2023 Aspirations in Computing Impact Award Recipients
The NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Impact Award honors Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Community members and TECHNOLOchicas for their incredible work to ultimately encourage girls, women, genderqueer, and non-binary people of all ages to contribute their unique perspectives and ideas to future innovations. Award recipients are selected based on their efforts to build and creatively offer hands-on learning opportunities in computing and career exploration, and to bring together advocates and allies of various backgrounds through computing-related events and community groups.
Learn about all of the 2023 NCWIT AiC Impact Award recipients here or jump to a specific recipient by clicking on their name below. You can also meet the members of this inspiring cohort by watching their Spotlight Videos!
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About the #NCWITAiC23 Impact Award Recipients
Adedayo Sanusi
Pronouns: she/her
Adedayo feels that people have held certain preconceived notions about what someone involved in computing is like or how they appear, and she wants to alter these perceptions and encourage all demographics, especially gender minorities, to pursue technology if it aligns with their desires. Adedayo initiated a Girls Who Code program at her school, participated in a panel discussing the expansion of computing pathways, and assisted younger children with STEM activities to enrich their minds and potentially make them more at ease with science and technology. Computing is a crucial part of our future, and Adedayo firmly believes everyone deserves the opportunity to make their mark on it.
Alekhya Buragadda
Pronouns: she/her
Alekhya Buragadda is the founder of Women Welfare, a non-profit organization that is working actively in several countries to empower women through providing educational resources. In her community, she brings TechGirlz Workshops to local libraries to promote STEM education among girls. Her interest in computing began from her mother's inspirational story of fighting against societal norms for education.
Amelia Bongiorno
Pronouns: she/her
Amelia strongly advocates for equal access to STEM education, regardless of age, gender, race, or socio-economic status. In high school, she worked to create opportunities for underserved rural students, including establishing the first high school robotics team in Colleton County. Additionally, Amelia co-founded and chaired the FIRST South Carolina Youth Advisory Council, empowering students in robotics with leadership and advocacy opportunities. Teaching a 6th grade coding class and assisting in over ten STEM summer camps over the past two years has been a fulfilling experience for her.
Amrita Acharya
Pronouns: she/her
Amrita is a rising high school senior and an NCWIT AiC community member. She believes that more women in STEM will bridge the gender gap and uplift women and society as a whole. A passionate STEM student herself and an advocate for the inclusion of young women in STEM, she has been involved with TechGirlz, Girls Who Code, Young Women in Bio (YWIB), and Doyenne Inspiration Robotics to champion the cause. She serves as an ambassador for YWIB and an ambassador and a Teen Advisory Board member for TechGirlz. She also serves as the programming lead for her FIRST Robotics team, through which she participates in many outreach activities in the community involving robotics and programming workshops. As a bioinformatics and computational biology enthusiast, Amrita is interested in the application of computational methods and data science in genetics/genomics research. She volunteers as a research intern at the Computational Biology and Bioinformatics research labs at UNC and Duke University.
Angelina Kim
Pronouns: she/her
Angelina is the Co-Vice President of All Girls STEM Society (AGSS), a nonprofit organization that strives to support girls in Title I schools to encourage their passions for STEM by hosting monthly workshops. Recently within AGSS, she developed and hosted the first NASA ASTRO CAMP® in San Diego in collaboration with NASA, The Clueless FTC robotics team, and the Mission Valley Library. She also hosted her own Machine Learning and Algorithm workshop and partook in the development of other computer science workshops with fellow STEM aficionados in AGSS. Additionally, Angelina is an inventor and hopes to disseminate what she learned from her research to others who strive to learn about comparable topics. Angelina aims to motivate others in her community to pursue computing—not just to share the predilection she feels for technology, but also to serve the community who has kindly given her their support ever since she asked her first computing questions about how to create a Minecraft game on Scratch.
Anshuni Kale
Pronouns: she/her
Anshuni Kale is a strong advocate targeting the intersectionality between computing and gender equality. Based in Houston, Texas, Anshuni is involved in her school’s Girls in Computing chapter, developing plans for potential coding lessons as well as the curriculum for the Technovation branch. As a Technovation global ambassador, she has also encouraged over 100 girls in her community to join the movements, as well as students all over the globe. She is also the founder of the research collective where she works to provide research opportunities to low-income students for STEM-based opportunities. On the Girl Up Texas executive board and Girl Up Southeast Texas, Anshuni drives impactful summits, raising $3000 and uniting 150+ attendees annually.
