Judith Spitz

Judith Spitz, Ph.D. is the Founding Program Director of the Initiative for Women in Technology and Entrepreneurship in New York (WiTNY) at Cornell Tech, a partnership between Cornell Tech, the City University of New York, and several corporate partners with a mission to significantly increase the participation of women in higher education in fields related to technology. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of Break Through Tech, a national initiative that propels women and underrepresented groups into higher education and careers in tech. Additionally, she serves on the Advisory Board of ASAPP, an AI company that drives digital transformation in customer care.

Previously, Spitz was a senior vice president and CIO at Verizon from 2005 to 2016. Her extensive recognition includes being named to Crain's 2019 list of Notable Women in Tech and the New York Business Journal's 2018 Women of Influence. In 2017, she received the Above & Beyond Award for Outstanding Women in Business from City & State New York. She has also been honored as a 2009 CTO 25 award winner by InfoWorld and was listed as a CIO 100 Honoree by Computerworld magazine in 2007.

Spitz's current work focuses on driving programs that address the urgent need for more women in technology, gender-based algorithmic bias, and the future of work in an AI-enabled digital world. Her keynote speaking topics often include discussions on AI, digital transformation, the future of work, diversity in technology, and leadership in the digital age. She is based in New York and actively participates in pre-event activities such as panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and meet-and-greet sessions, where she emphasizes the importance of team-oriented leadership in tech and encourages women to find their own leadership voices.