USWCC Announces 2018 Women Contractor Award Winners
The U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce our 2018 Women Contractor Award Winners of firms who have achieved outstanding success as suppliers in the federal contracting arena. Awards were presented in Washington, DC on March 7, 2018 at the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce National Small Business Federal Contracting Summit.
The U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce recognizes firms with the following awards: Innovation & Performance, Growth Master, Emerging Star and Stellar; and Government Agency representatives with the Government Small Business Advocate Award. USWCC Award winners are:
STELLAR: Awarded to exceptional federal suppliers who have shown exemplary growth and quality and are positioned as leaders within the contracting community.
Jeri Prophet, Founder and CEO, IntellecTechs, Inc.
Jeri D. Prophet, Founder and CEO of IntellecTechs, Inc. a firm specializing in a full range of Information Technology products and services. A Service Disabled Veteran, Ms. Prophet started Mentoring Our Veterans into Tomorrow (MOVIT), a non-profit organization employing Veterans through a mentor program and NowHiringVeterans.com, a free Veteran/Employer matching job placement service. Prophet founded IntellecTechs in 2008 and sustained substantial growth over the last nine years. In 2017, IntellecTechs Ranked No. 1806 on the Inc. 5000 list and received the Armed Forces Communications and Electronic Association Intl’s Small Business of the Year award. In 2015, IntellecTechs was named to Inside Business’s ‘Roaring 20s’ List of fastest growing companies in Hampton Roads. Prophet has over 25 years commercial and U.S. Navy experience demonstrating superior leadership initiative, innovative market strategies, and outstanding performance success in the world of cybersecurity. As an Information Security expert, she is a leader educating both enterprise and public-sector audiences, including individuals, corporate entities, and state and local educator’s. In 2010, she received her Bachelors of Art and in 2013 received her Masters of Business Administration, specializing in Information Security Management from Saint Leo University.
STELLAR: Awarded to exceptional federal suppliers who have shown exemplary growth and quality and are positioned as leaders within the contracting community.
Dr. Joy Colcucci, Founder and CEO, Metis Technology Solutions, Inc.
Dr. Joy Colucci is the founder and CEO of Metis Technology Solutions, Inc., which she formed in 2010. Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Metis employs 90 engineers and subject matter experts providing aeronautics and space systems development support to NASA and the US Air Force. Prior to founding Metis, Dr. Colucci held senior management positions at Hughes Applied Information Systems, Raytheon Technical Services, and Booz Allen Hamilton. As a business leader, she
has been responsible for organizations of up to 500 technical staff and $60M in annual contract revenue.
Metis supports several high-visibility programs, including numerous NASA spaceflight missions, modeling and simulation for aeronautics research, and satellite ground system development. The company has been recognized with over 20 NASA achievement awards, was the 2017 NASA Langley Research Center’s Subcontractor of the Year, the 2016 NASA Ames Research Center’s Subcontractor of the Year, and named one of New Mexico’s fastest growing tech companies in 2017. Joy earned BS, MS and PhD degrees in Earth System Science. She enjoys the outdoors, is an avid reader, and lives in New Mexico with her family.
INNOVATION & PERFORMANCE: Awarded to exceptional federal suppliers who exhibit outstanding innovation and/or performance on a key contract that will significantly bolster their ability to secure future opportunities.
Maria Rodriguez, President & CEO, Vanguard Communications
Maria is president and CEO of Vanguard
Communications, a full-service social marketing and communications firm committed exclusively to the marketing and promotion of social issues.
With a focus on cultural and linguistic competence, Maria has managed communications and marketing campaigns for a broad spectrum of nonprofit organizations and government agencies. At Vanguard, she leads a team of approximately 35 communications professionals who work to advance change in areas such as health and wellness, youth and families, international development,
education and environmental protection. A first-generation American, Maria is especially committed to the elimination of health and education disparities, and believes every child and family should have access to the services and supports they need to be thriving members of society.
A native Washingtonian, Maria is a first generation American whose Spanish parents immigrated to the United States in 1957 from Venezuela. Their example of bravery and risk-taking for the betterment of their family inspired Maria’s courage to start Vanguard at age 27.
Maria lives in Arlington, Virginia., with her husband.