Anusha Dudella
Pronouns: she/her
Anusha, a senior at McNeil High School, is the founder of C0deVenture and Fascinate, both of which aim to spark interest in STEM and Computing for minority groups. She is also the co-president of Girls Who Code at her school chapter. Anusha plans to continue hosting programming camps, workshops, and guest speakers to events to increase participation of women and non-binary individuals in technology. Having found programming as a way to explore and implement efficient solutions to problems that will benefit society, Anusha is interested in developing predictive solutions using machine learning and statistical analysis.
Ashley Malkin
Pronouns: she/her
Wanting to build a fun, positive environment for girls to explore computer science, Ashley Malkin founded ScienceGirls!, a free STEM mentoring program for elementary school girls, non-binary, and genderqueer students. She designs and leads workshops on topics including computer science, chemistry, neuroscience, physics, astronomy, and engineering, and each interactive workshop includes information about how computers are utilized in the field. Ashley has been internationally recognized for her science research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and neuroscience, and when leading workshops, she draws on her own experiences to share her passion for the field. This year, she has led workshops for over 150 girls, and it has been wonderful to see how excited the girls get about STEM.
Ashly Martinez
Pronouns: she/her
What inspires Ashly to encourage and pursue computing is filling curiosity with knowledge. Being able to provide a community with knowledge they were curious about excites them. Having this opportunity to engage allows Ashly to grow and become more passionate in computing.
Blossom Akpedeye
Pronouns: she/her
Blossom Akpedeye is the visionary founder of SavvyCle Online Tutoring – an online educational platform committed to transforming students' lives across all grades. With an unwavering commitment to education, Blossom has transformed the lives of students across all grades and age groups, guiding them to conquer academic challenges with her effective online tutoring service at SavvyCle. Not only does she help with tutoring, but Blossom also empowers those hesitant to venture into the world of computing. Her dedication is a beacon of inspiration, especially for those struggling with Computer Science, ensuring that accessibility and support are readily available. Through SavvyCle, Blossom aims to provide an accessible gateway for students, especially those in the Computing Industry, who seek guidance, or motivation in their Computing journey.
Caeley Looney
Pronouns: she/her
Reinvented was founded in 2019 with the goal of amplifying the voices of professional women and nonbinary people in STEM. Four years later, the magazine, hands-on programs, and other educator resources have reached over 200,000 students worldwide. Today, Caeley and her team continue to bring new experiences and content to girls passionate about STEM via print and digital media.
Crystal Yang
Pronouns: she/her
Crystal Yang serves as the president of her school's Girls Who Code chapter and Computer Science Club, where she regularly helps organize hackathons, contests, STEM nights, and workshops for hundreds of students in her city and across the nation. She also organizes alGIRLithm, a programming competition for high school girls that works to inspire the next generation of female computer scientists by making competitive programming more accessible. Crystal is inspired by her life-changing role models, the growth she witnesses in the individuals she teaches, and the limitless possibilities that technology has to offer.
Diya Desai
Pronouns: she/her
Diya is dedicated to fostering participation in computing among various communities, including girls, low-income individuals, and students with special education needs. Serving as the president of her school's Girls Who Code club, her main goal is to dismantle the sexist mindset that "girls are incapable of coding." Her inspiration stems from her own encounters with bias, driving her ambition to create an inclusive community of like-minded, motivated girls.
Eliana Wang
Pronouns: she/her
As someone who became interested in computer science because of a fashion-themed course, Eliana strives to introduce computer science to children and create positive, inspiring, and foundational experiences for them to further pursue computer science. Eliana’s work focuses on teaching children computer science by catering to their interests, such as programming classes and workshops related to Robotics, Art, or Minecraft. In the Potomac Community 4-H Club, she led initiatives to exhibit computer hardware as well as robotics and programming at Rockville Science Center events. Eliana also co-led a project to refurbish a dozen used computers and donate them to the Rockville Science Center.
