Biography

Benita is a Business Development & Program Director, Quantum Safe (Post-Quantum Cryptography) in Public Sector at IBM Research.

Born and raised in the bayou of South Louisiana, Benita’s passion lies in leveraging emerging technology and servant leadership to develop complex business decisions.
Benita began her engineering career in the area of missile systems and aerospace.
At the midpoint of her 25 year career journey, Benita reinvented herself by embarking on a new challenge in the field of Information Technology. She ventured into the areas of Technical Team leadership and Technical Program Management & Delivery.
Since 2020, Benita has been an essential member of IBM Research, a global business unit of IBM, utilizing her cornucopia of skills on the Quantum and Quantum Safe Teams. Benita is a proven technologist and an effective leader with deep expertise in quantum computing & post-quantum cryptography, program delivery/management, business development & strategy, system engineering, and digital transformation & modernization.

Benita earned dual Bachelor of Science Degrees in Physics and Mathematics from Southern University and A&M College. She subsequently obtained a Masters of Business Administration Degree with a concentration in Project Management from Louisiana State University Shreveport.

Benita’s greatest joy is being a wife to her best friend and a mother to an amazing son/future world leader. She also delights in world travels, non-fiction reading, learning new tools/technologies, and honing her talents as a cuisine connoisseur.