2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Trends in Technology Special Event

Panel Discussion #1

Moderator:  Bonita Patillo (ISACA GWDC)  Current Panelists: Chris Ajiri (Zoom Communications), Jasmine Brennan (T. Row Price), Isabel Luo (ALM First), Diane Dempsey (BAE Systems)

In this panel, the following topics will be discussed:

• Ways that DEI has been prioritized and tactical activities that have been implemented.
• Benefits to employees and organizations of DEI initiatives and a diverse workforce.
• Promoting DEI initiatives in hybrid work environments.
• Advice for individuals struggling to be their authentic self and how to strive for equity and inclusion in the workplace.

Lunch

Lunch is provided for this event.

Attracting and Retaining Cyber Talent

Presenter: Marcia Main (Upside)

Attracting and retaining cyber talent, the diverse way! Join us for this talk and explore 3 creative (and brave!) strategies that can help you overcome the current talent shortage and build stronger, happier and more diverse teams. We will discuss:

• The need for [diverse] cybersecurity talent
• Why is it so hard to build diverse teams?
• Brave techniques to take diversity beyond just talk

Panel Discussion #2

Moderator:  Bonita Patillo (ISACA GWDC)  Current Panelists: Dr. Shelton Ricks (Fed Government), William E. Jones (VaBHMA), Mick Vollmer (ABNB FCU), Marcia Main (Upside), Britani Jones (The Hanover Insurance Group)

In this panel, the following topics will be discussed:

• Promoting DEI initiatives with a reduced or eliminated budget.
• Ways organizations can make their employees feel valued.
• Potential impacts that organizations may have if they do not invest in a DEI program.
• Using the recruitment process help narrow the DEI gap.

Hacking Diversity: 3 Simple Steps to Excel as a Risk Leader

Presenter: Vishal Chawla (BluOcean Digital)

In this presentation we will discuss:

• What are you really missing as an IT Risk leader if you don’t have a diverse team?
• How Inclusion may be the most important tool to be a successful Risk Leader?
• What are “three steps” you can take today to turn DEI as a business advantage for your Risk department and help your companies build trust with their customers!

The Impact and Importance of Supplier Diversity and Sustainable Procurement Strategies

Presenter: Tomaneci Waller Day (T.Rowe Price)

This presentation will cover:

• Why Supply Chain DEI strategies are a business imperative for all companies
• Customer expectation and reputational risk
• Explore the evolving Environmental Social Governance (ESG) corporate commitments and how these strategies can impact the diverse local business community.

Networking Event

Immediately following this event, the GWDC will host a networking event.  A separate RSVP is required for the networking event.

Chris Ajiri
Data Governance Leader, Zoom Communication

Chris is a Data Governance Leader at Zoom Communication where he reports to Zoom’s CIO, he is a seasoned Enterprise Data Management expert with over 15 years in the Industry. Chris works closely with Product, Privacy and Compliance teams to improve data scalability across the organization.

Chris has executed and implemented various Data Governance and Data Management initiatives. He has worked in the financial industry (Capital One Bank and Freddie Mac) where he spent the majority of his career in data risk management, data operations, data validation, data audits and operational process improvements. In his past role at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) prior to joining Zoom, he designed data governance, data standards and data quality capabilities; hence, implementing operational and data driven solutions at the Office of the Chief Data Officer (OCDO).

Chris is also a part-time adjunct professor at the School of Information Sciences at the University of Maryland College. Chris earned his master’s degree in Technology management from Georgetown University in Washington DC and a bachelors in Computer Information Systems from the Business School at the University of Maryland College Park.

Jasmine Brennan
VP, Head of DEI Americas, T. Rowe Price

Jasmine Brennan is a member of T. Rowe Price’s Corporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team, and serves as the VP, Head of DEI, Americas. She has been with the firm since March of 2020 and in this role, Jasmine leads the DEI strategic initiatives for the Americas, oversees the firm’s global BRG program, and partners closely with firm’s DEI advisory groups, championing to accelerate progress and outcomes.

Prior to joining T. Rowe Price, Jasmine held a variety of DEI leadership roles across industrial distribution, consumer product, and human capital management industries. In her last role, Jasmine led DEI and CSR at Aerotek, an Allegis Group company. During her tenure, Jasmine led a team with responsibility for inclusive leadership training and education, DEI councils and employee resource group governance, DEI client engagement and diversity talent programs, and philanthropic giving and employee volunteerism.

