Diana Nelson Varnes, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, was named one of the “50 Women Making a Difference in Oklahoma” by The Journal Record of Oklahoma City for her work closing the STEM gaps in the state. From 2016 to 2019, she volunteered to introduce computer programming to women and underrepresented communities in Oklahoma through introduction to coding workshops and classes. She was hired by the University of Oklahoma Innovation Hub in 2019 as programs lead for INTENT (Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship), and she continues her work with tech education and to help inspire more people to start businesses in the state. She recruits entrepreneurs to speak about their journeys and runs workshops that teach skill sets needed to run businesses. She is working to transition the INTENT programs into technology workforce development as well as launch the new Polytechnic Institute at OU-Tulsa in fall 2024. She also volunteers for Code for Tulsa, a brigade of Code for America, and advises Oklahoma Women in Technology, Techlahoma Foundation, Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance and Black Tech Street.