Introducing your FY20 Core Board Candidates
Below are the FY20 candidates running for elected Core Board positions. Please consider their Bios below when electing the FY20 Core Board.
Note: Only paid society members are eligible to vote for the elected Core Board positions. If you are a paid Society member, then you should have received an email from our Nominating Committee with the election ballot. If you did not receive the email in error, then please contact eci.swe@gmail.com.
Note: Only paid society members are eligible to vote for the elected Core Board positions. If you are a paid Society member, then you should have received an email from our Nominating Committee with the election ballot. If you did not receive the email in error, then please contact eci.swe@gmail.com.
Katie Allen
Katie is a Sr. Engineering Manager who works at Collins Aerospace. She has been active in SWE since her college years at the University of Notre Dame. She joined SWE-ECI in 2011 and has previously served as K-12 Outreach Chair where she inaugurated the popular Jr. Girl Scout Day event and President where she helped revamp the bylaws and bring in Rockwell Collins corporate sponsored memberships. She has been treasurer many times and earned the Leadership Award for SWE in 2015 and 2016. Katie has attended and organized numerous chapter events.
Katie would like to continue as treasurer as she feels that she is good at the role and has done a good job keeping SWE’s budget the last few years. She has ensured that our grant from Collins Aerospace is kept active, allowing many of the popular events to take place. Being treasurer allows her to help in many different aspects which she enjoys. It is also a good fit for her life, currently. The treasurer role allows her to support the chapter on her own schedule
Katie would like to continue as treasurer as she feels that she is good at the role and has done a good job keeping SWE’s budget the last few years. She has ensured that our grant from Collins Aerospace is kept active, allowing many of the popular events to take place. Being treasurer allows her to help in many different aspects which she enjoys. It is also a good fit for her life, currently. The treasurer role allows her to support the chapter on her own schedule
Kelly Hentges
Kelly Hentges is a Research and Development Process Engineer at PepsiCo – Quaker Foods and Snacks. She studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and graduated in 2015. At the University of Illinois, she was involved in her collegiate SWE Outreach Committee, as well as the Vice-President of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Car Team.
Coming from such a strong collegiate chapter that provided professional development, as well as a support system, when Kelly saw that PepsiCo did not have its own corporate chapter she set out to create one. Three years later, PepsiCo is now a member of the SWE Corporate Partnership Council supporting the R&D, IT, and Manufacturing divisions as well as the PepsiCo SWE Challenge. As president of the Midwest division and a member of the PepsiCo SWE core team, this year she has focused on expanding membership especially to remote sites and delivering quarterly professional development events.
Interest in the Position
I am applying for the SWE ECI Membership Secretary position. I believe I would make an excellent Membership Secretary because I have experience in identifying the professional development needs SWE members are seeking, executing events that are applicable to a variety of STEM roles, and cross collaborating with other groups to expand the SWE network.
As president of the PepsiCo SWE Midwest chapter, I am personally responsible for increasing our membership. I accomplish this by working to understand what women in STEM at different levels and tracks are seeking for professional development as well as adapting it to a virtual platform to increase participation and the network.
Having recently moved to Iowa City and in the process of transferring to a position with significantly less travel, I am looking to become more involved and expand my network of women in STEM at SWE ECI.
Coming from such a strong collegiate chapter that provided professional development, as well as a support system, when Kelly saw that PepsiCo did not have its own corporate chapter she set out to create one. Three years later, PepsiCo is now a member of the SWE Corporate Partnership Council supporting the R&D, IT, and Manufacturing divisions as well as the PepsiCo SWE Challenge. As president of the Midwest division and a member of the PepsiCo SWE core team, this year she has focused on expanding membership especially to remote sites and delivering quarterly professional development events.
Interest in the Position
I am applying for the SWE ECI Membership Secretary position. I believe I would make an excellent Membership Secretary because I have experience in identifying the professional development needs SWE members are seeking, executing events that are applicable to a variety of STEM roles, and cross collaborating with other groups to expand the SWE network.
As president of the PepsiCo SWE Midwest chapter, I am personally responsible for increasing our membership. I accomplish this by working to understand what women in STEM at different levels and tracks are seeking for professional development as well as adapting it to a virtual platform to increase participation and the network.
Having recently moved to Iowa City and in the process of transferring to a position with significantly less travel, I am looking to become more involved and expand my network of women in STEM at SWE ECI.
Nishigandha Kelkar
My name is Nishi, and I am a Systems Engineer at Collins Aerospace. I have completed a year and half of my work experience. I graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL, in Fall 2017 with a Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering.
I am currently supporting system integration, verification, and validation activities on Flight Operations and Maintenance Exchanger team. I joined Collins Aerospace in summer 2016, as a Systems Engineering Intern and completed another rotation in summer 2017 at Air Transport Displays and Platform Systems, with the opportunity to work on Boeing 757/767 retrofit aircraft avionics. I have extensively worked on requirement definition and analysis, system development, and verification tasks on both Boeing and Airbus platforms over multiple rotations.
