Leadership
Officers
Jane Plitt, Founder & Chair
Jane Plitt, Founder and Chair
Led by Founder and Chair, Jane R. Plitt has spent her lifetime creatively pursuing just causes, especially linked to women’s rights. In the seventies, as a rare female graduate of Cornell U. Labor Relations, she led successful efforts to eliminate help wanted gender ads, integrate men’s only grills and service organizations like the Kiwanis, Jaycees, Rotary, and others. That led to her becoming NOW’s first national executive director; a time when Title IX was created. Ultimately, Plitt co-created the Rochester Women’s Network, her own award winning marketing and economic development consulting firm until she became enamored with the buried story of Martha Matilda Harper, and spent six years unearthing the tale. After she produced three books about Harper for all ages, she campaigned for Harper’s recognition. Now Jane thinks it is time to unearth the tales of thousands of more women innovators.
B.K. Fulton, Vice Chair
B.K. Fulton, Vice Chair
BK is the chairman of 7 companies and an award-winning filmmaker and author. In 2017 BK founded Soulidifly Productions – a film, stage and TV investment company designed to promote a more inclusive narrative in media. BK is also a principal with Ralph Sampson and Jim Franklin in Winner’s Circle Ventures – a $100 million dollar strategic investment company targeting all entrepreneurs, especially women and minorities. BK is considered one of the most influential African Americans in technology and as such welcomes this opportunity.
Prior to becoming a full-time author and entrepreneur, BK was Vice President of the Mid-Atlantic Region for Verizon Communications, Inc. and President of Verizon Virginia and West Virginia. He has held senior leadership, media, technology, an policy development posts with the U.S. Department of Commerce, AOL, Time Warner, Verizon, and the National Urban League.
BK holds a Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech, a Master of Science degree and Sloan Fellowship from Harvard and the New School, and a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School.
Karina Drees, Treasurer
Karina Drees, Treasurer
Karina Drees is an aerospace industry professional with a passion for STEM in the space industry. She was most recently President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF), representing 90 organizations providing thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide. CSF’s members inspire young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and related professions. Prior to CSF, Karina was CEO and General Manager of Mojave Air & Space Port (MASP), a general aviation airport and licensed spaceport in California.
Karina currently serves as Chair for the FAA’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). She previously served on the National Space Council Users’ Advisory Group (UAG) providing advice and recommendations on matters related to space policy and strategy. Karina has a BS from Arizona State University and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. She also completed the International Space University’s Summer Session Program. Having worked in the aerospace industry for 15 years, she recognizes the importance of diversity in an industry that needs more role models to inspire the next generation. NCWI’s important mission provides this inspiration to young people who may not have considered pursuing STEM.
Jennifer Gabriel, Secretary
Jennifer Gabriel, Member, Secretary
Jennifer Gabriel is a seasoned fundraiser and nonprofit director dedicated to advancing mission-driven organizations and brings those skills to the NCWI board as she heads our fundraising efforts. . Her experience with both grassroots organizations and large research-focused institutions provides her with a comprehensive understanding and expertise of nonprofit management and fundraising best practices. Currently, she supports philanthropic initiatives at Cornell University’s College of Engineering, driving both transformative research with global impact and enriching the student experience to cultivate the next generation of STEM leaders. Prior to joining Cornell, Jennifer served as CEO of the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY.
As an avid writer with a degree in journalism, Jennifer passionately champions the power of storytelling to educate and inspire, with a particular focus on amplifying the often-overlooked narratives of women’s experiences and achievements. She joined the Advisory Board of the National Center for Women’s Innovations upon its inception, understanding the importance of a mission steeped in the legacy of Matilda Joslyn Gage, a trailblazing suffragist ahead of her time who worked to expose women inventors’ contributions that were misattributed or stolen by men.
Board Members
Alissa E. Harrison
Member
Alissa E. Harrison, Member
With over 30 years of experience in technology and education, Alissa is a seasoned senior executive highly proficient in leading and executing complex, enterprise-level, multi-disciplinary projects at the corporate, federal, commercial, higher education, and non-profit levels. She is the Vice President for Technology Data and Products at the National Board (NB) for Professional Teaching Standards. She directs the NB’s digital transformation by leveraging technology to achieve strategic objectives, overseeing data governance and management, and all field-facing products and systems. Before joining the NB, she led Hampton’s IT Teams as the VP and CIO, directing the University’s strategic IT Planning, Technology and Operations, and Learning Management Teams. Alissa’s executive leadership includes previous roles as the Senior Vice President for Muse Technologies, Senior Program Management and Engineering Director for Jacobs Engineering, and the Acting Director and Group Program Manager for Digex/WorldCom.
She balances her corporate work with her work with three other child-focused non-profit boards. As a new NCWI board member she plan to bring her passion for STEM, research and working with children to help extend NCWI’s vision and goals. Based on the belief that educating our community’s children is everyone’s responsibility and ensuring that every military-connected child is college, work, and life-ready, she enjoys working with the Williamsburg James City County Schools Foundation and the Military Child Education Coalition in fulfilling their respective visions..
Alissa holds a Doctor of Management from the University of Maryland Global College, a Master of Arts in Administration Science from The George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Howard University. She and her husband have three professionally achieving sons.
HONORARY ADVISORS
- Mary Lee Anderson, Senior Services of Alexandria
- Julie Chapman, ALX Dog Walk
- Dr. Pamela Gilchrist, VA Tech Innovation Campus
- Brittany Greer, Rosie Riveters
- Amy Jackson, Community Advocate
- Lucelle O’Flaherty, Zebra Magazine
- Heather Peeler, ACT for Alexandria
- Scott Shaw, Alexandria Restaurant Partners
- Murem Sharpe, Founder/CEO – StrategicRX