SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2007

BREAK-OUT SESSIONS

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COLLEGIATE TRACK

9:30 am to 10:15 am
Recent Graduates Panel – SWE members who have graduated within the past 5 years share their experiences about their work environments, work assignments, and experiences.

Hannah Wilner, EIT, HDR Engineering, Inc. – Graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering in 2004 and an ME in Civil Engineering in 2005, both from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX.  While in school, she participated as a student member in SWE as well as an officer in ASCE, and was a member of two engineering honor societies.  She has worked for HDR since mid-December 2005 in the Water Business Group and been involved with several projects including the design of a wastewater treatment plant, low point drain valve evaluation for drinking water pipelines, and sewer pipeline rehabilitation.  Her career goals, at this stage, are building a professional network and learning as much as she can.  She is the current Funding Chair for the rechartered SWE Las Vegas Valley Section.

Lisa Caporaso, Raytheon Missile Systems – Is originally from Tucson, AZ and attended Arizona State University.  She graduated in May 2006 with BSE in Chemical Engineering.  In college, she was an active SWE member for 4 years, AlChE student member for 3 years, played intramural sports, and worked on campus as a math tutor/instructional aide.  She worked for the Dial Corporation as an intern until graduation, then went to work for Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ where she works as a Systems Engineer in the Optics Department.  She is the current SWE Tucson Section Secretary.

Susie Martinez, General Dynamics C4 Systems – Graduated from San Diego State in 2005 with an Electrical Engineering degree.  At General Dynamics, she does digital design for software defined radios on the JTRS program.  Her job functions include implementing interfaces and porting waveforms onto FPGAs.  In her free time Susie enjoys doing outreach activities to encourage students to become engineers, volunteering with people with disabilities, planning events, traveling, playing tennis and spending time with her family and friends.  Her SWE involvements include current Region B Collegiate Leadership Coach, 2005 SWE Sonora Region Conference Co-Chair and SWE SDSU Vice President and Fundraiser.  She is also a proud sister of Upsilon Kappa Delta Multicultural Sorority.

Leia Eckert, ConocoPhillips Company – Graduated in May 2006 from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Environmental Systems Engineering.  She currently is a Health, Safety, and Environmental Specialist with ConocoPhillips Company in Santa Ana, CA.  She addresses environmental compliance with the underground storage tanks and vapor recovery systems at all gas stations.  Environmental compliance is much more complex in California, which is probably 10 years ahead of other states when it comes to vapor recovery and underground storage tank laws.

Lisa Mesia, EIT, NAVFAC –Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Lisa first SWE conference was at Region A hosted by the University of California at Berkeley in 1999. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from San Diego State University (SDSU). While at SDSU, she served as Events Coordinator (2003-2004) and the Associated Engineering Student Council (AESC) Representative (2004-2005) for the SWE section. In addition, she helped plan the 2005 SWE Sonora Region Conference as the Keynote Speaker Chairperson. Currently, Lisa works for Naval Facilities Engineering Command in downtown San Diego.

10:30 am to 12:15 pm
Collegiate Leadership Coaching – To be announced.

2:15 pm to 3:00 pm
How To Evaluate Job Offers – After all the interviews and preparation, one company has made an offer and you expect another any day.  Now what?  Let’s take a look at the aspects of a job offer and all it entails.  There is more to accepting a new position than just accepting the one that pays the most.  We will discuss the following:

·  Things to consider when evaluating a job offer;

·  Recognize the factors involved in a career decision;

·  Accepting or declining the offer;

·  How to deal with counteroffers.

Your job choice may have lasting effects on your career.  It’s important to take time to research and evaluate the opportunities in front of you to make sure it is in line with your long-term career goals.

Sloan Anderson, HDR Engineering, Inc. – Sloan began her career in recruiting approximately 12 years ago.  She has recruited and hired individuals in a variety of positions including architecture, engineering, construction, IT, management, sales and marketing. Sloan joined HDR Engineering, Inc. in 2001 and is responsible for coordinating recruiting efforts in architecture and engineering.  She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. 

