Chicago Women in Tech Conference

Thru Shivakumar, a visionary tech leader in the real estate and data technology sectors, is the CEO of Cohesion. With over 20 years of experience in real estate, finance, strategy, and operations, she’s pioneered the transformation of buildings and the built environment into intelligent, connected spaces through Cohesion’s innovative software platform. Her leadership focuses on strategic vision alignment, operational execution, and delivering shareholder value, steering the company toward redefining human experiences in built spaces. Thru’s commitment to innovation is also evident in her role as a founding board member of Current, a water technology accelerator, and a position on the technology advisory board of the Green Buildings Initiative. A proud alumna of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Thru earned her M.B.A. focusing on real estate, innovation, and finance. Her contributions to technology, business, and community service have earned her widespread recognition, including Crain’s Chicago Business 40 under 40 List 2021, Crain’s Notable Women in Stem 2023, and Crain’s 2024 Notable Sustainability Leaders 2024.

Julie Bernard is a trailblazer in Financial Services Information Technology, known for her strategic vision, empathetic and innovative approach to digital transformation. With over three decades of experience, two of them in cyber, Julie has been instrumental in leading organizational change and fostering a culture of innovation. Her commitment to advancing women in technology is evident through her active involvement in mentorship and advocacy for diversity and inclusion

Pamela Coley, CHRP, CIR, is an accomplished Talent and Recruiting Executive who serves as the CEO and Founder of Geekfinders. With over 15 years of experience in consulting and IT staffing, Pamela has significantly impacted both start-ups and Fortune 1000 companies, facilitating their successful digital transformations. Her expertise has been vital in helping start-ups scale by creating effective talent frameworks and optimizing operations. With an in-depth understanding of technology and a strong commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, she has been instrumental in staffing some of the largest global organizations.

Anita Malcolm is a seasoned software developer and technology leader with over two decades of experience architecting enterprise solutions that power transportation systems across the United States. Currently a Principal Software Developer at Parsons, Anita has led the design and development of cutting-edge systems, including iNET® Sidekick — an AI-powered virtual traffic operator that leverages Azure OpenAI to revolutionize traffic management and Asset Guardian – AI driven road maintenance system.

Throughout her career, Anita has delivered impactful solutions across diverse industries, from optimizing logistics operations to modernizing large-scale enterprise systems. Her expertise spans Java, Spring Boot, cloud architecture, and AI technologies, and she is deeply committed to mentoring teams and fostering innovation in complex, high-stakes environments.

A passionate advocate for continuous learning and community building, Anita founded and leads Thursday Tech Talk — a monthly lunch-and-learn series at Parsons that brings together developers to explore both software and traffic industry topics. The series features speakers from within and outside the team, creating a vibrant space for knowledge sharing and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Anita is also deeply curious about the intersection of generative AI and real-world applications — a passion she nurtures through self-guided learning and hands-on experimentation. When she’s not coding or mentoring, she finds joy in gardening and spending evenings with her family playing board games. Known for taking her time to make the perfect move, she’s earned a reputation as the most deliberate player at the table — especially when playing her favorite game, Ticket to Ride.

Zimri is passionate about leveraging technology and innovation to advance equity within communities. With a strong belief in the power of diverse perspectives to fuel innovation, she actively fosters inclusive environments in the communities she engages with. Her focus is on improving engagement strategies and addressing the needs of both community members and startup founders. She thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys collaborating with rapidly growing startups or teams. Her enthusiasm lies in discovering data-driven solutions to effectively launch community initiatives and solutions. Despite being a Community Engagement Manager, she shares commonalities with the startup and VC ecosystem, including meticulous attention to detail, adaptability, and a dedication to diversity and exceptional customer experience. She is eager to apply these skills to drive impactful, data-driven solutions within the VC and startup industry

Colleen D. Egan currently serves as President Emeritus of the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition, after four years of leading the organization as its President and CEO. Colleen was the first woman and first LGBTQ person to lead the organization. A former Registered Nurse, turned serial entrepreneur, she has been a founder, co-founder and C-Level executive leading six companies across multiple sectors; three being aquired. 

She’s a founding member of The Women In Entrepreneurship Institute at DePaul University (WEI) and is an angel investor in women led startups. She serves on multiple boards, councils, committees, and mentoring organizations including Chicago Tech Academy, Chicago Innovation, Chicago:Blend, gener8tor, Current Blue Economy Advisory Council, and U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly’s (IL-02) LGBTQ task force. 

