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  1. Home
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  3. Elaine Montilla
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Elaine Montilla

TEDx
Founder
5xminority
Country or state 
United States (New York)
Available to 
Global
City 
New York
Fee 
Ask for pricing
Languages 
English,
Spanish
Volunteer
No
Timezone 
America/New_York

Personal Details

Current position (2)

Founder

5xminority

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Pearson

Degrees (3)
Master of Science, Business Management and Leadership
CUNY School of Professional Studies
2012 to 2015
BBA, Computer Information Systems
Baruch College
2007 to 2011
Fostering Inclusion and Diversity Certificate Program
Yale University
2019

Bio

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Bio #1

Elaine Montilla is a respected technology executive, TEDx speaker, and inclusive leadership advocate with over two decades of experience in digital transformation and IT strategy. As the former Chief Technology Officer for US School Assessment at Pearson, she led innovation efforts impacting millions of students nationwide. Elaine is the founder of 5xMinority, a platform dedicated to empowering women and underrepresented minorities in STEM and leadership.

Her speaking style is a blend of authenticity, technical credibility, and purpose-driven insight. Elaine is a former Forbes Technology Council member and has been featured on several top industry lists, including Yahoo Finance’s “Top LGBTQ+ Executive Role Models” and Technology Magazine’s “Top 100 Women in Tech.” She has spoken at events for global organizations such as Adobe, Scholastic, Nestle, WSIB Ontatio, World Woman Future Forum, SHPE, Parsable, Nysernet, MuleSoft, Liberty Mutual, Global Fondries, Meetup, Latinas in Tech, CIO Synergy, WITI, NAIC, Techqueria, World Happiness foundation, the City University of New York, and others. Whether on stage or in the boardroom, Elaine inspires audiences to lead with empathy, embrace diversity, and build inclusive, future-ready organizations.

Bio #2

Presentations

Presentations (5)
Strategies to Thrive in a Male Dominated Workplace

ou know the feeling—being the only woman in the room, rarely seeing another soul in the ladies’ room, or worse, being mistaken for someone’s assistant. For many women in tech and leadership, “making it” often means learning to succeed in spaces where the boys' club still quietly holds power. In this honest and empowering talk, Elaine Montilla draws from her own journey as a Latina, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ executive who rose through the ranks of male-dominated industries. She shares practical strategies for overcoming bias, claiming your voice, building confidence, and navigating unspoken power dynamics. Elaine speaks directly to the challenges that women—and especially women of color—face in corporate and tech spaces, offering insights to break past barriers, set boundaries, and lead with authenticity. This session is perfect for ERGs, women’s leadership programs, and professional development series aiming to equip women with the tools to thrive, not just survive.

Leading While “Other”: Thriving in Spaces That Weren’t Built for You

In this candid and deeply empowering talk, Elaine Montilla shares the unspoken truths of what it means to lead while being seen as “other”—as a woman, a person of color, an immigrant, or someone from the LGBTQ+ community—within systems that were not designed for you. Drawing from her own journey to the C-suite in the tech industry, Elaine sheds light on the silent barriers, the moments of invisibility, and the internal battles with imposter syndrome that many underrepresented professionals face. More importantly, she offers strategies to navigate these environments with confidence, authenticity, and resilience

The Future of Work is Human: Why Empathy, Inclusion & Trust Are the Real Tech Revolution

As AI reshapes our workflows and automation transforms our industries, one truth becomes increasingly clear: the future of work is not just about technology—it’s about humanity. In this forward-looking keynote, Elaine Montilla explores why human-centered leadership is the competitive edge organizations can’t afford to ignore. Drawing on her experience as a technology executive and advocate for inclusive innovation, Elaine makes the case for putting empathy, inclusion, and trust at the heart of every digital transformation. She shares practical strategies for cultivating psychologically safe teams, balancing efficiency with equity, and empowering employees to thrive in the age of AI. This talk inspires leaders to embrace the “soft skills” that now carry hard value—and reminds audiences that progress doesn’t come from code alone, but from the people behind it.

Inclusive Leadership in Action: Building Cultures Where Everyone Belongs

Inclusion is more than a statement—it’s a daily practice. In this actionable session, Elaine Montilla breaks down what it really takes to build and sustain inclusive workplaces. From recognizing unconscious bias to creating systems of accountability and psychological safety, she offers real-world examples and tools leaders can use to go beyond performative gestures and create cultures where everyone is valued and heard. Elaine’s insights are rooted in lived experience and decades of leadership across education and tech. This talk is ideal for executives, people managers, and DEI champions who want to move from intention to impact and learn how to build teams that reflect and respect the diversity of the world around them.

