2024 Recipients of the Applause Program
Highlighting Women and Allies in Tech Across UCI
For Women’s History Month 2024, Women in Tech @ UCI is proud to announce the recipients of our Applause Program.
These inspiring recipients embody WiT’s motto of “Advance. Inspire. Empower. Act.” in the workplace.
Each of these individuals was nominated by their colleagues and peers for their impact and accomplishments in fostering an inclusive culture at UCI through their words, values, actions, and attitudes. Let us be inspired to follow in their trailblazing footsteps this Women’s History Month and long after.
2024 Recipients
Jump to — Regina Castleman | Olivia Chang | Meredith Ehrenberg | Xanat Hernandez |
Deepti Pandita | Nellie Valentine | Sasha Voloshina
Honorable Mentions
Regina Castleman
Marketing and Communications Manager
UCI School of Biological Sciences
Regina has proven to be an inspiring leader and advocate for women in technology within the workplace. Her role extends beyond just providing technical solutions; Regina actively supports the growth and development of her female colleagues, fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for the entire team. Notably, Regina has taken concrete steps to enhance team cohesion and boost morale. Regina has created an inviting atmosphere where her coworkers feel valued and supported, contributing to a positive work culture in the realm of digital communications. Through her leadership and thoughtful initiatives, Regina exemplifies how fostering unity and creating inclusive spaces can empower women in technology.
Which WiT value does Regina best exemplify?
Regina embodies the value of ‘Inspire’ through her proactive efforts to empower her female colleagues in technology. One notable initiative that highlights Regina’s commitment to inspiration is her personalized approach to professional development. Specifically, she actively seeks out training modules for her female staff members, ensuring that they are well-equipped to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital communications. By investing in the skills and knowledge of her team members, Regina not only addresses the current challenges faced in their roles but also strategically sets the stage for their long-term career success.
— Nominated by Ethan Perez
UCI School of Biological Sciences
Olivia Chang
Assistant Professor of Clinical Urology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division Chief of Female Urology
Department: Urology
Dr. Chang currently serves as the Assistant Professor of Clinical Urology and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of California Irvine. In her role as the Division Chief of Female Urology in the Department of Urology, she has demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication to the advancement of women’s health.
Since joining us in 2022, Dr. Chang has tirelessly worked on the development and expansion of the Female Urology Division. Her efforts have resulted in enhanced access to high-quality treatment for women with pelvic floor disorders which has traditionally been overlooked in routine medical care. Her division has grown to service women across Orange County for the most intimate medical needs that they require, regardless of their insurance status, race or language spoken. Furthermore, Dr. Chang actively engages in patient education, ensuring that individuals are empowered with knowledge about their health. She has developed numerous health education videos, contributing to a more informed and empowered patient community.
– Nominated by Faysal Yafi
DOM General Internal Medicine
Which of our four WiT values does Dr. Chang embody?
Dr. Chang is a trailblazer in fostering an inclusive research environment that empowers young women in medicine. She has gone above and beyond to create opportunities for mentorship, particularly for undergraduate students, medical students, and research fellows. Under her leadership, she started the Center for Pelvic Floor Disorders, a mentored lab that has engaged over 10 female trainees. This lab focuses on understanding and addressing the attitudes and values that women place on their urologic and gynecologic care, contributing to the overall improvement of women’s health. This research powerhouse has successfully obtained national funding and actively produces high-quality research.
Meredith Ehrenberg
Information Architect, IT Communications & Training
Office of the Vice Chancellor, Data and Information Technology – ODIT
Meredith is an active and very vocal advocate for all equality and inclusion at UC Irvine and has helped many women at UCI develop helpful strategies that enhance their career development within the technology discipline on our campus. Her allyship mindset enables her to connect and empathize with the challenges of women in technology at UCI, and she embraces these challenges, develops positive responses, and unselfishly shares this expertise.
Accessibility and inclusion at UCI are undergoing a positive change at UCI and the Meredith is a big part of this transformation through her roles and dedication to many central committees that deal with such issues.
Which of our four values does Meredith best exemplify?
Meredith exemplifies the value of ‘Act‘ through her roles with allyship programs on campus and her training duties with ODIT.
One example of this value is Meredith’s commitment in the creation, development, and leadership role for the new AccessibiliTrees program, which encourages UCI faculty, staff, and students to introduce accessibility solutions to their everyday activities.
