Woman of the Year: Medium/Mid-Sized Business — Driving Innovation and Impact in Tech

The 2025 Woman of the Year: Medium/Mid-Sized Business category honors leaders who are shaping technology and business through innovation, transformation, and leadership. These women demonstrate vision, resilience, and a commitment to creating pathways for others while driving measurable impact within their organizations and communities.

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Kerri Sauer — Managing Director, Sia Partners| Winner

Kerri’s career has always been about more than technology—it’s about people, teams, and solving problems that matter. When a major FinTech client faced challenges in US Payments, EMV technology, and Agile transformation, Kerri stepped in to build a specialized team of Payments experts embedded directly in the client’s operations.

Guiding the client through both technical modernization and cultural change, Kerri coached leaders on Agile practices, streamlined critical payment systems, and helped prevent fraud in the EBT network—ensuring nutrition reached vulnerable families across multiple states. The initiative highlighted her ability to combine technical acumen with mentorship, developing not only systems but also people.

“Driving meaningful change in technology isn’t just about delivering solutions—it’s about building teams and creating lasting impact for the people and communities we serve.”

Chintan Patel — Chief Information Officer, National DCP | Finalist

Chintan thrives at the intersection of technology and people. Leading a multi-year modernization of National DCP’s warehouse and transportation systems, she transformed how operations support 10,000+ Dunkin franchisees across 40 countries. AI-driven routing replaced manual planning, saving millions of miles, hours, and fuel, while a new Warehouse Management System replaced an outdated legacy process.

For Chintan, these milestones are not just about efficiency—they’re about enabling teams to work smarter, reducing friction, and creating a foundation for sustainable growth. She believes that technology should amplify human potential.

“Transformative technology comes from understanding both the human and operational sides of the business—when you align those, the impact is exponential.”

Paula Wagner — Chief Information Officer, Mansfield Energy | Finalist

Paula’s leadership transforms IT into a strategic growth engine. At Mansfield Energy, she modernized infrastructure, launched the company’s first Procurement and Product offices, and implemented AI-powered tools to improve performance and operations. Beyond the technical achievements, Paula focuses on culture—creating processes and systems that enable teams to excel.

From deploying an AI-powered voice platform to creating a playbook for M&A integrations, Paula balances operational improvements with team development, demonstrating that innovation thrives when people are supported, inspired, and empowered to contribute.

“Transforming IT isn’t just about technology—it’s about enabling people, culture, and business to grow together. Seeing our team thrive and drive impact inspires me every day.”

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