WIT Event Topics
There are three presentation tracks: Wellness, Technical, and Career Planning
Keynote: Professor Melanie E. Moses, Computer Science and Biology
Topic: AI: How did we get here and where are we going
Track A - Wellness
Topic | Presenter |
|---|---|
Micro-Managing Stress What are the stressors you deal with and how do you manage them?? Join Tracey as she shares some straightforward strategies to manage stress during your day, in a purposeful way. | Vanessa Roybal, Supervisor Wellness Program
Tracey L. Briggs, MA, CPT, Health Education Consultant, Supervisor Tracey L. Briggs is a Health Education Consultant and the Supervisor of UNM’s Employee Wellness Team. She holds a master’s degree in psychology and is a doctoral student pursuing a PsyD. Briggs has spent her 40+ years in health and wellness. Her ‘first career’ was for 20 years as a licensed dispensing optician and then a decade of running her own business as a personal services contractor for the US Government, providing personal training for the US Army in South Korea and Germany prior to her 11 years with UNM. She is the mother of 3 successful adult children and ‘Nonna’ to 3 adorable grandchildren. When not caring for her 86-year-old mom, she enjoys spending time weightlifting and, on the diamond, playing softball. |
Bah Humbug! Work Life Balance Through the Holidays and Beyond End of semester anxieties, changes in the weather, holiday preparations and shorter days can make us feel like the personal demands of “holiday spirit” collide with our work productivity. We’ll study tips from Franklin Covey to organize and prioritize our goals and wellness to help us successfully make it through the holiday season. But unlike the snow on the ground, these tips you will stay with you throughout the year. | Teresa Sherman, MA Theresa L. Sherman has dedicated her 20-year career to advancing higher education in New Mexico, providing outreach and awareness for key initiatives at the state and university level. |
Presents and Family Gatherings, Oh My (Money)! Presentation Slides Our brains are all hardwired with cognitive biases that help them make fast decisions, which were essential to survival back on the savannah. We needed to guess fast if something was, literally, a lion or a tiger or a bear that could eat us! But in our current faced paced, information overloaded world, those same biases can lead to poor decisions of all kinds, especially where money is concerned. On top of that, we also each have our own personal money stories, built from our family history and experiences, and often powered by strong emotions. The holidays can serve to intensify those feelings, put us back into family dynamics, and at the same time keep us too busy to really investigate what’s going on. I’ll give you some actionable steps to interrupt your brain when it’s emptying your wallet and charging up your credit cards, so you can relax and enjoy the true spirit of the season! | Ann J. Shubert, CFP®, MBA, Financial Advisor and Author of the blog Ann-splaining.com Ann started her professional career planning to be an Astrophysicist, but after receiving her BA in Physics from Princeton University and her MS in Astrophysics from Caltech, she realized that being a pure research scientist was not a good match for her practical, problem-solving personality. She shifted gears into a multi-decade career in the defense industry, first designing and building software systems and then managing multi-million-dollar programs for defense contractors. In 2014, while enrolled in the University of New Mexico’s Executive MBA program, Ann made another major career transition into financial planning, and in 2017 co-founded Intentional Finance, LLC, a local, independent, woman-owned Registered Investment Advisor firm. Now Ann gets to combine her facility with numbers with her interest in human behavior to help people reach clarity and confidence around their finances, no matter where they are in their life’s journey. |
Charting Your Course: A financial guide for women Developing basic retirement saving skills, how to create a retirement saving plan, evaluating financial health and setting goals, and how to help make your money work harder. This presentation provides a broad overview of a multitude of topics, from budgeting and saving to investing and preparing for long-term goals (like retirement). Handouts: | Cherie Knight, CFP®, Financial Consultant | Retirement Solutions Cherie grew up in northern Colorado, hiking, camping, fishing and cycling in the beautiful Colorado Rockies for nearly 50 years. A New Mexican for 12 years, she now enjoys live local music concerts, salsa and tango dancing, strolling through Old Town and the BioPark Gardens just steps from her home. