Leading Women of STEM: Challenges and Opportunities for Women in Tech

Speakers

Sam King
Chief Executive Officer, Veracode

Sam King is the Chief Executive Officer of Veracode and a recognized expert in business management and cybersecurity. A founding member of Veracode, Sam has played a significant role in the company’s growth trajectory over the past 16 years, helping to mature it from a small startup to a company with a $2.5 billion plus valuation. Under her leadership, Veracode has been recognized with several industry distinctions, including a nine-time consecutive leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, leader in the Forrester SAST Wave, and a Gartner Peer Insights Customer Choice for Application Security. In 2021, Sam was named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year® New England winner, and her leadership style has been recognized by The Commonwealth Institute and The Boston Globe, which cited Veracode as one of the Top 100 Women-led Businesses in Massachusetts – ranking first among all software companies. Sam has been a keynote speaker at events such as Gartner Security Summit, RSA, Aspen Cyber Summit, Executive Women’s Forum, and the Boston Globe Summit on topics ranging from cybersecurity to empowering women and creating diverse and resilient corporate cultures. She has been profiled in business publications such as the Huffington Post, CNNMoney, Financial Times, InfoSecurity Magazine and The Boston Globe.

Prior to Veracode, Sam held leadership positions in cybersecurity and technology companies including Verisign and Razorfish. Sam received her Masters of Science and Engineering in Computer and Information Science from University of Pennsylvania. She earned her BS in Computer Science from University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, where she earned the prestigious Charles Babbage Award, presented to the student with the highest academic achievement in the graduating class. She currently sits on the board of Progress Software and ZeroFox. Sam is also a member of Board of Trustees for the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, where she was a charter member of the 2030 Challenge; a Tech Compact for Social Justice in efforts to bring more diversity to the local workforce.

Angela C. Williams
SVP, Chief Information Security Officer with UL Solutions

Angela Williams has built a reputation as an Information Technology and Cybersecurity change agent, innovative thought leader, and business and digital enabler. She is an accomplished, well-respected, and collaborative technology executive with extensive IT and cybersecurity experience. Angela currently serves as SVP, Chief Information Security Officer with UL Solutions - a global independent safety science and certification company.  She leads the efforts to reduce UL’s enterprise risk by establishing and maintaining the information security program to ensure that information assets and associated technology, applications, systems, infrastructure and processes are adequately protected. Angela is responsible for identifying, evaluating and reporting on information security controls to ensure they meet compliance and regulatory requirements. Prior to UL Solutions, Angela served as the Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer for Hillrom, a publicly traded global leader in medical technologies and products. She held global responsibility for information security strategy and operations.

During her tenure, Ms. Williams established a transformational cybersecurity strategy and framework with a focus on enabling Hillroms’ strategic objective of advancing connected care. Previously, Angela served as Deputy CISO for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM), the largest health insurer in Michigan serving constituents within and outside the state. While there, she spearheaded the build of a leading class information security capability, secured strategic partnerships to accelerate BCBSM’s desired objectives, managed an annual budget of over $18M, and was the go-to leader for all things related to cybersecurity by her business partners. Angela serves on the Board of Directors for Girls Scouts of Southeast Michigan, serves on the customer advisory board for eSentire, and sits on the Cybersecurity Client Advisory Council for EY.  She also is a Global CISO Governing Body Member for Evanta.  As a visible advocate, Angela prioritizes supporting the next generation of women pursuing careers in the cybersecurity field. She received the Executive Women’s Forum’s 2020 Women of Influence Award and has been previously recognized in leading publications such as CSO Magazine and Diversity MBA. Angela holds a Bachelor of Science and Master’s degree in Computer Information Systems from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Jane Harper
Associate Vice President Info Security, Risk Management & Business Engagement, Eli Lilly and Company

Jane Harper, is a security and risk executive leader at Eli Lilly and Company. She leads a complex and sophisticated organization with a large scope that includes mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, third party risk, data protection and controls, higher risk geographies, supply chain risk, red teaming, security education, governance risk and compliance. She has more than 18 years of experience in risk, tech and security in highly regulated industries such as insurance, healthcare and financial services internationally and domestically. Prior to innovating with Lilly, she was accountable for the delivery and leadership of technical and administrative security, risk and compliance programs for other fortune 200 companies in financial and insurance services.

    Industry recognitions and awards, including Crain’s Detroit’s 40 under 40, Crain’s Detroit Notable, Woman in Tech, Oakland County, Elite 40 Under 40, and Michigan, Chronicle’s Woman of Excellence.    Undergraduate and graduate degrees from Oakland University and Walsh College respectively and leadership certifications from Harvard and the University of  Southern Florida and Carnegie Mellon.    proudly serves on the board the boards of  Easterseals Crossroads and supports the strategy subcommittee,  the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Executive Women's Forum.    Published author of  multiple books and most recently Risk Management 101.  Jane also  enjoys choreographed dance, golf, and kickboxing. She also enjoys mentoring, and spending time with loved ones.