Walking through the CES halls last week was like being a kid on Christmas morning. Lights are flashing, adrenaline is flowing, and there are so many things to see and unwrap. Your heart pounds with excitement as you decide on the best place to focus your attention.But what really matters – what’s bigger than all of the exceptional technology in and of itself, is how this technology is transforming lives, accelerating results and increasing impact.
This year at CES, we asked Alex Bernadotte, Beyond 12’s Founder and CEO, to share the story of her quest to improve graduation rates of low income minorities through tracking and coaching with technology. Launched in 2009, Beyond 12 acts as a feedback loop between K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions to make sure high schools are preparing students for future success. The program also matches at-risk students with a college coach to assist in the transition, and provides students with a network of peers to turn to in tough times.
Alex is just one of the social innovators that Intel is currently supporting through a partnership with Ashoka that identifies entrepreneurs who utilize technology to make a difference in the lives of girls, women and families.
At a show where so much of the focus is on what the next new technology is, we’re challenging others to demonstrate what that technology can do.
Learn more about our vision for a better future here.
As the Deputy Director of Intel's Diversity in Technology Initiative, Barbara leads the strategy and execution of Intel's recently announced commitment of a $300M Diversity in Technology (DiT) Fund. Barbara works in collaboration with key stakeholders and respective fund decision makers on an integrated strategy that drives Intel's funding selections and public announcements. She is responsible for developing the infrastructure, operational and implementation design of the Fund that positions Intel to successfully achieve its 2020 full representation of women and underrepresented minority goal. As part of her oversight, Barbara also directly leads the team focused on DiT Fund investments in the education pipeline focused on Intel's immediate workforce development needs. Barbara has a BS degree in Electrical Engineering, an MBA and is currently pursuing a PhD in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology at Arizona State University.
Prior to transitioning to the philanthropic side of Intel, she spent 15 years in key leadership and project engineering roles responsible for acquiring and starting up new facilities for Intel Corporation worldwide. Barbara led operations for multiple international startups with fast paced ramps resulting in rich and rewarding cultural experiences. She and her family lived in Costa Rica for two years as Intel established a critical manufacturing presence there. She is a Certified Executive Leadership Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a Professional Facilitator with experience in the fields of program management, strategy development, and mergers/acquisitions. She is a graduate of the Business for Diplomatic Action Fellows Program that resulted in a three-week global leadership exchange in the Middle East and is a recipient of Intel's Lifetime Diversity Achievement Award.