2012 Women of Innovation®

presents March 1, 2012WoMen of InnovatIon aWards A CelebrAtion of ConneCtiCut’s outstAnding Women in sCienCe And teChnology

The ConneCTiCuT TeChnology CounCil,Covidien, Day Pitney, Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation andUnited Technologies welcome you to the eighth annual Women ofInnovation Awards Dinner. This year we celebrate and honor the energy,creativity and remarkable capabilities of 53 women and students workingand studying in Connecticut’s science and technology community.We salute all the nominees and finalists – women working as scientists,engineers, entrepreneurs – for their efforts and accomplishments. Theirbiographies in this program are testimony to their remarkable careers,but we should fully recognize that these biographies represent just a briefrecord of their professional and personal accomplishments. We also wishto thank those individuals who took the time nominate these outstandingwomen and are here this evening to celebrate their achievements.After eight years, we now have an alumni group of over 350 finalists.By gathering together this community of accomplished women, wehope to support the many efforts that encourage women and girls topursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math and tofoster a collaborative network.We thank you for attending this evening andask you to join us in acknowledging the manyachievements of these innovative women. Youwill remember your time with us and the finaliststonight and leave inspired with an exuberanceand inspiration that only a gathering of this typecan generate.

Program HigHligHtsmaster of Ceremonies Joceylyn Maminta Television Journalist – News 8 Style Host and Medical ReporterWelCome Matthew Nemerson President and CEO, Connecticut Technology Council Nancy Wyman Lieutenant Governor, State of Connecticut Elizabeth Alquist Partner, Day Pitney LLP Chair, Women of Innovation Planning Committee Nancy Di Dia Executive Director, Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Engagement, Boehringer Ingelheim USA CorporationintroduCtion of finalistsafter dinner WelCome, remarks, and keynote introduCtion Nancy Davis Vice President & CIO, United Technologies CorporationKeynote Alicia Abella, Ph.D. Executive Director, Innovative Services Research Department, AT&T LabsaWard Presentations Youth Innovation & Leadership Collegian Innovation & Leadership Community Innovation & Leadership Research Innovation & Leadership Academic Innovation & Leadership Entrepreneurial Innovation & Leadership Small Business Innovation & Leadership Public Sector Innovation & Leadership Large Business Innovation & LeadershipClosing remarks 1

Planning Committee Beth Alquist Jacqueline Jones Chair, Women of Innovation Staff Scientist Planning Committee Covidien Partner Day Pitney LLP Scott Morrison Vice President Judith Auslander Information Systems Prescription Medicines Senior Fellow (Retired) Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation Pitney Bowes Inc. Mary Norris Lucy Brakoniecki Partner Research and Evaluation Director Wiggin and Dana LLP Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund Glennis Orloff Vice President, Product Development Teresa Carleton i-Health VP of Mission System Design and Integration Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Paige Rasid Marketing, Communications & Christine Gemelli Operations Director Consultant Connecticut Technology Council Connecticut Innovations Vanessa Rubano Maria Gigliotti Scientist II Sr. Associate Director, Drug Regulatory Affairs Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Sondra Schneider Eileen Hasson CEO & Founder President Security University The Computer Company Luke Weinstein Cathy Intravia Entrepreneur and Mentor Partner Shipman & Goodwin LLP Rita Zangari Executive Director Technology Incubation Program University of Connecticut Special thanks to Premier Limousine for providing transportation services.2

master of CeremoniesJocelyn MamintaOver her distinguished 20-year broadcast career, Emmy Award-nominatedmedical reporter and co-host of News 8’s “Connecticut Style,” Jocelyn Mamintahas anchored and reported for television stations in New York, North Carolina,Milwaukee, Texas and Connecticut.A political science graduate of the University of Missouri, Maminta workstirelessly for many nonprofits across the state.She serves on the boards of Friends of Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital andthe Arts Council of Greater New Haven and is a member of the Junior Leagueof Greater New Haven. She is co-founder of Caroline’s Room, a safe haven forfamilies coping with the challenges and uncertainties surrounding the birth ofa premature baby. There are Caroline’s Rooms in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana,Missouri, Texas and Virginia.keynote sPeakerAlicia Abella, Ph.D.Dr. Alicia Abella is Executive Director of the Innovative Services ResearchDepartment at AT&T Labs where she manages a group of multi-disciplinarytechnical staff specializing in data mining, user interfaces, mobile services,SIP/VoIP technology, ubiquitous computing, and emerging devices.In 2011, she was selected by President Obama to be on his PresidentialAdvisory Commission for Educational Excellence for Hispanics. Also in 2011,she was inducted into the prestigious WITI (Women in Technology International)Hall of Fame. In 2010, she was honored as one of the Top Five Women of theYear by Hispanic Business Magazine. She received the Pioneer Award from theWomen of Color STEM Conference for her contributions to helping solve theeducational challenges facing the Hispanic Community. She was also honored atthe First Annual Great Minds In Stem Legacy Luncheon in Washington D.C. forher contributions to the STEM and Hispanic community. She is also a memberof the elite group of AT&T Science and Technology Medal award winnersand recipient of the Hispanic Engineers National Achievement Award forOutstanding Technical Achievement.Besides her technical contributions, Alicia has been a strong advocate in fosteringthe development of minorities and women in science and engineering. AsExecutive Vice President for the Young Science Achievers program, a programshe has been involved with for nine years, she has worked tirelessly to bring aninterest and excitement in science and engineering to high school aged women andminority students through a program of mentoring and scientific achievement. 3