She speaks regularly on economic development, entrepreneurship, DEIA, women’s economic empowerment, STEM education, and LGBTQIA issues and has been recognized for her work receiving the 2018 Illinois Technology Association Prominent Woman in Tech award, 2018 Connected World Woman of IoT award, Crain’s Chicago Business Notable LGBTQ Executive in 2018, 2019, and 2021 and the Irish Echo Community Champion award in 2022.

Saira Harcus is a seasoned cybersecurity executive with over 20 years of industry experience, specializing in Cybersecurity Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC). She holds a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a master’s degree from DePaul University. Currently, Saira leads the global Cybersecurity GRC Compliance function at Amgen, where she drives critical initiatives including AI Governance, Digital Regulatory Compliance, and SOX technology functions. 

Her career includes pivotal roles where she significantly advanced cybersecurity capabilities. Previously, Saira successfully led a global Identity and Access Management team, overseeing the implementation of global role-based access control and self-service systems. These innovations notably reduced incorrect access and significantly mitigated identity-related risks globally.

This success propelled her into the role of Business Information Security Officer, where she effectively managed operational functions, embedding robust cybersecurity practices across a diverse suite of technologies and services. Her dedication and proven track record subsequently led her to Horizon Therapeutics, where she strategically developed and managed the global cybersecurity program, ensuring comprehensive protection of the organization’s brand and patient services.

Following Horizon Therapeutics’ integration into Amgen, Saira spearheaded the seamless integration of cybersecurity frameworks and services. Currently, her strategic leadership in AI Governance is instrumental in ensuring comprehensive digital regulatory compliance and leveraging innovative AI technologies to meet and exceed business objectives.

Saira resides in Illinois with her husband, two daughters—one attending college and the other a high school senior—and their two beloved dogs.

Yemi Akisanya is a purpose-driven executive and nationally recognized leader in Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI), with a bold vision for creating workplace cultures where everyone thrives. As Vice President of JEDI and People Experience at Axon, Yemi leads the global strategy to embed high performance and belonging into the fabric of the company, across people, practices, and products. His work ensures Axon remains at the forefront of innovation, not just in technology, but in culture. 

Prior to Axon, Yemi served as Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Groupon, where he architected and executed a company-wide global DEI transformation. Before that, he launched and led the inaugural Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), driving measurable impact across the financial services industry. 

Yemi brings both heart and strategy to every table he joins. He serves on the Boards of i.c.stars, digitalundivided, and the Chicago State University Foundation, championing economic empowerment, workforce development, and access to sustainable opportunities. 

A sought-after speaker, advisor, and advocate, Yemi’s influence spans boardrooms,  classrooms, and global stages—including Kellog School of Management, Northwestern University, Grace Hopper Celebration, AfroTech and beyond. He holds an MBA and a Master of Science in Communication from Northwestern University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from Southern Illinois University

Tope Sadiku is a global leader and behavioral strategist who designs the future of work with intention and humanity. As Global Director of Organization Effectiveness Design at McDonald’s, she helps teams thrive across continents and complexity.

Sandee is passionate about Equity in Education and has developed curriculum, programs, and organizations to address the inequality. Sandee is the co-founder i.c.stars, an innovative workforce and leadership development organization and a social enterprise.  As a former math and science teacher and an arts educator, Sandee sees the connections between arts and sciences, people and communities, ideas and action, and change and equity.

She is a proud board member of Chicago Innovation, i.c.stars and the Axelson Center.  Sandee is a sought-after speaker and presenter around issues of diversity and inclusion, technology, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

Gina Barge is a Partner at True Search, where she helps high-growth and enterprise technology companies recruit transformational go-to-market and C-suite leaders. With over 15 years of experience and a background in journalism, Gina brings sharp insight, clear communication, and trusted advisory to every search. She works closely with founders, CEOs, and investors to align leadership strategy with business goals—and speaks on navigating uncertainty and decision-making in moments of rapid change.

Carly Tindall-Biggins is a licensed psychologist, researcher, and educator with a commitment to advancing emotional resilience and mental wellness. As a co-founder of Happier Humans, she develops evidence-based resources and programming that support individuals in navigating stress, burnout, and the demands of modern life. Drawing on her expertise in clinical psychology, school psychology, research, and higher education, Carly translates psychological science into accessible tools for real-world application. Her work is grounded in a deep belief that small, intentional changes can foster lasting well-being.

Natalie LaDuke is a licensed psychologist, researcher, and educator with a commitment to advancing emotional resilience and mental wellness. As a co-founder of Happier Humans, she develops evidence-based resources and programming that support individuals in navigating stress, burnout, and the demands of modern life. Drawing on her expertise in clinical psychology, school psychology, research, and higher education, Natalie translates psychological science into accessible tools for real-world application. Her work is grounded in a deep belief that small, intentional changes can foster lasting well-being.