuring).

Jasmine is originally from Michigan and completed her MBA from Goizueta Business School (Emory University). She enjoys traveling abroad with her family, motorsports, and community engagement. She is a former executive board member for both the Atlanta Commission on Women and AID Atlanta non-profit organizations.

Tawanna Grant
SVP, Software Engineering Director II at Truist

Tawanna Grant has accumulated extensive experience in technology, with expertise in software design and delivery in financial services. Among her corporate accolades she holds the prestigious Truist Performance Award, multiple Gold Performance Awards, and distinguished status as an alumnus of the Insights Program and IT Senior Management Forum’s Executive Academy.

Tawanna is the CEO of Collins Educational Services, which offers a free summer STEM program for elementary and middle school students. She recently established a group home for girls in her childhood home, managed by the Women Inspiring and Networking organization, where Tawanna is the incoming Chairman of the Board, empowering residents to pursue careers in the technology field. In addition, she co-hosts the “Money Monday” podcast on the Juice Radio and Talk Show, imparting financial literacy. Tawanna holds a BS degree from DeVry University, an MBA in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix and is completing a PhD in Christian Leadership at Liberty University, where she was inducted into the Omega Nu Lambda National Honor Society. 

Denise Nicole Francis
Product Design Lead at Salesforce

Denise is a Product Design Lead at Salesforce with Bachelors & Masters degrees in Architecture from FAMU and a Fine Arts Masters in Graphic Design from SCAD. Formerly, she served as Product Designer at The Weather Channel/IBM and as a Creative Designer with Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter India Arie. Denise indulges in fine art, using her skills as an imagineer to create captivating visual stories. She holds 12 USA design patents, and finds inspiration in excursions to beautifully unique environments. Denise also serves as Salesforce Global Comms & Design Chair for BOLDforce, advocating Black tech talent while driving community impact. Denise attributes her successes to focusing on the vulnerability in human experiences, and remains fueled by imaginative whimsy and Caribbean upbringing (antigua W.I.). Her favorite line from Graphic Design icon, Massimo Vignelli, encapsulates her philosophy “The life of a designer is a life of fight. FIGHT AGAINST UGLINESS.”

Malika Garrett
AVP Sales at Tech Mahindra

Malika is a Designer and Transformalist. The first Indian artist to have a solo exhibit at the Woodruff Arts Center. Malika thrives at the intersection of artistry and technology creating exceptional visual experiences via Design Thinking and Storyboarding. She is an AVP for Tech Mahindra. This larger-than-life professional’s experience spans over 30 years of leadership with NY Times, The Coca-Cola Company, Nestle, PepsiCo, Infosys, Capgemini and others. She has also made strides in Film, TV and Philanthropy. Malika is a fierce supporter of women in her community and workspace focusing on women’s rights and equality. She has coached and inspired countless women helping to contour their brand to better tell their stories and impact their world. As an accomplished leader, Malika ran her own Consulting firm and one of her most notable clients was Entertainment Mogul, Ms. Oprah Winfrey. She sits on several Boards, serves as a mentor and speaker for Wesleyan College, SCAD and GA State University. Malika measures personal success by the lives that she inspires and those transformed by her contributions.

Paula Rodriguez
CEO & CO-Founder of PRecise Consulting

Paula Rodriguez is the CEO and co-founder of PRecise Consulting, a bilingual digital marketing and video production agency. The ten-time Emmy Award-winning journalist has over 10 years of experience working in media. She has worked as a news reporter and producer for Telemundo.

Paula has received the Georgia Association of Broadcasters Merit Award “Best Feature Series”. Her news report was the only series in Spanish recognized during the awards in 2018.

She has received recognitions from the Ecuadorian Consulate General and participated as a panelist in events organized for The Carter Center, the British Consulate General and Canadian Consulate in Atlanta.

Paula is a part of local organizations where she provides support and service as a master of ceremonies.

Paula was born in Venezuela. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Universidad Central de Venezuela and upon moving to Atlanta, she studied English as a second language at Georgia Tech Language Institute.