Jasmine graduated from Canisius College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She received a Master of Science in HR Management from New York Institute of Technology and completed a Diversity Practitioner Certification at Cornell University. She is passionate about authenticity, inclusion, well-being and belonging, and incorporates those areas into both her personal and professional life.

Isabel Luo
Managing Director, Quantitative Risk, ALM First

Isabel is a senior-level executive in the financial services industry with 15+ years of experience in statistical modeling, capital markets, and consumer lending. She brings a solid background in leveraging economic theory and statistical methods to identify and mitigate credit, interest rate, and liquidity risk. For the last two decades, Isabel has been assisting financial institutions in quantitative research, regulatory capital planning and stress testing (CCAR), model development and risk management. She designs and develops analytical processes to predict change of consumer behavior in economic cycles. She presents complex technical analysis to diverse audiences including board members, C-suite executives, investors, and regulators.

Currently Isabel holds a Managing Director position in a financial advisory firm with $80B fixed- income investments under management. She assists clients in deploying machine learning algorithm in financial analysis and forecasts. Prior to that, Isabel served as an expert advisor at NCUA (regulatory authority for credit unions), advising on how policy would impact the credit union industry. She assisted in drafting regulations and conducted complex research projects to mitigate and effectively manage market risk and liquidity risk.

Prior to the appointment at NCUA, Isabel was a Vice President/Managing Director in the nation’s second largest credit union. She was responsible for the annual capital plan submission to NCUA and the Board of Directors. She played a key role as a member of ALCO and financial risk management committees. In addition, she managed a team of financial analysts, data scientists, and economists in model development and risk management. She devised a capital planning and stress testing framework, which was recognized with the Best Use Case Award at QRM Balance Sheet Management Conference attended by 500 institutions in 2018.

Between 2010 and 2013, Isabel was a senior risk manager of Freddie Mac’s credit risk management division, where she oversaw analytics and advised on key policy issues including loan modification programs, foreclosure improvement proposals, servicer surveillance platform, and GSE servicing standards implementation for nonperforming subprime mortgages. Isabel was on a team of six people who earned first place in the 2012 Rising Leaders Business Case Competition and Leadership in Action Award.

Prior to joining Freddie Mac in 2010, Isabel worked in private equity and financing subsidiaries of General Motors that originated and serviced non-prime mortgages.

Isabel holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance from University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematical Statistics from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. In 2021, she was awarded a professional diploma in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence through the Columbia Engineering Executive Education Program.

Diane Dempsey
Director, Small Business Programs for BAE Systems Intelligence & Security Sector.

Ms Dempsey has enjoyed an extensive career in the field of procurement, subcontracts and supplier diversity. Currently she is the Director, Small Business Programs for BAE Systems Intelligence & Security Sector. Ms Dempsey has also been a small business advocate for several prime contractors in the DC Metropolitan area. She serves on multiple boards and committees, most recently served as the Chair, Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council Board of Directors. Additionally, she has served as the TRIAD Industry Group Co-Chair since 2006. Her leadership and advocacy have been recognized with many awards, including the National Veterans Small Business Coalition 2021 Prime Contractor – Advocate of the Year and U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, 2021 CEO Award.

She received her B.S. from Mary Washington College, Certificate in Contracts & Procurement, University of Virginia, and Master’s Certificate in Procurement & Supply Chain Management, MS and MBA from the University of Maryland. She is also a certified supplier diversity professional and instructor for the Alliance of Supplier Diversity Professionals.

Marcia Main
Chief Information Security Officer, Upside

Marcia Main currently serves as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Upside – an exciting retail technology company, focused on driving value to all points of brick and mortar commerce. Coming from humble beginnings in her native country of Brazil, she found a path to success in technology – starting as a software engineer and finding her true passion in security after moving to the U.S. She has over 20 years of diverse experience in technology & information security, having recently led a large security team for Rally Health (at the time, a non-integrated entity of UnitedHealth Group) and previously held leadership roles in information assurance & security with companies such as KPMG LLP, FTI Consulting, and Verizon. Marcia enjoys running, reading, and all things fashion – believing that dressing can instill self-confidence and be a wonderful outlet for creativity. She lives in Rockville, Maryland with her husband Matthew Main and her cat Sophia.

William E. Jones
President and Founder, Virginia Black History Month Association

Mr. William E. Jones, USMC (retired) was born in Brooklyn, New York and was raised in Baltimore, Maryland where he enlisted in the Marine Corps in July 1981. During his 21-year tenure as a Marine, he fulfilled various assignments to include supporting the Multi-National Peacekeeping Force in Beirut, Lebanon and participating in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

As a government civilian, Mr. Jones has worked with the U.S. Navy as an Engineering Technician as well as a Program Manager and Deputy Program Manager with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) for the Biological Combat Assessment System. He later held the position of Program Manager for DTRA’s Transformational Medical Technologies Program. He was later assigned as a Project Officer at Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Virginia. Today, Mr. Jones is employed as a Program Manager with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Defense (DHS) in Springfield, Virginia.

