Welcome back to our returning leads and new leads for 2023 – 2024.
See also our Committees page. We are actively recruiting!
Lisette Wilson
2023 – 2024 Donor Relations Lead
CEO, Informing Designs LLC
Twenty years ago, Lisette discovered FileMaker as an Apple Support Technician, then became a regular user in an administrative position in the natural foods industry. Aiming to eliminate tedious data entry and opportunity for error, she learned how to make FileMaker do more of the work for her. Spending every other vacation at Devcon, she moonlighted until she was able to strike out on her own in 2003. As CEO, Technical Lead and Guru for Informing Designs LLC, she enjoys exploring different businesses and discovering how she and her team can help remove the tedium and opportunity for error from those workplaces. If the world didn’t run on money, she’d be happy knowing she saved people’s time. At her first Women of FileMaker Luncheon, only a few dozen women attended; watching the group grow into Women Innovating Together, now a non-profit, has been a delight. In 2018, Lisette led the committee from Women of FileMaker to host PauseOnError, an “unconference” project by Ernest Koe (Proof Group) and John Sindelar (Seedcode). A graduate of the University of Texas Plan II Honors Program, she lives in Austin, with her husband and dog, Annie.
Linda Gerbitz, CAP, OM, TA
2023 – 2024 Finance Lead
2021 – 2023 Business Lead
Administration Manager, JMB & Associates
Linda has a BS in Information Systems and Applied Mathematics from UWSP and certifications as Certified Administrative Professional, Organizational Management, Technology Application Specials. She has used her 25+ years of FileMaker development experience in various business environments. Linda has taken a marketing/research department of a major plastics manufacturer, a pre- press/print shop, and a tool & die shop from paper only to paperless environments. She is currently the office manager handling the Accounting, IT, and HR duties at JMB & Associates, an HVAC Distributor & Service Center. She has been on the board of directors of a national non-profit religious organization since 2003, taking them through the non-profit status life cycle.
Magalie Jeune
2021 – 2024 Database Lead
CEO, Editomac
Through her last year of Master of Business Administration (completed in 1998), Magalie discovered FileMaker Pro at Editomac, which was already a member of Claris Alliance. After 8 years in the financial industry, she founded her own company and works mainly as sub-contractor for other companies (Editomac was one of those) as developer and/or trainer. She bought and lead a sweeties company during 3 years, continuing her career in tech in the same time. In 2015, she bought Editomac from the founder, with the blog and his unique FileMaker world French-speaking tutorials. She was a speaker at the French DevCon (“fmconf”) in 2016 and in 2019. Magalie is a “DIY”-fan – from her own washing liquid to her databases! If you search for her, you can probably find her in a corner with a book in hand or walking on some pretty path with her son and husband.
Karen Stella
2019 – 2024 Marketing Lead
Partner, Gotham DataWorks LLC.
Karen started out her career with degrees in Advertising Design, and Illustration. Unfortunately, that year was 1984, and she met a fellow who said: “Come up and see my Macintosh”, and she did, becoming one of the very first Mac Evangelists.
By the following decade, she was managing computer systems and running a high-end corporate collateral print production department, picking up database development skills with 4D and FileMaker along the way. Later, she hung out her shingle as Graffiteria, Inc., providing MacOS hardware and software support, business consulting, and database development. In 2022 she joined forces with a few other developers to form a new consulting firm; Gotham DataWorks.
Beverly Voth
2023 – 2024 Lead Facilitator
2021 – 2022 Membership Lead
CG, beverlyvoth
Beverly Voth (rhymes with both, not moth) has been a Web and Database developer for 25+ years. Professionally first using Claris’ FileMaker 2.1 as an in-house contractor, she decided that becoming an independent consultant/developer was possible.
Beverly first attended the (2nd) annual Developer Conference in San Jose, Ca. She was a speaker at several DevCons, had a vendor booth once, and helped organize the early Women’s Luncheons. She received the “FileMaker Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution to the FileMaker Web Publishing Community” in 2003.
Varied background experiences and programming training has helped as a developer and trainer. Creative writing courses helped turn the technology into many articles on FileMaker Pro. The book “FileMaker Pro 6 Developer’s Guide to XML/XSL (2003)” is still being read today. Beverly also served as a Technical editor on another FileMaker book. The article, “The Missing FileMaker 12 ExecuteSQL Reference” started as a simple blog in 2012 and became a full PDF document & set of sample files (also translated into Japanese).
As a full-service hosting provider (11 years), Beverly owned & worked with many servers for web sites, email, and databases (including MS SQL & MySQL). She works to integrate FileMaker with other systems and especially all aspects of using FileMaker in Web Publishing.
Currently living in the Forest about 20 miles from a waterfall, you can find Beverly on the Claris Community Forum (virtually, of course). Beverly received her 2nd Claris Excellence award in 2020: “Community Leadership: Leader of the year”.
Krissy Ferris
2021 – 2024 Past Lead Facilitator
Chief of Staff, Proof+Geist
Krissy is happiest when she’s working hard with friends to build lasting relationships, have fun, and create systems that make the world a better place. Krissy is Co-CEO of Pause, where she creates experiences that bring people together to try something new, and Chief of Staff at Proof+Geist, where she helps the team do more by distilling complexity into actionable plans. As a sociologist who’s also a software developer, Krissy is comfortable with both the technical and human aspects of design. She believes that good software frees people up to focus on what’s really important: being with those we love, thinking creatively, and ultimately, finding fulfillment. Krissy holds a Master of Science degree in Sociology from the University of Amsterdam, and a BA from Oberlin College. When she’s not solving problems at the keyboard, Krissy enjoys fixing up old houses, spending time in nature, and reading fiction with warm cups of tea.
Anannyaa Panda
2022 – 2024 Scholarship Lead
Claris FileMaker Developer, Clickworks
Certified FileMaker Developer with a demonstrated history of working in the computer software industry. Skilled in SQL, C++, FileMaker, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and C (Programming Language). Winner of WITFM 2020 Scholarship for women working in FileMaker. She hails from India and has been dabbling with FileMaker for the past 10 years, apart from work, she loves to travel and explore new places. Anannyaa was a first-time attendee at the 2020 virtual Claris Engage event and found It to be an amazing and wonderful opportunity. She Is passionate about her work and believes that utter dedication will produce good results.
Alexis Allen
2021 – 2024 Website Lead (Design)
President & Lead Design Engineer, Hyperspace Data Solutions
Alexis is a certified FileMaker developer based in Toronto, Canada, the founder of FM Design University, and the president of Hyperspace Data Solutions, Inc. She transforms user experiences that are error-prone, draining, and repetitive, into ones that are accurate, energizing, and productive, by leveraging the power of design. Alexis has presented several times on the topic of UI/UX design at the FileMaker Developers’ Conference (now Claris Engage).
Kim Jennings
2022 – 2024 Membership Lead
Founder, Kim Jennings Consulting, LLC
Kim is the founder of Kim Jennings Consulting, LLC, an independent mom-preneur, Certified ScrumMaster and Claris Partner located in Worcester, Massachusetts. With a Bachelor’s in psychology from Harvard, a Master’s in counseling from UMass Boston, and years of in-house FileMaker development (starting in v5) experience in the Boston area under her belt, Kim became a full-time consultant in 2016. She counts the Womens’ Luncheons at DevCon/Engage over the years as a major inspiration in starting her consulting practice. When not working, you can find her writing songs, learning Aurebesh (Star Wars FTW), or taking way too many books out of the local public library. And now, as a recent empty-nester, she has decided that it’s time to get more involved in WITfm.