Judges
JUDGING COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS
Stacie Hyatt
President & CEO, SL Partners & SACL
Stacie is a corporate executive, published author and dedicated advocate for health tech, education and humanitarian causes. She has worked for industry giants including Medtronic and St. Jude Medical, as well as successful early stage and start-up companies - primarily in the cardiac, transplant, neuroscience and wellness disciplines. Her geographic experience spans the globe, while being physically located in either the US or Europe. From a functional perspective, Stacie’s areas of responsibility cover engineering & product development, sales & marketing, fundraising & shareholder management, technical support, operations and general management. In addition to involvement in professional organizations such as the American Collage of Health Executives, she has served on several educational and charitable non-profit organizations and boards, often as president/chairman, including the Industry Advisory Board to the Department of Bioengineering at Texas A&M, the Advisory Council for the Salvation Army, the Executive Women’s Roundtable and The Wharton Club of DFW among others. With regard to the Tech Titans, Stacie’s commitment spans serving on the Board of Directors, as a Tri-Chair for the Health Tech Forum, as a member of the Board Nominating Committee among several other committees, as a Tech Titans Award Judge five times, and now as a Tech Titans Awards Judge Co-Chair for the second year. She earned her bachelor's degree in bioengineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
John Randall
CEO, Zyvex Labs
John N. Randall, CEO of Zyvex Labs, Executive VP of Teliatry, Executive VP at NanoRetina, Adjunct Professor at UT Dallas, and Fellow of the AVS, IEEE, and Micro Nano Engineering Society, has 38 years of experience in Micro- and Nano- Fabrication. He has attracted over $45M in research contracts to Zyvex and resulting products have grossed over $100M. He joined Zyvex in March of 2001 after 15 years at Texas Instruments where he was elected Distinguished Member of Technical Staff and worked in high resolution processing for integrated circuits, MEMS, and quantum effect devices and was assigned for 2 years to work at IMEC where he developed a taste for Belgian beer and chocolate. Prior to working at TI, John worked at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory on ion beam and x-ray lithography. He has 119 articles published in refereed journals, more than 50 conference proceedings and other publications with 4489 citations and 34 issued US Patents with 972 citations.
2025 JUDGES
Nellson Burns
Managing Partner, Destination IT
Nellson Burns is the co-owner and Managing Partner of Destination IT (DIT), a Dallas based IT consulting, staffing and placement firm, one of Dallas's fastest growing companies in 2024-25. Prior to founding DIT, he was a CIO for two Fortune 500 companies for 15 years. In 2007, at the age of 32, he became the CIO/VP of IT for Holly Corporation (now known as HF Sinclair). As the CIO for 10 years, he oversaw the most growth in the company's history, leading the IT integration for 5 major M&A events, as the company quintupled in size.
From 2018 - 2022, he was the CIO of Daltile, part of the family of companies that make up Mohawk Industries, the world's largest flooring company. His team partnered with Marketing, Transportation and Sales Operations to transform the company's customary facing technology to drastically improve the customer experience and supply chain.
Prior to HF Sinclair, Nellson was a consultant for Ernst & Young and Capgemini, where he focused on M&A and SAP projects for some of the world's largest Oil and Gas companies like BP, ConocoPhillips, and Shell.
He maintains an active presence in the north Texas tech community, serving as the President of SIM DFW. SIM is the nation's largest networking organization for IT executives. His efforts there resulted in being named SIM National's Leader of the year. He was also a finalist for the inaugural Orbies, where he was recognized as one of the top CIOs in Dallas.
Family and connection are important to Nellson, and he is married to Melissa Burns. They have two children, Jack (11) and Kate (9). He is an avid pickleball player, and he enjoys cooking, reading, the family cat (Luna) and Texas A&M sports. He graduated from Texas A&M's Honor's Program.
Mignona Cote
SVP & CISO, Infor
As Chief Security Officer, Mignona Cote provides leadership, strategic direction and oversight for NetApp’s IT and product security. Mignona has served in chief information security officer roles and has a demonstrated history across insurance, healthcare, and large financial institutions. She is skilled in cybersecurity, enterprise risk management, vulnerability management, internal audit, IT strategy, and leadership.
Offering over 25 years of securing and improving technical operations for companies like AWS, AIG, Aetna, Bank of America, PepsiCo, and Verizon Communications, she has led the development and execution of security solutions that improve international and global networks. Her background encompasses payments within health savings and bank card services, securing transactions, and preventing fraud.
She is a strong technology professional with an MBA focused in business and accounting from Louisiana State University in Shreveport, and undergraduate degrees in both computer information systems and Spanish.
Valerie Freeman
CEO, BravoTech & Freeman+Leonard
Valerie Freeman is the Founder and CEO of a group of specialized companies whose services include staffing, search outsourcing and consulting, operating under the names, Imprimis Group, BravoTech, Freeman+Leonard and ANSERteam. Over the years, the companies have been named to the Inc. 500/5000, Dallas 100, WPO Fast 50 and Cougar 100 (Univ. of Houston) and Women’s Business Enterprise of the Year. In 2021 Valerie was inducted into the JA Business Hall of Fame and also received the Women Paying It Forward Award from Women Leading Technology. In 2020, Valerie received the Orbie Leadership Award from the Dallas CIO Assn. and was inducted into the Tech Titans Hall of Fame. Previously she was inducted into the Women’s Business Enterprise Hall of Fame and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the Alliance of Technology and Women and the Dallas Business Journal’s Women in Technology. She was also in DCEO Dallas 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders publication several times and was named to the Power 50 Women in Dallas by the Texas Diversity Council. She is a former Chair of the Board of the Girl Scouts of NETexas where she also received their Woman of Distinction Award. She has been a winner of the Tech Titans Community Hero Award and also the Investment Catalyst Award (as co-founder of Texas Women Ventures). She has been an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year winner and a NAWBO National Woman Business Owner of the Year.
