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Keynote Speaker
Dr. Kristin Austin
The Confidence Algorithm
Dr. Kristin Austin (she/her) is the Vice President of Culture & Community Impact at Rewriting the Code (RTC), where she cultivates belonging, drives social impact, and ensures RTC’s powerhouse talent connects with companies serious about impact-driven collaboration. Through community-driven initiatives and strategic partnerships, she transforms commitments into action, aligning hiring needs with social impact goals so women secure thriving careers and employers gain the skilled, driven hires they need.
Product
Joshmi Joseph
Product Panelist
Joshmi Joseph is a product designer with a B.S. in Neuroscience/Psychology and an M.S. in Human Factors Engineering, Computer Science, and Management. She has applied her expertise to across various industries including finance, education, and aviation, consistently focusing on designing inclusive, intuitive, and impactful user experiences.
Currently, Joshmi works as a product designer at TheIncLab, where she partners closely with clients and leads in-field user testing and development. She has a strong interest in AI and the automotive HMI space, with a passion for shaping how people interact with emerging technologies. Outside of work, Joshmi enjoys fitness, reading, and exploring creative projects.
Nancy Wang
Product Panelist
She currently serves as a product manager for Microsoft, where she defines new ways of managing tasks for Office users worldwide, and advises Breaktime, a nonprofit focused on ending young adult homelessness through transitional employment. She received her Bachelors degree in Computer Science and Economics from Johns Hopkins University. In her free time, Nancy writes at Metamorphosis of the Soul (metamorphosisofthesoul.substack.com) and thinks about ways to build climate resilient systems for marginalized communities.
Ani Avanian
Product/UI/UX Panelist
As a seasoned design leader with over 20 years of professional experience, I specialize in driving innovation at the intersection of immersive technology and user-centered design. Currently, I manage multiple teams within Reality Labs, focusing on creating transformative MR/VR experiences for Meta Horizon, as well as tools that empower developers on our platform.
My work spans leading multidisciplinary teams, including product designers, prototypers, and artists, to bring visionary concepts to life. With a deep understanding of both the creative and business sides of product design, I ensure that our solutions not only push the boundaries of what’s possible but also deliver real value to users and developers alike.
Passionate about advancing immersive technology, I thrive on building cohesive teams that are capable of tackling the most complex design challenges in the rapidly evolving AR/VR space.
Software
Becca Miller
Software Panelist
Becca Miller is a software engineer at Tulip Interfaces, a company striving to unlock human potential by transforming how manufacturing works. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Tufts University and freelanced for years with her own web development company, empowering clients with websites customized to their needs. Although she’s a full-stack engineer, she works primarily on the frontend and is passionate about implementing beautiful, delightful, and most importantly, functional interfaces that work equally well for users from all walks of life. In particular, she loves collaborating closely with designers and product managers, developing a seamless design system, and promoting web accessibility. During her time at Tufts, she was involved in JumboCode and WiCS, and was one of the organizers of WiT 2021. She was also on the board of Tau Beta Pi and Torn Ticket II. When not hunched over her computer, you can find her at dance class, convincing friends to try out complicated board games, or playing guitar or drums in a band.
Marianne Ray
Software Panelist
Marianne is a Staff Software Engineer at Ginkgo Bioworks, where she builds cutting-edge solutions to predict, detect, and respond to biological threats. Previously, she served as the Technical Lead for the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard’s high-throughput COVID-19 testing automation system, playing a key role in the U.S. pandemic response effort. A proud Tufts alum, Marianne is passionate about tackling meaningful human challenges and building innovative products that drive tangible change.
Gabriela Barrera
Software Panelist
My goal is to make a difference, in the world or in one person's life, to be able to provide a helping hand, right an injustice, lift while I climb, or just be there for someone.