tHe finalists (in alphabetical order) Yvonne Akpalu Edith Di Francesco CEO & Founder Vice President, EH&S and Engineering Methods Why Science LLC Carrier Corporation Amy Anderson Betsy Didan Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry Vice President University of Connecticut COCC Kathy Ayers Joan Feigenbaum Director of Research Grace Murray Hopper Professor of Proton OnSite Computer Science Yale University Lisa Bongiovi Vice President, Intellectual Property Counsel Elizabeth Gandza UTC Climate, Controls & Security Systems Senior Project Manager The United Illuminating Company Sue Brown Teacher Elizabeth Garypie Mauro-Sheridan Interdistrict Magnet School Chief Engineer, Army & Air Force Programs Sikorsky Aircraft Jyl Camhi President Ramona Georgescu Great Play Graduate Student University of Connecticut Kim Carpenter Vice President, Global Human Resources Kristina Givens Covidien Process Innovation Program Manager Lawrence & Memorial Hospital Diane Corcoran Pintavalle Instructor, AP Biology and Amy Harper Advanced Research Mentorship Second Vice President Research, Glastonbury High School Product Development & Marketing Travelers Teresa Cowles Manager, AMS Systems Engineering Dionne Henry Hamilton Sundstrand Manager, Systems Engineer – Global Services Engineering Manon Cox Pratt & Whitney President & CEO Protein Sciences Corporation Emilia Hernandez High School Student Renee Davis Hopkins School Vice President & Chief Actuary, Bond & Financial Products Sally Hill Travelers Principal Designer Eli Whitney Museum Caroline Dealy Chief Scientific Officer Areej Jahangir Chondrogenics, Inc. High School Student Glastonbury High School Mary-Ellen Devlin Executive Director-Executive Counsel, Morgan Jordan Intellectual Property High School Student Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation Joel Barlow High School4

tHe finalists (in alphabetical order)Arianna Kalian Chaitanya SankavaramVice President, Ph.D. Student Engineering & Manufacturing Operations University of ConnecticutUTC Power Deborah SantyMonika Kinstler Director, CT SBIR OfficePrincipal Engineer Connecticut InnovationsPratt & Whitney Sheila ShechtmanMary Kuchenbrod Founder & ChairmanHigh School Student Giftcorp, Inc.Greater Hartford Academy of Mathematics & Science Leslie Shor Assistant Professor of Chemical EngineeringHeather Leask University of ConnecticutStudentUniversity of Connecticut Consuelo Staheli Director Global Strategy & PortfolioKim McFadden CovidienProject ManagerPratt & Whitney Robin Stanco High School StudentKimberly McLean Brookfield High SchoolPrincipal EngineerElectric Boat Corporation Geraldine Taber Senior DirectorMaeva Metz PfizerHigh School StudentBrookfield High School Eleanor Tandler Co-Founder & CEOSandra Millan-Tripp NovaTract Surgical LLCCo-FounderTributary Mill Conservancy, Inc. Katelyn Tupaj High School StudentStella Maris Oggianu Tourtellotte Memorial High SchoolProject LeaderUnited Technologies Research Center Nicole Wagner Chief Executive Officer,Julie Olson LambdaVision, Inc.President Ph.D. Candidate, University of ConnecticutJAO Ovation LLC Emily WilsonJanet Paulsen Geospatial Educator, College of AgriculturePh.D. Candidate and Natural ResourcesUniversity of Connecticut University of ConnecticutTracy Propheter Alexia ZagourasSr. Airfoil Design Engineer High School StudentPratt & Whitney Hopkins SchoolKelsey Reeves Sigal ZarmiHigh School Student CIOGrasso Southeastern Technical High School GE Capital AmericasJulie ReissOrion System EngineerHamilton Sundstrand 5