3:15 pm to 5:00 pm
Collegiate Meeting – Discussion of region-wide collegiate topics including national and region awards, charter maintenance, RCR/RCNE elections, and more.  All collegiate section officers should attend this meeting, but it is open to all collegiate members.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT TRACK

9:30 am to 10:15 am
Women’s Health Issues – Amy Stevens, Vice-President, Marketing, Sunrise Hospital, Las Vegas  

10:30 am to 11:15 am
Personal Safety and Protection – Workplace and school violence, conflict resolution, red flag behavior, safety tips for moms at the mall, and how to avoid looking like a victim - these are just some of the topics that will be addressed during this fast-paced, entertaining and active presentation that teaches the essentials on how to survive crime in today’s world. 

Byron Walls, California CRIMEFIGHT – Byron Walls has been speaking with wit and humor on the subject of crime safety for 20 years.  Prior to starting California Crimefight in 1996, Byron was the Director of Citizens Against Crime in Portland, Oregon, where he and his speakers spoke to over 20,000 people a year.  He is a member of the National Criminal Justice Association and, in 1995, served on the Governor's Task Force on Workplace Violence for the State of Washington.  Byron is also a professional comedian, actor and songwriter.  (His songs have been recorded by Andy Williams, Emmy Lou Harris and Ronnie Milsap, among others.)

11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Does Math Ability = Financial Acumen? – Aptitude in math and the ability to handle our finances are sometimes at odds.  That’s because we often add an emotional component to our dealings with our own money.  But by using our math ability we can grasp such concepts as the value of asset diversification, understand the cyclical nature of the financial markets, anticipate what will happen when interest rates fluctuate, and comprehend the nature of risk/reward opportunities.  Using this knowledge in a more practical way, we can calculate the likelihood of having enough money to reach our financial goals.  This session will use real life examples to illustrate important points.

K. Jill Tucker, Protected Investors of America – A Financial Advisor with Protected Investors of America, a financial services firm headquartered in San Francisco, Jill manages investment portfolios and provides financial planning services.  She also prepares tax returns for her clients. Jill frequently speaks to women’s organizations including investment clubs, where she may be asked to explain various aspects of the financial markets and discuss techniques for preserving one’s assets.  For six years, she taught a highly successful course entitled Financial Planning for Women at the Orinda Community Center. Jill holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and has accumulated continuing education credits in business, accounting, and finance.  She is currently involved with the Estate Planning Council of Diablo Valley.

2:15 pm to 3:00 pm
Buying Your First Home – Beginning on the road to home ownership is a crucial step to financial health. Identifying the right time to begin the process is as important to identifying the right professionals to assist you. Integrating internet searches and Realtor services can guarantee success:
• Identify location and type of home which suits your lifestyle best;
• Compare new construction and existing home inventories;
• Plan how to negotiate credit and mortgage hurdles in a timely fashion;
• Conduct homes inspections, appraisals, escrow and insurance.
As always, thorough preparation, research and expert advice will bring your home acquisition process to a successful conclusion.

M.J. Richards, Coldwell Banker-Bain– A Realtor with Coldwell Banker Barbara Sue Seal Properties, M.J. is licensed in Washington State. She began her real estate career in property and asset management and portfolio acquisition for private clients. Eventually her business moved into the field of construction defect litigation expert witness. She holds a BA from University of California, Hayward. She was involved with the Institute of Real Estate Management; teaching classes for apartment managers.

3:15 pm to 4:00 pm
Recognizing Your Transferrable Skills – Where you start your career won't be where you end it, yet many engineers find themselves mid-career and in a rut.  Learn to recognize how the skills you may already have can be leveraged to move up the corporate ladder, launch a new career, or just enjoy yourself more in the position you already have.   