I have been actively involved with SWE since my freshman year at college. While at ERAU, I was actively involved with the Space Coast chapter; I attended the conferences and organized the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. My interactions with mentors at the SWE conference, has encouraged me throughout my professional career, and I hope to facilitate that for other budding female engineers as well.
After joining the East Central Iowa chapter, I am glad to have formed a community with a cohort of talented engineers who strongly support each other in being the best version of themselves. I have volunteered at Junior Girl Scout Day, attended both the local and national conferences, organized lunch webinars, and worked to increase our member base at Collins Aerospace. It has been a humbling experience for the connections I have made and experiences that I have cherished. By being the Communications/Marketing Secretary, I was able to grow the social media presence of SWE-ECI; I started an Instagram handle and worked to grow our visibility to the community of female engineers in the East-Central Iowa area.
I am running for the post of President for the upcoming fiscal year as I hope to execute my plans for the society:
I am currently supporting system integration, verification, and validation activities on Flight Operations and Maintenance Exchanger team. I joined Collins Aerospace in summer 2016, as a Systems Engineering Intern and completed another rotation in summer 2017 at Air Transport Displays and Platform Systems, with the opportunity to work on Boeing 757/767 retrofit aircraft avionics. I have extensively worked on requirement definition and analysis, system development, and verification tasks on both Boeing and Airbus platforms over multiple rotations.
I have been actively involved with SWE since my freshman year at college. While at ERAU, I was actively involved with the Space Coast chapter; I attended the conferences and organized the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. My interactions with mentors at the SWE conference, has encouraged me throughout my professional career, and I hope to facilitate that for other budding female engineers as well.
After joining the East Central Iowa chapter, I am glad to have formed a community with a cohort of talented engineers who strongly support each other in being the best version of themselves. I have volunteered at Junior Girl Scout Day, attended both the local and national conferences, organized lunch webinars, and worked to increase our member base at Collins Aerospace. It has been a humbling experience for the connections I have made and experiences that I have cherished. By being the Communications/Marketing Secretary, I was able to grow the social media presence of SWE-ECI; I started an Instagram handle and worked to grow our visibility to the community of female engineers in the East-Central Iowa area.
I am running for the post of President for the upcoming fiscal year as I hope to execute my plans for the society:
- Organize events that involve interaction between the members at local engineering companies:
- Fellow members could engage in mentorship sessions across different levels (reverse mentoring), industries (pairing up across companies and share best practices).
- Monthly lunches wherein you keep rotating among a pool to meet new people and form new connections!
- Represent the society at the national level:
- I hope to have more participation in activities/events conducted by the headquarters: conferences, outreach activities, etc.
- Increase member participation, retention, and engagement by organizing events across the corridor:
- Collaborate with other societies: NSBE, SHPE, EWB-USA, etc.
- Rotate organizing responsibility among different localities and industries to introduce diversity and allow variety while picking among events to attend.
Jillian Nagle
Jill is a Project Manager for P&G Oral Care in Iowa City. She studied Mechanical Engineering at The University of Iowa where she graduated in 2013. At The University of Iowa she was very involved with the Society of Women Engineers. She held several exec board positions throughout her four years and rounded off her collegiate SWE career with being the President her senior year.
Upon graduation, Jill got involved with the local professional section, SWE-ECI. Over the past six years Jill was Vice President, President, K-12 Outreach Chair, and Secretary. She is always willing to fill in wherever needed. For FY20, Jill is running for Secretary or Vice President, as she would like to continue to be heavily involved in SWE-ECI.
Upon graduation, Jill got involved with the local professional section, SWE-ECI. Over the past six years Jill was Vice President, President, K-12 Outreach Chair, and Secretary. She is always willing to fill in wherever needed. For FY20, Jill is running for Secretary or Vice President, as she would like to continue to be heavily involved in SWE-ECI.
Kristen Wagner
Kristen Wagner is a Mechanical Engineer who works at PepsiCo – Quaker Foods & Snacks in Milling Research & Development. She has worked at Quaker for the past six years, since she graduated from The University of Iowa. Kristen has been active in SWE for ten years; four years as a Collegiate and six years as a Professional member. Throughout FY19, Kristen was initially Vice-President and is currently the Interim President, starting in November 2018. Prior to this year, Kristen was SWE-ECI Jr. Girl Scout Day Chair for two years and College Outreach Chair for three years. Aside from work and SWE, Kristen’s favorite hobbies are traveling and spending time with her husband, Devin, their 6-month old son, Logan, and their dog, Rylee.
For FY20, Kristen would like to continue as Vice President. She is very passionate about SWE and enjoys supporting the ECI section. As Vice President, Kristen would still be able to heavily support the section’s STEM outreach initiatives, which is one of her passions. Other positions that Kristen is interested in are Jr. GSD Chair and College Outreach Chair. She has enjoyed fulfilling these positions in the past and is excited for FY20!
For FY20, Kristen would like to continue as Vice President. She is very passionate about SWE and enjoys supporting the ECI section. As Vice President, Kristen would still be able to heavily support the section’s STEM outreach initiatives, which is one of her passions. Other positions that Kristen is interested in are Jr. GSD Chair and College Outreach Chair. She has enjoyed fulfilling these positions in the past and is excited for FY20!
Advertisement
SWE News