Valerie was one of the Founders of the Texas Women Ventures family of funds, the first fund of its kind in Texas to invest in women owned companies. The fund made its first investment in 2005, and is now winding down its third and final fund.
She serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Prime Women Media which publishes www.primewomen.com, an online publication for professional women over the age of 50 which has been named as one of the top 100 Best Blogs and Websites for women. She also serves on the Advisory Board for Truist Bank and the Advisory Council for the Alliance of Technology and Women. Currently she serves on the Board of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Dallas Assembly, YPO, and the International Women’s Forum. Valerie holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from the University of Houston where she was honored as a Distinguished Alum.
Vipin Gupta
Fmr. CIO & Chief Digital Officer, Toyota Financial Services
Vipin Gupta is a Fortune 500 executive, entrepreneur, and global leader with extensive 30+ years of experience in driving transformative growth and digital innovation in Financial Services.
He has held leadership roles as CIO at Toyota and KeyBank, Partner at Capgemini and Ernst & Young, and founder of digital startups. Most recently, as a Chief Innovation and Digital Officer at Toyota Financial Services International corporation, he spearheaded a groundbreaking transformation of the company into the industry's first digital multi-tenant, multi-brand auto finance business, significantly growing assets and operating income without growing expenses.
His expertise spans the financial services industry across all aspects of digital, IT, data, AI, cybersecurity, and risk governance, leading multinational teams for large-scale turnaround transformation using innovative technology platforms and decision-driven operating models. He has led multi-million-dollar P&L businesses and has been instrumental in M&A integration for large banks and small FinTech. As investor and advisor, he guides early-stage AI ventures creating innovative solutions for large enterprises.
Additionally, he serves on the Advisory Board at Feuji Inc., IDC Global CIO Research Board, and CIO Executive Council. He also serves on the Junior Achievement of Dallas board. In the past, he served on the boards of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, Breakthrough Schools, and Ingenuity Fest.
As a passionate advocate for education and talent development, Vipin supports future leaders as an executive coach at the CIO Executive Council, C-suite faculty at World 50, and a guest speaker at the MIT Sloan Executive Education program.
His contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious MIT Sloan CIO Leadership Award, Forbes 50, Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business, and induction into the CIO Hall of Fame.
Rashmi Jain
CIO & Partner, Zeal IT Consultants
Rashmi Jain is an award-winning technology executive and the current CIO/Partner at Zeal IT Consultants, where she leads strategic technology initiatives and partners with clients to drive innovation, transformation, and operational excellence. With over 25 years of experience, Rashmi brings deep expertise in IT strategy, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and product design across healthcare and technology sectors.
Rashmi also provides fractional CIO and management consulting services—helping organizations assess and optimize their systems, people, and processes with a focus on automation, AI, and scalability. She currently serves as a fractional CIO and advisor to Leon Capital Group, supporting their technology strategy and operational growth initiatives.
Previously, as Chief Information Officer of Careington International Corporation, Rashmi played a pivotal role in scaling IT and Operations from a team of two to over 350 professionals worldwide. She was instrumental in the company’s expansion from one entity to four, delivering SaaS-based telehealth platforms, custom TPA solutions, and digital systems serving millions of consumers.
Rashmi holds an MBA in Information Systems and Healthcare, a Master’s in Cybersecurity, and a Bachelor’s in Economics. She is an active member of SIM DFW, the DFW Alliance of Technology and Women and CHIEF, and has been recognized by the Dallas Business Journal, Tech Titans, and the ORBIE Awards for her leadership and impact in technology.
A champion of innovation, mentorship, and inclusive leadership, Rashmi is honored to serve as a judge for the Tech Titans Awards and to support the recognition of excellence in North Texas’s thriving technology community.
Maria Lensing
Global CIO & CTO, Sorensen Communications
Maria is a member of the executive team and oversees the company’s Technology, Engineering and Innovation organizations. She is responsible for the technology vision, strategy, innovation
and operations of our company. This is a vital role in delivering cutting-edge technology, aligning solutions to business strategy, and driving investments in research and development.
Prior to her current role, Maria was a member of Sorenson’s Board of Directors and was the Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Walgreens. She led the development of the Technology operating model and was the owner of the company’s Digital Transformation. She spearheaded the development and implementa0on of cutting-edge technology strategies for this iconic brand, introducing AI innovations, expanding operational capabilities and
accelerating business growth. She also had responsibility for workforce strategy, vendor management, technology governance and compliance and financial management.
Before that, Maria was the Chief Technology Officer at McKesson, where she was responsible for developing McKesson’s technology stack vision, strategy and architectures. She was critical to the acceleration of technology solutions to support vaccine distribution in the United States, earning the award of “CTO of the Year” by Tech Titans in 2021. Maria modernized their cloud strategy, service delivery models and delivered double digit improvement on system
performance through operational excellence. Before McKesson, Maria held several business and technical executive roles at AT&T over a span of 11 years including President of Healthcare
Services, Chief of Staff to the CEO, and led Corporate Strategy.
Maria has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Master of Science in Engineering Management from Christian Brothers University (CBU). She completed her Executive Education
at Harvard Business School and is a boardroom certified Qualified Technology Expert (QTE).
Maria is passionate about empowering teams to deliver at their highest quality, fostering a culture of inclusion and innovation, championing STEM education initiatives, and amplifying the
impact of Hispanic Technology leaders. She has received multiple awards and honors from different institutions and publications like World 50 Next Women, La0no Leaders Magazine Most Influential Latina, and Super Woman in Business. She published her first book in 2024.
Maria, her husband and their two boys reside in Dallas, Texas.
Ravi Malick
SVP & Global CIO, Box
Ravi Malick is the SVP and Global Chief Information Officer at Box, one of the fastest growing enterprise software companies that has been adopted by over 70% of the Fortune 500. Committed to driving brand advocacy and fostering meaningful relationships, Ravi spearheads the company's worldwide information technology strategy. His strategic acumen extends to developing go-to-market strategies that not only elevate the company's presence but also ensure scaling across all facets of growth. At the heart of Ravi's role is his dedication to providing executive sponsorship and guidance to customers, solidifying Box's reputation as a customer-centric organization. His expertise ranges from crafting innovative business initiatives to deploying cutting-edge technological solutions, all aimed at bolstering the value of investments in technology.
