News & Information

January 8, 2020

30 Women Defining The Future Of Technology

PR strategy image by Warner Communications

Top women in technology

We’re continually inspired by those making waves in the tech industry. And today, more than ever before, a significant, growing number of the brightest thinkers, boldest leaders and smartest innovators are women.

Out of the great pool of female talent leading the charge, we’ve identified the top 30 women defining technology’s future and invite you to join us in following and celebrating these change makers and visionaries. Here is our top 30 list of influential, inspiring, innovative women defining the future of technology (in alphabetical order):

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Dr. Amy Abernethy  

Principal Deputy Commissioner and Acting CIO, FDA

Dr. Abernethy directs special and high-priority cross-cutting initiatives that impact the regulation of drugs, medical devices, tobacco & food. She also serves as the FDA’s acting CIO, overseeing data and technical vision for the agency.

@DrAbernethyFDA

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Saleema Amershi

Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research AI

Saleema works at the intersection of human-computer interaction and AI, creating technologies to help people build and use AI-based systems.        

@msftresearch

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Callie Babbitt

Associate Professor, Golisano Institute for Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology

A Fulbright U.S. Scholar who has also received a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Award and the AT&T Technology and Environment Award, Callie and her team study sustainability challenges and solutions for emerging and rapidly evolving technologies such as consumer electronics, lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles, nanomaterials, renewable energy, and food waste management systems.        

@GIS_RIT

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Carla Bailo

President & CEO, Center for Automotive Research

Carla heads the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), a leading resource of objective and unbiased research, analysis, and information regarding the North American automotive industry.          

@carlamobility

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Shannon Baker-Branstetter

Manager, Cars & Energy Policy, Consumer Reports

Shannon is focused on building the next generation of safe, affordable and efficient transportation choices that reduce emissions and protect public health. This mission includes advocating for improvements to new vehicles, and influencing policies that impact the future of transportation, such as electric vehicles, emissions standards, micromobility, and other “new mobility” options.      

@sbb_cr

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Lauren Belive          

Director of Public Policy, Lyft

As the Head of Federal Public Policy at Lyft, Lauren leads the company’s federal engagement, working to ensure that Lyft and ride-sharing can continue to grow and thrive nationally.        

@lauren_belive

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Erin Bishop

Director of Business Development, Sense Photonics

An expert in high-value applications for robotics, Erin is working to build appetite in the market for telepresence robots, indoor mobile robots, and robotic picking in warehouses.  

@sensephotonics

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Anat Bonshtien        

Chairman and Director, Fuel Choices and Smart Mobility Initiative, Israel Prime Minister’s Office

Anant is focused on establishing Israel as a center of know-how and industry in alternative fuels and alternative mobility technologies.

@FuelChoicesInit      

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Sandy Carter

AWS Vice President, Amazon Web Services

The author of Extreme Innovation: Three Superpowers for Purpose and Profit, Sandy was named a Lifetime Achievement Winner, ‘Excellence in Cloud Achievement’ for 2019, AI Innovator of the Year Nominee 2019, as well as among the Top 10 AI Influencers for 2019, Top 10 Cloud Computing Influencer, Top 39 Engineers by Business Insider 2018, Top 50 AI influencer by Onalytica 2019, and Top 10 Women in Technology by CNN. She also serves as Board Chair for Girls in Tech.

@sandy_c arter

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Lillian Chin  

Graduate Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Lillian’s research interests lie in creating computational material robots — robots with advanced functionality through the algorithmic design of their material properties. Her research has focused on the systems-level design of soft robotic manipulators with new actuators and sensors, and has already caught the attention of the BBC, CNBC, Reuters and Vice News.        

@MIT

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Cindy Cohn  

Executive Director, Electronic Frontier Foundation

Widely recognized as an expert in how secretive programs work, Cindy was named one of America’s Top 50 Women in Tech by Forbes in 2018.          

@EFF

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Mariana Danilovic    

Managing Director, Infiom    

At Infiom, a global blockchain, DLT, AI, AR/VR and disruptive technologies accelerator focused on later stage venture, Mariana and her team partner with F500 companies and global accelerators to enable adoption and further acceleration of disruptive technologies markets.

@MarianDanilovic

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Jaime DeLanghe      

Director of Product Management, Search & Discovery, Slack

Jaime leads the building of data-driven products at Slack that make it easy to find everything you need to get work done. Formerly with Etsy handling Product Management.

@jaimedelanghe

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Anna Demeo  

President, Racepoint Energy

Anna brings her considerable experience in renewable energy solutions and micro grid technology, as well as emerging utility models and energy markets, to bear in leading Racepoint Energy.

