Sue Hoffman Acclaimed as Heroine in Technology
Booz Allen associate is recognized for her work with the innovative distance learning program, Flight School.
Presented by Women in Technology (WIT) and the March of Dimes, the black-tie Heroines in Technology gala honors Washington, D.C.-area women who balance demanding roles in the technology sector with significant commitments to community service.
And when Booz Allen Hamilton associate Sue Hoffman received a 2009 Individual Heroine in Technology Award on November 13, few of her colleagues were surprised.
“Sue is smart, well connected, has the right business savvy, and is totally committed to the right outcomes in all that she does,” says senior vice president Natalie Givans. “She is passionate about building the pipeline of young people choosing careers in science, technology, and engineering.”
Fred Rainbow, vice president and executive director of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Educational Foundation, agrees: “This wonderful and caring professional is a winner 24/7,” he says.
The assistant superintendent and chief information officer of Fairfax County Public Schools, Maribeth Luftglass, is also familiar with Hoffman’s accomplishments: “Sue is an inspiring leader, and her genuine belief in the need to encourage students at a young age is contagious.”
Hoffman was honored at the 9th Annual Heroine in Technology gala at the Hyatt Regency in Reston, Virginia for her work with Flight School, an Emmy-winning distance learning television series and website targeted to middle school students. By exploring revolutionary innovations in aviation technology and showcasing the pioneers who made them possible, Flight School inspires youth to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.
Nominated by Booz Allen, Flight School was named a 2009 ComputerWorld Honors Laureate. “The Flight School series showcased girls in roles that illustrated the possibilities for women in technology careers,” Hoffman says. “I personally identified a female NASA rocket scientist and a female telemetry expert who appeared in the shows.”
Hoffman encouraged the Northern Virginia (NOVA) chapter of AFCEA to fund Flight School in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. “The partnership produced four multimedia modules and a website about the history, technology, science, and principles of aviation,” she says. The shows, delivered by satellite uplink to 16,000 schools and school systems, reached 10 million children per episode. Via the website and rebroadcasts, this resource continues to be used by teachers nationwide.
“Sue was a visionary for Flight School—it was all her idea initially,” Givans says. “She then pulled in a lot of people from Booz Allen, AFCEA, and Fairfax County schools to involve them in implementing the vision. For the next year, she worked tirelessly to encourage and enable the results.”
Luftglass adds, “Sue’s contribution to Flight School was invaluable in bringing this educational initiative to millions of students around the world. Her passion for STEM education for kids inspired experts to eagerly become a part of the experience.”
At Booz Allen, Hoffman concentrates on finding opportunities locally and nationally to showcase the firm’s capabilities and leadership. “But for me personally,” she says, “being involved with Flight School and other AFCEA educational projects has been another satisfying way to give back to the nation.”
Hoffman joined Booz Allen in 2000 and has 26 years of experience in requirements analysis, installation oversight and evaluation, program management and customer support in communications and computer hardware and software environments. Since 1985, her volunteer focus has been with AFCEA for networking and personal growth. She serves as program manager for Booz Allen’s corporate-wide relationship with AFCEA, which has 144 chapters and more than 33,000 members worldwide.
A past president of AFCEA’s NOVA chapter, Hoffman also held board and committee positions at the chapter and international levels, and was a founding member of several task forces. She received the NOVA AFCEAN of the Year Award in 2005; AFCEA’s International Meritorious Service, Medal of Merit, and Leadership Awards; and its Distinguished Service to Education Award in 2008.
“Sue defines volunteer leadership and commitment,” Rainbow says. “We worked together to launch an endowed scholarship program for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, and an ongoing program with Northern Virginia Community College to enroll talented students who previously had not considered college as an option.
“Sue cares deeply about education, students, and teachers, and her energy is boundless when it comes to supporting this important triad that will keep this nation strong. All of us associated with the AFCEA Educational Foundation were delighted—but not surprised—when Sue received the Heroine in Technology Award.”
The 15 finalists at the Heroine in Technology event included Hoffman’s Booz Allen colleague, associate Demonia “Dee” Dean. Proceeds from the event raised $139,000 to support local March of Dimes research. The March of Dimes was established in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt as an initiative to prevent polio. Today, it is the leading non-profit for pregnancy and baby health.
WIT is a Fairfax, Virginia-based non-profit that offers women in the technology industry a range of professional development and networking opportunities.
