Trailblazers Award

Celebrating the women transforming Ohio tech

Are you a woman who is making an impact in Ohio tech? Or do you know someone who is? Nominate yourself, a colleague, or a leader you admire for the inaugural Ohio Trailblazers Award as we celebrate the women transforming Ohio tech.

Ohio Trailblazers Timeline

  • Nominations close: Friday, April 14th

  • Winners privately notified: By Friday, April 28th

  • Winners announced: Thursday, May 18, 2023 @ Ohio Tech Summit

Nominations are reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • Any woman residing in Ohio 

  • Tech or tech adjacent role (we’re welcoming nominations from all types of roles, including CEOs, CIOs, COOs, founders, tech educators, tech-focused operations pros, and more… aka any woman making a unique difference in Ohio’s tech ecosystem)

  • Any career level welcome (new to a tech career or senior executives are all welcome to be nominated)

There is no cost to nominate someone. 

Our inaugural Trailblazers Awards will be presented to 10 outstanding leaders at the Ohio Tech Summit on Thursday, May 18th in Columbus. For more information on the Ohio Tech Summit, please visit www.ohiotechsummit.org.

“Technology in Ohio is transforming our state through innovation and ingenuity and OhioX is central to this effort. It’s time to recognize the women who are paving the way for this growth in all areas of technology by nominating themselves or others for this inaugural Trailblazers Award.”
— Jessica Cohen - Director, Community Engagement @ Verizon and Trailblazer Award Co-Chair
“One thing that has long been missing from the tech ecosystem is dedicated recognition of the contributions women make to technological innovation. The Trailblazers Award not only celebrates these accomplishments, it celebrates ALL of the women who are moving technology forward in Ohio. That is something I can truly get behind.”
— Nicole McCaffrey: Chief People & Marketing Officer @ Pandata and Trailblazer Award Co-Chair

FAQ

  • Can I self nominate?

    Yes!

  • Are nominations confidential?

    Yes. We are not collecting information on the nominator, only the nominees.

  • I am not an IT professional, but I work in a tech adjacent role. Can I nominate myself or someone who fits this criteria?

    Yes. We welcome nominations for anyone in a tech or tech adjacent role. This is not just to recognize IT pros only. 

  • What is a “tech adjacent” role?

    This could be someone who is a teacher who is helping build Ohio’s tech talent pipeline, a tech-focused public affairs pro, leaders in economic development helping build Ohio’s tech hub, and much more.

  • Who is reviewing the nominations?

    A review committee of women tech pros from across Ohio will be selecting our inaugural winners.

  • Is there a cost to nominate or a cost to receiving the award?

    No.

  • When will winners be announced?

    At the Ohio Tech Summit in Columbus on Thursday, May 18, 2023.

  • Do award winners have to be in Columbus at the Ohio Tech Summit?

    Not necessarily. We will let award winners know of their selection the week of April 24th in the hopes they can join us in person at the Tech Summit to be recognized. Winners will receive free tickets to the Tech Summit. We understand that some winners might not be able to join us in person.

  • What do award winners receive?

    • Free ticket to the Ohio Tech Summit

    • Statewide recognition as an inaugural Ohio Trailblazer

    • Opportunities, if recipients wish, to join us to be recognized at future OhioX events or programs  

  • I have a question, who do I contact?

    team@ohiox.org

OhioX 2023 Platinum Partner