Rhonda Childress

The first woman in IBM's services division to earn the titles of IBM Master Inventor and Security Fellow, Childress is also the first IBM Fellow from a historically Black university. She served as IBM Fellow Vice President of Global Technology Services, having built her entire career in Strategic Outsourcing. She is one of only 25 female IBM Fellows in the company's history.

A prolific inventor, Childress held over 200 patents, 130 of which related to systems management, cybersecurity, mobile technology, aircraft, and the Internet of Things. In 2018, she was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions throughout her career at IBM.