About the Founder

A woman with short blonde hair wearing a pink checkered dress and high heels presents in front of a projection screen. The screen displays her name, Terri Mitchell, and her professional background and achievements. There are photos on the screen of people, possibly at previous events.

Hello, my name is Terri Mitchell! I earned a Computer Science degree from Le Moyne College and worked in the technology industry for over 30 years.

Over the course of my career, I’ve held senior executive roles spanning servers, storage hardware, and software, and served as IBM’s Senior Location Executive in Tucson. Early in my career, I was selected as Technical Assistant to former IBM CEO and Chairman Lou Gerstner, gaining unique insight into enterprise leadership and transformation.

I retired from IBM in 2018, most recently serving as Vice President and IBM Integration Executive. In this role, I led the integration of multiple acquired companies into IBM, expanding the company’s portfolio across hardware, systems, and services.

After my time with IBM, I became a founding steering committee member of Triangle Women in STEM, whose mission is to position North Carolina’s Research Triangle as a premier destination for women in science, technology, engineering, and math. I have also served on the Elon University Engineering Advisory Committee and the Women in a Network of Discovery of Alamance County Advisory Board. I am currently serving on the ERIE21 Advisory Board, and as a member of the Le Moyne College Board of Regents.

In 2019, I decided to start Accelerate Success to help women on track to become leaders in STEM during a crucial time – one that would have benefited my collegiate experience and one that would benefit our field as a whole.

The Accelerate Success program, combined with university engagement, creates a sense of community, connects students with mentors, provides in-group role models, and teaches skills for collegiate and professional success. The goal of the program is to have industry impact by retaining women in their STEM majors and enabling their potential post-graduation.
Accelerate Success creates community through mentoring and regular engagement with women college students. We collaborate with universities to create a program that meets the needs of the institution and its students.
Year One focuses on participants’ strength and confidence, as well as belonging in the world of STEM. Year Two follows a path of personal discovery and investigates how to combine a STEM discipline with other passions, interests, and aptitudes to establish a career direction. Years Three and Four build participants’ skills for professional success post-undergrad.
Through engagement with universities, Accelerate Success can provide intra-college mentor matching. Year Three and Four participants have the opportunity to receive mentoring from experienced professionals.
In addition, Accelerate Success will connect with local or target companies to provide university participants with access to company tours or informational sessions.