WiTECH Summit Launches with Impact:

Tech Powered. Women Led.

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WiTECH Summit Launches with Impact: Tech Powered. Women Led.


Boise, Idaho  — Over two days of programming, more than 200 leaders, technologists, educators, and community partners gathered at JUMP Boise for the inaugural WiTECH Summit and its pre-summit VIP Fireside Chat, creating a powerful moment for women in technology across Idaho.


VIP Fireside Chat Sets the Stage

The summit experience began December 9th with an intimate, invitation-only VIP Fireside Chat that brought together the Idaho Technology Council Board of Trustees, summit speakers and panelists, sponsors, and special guests for an evening of meaningful connection ahead of the main event.

Hosted by Amy Gile, Founder and CEO of Silverdraft Computing, the fireside conversation featured candid dialogue about the opportunities and challenges facing women in technology. Gile, whose company provides high-performance computing solutions to the entertainment and engineering industries, guided the evening with warmth and insight, interviewing a notable technology leader whose insights on navigating high-stakes environments, breaking barriers in male-dominated industries, and building influential careers resonated deeply with attendees.

The intimate, off-the-record format created space for honest conversation about leadership, mentorship, and building sustainable careers in tech—the kind of vulnerability and wisdom that's only possible when the spotlight is dimmed and the cameras are off.

The VIP event offered attendees a chance to connect personally with the next day's speakers, build relationships with fellow leaders, and set intentions for the summit ahead. The intimate setting fostered the kind of authentic conversation that would carry through to the main event—creating community, not just content.


A Full Day of Leadership, Innovation, and Connection

On December 10th, the summit opened its doors to over 200 attendees for a full day of programming under the theme "Tech Powered. Women Led." Co-emceed by Diane Temple, President and CEO of the Idaho Technology Council, and Sheli Gartman, Founder of Whole Human Consulting, the event balanced inspiration with action, delivering practical insights alongside powerful storytelling.

"This summit was about more than technology," said Temple. "It was about visibility, confidence, and equipping women at every stage of their career to lead with clarity and courage in a rapidly changing world."


Leading Through Change: Navigating Transformation with Courage

The summit opened with Leading Through Change: Women Shaping the Future of Work, moderated by ITC Board Vice Chair Jessica Cafferty of RNG Group. The panel tackled the unprecedented pace of technological and organizational change reshaping leadership today.

Panelists included:

Brenda Jaimes, Senior Vice President and Head of Value Management Office at TechCU, who shared insights on guiding leadership teams through competing priorities in high-stakes environments

Cindy Blendu, Chief Transformation Officer at Clearwater Analytics, who has led transformational change across Deloitte, BCG, and major M&A integrations, offering a masterclass in driving meaningful change while maintaining stability

Ridhi Tatineni,  CEO of Chelo Software Lab, a women-led consultancy, who spoke about the unique challenges and freedoms of founder-led leadership and helping teams adapt quickly while staying aligned with long-term vision

Matisse Weigel,  ERP Applications Senior Manager at Idaho Power, who brought perspective from mission-critical infrastructure, discussing how to implement digital transformation where stability, safety, and continuity matter every single day.


Featured Voices: Stories of Courage and Reinvention

Throughout the day, three featured speakers shared deeply personal and actionable insights:

Nikita Rubocki, who described herself as an "unintentional technologist," shared her winding journey into technology leadership. Her story resonated with attendees who may not have followed traditional tech pathways, proving that diverse backgrounds and unexpected pivots can lead to profound impact.

Elizabeth Hopkins, President of Sapidyne Instruments, delivered a powerful keynote titled "From Small Town to CEO: The Power of Trying What Scares You." Hopkins's story of building a scientific instruments company from rural Idaho demonstrated that geography is not destiny—and that courage, not pedigree, often determines success.

Debbie Trujillo, retired Corporate Responsibility Officer and philanthropist, brought decades of leadership wisdom to her talk on managing mental load in high-performance environments. Her practical frameworks for protecting energy and well-being resonated deeply with women navigating the invisible labor of leadership. An emotional and powerful moment as shared the power to "pause".


It's Never Too Late: Embracing Digital Fluency at Any Stage

One of the day's most inspiring panels, It's Never Too Late to Learn: Women Who Have Embraced the Digital Shift, shattered the limiting belief that there's an age limit for entering or advancing in tech careers.