Prior to Box, Ravi was the SVP & Chief Information Officer at Vistra Corp. (NYSE: VST) from August 2016 to July 2020, where he was responsible for, and ensured the reliability, security, compliance, continued development, and management of the Company’s information and operational technology platforms supporting the retail, generation, and corporate business units. In this capacity, Ravi helped drive the effort to integrate three major acquisitions which collectively more than doubled Vistra Energy’s size over a 3-year period. Ravi also served as the VP of Governance and Strategy and as the VP of Retail Technology. In these roles, he laid a significant foundation for growth and expansion by ensuring IT investments supported business objectives, establishing the overall IT governance framework, driving operational excellence, fostering innovation, and improving both product quality and delivery.
After graduating from Brown University with a BA in Political Science, Ravi started his career in investment banking and management consulting then going on to hold management roles at multiple companies in both the software and financial services industries.
In addition to his responsibilities at Box, Ravi serves on the board for the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, the TCU Business Information Systems School, and is an advisor/investor for several software, VC, and PE firms.
Betty Manetta
President & CEO, Argent Associates, Inc.
Betty Manetta is a dynamic executive, visionary entrepreneur, and passionate advocate for inclusion, innovation, and sustainable growth. With over 25 years of experience leading transformation across global technology, telecommunications, and startup sectors, she has built a reputation as a powerhouse in supply chain strategy and sustainability—earning recognition as an award-winning industry expert and a champion for women- and minority-owned businesses.
As the Founder, President, and CEO of Argent Associates, a forward-thinking technology firm specializing in software development, distribution, and systems integration, she has grown a multi-million-dollar enterprise that’s as known for its cutting-edge solutions as it is for its commitment to environmental responsibility and workforce diversity. Her people-first approach to leadership has fostered a team rich in perspectives, proving that our differences are what make us stronger.
She also founded Asociar, which focuses on network engineering, technical installation, and testing within the telecom and data center space. Across both companies, she is leading a bold transformation—shifting from a traditional operational model to one driven by innovation, using proprietary technology to reimagine and enhance the customer experience.
Most recently, she co-formed a joint venture with OnPoint EV Solutions, launching a cutting-edge EVCaaS (Electric Vehicle Charging as a Service) initiative that’s set to reshape the EV infrastructure space.
She brings governance experience through active advisory roles on multiple nonprofit boards and continues to lead with vision, integrity, and impact.
Her academic journey includes a BS in Marketing and Accounting from Rutgers University and an MBA in International Business from Seton Hall University. She has also completed executive education programs at prestigious institutions such as the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Kellogg School of Business, Harvard Kennedy School, and Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Rahul Saini
CEO & Co-Founder, Teliatry Inc.
I am an innovator, engineer, researcher, inventor, mentor, and entrepreneur who has effectively combined the best of academic research and industrial practices to bring to life some of the most technologically advanced devices, processes, and platforms in the fields of Microsystems, Nanotechnology, and Biotechnology. My work materializes an equitable healthcare paradigm for the developing and the developed world alike, and my vision is to bring novel neuromodulation and sensory technology solutions to mainstream diagnostics and treatment of diseases.
As the system architect for multiple ultra-miniature bio-implants, including NR600, a grain of rice-sized implant that restores vision to the blind, I have pushed the boundaries of what was once thought impossible. I am the Founder and CEO of Teliatry, a company developing groundbreaking solutions for neurological disorders with wide-ranging impact in helping patients with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), Stroke, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Chronic pain, Parkinson's Disease, Dementia, and more. Additionally, I am the founder and CEO of Auxilium Medical Devices, a company working to bring novel Active Implantable Medical Devices (AIMDs) and wearables to the world of companion animals, and the CTO of NXTstim, a company bringing neuromodulation solutions to mainstream pain management.
With over two decades of experience at Zyvex group of companies, I have collaborated with industry, government agencies, and academia throughout my career. As an adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, I taught and mentored graduate students in the field of biosystems and MEMS design, and I take pride in the fact that some of my mentees have gone on to achieve their own distinctions. I have been the Principal Investigator (PI) on multiple programs from DARPA, NIH, and BIRD foundation, and have been a performer in multiple projects from NASA, DOD, DOE, and NSA.
My work has been recognized with more than 25 peer-reviewed journal articles, more than 10 issued/pending patents, and awards such as the North Texas Tech Titan "Technology Inventor" award for 2018 and the Tech Titan "Startup CEO" award for 2023.
Neelu Sethi
Global CIO, The Brink's Company
Neelu Sethi is the SVP & Global Chief Information Officer of Brinks Inc, a leading global provider of cash and valuables management, digital retail solutions, and ATM managed services serving customers in 100+ Countries along with ~72K Employees across ~1300 Facilities.
With reputation of a proven servant leader, Neelu has ~30 years of experience in CPG, Hospitality, Healthcare and Textile industries. She is known for delivering business results by engaging people. She has been recognized as ‘2023 CIO of the year Orbie Award winner’, ‘2022 CIO Of the Year Tech Titans Award winner’, ‘Top 15 Business Women’ in Dallas, ‘2019 Women In Technology’ award honoree by Dallas Business Journal, ‘2018 Stevie Gold Digital Transformer of the year’ winner of American Business Awards, ‘2018 CGT’s IT Excellence Award’ winner, ‘2018 Dallas Power 50’ Awardee, 2019 & 2020 Orbie CIO Finalist and 2020 Tech Titans CIO Finalist. As a business technologist, Neelu offers a unique blend of executive acumen, global team-enablement and driving transformation through innovative, problem solving and value creation culture.
