IN-PERSON | WiSTEMM "Wine Down" Happy Hour + Panel Discussion with Past STEMMy Award Winners | Presented by ProActive Solutions

In 2014 the STEMMy Awards were created to celebrate the accomplishments of women business and civic leaders, students and educators, and entrepreneurs and advocates who work together to increase gender diversity and who excel in their STEMM field. Since the awards began, Central Exchange has celebrated the accomplishments of 80 women who are setting trends and breaking barriers in their STEMM fields

Join us on Wednesday, September 27th from 4:00-5:30 PM at ProActive Solutions for our quarterly WiSTEMM "Wine Down" Happy Hour to network with other women in and out of STEMM careers, and join in on the conversation as we hear from 5 previous STEMMy Award Winners and how they have succeeded in their fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Medicine!

Moderated by Amy Hiesberger from ProActive Solutions, the following panelists represent each STEMM field:

• SCIENCE: Kellyann Jones-Jamtgaard, Ph.D. | 2019 Rising Trendsetter

• TECHNOLOGY: Krina Snider | 2021 Rising Trendsetter

• ENGINEERING: Julie Pierce | 2018 Groundbreaking Leadership

• MATH: Tanya Smith | 2021 WiSTEMM Educator

• MEDICINE: Dr. Sandra Billinger | 2021 WiSTEMM Educator

In addition to the panel discussion, questions will be answered regarding the 10th Annual STEMMy Awards happening in October! To learn more about the CX STEMMy Awards, visit cxstemmys.com today.

PRESENTED BY:





 

MODERATED BY: Amy Hiesberger, VP of Corporate Development at ProActive Solutions

Amy Hiesberger is a certified independent technology advisor with over 25 years of experience working with enterprise clients. For most of her career she has served as an account executive helping clients define, build, and evolve their IT strategies. She was recently promoted to VP of Corporate Development after 24 years at ProActive Solutions. She integrates with all areas of the business to ensure open communication and in an ad hoc advisory and consulting capacity.

 

Amy has been in a male dominated field her entire career and has encountered some difficult situations. She has seen a slight improvement in the number of women presenting at conferences, leading whiteboard sessions, taking a group to play golf, but there is still a huge gap to fill. She supports WiSTEMM because she believes in empowering women to help close that gap. She believes in making it easier for the next generation and if sharing her experience and advice can help, is honored to share her time. 

SCIENCE: Kellyann Jones-Jamtgaard, Ph.D. | 2019 Rising Trendsetter

Kellyann Jones-Jamtgaard, Ph.D. is currently a National Program Leader with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA) where she focuses on providing program and grant management support for Minority Serving Institutions and Education and Workforce Development within the Division of Community and Education.

From 2016-2020, she worked for the Partnership for Regional Educational Preparation-Kansas City (PREP-KC), an education nonprofit that focuses on college and career preparation for urban school districts where she created and managed college and career opportunities with industry, post-secondary, and other nonprofit partners for students interested in the life sciences. Jones-Jamtgaard was a 2017 Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow assigned to the Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

She holds a B.S. in biology and Spanish from Duke University and a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Her doctoral research focused on alterations in cellular trafficking during Hepatitis C virus infection. Dr. Jones-Jamtgaard is committed to improving science education and being an advocate for women in science and medicine.
 

TECHNOLOGY: Krina Snider | 2021 Rising Trendsetter

Krina Snider is a cybersecurity awareness professional with over 25 years of experience in strategic marketing, communications, and promotions. She puts her creativity in action through interactive training, informational events, and webinars.

Currently, Krina is the Sr. Program Manager for T-Mobile’s Cybersecurity Awareness & Training program where she’s the corporate lead for communications initiatives within the area of cybersecurity, building promotional strategies to heighten user awareness and delivering educational resources that reduce risk across the company.

Krina is a charter member of the International Association of Security Awareness Professionals and was part of the development team and Advisory Board for the premier Certified Security Awareness and Culture Professional (SACP) certification. She’s a 30-year member of the American Business Women’s Association and a 13-year award winning Girl Scout Leader.


ENGINEERING: Julie Pierce | 2018 Groundbreaking Leadership

Julie Pierce blends positivity, diligence, and integrity into everything she does.

She has been with Henderson Engineers for 25 years and currently serves as their community sector executive.  Whether she’s watching her beloved Kansas Jayhawks, serving as a champion for the development of downtown Kansas City, or reading to kids weekly through her volunteer efforts with Lead to Read, Julie exudes passion.

A natural collaborator who constantly encourages others, Julie helps everyone around her raise their game. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Groundbreaking Leadership STEMMy Award from Central Exchange and earned a spot in the prestigious Kansas City Business Journal Women Who Mean Business class. Julie is an active participant with Henderson’s DEI efforts and was a founding member of their Empower group focused on women’s leadership and development.  

 

MATH: Tanya Smith | 2021 WiSTEMM Educator

Tanya M. Smith is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Master of Business degree from Baker University, and completed graduate level coursework in Mathematics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Emporia State University.

She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Community College Leadership at Morgan State University. Tanya’s love for mathematics has endured for nearly 25 years as a public-school math teacher, visiting professor opportunities, tenured professor, department coordinator, and department chair.

In 2017, Tanya became an author and wrote “Math for Nurses: Dosage Calculations and Skill Builders.” Tanya has presented and served as a panelist in several math and science related workshops.

In 2020, Tanya became an entrepreneur starting a clothing brand, Girli Brand Apparel where 5% of sales goes toward the Girli Brand Apparel STEM scholarship for females attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

 

MEDICINE: Dr. Sandra Billinger | 2021 WiSTEMM Educator

Dr. Sandra Billinger, PT, PhD, is Professor and Vice Chair for Stroke Translational Research at the University of Kansas (KU) Medical Center and is Assistant Director, Imaging Core, KU Alzheimer’s Disease Center. Dr. Billinger is internationally renowned for her research in stroke recovery, vascular health, and brain aging. She has received continuous grant funding from the NIH and the American Heart Association (AHA) and other foundation awards. She has over 110 publications in peer-reviewed journals and was the lead author for the AHA Scientific Statement, Physical Activity and Exercise Recommendations for Stroke Survivors.

Dr. Billinger was awarded the AHA Stroke Council Lecture Award in 2016, Excellence in Neurologic Research from the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy, American Physical Therapy Association (2021) and the Kansas City Central Exchange STEMMy Educator Award in 2021. She was recognized by the World Stroke Organization Board of Directors in 2022 as one of the outstanding women who have made important and significant contributions to the field of stroke and brain health around the world. She served as the president of KU Medical Center’s Women in Medicine and Science group. Dr. Billinger enjoys outdoor activities such as biking, gardening, and hiking and served on her community’s Parks and Trees committee. In 2013, she and her son walked 570 miles across Kansas following the Sante Fe Trail to raise awareness for stroke recovery.