Radical Empathy: From Compassion to Culture Shift

Empathy isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a leadership imperative. In this talk, Elaine Montilla explores how radical empathy can transform workplaces into thriving ecosystems of trust, collaboration, and innovation. She shares personal stories and practical methods for moving from performative to proactive empathy, teaching leaders how to build emotional intelligence into everyday decision-making. Audiences will learn how to listen more deeply, lead with vulnerability, and build connections that bridge identity, background, and belief. Ideal for leadership teams, HR professionals, and organizations looking to strengthen their culture from the inside out, this session equips attendees with the mindset and tools to lead with heart—because culture change begins with courageous conversations.

Past talks (8)
Women in Tech Panelist
CIO NY 2019
New York
January 23, 2020
Baruch Alumni LGBTQ+ Panel Discussion
LGBTQ+ HERITAGE MONTH PANEL - Baruch College
New York
October 9, 2019
Keynote Presentation - Voice of Leadership
AMA Women's Leadership
New York
November 4, 2019
Women in Leadership Tech Talk
Trilogy Education Services
Online
December 10, 2019
Women in Technology Planel
CIONY 2020
New York
January 23, 2020
Harnessing the Power of Diversity and Inclusion for Innovation
Wolves Summit
Poland
March 23, 2020
Main Obstacles to Diversity & Inclusion in tech
NYSCIO Moderator
Virtual
July 13, 2020
Woman In Tech Reimagining the Global Reset
World Woman Forum 2020
Virtual
August 5, 2020
  • All (15)
  • Videos (8)
  • Photos (5)
  • Slides (1)
  • One sheet (1)
The Value of Mentoring Women and Minorities in Tech
How to solve the problem of diversity and inclusion in tech | MuleSoft Blog
5xminority Welcome!
https://youtu.be/xEeKSxluHnU
Career Panel and Q&A: Careers in Tech and Beyond
https://youtu.be/FI4yyswZh2Y
https://youtu.be/Ql30GCx4iVs
"Belonging": The Next Evolution of Diversity & Inclusion - Elaine Montilla
TEX Chelsea Park Speaker
TEX Chelsea Park Speaker
Camp GLP Presentation
Camp GLP Presentation
CIOSynergy Panelist
CIOSynergy Panelist
Forbes Council
Forbes Council
AMA Keynote
AMA Keynote
Strategies to Thrive in a Male-Dominated Workplace
This speaker hasn't uploaded any press information yet.

Books & Articles (8)

Hispanic Stars Rising: The New Face of Power
Fig Factor Media Publishing,
2020
How CIOs Can Cultivate A Sense Of Belonging In The Workplace
The Value of Mentoring Women and Minorities in Tech
Top Three Reasons We Need More Women In Tech
Achieving Workplace Diversity Through Recruitment In Tech
Five Actions A Company Can Take To Retain Female IT Talent
The Real Problem With Employee Resource Groups
Three Signs A Company Doesn't Support Diversity And Inclusion

Expertise (26)

Technology
Leadership
Education
Business
Diversity and Inclusion Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advancement of Women Succeeding as a Minority The American Dream Latin(x) Latinos latinas in business LGBTQ inclusion minority business women Leading Effectively in Times of Change Compassionate Leadership New York Female Authenticity Female Empowerment Female Leadership Female Keynote Speaker LGBTQ issues badass women Gender discrimination of women in business Become a Strategic Leader education technology

Clients

World Woman Foundation
NYS CIO Conference (NYCERNET)
Wolves Summit (Poland)
EWAAB
Lesbians Who Tech
Fearless Woman Summit
CIONY 2020 Conference
World Happiness Foundation
Women Transforming Technology - WT2
Ladies in Tech
Techqueria
Mulesoft
Adobe
SHPE
Parsable
Meetup
CMDIT
SAPInsider
Cadence
Liberty Mutual
Global Foundries

Awards & certifications (7)

Top 100 Woman in Tech
Technology Magazine
2023
Top 100 Outstanding LGBTQ+ Executive Role Model
Involve and Yahoo Finance
2021
Top 100 Latinas of 2024
Latino Leaders Magazine
2024
100 Hispanic Technology Leaders
HITEC
2024
133 Women Who Change the World
Diversein
2023
Top 150 Constellation Business Transformation Executive
BT150
2025
Top 100 in Tech Leaders to Watch
Women Tech network
2025
Recommendations
Why choose me? 

Because I don’t just talk about leadership, inclusion, or innovation—I’ve lived it.

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