Prior to joining Brinks, Neelu held various executive positions with Reddy Ice, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Cadbury Schweppes, ClubCorp and McKesson. She has successfully led IT Operations across Corporate, Commercial and Supply Chain functions including Logistics, Manufacturing, Warehousing, Engineering, Procurement, Consumer Relations, Facilities and Environmental Health & Safety. Her achievements extend across numerous disciplines including strategy, driving innovation, digital transformation, delivering complex system implementations and enterprise-wide IT operations including Mergers & Acquisitions.
Neelu holds a master's degree in computer applications from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), India and a master's degree in mathematics from Delhi University, India. She is an active participant of the CIO Technology Executive Network, National Diversity & Inclusion Forums, Women Leadership Groups and serves as a board member of several non-profit organizations. She lives in Dallas with her husband and their son.
Hope Shimabuku
Director, USPTO Texas Regional Office
As the Regional Director of the Texas Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Hope Shimabuku carries out the strategic direction of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, and is responsible for leading the Texas regional office. Focusing on the region and actively engaging with the community, Ms. Shimabuku ensures the USPTO’s initiatives and programs are tailored to the region’s unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders.
Ms. Shimabuku brings to the USPTO nearly two decades of experience as an engineer and intellectual property attorney. Most recently, Ms. Shimabuku was part of the Office of General Counsel at Xerox Corporation serving as Vice President and Corporate Counsel responsible for all intellectual property matters for Xerox Business Services, LLC. She also worked for BlackBerry Corporation advising on United States and Chinese standards setting, cyber security, technology transfer, and intellectual property laws and legislation. As an engineer, she worked for Procter & Gamble and Dell Computer Corporation.
Ms. Shimabuku is a leader in the Texas region. She currently sits on the Board of Visitors for the University of North Texas Law School and is an honorary member and inaugural member of the Barbara M.G. Lynn IP Inn of Court. She is a past chair for the Intellectual Property Section of the State Bar of Texas, served as past president of the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, chaired the Dallas Diversity Task Force, served as a facilitator for the DFW Women in Intellectual Property group and served on the board of the Dallas Bar Association and as a member of the Grievance Committee for the State Bar of Texas – District 6.
Throughout her career, Ms. Shimabuku has championed diversity efforts, including service as the first Asian-American Chair of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and was honored with the Champion of Diversity Award by the Association of Corporate Counsel and separately by the Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas. She has received numerous professional honors, including being honored as a Hero of Innovation by the Center for American and International Law, being selected as a Dallas Business Journal “Top 40 Under Forty,” named Dallas Business Journal’s Corporate Counsel Rookie of the Year, selected as one of DCEO’s “500 Most Powerful Business Leaders”, and being awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award for Government Services for SMU Dedman School of Law in 2018.
Ms. Shimabuku has had the opportunity to participate in various events throughout her tenure with the USPTO, including SXSW Interactive, the Houston Tech Rodeo, Craft Brewers Conference and Brew Expo America, Center for American and International Policy, the Conrad Challenge Innovation Summit, FIRST Championships, and as a casting call guest on ABC’s Shark Tank.
Ms. Shimabuku received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and graduated cum laude with a J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. She is a native Texan, born and raised in Houston. She currently lives in Flower Mound, Texas, with her husband and two daughters.
Dee Shirali
SVP Software Engineering, GM Financial Services
Technology executive with 3 decades of experience working primarily in the financial services industry. As Senior Vice President at GM Financial, I lead the small business fleet and protection products businesses from a digital and technology perspective. I am passionate about applying technology to solve real world business problems and address consumer pain points through engaging and fulfilling experiences. I have an engineering degree with an executive MBA from SMU Cox school of business
Trude Van Horn
SVP & CIO, Rimini
Inducted in 2023 to the Tech Titans Hall of Fame. Winner of Inspire CIO’s 2021 Dallas / North Texas Global ORBIE CIO of the Year. Winner of SEI’s 2020 Women in IT - Luminary Award. These are highlights of the awards and recognition that Trude Van Horn has received in her decades-long career.
Trude is currently a Tech Executive at Cien.ai - an award-winning, AI-native Sales, CRM, and GTM intelligence platform. Cien is trusted by top management consulting firms, private equity groups, and B2B enterprises to uncover the true drivers of stalled growth and revenue underperformance, and to provide the clarity to act fast. Cien delivers transformative insights with remarkable speed—going from contract to strategic action in days. Cien has already identified over $1 billion in revenue growth opportunities for its clients.
Trude is a global veteran Technology Executive with 20+ years as a CIO. Her diverse experience includes tech leadership positions at American Express, JPMorgan, global chemical manufacturer NCH Corporation, retailers Victoria’s Secret, Office Depot, Jo-Ann Stores and tech disruptor, Rimini Street. Instructor for SMU’s Tech CxO Leadership Excellence program, Advisory Board Chair for DFW*ATW, Trude serves on the board / as an advisor to Tech Genies, i11 Labs, V-Bridge Hub, Prime Women Media, Tackle Tomorrow and the International Women’s Forum – Dallas. BBA, cum laude, Temple University (Philadelphia).
Trude is passionate about giving back to the DFW Technology Community, creating a more diverse pipeline of technology leadership talent and developing the next generation of IT leaders.
Amy Wheelus
CTIO, Gigapower
Amy serves as CTIO for Gigapower, LLC, a start-up fiber broadband network operator. Gigapower is a joint venture between AT&T and BlackRock launched in May 2023. As a direct report to the CEO, she has responsibility for the network architecture, network engineering, product development, supply chain and technology systems for Gigapower.
Prior to joining Gigapower, LLC, Amy had a stellar career at AT&T, most recently as VP of Architecture & Strategic Technology Planning in the Corporate Strategy and Development business unit of AT&T. She previously held a similar role for AT&T’s Consumer Business Unit after serving as the VP of Broadband & Video Systems, a product CIO equivalent role. In these roles, she drove the technology transformation of AT&T’s Consumer Technology Platform by radically simplifying and modernizing the business support software systems architecture and operating model.
