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Meet the Top Women in Tech
Technology plays an ever-present role in the world. Seen in all the masterminded creations of scientists and engineers designed to aid us through life. Historically male-dominated fields, women’s involvement in STEM has deep roots and continues to rise. Let’s start with Edith Clarke, the first woman to earn a master’s in Electrical Engineering from MIT in 1919. Next, let’s go on to meet ten influential women from the past who made their mark in technology. Finally, we invite you to meet 50 of the top women in tech. Powerful female forces harnessing the power of technology to make the world a more beautiful, inclusive, and inspiring place.
10 Influential Women Who Left Their Mark on Tech
Ada Lovelace
An English mathematician born in 1815, Ada Lovelace is considered the world’s first computer programmer. And certainly, thus, one of the most influential women in tech.
Grace Hopper
Born in 1906, American computer scientist and mathematician Grace Hopper is a computer programming pioneer and may just have coined the phrase, “it is often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.”
Hedy Lamarr
Australian-born Hedy Lamarr (1941-200) became an American actress and inventor. Her work with frequency hopping during WWII helped inspire the technology that now allows us to have WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth.
Mary Wilkes
A Harvard lawyer, computer programmer, and logic designer, Mary Allen Wilkes designed the LINC software, one of the earliest interactive personal computer systems. Using it in 1965 sealed Mary in history as the first home computer user.
Adele Goldberg
American computer scientist Adele Goldberg developed the programming language that helped inspire the first Apple computer and graphical user interface (GUI) as we now know it.
Radia Perlman
Often noted as the mother of the internet, Radia Perlman is an American computer programmer and engineer. In 1984, she invented the algorithm behind STP, a necessary component to make the internet possible.
Katherine Johnson
A NASA mathematician, Katherine Johnson’s work instrumentally influenced the success of the first ever (in 1961) and many subsequent US space flights. When it comes to influential women in tech, Katherine is a name to note.
Karen Spärck Jones
A pioneering British information scientist, Karen Spärck Jones, developed Inverse Document Frequency (IDF). A technology that helps weigh the importance of a word in a document—key to modern web search engines
Elizabeth Jocelyn Jake Feinle
An information scientist, and one of the most famous women in tech, Jake served as director of the Network Information Center in California, the first search engine. During her time there (1972-1989), NIC was the first to publish directories, the “white pages” and “yellow pages” online. Her group also developed the domain naming scheme of .com, .net, etc.
Annie Easley
Beginning her career in 1955 as a “human computer”,—Annie’s math skills grew with tech leading to a career as a computer programmer working on NASA programs, including the earliest hybrid battery tech and the Centaur project, which helped make space travel possible.
50 Top Women in Tech Today, From A-Z
Amrapali Gan
CEO | OnlyFans
An Indian-born American businesswoman, Amrapali Gan took on the role of CEO of the adult content platform OnlyFans in 2021. A controversial topic for many, but nonetheless a business that is highly integrated with tech, and one where having powerful women in charge to create a safe place to share all kinds of content, is a beautiful thing.
Anna Salewski
Founder | Scroble Tech
A woman on a mission to create a new world of product experiences, merging online and in-store fashion shopping and reducing overproduction!
Anne-Marie Imafidon
Co-founder & CEO | Stemettes
Computing, mathematics, and language child prodigy, the British-born Anne Marie, uses her brilliance for the world’s greater good. Through Stemettes, she promotes women in STEM careers. When it comes to influential women in tech, this one’s impact is beyond empowering.
Barr Moses
Co-Founder & CEO | Monte Carlo Data
A Stanford mathematician and computer scientist, Barr created the industry’s first end-to-end Data Observatory platform, now on a mission to bring reliable data to companies worldwide.
Chantelle Bell
Co-founder | Syrona Health
Anya Roy and Chantelle Bell co-founded Syrona Women (now Syrona Health) while studying Bioscience at Cambridge University. Syrona is on a mission to support its customers throughout their entire gynecological health journey. Cheers to empowering with tech!
Chelsea Brown
Founder | Digital Mom Talk
“Being a woman in tech means educating parents and businesses what they should have been taught from the beginning: how to protect themselves and their assets online,” says Chelsea Brown.
Cristina Ferreira
TV Host | TVI
Shareholder | Media Capital
While TV host may not sound like your typical job for a list of influential women in tech, Cristina Ferrira’s influence on the world of media technology is profound. The powerhouse is also a shareholder of Media Capital, Portugal’s largest media group.
Daniela Braga
Founder & CEO | Defined.ai
The brain behind one of the fastest-growing startups in the AI space is a woman named Daniel Braga. Built to enable AI creators of the future, Defined.ai hosts the leading AI marketplace.
Debbie Sterling
Founder | GoldieBlox
This engineer, businesswoman, and spokesperson is all about empowering women in STEM. Debbie founded GoldieBlox to disrupt the “pink” aisle in toy stores globally with the world’s first female engineer character.
Diane Jurgens
EVP & CIO, The Walt Disney Company
When it comes to powerful women in tech, Diane Jurgens is a woman to note. As EVP and Chief Information Officer for Disney, Diane leads a global technology organization. Her charge: to connect, empower and protect the Disney magic!
