Meet the 20th Cohort of ACE Leadership » MnTech

The Minnesota Technology Association is thrilled to highlight the 20th cohort of the ACE Leadership Program. For nearly two decades, this program has nurtured leaders who will help drive our tech community forward. This cohort is comprised of a broad variety of professionals with diverse experiences and specialities but who share a desire to move forward in their careers. Our 20th cohort is represented by organization large and small, with leaders working both directly in a technology roles and in tech-enabled roles.

Throughout this six-month course, these cohort members will learn from subject matter experts on discovering their leadership style, building their leadership brand, communicating for results, building a positive culture at their organization, engaging in their broader tech community, and cultivating inclusive organizations. Additionally, they are paired with an executive coach to provide mentorship and guidance as they chart the course for their growth.

By participating in ACE Leadership, they and their organizations demonstrate a commitment to developing the leaders of our workforce.

If you would like to learn more about the ACE program or apply for the 21st Cohort, visit the ACE home page. If you are an ACE alumni, we would love to see you at our ACE Leadership Alumni Happy Hour on June 26. You can sign up here.

Victor Barge

Enterprise Solution Director, Daugherty Business Solutions

Randy Barrett

Senior Audio Visual Media Producer, University of Minnesota Law School

Caitlin Bateman

Digital Customer Program Manager, 3M

Jordan Bell

Lead Software Developer, University of Minnesota

Justin Betz

Manager II, Development, SPS Commerce

Ashley Carillo

Senior Software Engineer, Target

Piper Cleaveland

SciTech Program Diector, Minnesota Technology Association

Zach Cory

Senior Manager, Security Operations & Engineering, SPS Commerce

Ben de la Rosa

Technology Manager, SPS Commerce

Robert Dinsmore

Communities Account Manager, Comcast

Ryan Frank

Software Engineering Manager

Rebecca George-Burrs

Academic Technologist, University of Minnesota

Heidi Haldeman

IT Senior Manager, 3M

Chitra Hariharan

Senior Manager - IT, Donaldson

Zachary Hodge

Senior Manager IT Integrations, 3M

Marcus Holmberg

Consultant, Digineer

Prateek Khare

Product Delivery Manager, CHS

Matthew Johnsted

Network Engineer, University of Minnesota Duluth

Alex Majka

Director of Marketing and Alliances - Salesforce, Turnberry

Zach McClellan

Lead Recruiter, Digineer

Donovin Mollner

Assistant IT Director, University of Minnesota

Caitlin Murphy

Lead Engineer, Target

Tony Mycka

Project Manager/Business Analyst, University of Minnesota

Melinda Ness

Supervisor, CHS

Alyssa Paul

Systems Engineering Manager, Medtronic

Santosh Rajuri

Sr Manager IT Engineering, Medtronic

Anthony Retica

Partner - Client Engagement, Turnberry Solutions

Ashley Rizzio

Project Delivery Lead, CHS

Whitney Westley-Fisher

Sr. Project Manager/Business Analyst, University of Minnesota

Bob Zangla-Morris

Scrum Coach, University of Minnesota

Hope Frants

Project Management Consultant, Digineer

Ryan Frank

Software Engineering Manager

Jayshree Seth
Corporate Scientist, 3M

Jayshree Seth is a Corporate Scientist at 3M and currently holds 77 patents for a variety of innovations, with several additional pending. She joined 3M in 1993 after an MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, New York. She is a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient from her alma mater REC Trichy India, now NIIT Trichy, where she earned a B. Tech. in Chemical Engineering.

Jayshree was appointed 3M’s first ever Chief Science Advocate in 2018 and is using her scientific knowledge, technical expertise and professional experience to advance science and communicate the benefits of science and the importance of diversity in STEM fields. She is also a member of Carlton Society which is the 3M Science and Engineering “Hall of Fame.” Jayshree is the fourth woman and first female engineer to be inducted. In 2020, she was awarded Society of Women Engineers (SWE) highest Achievement Award. She is also the first-ever winner of a Gold Stevie® Award in the new Female Thought Leaders of the Year – category in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business in 2021. Jayshree was featured in a docuseries titled Not the Science Type that premiered during the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and accepted for Brand Storytelling Showcase, a sanctioned event at Sundance Film Festival. She is the author of the books, The Heart of Science – Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, & Imprints, and The Heart of Science – Engineering Fine Print published by the Society of Women Engineers, and all sales proceeds go to a scholarship for underrepresented minority women in STEM. She is a sought-after speaker, globally, on a multitude of topics such as innovation, leadership and STEM advocacy and has featured in local, national and international media.

Jayshree has served on the CEOs Inclusion Council, chaired the 3M Asian Employee Resource Group A3CTION and serves on the Steering Committee for 3M Technical Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF). She also serves on the Board of the Science Museum of Minnesota, Engineering Advisory Council for Clarkson University, AAAS Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy (COSEPP), Advisory Board for Innovation – The Conference Board, and Advisory Group of Aspen Institute Our Future is Science program.

Jayshree has two adult kids, and her husband also works at 3M.