Previously as VP of Network Cloud, Amy led the team that delivered the Network Cloud that hosted the 5G Packet Core and the world’s first standards-based Mobile 5G Millimeter Wave Call. Her team was instrumental in launching the Airship project, a groundbreaking declarative software delivery platform in the Open Infrastructure community. Prior to the Network Cloud initiative, as AVP of Domain 2.0 Technology Realization, she orchestrated the AT&T network transformation that launched the telecommunications industry shift to virtualized network functions and software defined networking.
Amy received an MBA from Emory University and a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She serves on the ISYE Advisory Board at Georgia Institute of Technology and on the Advisory Board of the AT&T Center for Virtualization at Southern Methodist University. She served as the Board Chair of Tech Titans, a forum that connects the regional technology community of North Texas, from 2020-2024. Amy graduated from the KPMG Executive Leadership Institute for Women and was a member of AT&T’s Executive Women’s Leadership Program. At the 2024 Digital Engineering Awards, Amy received The Distinguished Digital Engineering Leader Award. In 2021, she was recognized by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the top Women in Technology in North Texas. She was previously recognized in 2019 as a “Rising Star in Telecom” by FierceTelecom, an industry publication.
PAST JUDGES
Sumit Anand
Chief Information and Strategy Officer, At Home Group Inc.
Sumit Anand currently serves as At Home’s Chief Information Officer and Chief Strategy Officer. Under his leadership, At Home has made significant progress on its Business Strategy and Transformation (At Home 2.0) initiatives, technology modernization and enabled new eCommerce selling channel(s).
Prior to joining At Home in 2018, Mr. Anand was the Senior Vice President of Information Technology from 2015 to 2018 at Signet Jewelers, a large specialty jewelry retailer with over 3,000 stores, in United States, Canada and United Kingdom. In that role, Mr. Anand was responsible for leading the Technology Modernization and Organizational Transformation initiative across 8 global brands and several capability areas, including stores, e-commerce, digital, omni-channel, supply chain, analytics, merchandizing, HR and finance.
Mr. Anand also previously served as an executive in Accenture’s Digital Retail Practice from 2007 to 2015. He was the Strategy Client Account Lead (CAL) for one of Accenture’s largest Global Retail client and worked with various national and international retail organizations including Best Buy, Walgreens, Neiman Marcus around their Corporate Strategy, International Expansion, Digital and Technology Transformation and M&A initiatives. Mr. Anand received his MS – Information Systems from University of Colorado.
Mr. Anand was the Enterprise Winner of the 2020 Dallas CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards, finalist for the 2021 National CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards and was also named to the D CEO Dallas 500 Most Influential Leaders in North Texas.
Mr. Anand is an avid runner and has completed 3 of the 6 Abbott World Marathon Majors along with several half-marathons.
Brenda Boehm
Head of Strategic Alliances, Dell Technologies
Highly accomplished C-level and board executive that combines her business acumen with her technical industry expertise in advanced next generation networks, security, big data, analytics, edge, and internet of things technologies to provide executive strategic leadership, innovative consulting, advisory leadership, and board governance. She drives organization and digital transform for companies which leverages today’s technologies for new products and services, operational efficiencies, and global market reach that significantly impacts their corporate bottom line.
Brenda’s deep industry expertise is based upon her successful leadership roles at both the executive and board leadership levels with various innovation-focused technology companies from entrepreneurial start-ups: Starent Networks, Tango Networks, and Cyphre to Fortune 100 leaders: Dell Technologies, Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks, Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia. This uniquely broad set of experiences and skills have equipped her with the insight to create a market vision that recognizes industry disruption, an ability to harness change for innovation, develop global market reach, and ensure the most successful secure operational best practices.
Brenda is a member of the University of Texas Institute for Excellence for Corporate Governance (IECG) and Private Directors Association. She was nominated as top ten women in technology by Dallas Business Journal. She has served on the governance board for Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, and the advisory board for EWF International.
Brenda has experience serving in governance and advisory board leadership with: PROLIM, Red Mountain Scientific, Amazech, Cypher, Tango Communications, and IoT Community.
Academic Background:
Carnegie Mellon Chief Information Security Officer Certificate
Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Stanford Advanced Computer Security Certificate
Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Stanford Executive Program
Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Master of Science in Telecommunications Management
Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Bachelor of Business Administration – Computer Information Systems
Northeast Louisiana University, Monroe, LA
A commercial technologist with proven expertise in transforming and future proofing complex , global businesses. What helps me do this effectively is the ability to set a bold vision, drive fast action and lead with heart to rally an organization.
My experiences span general management, strategy and digital/AI leadership. At McKinsey, my focus was transforming Fortune 500 businesses through strategic insight. At Google, it was growing market share of Chromebooks through P&L management & deal negotiations. Currently, I'm helping transform KFC from a legacy business into a 100% digital one and using AI to re-wire the business.
Specialties: Digital| Retail| Telecommunication| Strategy| Transformation| Turnaround| Leadership| Operations| Hyper-growth| International expansion| Multi-channel| Channel Sales | Scaling| P&L |Go To Market| Management| Coaching | Relationship Management |Contract Negotiation |Communication
Amy Czuchlewski
SVP of Technology, Blue Label Labs
Amy Czuchlewski is a former head of technology at Nickelodeon (Noggin), Bottle Rocket and Blue Label Labs. She has over 20 years of experience building consumer facing applications, starting with the first phone to ever have downloadable apps (Motorola i1000+ in 1999). She's led engineering teams from 20 to 150 people, which have implemented mobile and web applications for over 100 Fortune 500 and start-up companies. In her free time, Amy sits on the Board of Directors at Bold Idea, an organization that pairs technology companies with Dallas-area schools to provide hands-on computer programming mentors for students. She's also a founding member of The Turtle Project, where she works with her daughter to raise awareness about sea turtle conservation. Amy has been honored for her work with the CTO of the Year award from D CEO in 2016, the Women in Technology Luminary award from Technology Ball in 2020, and she was a finalist for the Corporate CTO award from Tech Titans in 2020. She has a degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Bill Dyer
VP of Product & Engineering, Connected Vehicle Services, SiriusXM
Bill Dyer is a passionate builder and leader of great software products and teams. He is currently the VP of Product & Engineering for Connected Vehicle Services at SiriusXM. Bill is a recognized expert in Internet of Things (IoT), device management, customer experience management (CEM), analytics and networking with extensive experience identifying new market opportunities and developing new business.
