She is also the CEO & chief strategist at xynoMedia Technology, a consulting firm that helps business-to-business companies harness the power of social media to consistently increase thought leadership, online sales and visibility. West says, "Our mission is simple: make social media easy to use, manageable and worthwhile."

As a certified technical expert, West learned about the intricate aspects of computers and networking while consulting with Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, Pitney Bowes, Philips Magnavox, Hyperion Software and MasterCard International. She founded xynoMedia in 1997.

West is the winner of several business awards, among them: The Network Journal's 40 Under Forty, AlleyCat News' 25 Women of Silicon Alley and The Women's Congress' Entrepreneurial Champion for Women in Business. West has also been featured on the cover of publications including The Westchester County Business Journal and Black Enterprise.

West writes and speaks regularly about the merits and potential pitfalls of technology. She communicates her expertise about social media, Web 2.0 and online technologies through Social Media 360, her blog on InfoWorld.com; her Tech Forward column and blog for Entrepreneur magazine; as well as feature articles for InfoWorld and Jupitermedia. She has spoken for the Overseas Private Investment Corp., National Investor Relations Institute and Syracuse University.

A firm believer in the adage, "To whom much is given, much is required," West is deeply committed to her pro bono work. She sits on the BlogHer Business Advisory Board, the Center for Women's Business Research Advisory Council and the National Advisory Board for The Women's Congress.

She is a member of the Women Presidents' Organization, Technology Executives Networking Group and the Downtown Women's Club.

West strongly believes that social media are a catalyst for uniting the world's people and will continue to lead businesses and individuals toward greater levels of environmental accountability, social responsibility and corporate transparency--hence her passion for the medium.