Who I am: Strategic technology leader at Microsoft in a Cloud Solution Architect role. I specialize in data-driven decision making at the intersection of AI, strategy, and policy. I have a strong background in data analysis, project management, and leadership. Proven ability to apply statistics, machine learning, and stakeholder engagement to solve complex problems and shape executive-level strategy across roles at Microsoft, NASA, MIT, and government sectors. Skilled in translating complex data into actionable insights to enhance regulatory compliance, improve operational efficiency, and drive high-impact initiatives.
What I've done: 2 years at MIT studying product design and machine learning, 6 years in the military leading cross-functional teams and running analytical studies, just started at Microsoft, and on the side I’ve been contributing to AI/ML bias and fairness through community projects (like Humane Intelligence). In sum, 8+ years of experience in data analysis, technical leadership, and just getting stuff done (aka operations).
What I'm good at: learning new tech and software, innovative ideas based on always asking questions, tackling wicked ambiguous problems, and empowering others with diverse perspectives.
Where I'm from: I was born in Cuenca, Ecuador and grew up in NJ, travelled up to West Point and MIT, now in DC-area.
Ki Ki Chan
Software Panelist
SWE at Google.
Data Science
Lexi Galantino
Data Science/Analytics Panelist
Lexi Galantino is an analytics engineer at Zipline, a startup using drones to build emissions-free instant deliveries. A Tufts alumna (A’18), she started out pre-med and interested in biopsychology before discovering both joy and wonderful community in the computer science department.
After exploring internships in both fields, Lexi launched her career with four years as a software engineer at GitHub. Drawn back to the intersection of medicine and technology, she joined Zipline to help scale software systems that support the company’s mission of delivering critical healthcare supplies to hospitals around the world. In the past year she has completed a career change, from full stack software engineer to analytics engineer, in order to continue investing in skills at the intersection of tech and healthcare. Lexi is excited to speak about different careers in data, software, and how to follow your path- even if you can't quite see it yet.
Angela Garabet
Data Science Panelist
Currently exploring AI, Agents, Agent--human interaction, Blockchain.
Common thread of past multidisciplinary work in emerging technology and human interaction to improve productivity, well-being, safety.
Curious about the world!
** Everyone is a Thought Leader because everyone has their own unique wisdom. **
I enjoy connecting, learning and collaborating with people in different fields or perspectives. I am excited by co-creation with technology to unlock wisdom and creativity to solve problems.
Hobbies include community building and care for nature through Community supported agriculture and city litter cleanups. Actively involved as a Training Active Bystanders Trainer.
Clifton Strengths: Ideation * Adapatability * Connectedness * Input * Intellection
Lydia Yu
Data Science Panelist
Lydia is currently a data scientist at Visa on their fraud detection team where she develops deep neural networks that predict the likelihood of fraudulent card transactions. Prior to Visa, she completed her Bachelor's degree in Data Science and Business Analytics from MIT in 2022 and then worked as a Data Scientist at IBM Consulting for 2 years. In this role, she built end-to-end ML and GenAI solutions for external clients from a variety of industries such as financial services, automotive, and supply chain.
She is passionate about empowering women in the data science field and building collaborative relationships across the teams that she works with. In her free time, she enjoys cooking for friends, going on bike rides, and planning trips to explore new places.
Individual Speakers
Susie Riley
Dodging Bullets
Susie Kim Riley is a technology executive and serial entrepreneur with deep expertise in mobile, ad tech, and AI/ML innovation. At Toast, she leads the development of transformative products in the restaurant tech ecosystem, including Toast Benchmarking, a machine learning-powered platform delivering performance insights at scale, and Toast Advertising, a demand generation engine that directly connects digital ad spend to restaurant revenue. With a strong track record in fundraising, team leadership, and product development, Riley has successfully founded and scaled multiple startups to successful exits. For fun, she enjoys advising and investing in startups, learning new skills (latest obsession is Tennis), water sports (Kite Surfing), good food, time with my family and walking my dog Otto (except when it's bad weather).