W. Noel Haskins-Hafer, Deloitte & Touche, LLP  – A Manager with the Enterprise Risk Services group of Deloitte & Touche, LLP, Noel serves as project manager for Information Technology audits of commercial and non-profit clients and also leads the San Diego Exploratory Data Analysis team, which uses technology to assess client financial data for patterns and trends that indicate potential fraud. Starting with her first job as an ocean marine insurance adjuster on Wall Street, Haskins-Hafer’s career has progressed through a wide variety of disciplines, including computer programming, business-IT alignment and strategy, e-business process design and implementation, management consulting, global project management, and systems engineering.  She has authored several books on systems auditing and accreditation and has published numerous articles on topics related to technology and global business strategy.  She has also taught undergraduate and graduate courses in business, finance, supply chain management, information security, systems engineering, and project management.

A SWE life member, Haskins-Hafer holds a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in Russian Language and Literature from Yale University, an MBA summa cum laude from Roy E. Crummer School of Business at Rollins College, and certifications in National Security Agency’s Information Security Assessment Methodology, Rational Unified Process Consulting, Balanced Scorecard Consulting, Web Design, and International Trade.  She was one of the first individuals to be designated a Certified Information Systems Manager (CISM) by the Information Systems Auditing and Control Association (ISACA), and holds that organization’s Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) designation.  She is currently completing Stanford University’s Advance Project Management certification program.

4:15 pm to 5:00 pm
Life Balancing – How I Got My Three ME Degrees – Ask most engineers what the three ME fields are and you’d get some typical answers: Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, etc. My three ME degrees are: Materials, Mechanical and Mommy! The work life balance issue is explored from the viewpoint of a young engineer trying hard to have it all. Hints, tips and humorous insights are used to help others attempting to manage home and office issues, while trying to carve out some personal space and time.

Monikka M. Mann, Andrews Space, Inc. - Currently an engineer at Andrews Space, Inc. in Seattle WA, Monikka holds two degrees from Stanford University in Materials Science and Engineering (BS) and Mechanical Engineering (MS). After working for big companies like Intel and Lockheed Martin, she decided to take a chance on a small, minority woman-owned Aerospace firm. At Andrews, Monikka is currently working on Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) on the Ares I-1 Crew launch vehicle (CLV) while supporting other DARPA and SBIR activities. In her spare time, Monikka is the proud mother of three girls and occasionally has time to be a wife to her husband. In addition, Monikka is an active volunteer with Girl Scouts in the Puget Sound Area.

TECHNICAL TRACK

9:30 am to 10:15 am
Hoover Dam Bypass Project, Colorado River Bridge Construction – Update on the construction and challenges of the Colorado River Bridge. The presentation focuses on the overall construction of the Colorado River Bridge as the centerpiece of the Hoover Dam Bypass. The Colorado River Bridge is approximately 1900 feet in length with a concrete arch span of 1060 feet. Specific subtopics include overview of the bypass, technical highlights of the signature bridge, constructability considerations and erection methods, and construction progress update/challenges.

Bonnie Klamerus, FHWA Structures Manager, Hoover Dam Bypass Project – Bonnie has worked for the Federal Highway Administration for over 22 years as a structural engineer for Central Federal Lands. During the last four years, she has been responsible for managing the delivery and construction support of the structures elements on the landmark Hoover Dam Bypass Project, including the concept development and design of the Colorado River Bridge which, when complete, will be the longest concrete arch in North America. Bonnie earned Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University, and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Colorado
 

10:30 am to 11:15 am
City Center Project – TBA

Richard Rizzo, Chairman, Perini Building Company – Dick Rizzo is responsible for creating and overseeing company policies that increase economic opportunities for minority, women and disadvantaged-owned businesses.  He is responsible for initiating strategic mentoring guidelines for Perini management to follow when partnering with M/W/DBE’s.  Under Rizzo’s direction, staff is assigned to actively recruit and retain qualified M/W/DBE’s.  Rizzo sets criteria to ensure M/W/DBE policies are in place for major subcontractors and vendors.  He regularly reviews Perini’s diversity development polices and progress to ascertain if the company has met its desired goals. 

