As part of fulfilling its mission of championing association women who use technology in their career, AWTC honors members every year for their work and leadership. Click here to see previous winners.
AWTC Technology Leadership Award
This award recognizes a career of achievement and leadership and is awarded to only one or two women yearly. The recipient is a leader in her association and profession and is known to her peers as an outstanding association IT leader. Typically, she is in a CIO or other leadership role advancing technology and has had an impact beyond her association.
Erica Salm Rench | CMO, Sidecar.ai
With a career rooted in strategic marketing, digital transformation, and AI-driven innovation, Erica Salm Rench has spent over a decade helping organizations stand out in a crowded digital world; and now, she is helping them navigate the AI revolution.
Erica began her journey in enrollment management, specializing in strategic recruitment and marketing, before managing all operations and delivery at the largest digital marketing company in the Gulf South. There, she played a pivotal role in enhancing 1,200+ organizations’ web presences, SEO, online advertising, and content marketing strategies, helping them cut through the digital noise and make a lasting impact.
Her passion for AI-powered solutions took center stage when she joined rasa.io as COO, where she spent seven years scaling the company from one to hundreds of customers and revolutionizing personalized content delivery. Now, as CMO of sidecar.ai, she is dedicated to educating the world on AI, helping associations and business leaders understand and implement AI-driven strategies to future-proof their organizations.
Erica is a recognized thought leader and speaker, having presented at industry-leading events such as The Marketing AI Institute MAICON Conference, ASAE Annual, MarketingProfs, digitalNow, ASAE MMCT, ACCESSE and other AI-focused and association leadership summits. She shares insights on how AI is transforming marketing, member engagement, and the way organizations operate, equipping leaders with the tools they need to thrive in an AI-driven world.
Whether on stage, hosting workshops, or leading discussions on AI adoption, digital strategy, or the future of associations, Erica’s mission is to demystify AI and empower organizations to leverage its full potential.
AWTC Technology Innovation Award
The AWTC Technology Innovation Award honors an individual in an association for their novel use of technology or introduction of innovative technological solutions. This recognition spotlights those who have found inventive applications for technology that substantially impacts internal or external stakeholders and moves their association forward. It highlights AWTC's commitment to nurturing creative advancements in association technology.
Jamie Atchison | Senior Director of Innovation and Strategy, ASPPH
Jamie Atchison is a senior technology and strategy leader with over 15 years of experience driving organizational transformation through innovative, human-centered digital solutions. She currently serves as Senior Director of Innovation and Strategy at the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH), where she leads the execution of enterprise-wide digital initiatives that strengthen the academic public health ecosystem.
Jamie oversees web and application development, cloud and DevOps operations, and the adoption of secure, agile practices. She sets strategic direction for ASPPH’s digital platforms and portfolios, builds high-performing cross-functional teams, and delivers scalable solutions aligned with mission-driven outcomes.
Jamie is deeply committed to public health, equity, and organizational excellence, with a focus on translating emerging technologies into practical, sustainable tools. She holds a Master of Science in Information Technology from the University of Virginia, with a focus on aligning technology and organizational strategy to drive measurable business value.
AWTC Technology Champion Awards
This award recognizes women doing amazing work every day to advance technology in associations. The honoree might be a programmer developing innovative apps, a membership director who has used existing technologies to offer compelling new member services, or a data analyst who is changing the way the organization moves forward with data-driven decisions. This award is open to women working in associations or a company that serves associations.
