International Women's Day 2023

Irma Olguin Jr. (she/her)
CEO & Co-Founder | Bitwise Industries

Irma Olguin Jr. oversees the screening and interviewing of all employment candidates and apprentices for Bitwise Industries, including that of Bitwise Workforce Training and Bitwise Technology Services. Her goal is to ensure Bitwise always remains faithful to its mission of strengthening Fresno’s tech industry and turning it into a driver of real economic progress.

The idea of Bitwise was hatched in 2012 over a Red Bull (hers) and a gin and tonic (his) with her then IP attorney, Jake Soberal. Fueled by a series of aha moments, they decided they were in a unique position to build such a mechanism for progress.

Previously, Irma created 59DaysOfCode, a competition highlighting and encouraging the Valleyʼs tech industry. She co-founded Hashtag, an open co-workspace for designers and developers alike. She also co-founded Edit LLC to solve efficiency and data issues in the ag industry.

Irma holds a degree in computer science and engineering from University of Toledo, Ohio and has been a contributing advisor on several community boards, including 59DaysOfCode, President’s Advisory Board for California State University – Fresno, the American Red Cross (Central Valley Chapter), Kingsview Behavioral Health, and Youth Leadership Institute.

Toyosi Babalola (she/her)
Founder, CEO & CTO | Abulé

Toyosi Babalola is a social tech entrepreneur with a penchant for creative design. She is the founder, CEO & CTO of Abulé - a platform changing the way we care for one another, and Grais - a design & tech agency. She received her BS in Computer Science from Stony Brook University New York, and has an MBA from the University of Maryland.

Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Toyosi worked at world renowned finance, management consulting and aerospace companies - CITI, Booz Allen Hamilton & Lockheed Martin, where she wore multiple hats in their IT departments and delivered quality work products to clients including the IRS and NASA.

Toyosi is an advocate for women in technology, who is ardent about closing the knowledge and wealth gap in marginalized communities, a visionary reimagining care, a prolific creative, and a proud mom. She mentors and teaches STEM classes to children and was recently appointed as board advisor for the Women in Technology (WIT) for Global Impact for her home country, Nigeria.

Sue Zwahlen (she/her)
Mayor | City of Modesto

Sue Zwahlen was elected Mayor of Modesto in February, 2021.

Sue is a former two-term member of the Modesto City Schools Board, who was first elected in 2009, re-elected in 2013, and served two terms as president of the Board.

As a mother of six children who attended local public schools, Sue spent many years volunteering in the classroom. During her tenure on the school board, the district’s graduation rates increased from 75% to 87.6%, and suspension rates dropped by 8.4% to an all new low of 4.46%.

Sue is also a 40-year registered nurse, who spent most of her career in the Emergency Room of Doctor’s Medical Center. She graduated from Samuel Merritt Hospital School of Nursing in Oakland in 1975 and has held several demanding nursing certifications, including ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), and PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support).

Sue is a lifelong Modesto resident and a fourth generation Californian from Portuguese and Swiss-German immigrant dairy farmers, who settled in the Modesto area in the early 1900’s. She and her husband, Lynn – a well-known Modesto dentist and long-time football coach at Davis and Downey High Schools – have six grown children and 10 grandchildren. They have lived for 39 years in the same College area neighborhood where Sue grew up.

Michelle Skoor (they/them)
Chief Workforce Officer | Bitwise Industries

Michelle Skoor teaches excluded people in underestimated places the skills they need to get a job in technology. In this way, Michelle is helping not only change lives, but change the face of the local workforce. As Chief Workforce Officer, Michelle and their team helps graduates find high-wage tech jobs in their own cities. Graduates from Bitwise Workforce Training often get hired by Bitwise Technology Services and get hands-on experience delivering excellent software and business solutions.

Previously, Michelle directed the Diverse Talent Program at Bitwise, partnering with tech and enterprise organizations to engage diverse, cost-efficient tech talent using a unique and proven apprenticeship model. Before becoming Bitwise’s Chief Workforce Officer, Michelle was Product Officer for Onward & PodUp, two Bitwise initiatives launched to provide support and resources to individuals and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Michelle enjoys watching NCAA women’s gymnastics and was 1990 Level 9 State Champion (Floor, All Around). But their most recent brush with fame is having the first queer marriage proposal story in Glamour magazine!

Corinna Luu (she/her)
Program Manager | Google

Corinna is the Community Program Manager on the North America Developer Ecosystems team at Google, supporting Women Techmakers Ambassadors across US & Canada - a program that aims to provide visibility, community, and resources for women to thrive in technology. Prior to joining this team, she was helping early stage founders in Canada on their path to start, grow, and scale. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree from University of Waterloo.