J.F. Finn, Principal, Gensler of Nevada – For more than 21 years, J.F. Finn has been instrumental in the success of a wide range of planning and architectural projects.  His unique experience brings a balanced, creative and conscientious philosophy to the planning and design process.  Since joining Gensler in 1988, J.F has focused on innovative solutions to large-scale and complex transportation and land use planning projects combining long-range vision with a bottom-line approach to the client's planning goals and objectives.  JF leads Gensler’s Transit and Transportation Planning Group.

Bob Stefko, Senior Associate, Gensler  – Bob is the senior project manager for MGM MIRAGE’s Project CityCenter. He is recognized as being among the foremost building science specialists in the industry.  He is registered architect with more than 30 years of diversified project experience.  Bob’s project management skills have proved invaluable for a variety of recent projects including the Los Angeles International Airport Terminal 3 and the Las Vegas Monorail. 

11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) as a Historical Preservation Tool – GIS is a powerful tool that can be used to manage and analyze data.  In recent years, it has become the industry standard.  Municipalities often use GIS to manage information such as zoning, hazards, and infrastructure.  This presentation covers a unique application using GIS as a tool to manage historical preservation, with a case study on historical neighborhoods in Tucson, Arizona.  The presentation will be divided into two parts:  an overview on historic preservation and GIS, followed by specifics of the case study project.  The criteria considered will be graphically illustrated and the final recommendations of the study presented.

Reece Hanifin, LEED AP, HDR Engineering, Inc – Reece is an urban planner/GIS analyst with HDR Engineering in Phoenix, Arizona.  She obtained her Masters in Environmental Planning with a Graduate GIS certification from Arizona State University.  Reece is also certified as a LEED Accredited Professional by the USGBC.

Linda Potter, P.E., CFM, HDR Engineering, Inc. – Linda is a Civil Engineer and Project Manager with HDR Engineering in Phoenix, Arizona.  She is a Professional Engineer registered in Arizona and Nevada, and an ASFPM Certified Floodplain Manager.  She currently serves on the Technical Committee of Arizona Floodplain Managers Association.

2:15 pm to 3:00 pm
Desert Research Institute – Arid environments research projects including channel transmission loss, rainfall simulation, alluvial fan hydraulics, playa lake inundation, and watershed responses.

Julie Miller, Desert Research Institute –  SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Ms. Miller’s research is focused on water resources and environmental problems in arid environments.  This includes alluvial fan hydraulics; watershed responses; precipitation losses, channel transmission losses, and runoff; surficial geomorphology; and landfill cover design for arid regions.  Research studies have been conducted for the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  Ms. Miller is the chairperson of the ASCE Southern Nevada Branch, Water Resources Technical Committee;  past-Secretary of the ASCE Hydraulic and Waterways Council; is registered as an Engineering Intern and Certified Environmental Manager, both in the State of Nevada; and is the Desert Research Institute Program Manager for the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office, Waste Management Program.  Ms. Miller has been recognized by In Business Las Vegas as a “Top 40 under 40” awardee.

3:15 pm to 4:00 pm
Nellis AFB – To be announced later

4:15 pm to 5:00 pm
OPEN

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRACK

9:30 am to 10:15 am
In Style – Have you worked or gone to school with an individual you just didn't understand? Have you wondered why individuals behave the way they do? Every human being has a pattern of behaviors called a "People Style." Each style brings its own strengths to an organization. In this session you will learn to:
• Recognize the four primary styles.
• Determine another person's style.
• Adapt your behavior to work effectively with others.
Remember, effective communication is always "in style."