Romelia Flores
Distinguished Engineer & Master Inventor, IBM Industry Engineering Lab
Romelia’s industry experiences combined with her unique software development and design expertise make her Global Markets’ most highly sought-after innovator. She has collaborated with leading clients in the design of Space Object Analytics, Health & Human Services, Storm Water Management, Cloud Platforms, Hepatitis C Eradication, and Airports of the Future. She holds 83 US patents and 10 patents pending. In 2021 she received the Dallas Business Journal’s Women in Business Award. In 2018, she was the first female ever named to the Dallas Tech Titans Hall of Fame and was the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award winner from Great Minds in STEM.
Matt Glover
CTO, Le-Vel
Matt Glover is a military veteran and a technology executive with 32 years of industry experience. He is the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) for Le-Vel, a mid-market health and wellness company in Frisco, Texas.
He has been honored by his peers by being selected as a finalist as Tech Titans Corporate CTO of the Year for two years in a row (2016 and 2017).
He serves as Chairman of the Business Industry Leadership Team for the National Convergence Technology Center. The center is responsible for guiding the curriculum for more than 80 colleges nationally to make work force ready students in STEM related fields.
Mr. Glover was previously the CIO for AMX, a global hi-tech company. Prior to that he served as Senior Vice President of Technology at Bank of America and has helped lead technology for industry giants like HP, Intuit, and MetLife. Formerly a member of the CTO Roundtable at the White House whose mission was designed to build the “Tech Hire” initiative nationwide. This initiative was focused on pathways for non-degreed citizens to move into STEM fields.
Mr. Glover holds seven degrees, spanning Management, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Finance, Accounting, Marketing and Economics. He attended George Washington University in D.C. and Hawaii Pacific University in Hawaii. In addition to his college education he earned a Journeyman as an Electronic Technician while serving his country.
He started his technology career on Fast Attack Submarines and served his country with distinction for nearly ten years; spending nearly five years of his life under water.
Bruce Gnade, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, University of Texas at Dallas
Bruce Gnade received his BA in Chemistry from St. Louis University in 1976 and his Ph.D. in Nuclear Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1982. He is Professor Emeritus at UT Dallas and Chief Scientist at Mustang Optics. He was the Executive Director of the Hart Center for Engineering Leadership in the Lyle School of Engineering at SMU from 2017-2022, the Vice President for Research and the Distinguished Chair in Microelectronics at UT Dallas from 2006-2016, and a program manager in the Microsystems Technology Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) from 1996-1999. At Texas Instruments he led several research and technology groups from 1982-1996. His current research interests focus on electronics for harsh environments and using optical techniques to solve problems. He is a Fellow of APS, IEEE, and National Academy of Inventors, and was Chair of the Board of Directors of Oak Ridge Associated Universities from 2020-2022. He was awarded the 2021 IEEE J.J. Ebers award.
Greg Head
Founder of Gregslist.com, Host of Practical Founders Podcast
Greg Head is a 30-year software industry veteran who was part of the startup-to-scale journeys of three different software companies in the CRM industry, including one IPO. He is now an active mentor, advisor, podcaster, and investor helping founders of software startups all over the world.
He is the founder of Gregslist.com, his curated and up-to-date list of local software companies and SaaS jobs. Gregslist is now available for tech communities in Phoenix, Dallas,, and 10 other cities. Greg also is host of the weekly Practical Founders Podcast where he interviews successful founders who grew valuable software companies without big funding.
Greg and his wife live in the Dallas area. They spent 23 years in Phoenix before returning to her
hometown in Texas in 2019.
Website Links
• Gregslist - https://gregslist.com/
• Practical Founders Podcast - https://practicalfounders.com
Rishi Khanna
Founder and CEO, ISHIR, Co-Founder and CEO, ENO8
Rishi Khanna is an impact-driven entrepreneur and high growth CEO of specialized companies in the outsourcing and digital innovation industries. For over two decades, Rishi has successfully implemented strategic outsourcing and offshore/nearshore/rural shore programs in IT, Software Development, QA, Cloud, Mobile/IoT, AI, AI Annotations, DevOps, BPO/KPO and Digital Marketing functions.
Over the years, Rishi’s companies have been named to the Inc. 5000, Inc. 100 in Texas, Dallas 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies, Fort Worth’s Fastest Growing Companies, Best Places to Work, and Fast 100 Asian American Business Awards. Rishi is also a two-time Entrepreneur of Excellence Finalist Honoree.
Taking a hands-on approach as CEO, Rishi has a professional history of not only driving impactful business results, but also guiding, mentoring, and assisting others to follow their passion and unique ability.
Paul Lopez
VP, Technology Development, UnitedHealth Group
Paul Lopez is a 25+ year technology veteran whose career has spanned multiple disciplines such as IT modernization, AI & machine learning, agile software development, semiconductors, networking and all things cloud. At the Optum business unit of UHG, he leads healthcare IT transformation initiatives with large provider organizations designed to improve the quality of care for millions of Americans. He is passionate about combining digital technology with humanity and compassion to help people lead healthier lives. Prior to UnitedHealth Group, Paul was Vice President of IT Services for NEC Corporation of America, where he led a national organization of IT consultants, developers, project managers, and engineers that served enterprise and public sector accounts. He has held senior management positions at T-Mobile, Nortel Networks, IBM, AMD and National Semiconductor where he was instrumental in bringing innovative products and services to market.
