Meet the Minnesota Aspirations in Computing Award Honorees

The Minnesota Aspirations in Computing Awards (MnAiC) program is excited to announce the honorees for the 2025 awards. National and state review teams selected these students from multiple high schools across Minnesota. We are proud to recognize and celebrate 48 top-tier honorees and 44 rising star recipients this year. Since 2012 the program has impacted thousands of Minnesota students with over 1,021 being selected as award honorees. Now in it’s 13th year, MnAiC offers year-round programs and activities to inspire and empower girls in grades 9-12 to realize their computing-related education and career aspirations.

Explore our lineup of award recipients below and consider supporting Aspirations in Computing.

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Click the links below to travel to each section:

National Honorable Mentions • State Winners • State Honorable Mentions • Rising Star Honorees • Educators

National Award Winner

Emily Zhou – Senior, East Ridge High School

Emily is a National Winner. Currently researching at the University of Minnesota’s Next Generation Robotics Lab, she developed a path-planning algorithm to aid first responders. She also founded SavvySeniors to bridge the digital divide and contributes to road safety research at the Shreya Dixit Foundation. Passionate about technology’s impact on society, Emily hopes to continue exploring AI and real-world problem-solving to drive innovation.

National Honorable Mention

Manasi Alegaonkar – Senior, Wayzata High School

Manasi is a National Honorable Mention. Her tech journey began with a childhood love for LEGOs, leading to an interest in engineering and technology. She explored iOS features, web apps, and block coding before advancing to website development and object-oriented programming. Passionate about equity, she improved Vidya Gyan’s website and founded HerDreams, a STEM platform. She holds a GenCyber cybersecurity certification and aims to study AI’s impact on politics and law.

Advika Chaudhari- Junior, Eastview High School

Advika is a National Honorable Mention recipient. Advika is an avid STEM learner and advocate of STEM education in underserved communities. She started her journey in STEM in third grade, learning block programming and joining FIRST Robotics. Now, she spends her time as a captain and software lead of her FIRST Robotics team. In addition, she leads STEM initiatives such as Girls Who Code, Technovation, and Her FIRST in her community.

Neha Nandhakumar – Senior, Wayzata High School

Neha is a National Honorable Mention. She has been passionate about coding since sixth grade. She has participated in hackathons, summer programs like Girls Who Code, and the MN Cup, where she developed “percent-x” to promote water conservation. She also completed the AFS Global STEM Accelerators program, gaining skills in sustainability and social impact. Her experiences have solidified her goal of pursuing an engineering degree to leverage technology for sustainability.

Mikhala Rivers – Senior, DeLaSalle High School

Mikhala is a National Honorable Mention recipient. She is passionate about providing STEM opportunities for underprivileged youth in her community. She started a robotics team in the First Tech Challenge, called B.O.B. which stands for Black, Outstanding, and Beautiful. Her team is one of the only all-black all-female robotics teams in the U.S. Mikhala is a National FTC Dean’s List Finalist. She is currently working with the Minnesota STEM Partnership to make her city a hotspot for STEM.

National Honorable Mention and State Winner

Hamda Aden – Senior, Brooklyn Center High School

Hamda is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. She developed a passion for computer science through gaming, specifically Roblox. Her journey led to the 8-week Genesys Works program and an internship at Target, where she joined the Truscan team and discovered her love for IT. She advocates for more opportunities for young Black women in STEM and empowering under-served communities to succeed in tech. Hamda aims to make technology more inclusive for all.

Eman Ali – Senior, Wayzata High School

Eman is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. She is passionate about combining psychology and technology to improve the lives of neurodivergent individuals. She is a University of Minnesota-Twin Cities “A Lab Autism Research” researcher, where she applies her skills to real-world challenges, including research on interventions for children with ADHD and autism. She plans to develop tools to support underserved communities in the future.

Jordyn Johnson – Senior, DeLaSalle High School

Jordyn is a National Honorable mention and State Winner. She is a captain of her varsity volleyball team, and she holds multiple school records. Recently, a report was conducted by WCCO discussing her accomplishments. This past summer she had the amazing opportunity to intern with the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball Team. Next year, she will be attending the University of California, Santa Barbara on a volleyball scholarship, where she hopes to study mechanical engineering or physics.

Bethelehem Kebede – Senior, Rosemount High School

Bethelehem is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. She was introduced to the STEM field through a collaboration between her school and We Share Solar. She applied to the Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics. She is working on applying machine learning models for Sign Language Translation and is a teacher at Kids for Code where she mentors elementary students in Java. She plans to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering on the pre-med track.

Afomia Mesfin – Junior, Irondale Senior High School

Afomia is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. A junior at Irondale High School, State Speech Champion, and lead of Autonomous Programming on KnightKrawler Robotics, her interdisciplinary interests in personal relations have inspired her to take university-level courses in politics, business and computer systems like Harvard CS50. Her commitment to expanding access to STEM opportunities has led to her spearheading training development on her Robotics team and expanding her impact in programs like Technovation as well as personal projects across various programming languages.

Laasya Pandari – Sophomore, Rosemount High School

Laasya is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. She discovered her passion for STEM during her internship at Optum, where she worked closely with UX designers and explored computer science. Laasya is a two-time state qualifier in DECA, a debate state quarterfinalist, and actively participates in student council. She is dedicated to using technology to solve real-world problems and looks forward to continuing her journey in the tech field.

