Meet the Women in Tech Founders

About the Conference
Central Virginia’s premier technology conference, rvatech/Drive is back at the Richmond Hilton Short Pump!
rvatech/Drive is a technical conference for all technologists + business professionals, curated and presented by our rvatech/Women in Technology committee. Aimed at bringing together professionals on a wide range of relevant topics to learn, engage, and collaborate, this event will feature a robust panel of keynote speakers, fascinating breakout sessions, and ample opportunities for networking.
Venue
Richmond Hilton Short Pump
12042 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23233
Registration
Agenda
8:30-9:30 AM / Registration
Registration will open at 8:30 am. Enjoy morning networking, mimosa bar, and our sponsor expo!
9:40 - 10:10 AM / Founder's Spotlight Panel Discussion
10:10-10:50 AM / Fireside Chat with Deneen Defiore, led by Wendi Pannell
Speaker – Deneen Defiore, VP & CISO of United Airlines
Moderated by Wendi Pannell
Deneen Defiore returns to the DRIVE stage as Chief Information Security Officer for United Airlines! Moderated by Wendi Pannell, Deneen will explore the cyber demands facing today’s airline industry and top 100 Fortune companies.
11-11:30 AM / Emerging Trends in Economic Development for Virginia
Speaker – Christy Morton SVP, Policy & Strategic Partnerships at VEDP
Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategic Partnerships at VEDP, Christy Morton will provide an update on Virginia’s current economic climate, recent trends in economic development, and opportunities to increase Virginia’s competitiveness to secure new business location and expansion projects. VEDP collaborates with local, regional, and state partners to encourage the expansion and diversification of Virginia’s economy and is responsible for helping drive new business and innovation to the Commonwealth and more specifically, the Richmond region, including the recent announcements from LEGO Group and Plenty Unlimited, Inc. – which will create the world’s largest indoor vertical farm in Chesterfield County.
11:30 AM- 12 PM / Metaverse: Chasing the Future
Speaker – Heather Hildebrand Managing Director, Digital Transformation Strategy at Accenture
The metaverse hype cycle is in full swing but what’s it all about? Explore the metaverse, why it’s in the news, the opportunity it brings, and the continuum of technology, human experience and social norms that will impact the future.
12-1 PM / Lunch + Networking
Lunch + Networking
1-1:45 PM / Data Centers- Powering the Internet and Opportunities in Richmond
Virginia is home to the world’s largest data center market, and while much of the current data center square footage is located in Ashburn, VA – the Richmond region is prime for growth and success of this critically important business sector. Josh Levi, President of the Data Center Coalition will moderate a panel including Shelagh Montgomery, Chief People Officer at QTS Data Centers, and Paige Schiavone, Data Center Campus Facility Manager, META, and Lisa Lingerfelt, Business Unit Leader at DPR Construction.
• Shelagh Montgomery, Chief People Officer at QTS Data Centers, Inc.
• Lisa Lingerfelt, Business Unit Leader at DPR Construction
• Paige Schiavone, Data Center Campus Facility Manager at Meta
• Josh Levi, President of the Virginia Data Center Coalition
1:45-2:15 PM / Role of Architecture in Software Development
Speaker – Michelle Kelo, Senior Director, Enterprise Architect at Capital One
Moderated by Shalini Goyal, Cyber Technical – Sr. Mgr Team Lead at Capital One
We’re diving into the “Role of Architecture in Software Development” as we sit down for a fireside chat with Michelle Kelo and moderated by Shalini Goyal, a Cyber Professional at Capital One.
2:20-2:50 PM / The 7 Habits of Hopeful People
Speaker – Nneka Chiazor, VP of Government & Public Affairs at Cox Communications
Growing up between Montreal and Lagos, Nneka learned early on the importance of bridging the digital divide and having hope. Nneka is passionate about empowering people who are experiencing what she terms “hope outages”™ A hope outage occurs when a professional disengages from life because they cannot see a path to achieving their career or business aspirations. Nneka’s message is one of empowerment – “you can change your life at any time.”
2:50-3 PM / Break
Take a break – we’ll be back in 10!
3-3:30 PM / Transformative & Intelligent Space Technologies
Speaker – Dr. Katherine Herrick – Principal Fellow and Senior Technical Advisor for Raytheon Intelligence and Space (RI&S) /Raytheon Technologies
Senior Fellow and Director of Advanced Enabling Technology at Raytheon Technologies, Dr. Katherine Herrick, will highlight transformative technologies including advancing aviation, building smarter defense systems, and creating innovations to take us deeper into space. Raytheon space technologies – used for missile warning, intelligence, weather information, earth observation, human space flight, and beyond – are essential for global commerce, scientific discovery and global security.
3:30 - 4:10 PM / Tech Talent - How to get noticed, get promoted and get the benefits you deserve!
Whether you’re looking for your next big career move, seeking confidence to ask for a promotion or looking to learn more about the tech talent demand – come hear from four incredible tech recruiters!
• Shannon Morales – Founder/CEO of Tribaja
• Lori Jennings – Founder/CEO of Jennings Prosearch
• Haley Spalding - Professional Recruiter & Project Coordinator at Apex Systems
• Kelsey Roberston – Senior Manager of Tech Recruiting at Koalafi
• Moderated by Emily Mercer – Account Executive at Ippon Technologies
4:10 - 4:50 PM / The Future of Energy
Speaker – Diane Leopold, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Dominion Energy
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Dominion Energy, Diane Leopold will highlight that we are living during the Greatest Transition Since the Industrial Revolution. Ongoing energy innovation including new technologies, diverse generation sources, carbon capture, decarbonizing gas, and other industries, along with transportation electrification. Diane is the senior executive responsible for all of the company’s operating segments and related construction and innovation functions leading the way in the greatest energy transition of our lifetime.
2022 Featured Speakers
Deneen Defiore
VP & CISO
United Airlines
Nneka Chiazor
VP of Government & Public Affairs
Cox Communications
Christy Morton
SVP, Policy & Strategic Partnerships
Virginia's Business Economy Update
Diane Leopold
EVP & COO
Dominion Energy
Heather Hildebrand
Managing Director, Digital Transformation Strategy
Accenture
Shannon Morales
Founder
Tribaja
Emily Mercer
Account Executive
Ippon Technologies
Lori Jennings
Founder
Jennings ProSearch
Dr. Katherine Herrick
Principal Fellow and Senior Technical Advisor
Raytheon Intelligence and Space (RI&S) /Raytheon Technologies
Josh Levi
President
Virginia Data Center Coalition
Haley Spalding
Project Coordinator - Consulting Services
Apex Systems
Kelsey Robertson
Senior Manager, Recruiting
Koalafi
Michelle Kelo
Senior Director, Enterprise Architect
Capital One
Shalini Goyal
Cyber Technical - Sr. Mgr Team Lead
Capital One
Shelagh Montgomery
Chief People Officer
QTS Data Centers, Inc.
Lisa Lingerfelt
Business Unit Leader
DPR Construction
Paige Schiavone
Data Center Campus Facility Manager
Meta
Wendi Pannell
Founder
annell Consulting, LLC