Elizabeth Gorman
Pronouns: she/her
Elizabeth is co-president of The Missfits, a community based robotics team for girls and non-binary high school students in San Francisco. Elizabeth joined the team in her freshman year of high school, on the software team. The goal of The Missfits is to introduce underrepresented youth to engineering and technology. The Missfits participates in the FIRST Robotics Competition, and is involved with STEM-related community events during the offseason.
Emmie Kao
Pronouns: she/her
Emmie’s favorite part of inspiring others to pursue computing is through peer and near-peer mentoring. Organizations like Kid by Kid, the All Girls STEM Society, and a nonprofit that she started called Data Science for Change enabled her to reach members of her community and share her love of computing with participants. Through these initiatives, she has tutored students in Python, run computing-based workshops, and led projects utilizing skills in data collection and visualization. Emmie finds this work to be incredibly rewarding - from watching a young girl's face light up when she finally debugs a line of code to witnessing a peer present on their data science project, sharing her passion with her community enables her to make a real-world change and encourage others to do so as well.
Eniola Aloba
Pronouns: she/her
As a minority woman, Eniola Aloba’s initiatives aim to encourage and empower more minorities to pursue computing. Through hardships and challenges in computer science, she plans to pave a pathway for others in her community, as well as to find and seek opportunities throughout the field of computing. The endless possibilities, opportunities, and diversity throughout computing inspires Eniola to encourage others to pursue computing.
Harini Thiagarajan
Pronouns: she/her
Harini Thiagarajan is a strong educational advocate for the underprivileged and minorities. As the founder of the non-profit Varsity Math Circle, she increases participation, encouragement, and funding for STEM minorities through math and computer science year-long and summer programs. She facilitated her district's first official high school student mentorship for middle school students to develop math/problem-solving skills in an engaging manner through custom lesson plans and weekly sessions. Additionally, as the founder of her school's SWENext chapter, she partners with the University of Washington chapter to connect computing opportunities to women and non-binary technologists, including tech conferences, Hackathons, internships/programs, etc. She strongly believes in the importance of educating our youth and marginalized populations and is dedicated to spreading problem-solving/computing programs globally.
Indu Gadiraju
Pronouns: she/her
Indu's primary interests include computer science, mathematics, and entrepreneurship. As the captain of her all-girls robotics team, Indu leads her team, hosts monthly STEM workshops for teens, promotes STEM to elementary school girls through engaging activities, and helps judge FLL robotics competitions. Indu also founded her library's Girls Who Code club, where she teaches computer science topics to a diverse group of students from around her community.
Isabel Amaya
Pronouns: she/they
Isabel Amaya is a second-generation Mexican/El Salvadoran American born and raised in Washington State. They are an incoming freshman to the University of Washington, selected for direct admission into Informatics, Interdisciplinary Honors and one of twenty NASA Space Grant Scholars for the University. They are currently working as Head of User Experience at Dr. Si's Data Analysis & Intelligent Systems (DIAS) research group at University of Washington Bothell, playing a critical role in the development of the iCare project. Isabel's goal post undergrad is to obtain a MBA and go into a career in Product Management.
Jayashabari Shankar
Pronouns: she/her
Jayashabari Shankar is a recent graduate of Hillcrest High School in Salt Lake, Utah, and will be attending MIT this fall to major in artificial intelligence and molecular biology. She started her initiative "GENE-ius" with support from the National Academy of Engineering to teach underserved students at a local middle school about bioengineering, informatics, social impacts, and everything in between, after seeing how "non gifted" students at the school grew up with fewer resources and access to learn about STEM fields and careers.
Jennifer Chiou
Pronouns: she/her
Jennifer is inspired by how computer science can be combined with interdisciplinary fields to innovate beyond what they can imagine, and she aspires to bring the excitement of art, medicine, and other subjects into programming classes for all ages and ability levels. Therefore, Jennifer co-founded a nonprofit called Compsivity to empower and teach computer science to children from marginalized backgrounds, especially girls and gender minorities, through interactive lessons that draw upon their existing interests and compel them to build creative solutions. She also fostered interest in STEM in high school students around the world as the Co-Sponsorship Manager and later Outreach Director for a hackathon hosted by the StemWarriorHacks nonprofit, teaching workshops and encouraging the participation of over 540 students.
