Elaine is an inspirational leader and speaker. I have had the privilege of having her as a guest on the podcast Diversity: Beyond the Checkbox (in the top 5% of downloaded podcasts globally) and as a panelist for The Diversity Movement’s webinar, Marching Towards Workplace Equity for Women (which garnered over 1000 registrations). Elaine is passionate but approachable, accomplished but warm. She has a unique mix of everything required to inspire, influence and teach. As a speaker, consultant or advisor, I highly recommend Elaine.

I am grateful to Elaine for guest lecturing for several semesters in my graduate course on Administrative Services taught at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College/Cuny.

Her career expertise in IT was only part of what she shared with our students. Elaine inspires students, particularly those from underserved communities who need honest and supportive guidance on how to reach their own goals for growth. AVP Montilla is not only a role model, but engages as a welcoming mentor for students who internalize her message of competence and personal strength. Elaine is a wonderful teaching partner.

Ms. Montilla was the guest speaker for my organization The Writing Project. During the fireside chat, Ms. Montilla distilled information and wisdom gained from her profession, from her academic career, and life to help undergraduate students as they navigate their own academic careers and prepare for their respective professions. Because of her experience as a triple minority, Ms. Montilla provided substantive information and advice that was relatable and thoughtful. Because of her many and varied professional accomplishments, Ms. Montilla provided information and advice that was pertinent and useful. Ms. Montilla is an excellent speaker with the impressive skill of connecting with an audience while providing a welcoming and safe space for dialogue.

Elaine is a model for how hard work, vision, and determination can enable us to achieve professionally and personally give back at the same time. It would have been more than enough if she was just the CIO of a higher education institution of such importance; her layering on top of that a commitment to humanity, diversity, and empathic leadership balanced with accountability is what makes me appreciate and respect her to the utmost degree.

I had the great pleasure of partnering with Elaine on a Hispanic Heritage Month event. Elaine Montilla is fascinating and an inspiration. She brought her authenticity, compassion, and knowledge to the event!

Elaine is a dedicated technology leader who strives for inclusiveness and diversity in the workplace. A true mentor who is never busy to open her door to those seeking advice.

Elaine is a rock star. She tells a wonderful story about her life’s journey and has terrific recommendations on how to stay resilient and make dreams come true. She is a passionate speaker, a collaborative partner, a tremendously hard worker, and very generous with her time and mentorship of students who aspire to similar success. She is a proud Baruch alumna, and I am extremely proud of her! Five stars, and two thumbs up!

We had Elaine speak to members of the WiSTEM organization at Illinois Tech.

A lot of Elaine’s experiences were relatable to members of our group and her words really spoke to us. The talk was inspiring, and very real. Her advice was genuine and we really appreciate this.

Elaine is intelligent, engaging, and enormously talented. I’ve been running monthly CIO Roundtables for years in SF Bay, Las Vegas, and Denver. I asked her to join one of our meetings, and she had the 21 attendees fully engaged.

Her depth of experience in IT Leadership is a great resource that I would encourage any of my colleagues to access and learn from.

Elaine is an engaging and inspiring speaker in diversity. She challenged leaders to grow as our expert guest panellist for the Choose to Challenge Panel Discussion 2021. What really made Elaine stand out is her relatability and ability to connect with her audience. I highly recommend Elaine for speaking engagements if you want to empower your minorities and challenge your leaders to lead better.

Elaine is one of the most genuine, passionate, and inspiring people that I have ever met. The ideas from a brief exchange with her will leave a lasting impact—if you have an opportunity to work with her, do not allow it to pass you by!