Elina Berglund Scherwitzl
Co-founder & CEO | Natural Cycles
When it comes to empowering women through technology, Elina Berglund Scherwitzl’s certified contraception and fertility app Natural Cycles is top of the top.
Erie Meyer
CT & Sr. Advisor to the Director | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
With a CV full of tech-related contributions, Erie Meyer currently works as the CT of the CFPC. She also co-founded Tech Ladymafir, a network connecting women in STEM.
Fanny Moizant
Co-founder | Vestiaire Collective
Fashion without tech is hard to imagine these days. And when it comes to preserving the future of fashion, it is even more essential. Luxury resale store Vestiaire Collective sits beautifully at the fashion-tech-sustainability intersection.
Fei-Fei Li
Co-Director | Stanford Institue for Human-Centered AI & Standford Vision & Learning Lab
In addition to her work as a computer scientist, Fei-Fei Li is also known for her nonprofit work supporting the next generation of AI technologies, thinkers, and leaders. A mission endeavored through her organization AI4ALL by promoting diversity and inclusion through human-centered AI principles.
Gwynne Shotwell
President & COO | SpaceX
An American businesswoman and engineer, Gwynne manages the operations of the commercial space exploration company founded by Elon Musk. Hello to this key player on the list of powerful women in tech!
Jacky Wright
CDO | Microsoft
As a British technology executive, chief digital officer, and corporate vice president of Microsoft US, Jacky Wright is top of the women in the tech game.
Jae Sook Evans
CIO | Oracle
A master of cloud computing, telecommunications, and networking, Jae Sook Evans leads global technology teams for computer software giant Oracle.
Jane Geraghty
Group Global CEO | Landor & Fitch
With technology changing so many businesses, brand plays a key role in standing out from the crowd. Delivering brand-led growth to clients is Jane Geraghty’s forte.
Janine Yorio
CEO | Everyrealm
Serving as the gateway to the metaverse, Everyrealm is a metaverse holding company. When we look to the future of technology, the metaverse is certainly an area to know and nurture. Too often, women fear tech, so it is so wonderful to see powerful females in the game.
Jenny Griffiths
Founder & CEO | Snap Vision
Software engineer turned entrepreneur Jenny Griffiths founded Snap Vision, a visual search platform designed to lead consumers to exactly what they want to buy online. Often referred to as an ambassador for women in tech, Jenny is certainly a powerful influencer to note.
Jo-ann de Pass Olsovsky
EVP & CIO | Salesforce
Technology is a masterful aid when it comes to customer and employee experiences. A tool Jo-ann uses personally to drive change and support operations at Salesforce.
Jules Coleman
Founder & CTO | Resi
A self-taught coder, Jules co-founded the British cleaning services platform Hassle.com, which she then sold for $37 million in 2015. Next, she co-founded Resi, a tech to provide architectural drawings for homes.
Kate Strachnyi
Founder & Community Manager | DATAcated
A computer scientist by training, Kate founded DATAcated to help companies reach their audience through artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data science.
Katie McIntyre
Creative Director | Katie McIntyre Studio
Katie McIntyre is creating The Feminine Future. Working as a Creative Director, VFX Artist, and Designer for clients like Cardi B, Lizzo, Nike, and Amazon, Katie McIntyre is certainly an influential one to keep an eye on when it comes to women in tech.
Kimberly Bryant
Founder & CEO | Black Girls Code
After working as an electrical engineer in biotechnology, in 2011, Kimberly founded Black Girls Code. A nonprofit, the organization focuses on providing technology and computer programming education to African-American girls.
Leah Solivan
General partner | Fuel Capital
When it comes to a great idea and tech uniting, TaskRabbit (now owned by IKEA) is one for sure. An online and mobile marketplace connecting people with experts for short-term projects, TaskRabbit put Leah on the influential women in tech map. Currently, Leah is working with Fuel Capital to fund early-stage tech businesses.
Leanne Kemp
Founder & CEO | Everledger
Australian tech entrepreneur Leanne Kemp founded the Everledger platform, a company providing technology solutions to increase transparency in global supply chains. So important to the future of our world!
Maëlle Gavet
CEO | Techstars
A French businesswoman, Maëlle Gavet, runs the entrepreneur network Techstars with the mission to make innovation accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Manal Al Sharif
Founder | The Ethical Technologists Society
Manal Al Sharif is best known as the first Saudi woman to specialize in information security. A computer scientist by education, Manal spends much of her time campaigning for women’s rights. A plight she began in 2011 with a right-to-drive campaign that led to her arrest. And one she continues today with The Ethical Technologist Society, “fixing the tech world one byte at a time.”
Martha Bitar
Co-Founder & CEO | Flodesk
Email marketing is a beast in the tech world; the key is quality and functionality. And this is what Flodesk is all about—designing emails people love to open.
Mary Beth Westmoreland
VP Technology | Amazon
When it comes to powerful women in tech, Mary Beth’s position at Amazon ranks pretty high. A bit of a tech veteran, before Amazon, Mary Beth spent over 12 years with the computer software company Blackbaud.