Jiangyi (Joy) Zou
Pronouns: she/her
Joy Zou is the founder and director of She Leads, a nonprofit organization empowering marginalized genders in tech and leadership through educational workshops, hackathons, and other projects. Previously, she led outreach for Superposition and their annual all-women and non-binary hackathon, the largest in the Bay Area, and volunteered to organize multiple hackathons both globally and in her own community. She currently leads her high school's coding club.
Juhae Song
Pronouns: she/he/they
Juhae is a rising senior passionate about computer science and sociology, aiming to pursue a career in ethically utilizing machine learning to combat systemic oppression. Motivated to use STEM to better the world, they led their robotics team outreach program as Impact Captain, leading over 40 events promoting STEM education and diversity that reached over 50,000 people in their local community. Their efforts helped their team win the prestigious FIRST Impact Award for the first time, recognizing the team's exemplary outreach and qualifying them for the 2023 World Championships. He also is his robotics team's Software Lead, leading and teaching his teammates to code a fully operating competition robot. Additionally, Juhae founded a SWENext Club at her school, promoting gender diversity in STEM and providing resources and opportunities to all students.
Kylie Cameron
Pronouns: she/her
Kylie Cameron is a rising freshman at the University of Akron majoring in Computer Information Systems - Programming Track in the Honors and Emerging Leaders Program. Coming from a rural area, Kylie was offered little to no computing/STEM programs within her community. So, during her freshman year of high school she began teaching herself to code using videos from YouTube. With this knowledge, she created her first organization, We Can STEAM, a student-led STEAM and Computing publication organization aiming to educate girls on all of the STEM jobs and opportunities available to them that has produced 50+ articles and 2 magazines featuring the stories of women working in STEAM, computing opportunities, and advice on breaking into STEAM and computing. We Can STEAM also has a community club and homework help club with 430+ members globally where girls interested in STEAM can connect with one another to build organizations, communities, teams for STEM competitions, and most importantly, friends in STEM. Kylie also created her second organization, Rural Woman in STEM, which aims to create STEM education equity for rural girls and women and provide them with the resources they need to explore STEM through online courses in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, and College Applications as well as a scholarship search tool that Kylie coded to find rural and Appalachian scholarships to help girls fund their educations. Along with this, Kylie has shared her STEM Story with over 11,000 others to this day through speaking events, sharing her story, sharing opportunities for girls, and giving advice through Q&As!
Leilani Phan
Pronouns: she/her
Living in Hawaii, it is a challenge to be able to have access to quality STEM education. Due to Leilani’s lack of these opportunities growing up, she strives to be able to give back in her community by granting participants the opportunity to experience STEM early on. Leilani has been able to organize a hackathon to start eight new FTC teams, teach military children with EV4 robotics, and even lead her robotics team and encourage her fellow teammates to connect with the community as well.
Lily Arjomand
Pronouns: she/her
Lily is a rising junior based in Southern California, who is really passionate about robotics, engineering and computer programming. Lily joined her school's robotics team in 9th grade, and later co-founded an organization called BuddyBots, which aims to increase STEM access in Title 1 schools using LegoLeague robotics.
Mehar Bhasin
Pronouns: she/her
Mehar is an incoming freshman at Dartmouth College, having recently graduated from Hotchkiss School. Besides her strong academic interests in CS and Math, Mehar enjoys acting, rowing and swimming. She has worked on several socially impactful projects leveraging technology (mobile app development, AI, deep leaning, computer vision, neural networks, NLP and telemedicine). Having faced gender bias in STEM, in 2020, Mehar co-founded STEAM Bloom, a global, student-run, tech-focused, registered 501(c)(3) non-profit initiative focused on promoting Computer Science and tech ethics among young girls, and other underrepresented communities. She has provided participants with access to world-class CS resources for free by organizing 25+ CS focused summer programs, conference, classroom sessions, online courses, publishing 10+ blogs, and conducting 10+ podcasts and interviews. STEAM Bloom has managed to reach 2,000+ students spanning 25+ countries.