Negil McPherson, HDR Engineering, Inc. - Negil McPherson, Jr. has designed, implemented, and evaluated performance development systems for organizations, their managers, and employees for more than 15 years. Negil has been employed with HDR since 1999. He works as a senior performance consultant in training and organizational development at HDR, an architectural, engineering, consulting firm. Negil holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

10:30 am to 11:15 am
Beyond Engineering Panel – Engineering degrees have provided a springboard for women engineers to pursue interests and careers beyond the “traditional” engineering position.  This panel of women will share their wide range of experiences beyond engineering.

Wendy L. Obenauf, Statistician, Intel Corporation - Wendy is a graduate of the University of Idaho with BS degrees in Chemical Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering. After working as a Process Engineer for over three years, she returned to school to pursue an advanced degree in Statistics. Wendy attended Portland State University where she earned her MS in Statistics while working part-time as a statistics instructor. For the past two years, she has worked as a Statistician for Intel where she teaches statistics courses, provides consultation services to engineers, and leads improvement projects. Beyond work, Wendy is married with two children and enjoys playing tennis.

Violette (Vi) Brown, Principal and CEO, Prophecy Consulting Group, LLC – Vi’s primary duties focus on increasing value for her customers through the application of business, engineering, and technical solutions. As a core competency, the firm provides pre-planning and pre-project related services for clients.  Clients include Goodrich Aircraft Interior Products, the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, and Reliant Energy. As an adjunct professor with a university in Southern California, she teaches three online calculus courses. She holds a bachelor’s in chemical engineering and a master’s in engineering from Howard University, and an MBA from Arizona State University with an emphasis in finance and strategy. Previously she worked with Motorola, Maricopa County Government, Pacific Gas & Electric, CH2M Hill, and Procter & Gamble in the positions of Principal Staff Engineer, Division Manager & Director of Environmental Policy, Project Manager, and Process Engineer.  Vi is a senior life member and the FY05 national president for the Society of Women Engineers. Other professional memberships include the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (Life Member), Institute for the Advancement of Engineering (Fellow), Air & Waste Management Association, the National Society of Black Engineers, Soroptimist International (Phoenix Club), Phoenix Region Future City Competition, and Alumni Associations for Arizona State and Howard Universities.

Marjorie Wolfe, PE, PBS&J - Responsible for opening and developing a new Portland office for PBS&J, Marjorie is involved in a range of project pursuits and teaming opportunities that extend PBS&J technical and client services to both Oregon and Washington. Starting a new consulting office in a new market is a challenging and time consuming effort.  It takes incredible personal commitment, determined persistence, and a network of talented and supportive colleagues. It requires the detail oriented and systematic approach familiar to engineers as well as an enthusiastic and outgoing personality.  Marjorie has demonstrated a high level of client service and the ability to communicate complex engineering issues to diverse audiences.  As PBS&J’s Portland point of contact Marjorie is responsive to local clients and intricately connected to the network of expertise available through PBS&J nationwide.  Her diverse background, attention to project objectives, and network of both internal experts and teaming partners make her an ideal project manager.  Ms. Wolfe’s background as a water resource engineer includes project management, engineering design, and construction management for projects relating to stream and wetland restoration; pond and channel design; environmental site investigation; wetland mapping; and irrigation, fish passage, and hydraulic structure design.  Prior to joining PBS&J, Marjorie was involved in the Salmonid Enhancement Program, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, in British Columbia.

