RICHLAND, Wash. – From a pool of more than 300 nominees, Ashley Ward, with EM Richland Operations Office contractor Mission Support Alliance (MSA), was recently selected for the Innovator of the Year Award at an event highlighting achievements by women in the information technology (IT) field.

Ward, who serves as MSA’s director of information systems, was integral to bringing new technology in water utility work to the Hanford Site, creating the potential to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and increase worker safety.

“I’m truly overwhelmed to receive this award,” Ward said following the 2019 Women in IT Awards Silicon Valley ceremony in San Francisco. “This could not have been possible without my great team and all of their hard work.”

Partnering with MSA’s public works organization, Ward and her team outfitted EM workers with augmented-reality headsets, providing them with more information readily available in the field and expanded communication capabilities.

Ben Ellison, chief information officer for the Hanford Site, said Ward is a fantastic leader who is always looking for ways to improve efficiency.

“Ashley is a true innovator in every sense of the word,” Ellison said. “The use of this technology at Hanford has the potential to be a game changer for years to come. Congratulations to Ashley and MSA for a job well done.”

Todd Synoground, MSA vice president for public works, also commended Ashley on the award.

“Ashley has that unique characteristic of being a technical expert in her field while also being a strong and dynamic leader,” Synoground said. “Her innovative thinking and uncanny ability to identify creative solutions are second to none.”

Ward leads a team of over 150 IT professionals who develop and maintain a majority of the more than 1,600 computer applications for Hanford, including medical-monitoring applications, geographic information systems, business management systems, and quality assurance applications.