A couple of months ago, I received a late night phone call from my friend Gretchen Steenstra, who is also a Director at DelCor Technology Solutions and Board member of the Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC). Gretchen couldn’t contain herself. She said that the AWTC Board had decided to create a one-time Badass Awards and award it to four women founders and CEOS in the industry. And I was one of them.
Me? A badass? I was honored, humbled, and, honestly, a little floored.
The AWTC Badass Award is a special recognition for trailblazing leaders who have founded companies, shaped the industry, and shown resilience, adaptability, and perseverance in building and sustaining their companies. I found myself reflecting on my own journey, my incredible team at Matrix Group, and the countless women who have paved the way in technology, like my fellow Badass Award winners Lisa Rau, Founder of Fiota; Loretta Deluca, CEO of DelCor Technology Solutions; and Katie Atkinson, President & Cofounder of Results Direct.
Building a Company, Breaking Barriers
When I founded Matrix Group over 25 years ago, I wasn’t thinking about being a pioneer or making history. I simply saw a need. Associations and nonprofits were struggling to navigate the digital age, a lot of the available web tech was ugly and hard to use, and I believed a company that had deep tech capabilities AND a design sensibility could make a real impact. So, I started a company, built a team, and got to work.
What I didn’t realize at the time was just how few women were running tech companies. And, as any woman in tech will tell you, there are moments when you feel like you have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously. I remember attending meetings where all eyes would instinctively turn to my male colleagues when the technical questions started flying. I learned to hold my ground, get techie enough to to speak with authority, and, most importantly, surround myself with people who believed in my capabilities and vision.
Women in Tech: We’re Here, and We’re Leading
Back in 1999, women made up only a fraction of the tech industry’s leadership and staff. The numbers have improved, but we still have work to do. And yet, when I look around, I see brilliant women serving in IT leadership roles and leading tech companies! I’m grateful to the now defunct DC Web Women for being one of the first communities to train and nurture women in tech. I hired many of my first staff through DCWW because while Matrix Group was small and new, the community embraced me and other women founders trying to break into the field.
Today, AWTC is training and nurturing the next generation of tech leaders in the association space, and educating non-techies to be sophisticated and discerning users of technology. All while creating a welcoming and supporting community. When I found AWTC, I realized it was the community I didn’t even realize I craved and needed.
Women in tech aren’t waiting for permission. We’re building, innovating, and making space for the voices that come after us. And let’s be clear: this isn’t just about gender equity. It’s about better business, smarter technology, and stronger organizations. Diversity drives innovation. When we have different perspectives at the table, we create better solutions.
The Work Continues
Winning the AWTC Badass Award is a deeply meaningful honor, but I don’t see it as an endpoint. It’s a reminder of why I do what I do. It’s a call to keep pushing boundaries, to continue mentoring and lifting up others, and to ensure that the tech world—especially in the association space—becomes more inclusive, innovative, and impactful.
To every woman navigating this industry: keep going. Keep raising your hand, taking up space, and breaking barriers. And to the men who champion women in tech: keep showing up, advocating, and making room at the table.
We’re all in this together. And we’re just getting started.