Virginia Connelly, P.E. – Virginia is currently serving as the Director of Education for SWE.  Reporting to her are the Collegiate Interest Committee, Graduate Student Taskforce, Scholarship Committee, and the Career Guidance Committee.  Ms. Connolly is a Lean Sigma Master Blackbelt for Medtronic Microelectronics Center. In this role, Virginia is responsible for leading the cultural transition of integrating Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing methodologies into Continuous Improvement activities in the site’s Supply Chain activities.  Virginia is certified as both a Blackbelt and Master Blackbelt.  She has gained a broad base of experience during her career with positions in Development Engineering, Manufacturing, and Information Technology while previously working for Honeywell.  Ms. Connolly obtained her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and her Master's degree in Industrial Engineering-Management of Technology from Arizona State University. During her over 20-year involvement with SWE she has held various positions in the ASU and Phoenix Sections and the Sonora Region.  Her service on the National SWE Board includes Region Director, three terms as the Speaker of the Council, and currently as the Director of Education.   Virginia received the Phoenix Section's 1997 Outstanding Member Service Award.  Virginia is an alumnus and former Board member of Arizona Leadership 2000, a women's leadership group and also a member of the American Society for Quality.  In her spare time Virginia enjoys traveling mostly to warm locations to scuba dive with her husband Rick.  She also looks forward to bicycling to work at least once a week and practicing yoga.   Most recently she and her husband are helping their miniature schnauzer, Derby, raise her daughter, Sophia, to be a well behaved, loving dog.

Celeste Baine, Director, Engineering Education Service Center - Celeste is a biomedical engineer and the award-winning author of Is There an Engineer Inside You: A Comprehensive Guide to Career Decisions in Engineering, The Fantastical Engineer: A Thrillseeker’s Guide to Careers in Theme Park Engineering, High Tech Hot Shots: Careers in Sports Engineering and most recently, Teaching Engineering Made Easy: A Friendly Introduction to Engineering Activities for Middle School Teachers. She is the author of the engineering section of the World Book Encyclopedia's Science Year and the principal trainer for the Academy of Engineering LEGO laboratory. With an AAS in Electronic Engineering Technology, Celeste worked for 5 years in the Silicon Valley as a microchip designer before returning to school at age 28 to pursue biomedical engineering. After graduation from Louisiana Tech University, she began working at a Science Teacher training center while pursuing an MBA. Her affinity for Education soon earned her a Masters in Education and lead to her founding the Engineering Education Service Center.

11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Kaplan, PE – To be announced

2:15 pm to 3:00 pm
Cross-Generational Communication – Discontinuity in Today’s Workplace There are unique issues resulting from the combination of Baby Boomers & Millenials that can create additional challenges with career development and career opportunities. Interactive discussions will provide a better understanding of how we communicate and process information differently across generations.

Deborah Willems,  –  With thirteen years of combined military and engineering experience, Deb is now the Manufacturing Engineering Manager for Raytheon at Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. Deb completed her Raytheon Six Sigma Specialist Certification in 2005. She also volunteers as the outreach chair for the local Raytheon Women’s Network.  Currently the Sonora Region Governor, Deb joined SWE as a mechanical engineering student while completing nine years of service as a helicopter mechanic in the Nevada Army National Guard. Upon graduation Deb relocated to California’s central coast.

3:15 pm to 4:00 pm
Breaking the Silicon Ceiling – You know women can be just as smart, work just as hard, and be just as talented in math and science as men, but did you know a woman working among men has distinct disadvantages that neither the men nor the women usually recognize? Women differ in their communication styles, owed partly to their brain structure differences. Men have better networking among engineers. Women and men vary in their leadership styles. All these areas cause a woman to have to adapt to her surroundings and fit into the environment that men constructed. Find out about the differences beyond “Mars and Venus” that affect technical women’s careers. Learn easy skills that help any woman use her natural styles to turn disadvantages into benefits that perfectly complement the traits of male counterparts, advancing the personal careers of women and strengthening the entire organization. 

Trudy Hoekstra – With over ten years of experience as a computer engineer, Trudy has pursued and achieved technical path goals in companies such as Martin, Xerox, and EDS.  She studied public speaking through Toastmasters International, where she has won many awards.

4:15 pm to 5:00 pm
OPEN

SWE TRACK

9:30 am to 10:15 am
SWE Fund Raising – “We would love to do that, if only we had the funds!” Sound familiar? This session is ideal for SWE sections, both collegiate and professional, to explore fundraising options to support meetings, events, conference attendance, and other expenses. Several ideas will be presented that have successfully worked at the collegiate or professional level; templates and materials will be provided to help your section quickly get started or continue in its quest for funds. During the session, we will also exchange ideas on the “do’s and don’ts” of fundraising based on past experiences.  

