Women in Technology speaker lineup includes head of tech at Bank of America

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 525 views 

Tracy Kerrins, global head of credit and banking technology at Bank of America, will be a keynote speaker at the Women in Technology Conference on Oct. 16 at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center in Rogers, according to the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce. It’s scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Telle Whitney, president and CEO of the Anita Borg Institute, will also serve as keynote speaker.

Other planned speakers include Rita Carney, retired vice president of technology and modernization at Wal-Mart Stores; Sharmelee Bala, senior of supply chain – global transportation systems at Wal-Mart; Faye Olson, vice president of global business services at Wal-Mart; Lisa Deluca, Watson Distinguished Engineer at IBM; Ellen Dowd, senior vice president of solutions and innovation at Hitachi Consulting; Paige Francis, associate chief information officer at the University of Arkansas; Tabitha McFadden, director of talent development at RevUnit; Pia Moore, regional sales director at MapR Technologies; and Karen Thomas, executive vice president of American sales at Teradata.

Topics will include thought leadership and innovation, in addition to opportunities and challenges surrounding women in today’s technology workforce, according to the chamber.

This conference is held in conjunction with the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit on Oct. 17 at the John Q. Hammons Center. Bundle tickets are available.

The summit is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will focus on “the intersection of business and technology,” according to the website.

The events are hosted by the NWA Tech Council, a program from the chamber.

Other related events include the Social Coding Event, set for Oct. 15, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the University of Arkansas Global Campus in Rogers. The event page calls for individuals to “bring your own computer equipment, and be ready to build.”

Business Breakthrough U is set for 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., also Oct. 16 at the John Q. Hammons Center. Training sessions focus on professional development, how to improve your business and basic training in human resources, marketing and accounting. Three learning tracks and 12 sessions will be available, and individuals can earn certificates of completion and continuing education credits from the University of Arkansas Global Campus, according to the webpage.

The Scott Family Amazeum is hosting the second Arkansas Maker Summit, also Oct. 16 at John Q. Hammons Center. The event will look “at making and tinkering through the lens of schools, libraries, businesses, industry, government and startup incubators,” according to the Amazeum website.