New Honorees Announced for Campus Installation

One year after the opening of Pathway of Progress: Celebrating Georgia Tech Women, the newest honorees have been selected for the permanent campus installation. Pathway of Progress recognizes alumnae, students, faculty, and staff who have made significant contributions to campus, their chosen fields, and their communities. Following a nomination and selection process, individuals will continue to be added to this living installation each year. 

Pathway of Progress was made possible by significant philanthropic support from Andrea Laliberte, IE 1982, M.S. IE 1984, HON Ph.D. 2025, and designed by Merica May Jensen, MGT 2008, M. ARCH 2011. The 2026 honorees embody the Institute’s motto of Progress and Service and have made a lasting impact on the world around them.

2026 Pathway of Progress Honorees

Niesha Alice Butler, INTA 2016, is the founder and CEO of S.T.E.A.M. CHAMPS. Her multifaceted career has included serving as a software engineer and computer science instructor. She has founded multiple companies focused on teaching coding, robotics, and engineering to underserved communities. While a student at Georgia Tech, she played basketball and was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1999. 

Mary Ann Gordon, EE 1981, is a retired vice president of quality compliance at Altria Group. Her work in engineering and manufacturing has influenced industry standards and operational excellence. A leader in her community, she also serves the Institute through her involvement on multiple boards, including the College of Engineering Advisory Board and the Georgia Tech Foundation Board of Trustees. She has given back to Georgia Tech through her support of undergraduate scholarships and Roll Call, among other areas of interest.

Margie Ann Morse, NE 1979, is a pioneer in the field of nuclear engineering. She co-founded the engineering firm Parallax in 1992 and grew it into a multimillion-dollar nuclear logistics service company. She has remained involved with the Institute and served on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board. 

Heather Smith Rocker, IE 1998, is the CEO of Women in Technology, an organization dedicated to creating more opportunities for women and girls to explore, pursue, persist, and lead in technology. She has served with organizations focused on advancing Georgia through STEM-focused education, workplace development, and leadership development, and was a member of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Board of Trustees.

Marilyn Jones Smith, AE 1982, M.S. AE 1985, Ph.D. AE 1994, is the David S. Lewis Professor in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering and director of the Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence. She is a pioneer in the aerospace industry and leads award-winning research teams focused on critical aeromechanics issues. In addition to mentoring hundreds of students, she serves as a caregiver to the many cats who call the Georgia Tech campus home. 

Ridhi Tariyal, IE 2002, is the co-founder and CEO of NextGen Jane. A leader in health science, she developed a method for using menstrual fluid for diagnostic testing, advancing the science of women’s health and making testing more accessible.

Liz Harriss York, ARCH 1990, M. ARCH 1995, is a managing principal at HDR. A recognized leader in sustainability, architecture, and public health, she was the first chief sustainability officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has demonstrated her commitment to Georgia Tech through her volunteer leadership and service on the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Board of Trustees,  as well as through her philanthropic support across campus.