The Virginia Mentor-Protégé Program aims to inspire high school girls to explore STEM careers through mentorship and informative sessions, featuring speakers from diverse professional backgrounds. Initiated by the Women in Technology Education Foundation, the program includes various sessions covering topics such as leadership and overcoming challenges in STEM fields. Participants receive mentorship and networking opportunities, fostering a supportive community to empower women in technology-related careers.

1. Virginia 2015 – 2016
WELCOME TO OUR MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM!
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Time: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Microsoft
12012 Sunset Hills Road, 3rd Floor
Reston, Virginia 20190
Protégé Orientation & Session #1: STEM Career Exploration
Protégé Orientation
The GIT Mentoring Program is designed to inform and inspire high school girls about the many
opportunities available to women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math,
recognized as STEM. We demonstrate and explain the opportunities and career paths young women
might not otherwise discover or feel inspired to pursue.
Mentor-Protégé Session #1: STEM Career Exploration
Protégé Orientation Speaker Panel
Dr. Connie Thomas
Dr. Thomas graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major in Sociology
and a minor in Classics from Bucknell University. In 2012, she received her
doctorate from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences,
School of Medicine, in Bethesda, Maryland. She is currently with the Walter
Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland as a Psychiatry
Resident. Dr. Thomas is a distinguished woman in medicine and in uniform
Who has received many professional honors and recognition, including the Bucknell Prize in
Sociology; Elizabeth M. Oliphant Prize for the highest average in a biological science; President’s
Award for Distinguished Academic Achievement; Distinguished Military Graduate for Army ROTC
cadets ranking in top 20 percent of Army ROTC graduates nationwide; and Outstanding Student in
Psychiatry at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. Dr. Thomas has also published
several posters and presentations, most recently: Therapy Dogs: Military Applications in Behavioral
Health at the American Psychiatric Association in Toronto, Canada in 2015.

2. Virginia 2015 – 2016
Shimul Ray
Shimul Ray is a Senior Capture Manager for our Health and Human Services
(HHS) account at Leidos for the Health Solutions Group. In this role, Shimul is
responsible for helping to grow the business in the HHS market at Leidos and
help our government customers achieve their IT-related missions. Prior to
working at SAIC/Leidos, Shimul was a project manager at Eurofins Medinet,
where she coordinated multiple international clinical trial studies to ensure
compliance with all applicable laws. Shimul has a strong scientific
background and has worked as a chemist and researcher for companies like Technology Catalysts
International, Shire Laboratories, and Motorola. In fact, she was named as a co-inventor on a patent
that was issued in the fall of 2009 for a unique drug delivery technique discovered while working at
Shire Laboratories. Shimul has a B.S. in Biochemistry from Trinity University, San Antonio, TX and a M.S. in
Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University. Shimul lives in Potomac Falls, VA with her husband,
Jason and two boys, Austin (8) and Dylan (6).
Devon Bracken
Devon Bracken graduated from Virginia Tech in 2008 with a degree in
Aerospace Engineering. While in college, she participated in the NASA
Undergraduate Research Program at Marshall Space Flight Center
performing research on composite materials. She also participated in the
Marshall Space Flight Center Co-op program. After graduation, she started
working at Orbital ATK (formerly known as Orbital Sciences Cooperation)
where she worked on launch vehicle development and satellite propulsion
for the last 6 years. She is also currently working on a Master’s degree from Purdue University in
Engineering Management.
Emily M. Minehart
Emily M. Minehart received her BS degree in Systems and Industrial
Engineering from West Virginia University in 2012 and is currently employed by
Orbital Sciences Corporation on their Dulles campus and has recently been
selected to the Board of Directors for Women in Aerospace for the 2014-2016
calendar years. An AAS, AIAA and WIA member, her interests and goals
include helping develop a customer base for Orbital Sciences Corporation
vehicles, defense products and satellites, and managing strategic
relationships. She began her engineering career at Orbital Sciences Corporation in 2010 as a summer
intern working in the reliability analysis lab performing failure analysis. Following her internship, Ms
Minehart’s responsibilities have included managing her department’s budget, ISO, and AS9100
standards. Currently she is employed as a systems engineer supporting Orbital Sciences’ Commercial
Cargo Resupply Services Mission Development while beginning involvement in mission operations
and business development. Ms. Minehart has a personal goal to interact with young students in the
engineering disciplines with an emphasis on the Aerospace Industry. She believes strongly that the
Aerospace Industry should be a key ingredient in government’s plans for the future and that
encouraging young students in this field is critical. In addition to her professional accomplishments,
Ms Minehart was a varsity cheerleader at West Virginia University and Miss Loudoun County 2007.

3. Virginia 2015 – 2016
The Virginia Mentor-Protégé Committee
Chair, Virginia Mentor-Protégé
Jenny Oh
Jenny attended the University of Maryland for both undergraduate and
graduate studies in Finance, and Information Technology Project
Management. She has worked with several technology and financial
organizations providing financial and business strategy. In addition, Jenny has
a passion for art. Her artistic talents combined with her business acumen and
her technical abilities, she works with local and international organizations to
develop digital content and strategies for various campaigns and events.
Jenny is an avid traveler. When she is not in the office or on the front lines of community activism; she
is off on a bike, bus, train, plane, or boat exploring the global backyard. This opened her eyes to
gender and economic inequalities across the globe. During a trip to South Africa in January 2013,
she was extremely saddened by the profound and helpless circumstances of women due to the lack
of social infrastructure for progress. She has dedicated the past several years actively leading
organizations that provides females, youth, minorities, and other underserved communities with
resources, support, and motivation to overcome challenges and barriers. She is proud to be part of
Girls in Technology, and hopes that we can collectively make a difference for all.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Irene Lane
Marva Gaylor
Maria Sasinowski
Regina Yap
Camille Tolliver
Kelly Spindel (not pictured)
Sponsor
Programs are made possible through the generosity of professional women who donate their time,
energy and passion and corporate sponsorships, such as Microsoft, Johns Hopkins, and Women in
Technology Education Foundation.
Thanks to our Program Underwriter:

4. Virginia 2015 – 2016
The Women in Technology Education Foundation (WITEF) empowers women and girls to change the
world by excelling in STEM-related careers. We use education to create awareness, excitement, and
opportunity among girls and women, and to encourage them to work in technology- related fields.
WITEF provides scholarships, mentoring, tools, and speakers, and supports school-sponsored and
community-based programs that foster technology interest in girls and women of all ages. We also
provide financial support to sponsor field trips, assist with program and curriculum development, and
contribute program resources for Career Days in Virginia, Maryland, and DC to serve economically
and socially disadvantaged girls. Through WITEF’s efforts, thousands of girls and w omen in the
metropolitan DC area have learned about the exciting opportunities available to them in
technology-related careers.
Thanks to our Program Host:
Our Mission
Empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more
Our Strategy
Build best-in-class platforms and productivity services for a mobile-first, cloud-first world
Our Ambitions
Reinvent productivity & business processes, build the intelligent cloud platform, create more personal
computing
Driving Directions
Microsoft
12012 Sunset Hills Road, 3rd Floor
Reston, Virginia 20190
From Route 495/Washington Beltway
Take the Washington Beltway Route 495 to Dulles Toll Road West, Exit 45A, toward Dulles Airport.
Proceed through the toll plaza. Exit onto Reston Parkway, Exit 12. Keep right at the ramp, and turn
right onto Reston Parkway. At the first stoplight, turn left onto Sunset Hills Road. Take an immediate
right into the Two Discovery Square parking lot.
From Dulles Airport
Depart Washington Dulles International Airport, and follow signs to Dulles Toll Road, east toward
Washington, D.C. At Exit 12, turn off onto the ramp toward Reston Parkway. Travel through the toll
booth, and turn left onto Reston Parkway. At the second stoplight, turn left onto Sunset Hills Road.
Take an immediate right into the Two Discovery Square parking lot.
Mentor-Protégé Program Schedule
Our monthly sessions are held on Wednesday evenings from 6 - 8:30 PM. Each session will include a
light meal, networking, featured speaker or panel discussion and group mentoring.
Event / Topic Virginia Sessions
Mentor Orientation Webinar September 30

5. Virginia 2015 – 2016
The session agenda for each session:
6:00 – 6:30 Sign-in/Networking/Refreshments
6:30 – 6:45 Welcome/Announcements
6:45 – 7:30 Featured Speaker/Panel Discussion
7:30 – 8:30 Mentoring sessions
8:30 Close-out
Recommend Others for the Mentor-Protégé Program!
Encourage the high school girls in your house, neighborhood or circle to apply for this program! Visit
Girls in Technology to apply, www.womenintechnology.org/GIT. Up to forty High School girls are
accepted into each program. While most of our Mentors continue to work with us, we encourage
new Mentors to apply as well. GIT holds two congruent programs per year in Reston, Virginia and
Rockville, Maryland with 5 sessions each.
About Girls in Technology
Girls in Technology (GIT) is led by a steering committee of Women in Technology (WIT) that is
dedicated to offering programs for girls in grades 6 through 12 that are designed to create
awareness and excitement about careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as
well as educate and inspire by introducing girls to the vast array of opportunities available to women
in these fields. Program speakers, mentors and committee members volunteer their time to make a
difference in the lives of our future generations. Programs are made possible through the generosity
of corporate sponsorships, Women in Technology and WIT Education Foundation.
About WIT and WIT Education Foundation
Women in Technology Education Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Northern Virginia’s powerful
organization, Women in Technology (WIT), and the primary funder of WIT’s committee, Girls in
Technology (GIT). The Foundation empowers women and girls to change the world by excelling in
technology-related careers. We use education to create awareness, excitement and opportunity
among girls and women, and to encourage them to work in technology-related fields.
Program Contacts
Program Contacts:
ProgramChair, Girls in Technology:
Whitney Vickrey
Email: wmv747@gmail.com
Protégé Liaison:
Paige Rasmussen
Email: paige@cde-llc.com
Session 1 – Protégé Orientation & STEM Career Exploration October 14
Session 2 – A Passion for STEM November 11
*No December Program*
Session 3 – Embrace Fear and Learn to Fail January 13
Session 4 – Leadership February 10
Session 5 - Graduation March 9
Snow Makeup Date – only if needed April 13

6. Virginia 2015 – 2016
Chair, Virginia Mentor-ProtégéProgram:
Jenny Oh
Email: jenny.k.oh@gmail.com
WITOffice:
Email: staff@womenintechnology.org
Tel: 703-766-1153
Mentor Liaison:
Whitney Vickrey
Email: wmv747@gmail.com
To host or underwrite a Girls in Technology Program, please contact:
Marian McKee
Chair, WITEducation Foundation
Email: Marian.McKee@bioreliance.com
Karen Louis
Treasurer, WITEducation Foundation
Email: Karen.louis@WJTechnologies.com
Connect with us on Social Media!
BLOG: https://girlsintechnologyblog.wordpress.com/
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/girlsintechnology.womenintechnology
INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/girls_in_technology_wit
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/GirlsInTech_WIT