DETROIT – The Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation announced Wednesday that Carey Pachla as the nonprofit’s new president, and Rebecca Bray the new vice president.
Pachla is also president of Fast Switch, Ltd., an IT consulting organization. She has been an active volunteer member of MCWT for more than a decade, and served in various roles on the board since 2010. Pachla replaces Cindy Warner, who led the organization since 2014. Bray is chief sales officer at Epitec, an IT, engineering, and professional staffing organization.
Pachla and Bray will each serve a one-year term alongside the MCWT board of directors. Warner will continue to support MCWT as an advisory board member.
“Cindy led us through a transformative period at MCWT, where we reimagined our structure to deliver even greater impact,” said Pachla. “With our board, staff, mission directors and volunteers, we will continue our path to make Michigan the No. 1 state for women in IT. Throughout my volunteerism at MCWT, I’ve worked to increase scholarship opportunities and develop women’s IT careers. In this new role, I look forward to collaborating with a broad network of people, helping to grow Michigan’s diverse technology economy.”
Pachla said key priorities in 2017 will include:
- Working with the executive board to establish a sound financial plan for the next 3 to 5 years, to achieve continued success
- Collaborating with staff to find organizational efficiencies
- Leveraging MCWT’s programs to increase reach twofold and continue to grow and inspire girls and women in IT
Pachla joined Fast Switch, Ltd. in 2003, directing business development, client management, recruitment and operations. Her career spans 24 years in executive leadership and business development in the IT and logistics sectors. Pachla has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Western Michigan University and a Master of Business Administration from Wayne State University. She resides in Novi. Learn more about her leadership on this DIVA TECH TALK podcast/blog.
Bray joined Epitec in 1998 as an IT recruiter. As the company’s chief sales officer, she currently leads sales and recruiting, delivery strategy, leadership development and succession planning, and growth initiatives. Bray has served on MCWT’s advisory board since 2012 and joined its board of directors in 2014. She earned a Bachelor in Business Administration from Central Michigan University and is ITIL Certified. She resides in Birmingham.
“MCWT is now 87 partners and 750 members strong, and we’re using this network to deepen our presence across the state,” said Bray. “Together, we’re not only getting more girls to consider technology, but we’re connecting with those that choose an IT path in a meaningful way. In 2017, we’ll build on the momentum Cindy and the board have created to inspire and grow more tech talent.”
Find more information at www.mcwt.org and connect via LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
