2013 WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS
Forces, McCollum is a respected community leader and influen- tial political advocate. She has worked to support community advancement in the Huntsville area through the implementation of local programs. Since being appointed in 1987, McCollum has consistently served as a member of the Madison, Alabama City Council. She has served as both president and president Pro Tem of the City Council and led the campaign which resulted in the passage of a smoking ban in local restaurants. McCollum was appointed vice president and later president of the National League of Cities, a historic organization representing 17,000 municipalities. She also served as president of the National Black Caucus of Local and Elected Officials, the largest African Ameri- can political organization in the world. McCollum has served in various leadership capacities including as founding member of the Madison County Big Brothers /Big Sisters program; Execu- tive Director of the Huntsville Girls Club, Inc.; board member of the Madison County Community Action Agency; as well as a gubernatorial appointee to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, McCollum holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and sociology from Alabama A&M University. She studied Executive Management at Emory University. She has been named “Female Politician of the Year” by the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, “Politi- cian of the Year” from 20 Distinguished Young Men of Huntsville and has received the Rising Star Award for Women in Municipal Government. “I sat on a dais one day and recalled a childhood event,” she reflects. “I was reared by my grandparents and was devoted to my grandfather. I was his constant companion. One Sunday, we rode to the country to see some of our relatives. I had a bag of over 20 grape bubblegum balls that I refused to share with my cousins and their neighbors. Going home, my grandfather told me he was so very disappointed in me because I didn’t share. He said life brings prosperity to some and not so much to others, and we have a biblical responsibility to always help those less fortunate than us. I felt so embarrassed and genuinely hurt that I disappointed “granddaddy.” I remembered that event there on the dais, and I knew right then why I had spent my life in service to others.”
Brenda D. Sanders Performance Improvement Branch Manager Maintenance and Supply Integration Performance Branch Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
age people and projects. In 2000, she achieved the rank of S-6 Leading Chief Petty Officer for the USS Harry S. Truman. She supervised and directed 66 personnel. Her responsibility was to make sure each person performed as instructed, and that 11 squadrons and 6 T/M/S aircraft had supplies and any necessities for daily operations. Sanders also managed 62 personnel within the Repairable Management Branch, Supplies Response section and the Maintenance Support Package branch. In addition, she
B 44 WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2013
renda Sanders is a respected leader in Naval Air Systems Command. She excels in a career that requires her to man-
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
managed Operating Targets (OPTAR) maintenance funds in excess of $18 million. She compiled monthly financial reports, analyzed spending, and processed reports for the Defense Ac- counting Office. During her career, she’s managed and trained more than 500 personnel at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, VA, NAS Lemoore, CA, and NAS North Ireland, CA, during imple- mentation of Continuous Process Improvement methodologies. Sanders is a performance management professional for the Naval Air Enterprise. She develops policies and procedures that allow civilians, sailors and marines to execute and develop ideas. Sanders is active in the NAVAIR Women’s Advisory Group, and a parent volunteer with King’s Christian Academy. She received an AAS degree in Management Development from the College of Southern Maryland. Sanders also received a Bachelor of Arts in Management Studies from University of Maryland University College. Sanders demonstrate strong leadership abilities and displays high standards of professional conduct.
Maria-Cristina Spiak Quality Manager The Boeing Company
B
orn in an economically disadvantaged family, Maria-Cristina Spiak’s family endured many hardships. Her birth home did
not even have the basic plumbing and electricity facilities. Her parents were sixth graders and labored to feed the family until one of her grandfathers became a successful farmer. Her father worked his way up to become the vice legislator and presently holds an important post. Spiak is the first in her family to obtain a bachelor’s degree from the Universidad Technologica de Pana- ma in computer systems engineering. She went on to complete her master’s degree from the Falmouth, MA based National Graduate School, specializing in quality systems engineering and earned her doctorate in Business Administration. She moved to America in 1999 and became a U.S. citizen in 2002. She started her career in America with a Texas based firm due to her work experience in Panama. In 2004, she became the data architect at the Boeing Company and continues to work at the company. Her role encompasses computing and technical system crea- tion, management and development. Apart from this, she is also responsible for process improvement, consulting, training and software quality assurance. Currently she leads at least four quality teams in her capacity as the quality manager. She and her teams offer excellent support to the Renton, WA based 737 airplane productions. Spiak is a member of several Boeing af- finity groups and is the founding member of the 737-Diversity Council. In 2013, Maria was selected as the South Puget Sound President as a part of the Boeing Women in Leadership awards. Apart from mentoring students at the Des Moines, WA based Aviation High School, Spiak also helps support better quality of life for Hispanics and is a member of the National Community
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