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