Moderated by Brittany Giudici, Director of Communications at Microsoft and founder of Treasure Valley Women in Tech, the panel featured four women whose career journeys proved that continuous learning and bold reinvention are possible at any stage:

Lisa Guess,  Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Ericsson, who holds both an MBA and a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering and has spent 30+ years navigating technology evolution from mainframes to 5G and AI—a living example of the power of continuous learning across decades

Amy Brumfield, Executive Director of Institutional Research and Government Affairs at College of Eastern Idaho, who bridges data, research, and policy in higher education

Betsy Davies, Vice President of Operations at Idaho Technology Council, who has supported Idaho's entire tech ecosystem and embraced digital tools to scale impact

Lori Meyer,  Linux Engineer at apiphani, whose story of pivoting from Intel engineering to full-time motherhood and back to technology as a Linux engineer embodied the panel's message that it's never too late to return, reinvent, or restart


AI 2.0: Cutting Through the Hype

The afternoon session AI 2.0: 10X Your Tech and Business with Smart Tools moved beyond AI hype to practical, real-world application. Moderated by Marlene Myers, Senior Vice President at U.S. Bank and Co-Founder of ConnectHER Idaho, the discussion focused on how women across technical and non-technical roles can position themselves to lead in the AI era.

Panelists included:

Darrel Cherry, Distinguished Engineer at Clearwater Analytics, who shared insights on integrating AI across investment management platforms at enterprise scale

Paige Giese, Data Strategist at buildAIdaho, who emphasized that AI is only as good as the data strategy behind it and warned against common mistakes businesses make rushing into AI adoption

Erin-Todd Hansen, Principal Solution Architect at Intuit, who discussed AI-powered financial solutions and the architectural practices that enable AI at scale

 Director of Solutions Engineering at HP and Co-Founder of Women Innovators (W.IN), who championed diversity in AI leadership and discussed what "AI fluency" really means for women leaders


Backcountry to the Boardroom: Uniquely Idaho Leadership

A standout lunchtime panel, Backcountry to the Boardroom: Leadership Lessons from Idaho's Outdoors, offered a distinctly Idaho perspective on leadership, resilience, and renewal.

Moderated by Jennifer Dempsey  of Dempsey Foster PLLC, the conversation explored how lessons from navigating Idaho's rugged wilderness—assessing risk, building resilience, leading authentically under pressure—translate directly to boardroom leadership.

Panelists included:

Jeanne McFall, PE, MS, President of RIVHAB Engineering & Earthworks, a Professional Engineer whose work on complex environmental and engineering projects requires precision and calculated risk assessment both in the field and in business

Shannon Madsen, District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration's Boise Office, who guides small businesses through uncertain economic landscapes and shared parallels between navigating backcountry terrain and business challenges

The panel resonated deeply with Idaho's culture and identity, grounding leadership lessons in the landscapes that define the state.


Redefining Balance: Sustainable Careers in High-Pressure Environments

The day's final panel, Redefining Balance: Building Sustainable Tech Careers, tackled one of the most critical challenges facing women in technology: how to build careers that sustain over decades, not just peak and burn out.

Moderated by Paula Kluksdal, Partner at Hawley Troxell, the panel addressed burnout, boundaries, energy management, and the particular challenges women face balancing caregiving responsibilities with demanding careers.

Panelists included:

Sarah Marshall from Microsoft, who shared strategies for maintaining sustainability in one of the world's most demanding tech environments

Amy Johnson, Director of Government Affairs, Sales and Marketing at Syringa Networks, who discussed balancing wide-ranging responsibilities across multiple domains

Jinju Beineke, Senior Director of Engineering Technology at Photronics, who spoke about building psychological safety in high-precision, high-performance engineering teams

Eren Barker,  Program Manager of Employee Well-Being at St. Luke's Health System, who brought professional expertise on burnout prevention and workplace wellness directly to the conversation

The panel offered both personal vulnerability and practical frameworks, giving attendees permission to prioritize their well-being alongside their ambition.


The Female Stack: A New Framework for the Machine Economy

The summit concluded with a powerful closing session from co-emcee Sheli Gartman,  Founder of Whole Human Consulting. Gartman introduced attendees to The Female Stack—a framework for understanding and leveraging women's unique wiring, strengths, and tools as an advantage in the machine economy.

Rather than asking women to adapt to systems built for different brains and bodies, Gartman challenged the audience to recognize their inherent strengths—relational intelligence, systems thinking, adaptive capacity—as exactly what's needed to lead in an AI-powered world. The closing left attendees energized, equipped, and ready to lead from their authentic strengths.


Community Support and Partnership

WiTECH Summit 2025 was made possible through the generous support of sponsors and ecosystem partners whose investment in women, innovation, and Idaho's technology workforce was evident throughout the event.

Sponsors included: Regence BlueShield of Idaho, ICCU, Perkins Coie, Technology Credit Union, Hawley Troxell, Western Governors University, Meta, Microsoft, and St. Luke's Health System.

Their support enabled inclusive access, student and educator participation, and a summit experience that reflected the depth and diversity of Idaho's tech community.

Additionally, ITC partnered with fellow nonprofits focused on women and girls in tech: Treasure Valley Women in Tech, ConnectHER Idaho, Women Innovators (W.IN), and Health Tech Idaho—many of whom participated on panels and brought their communities to the summit.


