SALT LAKE CITY: Women Tech Council (WTC) has announced the finalists for this year’s Women Tech Awards, a program that recognizes the talent, impact, change-agents, innovators and women in technology that work tirelessly to build companies, communities and careers.

By elevating the accomplishments of these women, the awards provide a platform that builds, extends and amplifies the positive and remarkable talent in technology. The 2020 finalists come from different roles and companies, showcasing the unlimited opportunities in technology.

“This year, in a time of much uncertainty, it is certain that these women are making a difference.” said Cydni Tetro, president of WTC.

“They are creating lasting impact as innovators, strategists, leaders and activators. They are powerful, remarkable and talented. Learning about them enables us to elevate our vision of what’s possible, what’s needed, and what we can each do to be part creating positive impact in the world around us.”

Over the last 14 years, the Women Tech Awards have created a platform to celebrate and elevate the contributions, innovations and leadership of women in tech, and to inspire others into technology fields. This recognition and visibility has propelled the success of these women, advanced their careers and organizations, and inspired others to pursue their passions and become positive forces for change and innovation.

Each finalist was nominated for their professional accomplishments, personal achievements, business leadership and industry experiences. Within their respective role and organization, each is driving innovation, creating new technologies, impacting technology companies and inspiring the tech community. Judging for the awards was conducted by a panel of technology leaders from throughout the community.

The 2020 Women Tech Award finalists are listed alphabetically as follows:

• Aimee Smith Manager Enterprise Architecture, Zions Bancorporation
• Bonnie Uresk Program Manager Satellite Avionics, Space Dynamics Laboratory
• Christine Thayer Senior Process Engineer, Micron Technology
• Dana Ardovino Consultant, Global Communications and Operations Lead, Dell Technologies
• Debi Mofford Senior Vice President of IT and CIO, WCF Insurance
• Elke Leeds PhD Dean and Academic Vice President, College of Information Technology, Western Governors University
• Erica Cuttitta Director of Profile and Shared Services, Pluralsight
• Heather Kirkby Chief People Officer, Recursion Pharmaceuticals
• Ishita Majumdar VP, Analytics Platform & Product Management, eBay
• Karoline Pershell, PhD COO and Director of Strategy and Evaluation, Service Robotics and Technologies
• Kathleen Merkley Senior Vice President – Clinical Improvement Services, Health Catalyst
• Kristiane Koontz EVP, Director of Banking Transformation Zions Bancorporation
• Linda Klug Founder and CEO Airin
• Lisa Kimball SVP, Product and Strategic Programs, Finicity
• Margo Georgiadis President & CEO, Ancestry
• Melissa Bueno Hamilton Director, Elementary Teaching and Learning, Murray City School District
• Misty Frost CEO, Carrus
• Qun (Maxine) Liu Senior Director, Partner Engagement, Health Catalyst
• Rebecca Whitehead Chief Technology Officer, HealthEquity
• Seraphine Kapsandoy-Jones, PhD Clinical Information Officer, Intermountain Healthcare
• Steffanie Nestor Data Security Engineer, MX
• Vandana Sharma Senior Manager, Oracle
• Wendy Steinle Senior Director and Site Leader, Adobe

Award recipients will be announced during a celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. During this celebration, awards will be presented by Ancestry, Dell Technologies, Domo, HealthCatalyst, Pelion Venture Partners, and Vivint Smart Home.

Women Tech Council (WTC) is a national organization focused on the economic impact of women in the technology sector through developing programs that propel the economic pipeline from high school K-12 to the C-suite. WTC offers mentoring, visibility, opportunities and networking to more than 10,000 women and men working in technology to create business environments focused on inclusivity and high performance. Through this work, WTC propels women in technology careers and the talent pipeline by ensuring a strong, diverse and entrepreneurial technology workforce.