Kelly Sia
From Vision to Impact: Building Products That Matter
Kelly currently serves as the CEO of Curriculum Associates, a privately held, PE-backed education technology and publishing company renowned for its mission-driven focus on enhancing K-12 classrooms with the i-Ready platform for 1 million teachers and the 14 million students. In her role, Kelly provides visionary leadership, steering the company’s growth while scaling its multi-product education technology and service offerings. Prior to this role, Kelly served as the SVP and CFO of the $4Bn Global Records & Information Management Division at Iron Mountain, and she spent 18 years at Procter & Gamble where she held various supply chain, manufacturing, real estate and finance & accounting roles. Kelly earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University in ’00 and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business (Finance and Marketing) in ‘05. She lives in Milton, MA with her husband (who is an attorney and also a Tufts alum), three children and two bulldogs. Sia coaches basketball, serves on her children's high school site council, mentors at the UGA Terry School of Business and is part of the Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts University. She has also been a member of the Milton Junior Woman's Club.
Supriya Sanjay
Please Disregard: Startups and Friendships with Colleague (Live Podcast)
Supriya Sanjay is a second-year MBA student at MIT Sloan, where she is the managing director of the MIT $100K Startup Competition.This summer, she worked in business development at Found Energy, a clean tech startup. Prior to her MBA, she was a Software Development Engineer at Amazon Web Services, where she worked on a software team that delivered over 7M AWS-based labs to cloud technology learners. She is a proud alumna of Tufts, where she earned a double major in Computer Science and Cognitive Brain Science. In her senior year, Supriya pursued a thesis that investigated gender bias in STEM on an international scale and continues to look for ways to empower women in tech. After graduating, Supriya worked at Amazon Robotics on a team that used Machine Learning to process terabytes of video per second. Supriya then went on to a short stint as a Venture Capital Associate at AngelList, an online investment platform, before heading to India for a year to complete a Fulbright Research Scholarship. On her Fulbright, Supriya researched misinformation on WhatsApp in India, learned Hindi, and spent time with family. In her free time, Supriya enjoys singing, reading fiction, and eating vegan goodies!
Gillian Katz
Please Disregard: Startups and Friendships with Colleague (Live Podcast)
Shruti Jain-Lynch
PM Foundations: From Day 1 to Long-Term Impact
Shruti is a dynamic Product Manager at Dell Technologies who thrives on challenges—transforming them into opportunities for innovation and impact. With a diverse background spanning product management, software engineering, teaching, and research, she brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, technical expertise, and user empathy to drive meaningful solutions.A recognized leader, Shruti has earned prestigious accolades for her contributions to leadership, innovation, and strategy. She has been prominently featured by Dell Technologies and UMass Lowell and was honored as the Young Alumni Honoree for Innovation & Success by her alma mater, UMass Lowell. She was also a Finalist for the Dr. Ruby Roy Dholakia Award and recognized as a Top Social Media Member at Dell for her thought leadership.As a Global Co-Lead for the Asians in Action ERG, Shruti plays a pivotal role in shaping career strategies and championing groundbreaking initiatives that drive inclusion and professional growth. Beyond her corporate impact, she is a passionate mentor and a sought-after speaker, sharing insights on product management, innovation, leadership, and career development.Fun fact: Shruti plays tennis "badminton style," as her coach likes to say!
Brittany Greenfield
From CompSci Drop Out to Cybersecurity Founder: Why the Best Paths Aren’t Always Straight Lines
Brittany Greenfield is the Founder & CEO of Wabbi, a cybersecurity company pioneering the future of Application Security and DevSecOps. Named a Top Woman in Cybersecurity and a BBJ 40 Under 40 honoree, Brittany is recognized for her work helping organizations transform how they build secure software by aligning people, processes, and technology. A frequent speaker and Forbes Technology Council member, she is passionate about redefining what it means to be “technical” and empowering the next generation of leaders to embrace nonlinear paths to success.