Reena Singhal – Reena Singhal is currently designing the next generation Intel processor in the Mobility Products Group, focusing on high performance with low power, at the Intel Austin site. Reena graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, with Master's and Bachelor’s degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and completed her MBA at the University of Texas-Austin. Reena is a member of the Southwest Texas professional section, where she has served as the Treasurer and Career Guidance Chair and has successfully helped secure funds for the section. In addition, Reena is the SWE counselor for the UT-Austin collegiate section, which has a very strong fundraising program in place to support events throughout the year. While at Carnegie Mellon, Reena was the President of SWE and Tau Beta Pi on campus, where she also explored many ways to fundraise at the collegiate-level to help revitalize the sections.

10:30 am to 11:15 am
SWE Award Packages:  How to Put Together a Successful Section Awards Nomination Package – Is your SWE section doing great things this year?  Are you fulfilling SWE's mission through a creative program or event?  Why not share your best practices with other sections and nominate your section for a Section Award from SWE.  The Society of Women Engineers Section Awards recognize the achievements and share the best practices of SWE sections in the areas of:  Career Guidance, Communications,  Membership, Multicultural Advancement,  Professional Development and EWeek programs.  This session will give you tips on how to package your section's program to catch the attention of Award judges and ultimately win recognition (and prize money) for your section's creativity and collaboration. 

Diana Laboy-Rush, Columbia River Section – Diana Laboy-Rush is a product manager with Cascade Microtech, a semiconductor test equipment manufacturer based in Beaverton Oregon. Over the last 3 years, while serving on the board of the Columbia River Section, Ms Laboy-Rush has submitted section award nominations for over 10 awards for Columbia River, with a nearly 50% success rate.  Columbia River Section has received 6 section awards since 2003 for their programs in Career Guidance, CG Media, Professional Development and Membership.

11:30 am to 12:15 pm
SWE Career Path Panel – Learn from leaders within our regions who have held positions at high levels of SWE and other technical/non-profit organizations what skills or abilities are needed to move into top leadership positions within SWE and what is the benefit to you or your organization in holding these positions.  Past national presidents and past or current board members will be present to share their insights with you.

2:15 pm to 3:00 pm
Section Best Practices: Celebrating 30 Years as a Section – SWE Eastern Washington celebrated 30 years as a section in September 2006. This section will discuss how they have executed a number of high visibility and important projects because of the willingness of section members to undertake big projects.  The section has hosted several regional meetings and accepted the responsibility for the programming of a national meeting.  Other best practices include innovative ideas for major events and fund raisers and the ongoing involvement of continuous, long-term members. This presentation will review some of these activities and offer a perspective on the impact of such activities on membership and corporate support.

Joan Young, Eastern Washington Section - Ms. Young is a Systems Engineer for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. She implements systems engineering assessments for federal agencies related to technology deployment. Systems engineering utilizes a carefully developed set of functions and requirements to systematize and improve design and development processes for technology deployments. She utilized interviews with ongoing members and knowledge gained as a result of project work to create an informative presentation on best practices for SWE sections.

3:15 pm to 5:00 pm
Leadership Coaching: Being an Inclusive Organization – SWE is committed to being an inclusive organization.  We can better meet our goals and objectives if we are open to the perspectives and strengths of all of our members and prospective members.  Come to this Leadership Coaching session to explore issues around inclusion and to develop strategies moving forward.  This LCC Module was developed using ideas from multiple sources including programs submitted by 8 SWE regions for the 2006 SWE Region Programming Excellence Award, Sponsored by IBM.

