Women & Hi Tech has a wonderful day of fun, inspiring and motivational activities planned for members and guests at our biennial Spring Networking Event! Please join us at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 15, 2024.
The all-day agenda includes a focused networking game, a panel discussion on the future of STEM education, and a powerful keynote address. To conclude the program, we will honor Women & Hi Tech’s 25 years of supporting women in STEM professions with a birthday celebration and tribute to the successes of all our alumni, who we’ve poured into, and our past and current Board members. Then, spend the afternoon networking with members and friends, watch race practice, and explore the garages where you can meet racers and their crews
The dress code for the event is casual. However, if you plan to visit the garages, no shorts or open-toed shoes are allowed.
This event is open to Women & Hi Tech members and non-members. Member discount pricing ends April 2nd. General registration will continue through April 22nd at 7pm. To ensure there is time for ticket distribution, the last day for ticket sales is April 22nd.
IMS does not permit electronic tickets and there will be no day-of ticket pick up.
- Women & Hi Tech will offer pick up of your tickets between April 29th and May 10th.
- You may pick up your ticket or ask someone else to do so at either Katz Sapper & Miller on Indy's Northside, or Salesforce Tower on Monument Circle.
- Tickets will be available for pickup from 9am-4pm.
Please select which pickup location you prefer during registration.
Program (Attend any or all of the events with your paid registration.)
- 10:00 am – 11:00 am General Registration
- 10:00 am – 6:00 pm Garages Open, Practice Runs on Track, Experience the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Networking Trivia Game
- 12:00 pm – 12:10 pm Welcome
- 12:10 pm – 12:30 pm Grab Your Boxed Lunch and Have a Seat*
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12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Forum: The Future of STEM Education in Indiana
Chad Lochmiller
Chad Lochmiller, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Indiana University and currently chairs the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. In addition, he was appointed by Governor Eric Holcomb to serve a two-year term as a member of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and serves as Associate Director for Policy and Advocacy with the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), a national consortium of more than 100 research-intensive universities. His research examines education policy issues that are relevant to both K-12 and higher education. For example, he has evaluated career ladder programs in community colleges, studied participation in dual enrollment and dual credit programs, assessed the structure of workforce training activities, and examined workforce issues for classroom teachers and education professionals. He has also studied funding practices and allocation formulas for K-12 schools. His current research is focused on the continuous improvement of educational programs.
Professionally, Lochmiller has served as a delegate to the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, a member of the National Faculty for Improvement Science with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a fellow with the Big10 Academic Alliance’s Departmental Executive Officer’s Program, and has been deeply involved in accreditation activities related to the Council for the Advancement of Educator Preparation. He is a past recipient of the UCEA Jack A. Culbertson Early Career Award and his published work has appeared in Educational Administration Quarterly, Journal of Educational Administration, and other outlets.
Lochmiller earned his Ph.D. in Education Policy from the University of Washington in 2010. He is married with two children and resides in Bloomington, Indiana.
Molly Dodge
Molly Dodge serves as Senior Vice President of Workforce and Careers at Ivy Tech Community College. In her role, Molly owns the college “big goal” of 50,000 completions aligned with Indiana’s workforce including measuring certifications that earn above median wage. She partners with campus leadership across the state to ensure the College has the programs and capacity to fill the State’s employer workforce pipeline.
Prior to this role, Molly served as Chancellor of the Madison campus of Ivy Tech Community College. Under Molly’s visionary leadership, the Madison campus was chosen by the Indiana Department of Correction to provide adult education and vocational training programs in fifteen (15) facilities statewide; and the Indiana Department of Education to offer statewide online dual enrollment through the Indiana Course Access Portal (iCAP).
Prior to joining Ivy Tech, Dodge served in dual roles as director of adult education and director of the Clearinghouse and special projects at the Madison-based, non-profit River Valley Resources, Inc. (RVR). As clearinghouse director, she founded a multi-tenant nonprofit center focused on the provision of co-located employment and wrap around services to families living in poverty.
Dodge holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Hanover College, a Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies and a Master of Public Administration, Nonprofit Management Concentration, from Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis. Dodge recently completed a three-year term as a member of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services and serves on the American Association of Community College’s Commission on Economic and Workforce Development.
Ben Carter
Ben is the Director of Career Readiness Initiatives at Inspire Success. In this role, he provides project management and training for a variety of education and workforce organizations. Before joining Inspire Success Ben served as the Executive Director of Career Coaching and Employer Connections at Ivy Tech Community College. Previously, Ben was the Director of Workforce and Innovation at the Department of Education leading Graduation Pathways, Work Based Learning, and STEM. Before coming to the Department, Ben led career education in Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) as the Career and Technical Education Director. Ben earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Marian University, and a Master in Education Leadership from Columbia University.