Michelle Chen
Pronouns: she/her
Motivated by the growing significance of computing as a crucial skill in today's STEM-centric society, Michelle endeavors to create avenues for computer science students to come together and thrive. As the president of the GirlBytes Club, she has devoted significant effort to volunteering and providing guidance and training to elementary, middle, and high school girls within the community. Furthermore, Michelle is a co-founder of a nonprofit organization with the mission of establishing a network and nurturing community for girls and non-binary students who need help and support in STEM. To achieve this objective, she orchestrates a series of empowering events, fostering growth and confidence in these individuals.
Michelle Han
Pronouns: she/her
Superposition Granite Bay is a nonprofit initiative that aims to ignite interest in STEM fields, particularly for underrepresented minorities. Through engaging speaker sessions, hands-on workshops, and community events, this club strives to foster an inclusive environment that challenges stereotypes and obstacles. Michelle’s inspiration to encourage others to pursue computing stems from her own experiences with gender disparities in STEM. Witnessing the transformative power of technology and its potential to shape the future, Michelle is committed to continuing these efforts to shape a more inclusive and innovative future in the world of technology & computing.
Morgan Lin
Pronouns: she/her
Morgan Lin is a rising junior at SVF HS and a passionate young innovator who perceives technology as a catalyst for change. Through her nonprofit, Little League Coding, she is driven to advance equitable and accessible computer science education globally. Additionally, as the founder and co-president of the Girls Who Code Club, the first-ever coding club at her school, she is equally dedicated to reducing the gender gap in technology. Through her involvement in coding educational applications, conducting research in bio-interfacial engineering, and analyzing air quality data, she consistently finds herself captivated by the dynamic nature of this ever-evolving field, and her enthusiasm to empower the next generation of technologists continues to flourish.
Nachammai Annamalai
Pronouns: she/her
Nachammai Annamalai is a rising high school junior in North Carolina, who seamlessly blends computer science, research, and entrepreneurship to spread her innovative vision. With a core focus on computer science and related computational fields, Nachammai has spearheaded the Pathways to STEM initiative at her local library and established her school's Coding Club, enabling her to empower fellow teens, offering insights into diverse career options and vital resources for their futures. Complementing her efforts, Nachammai regularly conducts STEM workshops and volunteers at local camps, serving marginalized and underrepresented populations. The chance to engage with new faces on these platforms leaves an indelible mark on her; only fueling her to ensure that young women are equipped with a solid groundwork for learning and research opportunities!
Nasrin Ali
Pronouns: she/her
As a junior computer science student at George Mason University, Nasrin is deeply involved in fostering diversity and inclusion within the tech world. She currently holds the roles of president in NSBE and Minorities in Computing while also tutoring with EdututorVA. Her recent internship at Microsoft Xbox further ignited her passion for computing. Through teaching workshops and guiding others, Nasrin is dedicated to inspiring and supporting underrepresented individuals in pursuing rewarding careers in the field of computing.
Nehal Singh
Pronouns: she/her
Nehal Singh is the Vice President of Curriculum at Coding Your Future, a non-profit that seeks to provide free and accessible computer science courses to minority groups to promote equal representation and expose young students to programming. Nehal Singh is also the Director of Curriculum at STEAM4KIDS, a non-profit that seeks to provide free and accessible grade-level knowledge in STEAM topics. Through these leadership roles, she has reached hundreds of students and designed curriculum for several semesters of Python, HTML/CSS, Java, and grade-level math and science. She is driven by the excitement, curiosity, and out-of-the-box thinking she sees from her students, despite being minorities or underprivileged in the field.
Nidhi Gaonkar
Pronouns: she/her
Nidhi is a rising senior in the Bay Area with a strong passion for CS, bioengineering, and business. She founded IntelliHer to help students from marginalized groups immerse themselves in STEM fields before entering high school and college. Through this, as well as by leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit Dougherty Math Circle and her local Girls Who Code club, she works to provide free STEM classes, workshops, research mentorship, and many more opportunities to students nationwide. She aims to build a diverse and passionate community of students, fostering collaboration and innovation in computing and beyond.