Julia Rosenman – Sophomore, Breck School

Julia is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. Julia has spent time learning from STEM practitioners at various companies and teaching STEM-focused lesson plans in classes. She is also co-creator of the Aspirations in Computing Technology Exploration Award, which recognizes students throughout Minnesota for their dedication to reaching out to and learning from technology practitioners and frequently speaks on the topic of real-world learning in schools.

Sara Rosenman – Sophomore, Breck School

Sara is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. Sara has spent time learning from STEM practitioners at various companies and teaching STEM-focused real-world learning and professional skills lesson plans in classes. She is also co-creator of the Aspirations in Computing Technology Exploration Award, which recognizes students throughout Minnesota for their dedication to reaching out to and learning from technology practitioners. Sara is co-captain of her school’s robotics team.

Cecilia Ratemo – Junior, Eden Prairie High School

Cecilia is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. She is passionate about technology, social justice, and education. Her love for technology began in 10th grade with Science Olympiad, leading her to join programs like Girls Who Code and Kode with Klossy, learning Python, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. This summer, she became an Athena EdTech student ambassador, focusing on responsible AI in K-12 education and co-founded her school chapter, Athena EPHS.

Riddhi Singhvi – Sophomore, Stillwater Area High School

Riddhi is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. She began coding in 4th grade with Khan Academy and expanded her skills through middle school. Since 7th grade, she has competed in the Congressional App Challenge. A Broadcom MASTERS Top 300 and ISEF finalist, she has conducted science projects since 6th grade. She is a Business Professionals of America captain and competes in speech and debate. She is passionate about using coding to help manage chronic diseases like diabetes.

Ivanka Sonkusare – Junior, Woodbury High School

Ivanka is a National Honorable Mention recipient and a State Winner. She founded Methane Matters, an initiative to spread awareness about methane emissions and its impact. Her effort was recognized by the President. Ivanka is engaged in methane reduction research at Cornell and USDA, leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. She started an Artificial Intelligence club at her high school.

Ariya Tikoo – Junior, Wayzata High School

Ariya is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. Ariya is currently working on developing a large language model based chatbot system that aids type 1 diabetics in health-related decision making, inspired by her own journey with type 1 diabetes. Ariya recently submitted the first working draft and a paper on her project to Minnesota Scholars of Distinction in Computer Science. Ariya plans to double major in computer science and pre-law while in college.

Zhoujinyi Wen – Senior, Jefferson High School

Zhoujinyi is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. She has a passion for inclusiveness in STEM. She has led initiatives such as founding a girls’ solar boat racing team, launching a middle school code club, and hosting events as a Code.org Ambassador. She was named a Scholar of Distinction in Computer Science for developing an AI tool for generating game dialogue. She has co-authored a paper on racial biases in facial emotion recognition.

Isabella Wittwer – Senior, Princeton High School

Isabella is a National Honorable Mention recipient and State Winner. Her STEM passion ignited in elementary school through Ozobots and VEX IQ. She honed her programming and engineering skills, competing in VEX Robotics and excelling in advanced STEM courses like engineering and AP computer science. Committed to mentorship, Isabella empowers young students, particularly girls, to build confidence in STEM. Aspiring to further her impact, she plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.

State Winners

Yosan Asbu – Senior, Breck School

Yosan is a State Winner. She started learning to code with Scratch and has never looked back. As a member of her school’s FIRST Robotics team and selective Advanced Science Research program, Yosan combines her interest in math and science with her love for coding. She also advocates for inclusivity in STEM and is a leader in her school’s math league and Black student affinity group. In the fall, she will study Computer Science at the University of Chicago.

Jia Chenchlani – Junior, Eden Prairie High School

Jia is a State Winner. A co-founder of Tech to Transform, a non-profit for digital literacy, Jia bridges the digital divide through tech drives and education. She has taken every CS course at her school and is active in the CS Honor Society. Her interests include law and politics, and she captains her school’s speech, debate, and mock trial teams. An internationally ranked DECA competitor, Jia plans to double major in computer and political science and attend law school to become an IP attorney.

Elianah Dollar-Simmons – Junior, Tartan High School

Elianah is a State Winner. She began her journey in computer science by taking a web development class at Saint Paul College. She is an alumna of the Computer Science Scholars program at Carnegie Mellon University and contributed significantly to Hack Club’s “Athena” initiative. Elianah helped run the Evergreen event at the Amazon HQ, the Oasis event at the FUTO HQ, and the Ascend event at the SpaceX HQ, which was the biggest hackathon for high-school girls in 2024.

Reeha Ibrahim – Junior, Totino Grace High School

Reeha is a State Winner. Her love of coding began in seventh grade with Technovation, where she made apps to help with fast fashion, diabetes management, and food sourcing. She has since participated in the Congressional App Challenge, various camps, and advanced courses in coding. Reeha’s favorite STEM activity is coding for her school’s FIRST Robotics team, where she is lead developer and a driver. She also does DECA, Mock Trial, and volleyball.

Emily Oberleitner – Senior, Eden Prairie High School

Emily is a State Winner. She created an AI program to expedite pain research, winning 1st place in the World AI Youth Competition. As an intern at CorRen Medical, she worked on prototyping an AI-driven Doppler device and presented and published her work in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Digital Collection. Additionally, she is passionate about supporting women’s education as a Senior Fellow at the Joyce Ivy Foundation.

Thanishka Shetty – Senior, Mounds View High School

Thanishka is a State Winner. She is a passionate social entrepreneur who believes in the power of technology to inspire innovation and create meaningful change. Committed to bridging the STEM education gap across Minnesota, she works with nonprofits, including serving as an ambassador for TechnovationGirls, to create opportunities for all. Thanishka aspires to further explore business innovation through technology, driven by a desire to contribute to both fields and create positive change.

