Austin Women in Technology (AWT) is powered by a dedicated group of volunteer board members who work behind the scenes to support, grow, and strengthen the organization. 

While members often experience AWT through events, programming, and partnerships, much of the impact happens behind the scenes and is led by a dedicated group of volunteer board members who bring this mission to life. Representing a wide range of roles across the technology sector, including executives, founders, marketing, operations, engineering, and more, these individuals contribute their time and expertise to ensure AWT continues to provide meaningful opportunities for women in tech.  

Together, they help shape AWT’s strategy, foster inclusive spaces, and ensure the organization continues to evolve alongside the community it serves. We recently voted in our new board and want to introduce and highlight the amazing team that makes it all possible! 

Executives & Vice Presidents 

Emily Gupton, President

Emily is a Chief Technology Officer at SKG and co-founder of a SaaS company called FOLIO. Emily started as an events chair on the AWT board before building out the Community Partnerships team prior to becoming president. Emily is passionate about supporting other women on their personal and professional journey, and hopes to provide the same supportive network and community to others that Emily found through AWT and her tenure on the board. She is humbled and excited to serve as the president through 2027. 

Fun fact: Emily did three triathlons in 2026. 

Sharyn Leyendecker, Treasurer

Sharyn is a Cybersecurity Architect who works for the City of Austin. She has been a board member and AWT treasurer for over 8 years and is passionate about supporting women in tech. 

Fun fact: Sharyn's favorite hobby is knitting.

Maya Walker-Reich, Secretary

Maya is a Project Manager, Marketing Consultant, and Community Builder looking for new opportunities. She started as a Marketing Chair for AWT before stepping into the Secretary role. Being on the board has allowed her to create the same welcoming, growth-centered environment for women navigating tech careers that she has experienced. She’s excited to continue building meaningful partnerships, elevating women’s voices, and expanding AWT programs. 

Fun fact: She has traveled to 19 different countries. 

Ellen Cox, Vice President of Technology & Operations

Ellen is a Senior Product Marketing Manager, AI at Epicor where she blends digital strategy, product marketing, and content leadership to support AI innovation across the business. She’s also the co-founder of CO.LABx, a future-focused collective helping professionals navigate what’s next in their careers. She joined the AWT Board because she was passionate about contributing to the professional growth of women in the workspace in the same way others have invested in her.

Fun fact: She ran a 50-mile ultramarathon in 2024.

Nicole Pletka, Vice President of Programs & Events

Nicole is a CEO of Wispr, a local Austin start-up, while also practicing Program and Product Management for companies that focus on custom software and AI implementations. She joined the AWT Board to ensure her kids could envision a future with more women in tech leadership. 

Fun fact: She was an archaeologist. 

Kelly Jorg, Vice President of Marketing

Kelly is the Co-Founder and Marketing Director at Nalo Seed helping businesses grow with clear strategy, smart marketing, and custom AI software solutions. She joined the board after being a long-time member and supported the launch of the refreshed AWT brand in 2025. 

Fun fact: She has three young children—two daughters (born in 2021 and 2022) and a son (born in 2023)—and speaks some Tagalog, Japanese, and American Sign Language with them.

Lisa Bounds, Vice President of Sponsorship & Membership

Lisa is a Principal Product Marketing Manager at Epicor specializing in go-to-market strategy, brand messaging, and cross-functional collaboration that drives product success. She joined the AWT Board because she’s experienced how vital a community is for professional growth and personal resilience and wants to grow that impact for others. Next year, she’ll be focused on building strong committees for both sponsorship and membership to expand AWT’s reach and deepen member engagement. 

Fun fact: She read 60+ books in 2025. 

Hanna Busekrus, Vice President of Partnerships

Hanna is a Senior Recruitment Operations Specialist with experience spanning recruitment operations, business development, and enterprise-level TA process optimization. She is looking forward to expanding partner relationships, programming, and learning opportunities for members. 

Fun fact: She is Advanced Open Water (AOW) scuba certified. 

Directors 

Tamarra Roquemore, Director of Operations

Tammy is a Senior Project Manager at Diasorin helping teams solve problems and removing obstacles in the way of getting projects done. She believes AWT gives women a chance to gain exposure to different areas of tech and a community to accelerate growth. 