Chrystal Westerhaus
Chrystal is a seasoned charter school leader in Indianapolis. She served as a teacher and assistant principal with the Tindley Schools network in Indianapolis for the past several years. During her four years as a sixth grade teacher at Tindley Accelerated, more than 90% of her students achieved proficiency on the state’s standardized tests, featuring a 100% pass rate in spring 2013. During her two years as assistant principal of culture at Tindley Preparatory Academy, she utilized data-driven decision making by analyzing student discipline data to create a positive culture for student motivation. Chrystal was the founding principal of Avondale Meadows Middle School. In her five years of leadership at AMMS, she led the school to improve its state rating from a “C” to a consecutive “A" ratings. Chrystal holds a degree in elementary education from Purdue University and a master’s degree in urban and educational leadership from Indiana University.
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1:40 pm – 2:20 pm Keynote Speaker: Dr. Carlotta A. Berry
Our keynote speaker is the 2018 Women and Hi Tech Leading Light “You Inspire Us!” Award winner, Dr. Carlotta A. Berry. Dr. Berry is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and the 2021-2024 Dr. Lawrence J. Giacoletto Endowed Chair for Electrical and Computer Engineering. Dr. Berry is the first Black woman to earn tenure, full professor and endowed chairship at Rose-Hulman.
She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Spelman College, bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, master’s in electrical engineering from Wayne State University, and PhD from Vanderbilt University. Her research interests are in robotics education, interface design, human-robot interaction, and increasing historically marginalized and minoritized populations in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields.
She has a special passion for diversifying the engineering profession by encouraging more women, marginalized and minoritized populations to pursue STEM degrees. In her current role as visiting scientist at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, she is able to execute her mission and promote her vision for STEM. In 2020, she worked with colleagues around the world to start two nonprofit organizations, Black In Engineering and Black In Robotics. They have a mission to bring awareness to systemic racism and inequity in STEM, build community, advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion and connect with allies and sponsors. Dr. Berry also founded her business, NoireSTEMinist educational consulting, in 2020. Through her organization she provides speaking engagements, workshops, consulting and also sells robots, children's books, romance novels, and other merchandise to promote diversity in STEM.
Her strong longstanding service record has garnered her multiple accolades and awards including ASEE Fellow, IEEE Senior Member, 2023 IEEE Undergraduate Teaching Award, 2023 Hopper Celebration Abie award for Educational Innovation award, 2022 Society of Women Engineers Distinguished Engineering Educator Award, 2022 Distinguished Educator Award from the American Society of Engineering Education Electrical and Computer Engineering Division, 2022 Open Source Hardware Trailblazer Fellow, and 2021 TechPoint Foundation for Youth Bridge Builder award.
To learn more about Dr. Berry’s Work visit www.DrCarlottaABerry.comand www.CarlottaArdell.comor connect via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlotta-berry-phd/.
- 2:20 pm – 2:30 pm Break
- 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Happy Birthday Women & Hi Tech and Alumni Tribute
- 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm Garage Self-guided Tours
- 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm Wine and Chat in the Pavilion
Arriving late? No problem. Pick your lunch up when you arrive. Eat in our pavilion, outside while watching the practice runs, or take it with you.
Please choose one lunch option from the following when you register:
- Jumbo All-American Sub
An 8-inch fresh baked sub bun piled high with Ham, Cotto Salami, Bologna, Swiss and American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato and Onion (served on the side), Fritos, Banana and Granola Bar
- Turkey Breast
Turkey Breast on a fresh baked Wheat Bun, Coleslaw, Pretzels, Pear and Granola Bar
- Tuna Salad
Jug’s Tuna Salad on a Flaky Croissant, Pasta Salad, Potato Chips, Apple, and Granola Bar
- Cucumber Vegetarian
Cucumber Slices, Spinach, Carrots and Herbed Cream Cheese on a fresh baked Wheat Bun, Lettuce and Tomato (served on the side), Banana, Pretzels, Pasta Salad, and two Chocolate Chip Cookies
IMS Protocols
IMS requires paper tickets for entry. Ticket distribution will be conducted April 29-May 10 only. You will need to pick up your ticket or arrange for your ticket to be picked up for you. We will reach out to registrants with more details and a reminder closer to the event.
IMS also requires each registrant to sign a waiver. Please read the waiver by clicking this link. When you register, you will select the checkbox acknowledging that you read and agree to the waiver. You may be asked to complete the waiver again on-site the day of the event depending on IMS protocols.
Terms of Participation:
· Member discount registrations are non-refundable and non-transferable. General registration are non-refundable but may be transferred. Lunch selections cannot be changed after April 29th.
· By registering for this event, you acknowledge that you may be photographed, videotaped, and audio-taped during the course of this event and hereby give permission for your image, and voice to be used in education, training, promotion, advertisement, or trade and communications media by Women & Hi Tech in any and all media outlets.