Tvisha Talwar – Junior, Wayzata High School

Tvisha is a State Winner. Her interest in computer science was sparked in elementary school through Code.org and further developed in fifth grade when she joined a FIRST Lego League team. She has attended coding summer camps like Kode with Klossy, where she learned iOS development and built her first application. Tvisha is currently working on an AI project for the agriculture industry and furthering her knowledge through advanced coursework at the University of Minnesota.

State Honorable Mention

Bella Ahmed – Senior, Edina High School

Bella is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Her interest in computer science began in middle school when she joined her school’s STEM Club for Girls and explored robotics, sparking a passion for technology. Last summer, Bella participated in Girls Who Code, where she learned cybersecurity, web development, and data science and created projects using these skills. Since then, she has learned JavaScript and Python. Bella plans to continue pursuing her passion in the future.

Kayna Aneja – Senior, Eden Prairie High School

Kayna is a State Honorable Mention. She is a 2024 National CyberStart Scholar, earning a scholarship for the GIAC certification. As the co-owner of “Light & Lens Photography,” she developed an online tracker to streamline operations, blending her passion for technology and business. Her problem-solving skills extend to DECA, where she has gained international recognition, showcasing her ability to merge cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, and strategy.

Adeline Barmann – Junior, Edina High School

Adeline is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She is the co-leader in the Technovation club and an engaged DECA member. Adeline’s cutting-edge computer science innovation plan propelled her to DECA state qualifications. She serves as a valued member of her city’s Career and Technical Education Student Advisory Board. She hopes to advocate for more diversity in computer science and STEM related fields as well as work to find ways to use computer science to combat environmental issues.

Bhama Binu – Senior, Wayzata High School

Bhama is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She quickly recognized the disparity in women in technology as she began to incorporate more STEM classes in her educational journey. Being one of the few females in Chess Club, and now the Chess Club Captain, she became a passionate and inclusive leader. Bhama aspires to study Informatics and Computer Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She looks forward to continuing her efforts to reduce the gender gap in STEM.

Brooke-Lynn Byfield – Freshman, Eden Prairie High School

Brooke-Lynn is a State Honorable Mention recipient. As a rising 9th grader, Brook has progressed greatly in her STEM journey. She is an integral part of the Eden Prairie FRC robotics team, learning Rust. She challenges herself with rigorous academic courses and coding summer camps. Brooke mentors younger FIRST robotics programs year-round. She also enthusiastically takes on many personal coding projects from building python web scrapers to learning cybersecurity and system internals in Linux.

Lynn Carter – Junior, Edina High School

Lynn is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Lynn spends a lot of their efforts focused on computer science within their school’s computer science department. Their STEM enthusiasm extends beyond the classroom, as they spend ample time on personal computer science pursuits including developing digital games. Outside of academia, they are focused on music and artistic interests. They hope to continue their studies in computer science or computer programming in college.

Ziwei Chen – Senior, Eden Prairie High School

Ziwei is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Eager to learn more about the field of computing, her coursework spans from iOS Mobile App Development to MATH 2243 at the University of Minnesota. She works to expand STEM access in her community by volunteering with the middle school Science Olympiad team in addition to competing at the high school level. To continue pursuing her interest in technology, Ziwei plans to major in Computer Science with a focus on computer systems and optimization.

Avital Coleman – Sophomore, St. Paul Academy and Summit School

Avital is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She is a self-taught coder, athletic diver, outdoor enthusiast, demonstrated leader, and active community member. Currently, her focus is on a science fair project developing smart irrigation systems for developing countries, using rainfall and soil moisture data to enhance agricultural climate stability. In the future, Avi plans to apply her knowledge about technology and AI to broader global health issues to help serve her community.

Astou Dione – Junior, Roseville Area High School

Astou is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Astou stays active in various STEM focused school clubs and encourages her female peers to stay passionate in STEM. Astou has served a year-long term on the Minnesota Youth Council and for two consecutive years held the position of Class Representative on her school’s Student Council. She is currently part of the Youth Executive Board. Astou plans to attend college and study Aerospace Engineering and aims to push the boundaries of space exploration.

Evy Fieldseth – Senior, Roseville Area High School

Evy is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Her passion for technology began in math and science and grew through experiences in coding, aviation, and engineering. She became Hack Club leader, earned her Commercial Drones License, and is a part-owner of an aircraft painting business. Evy plans to study business, aviation, or computer science and is considering a future in the Air Force. She’s passionate about using drones to solve real-world problems, particularly in critical supply delivery.

Catie Ingrisone – Senior, Edina High School

Catie is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She secured a 2024 internship, was selected for the Seminar for Top Engineering Prospects program and won third place in the 2024 National Design + Construction Competition. She delivered a TEDx talk on mental health awareness and law enforcement interaction. She aspires to develop AI tools for architectural planning that environments focused on improving spaces for the mentally disabled community.

Zohha Khan – Senior, Math & Science Academy

Zohha is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She is a PSEO student at the University of Minnesota, where she combines her passion for technology, medicine, and biomedical engineering. As Student Council President, Debate Team Captain, and founder of the Muslim Student Association, she leads meaningful initiatives within her school. She advocates for youth as a Minnesota Youth Council representative, spearheading policy efforts and lead a press conference at the State Capitol.