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from Colorado State University and a Masters in Math and Science Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Cherie began her financial services career in 1996 after teaching math and science and coaching young women’s sports in her northern Colorado high school town for a decade. After twenty years working directly with the general public as a financial advisor, she served UNM employees for seven years as a projects specialist in Benefits, working to improve UNM’s voluntary retirement plans, financial wellness offerings, and retiree benefits. Cherie left UNM to join TIAA in 2022 as a regional Financial Consultant based in Albuquerque, serving Universities and Colleges in the 4-corners states. She holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities licenses while maintaining Life, Health, Long Term Care, Annuity, and Variable insurance licenses in the States of NM, AZ, CO, UT, NV, WY, ID, MT, WA and AK. Cherie is also a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC® ), a designation she earned from The American College. Making decisions about your money can feel challenging, especially when it comes to retirement. You don't have to go it alone because access to TIAA financial consultants and advisors is included as part of UNM’s complimentary financial planning services for employees. Cherie can help you determine whether you're saving enough, investing appropriately, on-track to meet your retirement goals, and have a risk- and tax-efficient strategy ready for drawing income from your nest egg in retirement. Cherie is available to meet with you in person, on your laptop, smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer to provide one-on-one advice. Go to www.tiaa.org/schedulenow to book a meeting today! |
Building Healthy Lifestyle Habits with a Desk Job and a Bunch of Teams Meetings If you are looking for small ways to incorporate healthy habits to your daily schedule, this is the session for you! Join us as we show proven techniques to make lasting changes that will help you to maximize your time while balancing a desk job and busy life leaving you feeling happy, healthy, and full of energy. We will walk through options related to food, movement and overall mindfulness to refresh your healthy habits. | Lisa Beauchene-Lawson, Senior Product Lead Lisa Beauchene-Lawson is a Sr. Product Lead for IT Applications Support Team since April 2023 where she focuses on student-related products with the goal of improving the overall student experience, engagement and belonging at UNM. Prior to IT, Lisa served as the Manager of Admissions and Enrollment for the UNM Anderson School of Management where she developed recruitment and enrollment strategies supported by CRM software that produced a record number of enrollments during the pandemic.
Lisa was an assistant volleyball coach and recruiting coordinator for the UNM Lobos from 2005-2007 and 2008-2015. During her tenure, she helped recruit and lead the Lobos to two NCAA Tournament appearances and coached seven AVCA All-Americans. She leveraged her recruitment communication experience in a sport-specific CRM (Jump Forward) to elevate the recruitment strategies and techniques at the Anderson School.
Outside her UNM efforts, Lisa loves traveling, being a mom of her 5-year-old, and coaching an elite club volleyball team for the Albuquerque Rebels Volleyball Club with her husband. Devon Williams is a seasoned project manager with a unique blend of leadership skills cultivated on and off the basketball court. A former UNM (University of New Mexico) Lobo basketball player, Devon seamlessly transitioned from the competitive world of sports to the dynamic landscape of project management.
With a Bachelor’s in Organizational Communication and Master’s in Sport Administration, both from UNM, Devon has demonstrated a passion for excelling in both academic and athletic pursuits. His ability to strategize, collaborate, and lead a team was honed during their time as a key player on the Lobos basketball team. To deepen his expertise in project management, he obtained his CSM (Certified Scrum Master) Certification from the Scrum Alliance and his PMP (Project Management Professional) from PMI (Project Management Institute).
Devon Williams is a seasoned project manager with a unique blend of leadership skills cultivated on and off the basketball court. A former UNM (University of New Mexico) Lobo basketball player, Devon seamlessly transitioned from the competitive world of sports to the dynamic landscape of project management. Currently serving as an IT Project Manager 3 at UNM, Devon brings a winning mindset to every project they undertake. Whether it is coordinating complex initiatives or leading a cross-functional team, Devon leverages the discipline and teamwork ingrained in his athletic background to drive success in the professional arena.
Outside the office, Devon is a devoted family person, cherishing quality time with his wife and daughter. Balancing the demands of work and family life, Devon exemplifies the same dedication and commitment that have been the hallmarks of his career both on and off the court.
