IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference
10–13 April 2022 // Austin, TX, USA
Boosting Verticals into Wireless Orbit

WICE Session

Women in Communications Engineering (WICE) Panel
(13 APR, 16:00 CST, Room: 415B)

Would you like an opportunity to network with more women attendees at WCNC? Would you like to hear about how Women Engineers are transforming the Communications industry? Are you focused on attracting / retaining women in Communications AND/OR share your best practices?

We would love for you to spend 90 minutes with WICE members to:

  • Connect and network with fellow WICE members at WCNC
  • Learn about the benefits of WICE
  • Hear about the outstanding careers and experiences from women Engineers in the Communications industry
  • Share ideas, discuss important and topical issues with a panel session – including a focus on how to attract and encourage more women in Communications

WICE Session Registration

Register Now

WCNC participants (Full/Limited conference): No need to register, it is included with WCNC registration.
ComSoc members who are not registered for WCNC: Free (In-person or virtual)
Non-ComSoc members who are not registered for WCNC: Free (In-person or virtual)

Moderator: Tina Slivka, Lead Technology Strategist for Dell Technologies – Services

Tina SlivkaTina Slivka

Focused senior Technology leader using cross-domain, customer, strategy and program leadership experience for Dell Technologies. Lead Services Technology strategy, including strategy development, executive communications and strategic project execution. Specialize in leading complex, “never-been-done” transformation programs.

IEEE member since 1997, professional experience includes Deloitte Consulting with multiple Telecom clients (AT&T/Bell South, Verizon/MCI, Cable & Wireless) Nextel/Sprint, Dell Technologies.


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Experience Spotlights Speakers:
Salam Akoum, AT&T Labs
Rinachi Garg, Qualcomm Technologies

Biographies:

Salam Akoum

Salam is a Principal Member of Technical Staff with the Advanced Wireless Technology Group, AT&T Labs. She is working on 5G and beyond air-interface research and system design. Salam holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (EE) from the University of Texas – Austin, an MS in EE from the University of Utah and a BE (Honors) in Computer and Communications Engineering from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon.

Rinachi Garg

Rinachi is a Senior Staff Engineer focused on Chipset and Platform Architecture since 2013 and is leading 5G Modem System Architecture and Design globally. Rinachi served as a board member of Qualcomm Women in Science and Engineering (QWISE) and volunteered with Technology Goddesses to inspire young girls in STEM. Rinachi holds an MS in Electrical Engineering – Systems from University of Michigan and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering, India. Rinachi and her husband live in Central Texas with their 2 beautiful daughters.


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Panelists on Best Practices for Attracting More Women in Communications Engineering:
Nita Patel, Otis Elevator and IEEE Computer Society
Larry Horner, Intel

Biographies:

Nita Patel

Nita Patel, P.E., is Senior Director, Engineering Lead Design Center at Otis leading a critical part of the global engineering innovation that provides new capabilities in connected, smart, IoT-based elevator systems. Nita is Director of the IEEE Foundation and is 2022 President-Elect of the IEEE Computer Society. Nita has served in many engineering, advanced technology development teams and in strategic IEEE volunteer roles. She founded and led the first five years of the IEEE Women in Engineering International Leadership Conference (WIE ILC) and served as 2013-2014 Women in Engineering International Chair. Nita received her MS Computer Engineering, BS Electrical Engineering and BS Mathematics from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Larry Horner

Larry is a Principal Engineer and Senior Solution Architect at Intel focusing on accelerating the transformation of the global communication provider network. His work covers all aspects of the carrier transformation including virtualization from innovation to scale deployment from the enterprise edge premises equipment into the core of the CSP network. Larry has worked in areas of transformation of the CSP network going back to the earliest days of the Mobile Network. Larry holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and specialized on information and communication theory beyond the master’s level. He holds two U.S. patents relating to fundamental changes in the communication network transitioning to the all-IP network. He is an IEEE Life Senior Member and proudly notes that his three children have accumulated 6 degrees from UT Dallas.

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