Women are still underrepresented in the technology industry, but together we can inspire and encourage each other. That’s why these events are so important. I am convinced that celebrating our success has a positive impact on all women in IT. The award-winning stories about individuals can serve as role models and inspiration for others to keep pushing and unlock their own potential.

Winning the Women In IT Award for the Diversity Initiative Of The Year was a testament to the work of many here at Atos, as we strive to increase the number of women working at our tech company, develop those already here, and promote them into the most senior level positions.  The accolades, both internal and external, congratulate us on what we’ve accomplished to date, and spur us to take the next step with confidence, knowing that we represent the best way forward for our company. 

The Women in IT New York event was excellent. The venue, staff, food and opportunity for networking were all best-in-class. The speakers were both thought provoking and inspiring. 

The awards event was beautiful – I was so humbled and honored to win “Woman of the Year”!  This recognition validates our team’s work to support each and every student so they can find their individual gifts and achieve their dreams.

I was thrilled to be recognized as CTO of the Year by the Women in IT Awards, an organization I admire for their devotion to tackling the critical issue of women’s underrepresentation in the technology field, as this is a personal and professional priority for me as well. By making this their mission, the Women in IT Awards are helping raise awareness of how important it is to create fair, inclusive workplace environments in the tech sector, as that’s the only way everyone will be empowered to contribute, excel and reach their potential. On behalf of all my female peers in the industry, I was truly honored and humbled to receive this award.

Winning IT Team of the Year was a dream come true! To have had present our female leadership team, some of or our female superstars, and our CIO –who has enabled us in so many ways– made for such an incredible and memorable experience.

We were there as nominees of “Transformation Leader of the Year” and “IT Team of the Year”, as well as presenting the “Diversity Initiative of the Year.” It was a true honor to be included amongst and share the stage with such an impressive group of inspiring and talented female leaders.

I am so proud of this team and its multitude of accomplishments. Our IBM CIO Design Team is a design-led organization that is core to IBM’s mission to create a productive environment for IBMers. We lead with design to drive simplicity and ease of use, and stand firmly behind the believe that the experience of being an IBMer is key to the company’s success. After all, every minute spent experiencing IT friction is a minute of lost productivity.

The CIO Design team is responsible for elevating the experiences delivered to the CIO portfolio, employee communications, physical workspaces, and more. Our growing mission has greatly increased the team’s responsibilities – adding Design Strategy, Design Operations, Content & Communications, Agile Coaching, Workshop Facilitation, Research & Analytics, and Multimedia Design.

Over the past two years, the CIO Design Team has received a number of external awards, innovated and protected IBM IP through patenting, led a highly-successful CIO-wide initiative to elevate employee engagement, and even started its own TV channel. Measurement is of utmost importance for identifying where to prioritize design efforts, setting goals, and continuously assessing progress against those goals. 

Thank you to Women in Technology for recognizing our team. It was a tremendous honor to accept this award on behalf of the team, and IBM, and to be included amongst such a prestigious group of talented women. While there is still progress to be made, events like these strengthen our commitment to our ideals of diversity and inclusion. The future is brighter as a result of the progress women in IT are making. 

Thank you again to the selection committee for awarding our team this honor. It was a wonderful evening, and I was particularly touched by the support of the other women in the room. When we support each other, we all win.