ABI-ONE ghc program v14.indd - Grace Hopper Celebration of ...

Heidi Kvinge was General
Chair for the Grace
Hopper Celebration
last year, capping many
years of being an active participant
and strong believer in the importance
of the conference to countless women
of all ages and backgrounds. Sadly, she
passed away earlier this year, leaving
behind not only a void in our hearts
but also a wonderful legacy for us to admire.
For Heidi the Grace Hopper Celebration was special.
It was a place she could openly discuss her career,
her family, her joys and challenges with friends.
It was a place she could pour out her energy and
see first hand the impact of the work she did. It
helped her stay connected with a new generation of
computer scientists. She first attended the conference
in Vancouver, 2002. She was hooked and had not
missed one since. She submitted panel proposals,
spoke on panels, joined the industry advisory board
and became a reviewer. Becoming Chair of the
Papers/Panels/Workshops Committee was a spring
board for her to become more involved as Program
Chair and General Chair. Heidi set the bar very
high for those of us who follow in her footsteps.
She worked with the 2010 GHC Steering
Committee providing support and guidance until
just before her passing.
As a Technical Engineering Manager, Heidi had the
opportunity to work on leading edge chip technologies
and to influence the careers of those around her.
Throughout her career Heidi was recognized for her
contributions to the design environment and data
management infrastructure for many microprocessor
projects. She led the teams developing database
applications to data mine global design information
to improve the overall design process. She was always
learning and sharing her knowledge.
I n M e M o r I a M
Heidi Kvinge
Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology | Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
Heidi was an active member of the
Digital Equipment Corporation.
Women at Work Leadership Team.
There she helped a generation of
women engineers and professionals
learn about: the importance of humor
in the workplace, negotiation skills,
financial management, finding the
right mentor, work life balance and
more. When she moved to Intel, she
took all she learned and joined the board for the
Women at Intel Networking Group. She helped
establish a local chapter at Intel’s Massachusetts
Microprocessor Design Center.
Heidi was a Syster, a member of the ACM, a
member of Phi Beta Kappa, and served on the
Advisory Board for Women’s Programs at Worcester
Polytechnic Institute. She never seemed to sit still!
Heidi never felt limited in what she could do, truly
living by the motto “do the unexpected”. She was
always speaking out on behalf of technical women.
She worked long hours but always found time for
friends and family.
Heidi was married to a strong, supporting husband,
Don. Together they raised two children, Gretchen
and Benjamin. Don always wanted to attend the
conference but Heidi pushed back. It was her special
thing. This year Don is here to see firsthand and
learn from all of us just what it is that drove Heidi to
come back year after year. He is here, with Gretchen,
to meet Heidi’s friends, to feel the energy, to share
in the experience. They are here, with all of us, to
ensure that Heidi’s legacy lives on.
Wendy Rannenberg
July 2010
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