The Global Catalyst for Change: Black Engineer of the Year Conference #BEYA2020
Cecelia Taylor
This week, February 13-15, 2020, is the 34th annual Black Engineer of Year (BEYA) conference that will be held at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.
This conference brings together over 10,000 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals.
The goal of the BEYA Conference is to create connections between students, educators and STEM professionals while facilitating partnerships with individuals and their local STEM resources.
In 2020, twenty-eight NetApp employees and business partners will be attending the conference. NetApp at BEYA is sponsored by the NetApp Network of Blacks in Tech (NNBT) group, led by Matt Fawcett, NetApp General Counsel, as the executive sponsor.
We are excited to announce these 2020 BEYA conference sessions and special events that will feature NetApp employees as speakers, moderator and/or panelists:
- Regina A. Evans, MBA, PMP, CSM - Panel Moderator, Session 2124: Re-engaging Employees… Getting your Team Back on Track
- Mariama Beemer, Panelist, Session 2116: The Path to Being the Best Leader - How to Lead with Charisma, Integrity, and Conviction
- Logan Carrington, Panelist, Session 2806B: Job Readiness Fast Track: Interview Success! – Practical Approaches to Persuading the Recruiter
- NetApp Workshop- “The Importance of Upskilling”: The team will be facilitating a 75-minute seminar focused on the importance of upskilling to stay competitive in the world of technology. The audience will learn about some of the latest tech trends as well as strategies to keep up with the rapid evolution of new technologies.
- AMIE Student Design Challenge: The AMIE (Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering) Design Challenge is a student engagement & innovation program led by a non-profit organization in which NetApp is a sponsor. The goal for NetApp is to deepen our partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities beyond recruiting, as well as to influence the students and faculty in better understanding emerging technology trends and skills needed for success in the technical workforce.
- BEYA Stars and Stripes: The BEYA conference also has a significant military presence and a few of our NetApp Veterans (NetVets) will be attending the Stars and Stripes ceremony which is one of the nation's largest events honoring both active and retired African American admirals, generals and members of the Senior Executive Service.
In addition to the conference, several NetApp employees will be recognized for BEYA Modern Day Technology Leadership awards. These individuals were nominated by their managers and Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging team for their stellar performance at work:
- Ken Boney, Sr. Manager, Technology Office - RTP
- Jeannette Boyd, Secure CSR/Dispatch Project Manager - RTP
- Kathy Coencas, Sr. Manager, Program Management - SVL
- Charles Hicks, Manager, Customer Assurance Program - RTP
- Chester Oates, Cloud Data Services Solutions Engineer – RTP
- Ed Shepard – Global Enterprise Manager - SVL
- Rodney Scurlock – QA Architect - RTP
- Tymeka Whiteside – Content Specialist, Digital Support – RTP
Here are some remarks from the award recipients:
“I am truly honored to be a recipient of the Modern-Day Technology Leader award at the 2020 BEYA STEM Conference. Through NetApp’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, we’ve been given a platform that enables each of us to be more impactful in a way like never before. Thank You!” Charles Hicks
“It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized by my colleagues, and I am beyond grateful to be a part of such an engaging and encouraging community. The Modern-Day Technology Leader award means that I served my community in the best way possible. A true expression of gratitude can only come through continued dedication and involvement in my community.” Chester Oates
“The depts and magnitude of what, BEYA STEM Global Competitiveness Conference, represents is beyond my imagination. I'm proud to be a recipient of such a prestigious Award. I would like to extend my gratitude to NetApp and my leadership team for giving me the opportunity to be recognized.” ~Jeannette Boyd
“I am truly honored to be receiving the Modern -Day Technology Leader Award. It is exhilarating to be part of an organization that works hard to hire, train, mentor, recognize, and retain diverse talent. I would like to thank NetApp and my leadership team for nominating me for such a prestigious award.” ~Rodney Scurlock
We want to congratulate each of these leaders and look forward to participation in this wonderful event. If you are attending, please stop by and chat with the NetApp team in booth #1306 in the exhibit hall. Follow the conversation from the conference and awards presentation on social media via #BEYA2020.
Cecelia Taylor
A lifelong Northern California resident, Cecelia has been a marketing communication professional for 20+ years. She previously held social media roles at several Silicon Valley organizations including 8x8, Mellanox Technologies and Cisco managing social media strategy and metrics. Prior to her career in social media, she worked in audience development marketing for B2B publishing. She holds a BA from Mills College in Oakland, CA. She is married with two children and likes to read, knit and crochet in her spare time.