Large events take time, resources, and people. We offer a sincere thank you to our ITC Ambassadors -  Nate Hebbert, Selfware Consulting, Jeremy Calvin, Experis, Oliver MacDonald,  QTexAI, and Kurt Temple, Technologent.



Looking Ahead: WiTECH is Here to Stay

The success of the inaugural WiTECH Summit signals a strong appetite for programming that centers women, technology, and leadership in meaningful and actionable ways. The Idaho Technology Council plans to build on this momentum with year-round engagement through the WiTECH Community, which will launch soon with in-person and virtual "Coffee Chats" to sustain connection, mentorship, and professional growth.


Photo credit: Our amazing volunteer, Eric Larson.


About the Idaho Technology Council
The Idaho Technology Council (ITC) is a member-based organization that champions innovation and collaboration to grow Idaho’s economy through technology. Representing a dynamic and growing community of entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and policymakers, ITC connects vision with action to position Idaho as a hub for innovation and opportunity. Learn more at www.idahotechcouncil.org.

HP Boise’s incredible impact: How HP helped start the technology industry here in Idaho

by Rich Raimondi • 23 April 2026
HP Boise’s incredible impact: How HP helped start the technology industry here in Idaho Boise, Idaho : While the company’s departure marks the end of an incredible era, the real credit and gratitude for HP’s success and lasting impact goes to its employees, writes - Rich Raimondi. Idaho Technology Council Founding Board Chair, 2024 ITC Hall of Fame Inductee Upon hearing of HP’s impending departure from Boise after 53 years, I, along with thousands of other former HP employees, were very saddened. We feel for the 1,100 current employees, their families and our community at large. We wish them all the best in determining what is next in their lives now that HP is closing down the site in 2027. But rather than dwell on feeling sad or angry, I would like to speak to and celebrate the incredible impact HP has had on Boise, the Treasure Valley and the state of Idaho over the past 53 years. In so many ways, we have been incredibly fortunate and blessed that HP chose to come to Boise in 1973. In reflecting on this and talking with former HP colleagues, I would cite five areas of impact HP had in its five decade history here in Boise. First, HP started the technology industry in Boise and Idaho. Without HP and Micron, which was founded four years later, there might not be a tech sector in Idaho. In addition to HP’s contributions, there is an Idaho tech ecosystem graphic that shows numerous companies that were founded by former HP employees, many of which grew to employ hundreds and helped shape entire industries. Companies like Extended Systems, Cradlepoint, ProClarity, White Cloud Analytics, Alturas and many others. Also, partly because of HP Boise’s success and the talent in the Boise area, other tech companies from throughout the west chose to move to Idaho. Finally, the impact over those five decades on the state GDP, employment and revenue base has been very significant. The second impact was the fact that HP brought thousands of talented people to Boise from across the country and the world. World-class business leaders, engineers, scientists and professionals in manufacturing, supply chain, marketing, finance and HR came to work for HP Boise. In particular, executives like Ray Smelek, Dick Hackborn, Don Curtis, Doug Carnahan, Rick Belluzzo, George Mulhern, Nor Rae Spohn, Cathy Lyons, Neil Martini, Carolyn Ticknor and Von Hansen all moved here to work for HP and made a significant impact by growing HP businesses and technologies — and employment — in Boise. They and hundreds of employees also made a difference in their communities by getting involved in nonprofits, universities and other businesses. They served on boards, on governmental task forces, as adjunct professors, as volunteers, and gave generously of their time, talent and treasure to numerous nonprofits. And, after they retired or left the company, most HP employees chose to remain living in Boise because they loved this community and the state of Idaho. My wife, Georgiann, and I were one of those who came in 1979 thinking we would be here for two to three years and then move back to Northern California where we were raised, our families lived and HP had large operations. But 47 years later, 30 of those with HP, we are still here. We, like so many others, found fulfilling careers, a wonderful community and chose to raise our family here. The third impact HP had was to provide thousands of jobs for Idahoans. People found fulfilling lifelong careers in a company that valued them and their contributions. Plus, Idaho university grads could stay at home and find challenging jobs and careers at a world-class company like HP. At its peak during the 1980s and 1990s, HP employed over 7,000 people at the Boise site. The fourth impact HP had was its special, unique and successful culture — “The HP Way.” The company was featured in books like “Good to Great,” largely because of the success of its culture which was embraced and lived by employees at all levels. The key elements of “The HP Way” were: 1) we have trust and respect for individuals; 2) we focus on a high level of achievement and contribution; 3) we conduct our business with uncompromising integrity; 4) we achieve our common objectives through teamwork; 5) we encourage flexibility and innovation. Also, HP practices like management by objectives, open door policies, management by walking around and profit-sharing were uncommon before HP. These values and practices impacted many other businesses and organizations in Idaho who developed similar cultures and practices. HP also provided leadership in areas that aligned with its core values, such as human rights. In the 1990s, HP established the Idaho Human Rights Award, in partnership with the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, recognizing leaders in Idaho’s Treasure Valley who actively promoted respect, dignity, and human rights. Finally, the HP Boise team “saved HP” during a very turbulent time in the company’s history with the introduction of the first LaserJet printer in 1984. The LaserJet is often cited as the most successful product in HP’s long history and continues to be a cornerstone of HP’s business today. During LaserJet division reviews, HP Boise and the LaserJet product were called by various HP Board members and leaders “the lifeboat of HP” during the 1990s when all other parts of the company were struggling. It generated some 70% of the company’s profits and almost all of its growth for several years during that period. In summary, Boise, the state of Idaho and HP were blessed beyond all expectations by Ray Smelek’s recommendation in 1973 to HP’s founders, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, to establish an operation in Boise. While the company’s departure marks the end of an incredible era, the real credit and gratitude for HP’s success and lasting impact here in Boise goes to the tens of thousands of former and current HP employees who made such meaningful contributions to HP, HP Boise and the Boise community over the past 53 years. About Rich Raimondi Richard Raimondi spent 30 years at HP, 16 as a VP/SVP in several businesses inside HP. After retiring in 2008, he served as president of Bishop Kelly for 12 years. He currently serves on the boards of St. Luke’s Health System, LED, the Idaho Film Society, the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights and the College of Idaho Advisory Council. He was the founding chair of the Idaho Technology Council from 2010-2015. Rich was born and raised in Sacramento, California. He graduated from Stanford University in 1974 with a BA in history and has an MBA from the University of Oregon. About the Idaho Technology Council The Idaho Technology Council (ITC) is a member-based organization that champions innovation and collaboration to grow Idaho’s economy through technology. Representing a dynamic and growing community of entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and policymakers, ITC connects vision with action to position Idaho as a hub forinnovation and opportunity. Learn more at www.idahotechcouncil.org .