Annie Klyn – Senior, Hermantown Senior High School

Annie is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Her love for video games led her to programming. As co-captain of her school’s FIRST Robotics Competition team, she oversees strategy, programming, and logistics, applying her coding skills in an engineering environment. Beyond robotics, she enjoys game design and creative writing. Already on her way to a computer science degree, she hopes to pursue a career in video game design, combining creativity with technology.

Pranika Kumar – Junior, Edina High School

Pranika is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She is passionate about using technology to address social inequities and is ranked first in State Congressional Debate. As the lead developer of Eyeda, she integrated AI to improve road safety, earning grants and partnerships. She researches computational protein modeling at the University of Minnesota and has presented at Johns Hopkins. She teaches coding through Vidya Gyan and leads Science Olympiad. Pranika aims to advance AI in healthcare.

Savanna Larson – Senior, Minnetonka High School

Savanna is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She is passionate about quantitative ecology, using data science to drive conservation efforts. Her research on Canada lynx and bob sympatry in Minnesota earned first place the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair and multiple STEM awards. She is expanding her skill set in R and ArcGIS to further ecological niche modeling. Savanna aspires to pursue a PhD and conduct research that advances conservation policy and projects.

Aaratrika Mondal – Junior, Wayzata High School

Aaratrika is a State Honorable Mention recipient. What began as a volunteer project for her dance school has blossomed into a deep passion for coding, which she aims to integrate into her future career in computational biology. She applies her technical skills to support her community and enhance technological accessibility to Indian culture and heritage. She plans to continue her coding journey through college and beyond, using her expertise to make a meaningful impact on the lives of others.

Ananya Murugavel – Junior, Eagle Ridge Academy

Ananya is a State Honorable Mention recipient. In 2023 she won her district’s Congressional App Challenge with her website act1on 4 chang3. She is the 2024 SVP MN YouthSparks Competition winner for her innovative idea, HotSpot. In addition, her research project and app, Serenidia, which interprets nutritional labels, was recognized as a finalist in the 2024 National STEM Competition. Ananya uses her youth organization, Digital Dreamers, to educate and inspire the next generation.

Ishika Nanavati – Senior, Eden Prairie High School

Ishika is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She enjoys implementing technology to drive innovation, particularly at the intersection of business and computer science. She has pursued advanced coursework, including AP Java, iOS Mobile App Development, and college-level programming. Passionate about making technology more inclusive, she developed an app for the Jain community and engages in STEM diversity initiatives. She plans to major in Management Information Systems and minor in Computer Science.

Prisha Rathore – Junior, Math & Science Academy

Prisha is a State Honorable Mention recipient. Her passion for coding began in second grade. She has explored web design and game development through courses from the University of Michigan and the University of London. She is a 3M Personal Safety Division Award Winner and continues to expand her skills by taking AP Computer Science A. Outside of technology, she plays varsity soccer, practices piano, and is a member of NHS. Prisha plans to pursue a degree in Software Engineering.

Ayza Rizwan – Junior, Wayzata High School

Ayza is a State Honorable Mention recipient passionate about computer science and cybersecurity. After moving from rural Saudi Arabia to Minnesota in 2022, she discovered coding and quickly excelled in Java and HTML. She has developed programs, from student databases to a slot machine simulator. A top student in AP Calculus BC and AP Computer Science A, she will study cybersecurity with industry mentors and plans to major in software engineering and cybersecurity to drive meaningful innovations.

Gabriella Watson – Sophomore, Blaine High School

Gabriella is a State Honorable Mention recipient. She has a passion for learning that spans various subjects and is exploring AP Computer Science A through self-guided learning. Gabriella is part of her school’s Engineering (PLTW) program. She is the business/media lead and a Java programmer on the 2181 Gears robotics team, where she contributes her skills in coding, creates media posts, and organizes community outreach events to captivate and encourage children with a passion for STEM.

Rising Star Honorees

Shawn Anto – Junior, Wayzata High School
Calin Baenen – Senior, Richfield High School
Sumeya Barre – Sophomore, Camden High School
Ameya Bhaskar – Junior, Maple Grove Senior High School
Alysia Brezai – Sophomore, Wayzata High School
Yao Buchl – Senior, Highland Park Senior High School
Amran Dahir – Senior, St. Louis Park High School
Snow Due – Sophomore, Austin High School
Hailey Fast – Junior, Redwood Valley High School
Anika Fokken – Junior, Highland Park Senior High School
Jasmine Freund – Junior, Central High School
Ananya Goli – Freshman, Eden Prairie High School
Madison Hinton – Senior, Home School
Gabriella Hudson – Senior, Minnetonka High School
Abigail Hudson – Senior, Minnetonka High School

Shanaya Jana – Junior, Edina High School
Delmariea Joseph – Senior, Tartan High School
Navika Kishore – Senior, Eastview High School
Samhita Krishnamurthy – Freshman, Minnetonka High School
Autumn Kron – Senior, Rocori High School
Alayna Kurland – Sophomore, Blaine High School
Claire Langworthy – Junior, Maple River High School
Vivi Lauer – Freshman, Mounds View High School
Yang Youa Lee – Senior, Hmong College Prep Academy
Melody Li – Senior, Eden Prairie High School
AnnaSophia Lor – Senior, Blaine High School
Addie Lovaas – Junior, Edina High School
Brenna Lundquist – Sophomore, Austin High School
Rayan Musse – Senior, Minnetonka High School
Abby Ochanda – Senior, Rosemount High School