about tHe finalistsYvonne Akpalu Entrepreneurial Innovation and LeadershipCeo & founder, WHy sCienCe llC Yvonne Akpalu is the CEO & Founder of Why Science, an education technology company igniting students’ passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning. Why Science’s ground- breaking Poly & Mer technology makes STEM more accessible by combining the power of the “cloud” with state-of-the-art learning practices, programs and interactive media for the modern classroom of today. An innovator whose work has been recognized by multiple awards, Yvonne also mentors undergraduate Women in Science at Yale.Amy Anderson Research Innovation and LeadershipassoCiate Professor of mediCinal CHemistry, university of ConneCtiCut Amy Anderson is an Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Connecticut where she leads a research group to discover and develop novel drugs for treating infectious diseases and cancer as well as understanding and overcoming mechanisms of drug resistance. She received her B.S. from MIT and Ph.D. in biophysics from Harvard before completing a postdoctoral fellowship at UCSF. Amy enjoys spending time with her husband and children.Kathy Ayers Small Business Innovation and LeadershipdireCtor of researCH, Proton onsite Kathy Ayers is responsible for executing Proton’s technology road map to achieve cost effective production of hydrogen for energy applications. She has been awarded several Small Business Innovative Research and other grants for DOE, NSF, ARPA-E, and ONR. Kathy holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology and has mentored several female students through Mentornet. She also has two young daughters and enjoys running, swimming, and music.Lisa Bongiovi Large Business Innovation and LeadershipviCe President, intelleCtual ProPerty Counsel, utC Climate, Controls & seCurity systems Lisa Bongiovi is Vice President, Intellectual Property Counsel at UTC Climate, Controls and Security Systems. In this role, Lisa is responsible for managing all intellectual property matters, including management of over 7,000 pending and issued patents and over 4,400 pending and registered trademarks worldwide. Lisa also oversees all intellectual property matters associated with the product development process, and all licensing and enforcement matters involving patents, trademarks, and copyrights.Sue Brown Academic Innovation and LeadershipteaCHer, mauro-sHeridan interdistriCt magnet sCHool Susan Brown is a science, technology, and robotics teacher for middle school students in New Haven. She is passionate about teaching children how to think, create, and find their authentic selves. Her past careers as an author, college educator, and business owner in advertising and fitness have given her the opportunity to work with youth to find their way through education and their passions. She has created an award winning robotics program and instituted a Women in Engineering partnership, is team lead for her school’s NASA Explorer Program, and is a recipient of numerous education awards and Michael Jordan Fundamentals Grants.Jyl Camhi Entrepreneurial Innovation and LeadershipPresident, great Play Jyl Camhi’s company, Great Play, is a patented interactive gym for children that helps develop motor skills, sport skills, fitness and coordination. Great Play has other patents pending and is franchised in metro cities around the U.S. Jyl worked with Microsoft in the 1990’s, creating systems, teams and infrastructure, and receiving the Bill Gates Microsoft manager of the year award in 1996. Inspired by today’s childhood inactivity crisis, Jyl’s alternative approach combines technology and fitness to appeal to youngsters who are not natural athletes, encouraging physical development.6

about tHe finalistsKim Carpenter Large Business Innovation and LeadershipviCe President, global Human resourCes, Covidien Kim Carpenter serves as Vice President, Global Human Resources for the Surgical Solutions Business Unit of Covidien. Kim has more than 25 years of comprehensive HR experience. Prior to joining Covidien in 2007, she served as head of Global Leadership Development for Bayer Healthcare. She earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in psychology from Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.Diane Corcoran Pintavalle Academic Innovation and LeadershipinstruCtor, aP biology and advanCed researCH mentorsHiP, glastonbury HigH sCHool Diane Corcoran Pintavalle teaches science at Glastonbury High School. Diane created the infrastructure needed for students to conduct authentic scientific research. She has built an extensive network of practicing scientists from universities, hospitals and industry who serve as mentors. Diane is a member of CSTA, serves on the executive committee for CTJSHS, and was recognized by Connecticut Association of School Librarians for collaborating to advance student learning. She holds degrees in Biology from CCSU and recently earned the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University.Teresa Cowles Large Business Innovation and Leadershipmanager, ams systems engineering, Hamilton sundstrand Terry Cowles has 29 years of experience in systems engineering, from project management, validation and verification, and requirements engineering management. She has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut. She currently holds the position of Systems Integration Lead for the 787-9 Environmental Control System which is highly integrated in aircraft thermal management systems. She has two grown children and enjoys cooking, outdoor activities and home improvement projects.Manon Cox Small Business Innovation and LeadershipPresident & Ceo, Protein sCienCes CorPoration Manon Cox is President & CEO at Protein Sciences Corporation. She joined the company in 1998. Previously she was with Gist-Brocades, where she held positions in business development, production and R&D. She holds a Doctorate in Virology from the University of Wageningen; received her M.B.A. with distinction from the University of Nijenrode and the University of Rochester, and holds a Doctorandus degree in Molecular Biology, Genetics and Biochemistry from the University of Nijmegen. Her passion is to bring global innovation to the vaccine industry by using recombinant DNA technology.Renee Davis Large Business Innovation and LeadershipviCe President & CHief aCtuary, bond & finanCial ProduCts, travelers Throughout her career at Travelers, Renee Davis has been focused on strong performance by applying analytics to business problems in order to improve business results. As part of the Actuarial and Analytics Leadership team, Renee has served as senior advisor for many strategic initiatives in advancing analytics and talent for the company. Outside of work, Renee enjoys spending time with her husband and three children especially on the beach in Rhode Island.Caroline Dealy Entrepreneurial Innovation and LeadershipCHief sCientifiC offiCer, CHondrogeniCs, inC. Caroline Dealy’s work is dedicated to research and technology to understand and treat debilitating human conditions including osteoarthritis. Chondrogenics is a Connecticut biotechnology company established with the support of the University of Connecticut to develop the potential of human stem cells for cartilage repair. Through a major grant from the State, Chondrogenics is conducting preclinical studies to investigate the ability of the cells to repair damaged cartilage, with the goal of developing a stem cell based approach for osteoarthritis treatment. 7

