About Us
Mission
We work at the intersection of academia and industry to propel women and underrepresented communities into computing degrees and tech careers.
Through curriculum innovation, career access, and community building, our goal is to achieve gender equality in tech.
Our Team
We’re a cross-institutional, agile team, working to support large numbers of curious and self-motivated young women as they explore academic and career opportunities in computing fields, and we are especially committed to serving Black, Latina, and Indigenous women.
We love to collaborate with tech leaders in all fields. Whether you’re a large corporation, a startup, a nonprofit, in government, or in academia, we want to partner with you.
We’re hoping to inspire future change makers—the next generation of top talent, the companies that value diversity, and the public institutions that support innovation.
Break Through Tech DC Leadership
Kate Atchison
she/herBreak Through Tech DC Co-Site Lead at UMD; Assistant Director of the Iribe Initiative for Inclusion and Diversity in Computing (I4C)
Jan Plane
she/herBreak Through Tech DC Academic Lead at UMD; Director of the Iribe Initiative for Inclusion and Diversity in Computing (I4C) and Principal Lecturer of Computer Science
Shvetha Soundararajan
she/herBreak Through Tech DC PI at Mason; Associate Professor (Teaching) of Computer Science
Additional Members of the Break Through Tech DC at Mason Team
Elizabeth Delgado
she/herBreak Through Tech DC at Mason Data Lead; Strategic Modeling and Data Analyst
Khondkar R. Islam
he/himBreak Through Tech DC at Mason Data Lead and Curriculum Innovation Co-Lead; Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies, Information Sciences and Technology
Shahnaz Kamberi
she/herAssociate Professor of Computer Science
David Rosenblum
he/himBreak Through Tech DC at Mason Administrative Lead and Academic Co-lead; Professor and Chair of the Department of Computer Science
Kammy Sanghera
she/herBreak Through Tech DC at Mason Strategic Industry Lead; Executive Director IDIA
Gurdip Singh
he/him
Mark Snyder
he/himBreak Through Tech DC at Mason Curriculum Innovation Co-Lead; Term Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Computer Science
Ozlem Uzuner
she/herBreak Through DC at Mason Academic Co-Lead; Interim Chair, Associate Professor of Information Sciences and Technology
Additional Members of the Break Through Tech DC at UMD Team
Katie Bemb
she/herCommunications Lead, Break Through Tech DC at UMD
Vedat Diker
he/himPrincipal Lecturer & Program Director, iSchool
Pamela Duffy
she/herLecturer and Faculty Director of B.S. in Information Science, iSchool
Roger Eastman
he/himDirector of Immersive Media Design and Professor of Practice, Computer Science
Elias Gonzalez
he/himCurriculum Innovation Lead, Break Through Tech DC at UMD
Robert Infantino
he/himAssociate Dean for Undergraduate Education, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
Kate Izsak
she/herAssistant Dean for Academic Affairs, iSchool
Asia Jones
she/herGraduate Assistant, Break Through Tech DC at UMD
Bill Kules
he/himDirector of the iConsultancy and Principal Lecturer, iSchool
David Mount
he/himAssociate Chair of Undergraduate Studies & Professor, Department of Computer Science
Ron Padrón
he/himDirector of Undergraduate Operations, iSchool
Caitlin Rudy
she/herCareer Access Lead, Break Through Tech DC at UMD
Alyssa Ryan
she/herAssistant Director, Immersive Media Design
Veronica Sanchez
she/herRetention Coordinator, Iribe Initiative for Inclusion and Diversity in Computing (I4C)