Website, Apps & Video Awards Judging Committee
Chair:
Barbara Zenz, President & CEO
The Stephenz Group, Inc., San Jose, California, United States
About twenty-five years ago, Barbara Zenz launched a tech-focused brand and marketing agency in Silicon Valley. It was back before the tech marketplace was the consumer-driven powerhouse it is today, back when it was merely known for microchips and a hodgepodge of IT parts and pieces. Her firm, The Stephenz Group, helped some of the industry’s largest players—including HP, iControl Networks, Epson®, and Samsung—develop their brands into the newly emerging B2B tech market. “Our company grew up at the same time Silicon Valley was growing up,” she says. “I think the strongest weapons women in business can have are a positive attitude, a belief that we can do it, and the ability to make it happen.” Barbara continues: “On the hardest days of running a business, I always know it’s going to get better because I believe I can find the next step forward. Every day, you focus on making progress.”
Perhaps that’s why The Stephenz Group—as well as Barbara’s other two companies—have not only survived the economic roller coasters of the last two decades; they’ve thrived and expanded despite them. The secret to moving forward—both in life and in business—is to be adaptable and willing to reinvent yourself. When 2008 delivered a hard blow to businesses everywhere, Barbara was quick to look for a path forward. “We had to change and adapt so that the business would stay relevant. That meant offering new and different kinds of services and ‘right-sizing’ our staff to meet the new revenue model,” she says. From those challenges, however, she leveraged new opportunities. She developed a new service team called Studio, a cost- effective, project-driven team designed to serve the changing needs of the market.
In 2016, Barbara reinvented once again with the birth of MyStudio[Pros], a high-touch digital marketing platform that serves home security dealers. The business model is powered by an intimate level of support from its account managers and digital marketing experts who deliver subscription-based digital marketing to help customers drive sales. Of course, she asserts she couldn’t have done it all by herself. With her business partner, Stephanie Paulson, and their strategically assembled all-star cast of employees who are as passionate about the work as they are, they continue to grow the business.
Committee:
Murali Balusu, Head of Voip & Lead Software Engineer
HalloApp, Campbell, California, United States
Murali is a software engineering professional who has worked on a wide variety of complex engineering problems at all levels of the product stack and built ML and AI solutions for various problems at Amazon, Google, and startups focused on consumer products and services. He has unique insight into building software.
Debarshi Barat, Director
Edelman Financial Engines, Santa Clara, California, United States
Debarshi Barat is a dynamic product leader with a track record of innovation in product management and marketing. Currently he serves as a Director of Product Management at Edelman Financial Engines. He has extensive experience in driving several Salesforce CRM and Marketing Technology implementations.
Jasmeet Singh Bhatia, VP, Deposit Analytics
Truist, Glen Allen, Virginia, United States
Jasmeet is VP, Deposit Strategy Analytics at Truist Bank. He has 15 years’ experience in the Financial Services industry, specializing in the successful delivery of revenue-driving initiatives in data and analytics. He has led efforts to leverage advanced analytical techniques to understand customer journeys and build personalized solutions based on unique client needs.
Gaurav Chawla, AI/ML Lead JP Morgan chase
Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Gaurav Chawla, an experienced AI/ML Lead, specializes in crafting real-time Machine Learning solutions. Having worked at JP Morgan Chase and holding a master’s degree in data science from Columbia University, he actively contributes to open-source projects. Additionally, he engages in reviewing research papers and technical literature for prominent journals and publications.
Orhan Dogan, Chief Technology Officer
GoldPath Media, Istanbul, Turkey
Experienced Chief Technology Officer with 20+ years. Architected and developed software systems to solve business needs. Managed end-to-end production teams with different tech stacks. Contributed to a 217.5M$ GittiGidiyor acquisition by eBay and 23M$ funding for Homzmart. Led teams of 7 to 200 professionals across multi-national, multi-office settings.
Alejandra Fehrmann, Internal Comms Dr.
Nissan US, Franklin, Tennessee, United States
Alejandra is director, internal communications, U.S., at Nissan, where she is responsible for leading employee communications across corporate, manufacturing and parts distribution center. Alejandra is passionate about driving business results, leading cultural transformation, and building employee ambassadorship. She brings 20+ years of expertise across communications, public affairs, marketing, and digital.
Akash Jatangi, Director of Product
Deserve, Inc., Cupertino, California, United States
With over 8 years of experience in building innovative products, Akash Jatangi is a passionate and accomplished product leader. Currently, as a Director of Product at Deserve, he is at the forefront of fintech innovation - creating a mobile-first credit card platform.
Swati Kirti, Senior Director Data Science
Walmart Global Tech, Seattle, Washington, United States
Swati Kirti is Senior Director of Data Science at WMT Global Tech, leading the AI/ML charter for its international business. She is responsible for building AI and ML models and products to enable automation and data-driven decisions, power a superior customer experience, and realize value for omni-channel international businesses.
Jessica Qian, Art Director
Independent, Los Angeles, California, United States
Jessica is an acclaimed Art Director, specializes in crafting unique visual identities for renowned artists and international brands. With notable music video productions for artists like Roy Woods and Burna Boy, Jessica has collaborated with distinguished brands such as Adidas, Asics, Puma, and Hennessy. Her innovative work is showcased on global platforms.
Supreeth Rajan, Director Of Product
Experian Consumer Services, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Supreeth is the Director of Product Management at Experian. He thrives in the Product Management space and over the last 10+ years, launched solutions to improve manufacturing execution, make split second decisions on the racetrack, and help American consumers make the right financial decisions with the right solutions.
Joanna Ratajczak, Journalist & Film Director
Lara Lurex, Berlin, Germany
Joanna Ratajczak is a Polish-born journalist and filmmaker currently living in Berlin. She completed her studies in political science and journalism in Poznań. After finishing her studies, she relocated to Berlin, where in 2003, she joined the JazzRadio team, hosting various programs. She gained recognition by hosting her own radio show.
Bikram Singh, Partner and Chief Growth Officer
Successive Technologies LLC, United States
Rakesh Singh, Vice President of Product Management
JPMorgan Chase, Secaucus, New Jersey, United States
Rakesh, VP of Product Management at JPMorgan Chase & Co. since 2022, boasts over 13 years of IT expertise spanning IT Consulting, Digital Transformation, and Product Management. Armed with a master's degree in Information Systems from George Washington University, Rakesh is committed to driving innovation and excellence in the fintech realm.
Ramsundar Sundarkumar, Director of Engineering
Aledade, San Jose, California, United States
Ramsundar Sundarkumar, currently the transformative Director of Engineering at Aledade, Inc., has an illustrious career from Google to Airbnb, blending leadership with technical innovation in healthcare and privacy. His rich background includes a Master's in Computer Science and contributions to critical technology developments, demonstrating profound impact across tech giants and startups.