Boehringer Ingelheim ranks among the world’s 15 leadingpharmaceutical corporations. Our vision drives us forward. It helps usto foster value through innovation in our company and to look to thefuture with constantly renewed commitment and ambition. Value through InnovationOur family focuses on advancing scienceso you can focus on more important things.It’s the people you care about that gives meaning to what we do.At Boehringer Ingelheim, this is what has driven us for more thana century. As the largest family-owned pharmaceutical company,we are committed to delivering Value through Innovation to thepatients and families who count on our medicines.This commitment pushes us to invest heavily in research.And it pushes us to make a positive difference in our communities.We understand that the purpose of our family’s science is tobenefit your family’s health.Visit http://us.boehringer-ingelheim.com to learn more.

about tHe finalistsMary-Ellen Devlin Large Business Innovation and LeadershipexeCutive direCtor-exeCutive Counsel, intelleCtual ProPerty, boeHringer ingelHeim usa CorPoration After graduating from Fordham University Law School, Mary-Ellen Devlin worked as a patent litigator for six years with both trial and appellate experience. In the early 80’s, she went in-house first at American Cyanamid Company and then Boehringer Ingelheim. She also became the first women officer of the largest intellectual property law association in the United States.Edith Di Francesco Large Business Innovation and LeadershipviCe President, engineering metHods, utC Climate Control & seCurity systems Edith Di Francesco is an executive with 26 years at UTC. Edith joined Carrier in 2008 as the VP, Engineering Methods after 23 years with Otis in Engineering, Safety and Quality leadership positions. Significant contributions include development of the LVM and Gen2 elevator products, the Otis Product Development Process and the Carrier Product Safety Process. She holds a BEng, Mechanical from McGill University and a MS, Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.Betsy Didan Small Business Innovation and LeadershipviCe President, CoCC Betsy Didan develops, promotes, and supports innovative technologies to reduce paper and increase payment speed and security for community bank customers and credit union members throughout the northeast, improving bank efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Her system to eliminate paper check processing for 140 financial institutions has saved thousands of gallons of fuel used to transport physical checks. Her electronic payment processes have accelerated check processing and verification, reducing opportunities for fraud. Betsy speaks at national conferences on advanced payment technologies.Joan Feigenbaum Academic Innovation and LeadershipgraCe murray HoPPer Professor of ComPuter sCienCe, yale university Joan Feigenbaum received an A.B. in Mathematics from Harvard and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford. Her research interests include Internet algorithmics, security and privacy, massive-data-set algorithmics, and the interplay of economics and computation. She is a Fellow of the Association of Computing Machinery and was an invited speaker at the 1998 International Congress of Mathematicians.Elizabeth Gandza Large Business Innovation and Leadershipsenior ProjeCt manager, tHe united illuminating ComPany After graduating from the University of Connecticut in 2000 with a B.S. in civil engineering, Liz Gandza worked as an engineer on transportation projects for URS Corporation in Rocky Hill. In 2002 she worked as an engineer and project manager on transportation and electrical transmission infrastructure projects for the BL Companies in Meriden. In 2008, Liz joined UI to manage electrical transmission infrastructure projects. She lives in Southington with her husband, CJ and their son, Nicholas.Elizabeth Garypie Large Business Innovation and LeadershipCHief engineer, army & air forCe Programs, sikorsky airCraft Liz Garypie is Chief Engineer, Army & Air Force Programs at Sikorsky Aircraft. In this role, she provides overall technical leadership for domestic BLACK HAWK development and production programs, including the UH-60M, HH-60M MEDEVAC, UH-60M Upgrade, and future product requirements. Liz has worked for Sikorsky Aircraft since 1999, holding positions of increasing responsibility in both Engineering and Programs. She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Trinity College, Hartford, and is an active member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). 9

