100 women who can speak at your next Twin Cities tech event
Editor’s note: This story comes from our online sister publication, Minne Inno, which focuses on the Twin Cities startup scene. Want more stories about tech and innovation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area? Subscribe to the Beat by Minne Inno, a free daily email newsletter that breaks down everything you need to know about what’s new in business the Twin Cities.
It’s no secret that the tech industry suffers from some gender disparities. Sometimes, this is most evident at tech and startup events, where the demographics of speakers and panelists can be sort of one-note.
We here at Minne Inno believe that this likely isn’t intentional. Like a lot of things in the Twin Cities startup scene, it all comes down to visibility. Minnesota is filled with smart, powerful women and non-binary folks who have started companies, raised funding, worked for major research institutions and much more. Maybe if these local entrepreneurs and business leaders were easier to find, they’d stand a greater chance of being invited to speak at local tech events.
So we decided to put some of the best and brightest local innovators together on one list.
Below is a list of 100 women representing eight different areas of business across Minnesota. We hope to continue updating the list with more names, so please reach out if you know someone that should be added.
Please note: This is not a speaker agreement. It’s just a list of accomplished women to consider inviting to future tech and startup events. You can find links to many of their LinkedIn pages here:
TECHNOLOGY
- Bridget Kromhout: Principal Cloud Developer Advocate, Microsoft
- Jenna Pederson: Founder, 612 Software Foundry
- Jenessa White: Front-End Developer, Software for Good
- Eve Poeschl: Director of Solutions Architecture, MentorMate
- April King: Staff Security Engineer, Mozilla
- Kara Carlisle: Vice President of Programs, McKnight Foundation
- Kristina Durivage: Front End Engineer, SmartThings
- Ian Coldwater: Lead Platform Security Engineer, Heroku
- Eryn O’Neil: Backend Engineer, Modern Tribe
- Rachel Williams: Vice President of Technical Operations, Comcast
- Tessa Kriesel: Developer Outreach Manager, Pantheon
- Shawn Stavseth: Co-Founder, Technovation[MN]
- Dana Hazen: Director, Women Who Code
- Susan Greve: City Ambassador, Lesbians Who Tech
BUSINESS
- Kristin Dean: Vice President of People, Arctic Wolf Networks
- Sona Mehring: Traction Implementer, 10 for Focus
- Angelina Lawton: Founder and CEO, Sportsdigita
- Dana Nelson: Founder, DCN Strategies Vice President of Legacy and Community Partnerships, MN Super Bowl Host Committee
- Adrienne Peirce: Product Manager, Leadpages
- Danielle Steer: Managing Director, Lunar Startups
- Meghan McInerny: Chief Operating Officer, Clockwork Interactive Board Chair, GiveMN
- Liwanag Ojala: CEO, CaringBridge
- Karen Marben: Executive Director, Genesys Works
- Rachael Vegas: Chief Merchant, Brandless
- Neela Mollgaard: Executive Director, Red Wing Ignite
- Alexa Bloom: Community Director, WeWork
- Katy Burke: Executive Director, TeamWomenMN
- Kalyn Hove: Vice President of Business Services, Comcase
- Jennifer Pennington: Co-Founder, Can Can Wonderland
- Maria Ploessl: Executive Director, Minnestar
- Lili Hall: CEO and President, KNOCK
- Erin Newkirk: Chief Marketing Officer, Local Crate
- Stephanie Rich: Founder, Starting Up North
- Anita Patel: Leadership Programs Director, Bush Foundation
CREATIVE
- Amanda Zweerink: Managing Partner, Zeus Jones
- Evva Kraikul: Founder and Creative Director, GLITCH
