Women in Biometrics Awards

Recognizing Innovative Women in the Biometrics Technology Market

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About the Women in Biometrics Awards

The SIA Women in Biometrics Awards are a globally recognized program dedicated to recognizing innovative women creating a more secure world by guiding the biometrics technology market.

Biometric technologies are fundamental to securing physical and digital identities in a modern society. The incredible advancements made by the dedicated professionals leading this field are helping keep our cities and citizens, our companies and employees and our schools and children safe. Since 2015, the Women in Biometrics Awards have recognized innovative women dedicated to creating a more secure world by guiding this crucial technology market.

The Women in Biometrics Awards honorees will be recognized at SIA's 2025 Identity and Biometrics Symposium on Nov. 5 in the Washington, D.C., area.

Nominations open; recognize a leader today!

2025 Details at a Glance:

  • Nomination Deadline: Friday, Sept. 19
  • Awardees Announced: Thursday, Oct. 16
  • Award Ceremony: Wednesday, Nov. 5

Women in Biometrics Awards Nomination Form

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2025 Awards Sponsor

 

Media Partner

Organizational Partners

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Eligibility

Each nominee should demonstrate excellence in one or more of the following areas in the biometrics field:

  • Leadership: Substantive and defining leadership in academic, public awareness, legislative or standards efforts
  • Participation: Efforts that go above and beyond individual company, organization and/or agency walls and into the larger identity sphere
  • Innovation: Pioneering biometric product, service or solution development and/or advancement
  • Mentoring: Industry involvement sharing expertise and mentoring peers, thus growing the market

Judges and Process

Nominations for the SIA Women in Biometrics Awards are reviewed and evaluated by a jury consisting of industry professionals and previous awards winners. From the pool of nominations received prior to the deadline, a small group of winners will be selected as Women in Biometrics awardees for 2025. The winners will be recognized online and honored during an award ceremony at SIA's Identity and Biometrics Symposium.

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Previous Award Winners

2024

  • Leire Arbona Puértolas, Veridas
  • Melissa Conley, Transportation Security Administration
  • Heather R. Haller, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
  • Caitlin Kneapler, Ph.D., Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

2023

  • Larisa Boyko, NEC Corporation of America
  • Alicia Harrison, OBIM, DHS
  • Casey Mayfield, IDEMIA
  • C. Maxine Most, Acuity Market Intelligence
  • Bethany Retton, FBI

2022

  • Gena Alexa, Dignari
  • Amanda Conley, OBIM, DHS
  • Delia McGarry, IDEMIA National Security Solutions
  • Diane Stephens, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
  • Bobby Varma, Princeton Identity

2021

  • Marta García Gomar, IDENTY Touchless ID
  • Amy Turluck, Biometrics Operations Directorate, U.S. Department of Defense

2020

  • Jeni Best, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
  • Anne May, OBIM, DHS
  • Mei Ngan, NIST
  • Lauren Reed, IDEMIA National Security Solutions
  • Annet Steenbergen, Aruba Happy Flow Project

2019

  • Debra Marcopulos, OBIM, DHS
  • Dana Michalski, Defence Science and Technology Group, Government of Australia
  • Nicole Spaun, IDEMIA National Security Solutions
  • Sherry Stein, SITA

2018

  • Kelly Gallagher, NEC Corporation of America
  • Lisa MacDonald, OBIM, DHS
  • Colleen Manaher, CBP, DHS
  • Lora Sims, Ideal Innovations
  • Anne Wang, Gemalto Cogent

2017

  • Kimberly Del Greco, FBI
  • Isabelle Moeller, Biometrics Institute
  • Liane Moriyama, Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center
  • Stephanie Schuckers, Clarkson University
  • Frances Zelazny, BioCatch

2016

  • JoAnn Buscaglia, FBI Laboratory
  • Tovah LaDier, IBIA
  • Elham Tobassi, NIST
  • Teresa Wu, MorphoTrak

2015

  • Janice Kephart
  • Kimberly Mills
  • Celeste Thomasson
  • Cathy Tilton
  • Patricia Wolfhope

Become a Sponsor of the SIA Women in biometrics Awards

The SIA Women in Biometrics Awards are dedicated to recognizing the innovative women creating a more secure world by guiding this crucial technology market. If that aligns with your company's mission, too, then we'd love to have you as a sponsor of this year's awards program! To learn more about sponsoring the SIA Women in Biometrics Awards, please contact Kevin Murphy, senior director of member services, at kmurphy@securityindustry.org.