Fun fact: Her workout of choice is pole dance. 

Rachel Richey. Director of Programs

Rachel works in Sales Leadership at Eagle Eye Networks helping shape the company’s first formal direct sales function. At AWT she directs the events team to expand opportunities for accessing high-impact learning, networking, and community for women across the tech ecosystem. She joined the AWT Board to help build systems, programs, and communities that help women thrive. 

Fun fact: She loves karaoke, experimenting with new recipes, and researching ways to live to 100. 

Jourdan James, Director of Outreach

Jourdan is a Lead Technical Account Manager at Rapid7 helping organizations build stronger, more resilient security programs. She joined AWT to be part of a supportive community of women and allies working in all areas of technology. 

Fun fact: She is restoring an antique convertible. 

Milissa Day Director of Mentorship

Milissa is a Change Management Consultant and Co-Owner at MKE Consulting with a passion for helping organizations and their people navigate complex transformations. She joined the AWT Board to uplift other women in their own tech paths. 

Fun fact: She has a YouTube series called “Tuesday Tips with Maverick & Goose” featuring her two co-worker pups. 

Noopur Gupta, Director of Technology

Noopur is the CEO of SparkStorm AI where she is pioneering Intelligence-as-a-Service, making advanced AI accessible to businesses and communities everywhere. She aims to bring more AI education and hands-on learning to the AWT community so women feel confident using these tools in their careers and businesses. 

Fun fact: She can talk for hours about AI and productivity. 

Yousra Magouri, Director of Partnerships

Yousra is the Director of Marketing Technology at RGA, the founder of multiple education and mentorship initiatives, and the creator of the ELLEvate Summit, the first Female Leadership Summit in North Africa. She joined the AWT Board because she believes in the power of community as a catalyst for growth, confidence, and opportunity. 

Fun fact: She speaks three languages. 

Maddie Tooley, Director of Marketing

Maddie is a Client Success Manager at Luna Data Solutions connecting top talent to essential IT projects across the public sector. She joined the AWT Board because supporting and uplifting women in tech is something she’s deeply passionate about. 

Fun fact: She teaches Pilates. 

Leslie Dill, Director of Public Relations

Elissa Fox, Director of Sponsorship

Chairs 

Ericka Lu, Marketing & Communications Chair

Ericka is a Senior Marketing Specialist at AMD shaping content strategy and development for B2B go-to-market initiatives. She joined the AWT Board to play a more direct role in raising awareness of the resources and events AWT provides to elevate more women in tech. 

Fun fact: She is an art enthusiast and knows Banksy’s real identity (it’s her dog). 

Shea Railey, Marketing & Communications Chair

Shea is an Executive Assistant and Operations Manager at OpsLab supporting leaders and keeping teams organized. She views AWT as an opportunity to get involved in the community, grow professionally, and meet like-minded people. 

Fun fact: She has a chi-weenie dog named Garlic. 

Mara Herdic, Community Partnerships Chair

Mara is a Compliance Engineer at the Texas Reliability Entity where she supports regulatory compliance and risk oversight. She joined the AWT Board to support women in the tech community and is looking forward to meeting more members this year. 

Fun fact: She plays soccer. 

Deirdre Barg, Website Chair

McKenzie Bell, Sponsorship Chair

Jennifer BRAZZELL, Sponsorship Chair

Amal EL EBRAHIM, Sponsorship Chair

Taryn Wise, Programs & Events Chair

Kathleen Brunner, Programs & Events Chair

Rachel Leaf, Job Assistance Chair

Powering AWT Forward 

Each of these board members volunteers their time alongside their full-time roles because they believe in the power of community and shared growth. Their collective efforts help ensure Austin Women in Technology remains a place where women can connect, learn, and lead. From planning events and guiding strategy to supporting members behind the scenes, this group of leaders makes AWT what it is today. 

Interested in getting more involved? Whether through volunteering, attending events, or exploring future leadership opportunities, there’s always room to grow with Austin Women in Technology. Reach out at info@awtaustin.org.