Marquita Blades
Creator & Lead Consultant at POWARRful Teaching Strategies

Dr. Marquita S. Blades is an award-winning educator with over 20 years of experience in the classroom and in education leadership. She is the creator of the POWARRful Teaching Strategies® framework, a unique methodology that promotes problem-solving skills, stimulates critical thinking, and boosts student engagement. Dr. Blades is also a sought-after speaker and presenter, and has shared her insights and expertise at numerous conferences and seminars. She is a dedicated advocate for women’s representation in STEM, and has published multiple books and resource manuals to help teachers improve their practice. When Dr. Blades is not teaching or speaking about teaching, she enjoys traveling and spending time in her second home – Panama, Central America. She is a new swimmer at age 45 and is currently learning Spanish.

Marsha Francis
Executive Director at STE(A)M Truck

Recognized by Ed Week as a “2020 Leader to Learn From” Dr. Marsha Francis is Executive Director of STE(A)M Truck and a passionate advocate for STEAM equity connecting corporate partners with STE(A)M Truck to provide high-quality STEAM opportunities for Metro Atlanta’s youth. Through programs like “Girls Going Tech”, Girls Build Solutions” and “STEAM Rising”, she is ensuring that barriers are removed from the paths of young girls, helping them dream new dreams and connect with life enhancing careers. Dr. Francis continues to learn new ways to support women and girls across Metro Atlanta through programs like Georgia Women’s Policy Institute, Inspire Atlanta and Georgia Education Policy Fellowship. Her trailblazing efforts unite her passion for equitable learning, hands-on STEAM experiences, and commitment to gender equity, empowering the next generation of leaders and learners, and was recently featured in the documentary, “Roadtrip Nation: Changemakers”.

Hannah Oldham
Mathematics Educator and STEM Scholar Academy at Sprayberry High School

Dr. Oldham is a mathematics educator and the STEM Scholar academy coordinator at Spraybery High School. She has been a public school teacher for 16 years and is a district leader in curriculum and instruction. She is the recipient of two NCWiT Aspirations in Computing Educator Awards, is a published author, the first Varsity eSports coach in Cobb County, and has been selected to present at multiple National Conferences including NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) and AiE (Aspirations in Education) as well as many local and state conferences. Her passion is inspiring the next generation of Women in STEM and this is seen in her many club sponsorships including the Girls who Code and the Girls who Game clubs. Hannah brings in women in STEM fields as guest speakers monthly to increase visualization and representation of successful women in STEM to young girls. Hannah has been awarded over $29,000 in educational grants to support her students and has inspired countless young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Ankita Agarwal
Global Director Commercial Transformation (RGM/TPM) at Kimberly-Clark

Ankita is a dynamic and results-oriented executive leader with 16+ years of experience in Management and Information Technology with deep expertise in Consumer Products industry and Big Scale Digital / Technology transformations.

At Kimberly-Clark, Ankita serves as a Global Director for Commercial Transformation. Ankita leverages her rich management experience to lead the company’s most innovative digital transformation initiatives for Integrated Margin Management, RGM Analytics, and Global Trade transformation, leveraging data and predictive analytics at global scale. She actively drives competitive advantage for KC by building “win, win” partnerships with cross-functional teams to develop capabilities that enable holistic and synchronized prescriptive actions for front-line decision makers.

Sara Scruggs
Director of Quantitative Risk Modeling at Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

Sara has built a career founded on education, self-improvement, and creative solutions. Sara graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 2010. Sara has spent the majority of her career with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta starting as a financial risk analyst in 2011 before completing a Masters in Quantitative and Computational finance part time at Georgia Tech and transitioning to model research and development. Sara held various quantitative roles in treasury and model risk governance before being promoted to manager of the Financial Risk Modeling group in 2017. Under her leadership, the group has improved model functionality and efficiency with strong data management practices while adapting to a constantly changing economic environment. Sara is an outdoor enthusiast and an avid reader. She enjoys spending weekends hiking with her partner or reading a book with her two cats.

Susan Twadell
AVP, Enterprise Data Management and Enablement at Cox Automotive

Susan graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia with a BBA in Accounting. She spent five years at Turner Broadcasting focusing on financial analysis for the subscription sales, studio production, and software development teams.

Susan joined Manheim in 2007 to lead process improvements as they adopted a new Oracle ERP system, winning the Change Leader Award in 2009. She expanded scope into analytics and product management, leading predictive analytics teams to replace a decades-old system for post-sale activities. In 2017, she was one of three people from outside Cox Communications asked to participate in their Executive Leadership program.