about tHe finalistsRamona Georgescu Collegian Innovation and Leadershipgraduate student, university of ConneCtiCut Ramona Georgescu received her B.A.’s in Computer Science and Physics from Connecticut College in 2004 and her M.Sc in Electrical Engineering from Boston University in 2007. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at the University of Connecticut, working under the direction of Dr. Peter Willett. Her area of interest is statistical signal processing, with an emphasis on estimation and multitarget tracking.Kristina Givens Large Business Innovation and LeadershipProCess innovation Program manager, laWrenCe & memorial HosPital Kristina Givens is the Process Innovation Program Manager for Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London. Kristina has been instrumental in the implementation and deep adoption of Lean principles at Lawrence & Memorial, the alignment of Lean with IT Projects, and the integration of the Production Preparation Process (3P) to ensure the success of the hospital’s strategic growth initiatives. She holds a B.S. in International Business from Salamanca University in Spain, and holds a Six Sigma green belt certification.Amy Harper Large Business Innovation and LeadershipseCond viCe President, researCH, ProduCt develoPment, & marketing, travelers In 2006, Amy Harper joined Travelers Risk Control, a group that exists to aid underwriters in account selection and retention, as well as to collaborate with policyholders and their agents to reduce losses and promote prevention initiatives. Amy received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Social and Organizational Psychology from Temple University and holds a B.A. degree from Illinois Wesleyan University. She has been developing and implementing products and services for the insurance industry for nearly fifteen years.Dionne Henry Community Innovation and Leadershipmanager, systems engineer – global serviCes engineering, Pratt & WHitney Dionne Henry is a 12-year veteran at Pratt & Whitney, providing repair development expertise to commercial aircraft engine customers world-wide. Decisions made in this leadership role directly contribute to flight safety. A dedicated humanitarian and volunteer, Dionne is currently chairperson of CPEP’s (Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program) Board of Directors. In this role she spearheads this growing nonprofit that provides programs designed to promote interest in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) for under-served youth in Connecticut. Additionally, she aided school-children and families as one of the Church Missionaries to Guatemala last summer.Emilia Hernandez Youth Innovation and LeadershipHigH sCHool student, HoPkins sCHool Emilia Hernandez is a senior at Hopkins School in New Haven. She is one of the captains of her school’s Science Olympiad team. In addition to her scientific interests, Emilia is President of Junior Statesmen of America, participates in Model UN, and is an active member of the Fencing Team. For the last two summers, she has done research in Genetics at Yale about the protein-protein interactions involved in ribosome biogenesis.Sally Hill Academic Innovation and LeadershipPrinCiPal designer, eli WHitney museum At age five, Sally Hill began appropriating her mother’s New York Times Sunday Crosswords to pencil in constructions of the squares. Sally has loved grids ever since. She trained in graphic design at Yale just as the computer equipped the profession with powerful tools. Now, Sally converts 20 years of learning project designs at the Eli Whitney Museum into the 3D grids of CNC production while she introduces her undergraduate graphic design students to the art of layering information with traditional and modern book folds.10

about tHe finalistsAreej Jahangir Youth Innovation and LeadershipHigH sCHool student, glastonbury HigH sCHool Making periodic visits to the Middle East and South Asia as a Pakistani-American, Areej Jahangir has seen first-hand the issues gripping developing nations in the areas of education and the quality of life. Her ambition is to combine policy and technology tools to close the gaps between developed and developing countries. One such specific study that she is currently working on is water purification through locally producible ceramic filters.Morgan Jordan Youth Innovation and LeadershipHigH sCHool student, joel barloW HigH sCHool Morgan Jordan is a senior at Joel Barlow High School, and has a passion for chemistry and biology. Morgan recently conducted extensive research on environmentally-friendly surfactants through an independent research program. Morgan is a member of the varsity debate, tennis and mock trial teams, president of the Serving Our Underprivileged Club, and a classically-trained pianist. She enjoys volunteering at the Special Olympics, leading drives for the homeless, tutoring, and participating in Girl Scouts.Arianna Kalian Large Business Innovation and LeadershipviCe President, engineering & manufaCturing oPerations, utC PoWer Arianna Kalian, P.E., is responsible for overseeing UTC Power’s engineering activities and manufacturing operations for the company’s stationary and transportation fuel cell systems. Arianna joined UTC Power in 2008 from General Motors, where she led a range of product design and development efforts during her 19-year tenure, including an international assignment in Germany. A member of the Society of Women Engineers, she holds bachelors and masters degrees in mechanical engineering and a M.S. in management of technology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. tHe Covidien and jana moak sCHolarsHiPs Tonight, we also celebrate Jana Moak, a remarkable woman we first met in 2006 as a Women of Innovation winner. She later joined the Connecticut Technology Council Board of Directors. Jana passed away in 2007. With a physics degree, she had spent a large portion of her career as an investment banker in the South, moving to Connecticut in 2003 to manage a Connecticut technology company. An abiding interest of hers was attracting more young people, and in particular, young girls, to technology and science careers. For that reason, and to honor Jana Moak, the Connecticut Technology Council is awarding a total of $1,250 to the youth finalists introduced this evening, in addition to the $2,500 Youth Innovation and Leadership scholarship contributed by Covidien. Tonight’s honorees were selected from over 30 outstanding nominations. Four criteria were considered by the selection panel: academic achievement, innovation and creativity, leadership and a decision to pursue a career in a science or technology profession. Selecting an honoree is never an easy task. All of our finalists are deserving of the scholarship. Each will likely go on to excel in their collegiate and professional careers. We wish them immeasurable success. 11