Maya Page – Sophomore, Woodbury High School
Hailie Peterson – Junior, Austin High School
Krisha Pillai – Junior, The Blake School
Brindha Rajkumar – Junior, Wayzata High School
Eh Htee Sher – Junior, Hope Community Academy
Shreya Shobankumar – Sophomore, Rosemount High School
Sandara Sihavong – Junior, Blaine High School
Anushkaa Sinha – Sophomore, Blaine High School
Anisa Suber – Freshman, Thomas Edison High School
Anisha Surily – Junior, Eden Prairie High School
Jaeda Swanigan-Wright – Senior, Camden High School
Cyrena Vaught – Senior, Rosemount High School
Noelle Wanken – Junior, Rosemount High School
Sarah Yi – Senior, Edina High School

Educator Honorees

Jessica Brent, State Winner, Eden Prairie High School

Jessica teaches computer science at Eden Prairie High School and Eden Prairie Online. Before joining EP Schools, she taught English, English Language Learners, AVID, and Math in St. Anthony Village, MN, as well as in San Bernardino, Beaumont, and San Jose, California. She was among the first teachers in the country to launch AP Computer Science Principles, an experience that fueled her passion for the field. As the demand for computer science classes increased, so did her own learning. She earned a CS teaching certificate from the College of St. Scholastica, followed by two cybersecurity certificates from Google Coursera and ISC². Most recently, she joined a national cohort studying Quantum Computing at a conference for computer science educators. A lifelong learner, Jessica is always adapting to meet her students’ needs. She uses her philosophy degree daily—grappling with the epistemological implications of ChatGPT, the ethics of algorithms, and the social justice imperative of expanding access to computer science education for all students.

Joee Winter, State Honorable Mention, Austin Senior High School

Joee Winter is currently teaching computer science and math at Austin High School in Austin, MN. She started teaching computer science courses in 2020 and has been working to grow the computer science pathway at her school, including adding 4 new courses in 5 years. She is a leader for Austin High School’s implementation of MTSS, a Link Crew Coordinator and leads a Girls Who Code club at her school. She continues to work towards growing student access to computer science education at her school and in Minnesota. Previous awards include 2022 CSTA/Infosys Foundation USA CS Teaching Excellence Regional Award winner and STEM Forward Outstanding Educator Nominee 2024.  Her family includes her husband and two young daughters. In her free time, Joee enjoys spending time with her family and friends. knitting, reading and spending time outside, no matter the season.

Yakov Gradinar

Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer

Yakov Gradinar, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Protez Foundation, will share the transformative work of this Minnesota-based organization. Under Yakov’s leadership, the foundation is restoring function to the lives of Ukrainian children, civilians, and soldiers by providing them with state-of-the-art prosthetic limbs, enhanced with cutting-edge robotics and advanced technology. The innovative technology and compassionate services provided by Protez, coupled with the unwavering dedication of the soldiers, have empowered hundreds to return to the battlefield and reclaim their daily lives.

Willie Jett

Commissioner
Minnesota Department of Education

Willie Jett understands the challenges and strengths of all communities, and his career is characterized by a commitment to raising student achievement and closing opportunity gaps. He is committed to preparing our future citizens, growing Minnesota’s workforce and supporting professional educators.

Prior to his appointment as commissioner, Jett served as an instructor in the Education Administration Licensure program in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development at the University of Minnesota. He has also taught and led in urban, suburban and greater Minnesota School districts for more than three decades. He earned his master’s degree from the University of Pittsburg and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Beth Elliott

Owner | Research & Design
Ellberry Transformation Consultants

Beth has an engaging communication style and will challenge the audience to expand their approach to transformation, based on her expertise as a transformation leader with 20 years of experience putting humans at the center of change. She has led marketing and product development programs and led innovation capabilities for Pega and Ecolab. She is now the owner and principal consultant of Ellbery, serving clients by accelerating digital transformation through design thinking and organizational change management.

Dr. Sean Masterman, Ed.D

Faculty of Practice
Dept. of Computer and Information Science
Concordia University, St. Paul

Dr. Masterman’s background includes delivering technology solutions to Fortune 30, small-to-medium businesses, and start-up organizations for 25 years as well as 15 years of experience in academia, as a Faculty of Practice and course designer at Concordia University- Saint Paul in the Masters of Organizational Management and Masters of IT Management programs and at the University of Sioux Falls, Doctorate of Education Leadership program. In addition, he serves Osseo School District as the Vice Chair of the District Planning Advisory Council – helping lead the effort to advise on programs and services for students and families.

Joseph Block

Senior Engineer, Advanced Aviation
Aerospace & Advanced Transportation
Crown Consulting Inc.

Joseph Block has deep expertise in applying novel aviation technologies to real world transportation challenges – connecting stakeholders at the intersection of technology, policy, and economics. Mr. Block holds a Bachelors degree in Aerospace Engineering and is certified by the FAA as a UAS Remote Pilot and Private Pilot. Joseph is currently a Senior Engineer for Advanced Aviation technologies in Crown Consulting’s Aerospace & Advanced Transportation business unit. He is an expert in the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) industries with experience working with commercial, state government, and federal government clients.

Joseph’s clients have included large energy utilities, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), and North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and vertiport developers.

Notable projects include contributions to NASA’s High-Density Automated Vertiport Concept of Operations, ODOT’s Advanced Air Mobility Framework, NASA Small Business Innovation Research Vertiport Human Automation Teaming Toolbox prototype development, NASA Automated Air Cargo Market Study, and supporting NCDOT’s lead participation in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) BEYOND Program.