Paul holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and has completed MBA coursework at SMU and the Wharton School. He has served as an active member of IEEE including several standards committees related to computer networking and wireless technologies. In 2017, he co-founded New Hope Education, Inc. a private, non-profit school serving K4 to 6th-grade students in the North Dallas area. Paul actively supports Metro Relief, a non-profit who helps people experiencing homelessness to get off the streets through an all mobile, person-centered field service organization.
Xiaolin Lu
Director and Fellow, Texas Instruments Kilby Labs
Xiaolin is Fellow and director of Texas Instruments Kilby Labs Sensing & Processing Group responsible for R&D on connected sensors, embedded AI, timing and clocking technologies for industrial internet and automobile applications. She is chartered to drive various differentiated semiconductor system level solutions using TI differentiated analog and embedded processors, connectivity, mixed signal components and power management devices.
Xiaolin has worked on various embedded processing and communication system programs, including Smart Sensing with edge computing, Intelligent Industrial Internet Sensor Network systems, embedded AI, Narrow Band Power Line Communication Systems, Narrow band and Broadband Wireless and Wired Communication Technologies, Smart Power IPs, Universal MAC for broadband IP, LTE/Wimax Prototypes, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth co-existence and digital mobile TV SoC, etc.
Xiaolin is well-known as an embedded system and software expert inside and outside TI and has given keynote and plenary talks at numerous technical conferences. In addition, she is the author/co-author of more than 60 U.S. issued patents and the recipient of the special recognition awards: 2016 Asian American Engineer of the Year, Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and National Women of Color award in the Technical Innovation – Industry category.
Xiaolin is United Way Tocqueville member for community services. In her free time, Xiaolin enjoys yoga practice, playing piano, listening to classical music and leisure travel.
Garyld Miles
VP of Operations & Engineering, The Realtime Group
Mr. Miles has over 30 years of R&D experience in Systems, Embedded Electronics, and Software/Firmware, most of which is in the medical device industry. His background is in medical device compliance; mission critical, real-time embedded hardware and software product development, and has co-developed more than 80 medical device or industrial control systems. His current focus is Systems Engineering, Usability, Program Management, and Regulatory Compliance through application of requirements analysis, safety assessments, safety architecture, risk and hazard analysis, FME(C)A, FTA, and system and software reliability. This includes technical responsibility for CE Mark, FCC, UL, EMI/EMC, and other safety and environmental certifications.
Mr. Miles has been the featured speaker at industry conferences, training sessions, and discussion groups on the topics of Requirements Engineering, Medical Device Risk Management, Medical Device Cybersecurity, Product and Software Development Lifecycle, Software Quality, and Medical Device Regulatory Compliance.
At Tech Titans, Mr. Miles has served as Tri-Chair of the Health Tech Forum for several years and served as a Tech Titans Board Member. He is an ASQ Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE) and has served as ASQ Biomedical Discussion Group, Program Chair for the DFW section.
Mr. Miles holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Sherif Mityas
CEO, BRIX Holdings
Sherif Mityas has more than 25 years’ experience in the retail and hospitality sectors in both senior consulting and executive industry roles. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the BRIX Brands portfolio, a leading restaurant investment group with over 300 locations across multiple brands including Friendly’s, Red Mango, Orange Leaf, Smoothie Factory+Kitchen, Pizza Jukebox and SouperSalad.
Prior to his current role, Sherif served as the Chief Experience Officer for TGI FRIDAYS with oversight for the Brand’s Strategy, Marketing, Innovation, and Digital efforts and as the Chief Executive Officer for Hollywood Video/Movie Gallery.
Mr. Mityas received a B.S. degree in aerospace engineering from Boston University, a M.S. in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and an M.B.A. from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Vanessa Ogle
Founder, Enseo & HigherHill Studios
Vanessa is an experienced Latina CEO and entrepreneur in connected technology, entertainment, digital safety and network solutions. A passionate mother, wife, inventor, writer, and musician, she has revolutionized industries with endeavors like being the first to bring Netflix® to hotel rooms and developing an employee safety system to protect women and children in hotels and schools. She currently holds 120+ US patents.
Robert Pace
VP, Information Security & CISO, Invitation Homes
Robert is the Vice President, Information Security and CISO for Invitation Homes. He is responsible for leading the Information Security program for Invitation Homes. Responsibilities include establishing a sound security strategy, governance, operations, service delivery, business integration and end-user awareness training.
Robert’s career spans over 20 years in leading global teams in the delivery of IT Security operations. Robert has been influential in the leadership, design of security operations and delivery at First American Payment Systems, Dell Services, Williamson-Dickie Mfg. Co., Bell Helicopter, Textron and Ameritech. Robert also has significant consulting experience with Fortune 500 clients, on IT Security and Risk Management while working at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Robert has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Michigan State University and a Master of Science Degree from Walsh College of Business and Accountancy. Robert has completed the Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age at Harvard and the Executive Leadership Program at Thunderbird - Gavin School of International Management. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Chief Information Security Officer (C|CISO), ITILv3 and a Certified Six-Sigma Green Belt.
Daniel Powell
CEO, Spark Biomedical Inc.
"It's not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly." - Teddy Roosevelt
Daniel Powell has over 25 years of experience delivering technical solutions across multiple industries. In 2006, Mr. Powell found his true passion in medical devices, specifically neurostimulation, and has since launched multiple products in the space, including Deep Brain Stimulation for movement disorders and Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Epilepsy. Mr. Powell co-founded and serves as CEO of Spark Biomedical, the developer of the FDA-cleared Sparrow Ascent; a novel, wearable neurostimulation solution to address opioid withdrawal and addiction for adults. Under Mr. Powell's leadership, Spark continues to advance the science of wearable neurostimulation and is developing a solution for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome - addressing the most vulnerable victims of the opioid epidemic, newborn babies.
Dalia Powers
SVP & CIO, Humana
Innovative executive with substantial experience in setting strategy and realizing bold business goals. A veteran of digital transformations in diverse industries powered by Data platforms, and AI/ML to reimagine customer experiences. Led large globally distributed organizations of ~2,000 resources. Energetic, authentic and trusted leader with deep technical roots and passion for developing talent. Recognized for setting and implementing strategies that accelerate Digital Transformation, Agile adoption, Public Cloud, innovation, use of Data and Analytics, and improving overall technology execution.
