Board of Directors

Dr. Laine Powell, Founder and Executive Director

Dr. Powell is the Founder and Executive Director of Tech Sassy Girlz, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring underrepresented girls in middle and high school to engage in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Taking on the challenge head-on of addressing the notable shortage of girls and women in STEM fields, Dr. Powell created the organization in 2012 to address the critical shortage of women and minorities being represented in high-tech STEM careers. She firmly believes that leveraging technology is an opportunity for girls to be content creators and makers. With a mission to empower middle and high school-age girls to pursue future careers in STEM, Central Florida-based non-profit organization Tech Sassy Girlz is leading the way in inspiring the next generation of female STEM professionals.

In 2016, Dr. Powell was invited by the White House to present STEM Access for Marginalized Girls. Dr. Powell has been recognized as one of Orlando Magazine’s 2020 Women of the Year, a Community Champion by the Orlando Magic and WESH 2 News, featured on PBS, NPR and received a host of other community and professional awards including:

  • African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida Eagle Award
  • i4 Business Magazine Spirit of Collaboration Award
  • National Philanthropy Day Diversity and Inclusion Award
  • WTS Central Florida Chapter Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award
  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Deloris H. Oliver Service to Mankind Award
  • University of Central Florida Trailblazer Award and
  • Nominated three times in 2016 and 2017 for the White House Champions of Change: Young Women Empowering Communities; Computer Science Education; and Extracurricular Enrichment for Marginalized Girls

 

In the community, Dr. Powell is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the University of Florida Alumni Association. In September 2020, she was appointed by the Florida Board of Governors to serve on the Board of Trustees for Florida Polytechnic University. In 2007, she was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to serve on the Florida Fund for Minority Teachers, Inc. Board of Directors. She served two terms from 2004 – 2010. Dr. Powell also serves on the boards of WTS Central Florida Chapter, NAF Information Technology Academy and the Women’s Business Center at Seminole State College.

Dr. Powell is married to her college sweetheart, Courtney and they reside in Oviedo, FL.

Rosa Akhtarkhavari

Rosa Akhtarkhavari has worked for the City of Orlando for over 25 years, and currently serves as the Chief Information Officer. In this role, Rosa is responsible for the City’s Enterprise Architecture, IT strategy, security, and all aspects of IT operation. While employed at the City of Orlando, Rosa has also served as Chief Security Officer, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Client Services Manager, Financial Manager, Application Administrator, Manager, and Developer. Before coming to the City of Orlando, Rosa worked as a Technology Consultant. Rosa also worked at Florida State University while pursuing her Master’s degree and before moving to the United States, taught at Yarmouk University. Rosa received the Orlando Business Journal Technology IQ Award (2016), Computer World Premier 100 Leader Award (2014), Mayor Dyer Leadership Award (2011), was honored as Campaign Coordinator of the Year (2009) and received the Federal Computer Raising Star Award (2007).

Chief Information Officer, City of Orlando

Andrea Balanzategui

Andrea Balanzategui has been on the Board of Directors of Collegiate Pathways, Inc. since 2013 and is thrilled to be working alongside such dedicated people on such an important mission. Her other recent volunteer efforts include serving as Past President of the Junior League of Greater Orlando, as a member of the Orlando Mayor’s Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, and with the Red Cross of Central Florida Disaster Action Team. She works for Deloitte Consulting as Chief of Staff for their US Delivery Center, located in Lake Mary, Florida and Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. She lives in College Park, Orlando, with her dog Charlie and two cats, Weezie and Eddy.

Chief of Staff, Deloitte Consulting LLP

Jo Newell

Jo Newell, Vice President of Corporate Engagement at the Orlando Economic Partnership, joined the organization in February 2019 as the Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives for the Partnership’s Chamber. In January 2020 she became the first Black woman to lead the Chamber in its 100+ year history. During this time, Newell and her team focused on strategies to help small businesses move forward and rebuild stronger during the pandemic.

In the fall of 2021, Newell successfully transitioned the work of the Chamber to be fully embedded in the Partnership through programs and engagement opportunities, and the Chamber now operates under the single, overarching Partnership brand. In her current position, Newell and her team partner with the community to invest in advancing the economic and community development of the region.

Newell is a steward of the Partnership’s mission of advancing Broad-Based Prosperity™ and launched All Women Empowered (AWE), a program comprised of private, public, and nonprofit partners working to unify community resources into a strategically coordinated campaign to propel women forward. AWE held its first meeting in February 2020 and through that work the first AWE Impact Forum was held in August 2021.

An active leader in her community, Newell served as the first Board Chair of From Outside In and previously sat on Orange County Government’s MWBE Committee. She currently serves on the Board for United Arts of Central Florida, WholeLife Church, Tech Sassy Girlz and J4 Leaders.

Newell holds a degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Human Development, graduating magna cum laude from California Baptist University. She is married to Joseph Newell and they live happily with their two pups, Kaylie and Kai.

Jenolee Lindsay

Jenolee Lindsay is an Associate Director at Ernst and Young (EY), a globally integrated professional services organization. Jenolee Lindsay holds a MBA degree along with a MIS degree. She focuses on providing IT solutions to medium and large firms especially for ERP and infrastructure solutions.

Associate Director, Information Technology Service Delivery Group, EY

Courtney Powell

Courtney R. Powell is the President and owner of AceApplications, LLC. AceApplications is a technology solutions firm, based in Orlando, Florida, offering software, web and mobile application development and IT consulting services for businesses, schools and government.

President, AceApplications, LLC

Barbara J. Stankowski

Ms. Barbara Stankowski completed a distinguished 28-year career in the U.S. Navy retiring in 1998. After her retirement from the Navy she worked for several women owned small businesses as a training and education consultant and facilitator supporting government and industry clients.

Since 2007, she is the owner and President/Chief Executive Officer of AMTIS, Inc. an SDVOSB, 8(a) and woman owned small business providing services to commercial, federal and state agencies. AMTIS, Inc. was selected by GrowFL as one of the 2012 Florida Companies to Watch, awarded the CEO Nexus Cup by CEO Nexus in collaboration with Rollins Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship, Florida High Tech Corridor and GrowFL in 2013, awarded Business Owner of the Year by the Orlando Business Journal’s (OBJ) 2014 Women Who Mean Business awards, and selected as one of the Fast 50 companies in Orlando in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and an OBJ CEO of the Year in 2018. AMTIS was recognized from 2013 to 2017 by Inc.500/5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. and one of the few to be selected 5 years in a row.

Chief Executive Officer ‎of Stankowski Advanced Strategies