- Erica Hanna: Owner, Puke Rainbows Creative
- Jasmine Russell: Co-Founder, Monicat Data
- Twila Dang: Founder and CEO, Matriarch Digital Media
- Melanie Walby: Design Director, Pollen Midwest
- Kate Khaled: Managing Director, Imagine Deliver
- Sarah Schultz: Executive Director, American Craft Council
- Jamie Millard: Executive Director, Pollen
- Nancy Lyons: Founder and CEO, Clockwork Interactive
- Anne Pryor: LinkedIn Trainer, Pryority Partnership
- Kristi Piehl: Founder and CEO, Media Minefield
HEALTH CARE/BIOTECH
- Lisa Lavin: Founder and CEO, Omcare
- Katrina Anderson: CEO and Founder, ClinicianNexus
- Jill Prevost: Co-Founder, Gravie Co-Founder, Bloom Health
- Lori Most: Founder and CEO, Binary Bridge
- Maria Huntley: President, Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians
ENTREPRENEURS
- Melissa Kjolsing Lynch: CEO and Co-Founder, Recovree
- Caroline Karanja: Founder, 26 Letters
- Aneela Kumar: Co-Founder, HabitAware
- Casey Schultz: Program Director, Twin Cities Startup Week/Beta.MN
- Kristen Womack: Founder, Hello Mom Co-Founder, Hack the Gap
- Elyse Ash: Founder and CEO, Fruitful Fertility
- Elaine Rasmussen: CEO, Social Impact Strategies Group Consulting
- Jennifer Alstad: Founder and CEO, bswing
- Margi Scott: Founder, Take 12
- Kateri Ruiz: Founder, MAIA
- Kara Rios: Founder and CEO, deltPRO
- Sabina Saksena: Founder and CEO, Cytilife
- Angie Eilers: CEO and Founder, URTURN
- Cora Leibig: Founder and CEO, Chromatic 3D Materials
- Tracy David: Founder, Little Acorn Shave Co.
- Loring Kaveney: President and Co-Founder, Work Out Loud
- Elizabeth Wheaton: Co-Founder, Rally Registry
- Katie Moss: Co-Founder, Rally Registry
- Alex West Steinman: Co-Founder and CEO, The Coven
GOVERNMENT
- Irene Fernando: Hennepin County Commissioner – District 2
- Sharon Kennedy Vickers: Chief Information Officer, City of St. Paul
- Shawntera Hardy: Co-Founder and Head of Strategy, Civic Eagle
- Mary Rick: Principal Project Manager of Planning and Development, City of St. Paul
FINANCE AND INVESTING
- Cathy Connett: CEO and Managing Partner, Sofia Fund
- Mary Grove: Partner, Revolution/Rise of the Rest
- Kenya McKnight Ahad: CEO and President, Black Women’s Wealth Alliance
- Pat Dillon: Director of SBIR, Minnesota High Tech Association
- Pam York: General Partner, Capita3
- Sara Russick: General Partner, Capita3
- Aleesha Webb: President, Village Bank
- Susan Langer: Founder and CEO, Live. Give. Save
- Me’Lea Connelly: Founder, Village Financial Cooperative
FOOD, BEVERAGE AND AGRICULTURE
- Lauren Pradhan: Managing Director, Grow North
- Janet Johanson: Owner and General Manager, The Lab CEO, BevSource
- Amanda Heyman: Founding Director, Lunar Services Founder, Heyman Legal
- Erica Johnston: Marketing Manager, General Mills
- Jessica Stalbaum: Program Manager, Techstars Farm to Fork
- Daniela Bowen: Culinary Director, Local Crate
- Jenifer Hagness: Vice President of Marketing, Caribou Coffee
- Anita Nelson: President, IN Food Marketing & Design
- Kjersten Merila: Founder, Her Spirits Vodka
- Melina Lamer: CEO, Superior Switchel Company
ACADEMIA
- Jessica Berg: Director, Minnesota Cup
- Kymm Bartlett Martinez: Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, St. Thomas
- Dr. Stephanie Lenway: Dean, St. Thomas Opus College of Business
- Dr. Laura Dunham: Associate Dean and Professor in Entrepreneurship, St. Thomas Schulze College of Entrepreneurship
- Kate Ryan Reiling: Entrepreneur in Residence, Macalester College
- Carla Pavone: Director, MIN-Corps
- Jill Woyak: IT Infrastructure Team Lead, University of Minnesota
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