In 2017, Mr. Jones was selected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Gladys P. Todd Academy, which tutored and mentored young high school students which provided college scholarships that allow them to graduate from community college before graduating from high school. Mr. Jones was also elected as the Vice-Chairman of the Marine Corps Systems Command’s Diversity Awareness Program. The program manages and oversees the celebrations for the eight Special Emphasis Programs recognized by the Department of Defense.

Mr. Jones’ impressive and extensive educational background includes graduating from the U.S. Army Chemical School and Parachute School. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Behavioral Science from the University of Maryland. He is also a graduate of the Whiting School of Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, with a Master of Science in Systems Engineering. In 2016, Mr. Jones furthered his graduate studies at the University of Maryland, graduating with a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

His decorations include: the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal 2nd award, the Marine Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, and the U.S. Army Parachute Wings.

In 2004, he was selected for the Department of Defense “2005 Today’s Military” ad campaign, which published his picture and personal story in magazines like Ebony, Money, The Smithsonian, Sports Illustrated, and many more. In 2009, he was also appointed to the Spotsylvania County Board of Directors for Minority Affairs Committee, which ensures the fair and equal hiring for local county positions. Mr. Jones hobbies include volunteering as the Head Elder at the Fredericksburg Seventh-Day Adventist Church where he currently worships, as well as serving as Founder/President of the Virginia Black History Month Association.

Dr. Shelton Ricks
Deputy Director for Enterprise Leadership and Management, Federal Government

Shelton is a lifelong learner, professor, researcher, and leadership enthusiast, steeped in interest in organizational leadership. He has made his mark in the field of social science research, the study of societies, and the relationships among individuals within those societies.

Dr. Ricks is currently the Deputy Director for Enterprise Leadership and Management in the Federal Government and has traveled the world in many capacities sharing the importance of leadership and followership, soft-skill development, the impact of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accountability (DEIA) and the power of using data analytics to support initiatives. Shelton has worked previously for Verizon, Northrop Grumman, Federal Express, Norfolk Public Schools, The City of Newport News, and Bank of America, and as an entrepreneur for Shelton LR and Associates.

Additionally, Shelton has endured a decade of service, molding business-minded individuals as a professor at Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University, DeVry University, Keller Graduate School of Management, and Eastern Gateway Community College.

Concerning building respect across differences, Shelton currently serves on the board of directors for ACCESS VR, a virtual reality immersive learning company in Northern Virginia; one of the key missions is to increase felt anxieties of diversity and inclusion experiences through immersive learning experiences. Dr. Ricks wrote a whitepaper, Presence and Immersive Technology Adoption (PiTA): Exploratory Research -Simulation Soft-Skill Development Exploring Use Cases in Virtual Reality, which he will present at the Interservice/Industry Training Simulation Education Conference (I/ITSEC) in December 2023. The findings highlighted incremental gains from pre and post-assessments concerning comfort levels with discussing diversity and inclusion training and felt anxiety.

Furthermore, Shelton has partnered with Kari Heistad at Culture Coach International on several key initiatives to build tools that allow increases in cultural competency. He also is a committee member for the Virginia Black History Month Annual Gala (VaBHMA) and a facilitator for the Intelligence Community Harriet Tubman Leadership Ethos Ride. Shelton holds a Bachelor’s degree in Critical Thinking and Assessment, a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management, and a doctorate in Management/Organizational Leadership.

Dr. Ricks has been married for over 20 years and has three children. He moonlights as a music director during his free time.

Mick Vollmer
Chief Information Officer, ABNB Federal Credit Union
MBA, MSIT

Mick Vollmer is married with 2 children and has been a resident of Hampton Roads, VA for 30 years. He is currently the Chief Information Officer for ABNB Federal Credit Union in Chesapeake, VA. Mick’s previous lives include Vice President of Cyber and Cloud Security Risk Management at Fifth Third Bank based in Cincinnati; Executive Vice President for Technology Innovation at Towne Bank headquartered in  Suffolk, VA; Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer for The City of Virginia Beach; and Executive Director and Information Security Officer at ValueOptions, FHC Health Systems, headquartered in Northern Virginia.

