Technical.ly’s RealLIST Engineers 2024 is underwritten by Comcast. The list was independently reported and not reviewed by Comcast before publication.
Who’s been helping make the DMV tech scene a hot commodity?
We aren’t talking about the blistering heat and humidity this summer, but experts in the region with technological acumen who simultaneously make a difference where they live.
Technical.ly’s 2024 RealLIST Engineers features savvy leaders who not only have technological prowess, but also make a difference in the DMV scene. Maybe they host a meetup group, dedicate time to educating the next generation, or even help beautify local hiking trails.
The list, which we’ve published in the DC region since 2019, is put together with help of reader nominations (you can submit names all year round), and our own research and past reporting.
Keep reading to meet the 15 impressive people who made the list this year.
Leslie Welch
When she’s not working as a principal fellow in AI and analytics at the Arlington software company Excella, Welch is very involved in data community meetups throughout the region, including Data Viz DC and Data Science DC.
She’s a co-organizer of Power BI DC, a group focused on bringing together users of Microsoft’s business intelligence data visualization software product. She previously served a team lead for the inclusion, diversity, and equity ambassadors at Excella.
David Curry
A senior software engineer and solutions architect at the government relations firm Barbaricum, Curry has more than 25 years of experience in the field. Outside of work, he volunteers at the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, where he helps maintain trails and cabins in the region. He’s also a Maryland Master Naturalist through the Anacostia Watershed Society, which is an adult education program about natural history.
“David Curry is a phenomenal person and engineer,” a nominator wrote. “I’m lucky enough to know and get to work with him.”
Kanika Singh
District Department of Transportation
In her work at the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Singh led the development of different dashboards in an aim to improve roadway safety. The Crash Dashboard maps fatal and injury-causing crashes in the District, and is housed on DC’s Vision Zero site.
She also took part in developing the Safety Intervention Dashboard for DDOT, which tracks different efforts by Vision Zero. That includes where leading pedestrian intervals have been implemented, which are traffic signal adjustments that give pedestrians a head start.
Michael Deeb
When he’s not working as deputy director of engineering at govtech company Fearless, Deeb is a board member with the Civic Tech DC Meetup. The nonpolitical volunteer group hosts project nights for technologists to collaborate on using coding and data analysis to come up with solutions for various civic issues affecting the district and its residents.
Chida Sadayappan
Sadayappan is a founder of DC Startup Week, and leads consulting firm Deloitte’s cloud AI and machine learning practice. He also leads Devfest DC, which is a local software engineering conference. Sadayappan’s nominator described him as “an example and role model for the community.”
Mary Gibbs
Women Who Code once housed a local meetup in DC, so when the global nonprofit abruptly closed, Gibbs knew she had to ensure a similar group lived on. She and other co-leads created Women and Gender eXpansive Coders DC, a group for women and non-binary people to get together to talk about tech. At her day job, Gibbs is a senior applied scientist at the Chicago-headquartered software development firm Relativity.
Marck Vaisman
Vaisman works as a technical specialist at Microsoft, and he’s an adjunct professor in Georgetown University’s Data Science and Analytics program. Outside of teaching, he’s the founder of the data science and analytics professionals group Data Community DC. The nonprofit organizes seminars and different meetups related to generative AI, data science and data visualization.
Cathy Le
Le is software engineer at the Arlington data analysis firm Black Cape, and an organizer with the meetup group DC Code and Coffee. It’s a monthly coworking session on Sunday afternoons for developers of all skill levels.
Swathi Young
Allwyn Corporation, SustainChain
Outside of work, Young is an ambassador with the think tank Women in AI, which connects with her day job. As a management consultant at digital services firm Allwyn, Young researches and presents AI use cases and designs AI solutions. She’s also a CTO Advisor for SustainChain, which is an environmental services tech platform.
“She is a much-needed voice and advocate for ethical AI and diversity in AI,” one nominator wrote.
William Huster
In his work as CTO at software development agency ThinkNimble, Huster is known for boosting team development, leading education opportunities for engineers and piloting new tech for himself and teams to learn. He’s described by nominators as a “secret weapon” and an “unsung hero.”
Matthew Zamora
Zamora is director of the research and development group MoCo Maker Labs, which aims to empower people to create items using 3D printers, CNC machines and other devices. He’s also a mentor to DMV Petri Dish, a biotech innovation nonprofit.
Mandi Parker
Parker is a senior designer at Bethesda Game Studios who worked on the famous Fallout series, specifically 2018’s Fallout 76. She also worked as a content designer for The Elder Scrolls Online. Outside of her involvement in high-profile games, Parker is an involved member of the Communications Workers of America union. She was a force in the recent unionization effort at Bethesda Game Studio, announced in July.
Gilbert Nazario
In 2022, Nazario founded Web3DC, a firm aiming to educate and disseminate information about Web3 technologies. The group organizes different events like hackathons and meetups, and offers consulting services. He has extensive experience in information technology, and worked for the US Army 1st Recruiting Brigade for more than 15 years.
Helen Ma
When she’s not working as a software engineer at the technology and consulting giant Booz Allen Hamilton, Ma volunteers with the Washington Quantum Computing Meetup where she works to build partnerships with universities and companies. She’s also a volunteer teaching assistant in coding and other topics like the software Kubernates with e-learning platform Udemy.
Akello Fells
Fells is a board member of the DC chapter of the International Game Developers Association, which hosts meetups in the region. He’s also a systems design intern at the video game developer ZeniMax Online Studios. He’s previously worked as a freelance game developer, and holds a bachelor’s degree in game and interactive media design from the University of Baltimore.
Before you go...
Please consider supporting Technical.ly to keep our independent journalism strong. Unlike most business-focused media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational support.
3 ways to support our work:- Contribute to the Journalism Fund. Charitable giving ensures our information remains free and accessible for residents to discover workforce programs and entrepreneurship pathways. This includes philanthropic grants and individual tax-deductible donations from readers like you.
- Use our Preferred Partners. Our directory of vetted providers offers high-quality recommendations for services our readers need, and each referral supports our journalism.
- Use our services. If you need entrepreneurs and tech leaders to buy your services, are seeking technologists to hire or want more professionals to know about your ecosystem, Technical.ly has the biggest and most engaged audience in the mid-Atlantic. We help companies tell their stories and answer big questions to meet and serve our community.
Join our growing Slack community
Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!
