💫 We're happy to announce the finalists for the AI & Data Science Leader of the Year for 2025!
The 2025 finalists span executive leadership, deep technical innovation, business transformation, social impact, and the critical foundations of automation and governance. Together, they illustrate how AI is no longer a niche capability, but a core driver of strategy, performance, and inclusion across industries and regions.
⚡️ Recognized contributions: Innovation in AI & Data Science, leading successful projects, mentoring, community engagement, published research or articles, speaking at industry events.
Below are the five categories and their finalist cohorts.
1. Enterprise & Executive AI Leadership
Focus: C-suite, VP, SVP, and senior transformation leaders driving AI at organizational scale.
This category recognizes senior leaders who steer complex organizations through AI-driven transformation, balancing innovation, ethics, culture, and measurable business outcomes. These finalists are responsible for setting AI vision, unlocking cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring that advanced technologies translate into sustainable value for people, customers, and society.
⭐ Dhivya Nagasubramanian, VP AI Transformation and Automation, Global Operations at U.S. Bank
⭐ Justine Rochon, Head of R&D Data and Quantitative Sciences, SVP at Takeda
⭐ Mary Delaney, CEO at Karbon
⭐ Suvidha Shashikumar, Senior Architect at Microsoft
⭐ Wendy Gonzalez, CEO at Sama
2. Technical AI Innovator of the Year (Models, Infra & Systems)
Focus: Deep technical work on models, GPU/infra, data/ML systems, and large-scale engineering.
This category celebrates hands-on technical leaders who build the engines of modern AI: cutting-edge models, GPU-optimized infrastructure, large-scale data and ML systems, and robust production pipelines. These finalists operate at the intersection of research and engineering, turning advanced architectures into reliable, scalable systems used in real-world products and platforms.
⭐ Aarthi Anbalagan, Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft
⭐ Aditi Gautam, Tech Lead at Nvidia
⭐ Akshata Kishore Moharir, Lead Data Scientist at Microsoft.com
⭐ Saloni Garg, Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Adobe
⭐ Sruthi Erra Hareram, Data Engineer at TELUS
3. AI for Business, Finance & the Future of Work
Focus: AI transforming finance, accounting, HR, compensation, audit, and business performance.
This category highlights leaders applying AI to the core of how organizations operate and grow, from fraud and risk to hiring, pricing, compensation, and productivity. These finalists use AI to unlock new business value, sharpen decision-making, and reimagine how work gets done, while navigating highly regulated and high-stakes environments.
⭐ Agnes Okero, AI/Machine Learning Engineer at HFC Kenya
⭐ Dr. Hema Durairaj, Senior Data Scientist at Publicis Sapient Pvt. Ltd.
⭐ Gayatri Tavva, Lead Data Engineer at Amazon
⭐ Katy Jenkins, VP, Product Management at Employ Inc.
⭐ Lucy Griffin, Senior Director of Analytics, Product at Featurespace (a Visa Solution)
4. AI for Health, Education & Inclusive Society
Focus: AI in healthcare, education, skills, and inclusion, with a strong emphasis on human outcomes.
This category recognizes innovators using AI to improve lives directly, in hospitals, classrooms, learning platforms, and community spaces. These finalists focus on human outcomes: better health, more accessible education, fairer opportunities, and inclusive experiences. Their work bridges technical excellence with empathy, ethics, and real-world impact on people and communities.
⭐ Anusha Musunuri, Senior Data Scientist at Snap Inc.
⭐ Brindha Jeyaraman, Senior Director, Head of Gen AI Governance at UOB
⭐ Kimone Kerr, Clinical Informaticist Specialist at Rapha Medical
⭐ Lilian Ho, Program Director at Zigurat Institute of Technology
⭐ Tien-Ling Yeh, Senior Product Designer at inline Apps
5. Automation, Data Platforms & AI Governance
Focus: RPA, data platforms, governance, inference at scale, and responsible AI operations.
This category spotlights builders of the invisible backbone of AI: automation frameworks, data and analytics platforms, and governance structures that make AI reliable, fair, and scalable. These finalists lead work on RPA, data provisioning, policy, observability, and responsible AI practices that allow organizations to move fast without breaking trust.
⭐ Hind Azegrouz, Manager AI Technical Sales for EMEA at Intel
⭐ Jegatheeswari Perumalsamy, Senior Lead Data Analyst at Athene Annuity and Life Company
⭐ Mariya Giy, Software Engineer, ParentSquare | CEO at Hackico.AI
⭐ Praneetha Kotla, Lead Robotic Process Automation Developer at ERP Smartlabs
⭐ Susmitha (Su) Jella, Executive and Adviser at Nano Insights
These leaders exemplify what it means to build, deploy, and steward AI responsibly and at scale. Their achievements demonstrate the power of combining technical excellence with vision, ethics, and human-centered innovation.
🥁 The winners will be announced on December 4 during the Women in Tech Global Awards 2025 ceremony.
🎫 Get your ticket to join the ceremony, get actionable insights from the keynotes, and celebrate the achievements of the outstanding women in tech.