Dave Elliston

Lead Recruiter
SPS Commerce

Dave is a self-professed geek and enthusiastic fan of the technology ecosystem in the twin cities. With more than a decade of experience connecting tech professionals with rewarding career opportunities he has developed a deep understanding of the ever-changing employment landscape. He currently serves as a tech recruiter for SPS Commerce, a Minneapolis-based software company leading the way in retail EDI that takes great pride in delivering a challenging yet rewarding workplace where their employees feel inspired, motivated, and, most importantly, valued.

Ron Huesman

Senior Analyst | Institutional Analysis
University of Minnesota

Ronald Huesman, Ph.D., is a Senior Analyst with the Office of Institutional Analysis at the University of Minnesota. He has worked in higher education for 30+ years. In addition to his role at the U, Ron is a Principal Researcher with the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) Consortium, a partnership between the University of California, Berkeley Centers for the Studies of Higher Education, and the University of Minnesota. The SERU consortium is a collective of leading research universities in North America made up of researchers and scholars who collaborate to generate institutional, comparative, and longitudinal data on the student experience in the research university. Ron received his doctorate degree in educational measurement and statistics from the department of Quantitative Psychological Foundations at the University of Iowa. Ron has more than 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, chapters, and professional presentations over his career. His research interests in the past have primarily focused on 1) factors and policies related to student success (i.e., retention and graduation) in higher education; and 2) factors/experiences promoting sense of belonging and its relationship with the success of marginalized and underrepresented students. He currently leads a University of Minnesota System-wide effort responsible for collecting and analyzing data on alumni outcomes for compliance and internal reporting, institutional planning, and policy-relevant research to help inform senior-level decision makers.

Al Porter

Al Porter has been actively involved with fine art and commercial visual arts for more than four decades. Al began his career and worked for 15 years as a graphic designer and representative for a large high-quality commercial printer in San Francisco in the 80’s and 90’s. He then formed a print brokerage with a partner. Clients included Apple, Adobe, and many Bay Area top designers and agencies. Because of his comfort in the technical aspects of art and graphic design, his close relationship with Adobe, and his deep participation in the digital shift in the graphic arts industry, Al was keen to engage with emerging technologies and to discover for himself how they might aide in his creative process.

A full-time artist since 2000, Al has been a Minnesota resident since 2007 and has held studio space since 2016 in Northrup King Building in Northeast. Al received his bachelor’s degree in Graphic Communications (Design and Print) from Cal Poly in 1984. He also has a formal education in painting and drawing including attending Academy of Art College in San Francisco. He has shown his art in group and solo shows. His abstract painting media has historically been oil and acrylic, and more recently digital. In 2023, his digital painting called “Side View” was accepted in the MN State Fair fine arts exhibit and won the C. Crist Delmonico Memorial Award.

Karen Hildebrand

Technical Leader, Amazon Web Services

Dr. Karen Hildebrand is responsible for Partners at Amazon Web Services (AWS) within the Financial Services, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment, Games and Sports where she leads the development of novel solutions, algorithms and architectures including Gen-AI. In her global role, she focuses on finding technical novelty in natural language processing and computer vision and simple to use solutions for repeatable tasks. Prior to joining AWS, Dr. Hildebrand has worked across public and privately held companies from CancerCare Manitoba, Target to Digi-Key to Texas Instruments building Data Science teams and capabilities. She holds a Ph.D. in Information Systems specializing in Machine Learning from Dakota State University, where her thesis was on machine learning to predict career path outcomes for internal and external talent. Dr. Hildebrand has published over 20 peer-reviewed papers in top conferences and speaks regularly about how industries are applying Gen-AI, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence more broadly within their organizations (and at home). In addition to her commitment to AI, Dr. Hildebrand is passionate about legacy businesses and entrepreneurship. She is a 4th generation farmer, farming alongside her parents in Manitoba, Canada and proudly raising two teenage boys alongside her husband, who owns his own small business. When not at work, they are often found at a hockey rink, basketball court, rowing regatta or playing pickleball.

Rosie Nestingen

Rosie Nestingen is a Fargo, ND native and South Minneapolis resident. Her experience focuses on workforce and program transformation across technology, marketing, management consulting, nonprofit, and hospitality spaces. Rosie represented her home state of North Dakota at the Miss America Competition where she received the top score talent award. Her duties included delivering presentations and training on DEI which continues to fuel her passion to be an inclusive leader. Rosie has been highlighted in Fast Company, Twin Cities Business Magazine, Wall Street Journal, and Cosmopolitan, and has been a featured speaker for The Knot, and on the podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking. 

In 2016, Rosie debuted a new work musical as the composer-lyricist, co-creator, and co-producer of a show titled Right, Wrong or Bomb: A Dating Musical! and is always looking for her next creative project. In her spare time, Rosie volunteers for The Link, a nonprofit in North Minneapolis, and spends time around Lake Harriet with her husband Hans, their daughter, Raine Moses, and dog, Oakland. 

Garret Anderson

AI Practice Leader, Digineer

Garret Anderson, AI Practice Leader at Digineer, will show participants how to win and keep customers with machine learning, including a real-life example that is valuable, accessible, and grounded – free of jargon or complex math. Attendees can take the methods he shares and apply them to their own organizations in short order. Garret is an innovative leader with a proven track record of delivering consistent return on investment with Machine Learning and AI over the last 8 years. In his most recent role as the Director of Strategic Planning, he served as the Chief Business Product Owner of Machine Learning and won the 2023 Innovation of the Year Award for developing the most innovative and valuable machine learning solution across the Fortune 15 enterprise. His expertise was further solidified with his certification from MIT in No Code Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Garret is a Citizen Data Scientist and Inventor as a holder of multiple machine learning patents. With over 15 years of experience in strategic planning and leadership roles, Garret brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table.