Dalia was recognized as one of the Top 500 Business Leaders in Dallas, Finalist for ORBIEE Awards for Top CIOs in Dallas, Top 50 CIOs Nationwide, and Top Women in Technology.
Paola Saibene has dedicated 25 years to IT, having been a Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, VP of Enterprise Risk Management, and former Global Privacy Officer. She has spent her career working in large, multi-billion-dollar organizations with global scope, and she has received multiple awards for innovation & digital transformation. She has also received a Governor’s commendation for her cybersecurity initiatives. Paola has led many large scale technology strategy and operations initiatives to modernize IT, while designing approaches that sustain governance, cybersecurity, contextual data privacy, compliance, and overall risk management at the core of such initiatives.
Presently, Paola is a Principal Consultant at Teknion Data Solutions, focusing on data governance. She is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University (D.C.), the Panamerican Business School (ENAE from Spain), and Dallas Baptist University (Texas), where she has founded the Center of Excellence in Digital Ethics.
She holds a M.S. in Psychology, M.A. in Literature & Linguistics, and a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, having practiced as a psychologist in multiple environments, and having taught Literature & Linguistics, prior to her career as a technologist.
Stacy Scott
Partner, EY-Parthenon
Stacy is a Partner in EY-Parthenon’s Strategy and Transactions practice focused on guiding organizations through M&A transaction planning and execution using practical technology and cyber security strategies. Prior to joining EY-Parthenon, Stacy worked as a Managing Director in Kroll’s cyber risk practice. She led the founding of the firm’s Security Advisory Services and served as global strategy leader for cyber practice. She joined Kroll after founding and operating her own consultancy.
In addition, Stacy has served in high-profile roles with a leading cyber security consulting firm, a Big Four accounting firm, and the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Texas. She has built a successful track record of developing and implementing strategic information security initiatives that help organizations better safeguard data, manage risk, and enhance business operations. She has proven experience in bridging the technical conversations into business impact discussions at the executive-level and board.
Stacy has been featured in the Wall Street Journal 3 times among a myriad of cyber, technology, and business publications; shared her expertise at large technology and risk conferences such as RSA Conference, TrendMicro CloudSec, and HIMSS; she was also a panelist at Bloomberg’s Sooner Than You Think Technology Summit in New York.
Barry Shurkey
CIO, NTT DATA Systems
As the CIO for NTT DATA Services since 2017, Barry is responsible for the digital transformation and optimizing the IT roadmap to support NTT DATA and its clients. Previously, he was a senior vice president overseeing the company’s IT agreements during the acquisition of Dell Services. Prior to that, he guided TxDOT’s (Texas Department of Transportation) IT transformation. With more than 35 years of experience in the IT services industry, Barry has also worked abroad in Australia on the largest outsourcing deal of its time. He has held leadership roles with EDS, HP, Vertex Business Solutions and Travelport.
Barry is a passionate and active leader in our company and the community and an advocate for social equity and many diversity and inclusion initiatives. At NTT DATA Services, Barry actively participates in several of our Employee Resource Groups. Barry often speaks in panel discussions and community events and is the Chairperson for the DFW Alliance of Technology and Women (ATW) Advisory Board. He is also a member of the Inspire Dallas CIO Advisory Board, Tech Titans Executive Committee and Evanta Dallas CIO Governing Board.
He was awarded the 2018 Corporate CIO Tech Titan award, 2019 D Magazine CIO of the Year Award, 2019 ORBIE CIO of the Year Award, Constellation's 2020 and 2022 Business Transformation 150 (BT150) and for three years in a row, named to the 2020 D CEO Dallas 500 most powerful business leaders. Barry was also a finalist for the 2021 National Global Orbie.
Barry received a bachelor’s in Management Information Systems and a minor in Computer Science at Central Michigan University. As an executive, he also attended the London School of Business and Thunderbird Global Executive programs.
Deep Sogani
VP & Chief of Enterprise Data, Personify Health
Deep Sogani has over two decades of experience as a Data Analytics leader in industries as varied as healthcare and wellness, supply-chain, home security & automation, insurance, and retail. He is an expert in aligning information management with business insights and measurable outcomes. Deep is a leader in building end to end integrated data pipelines that deliver actionable data to customers to facilitate timely and informed business decisions. Deep Sogani navigates complex Big Data, Multi-Cloud environments and provides insights leveraging technology in Data Science, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. He is known for connecting the dots between Data Management, Analytics, and Business Value. Over the years Deep has owned and delivered complex agile enterprise-data programs within budget and on time by aligning cross-functional project management teams.
As the head of enterprise data at Virgin Pulse, Deep leads over 100 team members in building the data platform for world’s number #1 health and wellbeing solution with millions of global members, in transforming their life journeys every day, making the company’s mission of “Changing lives for Good” a reality.
Additionally, Deep is quite active in the technology leadership circles. He is an organizing committee member of Texas CDO Roundtable, Executive Host of Technology Ball, and an Information Systems Advisory Board Member of University of Texas at Dallas.
Amir Tabei
CIO, Dallas Museum of Art
Amir has been managing technology departments for the past 34 years with diverse corporate and nonprofit backgrounds. He serves as Chief Information Officer at the Dallas Museum of Art. Amir Tabei is a focused and passionate leader with an award-winning career driving business success through technical expertise, proactive problem-solving, and long-range strategic planning. Proven skills in the planning and launching of IT infrastructures, ERP and Supply Chain Management systems, eCommerce, and Web Applications. Strong capacity to reinforce IT governance and ensure compliance with critical security practices. Outstanding ability to meet the ever-changing needs of the business, including its clients, budget, and personnel, while still incorporating the human element. Educator and proponent of technology within corporate and non-profit-driven entities and groups.