Summary
Circle Optics reflects on the role of the Greater Rochester technology ecosystem in shaping visibility and leadership through the Technology Woman of the Year Awards. The company recognizes 2026 honorees Cheryl Nelan of CMIT Solutions and Kayte Malik of Arrow House Group, while highlighting Anjali Jogeshwar’s nomination for Emerging Technology Woman of the Year. The post underscores how community, recognition, and panoramic approaches to perception together support long term innovation.
Synergy is one of the core values of Circle Optics, and the company benefits directly from the strength of the technology ecosystem across Greater Rochester.
Programs like the Technology Woman of the Year Awards, led by TechRochester, play a meaningful role in that ecosystem. For more than two decades, the program has created visibility for women in technology in ways that influence career trajectories, leadership development, and long term participation in the field.
This year’s event, held at the Memorial Art Gallery and paired with the Finger Lakes Science and Technology Showcase, brought together leaders across industries to recognize that impact and strengthen connections across the region.
Circle Optics recognizes and congratulates this year’s honorees, including Cheryl Nelan of CMIT Solutions, named Technology Woman of the Year, and Kayte Malik of Arrow House Group, named Emerging Technology Woman of the Year.Additional perspective on the intent behind the program and its impact across the region is explored in a recent TechRochester podcast episode.
Circle Optics was proud to support Anjali Jogeshwar, PhD, Senior Computer Vision Engineer, who was nominated for Emerging Technology Woman of the Year.
In support of Jogeshwar, team members in attendance included Zak Niazi, Ian Gauger, Grace Annese, Peter Stubler, and Jennifer Sertl. Both Jennifer Sertl and Grace Annese have been nominees in previous years, reflecting a consistent level of leadership on the Circle Optics team.
Jogeshwar’s work focuses on how machines interpret complex environments in real time. At Circle Optics, that work is grounded in panoramic capture, where the full environment is captured at once rather than reconstructed from fragments. This approach reduces ambiguity and provides a more stable foundation for perception and decision making in mission critical systems.
Her reflection captures the broader significance of that work:
“Being recognized alongside incredible people made me reflect on how much impact women have in shaping the future of technology. It meant a lot to me to witness true allyship. I am grateful for this visibility, and hoping to catalyze more innovation in the next generation.”
The strength of the Greater Rochester ecosystem is not defined by a single event, but by the consistency of recognition, collaboration, and shared progress across organizations. For Circle Optics, that matters. The company’s work in real time panoramic perception depends on interdisciplinary talent, regional partnerships, and a pipeline of engineers and leaders who are both technically rigorous and community connected.