CONGRATULATIONSConnecticut Technology CouncilNominees and WinnersWomen of InnovationCovidien shares the goal of recognizing women leaders in technology fields.We are especially proud of our nominees: Kim Carpenter, Global Vice President of Human Resources Consuelo Staheli, Director of Global Strategy and Portfolio Covidien is committed to supporting and promoting women in innovation as we develop new medical devices that improve patient outcomes worldwide. COVIDIEN, COVIDIEN with logo, Covidien logo and positive results for life are U.S. and/or internationally registered trademarks of Covidien AG. All other brands are trademarks of a Covidien company. ©2012 Covidien

about tHe finalistsMonika Kinstler Research Innovation and LeadershipPrinCiPal engineer, Pratt & WHitney Monika Kinstler has worked in the aerospace industry as a metallurgical engineer for 26 years. Currently a principal engineer at Pratt & Whitney, she has been approving aircraft engine repairs on behalf of the FAA as a Designated Engineering Representative since 2002. Monika holds multiple patents, and has developed an engineering information knowledge management system that has been widely emulated within UTC. She has two children, and is a performing violinist.Mary Kuchenbrod Youth Innovation and LeadershipHigH sCHool student, greater Hartford aCademy of matHematiCs and sCienCe Mary Kuchenbrod conducts her own research at her high school. She tests the early development of zebra fish embryos in environments that mimic that of a developing human fetus whose mother is consuming alcohol or caffeine, as well as environments that test the effects of progesterone pollution in water systems. This research has increased Mary’s passion for biology, and led her to help develop a biotechnology and bioengineering class at her school.Heather Leask Collegian Innovation and Leadershipstudent, university of ConneCtiCut Heather Leask is an aspiring chemical engineer currently attending the University of Connecticut. She began researching memristors at UConn while in high school. Heather is currently researching mechanical properties of hydrogels at the University of Massachusets and is co-authoring a paper for publication this year. Outside of her academics, Heather is an avid long distance runner. She completed a marathon in Philadelphia in November and is currently training for the D.C. marathon in March.Kim McFadden Community Innovation and LeadershipProjeCt manager, Pratt & WHitney A Georgia Tech graduate, Kim McFadden started at Pratt & Whitney 13 years ago after starting her family. She has spent most of that time focused on engineering equipment for the testing of development engines. Since then, she has worked as a Mechanical Design Engineer, an Operations Engineer, and Industrial Manager and now, as a Project Manager on P&W’s latest Geared TurboFan Engine. Kim uses her engineering skills as an active volunteer with Athena’s Warriors, a young womens’ robotics team. She supports their projects and mentors and coaches the girls to encourage the importance of physics and mechanical concepts.Kimberly McLean Community Innovation and LeadershipPrinCiPal engineer, eleCtriC boat CorPoration Kimberly McLean has spent 27 years working in Engineering and Information Technology at Electric Boat. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and has been working with SWE and the Girl Scouts for almost 20 years to develop and present STEM programs for girls of all ages. Kimberly works with the Girl Scouts to provide girls at camp opportunities to learn about astronomy and the use of telescopes.Maeva Metz Youth Innovation and LeadershipHigH sCHool student, brookfield HigH sCHool Maeva Metz created the first Biology Club and Green Team at her school to help others. This is her second year in a medical internship, and she participated in Boehringer’s Partners in Science Program. Maeva’s interests take her beyond science as a Future Global Leader with extracurricular activities such as being the tutoring coordinator of the National Honors Society, the President of the French Honors Society, and being Concert Band Head Mistress. 13

about tHe finalistsSandra Millan-Tripp Community Innovation and LeadershipCo-founder, tributary mill ConservanCy, inC. Sandra Millan-Tripp is the co-founder of the Tributary Mill Conservancy, a non-profit environmental research and education organization which has been recognized by Field and Stream and the Atlantic Salmon Association for its hybrid prototype hatchery which has raised and released over a million salmon back into the wild since 2003. Sandra has shared her knowledge of environmental stewardship with countless students and classrooms all over Southeastern Connecticut.Stella Maris Oggianu Research Innovation and LeadershipProjeCt leader, united teCHnologies researCH Center Stella Maris Oggianu holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Stella has served as thesis reviewer for MIT and the University College Cork, and as Assistant Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She has over 10 papers in recognized journals and conferences, and has filed 12 patents. At UTRC, Stella has developed, executed and is currently leading innovative programs for advanced energy microgrids and integrated buildings.Julie Olson Entrepreneurial Innovation and LeadershipPresident, jao ovation llC Julie Olson is a biopharmaceutical executive with over 27 years experience, most recently as CEO of Mersana Therapeutics. While at Mersana, she raised more than $35M in private equity, advanced two compounds into clinical trials in cancer patients, and continued innovative research programs. Prior to her years at Mersana, Julie was at Pfizer for 19 years, where she was VP of Licensing and played a variety of roles in drug discovery.Janet Paulsen Collegian Innovation and LeadershipPH.d. Candidate, university of ConneCtiCut Janet Paulsen is a doctoral candidate at the University of Connecticut in the Pharmaceutical Sciences department with an emphasis in medicinal chemistry. Janet’s accomplishments include the development of new antimycotics to treat prevalent infectious diseases using a structure-based drug design approach. She was selected in 2011 for a highly competitive internship at Merck where she made an impact on the development of pharmaceuticals to combat HIV.Tracy Propheter Research Innovation and Leadershipsr. airfoil design engineer, Pratt & WHitney Tracy Propheter was born in Atlanta Georgia to two electrical engineers and has lived up and down the eastern seaboard and Europe. She received her B.S. from University of Florida and an M.S. from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute. Her education had a firm grounding in Science and Engineering, but also included a good foundation in History, English, Creative Writing, Music, and Art. Tracy’s hobbies include stained glass, quilting, sewing, painting, drawing, singing, etc.. She lives by the credo “I can accomplish anything one word at a time.”Kelsey Reeves Youth Innovation and LeadershipHigH sCHool student, grasso soutHeastern teCHniCal HigH sCHool Kelsey Reeves has a variety of roles in addition to her high school studies; she is the National Honor Society president; a member of the National Art Honor Society; Student Council treasurer; a Mentor and peer mediator; a member of the Young Artists Society; a State Student Advisory Council on Education member, and is a participant in Work Base Learning with the City of Groton Pollution Abatement Facility. Kelsey was chosen to represent her Compact Bio-filtration Unit to the New England Water Environment Association’s conference, and maintains high honors along with out-of-school employment.14

