IBM hosts its 4th Annual Hudson Valley Women’s Technical Nite Out
By Cynthia Worrad for Marist College
Women have been traditionally underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but that is changing due in part to systematic networking and mentoring efforts, including by IBM. As they have for the last several years, 17 female Marist students had the opportunity to attend IBM’s 4th Annual Hudson Valley Women’s Technical Nite Out, an evening of networking and career development. The students, who represent both the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Computing Technology, were accompanied by Assistant Deans of the School of Computer Science and Mathematics Dede Hourican and Cynthia Worrad.
Held at IBM’s Poughkeepsie campus, this one-of-a-kind event drew more than 100 attendees from local colleges, industry, and the not-for-profit sector to network with other Hudson Valley women with an interest in technology. In addition, female developers, IT business leaders, and aspiring technology leaders participated in a panel discussion and question-and-answer session, sharing their stories of professional success and challenges. Among the distinguished panelists were Elizabeth Bradley, President of Vassar College; Maria Boonie, Vice President, Offering Management IBM Z and LinuxONE at IBM; Stacy Hobson, Technical Assistant to Dario Gil, COO, IBM Research and VP, AI and Quantum; Christina Altomare, Strategy and Integration Leader - GBS Marketing at IBM; Lara Litchfield-Kimber, Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum; Lisa Qu, Co-Founder of Fashion Intelligence Bot (FIBO); Dr. Jessica Geer, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Dutchess Community College; and Cynthia Worrad, Assistant Dean of Marist’s School of Computer Science and Mathematics.
To learn more, read "Female STEM Majors Enjoy a 'Women’s Nite Out'" from Marist College.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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