Michal Tsur
Co-founder & President | Kaltura
Israeli-born and raised, Michal Tsur is best described as a serial entrepreneur. Currently, she is growing the open source video platform Kaltura.
Monica Rogati
Data Scientist & AI Advisor | Independent
Monica Rogati is an expert in technical and strategic data science for her clients. A proficiency she developed as VP of Data for wearable tech brand Jawbone and as part of the LinkedIn data science team where she developed the ‘People You May know’ section.
Naomi Gleit
VP of Product | Meta
As the longest-serving employee of Facebook, working there since 2005, Naomi Gleit is a tech veteran, to say the least. And she didn’t just apply and get a job to start. Instead, she leaned in and went after what she wanted until she got it, an important reminder to us all!
Natalie Monbiot
Head of Strategy & Founding Executive | Hour One
An entrepreneurial digital media executive, Natalie currently works with Hour One, an AI company creating and commercializing virtual humans for the next era of customer experience and communication—how’s that for some futuristic stuff?!
Nettrice R. Gaskins
Digital Artist
Dr. Nettrice R. Gaskins is an African American digital artist, academic, cultural critic, and STEM fields advocate. In addition to teaching and writing, Nettrice makes art using algorithms and machine learning.
Nicole Muniz
Leadership Team | Yuga Labs
Founder/Managing Director | Something New
Nicole Muniz is a guru when it comes to brand building and digital strategy. Currently, Nicole is working with web3 company Yuga Labs while continuing to run Something New, partnering with brands and new ventures to “imagine the pieces and see the whole”.
Nonny de la Peña
Founder & CEO | Emblematic Group
Named the “Godmother of Virtual Reality”, Nonny is a filmmaker, journalist, and tech innovator regarded as one of the most influential women in virtual and augmented reality. She founded Emblematic Group in 2007 to create high-impact virtual reality content with a focus on storytelling.
Patricia Scanlon
Founder | SoapBox Labs
An Irish entrepreneur, Patricia Scanlon, founded SoapBox Labs in 2013. The company, which has been referred to as Siri for kids, applied AI to develop voice and speech recognition apps specifically tuned to children’s voices.
Pauline Van Dongen
Founder & Creative Director | Pauline Van Dongen
Renowned as a fashion designer specializing in wearable technology, Pauline Van Dongen founded her coveted studio in 2010. Clients pay up to $120K to commission a design by the wearable technologist.
Rachel Lyske
CEO | DAACI
A trained film composer, versatile musician, and singer, Rachel Lyske heads up DAACI. A company enabling composers to produce adaptive, unique music in a Meta-Composition Interface based on over 30 years of experience.
Rachel Sklar
Advisor | TheLi.st, The Riveter, The Muse, Vox Media, Bustle
A former lawyer, a writer, and an entrepreneur, Rachel Sklar uses her expertise to advise startups, including TheLi.st, a network for professional women she co-founded.
Rathi Murthy
CTO & President | Expedia Services at Expedia Group
A computer engineer and seasoned technology leader, Rathi Murthy is without question one of the most powerful women in tech with a CV of top brands in addition to Expedia, like Verizon, Gap, and American Express.
Reshma Saujani
Founder & CEO | Girls Who Code
A woman dedicated to inspiring and empowering girls to pursue careers in technology, Reshma Saujani founded Girls Who Code to do just that. In addition, she is the author of numerous empowering books.
Sheryl Sandberg
Former COO | Meta
Founder | LeanIn.Org
An American business executive, billionaire, and philanthropist, Sheryl Sandberg is perhaps the most powerful on this list of women in tech. In August 2022, she stepped down as COO of Meta; however, she still runs her nonprofit dedicated to helping women reach their goals by leaning in.
Sue Black
Founder | #Techmums
A computer scientist, Sue Black, founded #techmums to raise money to empower mothers through online and offline classes teaching tech basics.
Sumbul Desai
VP of Health | Apple
An engineer by trade, Sumbul Desai oversees Apple’s health initiatives, including clinical product development, innovative clinical partnerships, and medical research.
Susan Wojcicki
CEO | YouTube
With over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, Susan Wojcicki is yet another fabulously influential woman in the world of technology. Involved in the founding of Google, Susan became their first marketing manager in 1999. Then after recommending Google buy YouTube in 2006, in 2014, she became CEO of the online video sharing platform.
Tammarrian Rogers
Director of Engineering | Snap
CTO | OPTYVA
More than just a vanishing photo app, Tammarrian is keeping Snapchat in the social media game. With nearly 30 years of engineering leadership experience at Microsoft, Apple, and GM, Tammarrian is also CTO of OPTYVA, where she helps empower the cocreation of a sustainable world.
Whitney Wolfe Herd
Founder & CEO | Bumble
Wrapping up this list is Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder & CEO of the female-focused online dating app Bumble. The former VP of Marketing for Tinder, Whitney became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire in 2021 and the youngest woman to take a company public at 31.
Words by Anna Beck
Feature Image: Katie McIntyre
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