Nkechi Akinwale
Pronouns: she/her
Nkechi is a doctoral researcher who specializes in databases, data provenance, and machine learning explainability. Her enthusiasm for empowering the next generation led her to mentor young minds, with a focus on girls and underrepresented groups, inspiring them to pursue higher education, particularly in the STEM fields. Nkechi has become a role model to many young people and underrepresented groups in STEM through her volunteering and advocacy efforts with nonprofit organizations. She has impacted hundreds of young people positively through her engagements with nonprofit organizations. Nkechi remains dedicated to promoting educational initiatives that break down barriers and empower the next generation of women engineers and underrepresented communities in STEM.
Priya Sinha
Pronouns: she/her
Priya is the only US ambassador for a nonprofit organization named Society of Women Coders, which aims to fund resources for girls from under-developed regions. Priya has created a chapter in her hometown, and a club at her school that pushes forward these efforts. Last summer, she hosted her own summer camp called Future Coders Without Barriers for girls from around the world. What inspires Priya to encourage others to pursue coding is the flexibility it allows everyone to have. It connects people together, even if they don't speak the same language or come from the same place. It helps build lifelong friendships!
Radha Munver
Pronouns: she/her
Radha Munver is a strong advocate for equity in the pursuit of technological endeavors. She has tutored underprivileged students in math and CS across all seven continents through Khan Academy's online platform, Schoolhouse.world, and has single-handedly raised over $2000 for the Share & Care Foundation to fund Indian women's STEM education. Furthermore, she is an active member of the WISE (Women in STEM) affinity at her school, participates in mentoring middle school robotics students for FLL, and has founded STEM Design – a student organization breaking apart the notion that STEM and art are at odds with each other. She believes that our efforts today will shape the future we inherit, ensuring that no one is left behind in the remarkable journey of scientific discovery and technological advancement.
Reeti Rout
Pronouns: she/her
Reeti is the founder of STEM 4-Her, an organization dedicated to empowering girls in underprivileged communities through coding and robotics. Additionally, she co-founded and currently leads WeMake 4-H, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which provides free STEM classes at various locations including Boys and Girls clubs, 4-H centers, libraries. At her school, Reeti is an e-Board member of the Computer Science club. She introduced the Algorithms and Problem-Solving sector to enhance her peers' CS education and foster valuable algorithmic thinking skills that are helpful in coding contests and in real life.
Saanvi Padala
Pronouns: she/her
Saanvi is a passionate coder who enjoys the process of coding projects, websites, and apps. She is currently leading efforts to spread STEM education among elementary schoolers and organizing an international hackathon with the nonprofit Codefy. Saanvi is determined to ignite a spark in young minds both inside and outside the classroom, motivating them to code and uncover a new sense of purpose.
Sanjana Duttagupta
Pronouns: she/her
Sanjana’s goal is to help students turn their passions into CS projects. Our world faces many pressing issues, and students are very passionate about finding solutions. It wasn’t until Sanjana began developing her IOS app RevealTheIngredient that she felt she had a driving goal, leading to a love of project development. She wants others to feel the same way. CS will become a part of every field, ranging from environmental science to medicine to music. Mentoring students with their projects and helping them move towards success is a great way to work to be more inclusive while also securing a future full of new solutions and growth.
Shivika Varshney
Pronouns: she/her
Shivika founded the nonprofit Code Her World with her friend Esha Sehgal which hosts free, month-long camps for programming languages; workshops designed to creatively explore the field, such as building a chatbot; and a 1:1 mentorship program where students can receive personalized instruction in any field of computer science they choose. After partnering and hosting workshops with other nonprofits, they have reached over 150 students across 7 countries and are continuing to make an impact. Through Code Her World’s free programs, Shivika hopes to encourage girls to find the perfect career path for them in computer science. By providing them with a safe space to explore their interests, she strives to break the gender gap for the future of technology.