Dave Neville

President, Co-Founder, Infinity Robotics

Dave Neville, President and Co-founder of Infinity Robotics, boasts a rich career shaping the trajectory of technology. He pioneered careers for mathematicians and engineers in prominent companies like General Dynamics, Lockheed, and BAE, contributing to projects such as the F-35, F-22, and the US Navy railgun. After spending years in logistics and sales from his tenure at Sears and Roebuck and UPS Air Cargo, Dave founded Coonan, Inc., manufacturing military firearms.

In 1985, he initiated one of the first US robotics clubs, marking the beginning of a lifelong passion. Dave founded Minnesota Innovates, a nonprofit fostering education and entrepreneurship, organizing events like the MN Entrepreneur Kickoff. In 2019, driven by his passion for AI and machine vision, he co-founded Infinity Robotics, aiming to revolutionize life on and off Earth. His expertise spans grid-level energy storage, material handling, and advanced assembly systems.

Dave’s vision extends beyond Earth, toward off-planet mining robots and processing facilities. His charismatic speaking style has inspired industry professionals and local youth alike. Currently, he leads Infinity Robotics, a testament to his ability to integrate existing and near-future technologies into cutting-edge systems. Dave’s next frontier involves building Space Ports and establishing a Native American Astronaut Training School through Minnesota Innovates. With a vast network of experts, he continues his mission: changing lives through automation, making an impact both on Earth and beyond.

Mike Ritzenthaler

Chief Financial Officer, Polar Semiconductor

Mike has been the CFO of Polar for approximately five months, where he has played a pivotal role in bringing the CHIPS project and its application to completion. Before joining Polar, Mike spent eight years at Ecolab, holding various finance roles. This followed six years in investment banking research and hedge fund investing. Prior to his finance career, Mike worked for a decade as a chemical engineer at Cargill, developing new technologies.

Adam Marrè

Chief Information Security Officer, Arctic Wolf Networks

Adam Marrè is the Chief Information Security Officer at Arctic Wolf. Prior to joining Arctic Wolf, Adam was the Global Head of Information Security Operations and Physical Security at Qualtrics. With deep roots in the cybersecurity space, Adam spent almost 12 years with the FBI, holding positions like SWAT Senior Team Leader and Special Agent.

Mark Murphy

Chief Information and Digital Officer, 3M

Mark Murphy is the Chief Information and Digital Officer for 3M, where he leads the company’s digital transformation efforts, including all aspects of information technology, enterprise cybersecurity, and digital initiatives encompassing data and AI. He has more than two decades of experience in developing, leading, and transforming global businesses and technology organizations across multiple industries, including industrials, consumer goods, life sciences, retail, and financial services.

Before joining 3M, he served as the Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Abbott Laboratories, where he had global responsibility for information technology, including cybersecurity, analytics, and digital initiatives. During his tenure at Abbott, Murphy served on the board of Abbott India Limited, a publicly listed company and a subsidiary of Abbott Laboratories.

Previously, Murphy held roles of increasing responsibility over 13 years at St. Jude Medical Inc. This culminated in his appointment as Chief Information Officer in 2013, where he led the company’s SAP transformation and worldwide information technology services.

Murphy is a champion of efforts around health and wellness and career success for underserved young adults through careers in the technology field. He currently serves on the board of MnTech and has formerly served on the board of the Fairview Hospital Foundation and as a Sponsor for the AHA Twin Cities Heartwalk. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University and an M.B.A. from Indiana University.

Dennis Zuzek

Chief Technology Officer, HealthPartners

Dennis Zuzek is an experienced software engineer and current Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at HealthPartners, a healthcare organization based in Minnesota. He has over 30 years of experience in the industry, having held leadership roles at UnitedHealth Group, Ingenix, and Allina Health Systems, among others. Dennis is dedicated to using technology to improve healthcare delivery and enhance the user experience for patients, members, and employees.

He holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies and Political Science from the University of Minnesota.

Rakhi Purohit

Vice President of Research Solutions, Thomson Reuters

Rakhi Purohit is the Vice President of Research Solutions at Thomson Reuters, where she spearheads a diverse and dynamic portfolio. She leads the engineering organization for TR’s flagship Westlaw product, driving advancements in Enterprise Search, TR’s Gen AI platform and rich Content Delivery to promote Gen-AI enablement across Legal Research, Tax, and Risk & Fraud products. Her leadership includes oversight of the GenAI platform teams, which play a crucial role in the development and enhancement of GenAI capabilities across all Thomson Reuters Research products.

She holds a master’s degree in computer engineering from Wayne State University. Before joining Thomson Reuters, she gained valuable experience working in the automotive and financial industries.

Rakhi is deeply passionate about fostering an inclusive work culture and ensuring that the workplace reflects the values of equity and respect for all.

Srini Somayajula

VP, Global Technology Partnerships & Development
Ecolab

A chemical engineer by training, Srini Somayajula started his career with Ecolab in 2001 as a researcher in Institutional new business opportunities, working on water purification and air filtration using polymeric sequestration of volatiles.

During his tenure in research, he played a leadership role in establishing Ecolab’s Corporate Licensing Program and rose to his current job as Vice President, Global Technology Partnerships. Over the years, Srini has structured and successfully negotiated collaborations with Fortune 500 companies, startups and Venture Capital groups.

As the lead technology-centric deal negotiator for Ecolab, he has in the past and is currently working on a broad range of opportunities spanning oil & gas, industrial water treatment, IoT/automation, sensing & detection, infection prevention and advanced materials technologies.