Mick earned his MBA and a Masters Degree in Information Technology from the University of Maryland. Mick earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Old Dominion University, and a degree in Engineering from Tidewater Community College.

Mick is a graduate of LEAD Hampton Roads, LEAD Virginia and the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership. His industry certifications include ISACA GIAC, ISC 2 CISSP, Cloud Security Alliance CCSK, Cloud+, ITIL v3 and Federal Chief Information Officer Certificate from the US General Services Agency.

Mick’s honors and recognition include a US Patent, Virginia Governor’s Technology Innovation Award, Gartner’s Security Innovation Award and Public Technology Institute’s Technology Innovation Award.

Britani Jones
Program Manager of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, The Hanover Insurance Group

Britani Jones (she/her) is the Program Manager of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity at The Hanover Insurance Group. In this role, Britani is one of our IDE subject matter experts, sharing her perspective, insights and knowledge to help us build and sustain a more equitable and inclusive work environment that supports our entire employee population. She reports to Haydee Santana, AVP of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity.

Britani joined The Hanover in December 2019 as a Small Commercial Sales Manager and was chair of the Community Committee for the Kinship Village Business Resource Group. She is a member of the Big I Diversity Council.

Britani has been in the insurance industry for nearly 15 years, and prior to joining The Hanover, she held various marketing and underwriting roles with national and large regional carriers, including Nationwide, State Farm and Erie Insurance. 

In her personal life, Britani is active in her district’s school board, advocating for equitable educational programs and she previously sat on the board of a local parent-led community organization that aims to bring equitable policies and practices to the county in which she and her family reside.

Britani resides in the DC Metro area with her husband, Bryan, and their two sons, Jace and Logan.

Vishal Chawla
Founder & CEO, BluOcean Digital

Vishal is the founder and CEO of BluOcean Digital – a firm obsessed with igniting people’s creativity to invent solutions that protect the trust of companies, their customers, and communities by delivering outcome-based consulting services and technology-enabled cybersecurity and privacy solutions.

With over 25 years of diversified experience serving clients in the U.S. and internationally in the financial services, technology, and media industries, Vishal has also served as the Senior Partner for PwC Cybersecurity practice, Global Cybersecurity and Risk Consulting leader at Grant Thornton, and Senior Partner for Deloitte Cybersecurity practice.

He specializes in assisting clients with aligning their cybersecurity & privacy strategies and programs with their Business Strategies, Digital Transformation program, and Innovation agenda. Vishal has extensive experience operationalizing risk-led global Cyber & Privacy Risk Management strategies to help clients achieve Customer Trust, Innovation, and agility in their business operations, Operational Resilience, and Regulatory compliance throughout their digital transformation journey.

He has been published or quoted in numerous publications and is a frequent contributor to industry events. Vishal frequently writes for publications such as the WSJ, MIT magazine, Risk & Compliance magazine, RMA Journal, ISACA, and Compliance week. He is a frequent speaker on strategic risk, operational risk, and Cyber risk at various conferences.

Vishal is certified information systems and security professional (CISSP) living in Great Falls, Virginia. Vishal is the proud father of two children and is passionate about spending time with his family, exercising, Indian music, cricket enthusiast, and reading.

Tomaneci Waller Day
Supplier Diversity Senior Manager, T. Rowe Price

Tomaneci brings over a decade of experience in diversity and inclusion program oversight, structure, and operations. She began her passion and commitment for diversity, equity, and inclusion as the Small Local Minority Business Enterprise, Outreach Coordinator for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) in Laurel Maryland. She later spent ten years with Freddie Mac, in McLean Virginia, progressively holding more responsible leadership roles in supplier diversity programming, including Director of Employees & Suppliers Inclusion and Diversity. As lead for Supplier Diversity for Freddie Mac, she designed and executed several corporate-wide strategies that delivered a consistent year-over-year increase in employee and supplier diversity metrics and creating The Supplier Academy, Freddie Mac’s first diverse supplier development program.

In 2021 Tomaneci joined T. Rowe Price as the Supplier Diversity Sr. Manager, responsible for standing up the supplier diversity strategy and driving the leadership, planning, organization, implementation of the T. Rowe Price corporate commitment to supply chain diversity inclusion and sustainable procurement. Tomaneci works to forge partnerships with key stakeholders to advocate for the growth of diverse suppliers and enable supplier inclusion and utilization within contract categories and sourcing strategies.

Tomaneci holds a Bachelor of Arts from Norfolk State University, a Master of Science from Virginia Commonwealth University, and earn an executive certification in Diversity and Inclusion for Human Resources from Cornell University.