Meet Kevin Phithak

by Tim Munkres • 7 April 2026
Introducing: Kevin Phithak, Staff Program Manager/Workforce Strategies, Micron Technology Describe the business/organization you work for: Micron Technology is a world leader in innovating memory and storage solutions that accelerate the transformation of information into intelligence, inspiring the world to learn, communicate and advance faster than ever. What inspired you to start your own business, or why did you decide to work for this specific organization? Growing up, my dad worked at Micron, and some of my favorite memories were attending the company picnics. Those events offered a chance to connect with the community, enjoy great food and activities, and even tour the fab in a cleanroom suit. Experiencing that environment at a young age sparked my interest in technology and inspired me to pursue a career in a high?tech company. Today, both of my brothers and I are proud to be second?generation Micron team members. I truly value the diverse and meaningful challenges I get to work on here—especially the opportunity to inspire students to explore careers in our industry. It’s rewarding to contribute to work that has impact and helps shape the future talent pipeline. What sets this business apart from others in the industry? The semiconductor industry is a fast?paced, continuously evolving field that presents both exciting opportunities and unique challenges. It offers the chance to work with some of the most advanced and innovative technologies—capabilities you simply won’t encounter anywhere else. What challenges have you faced as a business owner or employee, and how did you overcome them? One of my biggest early challenges was developing a deep understanding of the CTE and community college programs that prepared students for technician roles. I needed to identify which schools offered relevant curricula, determine how their programs aligned with our team’s requirements, and figure out the best way to connect and build relationships with the right stakeholders. Much of this work involved navigating each institution’s structure to determine the appropriate point of contact—whether a department chair, dean, or career counselor. Through consistent outreach and experimentation with different engagement approaches, I ultimately created a reliable system for establishing those connections. After two years of focused effort, we have built a strong network of partner schools that now serve as a pipeline for technician talent. This foundation has significantly strengthened our ability to identify, engage, and recruit students into opportunities at Micron. What advice would you give to someone looking to join your industry? Maintain a growth mindset and remain open to continuous learning. Remember that a “no” is not the end of your path—it often simply redirects you toward new opportunities. About the Idaho Technology Council The Idaho Technology Council (ITC) is a member-based organization that champions innovation and collaboration to grow Idaho’s economy through technology. Representing a dynamic and growing community of entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and policymakers, ITC connects vision with action to position Idaho as a hub for innovation and opportunity. Learn more at www.idahotechcouncil.org . Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn HERE Check out Micron Technology HERE

Idaho Advances AI in Education with Landmark Legislation, Strengthening Future Workforce Pipeline

by Diane Temple • 27 March 2026
Idaho Advances AI in Education with Landmark Legislation, Strengthening Future Workforce Pipeline