Martha Cotton
Managing Director and Global co-Lead

Fjord Trends is Accenture Song’s annual report that looks at human and consumer behavior changes over the past year, and maps the trends we believe will impact business, design and tech in the next 12 months and beyond. An exploration of opportunities, we examine the changes thrust upon us, the innovations we’ve seen emerge, and set out how we move forward from here.
Fjord Trends 2022 collectively tell a story of people and their relationships with the planet, technology, brands, and each other. A unique set of challenges and opportunities arose for businesses in 2021, including supply chain issues, explosive new technologies, dramatic evolutions in people’s view of themselves and their priorities, and the realization that we can no longer behave as though people were separate from nature.
What matters now is how organizations respond to the evidence-based observations we’ve crowdsourced from more than 2,000 designers and innovators in Fjord studios around the world.

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.

Matt Versaggi

fmr Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Technology + Distinguished Engineer – Optum Technology

Matt Versaggi is a senior leader in the AI Space with Fortune-5 healthcare experience who possesses a unique blend of business, technology, entrepreneurial, and academic backgrounds. Matt is an experienced public speaker, strategist, and mentor; holds multiple patents; is a distinguished engineer and has international business experience. He built the organization’s “College of Artificial Intelligence”, introduced, and matured both Cognitive Technology and Quantum Computing, and has chaired multiple Patent Review Boards. Matt is a seasoned pole vault coach of 15+ years, on 2 continents, 3 states, 4 clubs, and 1 high school, who has produced national, state, regional, and local champions. He is a former D3 NCAA decathlete, and current USATF master’s Athlete.

Maria Vittone

Career Advisor & Director of Nontraditional Programming – North Hennepin Community College and Hennepin Technical College

Though Career Advisor & Director of Nontraditional Programming is Maria’s official title, she wouldn’t feel complete without adding a few more descriptors: Student Retention Champion, Workforce Connector, Mentorship Matters Spokesperson, and ‘Bloom Where You are Planted’ Coach. Maria finds her passion in places where change and reinvention are happening. She currently holds that space for her students, where she supports those who find themselves as ‘one of few’ in their newly chosen careers.

Maria’s gender equity program, Be Bold- Break the Mold: Women Succeed in Nontraditional Careers, was a notable program singled out at North Hennepin Community College for the National HEED Award in 2021 (Higher Education Excellence in Diversity). As a contractor with Hennepin Technical College & North Hennepin Community College, Maria recently received a MnACTE (MN Association for Career and Technical Education) Partnership Award for her mentoring and empowerment initiatives. In conjunction with Women’s History Month, she was co-awarded Campus Program of the Year. She was also the recipient of the National Academic Association for Academic Advising for an adult-learner orientation program.

Chakra Sankaraiah

Sr. Director of Technology
Land O’Lakes

Chakra is a visionary Technology leader with a proven track record in driving strategic business growth. As the Sr. Director of Technology at Land O’ Lakes for the past 7 years, he has successfully built and implemented ROI-driven data science solutions, including propensity modeling, churn analysis, quality prediction, pricing strategies, and cross-selling opportunities.

In his current role within the office of CTO/CIO, Chakra focuses on three key areas: leading the digital transformation of the Digital Ag Products family, establishing a strategic partnership with Microsoft to drive water and soil stewardship, food supply security, and vibrant communities, and driving digital innovation through emerging technologies such as AI, AR/VR, IoT, Blockchain, and Generative AI.

With prior experience at notable organizations, including Cloudera, Target, IBM, and Capgemini, Chakra brings a wealth of expertise in building data and digital products.

Chakra holds an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, an MBA from the University of Minnesota, and has completed an executive CTO program at the University of California, Berkeley. Based in south Minneapolis, MN, he enjoys boating, fishing, and golfing in his leisure time.

Marcus Johansson

Director of Advanced Metering Infrastructure Delivery Program
Xcel Energy

Marcus Johansson is director of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Delivery Program within Xcel Energy’s Advanced Grid Intelligence and Security (AGIS) initiative. AGIS is a multi-year initiative that impacts all of Xcel Energy’s customers. Marcus works with his team and enterprise partners to enable the technology to implement Xcel Energy’s grid modernization strategy, and focuses on modeling what builds a highly motivated, effective, and successful team: collaboration and forward-looking leadership.

Marcus’ most recent focus has been to transform the Operating Model within the Customer Portfolio – Meter Data Insights group with a keen focus on Innovation and Sustainability.

Marcus has led digital strategy transformation in hospitality, earned leadership awards in the medical device and health insurance industry, and Chairman Awards in the financial services industry.  Career highlights include divestiture initiatives at Ameriprise Financial, Pricing strategy play at Best Buy, digital transformation at Marriott and Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. At Xcel Energy, prior to his work on the AGIS initiative, Marcus has led Cyber Security initiatives and Data and Analytics projects.

Marcus holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and executive education on Digital Strategy and Innovation in Medical Devices from University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management.

Dave Rummler

Vice President of Sales
EOS IT

Dave Rummler is a 25-year veteran in collaboration and video deployments. David is currently acting as Vice President of Sales for EOS IT Solutions.​ EOS is a global systems integrator operating in 195 countries who has a specialty practice around smart and sustainable workspaces.​ Prior to EOS, David ran Cisco’s Enterprise Video business in North America and has held leadership positions at Tandberg, Acano and Pexip; bringing collaborative solutions to large enterprise customers in North America. ​