The UC Womxn in Technology (WIT) Committee is excited to highlight the remarkable contributions of women in IT across the UC system through the annual “UC Womxn Rock IT” article.

Local WIT chapters nominated individual women and teams of women for their impactful work in Information Technology — from education technology and software development to security and beyond. All nominees have made significant strides in the IT field or have advanced projects that align with the mission and values of UC WIT from March 2024 through February 2025.

Congratulations to all the nominees and finalists for their dedication and innovation. Their work is essential to supporting our university and driving our work forward.

Meet UCOP’s Womxn Who Rock IT

Jade Noelani Yonehiro

Jade Noelani Yonehiro — UC WIT Tech Womxn Rock IT finalist
Open Access Data Analyst, California Digital Library (CDL) 
Jade is a rare UC staff member who is a skilled analyst, advocate for equity and inclusion and scholar. They brought all these skills and experiences to bear on their work for the CDL’s Journal Open Access Lookup Tool. Facing a temporary staff absence that would have otherwise delayed the project, Jade stepped up to provide project leadership and management for the tool’s development, and critical data wrangling work to make the service function. This lynchpin tool allows UC scholars to discover crucial journal publication information, enabling them to fulfill UC’s mission of providing open and equitable scholarship to the larger public community.

April Sather

April Sather
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), UCOP Information Technology Services (ITS)
April has been a transformative leader in cybersecurity across the UC system. As UCOP’s CISO, she has championed enterprise-wide security initiatives that protect UC’s vast digital landscape. With women significantly underrepresented in CISO roles, April’s leadership is a powerful example of breaking barriers in a critical, male-dominated field. She has been pivotal in enhancing cyber resilience, fostering a culture of security awareness and ensuring inclusive opportunities for women in technology. A founding member of Women in Technology at UCI, she actively mentors and empowers women to excel in IT and cybersecurity.

Kari Robertson

Kari Robertson
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Executive Director of Infrastructure Services, UCOP ITS
Kari is the only female CTO in the UC system, underscoring her exceptional leadership in a traditionally male-dominated field. At UCOP, Kari oversees systemwide IT infrastructure supporting 19 locations. She has successfully led cloud migrations at multiple universities, built cloud centers of excellence and implemented cost-saving and compliance strategies. Her leadership extends beyond UC, as co-chair of the Educause Cloud Computing Community Group. Kari’s dedication to innovation and mentorship paves the way for more women to pursue IT and technology infrastructure leadership roles. 

Roshni Pratap

Roshni Pratap
Director of Strategic Sourcing – IT, UC Systemwide Procurement
Roshni has been a driving force in IT strategic sourcing for the UC system, leading initiatives that enhance procurement efficiencies, drive cost savings and strengthen supplier partnerships. In a field where women are underrepresented in leadership, Roshni has broken barriers through her expertise and dedication. Her leadership in the Strategic Sourcing and Supplier Relationship Management project has improved sourcing frameworks and supplier engagement strategies throughout UC. Roshni’s ability to align procurement strategies with UC’s mission makes her an outstanding role model for women in IT and procurement. 

Wendy Rager

Wendy Rager
Interim Integrations Team Leader, UCOP ITS
Wendy demonstrated exceptional leadership in 2020 by successfully transforming the Cyber Security Summit from an onsite event to an entirely virtual experience in five weeks. Since taking over ITPS in July 2023, she has fostered a thriving community of practice. A highly strategic administrator, she is frequently entrusted with leadership roles to drive organizational success. Beyond her professional achievements, she is deeply committed to mentorship and community building. She has been a dedicated member of the UCOP WIT committee for many years, championing the growth and development of others in the field.

Meet all UC WIT finalists: Read the full article from UC Tech News

For questions, contact Shirley Bittlingmeier.

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