2021 Modern Day Technology Leader Award Winners

The Modern-Day Technology Leader award winners were honored during the all-digital Technology Recognition Event which took place on February 12. Here we take a look at how a few employers and award winners continue to celebrate.

Three General Dynamics Mission Systems employees were recognized for their achievements and received the Modern-Day Technology Leader Award. This award is given to bright women and men who are shaping the future of engineering, science, and technology.

"Congratulations to our winners who bring their expertise and passion to helping General Dynamics Mission Systems make platforms smarter for our customers and their missions," read the GD article.

Software/configuration management principal investigator Tristan Hyde delivers the highest quality of work product thanks to his ability to understand a problem from multiple levels and perspectives.

Steve Patton, a senior advanced network engineer, has a long-standing record of technical achievement. Steve’s diverse experience in project management, team building, strategic implementation, and customer interface is what makes him a Modern-Day Technology Leader.

Never satisfied with the status quo, quality strategist & tester Kabirah Taylor is recognized for her ability to dig in, dive deep to learn about applications to deliver solutions that perform as intended and make her a sought-after resource.

Recipients of the award at Northrop Grumman included Armelle Franklin, systems engineer manager, Tonyetta Gallagher, manager systems engineer, Valeria Mansfield, business enterprise program manager, and Janice Murray, staff quality analyst. Northrop Grumman employees were just a few of the STEM workers showcased for their achievements at BEYA.

This year, 10 more Booz Allen employees ( headline photo) join the illustrious roster as 2021 BEYA Modern Day Technology Leaders. Pictured above from left to right. 1st row: Andrea Blackwell, Dameon Ming, Dawnetta Van Dunk, Erica Banks, and Eylia Gaitan. 2nd row: Jennifer Mosquera, Marlena Clark, Miesha Lites, Sade Ruffin, and Sian Lewis.

"Representing expertise in data science, cybersecurity, and beyond, this year’s BEYA Modern Day Technology Leaders have made a real impact on the firm—and Booz Allen is proud to celebrate them not only year-round but also during an important month that includes Black History Month and National Engineers Week (Feb. 21-27)," Booz Allen said.

This year’s Booz Allen BEYA Modern Day Technology Leaders are:

Erica Banks, a principal, uses her electrical engineering knowledge to transform client IT programs, further STEM, and support Black and disenfranchised communities

Andrea Blackwell, a lead engineer, has supported Booz Allen’s strategic investments and client work throughout her professional journey from a junior front-end developer to a dynamic full-stack senior developer

Marlena Clark, a senior lead engineer, serves on Booz Allen’s Women in Engineering and Science leadership team and leads technical and management maintenance and modernization efforts for the firm’s defense clients

Eylia Gaitan, a senior lead technologist, helps Booz Allen’s cybersecurity team develop a forensics program for the firm and its clients in an ever-changing environment

Sian Lewis, a lead scientist, and data science expert holds leadership roles in Booz Allen’s Women in Data Science group and GLOBE+ Business Resource Group and serves on the Strategic Innovation Group’s Inclusion Advisory Committee and Black Analytics Group

Miesha Lites, a senior lead technologist, helps national security clients achieve critical accreditation milestones on the job and mentors high school students outside of work

Dameon Ming, a senior lead technologist, supports clients with his expertise in systems architecture, systems engineering, and big data while actively mentoring engineers on his team and youth in his community

Jennifer Mosquera, a lead technologist, empowers others as a quality assurance lead, Agile coach, scrum master, and volunteer with Out in STEM and the Penn State University African American Alumni Association board

Sade Ruffin, a lead engineer, works at the forefront of chemical engineering research and works with Booz Allen’s Citizen Services Council to understand how the firm can serve the diverse needs of its employees

Dawnetta Van Dunk, a lead associate, leads IT acquisition and integration projects and founded STEM Innovation Spark Her (STEMisHER), a group dedicated to igniting middle-school girls’ interest in STEM classes and careers

Textron employees were also recognized for their accomplishments in engineering on LinkedIn and Instagram. "We’re proud to once again be a sponsor of the conference, and we’re honored to highlight eight of our employees who are BEYA recipients," Textron said in a statement. Modern-Day Technology Leaders and Science Spectrum Trailblazer award winners at Textron include Corey Brown, principal engineer, Johnna Sargent, senior engineer, Logan Bryant, engineer, Prince Yengbe, engineer, Gene Gamble, software engineer, Arnold Ndegwa, test engineer, and Kiamsha Barnes, a systems engineer.

World Wide Technology (WWT) announced that five technologists and engineers were named Modern-Day Technology Leaders. The WWT Modern-Day Technology Leader award winners include:

Salah Ferrell, Consulting Systems Engineer Tiona Harris, Operations Supervisor Monica Lyons, Project Engineer James Pittman, Engineering Team Lead LaDonald Townley Jr., Lead Technician

“I am honored that our engineers and technologists have once again been recognized for their ingenuity and dedication to the STEM field,” said David Steward, WWT chairman and founder in a statement. “I applaud the members of our diverse workforce who continue to work hard to find innovative approaches to solving our customers' most pressing challenges. The STEM field is critical to the future of America and the BEYA STEM conference is taking the initiative to help create connections between students, educators, and STEM professionals. We thank BEYA for the recognition.”

A number of Leidos employees were honored as BEYA Modern-Day Technology Leaders, which identifies exceptional professionals who help shape the future of STEM in their careers and communities. In addition, Mark Clark, senior program manager with the Leidos Innovation Center, was recognized as a Science Spectrum Trailblazer for his contributions to excellence in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

James Stewart was recognized for his commitment to furthering research and developing new technology within the STEM industry. His patent for a device he co-invented, which can covertly locate downed pilots, has recently been licensed by Airborne Outfitters. Stewart is an alumnus of the College of Engineering, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Purdue University. He is Chief Scientist for the Spectrum Warfare Systems Department at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana, where he has worked since 2003, and chairman of the NATO Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) task group.