@racepointenergy      

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Jennifer Dukarski

Shareholder, Butzel Long      

Jennifer leads Butzel Long’s Connected and Autonomous Mobility Team. A self-professed “recovering engineer,” she leverages her experience to explore complex automotive technology, design and development cycles, and issues in the transportation sector. She’s focused at the intersection of automotive products and emerging technology, emphasizing the legal issues inherent in autonomous, connected, electrified and shared mobility (ACES); intellectual property; product safety and compliance; biometrics; the Internet of Things (IoT); privacy; cybersecurity; and blockchain.

@JDukarski

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Rana el Kaliouby      

Co-founder and CEO, Affectiva

As a pioneer in artificial emotional intelligence (Emotion AI), Rana aims to humanize technology with applications across the automotive industry, advertising, healthcare, education and more. She has also authored the forthcoming book “Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology”.  

@kaliouby

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Jennifer Ernst

CEO, Tivic Health      

Jennifer is a disrupter, a tech believer, and a change agent, passionate about tech, female founders, entrepreneurship, and bioelectronics. All of which she brings to bear leading Tivic Health, a commercial phase bioelectronic company that is developing microcurrent therapy solutions to treat chronic diseases and conditions.

@ErnstJen

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Lisa Ernst

Vice President, Research and Development Global Oral Care and Personal Health Care, Procter & Gamble        

As a long-time leader at P&G, Lisa will share her thoughts on getting women more engaged and closing tech’s gender gap at CES 2020.

@ProctorGamble

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Jaquie Finn

Head of Digital Health, Cambridge Consultants      

Jaquie is a former Molecular Biologist and today provides expert guidance and support for clients transitioning digital elements, such as device connectivity, into their business models.

@i_DigitalHealth

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Faye Francy

Executive Director, Auto-ISAC

At the helm of the Auto-ISAC, Faye serves the global auto industry. Through the analysis and sharing of trusted and timely cyber threat information, the ISAC works to strengthen the industry’s capability and capacity to detect, prevent, respond to, and mitigate the cyber threat due to disruptions across the connected automotive ecosystem.    

@FrancyFaye

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Melissa Froelich      

Federal & East Coast Government Relations, Aurora

At Aurora, the company delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly, Melissa works with federal and state officials to advance policies that support the safe testing and deployment of self-driving technology.    

@MelissaFroelich

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Kelly Funkhouser

Head of Connected and Automated Vehicles, Consumer Reports

Kelly spends her days at the Consumer Reports auto test track as the Program Manager for Vehicle Interface Testing as well as the Head of Connected and Automated Vehicles. Each year she drives hundreds of miles in 50+ test cars and 50+ press cars, evaluating the in-vehicle experience of infotainment systems, ergonomics, and connectivity, with a specific interest is assessing the performance and driver experience of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

@CRcarsKFunk

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Lindsay Gafford      

Research Analyst, Parks Associates

Linday’s expertise lies in connected health solutions, connected consumer living, and smart home.

@LindsayAtParks      

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Lindsey Grossman  

Director of Product – US, N26 Inc.

Formerly Head of Partner Engagement/Member Acquisition for EMEA and the Americas for Netflix, today Lindsey leads the N26 product team as they build a mobile banking app that improves customers’ financial lives while putting user experience and design first.

@ltgrossman  

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Dr. Kimberly Hambuchen    

Principal Technologist, Robotics, NASA

Named “One of the 25 Women in Robotics to Know” by RoboHub in 2016, today Kimberly is a member of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group’s (ISECG) Telerobotics Gap Assessment team, providing gap analysis in the field of operating space robots for the international space community. She also played a part in the development of NASA’s bipedal humanoid, Valkyrie (R5), extending her work developing human interfaces for robot operations.  

@NASA

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Jane Horvath

Senior Director, Global Privacy, Apple

Jane brings her information privacy and legal experience at Google, also the Department of Justice as the DOJ’s first Chief Privacy Counsel and Civil Liberties Officer, to her work today overseeing Apple’s compliance with global privacy laws as well as developing issues related to privacy.

@Apple

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Amy James

CEO, Alexandria Labs

As co-inventor of Open Index Protocol, a blockchain specification for a worldwide public record, and CEO of Alexandria.io, an app to search all content in the Open Index, Amy believes telling the story of how blockchain will benefit creators, audiences and the web is the most exciting one she gets to tell.

@AmyofAlexandria

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Anjali Kataria

Co-founder and CEO, Mytonomy      

Anjali has a passion for emerging technologies, currently serving at the helm of Mytonomy and leading the expansion of its microlearning education and engagement platform into healthcare to support a new model of virtual digital healthcare.

@Mytonomy

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Mara Lewis

Co-Founder, ID8

Mara is an advocate for advancing women in technology, as evidenced by her co-founding of the Upstart Accelerator, the nation’s first accelerator and venture fund for high-tech startups founded by women, which was recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 5 Accelerators in the world for women entrepreneurs.

@Melewis18  

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Michelle Mckenna    

Chief Information Officer, National Football League

As CIO, Michelle calls the plays for the NFL’s technology strategy, with responsibility for the league’s shared service delivery and tech activities.

@nflcio

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