As a project manager, Devon continues to inspire colleagues with a strategic approach, effective communication, and an unwavering commitment to achieving goals—a testament to the lessons learned from the basketball court to the boardroom. |
Track B - Technical
Topic | Presenter |
|---|---|
Using Data and Technology to Address Social Issues Advancements in technology and the collection of data give us the tools to better understand the social problems in our world. This presentation will focus on the many ways we can use data and analytical tools to address social issues. Drawing on her experience as an institutional researcher and social worker, Monte-Angel will provide examples of how data can be harnessed to address inequities within the university setting and the wider community in areas such as gun violence, housing insecurity, and socioeconomic disparity. She will introduce innovations currently taking place in the field to harness analytical tools such as GIS and machine learning to address social disparities. | Monte-Angel Richardson, Institutional Researcher Office of Institutional Analytics
Monte-Angel’s research in the U.S., Canada, and Japan is diverse methodologically, spanning from participatory action research to surveys with complex sampling design, from building machine learning models to intervention research, including the use of machine learning to analyze trends in gun violence, a study of survivors of a mass shooting in California, and multi-method qualitative studies of residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At the University of Toronto, she is a member of the collaborative specialization in social work and public health policy. |
Getting Started with Data Visualization This presentation will cover the basics of data visualization: When, why, how, and how to do it better. Specific topics will cover the types of most commonly used visualizations, designing for information processing, accessibility, and why friends never let friends create pie charts! | Dr. Heather Mechler, Director, Institutional Analytics Dr. Heather Mechler currently serves as the Director of the Office of Institutional Analytics at UNM, a position she has held since 2016. In this role, she manages a team of analysts and data scientists who explore data pertaining to student outcomes and student success. Dr. Mechler’s areas of focus in the field of institutional research include Predictive analytics, data visualization, equity in data science, and basic needs security in higher education. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on measurement and human development from the University of Alabama. Her academic research focuses on the role of moral judgment development in influencing civic engagement and political beliefs. When she’s not crunching numbers, you can find her skiing, singing, reading, or spending quality time with her dogs. |
Azure Data Factory for Beginners: Let's Make Some Data Does Azure Data Factory really make data? Of course not, but what it does is allow you to make your data into something new and different! In this presentation you will learn the basics of Azure Data Factory, what it DOES do, the sections of the “factory”, and how to build a basic factory output. We will demo a simple pipeline that will extract data from a source, store it in blob storage, use a dataflow to perform some basic transformations, and create a meta data driven pipeline to automate type 2 dimension processing in a data warehouse. You will learn the basic skills of a Data Factory “machinist” and how Data Factory fits into the Modern Data Platform. | Leslie Andrew, Lead Data Architect Leslie Andrews is an IT professional with over 20 years of experience in a variety of industries. She spent almost 15 years in public service to the State of NM and the City of Albuquerque before transitioning to the private sector as a consultant. Leslie has been a part of the SQL community as a volunteer and speaker at multiple community events on topics covering data modeling, data governance, and Azure technologies such as Data Factory and Synapse. She is the co-lead of the Data Platform WIT virtual group. She was honored to be selected as a 2019 Idera ACE. She is aco-author of SQL Query Design Patterns and Best Practices. |
| Implementing DMARC (without getting fired) DMARC was once a “nice to have” and is quickly becoming a “required to have”. Google and Yahoo will require DMARC policies to be in place as early as February 2024. If you’re still unsure about what DMARC is, how to implement it, or if you even need it… then this discussion is for YOU. | Kristen Sanders, Founder of Cybersecurity Coaching, LLC, Senior Security Advisor for Aquila Kristen Sanders is a Senior Security Advisor, CISO, and aspiring to be a Wonder Woman of Security. Dedicated to helping others and powered by truth. Lover of all things InfoSec. Driven by a mission of leaving this industry in better shape than she found it. Kristen strives to empower individuals to build a culture of security within their communities. |
UNM NanoFab: Working in a Clean Room UNM Center for High Technology Materials invites you to learn about NanoFab and the various research and capabilities at the University of New Mexico | Dr. Maya Narayanan Kutty, Senior Research Scientist I Dr. Kutty is a Research Assistant Professor and NanoFab Manager at the Center for High Technology Materials at the University of New Mexico. Her research interest areas include: fabrication of micro-scale and nano-scale devices such as lasers, VCSELs, LEDs, organic transistors, and Infrared Detectors; electrical and material study of device surfaces; bio-electronics and its subsequent applications and integrations into today's silicon technology. |
Track C - Career and Guidance
Topic | Presenter |
|---|---|
Multipliers: How the best leaders ignite everyone's intelligence Have you ever worked for a leader who made you feel smarter and more capable? How about one who made you question your abilities and hold back your contributions? Leadership expert Liz Wiseman researched these two types of leaders — Multipliers and Diminishers — and how they impact their teams’ success. You can’t change your past leaders, but you can change the dynamic on your team by becoming a Multiplier for those around you. Leadership expert Liz Wiseman made a crucial discovery: There’s far more intelligence and energy inside organizations than we realize. Leaders are key to unlocking these capabilities. FranklinCovey has partnered with Liz Wiseman to develop a new solution that enables leaders to become Multipliers who:
| Dr. Bonnie Minkus Holmes, Manager Kate Williams, MA, Senior Consultant Kate Williams M.A. is a Senior Employee and Organizational Development Consultant with the HR division at UNM. As a consultant, Kate works with individuals as well as teams to support strengths-based professional development, identify opportunities to enhance workplace culture, and provides customized training for teams in transition. Together with members of the EOD team, Kate uses data-driven methods within a project management framework to identify needs and design targeted solutions for performance and growth during major initiatives including strategic planning and organizational assessments. In addition to extensive experience with facilitation on a variety of topics, strategic planning, assessments, and coaching, Kate, along with Bonnie, had led over 40 strategic planning sessions across all campuses and been a part of the UN 2040 process. Kate leads the biannual ULead program, a campus-wide initiative that supports leadership development for current and aspiring leaders. Kate recently completed her Green Belt in Six Sigma. Kate holds a Master of Arts in OILS from UNM and a bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College. |
Empowerment through Project Management: Unpacking Essentials and Beyond Join me for an engaging presentation that delves into the dynamic world of project management. This session will explore the intricacies of project management, providing valuable insights and empowering strategies to enhance your professional and personal journey. The session will support you in unpacking the essence of project management, navigate the critical considerations that underpin successful project management, and amongst other things, uncover the transformative potential of project management beyond the workplace.