about tHe finalistsJulie Reiss Large Business Innovation and Leadershiporion system engineer, Hamilton sundstrand Julie Reiss is the Lead System Requirements Engineer for the Life Support Systems on the Orion space vehicle for Hamilton Sundstrand. She has 12 years of experience in systems engineering, including several years on the Space Suit with design, certification, and space walk mission support responsibilities. Julie holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is pursuing her MS in Chemical Engineering at the University of Connecticut.Chaitanya Sankavaram Collegian Innovation and LeadershipPH.d. Candidate, university of ConneCtiCut Chaitanya Sankavaram is a Ph.D. student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Connecticut. She received her B.Tech. degree (2005) and worked for two years at Wipro Technologies in India. Her research focuses is on fault diagnosis and prognosis in automotive systems. She authored/co- authored a book chapter, eleven scientific publications and secured the IEEE Best New Technology Paper Award, UConn’s Graduate Fellowship, Outstanding Achievement Award (two years consecutively at Wipro) and the Governor’s Excellence Award.Deborah Santy Small Business Innovation and LeadershipdireCtor, Ct sbir offiCe – ConneCtiCut innovations Deb Santy has over twenty years of experience in the insurance industry, leading startups, directing business change, technology integration and project management. Additionally, she operated her own consulting business serving Fortune 100 firms and start-up companies. While teaching at the Florida Institute of Technology, Deb authored Business Succe$$ – Plan On It!, and it was later purchased by the Small Business Administration and colleges nationwide. In 2007, Deb won the prestigious Tibbett’s Award, a national honor for those who exemplify the very best in SBIR achievement.Sheila Shechtman Entrepreneurial Innovation and Leadershipfounder and CHairman, giftCorP, inC. Sheila Shechtman, founder of Giftcorp, is a seasoned entrepreneur, has built three successful businesses and worked in the gourmet food and gift industries for more than thirty years. Sheila has created 70+ jobs making Giftcorp one of the largest women-owned businesses in Connecticut and has demonstrated a deep commitment to women and minority hiring throughout her career. In 2004, the National Association of Women Business Owners named Sheila Connecticut’s “Outstanding Woman Business Owner of the Year”.Leslie Shor Academic Innovation and Leadershipassistant Professor of CHemiCal engineering, university of ConneCtiCut Leslie Shor leads the Engineered Microhabitats research group at the University of Connecticut, where she mentors an interdisciplinary team in the use of artificial microbial habitats to answer questions related to agriculture, biofuels, and disease. Leslie promotes project-based learning and the societal benefits of technology in her courses. She earned a B.A. with High Honors from the University of Virginia and a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering from Rutgers University.Consuelo Staheli Large Business Innovation and LeadershipdireCtor global strategy & Portfolio, Covidien Consuelo Staheli is Director Global Strategy & Portfolio for Covidien Surgical Solutions. She is responsible for managing the portfolio of new product investments of the Soft Tissue Implants Division and ensuring alignment with business strategy. As a founding member and leader of the Surgical Solutions Women’s Leadership Initiative, she directs her talents to develop women in the organization to promote a more inclusive environment across Covidien. Consuelo lives in Middletown with her husband and two children and enjoys hiking. 15

Congratulations Finalists!We are proud supporters ofConnecticut Technology Council’sWomen of Innovation BOSTON CONNECTICUT NEW JERSEY NEW YORK WASHINGTON, DC | www.daypitney.com