— Nominated by Ian Grainger
OVPTL Communications & UCI Media
Xanat Hernandez
Director of Communications
Office of the Vice Chancellor, Data and Information Technology – ODIT
Xanat has been instrumental in building the internal and external brand and storytelling capability for the technology functions across UCI. Working in partnership with technology leaders and their institutional partners, Xanat has helped elevate the narrative around how UC Irvine is being both strategic and transformative through the use of technology and data analytics. Additionally, Xanat has been an active participant and advocate in our Inclusive Excellence programs, both in championing the role for women in the field of technology and in establishing a culture of innovation AND inclusion. Her emergence as a leader both in voice and in practice has set a great example for others and has been well recognized.
– Nominated by Tom Andriola
Vice Chancellor, Data and Information Technology – ODIT
Since she joined our team as its Director last year, Xanat has demonstrated leadership in every aspect. She is setting strategy for communications for both OIT (Office of Information Technology) and ODIT (Office of Data and Information Technology) and is working to manage multiple competing deadlines for our team. She gracefully handles every challenge, and works tirelessly to support our permanent staff – all other women in IT. Aside from her own outstanding work accomplishments, Xanat is an inspiring and challenging leader, constantly encouraging each of us to contribute in meetings, to develop our own professional skills, and to deliver our best work. She also mentors several student employees – most of whom are also women. Along with encouraging their academic growth, she’s helping them build career skills. She sets a high standard, and leads us all to achieve it.
— Nominated by Meredith Ehrenberg
Office of the Vice Chancellor, Data and Information Technology – ODIT
Xanat has been instrumental in promoting diversity and inclusion in IT. As a key member of the OIT Diversity and Equity committee, her profound insights and experience are not just contributing but actively reshaping the landscape for women and other underrepresented groups in technology at UCI. Her leadership in steering our branding initiative isn’t just about making an impact; it’s about creating a lasting, transformative difference.
Her advocacy extends far beyond committee meetings and strategy sessions. Xanat is the driving force in elevating women within our organization. She isn’t just recognizing the achievements and capabilities of her team members and other female colleagues, including myself – she’s ensuring these accomplishments resonate throughout the organization. Her actions are a clarion call to acknowledge and value the contributions of every individual.
Within her own team, Xanat’s influence is palpable. She doesn’t just lead; she uplifts, having recently elevated a team member to a leadership role, thereby actively shaping the trajectory of her career. Her mentorship extends into the academic realm, guiding students to not only excel in their current studies but also to lay a robust foundation for their future professional journeys.
— Nominated by Sylvia Bass
Office of Information Technology
Which one of the four WiT values does Xanat best exemplify?
Many of our technology initiatives at UC Irvine are very technically innovative. However, in many cases they do not resonate with the end user or community that it is targeted because of the lack of creating a compelling and engaging story. Xanat has been instrumental in bringing those stories to life, e.g., what is the value that OIT brings to the mission of the university through the annual report, how has the Evolve program which focuses on staff development and upskilling lead to career development opportunities. Evolve been recognized as a best practice in higher education and in the technology field at large. Xanat’s leadership helps us capture and communicate those stories, which means she’s involved in almost every level of activity for the UC Irvine technology function.
– Tom Andriola
Xanat has advanced and elevated IT communications across campus and in the higher education community at large. Based on her nominations, we have been recognized at the UC systemwide level and by Gartner for the Evolve IT Human Resources project. She also coordinated a media launch event for the University’s first course taught exclusively in the Metaverse, leading to mentions by Tmobile and Orange Coast Magazine. Her work is definitely helping to advance IT communications, on campus and nationally – positioning UCI as a thought leader in IT.
– Meredith Ehrenberg
Xanat Hernandez is an inspiration who personifies the servant leader. She emphasizes the growth and well-being of those around her ensuring that they belong and their voices are heard. While I am not part of her team, she always makes sure to make me feel included, respected, and valued.
As an example of this type of leadership, I regularly see her call out the accomplishments of others, particularly women, elevating their status in the organization. She is persuasive and is able to steer disparate opinions in a way that makes everyone feel heard. I’ve been in meetings with her where she listens to everyone’s concerns and then brings her own wealth of experience to guide the group to a mutual understanding.
– Sylvia Bass
Deepti Pandita
Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO)
Department of Internal Medicine (Health IT)
Dr. Pandita is the UCI CMIO and was selected to her position due to her exceptional dedication to champion woman physicians and woman technology leaders. As a result of her leadership, both the Chief Ambulatory and Chief Inpatient medical information officer positions are held by extreme talented and well qualified physician-faculty. She has consistently mentored and empowered myself and the other woman in our group to create an inclusive environment where we can speak-up, empower our profession growth and leadership. Her commitment to create and foster diversity and inclusivity at UCI Heath in the technology area make her deserving of this nomination and she continues to drive positive change for empowerment of woman at UCI.