Susan joined Cox Automotive in 2018 as AVP, Enterprise Data Management & Enablement. She focuses on bringing data to the masses for actionable, data-driven decision making through their Enterprise Data Marketplace and ModelOps platforms. Collibra awarded Susan’s team with the 2022 Data Program of the Year Excellence Award.

Jennifer Baker
Chief Technology Officer at Synovus

Jennifer is a Financial Services Executive with knowledge and expertise across a variety of disciplines and roles including Product Management, Technology, Operations, Innovation, and Strategy. She currently serves as Chief Technology Officer at Synovus Bank, a $62B regional bank in the Southeastern United States. Jennifer oversees all Synovus Enterprise Technology Operations including Infrastructure, 24×7 Production Control, Cloud Modernization, Service Desk and End User Support.

Jennifer is an active member within numerous professional and community programs such as Technology Association of Georgia, Georgia Chamber of Commerce Innovation Committee and Women in Technology forums. This includes supporting various student organizations at University of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology and Kennesaw State University.

Her professional accomplishments include Synovus Chairman’s Circle Game Changer award recipient, 2023 Technology Assoc. of Georgia DEI Tech Leader of the Year and 2023 Georgia CIO Orbie Finalist.

Kate Mandrell
Executive Vice President at NCR

Kate is an Executive Vice President of Commercial Strategy & Operations at NCR, a leading $8-billion Fortune 500 software- and services-led enterprise technology provider. She reports to the COO and leads more than 15 commercial functions, including leading the split of NCR into two independent companies. Kate has earned 3 accelerated promotions, surpassing SVP level, culminating with a board-approved promotion directly to EVP due to her impactful work. Kate has established NCR’s company-wide “as-a-Service” go-to-market strategy, shifting its revenue mix so that 80% is comprised of software and services and 60% from recurring revenue. She also leads an agile team in the Office of the CEO, ensuring that executive leadership and the Board have access to the information needed to understand NCR’s business environment and make decisions accordingly. Before NCR, Kate was an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, a leading global management consulting firm, where she led multiple client transformation projects and built executive client partnerships. Kate’s work has resulted in significant margin improvements and increased revenue for her clients.

Camryn Mastel
Founder & CEO at Innovien Solutions

Camryn, Founder and CEO of Innovien, is an entrepreneur, visionary, and exemplary leader. Founding Innovien in 2017, she sought to not only fill the void of female-led representation in the tech services industry, but also redefine the way those services are delivered. Innovien’s focus on service & relationships has set the organization apart in a competitive tech industry. Under Camryn’s guidance, the organization has rapidly grown to land itself a ranking in the Top 14% of Inc. Magazine’s list of 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies for two consecutive years. Camryn has been recognized in the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2022 Class of 40 Under 40, award recipient of the Greater Women’s Business Council’s LACE Trailblazer award, ranked by Comparably as the Best CEO for Women, a 2x Women in Technology Women to Watch nominee, and was most recently ranked 5th fastest growing company by WPO (Women Presidents Organization).

Manjula Ganta
Senior Director, Product Development (Global Product & Technology) at ADP

Manjula is a distinguished technology leader responsible for product development across cloud and hybrid platforms for ADP’s upmarket clients. With 24 years in Human Capital Management (HCM), her expertise spans Product Development, Technology Enablement, and Strategy across HCM functions. Previously, as Director Strategic Initiatives she drove Robotics Process Automation, Data Analytics, and Web/Service Technology teams. Before ADP, Manjula excelled as a Technical Consultant for almost a decade, implementing HCM solutions for major entities like General Electric. Her contributions laid the groundwork setting standards and architecture for module customizations.

Beyond her professional achievements, Manjula’s community engagement is inspiring. She actively supports Women In Technology, as a Volunteer Program Director for the Single Mother’s Program, an American Heart Association Coach, served as a Program Committee for ADP Women in Leadership Mentoring, and engages with various nonprofits. Her multifaceted dedication positions her as a role model driving positive change in both the technology industry and the community.