about tHe finalistsRobin Stanco Youth Innovation and LeadershipHigH sCHool student, brookfield HigH sCHool As a student in C++, Robyn Stanco has proven to be a gifted programmer and an effective leader. As a math teaching assistant in her junior year, Robyn helped to create a joint C++ curriculum differentiated at both an honors and academic level. She is co-leader of Twenty-First Century Applications of Skills and Technology (TCAST), an extracurricular group which has formed a company identity and is designing and creating a customized application. Robyn has earned the most distinguished student award for both Academic Algebra II and Academic Pre-Calculus.Geraldine Taber Large Business Innovation and Leadershipsenior direCtor, Pfizer Gerry Taber’s many management positions at Pfizer Worldwide R&D include her 2010 role leading the Global Technology team of 40 scientists in Groton and in the U.K. to develop and deploy novel chemical research and process development technologies. Currently, she leads Pfizer’s Lab of The Future (LotF) program. She has earned the EPA’s Presidential Green Chemistry Award, is a member of the AspenTech Advisory Panel, the Dow Pharma’s Technology Advisory Panel, the New England Chapter of ISPE Board of Directors, and serves on the Groton Public School Improvement Team and as Co-chair of the Groton Public School Science Day Committee.Eleanor Tandler Entrepreneurial Innovation and LeadershipCo-founder & Ceo, novatraCt surgiCal llC Eleanor Tandler is one of NovaTract’s founders and its CEO. NovaTract is a startup focused on new, innovative medical devices for minimally invasive surgery based on technology licensed from Yale University. NovaTract received the Connecticut Technology Council’s “Most Promising Life Sciences Company of the Year” Award for 2010. Prior to NovaTract, Ellie ran a University of Connecticut start-up focused on the development of new orthodontic appliances and spent five years as a venture capital investor focused on investments in the healthcare sector.Katelyn Tupaj Youth Innovation and LeadershipHigH sCHool student, tourtellotte memorial HigH sCHool Katelyn Tupaj has received awards relating to technology and science. In her freshman year, she received Academic Excellence in Science, and in her junior year received the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Math and Science Medal as well as the Bausch & Lomb Science Award from the University of Rochester. Katelyn has been involved in FBLA, Math Mentors, Junior Achievement, and the National Honor Society. She was recently invited to attend Doppler on Wheels at Lyndon State University.Nicole Wagner Collegian Innovation and LeadershipCHief exeCutive offiCer, lambdavision, inC. / PH.d. Candidate, university of ConneCtiCut. Nicole Wagner is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Connecticut under the direction of Dr. Robert Birge. She entered the program in 2007, and spent much of her graduate career working on optimizing retinal-containing proteins for device applications. Nicole’s research efforts played an integral role in the proof of concept studies that helped found LambdaVision Incorporated in May 2009. She joined the LambdaVision team as CEO in early 2011.Emily Wilson Academic Innovation and LeadershipgeosPatial eduCator, university of ConneCtiCut, College of agriCulture and natural resourCes Emily Wilson is a Geospatial Educator with the Center for Land Use Education and Research in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut. She promotes and supports the use of geospatial data (maps, aerial and satellite imagery and other geographically- referenced information) and technology. Emily conducts applied research, then makes the results usable and available to local land-use decision makers and the public through education, technical training and the development of interactive websites. 17

about tHe finalistsAlexia Zagouras Youth Innovation and LeadershipHigH sCHool student, HoPkins sCHool Alexia Zagouras has enjoyed her advanced science classes, especially physics and biology. She has conducted research in a plant genetics lab at Yale and participated in a National Student Leadership Conference on Medicine. Alexia is a certified emergency medical technician and plans to volunteer on an ambulance this summer. She also competes on her school’s Physics and Science Olympiad teams. She is co-head of the school blood drive, co-captain of girls varsity water polo, and enjoys oil painting and modern dance.Sigal Zarmi Large Business Innovation and LeadershipCio, ge CaPital ameriCas Sigal Zarmi leads technology efforts to drive business growth and enhance customer experience for a $108B portfolio of commercial loans and leases, leveraging Information Technology in originations, risk management and operations by focusing on simplification and productivity. Sigal holds a M.B.A. from Columbia University in NYC and a B.S. in Engineering from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. She serves on the boards of the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut. Thanks to all our 2012 Women of Innovation Table Sponsors AT&T Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation COCC Comcast Cable Communications Inc. Connecticut Innovations Covidien Day Pitney LLP Electric Boat First Niagara General Electric Corporation The Hartford Steam Boiler and Inspection Co. Lawrence and Memorial Hospital Pfizer Corporation Proton Onsite Protein Sciences Sea Research Foundation Shipman & Goodwin LLP Travelers Corporation UK Trade and Investment The United Illuminating Company United Technologies Corporation University of Connecticut Wiggin and Dana LLP18

UpwardUTC is proud to sponsor the 8th Annual Women of InnovationAwards Program. We congratulate the finalists for theirsignificant contributions and leadership in the fields of science,engineering and technology.Learn more about our commitment to the community at utc.com.

tHe Women of innovationThe Women of Innovation program, now in its eighth year, hascreated a vibrant network of over 350 women studying, working andpursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, or math. Visit theCTC website for a recap of previous years’ events.CTC has established online networks to encourage networking amongCT technology professionals and exchange among finalists andsupporters of the Women of Innovation community.Visit: www.womenofinnovation.org and www.ct.org 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Congratulations to all the Finalists PresenTing sPonsors suPPorTing sPonsors CollaboraTors The Connecticut Technology Council 222 Pitkin Street, Suite 113, East Hartford, CT 06108 860.289.0878 • www.ct.org

2012 Women of Innovation®

by Paige Rasid

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