3 State Executives Among Speakers at Latinas in Tech Summit

Three executives from California state government agencies will be among the speakers at this month’s Latinas in Tech Summit, which will bring more than 1,000 Latina professionals together virtually to “tap into the most powerful network for landing tech jobs and growing your tech career.”

Cruz Nieto, director of the Project Management Office for the California Secretary of State’s Office, told Techwire that Latinas in Tech (LiT) “is a nonprofit organization with the aim to connect, support and empower Latina women working in tech. We work hand-in-hand with top technology companies to create safe spaces for learning, mentorship and recruitment, and we now have 17 chapter cities nationwide and continue to grow.” That includes a Sacramento chapter, founded in 2018.

The online event, scheduled for May 19-20, “is the place for Latina techies,” Nieto said. The roster of speakers includes representatives from academia, multiple industries, the media and nonprofits. Nieto will be joined for a breakout session, “How to Improve Work-Life Balance,” at 3:35 p.m. on May 20, by:

• Monica Barrios, branch chief for Statewide Technology Procurement in the California Department of Technology. Barrios serves “as a critical partner in project oversight to state departments,” her biography notes. She’s a certified Project Management Professional and ScrumMaster.
  
• Cathryn Rivera-Hernandez, who was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019 to serve as appointments secretary. Ms. Rivera-Hernandez served three administrations as a board member on the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, beginning with her appointment by Gov. Gray Davis. She also served as chief deputy Cabinet secretary for Davis.
  

Nieto, who will moderate the breakout, has more than 20 years’ experience in the public sector, including multiple state departments. Her IT experience includes having served as chief technology officer for the Secretary of State’s Office and leading enterprise-wide projects from strategy development through implementation.

The summit will cover a broad range of topics for entry, journey and executive level. The full summit agenda is available online, as are reservations and more information. For information about LiT, go to the group’s website.