Simran Malhotra
Pronouns: she/her
Simran is passionate about empowering young women to enter technology and promoting diversity and inclusivity in computing. When she started in computer science, she was the only girl in her class, and the unfortunate reality of our field today is that this story isn’t unique. Simran’s experience inspired her to start the Tech Innovation Club at her school and join the robotics team, with a particular focus on creating supportive environments where women can explore their interests in technology. By fostering a sense of belonging and providing mentorship, Simran aims to inspire the next generation of women to succeed in computing and contribute their talents to the world of technology.
Udgita Pamidigantam
Pronouns: she/her
Udgita recognizes education as a powerful equalizer and truly appreciates the importance of universal access to computing literacy. Her early participation in hackathons and other STEM events had a transforming effect on her, and she is determined to motivate others to experience the same firsthand. Udgita has been actively engaged with her school’s robotics team since her elementary school years. As the team captain and outreach coordinator, she connects with students around the globe, introducing them to the world of computing. Udgita also serves as the CEO of an organization that she co-founded, HumanWho Inc., where the mission revolves around drawing young minds to STEM disciplines. Udgita is proud that their efforts thus far have positively impacted the lives of thousands of students.
Valencia Coleman
Pronouns: she/her
Valencia Coleman is an Associate Gameplay Engineer at Owlchemy Labs and an MFA Interactive Media and Game Design student at Savannah College of Art and Design. She has a passion for making the game industry more inclusive by bringing in more women and people of color. She believes that diversity comes from educating the future, so she uses her time to teach students how to become game developers.
Victoria Chin
Pronouns: she/her
Victoria is the President of a student club, Initialize, at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Victoria started an initiative called Creative Coding within Initialize, where she, along with other Initialize members, teach middle school kids in their community about basic web development. Victoria discovered her love for programming as a kid thanks to her teachers and opportunities in her community, so she wants to help ensure other kids have the chance to learn about coding and have fun!
Vidhi Kulkarni
Pronouns: she/her
Vidhi Kulkarni is the founder of "The Special Entrepreneurs," a nonprofit organization that empowers individuals by fostering confidence and financial independence through technology skills. Vidhi conducts workshops on coding and business fundamentals for the members. Additionally, Vidhi serves as the President of the "Girls in Computer Science" club at her high school, where she mentors young girls in technology and coding. Her dedication and initiatives inspire positive change and inclusivity in the community.
Vittoria Riedling
Pronouns: she/her
Through her passion for computing, Vittoria has created platforms to empower women in technology. From leading her school’s all-girls coding club to her internship with Louisville’s Women in Technology conference, Vittoria’s journey has been dedicated to fostering an environment where women’s voices are celebrated. Vittoria also founded Louisville's first hackathon for middle and high school students, where she taught many students to code for the first time. Witnessing the positive effects of community building among women in tech motivates her to inspire others to pursue computing.
Yuchen Pan
Pronouns: she/her
Yuchen’s engagement in initiatives such as the Robotics Team, Girls Who Code, and advocating for affordable menstrual products in China has solidified her belief in the transformative power of technology and education. Through the Robotics Team, she's witnessed how technology sparks curiosity in young minds. As a Girls Who Code mentor, she's observed girls defy stereotypes and embrace their potential in the tech world. In China, advocating for menstrual product affordability underscored the impact technology can have on addressing societal issues. These experiences drive Yuchen to encourage others to explore computing, as she believes it holds the key to breaking barriers, fostering diversity, and driving positive change in our communities.
Zinia Khattar
Pronouns: she/her
Zinia is one of seven National Headquarter leaders for her nonprofit, Scientella. At Scientella, Zinia aims to empower the next generation of women leaders and close the gender gap in STEM fields through exclusive apprenticeships. She has organized webinars, mentorships, and research consulting projects by partnering with companies including Illumina, Resmed, and Qualcomm. Zinia has had a helping hand in raising nearly $130,000 for scholarships that she and her partners aim to distribute to bright students around the world. Beyond her non-profit, she is an enthusiastic learner with an immense interest in biomedical sciences and is a successful competitor in international biology competitions. Zinia is an avid researcher and loves using bioinformatics and wet-lab techniques to investigate cellular phenomena. In efforts to provide her peers with similar, inspiring opportunities, Zinia continues to lead Scientella with enthusiasm.
Learn about the 2022 NCWIT AspireIT Impact Award recipients here.
