Our Team

Our Team
Our passionate, dedicated team collaborates to develop and deliver innovative programs that help diverse college women and non-binary students break through in tech. Spanning national HQ and local sites in New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC, Miami, Los Angeles, and Boston, with trusted advisors all over the country (including some of our students), we are a diverse group united by our belief that a better future depends on all of us.
National Team








Mario Tano
he/himAssistant Director of Recruitment & Preparation, Break Through Tech




Kristina Rodriguez
she/herSenior Director of Industry Partnerships & Business Development
Program Site Directors







Tyla Daniels
She/HerProgram Operations Coordinator, Break Through Tech AI Virtual Program

Advisory Committee

Carla Brodley
she/hersDean of Inclusive Computing; Executive Director of the Center for Inclusive Computing, Northeastern University

Dwana Franklin-Davis
she/hersCEO, Reboot Representation

Ann Kirschner
she/hersActing President, Hunter College

Colleen Lewis
she/hersAssistant Professor of Computer Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne

Kate Hogan
she/hersMarket Unit Lead, US West at Accenture

Nicola Palmer
she/hersFormerly Chief Technology Ambassador, Verizon

Leslie Smith
she/hersNational Director, GET Cities

Judith Spitz, PhD
she/hersExecutive Director, Break Through Tech

Eva Tardos
she/hersChair, Computer Science Department, Cornell University

Kristen Titus
she/hersPrincipal, Kristen Titus, LLC

Laurel Yamaguchi
she/hersSenior Program Strategy and Investment Manager, Pivotal Ventures
Student Advisors
- Ammran Mohamed, Columbia University
- Melissa Poggioli, the City University of New York
- Chenille Lawrence, University of Illinois Chicago
- Valeria Gogunska, University of Illinois Chicago
- Shruti Sekar, George Mason University
- Eileen Nolan, George Mason University
- McKenna Shay, University of Maryland
- Abril Arias, University of Maryland
- Skipper Garcia, the City University of New York
- Wildline Lincifort, the City University of New York