FreeBalance Partners with Women in Tech® to Celebrate Global Leadership in Technology

FreeBalance is proud to announce a new partnership with Women in Tech®, an international organization dedicated to advancing women’s participation and leadership in the technology sector. With a presence across continents, Women in Tech® fosters innovation, collaboration, and recognition, helping to build a more inclusive digital future.

One of the organization’s flagship initiatives is the Women in Tech Global Awards, a series of prestigious regional and global events that celebrate women, allies, and initiatives shaping the future of technology. With seven regional ceremonies culminating in the global finale in Paris on 14 November 2025, the awards spotlight excellence across nine categories, from innovation and leadership to start-ups and lifetime achievement.

As part of the partnership, FreeBalance is honoured to support the Tech Diplomacy Award, which underscores the importance of international cooperation to ensure technology serves as a public good — governed inclusively, responsibly, and in the interest of citizens. This reflects FreeBalance’s mission of working with governments worldwide to strengthen transparency, accountability, and digital public infrastructure.

The awards season is already well underway:

• FreeBalance was represented at the LATAM events in Panama City by Betty Alonso (Strategic Partnerships and Training Manager), Perla Salazar (Support Manager), and Eduardo Capecci (Senior PFM Advisor). Betty addressed the audience on the importance of tech diplomacy, Perla presented the regional Tech Diplomacy Award, and Eduardo joined a panel on AI-powered government, sharing FreeBalance’s global experiences in responsible digital transformation.

• Mary Ellen McDonald (Director of Finance) and Doris Smith (Software Developer) attended the North America regional event in Toronto, connecting with inspiring leaders from across the region.

• Bridget Kelly (Vice President, Southern and West Africa) represented FreeBalance at the Africa symposium and awards event in Johannesburg, celebrating the achievements of women advancing technology across the continent.

Upcoming events will take place in the Caucasus and Central Asia, Europe, and Middle East regions, ahead of the Global Finals in Paris. We’re proud that female FreeBalance leaders are contributing to the judging process in these forthcoming events:

• Adelina Cervadiku (Functional Support Specialist) will serve as a judge for the Caucasus and Central Asia Awards.
• FreeBalance’s judge for the Europe Awards is Cristina Marques (Research and Development Functional Team Director).
• Rehana Shahini (Functional Support Specialist) will judge the Middle East Awards.
• Acting as a judge for the global finals is Sara Wadeson (Director of Capture Management).

We are delighted to celebrate and support the remarkable women who are shaping the future of technology worldwide through this important new partnership.

Betty Alonso (Strategic Partnerships and Training Manager) gives a speech on the importance of tech diplomacy at the LATAM Awards in Panama City.

Eduardo Capecci (Senior PFM Advisor) was invited to speak on a panel with María Lucía Peraza
Director of Digital Products Engineering, Copa Airlines) and Nathalie Mariátegui (Director of
Entrepreneurship and Startups at the Peru Chamber of Artificial Intelligence).

Bridget Kelly (Vice President, Southern and West Africa) announced the winner of the Tech Diplomacy Award Africa 2025.
From left to right: Melissa Slaymaker and Hwalane Mabaso (both representing Women in Tech),
winner Nathalie Kienga (Head of National Cybersecurity, Democratic Republic of Congo), Bridget Kelly and Women in Tech’s Erika Reeves.