Cybersecurity
Varshitha Manjunath
Cybersecurity Panelist
Varshitha Manjunath is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Cybersecurity at Lasell University, where she leads initiatives to advance cybersecurity education and research. She holds degrees from Clark University, IIIT Bangalore, and Sai Vidya Institute of Technology, and has taught over 5,000 coding sessions globally. Her academic and professional interests span cybersecurity, AI-driven security strategies, and digital safety education.
In addition to her academic role, Varshitha serves as the Director of the TechWalk Boston Chapter, fostering industry-academia collaboration and innovation in technology. She is also an advocate for women in technology through organizations like WiCyS and WiDS and actively contributes to professional communities as an IEEE Day Ambassador. She has received multiple accolades, including the 2025 Academic Leadership Award from the Soft Computing Research Society. Outside of her professional life, Varshitha is a certified yoga instructor who promotes mental wellness through yoga and meditation. Website: https://vmanjunath.com/
Annie Beckman
Cybersecurity Panelist
Annie is a Director of Information Technology and Space Operations in the U.S. Army and a first-year law student at New York Law School. Her professional experience includes space, cyber, information technology, and humanitarian operations. Annie also serves as an adjunct lecturer in space studies, a NASA L’SPACE program fellow, and the Executive Director of Paragon Policy—a fellowship that connects students with governments to conduct civic technology policy research.
Annie completed a B.A. in Clinical Psychology from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2021. She also earned master’s degrees in organizational leadership, cybersecurity, and space policy. Her graduate research includes emotional intelligence for cross-cultural communication, cybersecurity risk management in state and local governments, and reframing U.S. space policy for digital equity. Annie is also a Professional Scrum Master and has certifications in cybersecurity, information technology, privacy, and cloud computing.
Outside of her professional and academic roles, Annie volunteers with youth advocacy and performing arts programs and remains passionate about shaping policy, law, and strategy for emerging challenges in space, cybersecurity, and public interest technology.
Rachel Mosesso
Cybersecurity Panelist
Rachel Mosesso is a seasoned cybersecurity and physical security professional with over a decade of experience securing global workplaces and digital environments. As HubSpot’s Lead Security Analyst and Physical Security Lead, she drives the company’s global access control, video management, and security design initiatives across nine countries and more than 9,000 employees.
With a career that began in IT auditing and compliance, Rachel bridges the technical and human elements of security—integrating analytics, infrastructure, and operational awareness into unified risk strategies. She holds a Master’s in Business Analytics from Suffolk University and multiple industry certifications, including Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).
Passionate about mentorship and representation in security and technology, Rachel speaks frequently on building scalable security programs, women’s leadership in tech, and the intersection of data, design, and trust in modern organizations. Her work embodies the principle that the most resilient systems are built by empowering the people behind them.
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Ashley Kang
Cybersecurity Panelist
Ashley Kang uses research, design, and code to explore questions about how to make the secure thing easier to do. With an interdisciplinary toolbox from being trained by design and engineering experts early in her career, she pivoted to solving security problems thanks to a campus club of hackers and a rotation at cybersecurity-leading organizations. Her portfolio includes contributions to product and platform security, application security, penetration testing, malware analysis, cyber threat intelligence, open source software, and community technology. Most recently, she was a senior security engineer at an autonomous vehicle pioneer. She has a MS in computer science from California State University, Fullerton and a BA from New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.As a mentor with the Tufts WiCS club and member of networks like WiCyS, Ashley is passionate about learning in a low-stress environment and cultivating your inspiration network through a campus club, Slack or Discord, local meetup, or conference. She also thinks it’s worth getting real about what success and impact mean for you and protecting your time to do what sparks joy. These days, she’s working to finally launch her technical blog, lounging with an emotional support book and coffee (her current pick: Boston roaster Newbery Street!), and dreaming of finding her own skate crew.