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Women+ in Technology of Mississippi National Leadership Team
Tiffany Benitez - National President & Founder
Tiffany grew up in the beautiful islands of Hawaii. She currently lives in Bentonville, AR with her husband and children. She has spent her career in technology, across several industries. She started her career in the finance industry, with 12 years at Bank of America. Tiffany then made a move to the retail industry and took a role in technology at Walmart’s Home Office. She led several transformation and continuous improvement efforts, to progress the Global Data organization to Agile & Product ways of working. She then made a career move to Lowe’s Companies, Inc. and led the strategy, portfolio, Governance, Awareness, and communications areas for cyber-security in technology. With her time at Lowe’s, she led the Women in Technology group and served with the Women Empowered Business Resource Group leadership team. These roles allowed her to use her passion to drive change and advocacy for women across the organization. She is currently serving as a Senior Director in IT Applications for Tyson Foods, Inc. Tiffany is an Author, Speaker and Advocate for women, who uses her strong connection with people to drive change and empowerment.
Tara Kendrick - National Expansion Lead
Tara Kendrick was born and raised in a small town in Southern Virginia. She recently relocated to the Northwest Arkansas area, where she currently resides in Bentonville, AR. Tara graduated with a Business Management degree from Virginia Tech, specializing in Consulting and Analysis. She has spent her entire career in technology, holding various roles across multiple industries. Tara is currently serving as AVP, Agile Delivery for Live Oak Bank, a digital, cloud-based bank focusing on serving small business owners. She plans to use her extensive experience in program and project management to develop strategies that will expand the WIT organization into new areas, continuing to drive change and empower women and girls across America. Outside of work, you will find Tara trying new recipes in the kitchen, going on long walks (or playing fetch) with her dog, June, reading all the Kindle Unlimited books, spending time with friends and family, and empowering women through fitness as a Pure Barre instructor.
Women+ in Technology of Mississippi Chapter Leadership Team
Sharie Mims - Chapter President
Sharie grew up in a small town in Mississippi where there were few opportunities for women in the corporate world, much less in the technology sector. She lives in Madison, MS, with her husband and 3 boys. Her opportunity in tech happened early on; unsure where this job would take her, she took the job as a receptionist at a Top 50 CRN IT solutions provider. She shifted roles internally a few times but fell in love with the external client-facing role. However, she grew to see she was a minority amongst her peers of men. After 14 years with the company, she wanted a change and moved to a Fortune 100 company to understand the corporate world better. Although only a stepping stone, it gave her a new perspective on how women thrived in the corporate world. She later joined a global professional services firm as a Sales Director and worked with women worldwide. She heard their stories and discussed the barriers they faced being in tech in other countries, and their experiences humbled her. She is excited to expand this chapter in Mississippi and open doors to possibilities that women may not know existed. She currently serves as a Senior Client Executive for Rimini Street and is backed by many powerful women in her organization!
Emily Carpenter - WIT MS Operations & Finance Lead
Emily Carpenter is a director in the construction focus group at HORNE where she specializes in client advisory and accounting services. She focuses on General Ledger analysis, sales tax and payroll consulting, reporting and payments, 1099s and preparation of financial statements. Emily joined the firm in 2016 with more than 15 years of previous accounting experience. She earned a Bachelor of Accountancy from the Mississippi University for Women. She has also earned a Master of Business Administration and Accounting from Mississippi College.
Madison Litwin - WIT MS Marketing & Comms Lead
Madison grew up in Byram, MS, and graduated high school from MRA in 2018 and Mississippi State in 2022. Her career began at Business Communications, Inc. in August 2022, where she was introduced to the technology field as the Marketing Manager. She has come to love the technology sector because she sees it as a cornerstone for the community. Madison enjoys connecting with people and wants everyone to feel like they belong. She is excited to be part of Women+ in Technology of Mississippi where she can market this sense of belonging to other women in the community. When she is not at work, she enjoys working out, taking walks, and spending time with friends and family.