– Nominated by Emilie Chow
Deptartment of Internal Medicine
Which WiT value does Dr. Pandita best exemplify?
Dr. Pandita empowers UCI Health by promoting and inclusive environment by ensuring equal opportunities and representation of woman in UCI Health and the broader Clinical Informatics Community. She is establishing networks and initiatives which help woman thrive. Through her leadership, she created an atmosphere where woman can lead, innovate and succeed in clinical informatics.
Nellie Valentine
Parent Advocate
Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Nellie Valentine exemplifies the true spirit of the Women in Technology Applause Program through her outstanding commitment to empowering women, particularly those from diverse backgrounds. Nellie’s tireless efforts are directed towards fostering a sense of strength and confidence within families, especially women of color, as they navigate the challenges of autism, neurodiversity, and advocacy.
Her impactful initiatives include the establishment of influential parent groups (Parent to Parent and Empowering Women of Color) and the facilitation of invaluable workshops (Supporting Early Childhood, All About ABA, From Power Struggle to Partnership), creating spaces where individuals can learn, grow, and support one another. Additionally, Nellie has played a pivotal role in securing multiple DDS grants, showcasing her dedication to advancing opportunities and resources for women. In the realm of autism advocacy, Nellie’s leadership has been instrumental, and many, like myself, owe a debt of gratitude for the positive impact she has had on our journeys. Nellie leads by example, and knowing just how challenging it is to have a child with special needs, I am completely amazed by her ability to be a fierce advocate for her family while also helping other families on their journey. Her unwavering commitment to inclusivity, demonstrated through her words, values, actions, and attitudes, makes her a deserving candidate for the UCI Women in Technology 2024 Applause Award.
— Nominated by Cecilia Rideout
Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Which of our four values does Nellie best exemplify?
Nellie Valentine embodies the value of empowerment through her transformative initiative, the Empowering Women of Color parent group. This pioneering effort has significantly altered the cultural landscape of racial bias and health discrimination within our ABC communities (African American, Black, and Caribbean). By creating a platform for education and empowerment, Nellie has enabled other women, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to advocate more effectively for their children. The impact of this initiative goes beyond rhetoric, as it has been instrumental in unlocking accommodations, services, building confidence, and addressing hesitancy in seeking care. Furthermore, Nellie’s proactive approach extends to securing a DDS grant, which not only includes herself but also involves other parent partners (myself and another mom). Through her relentless advocacy, she has ensured that these grants incorporate leadership and advocacy training, further enhancing the skills and capabilities of women, and contributing to a more inclusive and empowered community.
Sasha Voloshina
Assistant Professor
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
I am nominating Prof. Sasha Voloshina for this recognition because she is notably working towards creating environments where diverse people are celebrated and prioritized. She does this through research that literally focuses on supporting diverse individuals (gait rehabilitation for people with walking disabilities) and does this with a diverse team of researchers. She openly shares her experiences as a woman in engineering and the challenges that come along with that and recognizes that her position as a professor positions her to empower the next generation. Indeed, she is an incredible mentor to her female students, and in addition, she is an incredible mentor to all students as she demonstrates how to prioritize diversity in research and teaching, leading to changing the environment in which we all work and learn. It is my opinion supporting environmental change to support women is essential for lasting change, and I am grateful to call her a colleague and friend.
– Nominated by Natascha Buswell
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Which of our four values does Sasha best exemplify?
Prof. Voloshina embodies the concept of empowering women in technology as she does this through all aspects of her work. In research, she creates products that empower people with disabilities to regain their abilities to walk; in teaching, she empowers her students to pursue projects and work that support those with disabilities and other non-normative characteristics; and in service, she organizes a graduate student seminar series where all students are empowered to present their work and engage in supportive discussion about research. Her presence as a woman in engineering who focuses on empowering students and rehabilitation patients is greatly appreciated. The department of mechanical and aerospace engineering, UCI, and everyone who meets her is lucky to know her.
Honorable Mentions
In addition to the 2024 Applause honorees, we’d like to acknowledge other nominees in technology who also embody WiT’s motto of Advance, Inspire, Empower, and Act.
Lakshmi Arunachalam
Business Systems Analyst, UCI Libraries