| Devon Williams, IT Project Manager 3 Devon Williams is a seasoned project manager with a unique blend of leadership skills cultivated on and off the basketball court. A former UNM (University of New Mexico) Lobo basketball player, Devon seamlessly transitioned from the competitive world of sports to the dynamic landscape of project management. With a Bachelor’s in Organizational Communication and Master’s in Sport Administration, both from UNM, Devon has demonstrated a passion for excelling in both academic and athletic pursuits. His ability to strategize, collaborate, and lead a team was honed during their time as a key player on the Lobos basketball team. To deepen his expertise in project management, he obtained his CSM (Certified Scrum Master) Certification from the Scrum Alliance and his PMP (Project Management Professional) from PMI (Project Management Institute). Currently serving as an IT Project Manager 3 at UNM, Devon brings a winning mindset to every project they undertake. Whether it is coordinating complex initiatives or leading a cross-functional team, Devon leverages the discipline and teamwork ingrained in his athletic background to drive success in the professional arena. Outside the office, Devon is a devoted family person, cherishing quality time with his wife and daughter. Balancing the demands of work and family life, Devon exemplifies the same dedication and commitment that have been the hallmarks of his career both on and off the court. As a project manager, Devon continues to inspire colleagues with a strategic approach, effective communication, and an unwavering commitment to achieving goals—a testament to the lessons learned from the basketball court to the boardroom. |
Stop the Declining Number of Women in IT Leadership: Lessons from the Careers of Women CIOs Corporate and societal shifts post-pandemic have prompted many women to rethink their aspirations for IT leadership positions, undermining much of the progress we’ve made towards leadership diversity goals. Our unique data set from over 50 female CIOs offers insight into their career journeys to help CIOs create a talent pipeline and team culture that aligns with their commitment to diverse leadership. You will walk away from this session with practical ideas to make immediate progress to increase the pipeline of women for leadership positions including new approaches to mentorship and sponsorship as well as tactics to defend against bias. | Kristin Mettreaux, VP of Research Kristin Mettraux is a Vice President of Research with Gartner focused on helping IT Leaders improve their management practices and advance their function. Ms. Mettraux has spent more than twenty years studying best practices in IT strategies and structures. She is inspired by her experiences identifying new insights and sharing these innovations in leadership conferences and roundtable discussions with senior leaders. She focuses on research around transformation readiness, including product management structures and agile at scale, with specific focus on talent development, change management and DEI strategies.
Kristin holds an MBA from IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland and has a B.S. in Commerce from University of Virginia. |
Thriving Together: Stories and Reflections to Share as Women in Information Technology | Dr. Jo Kinnard, Senior Business Analyst UNM IT Applications
She has helped to implement cutting-edge technologies in manufacturing, distribution, and higher education. Her book on developing a digital teacher portfolio as part of a teacher education program “From Crayons to Cyberspace: Creating a Professional Teacher Portfolio” was published by Thomson-Wadsworth in 2007. She enjoys hanging out with her husband Mike (who is a senior database architect) listening to electronic dance music, hiking with their two dogs, writing, and painting. |
Women's perspectives on the Workteam of the future: How one department is creating a supportive work culture, a high-functioning remote work team, and leveraging analytics to guide business decisions
This will be a panel discussion with multiple women from the same department sharing their insights. | Panelists: Dawn Davis, Associate Director Tina Zuniga, Program Planning Officer Eva Padilla, Program Planning Officer Maria Orona Morsey, Database Des & Analysis Manager |
