Women in Cloud #empowHERaccess Awards spotlight leaders expanding access in the AI economy

BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON: Women in Cloud (WIC) concluded its sixth annual #empowHERaccess program with a series of leadership events culminating in the Global Prestige Awards Gala, where entrepreneurs, technologists, mentors and ecosystem builders were recognized for their contributions to creating greater economic access in the technology sector.

The three-day program also featured discussions on artificial intelligence, leadership, strategic partnerships and the launch of a new leadership initiative designed for the AI economy.

eShe is proud to be a media partner for the #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards and a community partner for WIC.

Hosted at the Hilton Bellevue, the awards gala brought together Women in Cloud’s partners, founders, investors and community members from around the world. According to WIC, the three-day program generated more than four million brand impressions, attracted over 210 in-person participants and celebrated 49 award finalists, 10 Global Prestige Award winners, seven ICONS of the Year and 20 Awards of Recognition.

The program began with a Partner Appreciation Luncheon, where Chaitra Vedullapalli, cofounder of Women in Cloud, outlined the organization’s approach to expanding economic opportunities for women in technology. Speaking to partners and supporters, she said the organization now connects more than 150,000 community members across 120 countries and has facilitated over $600 million in economic access during the past six years.

Rather than focusing solely on training individuals, Vedullapalli argued that organizations should also build the systems that create opportunities: “Most organizations help people become better pilots. We asked a completely different question. Who is building the airport? Because without the runways, even great pilots cannot take off. And economic access is that runway.”

She added that access is often determined not by the availability of education but by the availability of opportunities.

“People do not struggle finding education and training. They struggle turning education into opportunity. They know where to learn. They don’t know where to belong.” That gap, the distance between learning something and having somewhere to use it, is what her organization has been trying to close.

Vedullapalli closed her remarks with an image about planting trees: “The person planting the trees knows they will probably never sit under the shade. Yet they plant anyway, because it’s the right thing to do.”

The luncheon encouraged participants to interact with one another through facilitated conversations about leadership, community and opportunity. Among the attendees was WIC’s partner benefits manager Andrea Herrera, who also welcomed guests as they arrived.

The next session was led by Karen Fassio, cofounder of Women in Cloud, whom Vedullapalli described as a long-time thought partner in shaping the organization’s work. Fassio encouraged participants to view communities as places where trust is established and opportunities are created.

“Communities are where the truth of things, the trust of things, gets calibrated,” she said.

Participants were asked to reflect on people who had influenced their professional journeys. During the discussion at my table, Snehal Kasal, a digital transformation leader, recounted how a teacher in India encouraged her to pursue science despite initially struggling with English-language textbooks after studying in Marathi language through school.

“You understand this. You just need to have more confidence in yourself,” her teacher told Kasal. Within a few months, she had it.

While I drove home in traffic later, the airport analogy stuck with me. It reframes what we usually call access as an infrastructure question. Who is building the runway, and for whom?

The following evening’s 6th #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards Gala combined keynote addresses, panel discussions, recognition of award winners and the unveiling of Women in Cloud’s next leadership initiative.

Guests were welcomed personally by Vedullapalli before taking their seats. “Wait till you see what it’s going to be like today. It’s a party!” she promised me. 

The table I was assigned to was hosted by Eat Happy Now, a Bellevue-based nonprofit that rescues surplus healthy food from businesses and redistributes it to food-insecure communities.

Representing the organization were Sharmila Rathinam, chief executive officer and founder; Kuntal Mehta, head of partnerships; Purnima Vasudevan, chief impact officer; and Anesh Arch Victor, who introduced guests to the nonprofit’s work during the reception.

Delivering the keynote address was Jane Boulware, author, speaker and retired Microsoft corporate vice president. Drawing on her own career, she reflected on mentorship, self-confidence and leadership.

“None of us are self-made,” she said, narrating a story from her childhood in rural Iowa when a nun named Sister Francis Xavier gave her $320 to go to school, a gift that eventually carried her to Microsoft as a corporate CVP.

She also spoke about navigating self-doubt despite professional success: “Rather than acting fearless, my goal is just to fear less.” Closing her remarks, Boulware urged leaders to become mentors for others, recalling the teacher who had supported her own education, “Be somebody’s gnarly old nun.”

Later in the evening, Vedullapalli moderated a discussion on leadership in the age of artificial intelligence before unveiling ICONIC Leadership, her forthcoming book co-authored with Dee Dee Walsh.

Scheduled for publication in September 2026, the book builds on earlier WIC initiatives, including the ICONS documentary and OPULIS, which documents the stories of Microsoft women and has been formally included in the Microsoft Archives. This marks an important milestone for documenting women’s contributions to the technology industry.

The launch formed part of a broader initiative to develop leadership frameworks for the AI economy. During the three-day program, Women in Cloud also conducted its first AI Influence Experience workshop, introduced co-authors of the book and announced a Kickstarter campaign supporting the initiative.

According to the organization, the campaign had reached 18 per cent of its $20,000 goal with ambassadors participating from 20 countries.

During the gala, WIC presented its annual ICONS of the Year Awards, recognizing individuals whose work has created opportunities through mentoring, partnerships, workforce development and ecosystem building. The 2026 recipients were Nathalie D’Hers, Mary Elizabeth Porray, Karen Fassio, Eileen H., Chelsey Galipeau, Patti Burroughs and Nick Hughes.

The Global Prestige Awards recognized leaders across several categories:

• Trailblazer Leadership Award: Molly Huyck
• Technologist Visionary Award: Callie Goldsby
• Women Tech Entrepreneur of the Year: Kristin Nobles
• Mentor of the Year: Anna Ludwiczak
• Ally of the Year: Robert Washington
• Ecosystem Builder Award: Sabrina Schneider
• Podcast of the Year (Leadership and Innovation): Catherine Gray
• Wellness Innovation Award: Elizabeth Elfenbein
• Corporate Impact Champion: Charu Maheshwari
• Marketplace Partner of the Year: Shivani Sharma

The organization also presented Special Recognition awards to an additional 19 honorees.

Throughout the week, WIC organized several partner-focused sessions, including a Partner Appreciation Luncheon, a #FoundHerWorld Founders Breakfast addressing AI adoption, monetization of large language models, evaluation delays and trust challenges, and networking events for founders and ecosystem partners.

The gala was emceed by Patti Dobrowolski and Dee Dee Walsh, while Karen Fassio also served as moderator across the three-day program. The night ended with the techies in the room grooving to K-pop – the music got louder and attendees stood up to dance to Gangnam Style! It was a party just as Vedullapalli had promised.

Looking ahead, WIC plans to expand the ICONIC Leadership platform through more executive workshops, publications and strategic partnerships aimed at preparing leaders for an AI-driven economy. The organization is also seeking support through its Kickstarter campaign, which includes public contributions and organizational partnerships.

Lead image: The official cover reveal of the ICONIC Leadership book during the #empowHERaccess Global Prestige Awards Gala on 17 July 2026. Pictured are the book’s co-authors, coming together to mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter in leadership.