Stephanie Lass - WIT MS Events & Logistics Lead
Stephanie grew up in Natchez, MS, and her journey has taken many paths leading to her current role. She discovered her passion for technology when she landed her first job at ITT Hartford in Dallas, TX. Starting as a temporary receptionist, she quickly advanced to the position of Network Administrator. After several years in that role, she relocated to Ridgeland, MS, and transitioned to IT Sales, working for GE Capital IT Solutions and later Business Communications, Inc. Stephanie's career then took her to New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, where she served as a sales manager in Melbourne, FL, Jackson, MS, and New Orleans, LA. Following Hurricane Katrina, she returned to Mississippi and worked as the Director of Marketing and Customer Relations at Central Access, a Ridgeland software company, for 13 years. In 2023, she rejoined Business Communications, Inc. as a Project Manager. Beyond her professional life, Stephanie is passionate about event coordination and spends her spare time organizing events of various sizes. She prides herself on her ability to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders, facilitating productive conversations and optimal solutions.
Rebecca Hoda - WIT MS Membership & Recruitment Lead
Rebecca Hoda was raised in Seminary, Mississippi by a family defined by strong women. She pursued her higher education at Mississippi State University. After earning her degree, she embarked on a career in education, teaching public high school for five years. During her time as an educator, Rebecca took on multiple leadership roles, dedicating herself to helping students reach their full potential. Seeking new challenges, Rebecca transitioned to the corporate sector, joining Business Communications, Inc. in Ridgeland, MS, as an inside sales representative. Her dedication and exceptional performance quickly led to a promotion to management. In this role, Rebecca has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, driving her team to success. Beyond her professional achievements, she serves on the Madison County Young Professionals Steering Committee and is a member of the Junior League of Jackson. She lives in Ridgeland with her husband and son. Her journey into technology, while unconventional, reflects her passion for mentoring, leadership, and making a positive impact on those around her. She is thrilled to be part of Women+ in Technology of Mississippi and to help other women as they purse their careers in technology.
Clara Fuller - WIT MS Girls+ in Tech Lead
Clara Fuller was born and raised in Birmingham, AL and went on to start her journey in the state of Mississippi at Mississippi State University. She graduated in December of 2023 with a degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering. Her career journey has started with Nissan Motor Corporation as a Process Engineer for the Body Engineering Department. Clara is passionate about creating space for women to thrive in male-dominated industries. She is extremely excited to join this amazing group and help change this community for the better. Specifically, she is thrilled to work with young women and girls interested in tech to help foster their confidence and knowledge of opportunities for careers in technology.
Sherra Noel - WIT MS Education & Community Lead
Sherra Noel is an experienced professional with a strong foundation in both client facing service and information technology, Sherra brings a unique blend of skills to every role. With over 20 years in customer service, Sherra has honed her ability to effectively communicate, problem-solve, and deliver exceptional service to clients. Sherra’s IT background, including Helpdesk Management, extensive ITIL, Scrum, and Project Management training allows her to understand and address technical issues with precision and efficiency.
In her previous roles, she has consistently demonstrated her ability to bridge the gap between technical teams and customers, ensuring that complex technical information is conveyed in a clear and understandable manner. She is adept at managing customer inquiries, troubleshooting technical problems, and providing solutions that enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Sherra’s passion for technology and commitment to outstanding client service drives her to continuously improve and stay updated with the latest industry trends and advancements. Sherra thrives in dynamic environments and is always ready to take on new challenges, leveraging my dual expertise to deliver superior results.
Beth Savage Zito - WIT MS Sponsorship Lead
A native of Jackson, MS, Beth Savage Zito, serves as Director of Business Development, Marketing & Public Relations at NexTech, a Jackson-based IT Asset /E-Waste Disposal services company. She works with corporate clients and government agencies to create and deploy secure and sustainable IT disposal practices that serve to protect people and the planet. Her fascination with technology led her to minor in Computer Sciences and then, after graduation, gravitate to the tech world where she spent most of her career in business development roles for tech-related companies and clients. In her current role, Beth oversees multiple business areas including marketing and public relations while also developing business and managing clients. As a horse girl, outdoor enthusiast, and nature lover, the environment was always a chief concern. Calling herself a “conservative treehugger,” she is conscious of how the environment is treated and has managed to combine her love of nature and technology in the E-waste-related field of IT Asset Disposal (ITAD.) Believing that technology is central to sustainability, she wants to inspire others to care for our environment and employ sustainable practices while embracing technology advancements. As part of the Women in Tech MS Leadership Team, her desire is to ensure that all girls and women are exposed to the amazing world of technology. To that end, she works with corporate sponsors whose generous contributions make it possible for girls and women to discover careers in technology.