Trina L. Hill
SVP – Technology Consumer Bank & Finance at Synchrony

Trina, a seasoned Senior Vice President in Technology Leadership at Synchrony, has amassed a wealth of experience over two decades. Her expertise lies in shaping strategies, implementing software, fortifying security systems, and streamlining processes for industry giants such as IBM, Fiserv, Georgia Pacific, GE, and Synchrony.

Currently, Trina is spearheading the way in the Consumer Bank and Treasury domains. She is responsible for core areas such as Payments, Regulatory Reporting, and more.

Trina’s academic credentials include both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Georgia and numerous certifications from agile to professional coaching.

Trina is the driving force behind TECH CARE™, an initiative that strives to create a nurturing space for Women of Color in the technology sector. She also acts as a board advisor for Working Women Worship, a non-profit that promotes spiritual and professional growth in women, and for Good Dirt, a natural beverage company.

Vasantha Kandikuppa
Vice President, Technical Product Management at Equifax

Vasantha is an experienced professional in the technology industry, currently serving as the Vice President of Technical Product Management for the Mortgage and Housing Vertical at

Equifax. With a strong background in product strategy and vision, she plays a key leadership role within the organization, which earned her the Mortgage Insiders Award from HousingWire magazine. Vasantha is known for her expertise in scoping new business opportunities, planning customer migrations, and providing technical support. Her commitment to empowering women and children led her to be actively involved in organizations like Women in Technology (WIT) and Vibha, where she advocates for education and empowerment. Vasantha’s passion for Indian Classical Music has been her go-to stress reliever in her career journey and has fueled her dedication to creating opportunities for others to grow and succeed.

Tim Minard
Chief Executive Officer at Eclipse Gaming

A dynamic leader with an accomplished track record of working with high-growth technology companies, Tim Minard joined Eclipse Gaming as Chief Executive Officer in 2018. He offers more than 20 years’ experience and a wealth of knowledge and operational excellence.

Before Eclipse, Minard served as President of the Video Lottery Terminal and Gaming division at GameTech International, a global leader in interactive gaming equipment, systems and terminals. Earlier, as a senior executive of Cadillac Jack, a global creator of casino games and systems, Minard’s leadership and vision were instrumental in growing the company into a rising star that was acquired by American Gaming Systems for $370 million.

An entrepreneur with the ability to sense opportunity in the market, Minard has built several successful companies, including Sports Challenge Network. In 2023, Minard was knighted by the Principality of Cappadocia for his dedication to philanthropy, excellence, and history of innovation and entrepreneurship. He has been recognized as Businessperson of the Year by BCM magazine, named an Entrepreneur of the Year, was nominated as one of the Top 20 Technology Executives in Atlanta, and is listed among Comparably’s “Top CEOs to Work For in Atlanta”.

Scott Reynolds
IT Manager for Synovus

Scott is a veteran Retail Operations, Banking, and Process Improvement Leader in the Atlanta area with 15+ years of experience, offering a broad skill set of operational excellence and unified customer experience throughout each role and organization. His passion is to create environments for individuals to feel connected, empowered, and supported. This led him to be involved in a variety of focus groups, company sponsored ERGs, and more. Inclusion, Diversity, and Equality have been a critical foundation throughout his career and seeing such great strides in the workplace across organizations in recent times has reassured his efforts are critical and are making an impact. He strives daily to be a good representative for his company, his team, and himself in the Georgia community.

Binh Tran
Associate Professor of Information Technology for Georgia Gwinnett College

Dr. Tran is an Associate Professor of Information Technology in the School of Science and Technology at Georgia Gwinnett College. He teaches courses in computing, information systems, computer networking, systems administration, and cloud computing technologies.

Prior to joining GGC, while in the industry, Dr. Tran was an IT infrastructure specialist with over 10 years of experience as a computer hardware engineer, network administrator, and test engineering manager. He currently holds over 20 industry certifications from AWS, CompTIA, Cisco, Certiport, Microsoft, and EC-Council.

Dr. Tran believes that as a professor it is his duty to not only teach students the material concepts and progress them through their course of study, but to develop them to become professionals and prepare them for acquiring that first industry job through continuous mentorship.

He has been recognized with Outstanding Excellence, Teaching, Mentoring, Service, and Student Engagement awards throughout the years.