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Elaine Montilla          

Founder of 5xminority, TEDx Speaker & Assistant Vice President and CIO for IT at the Graduate Center, CUNY

Elaine Montilla is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for US School Assessment at Pearson, driving new digital solutions for internal and external customers and leading their product development strategy and governance while driving growth across the business. Elaine is also a TEDx speaker, and the founder of 5xminority, Inc., a company and social media brand dedicated to empowering and elevating the voices of women and marginalized groups in the Technology field and beyond.

Originally from The Dominican Republic, Elaine is recognized as a dynamic and solutions-oriented IT Executive with 20+ years of progressively responsible experience providing vision and leadership while developing and implementing large-scale IT strategies and initiatives within the higher education industry. She drives operational excellence through improved business processes and enterprise systems and has been recognized for staff professional development, change leadership, and talent for communicating with diverse groups of people.

As a passionate advocate for diversity, Elaine champions various minority communities and persistently promotes inclusion in the tech sector. Her commitment to expanding equal STEM learning opportunities for all underscores her dedication to fostering inclusivity. As a trailblazing Latina professional, Elaine defies stereotypes and embodies diversity within the traditionally male-dominated tech industry. Honored as a Top 100 Outstanding LGBTQ+ Executive Role Model by Yahoo Finance in 2021, recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Tech by Technology Magazine in 2023, and awarded HITEC 100 Hispanic Technology Leaders for 2024.

Speech Topics


Strategies to Thrive in a Male-Dominated Workplace

You rarely see another soul in the ladies' room or you've been mistaken for someone's assistant. Does it sound familiar? For many young, successful women, "making it" professionally means learning to master male-dominated workplaces where the boys' club still somehow permeates. Get answers to your most pressing career questions, and gain insight on how to navigate your workplace for advancement and overall career-success-effectively. Let's discuss current trends, roadblocks, and strategies on how to avoid hitting any ceiling, and thrive in a male-dominated workplace.

Radical Empathy: Creating Cultures of Transformative Leadership

No company today can succeed without empathy at the core of its business strategy. But empathy isn't just about compassion and consideration for your customers. For an inclusive, transformative culture to thrive, organizations need to ensure that all employees feel valued, heard, and appreciated.

Inclusive Leadership: Harnessing the Power of Diversity

Organizations are becoming increasingly diverse. Yet hiring diverse talent — considering characteristics including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, ability, and sexual orientation — is only the first step in creating an inclusive organization. Leaders need to be able to create inclusive environments and create psychological safety so that everyone brings their whole selves to work each day.

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