Esther A. Heller – Esther is a former computer engineer working in the diversity arena for over 10 years.  She has degrees from Brandeis and Stanford Universities.  She is an alumna of Equity Institute's Training of Diversity Trainer's Program.  Within SWE, Esther is the Region A Leadership Coach, a member of the MultiCultural Committee, and chair of the Girl Scout Committee.  She is also an author and speaker, Esther is listed in Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who in America.

Linda Thomas, Boeing – Linda is a system safety engineer for the Derivative Airplanes Program at Boeing Integrated Systems in Seattle, WA.  Her career at Boeing has been varied, from studying materials engineering and environmental engineering, to consulting on system safety issues for a variety of military systems. Her technical specialty has been the integration of “Design for the Environment” practices into product design.  She is a charter member of the Derivative Airplanes Program Diversity Team, which provides diversity resources and opportunities to the organization. Linda, a native of Washington, DC, received a BSChE from Howard University and a MS in systems engineering and architecture from the University of Southern California.  Linda has been involved with SWE on the national, regional and local levels. Currently the SWE Region J Governor, she also serves on the national SWE Multicultural Committee. Linda enjoys music, bicycling, scrapbooking, scuba diving, "kitchen chemistry", and volunteering as a mentor to students and peers in her spare time.

INVITED SESSIONS TRACK

9:30 am to 10:15 am
Creative Problem Solving Techniques – Do your brainstorming sessions keep churning out the same stale ideas?  Then you need to sit down with ASIT (Advanced Systematic Inventive Thinking), pick up a thinking hat or six (deBono's technique), and start seeing the world anew. 

W. Noel Haskins-Hafer, Deloitte & Touche, LLP  – A Manager with the Enterprise Risk Services group of Deloitte & Touche, LLP, Noel serves as project manager for Information Technology audits of commercial and non-profit clients and also leads the San Diego Exploratory Data Analysis team, which uses technology to assess client financial data for patterns and trends that indicate potential fraud. Starting with her first job as an ocean marine insurance adjuster on Wall Street, Haskins-Hafer’s career has progressed through a wide variety of disciplines, including computer programming, business-IT alignment and strategy, e-business process design and implementation, management consulting, global project management, and systems engineering.  She has authored several books on systems auditing and accreditation and has published numerous articles on topics related to technology and global business strategy.  She has also taught undergraduate and graduate courses in business, finance, supply chain management, information security, systems engineering, and project management.

A SWE life member, Haskins-Hafer holds a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in Russian Language and Literature from Yale University, an MBA summa cum laude from Roy E. Crummer School of Business at Rollins College, and certifications in National Security Agency’s Information Security Assessment Methodology, Rational Unified Process Consulting, Balanced Scorecard Consulting, Web Design, and International Trade.  She was one of the first individuals to be designated a Certified Information Systems Manager (CISM) by the Information Systems Auditing and Control Association (ISACA), and holds that organization’s Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) designation.  She is currently completing Stanford University’s Advance Project Management certification program.

10:30 am to 11:15 am
Communication + Participation = Success – To succeed, all projects need a steady flow of communication and participation from all team members. This seminar discusses how important communication is within the team as well as how to solve communication problems.

Jennifer Gordon, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center  – A Systems Engineer for Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center in San Diego, CA (SSC-SD), Jennifer obtained a Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (SIUC). She recently completed her Masters of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, CA where she served as the project lead for her capstone project. Her current duties include leading an installation team to deliver Homeland Security systems to United States Naval bases.

11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Structured Problem Solving – Problem solving and decision making – ask anyone in the workplace if these activities are part of their day and they would certainly answer “YES”.  But how many of us have had training in problem solving?  We know it is a critical element of our work, but do we know how to do it effectively?  People tend to do three things when faced with a problem:  they get afraid or uncomfortable and wish it would go away; they feel that they have to come up with an answer and it has to be the right answer; or they look for someone to blame.  Being faced with a problem becomes a problem.

There are two important things to remember about problems and conflicts:  they happen all the time and they are opportunities to improve the system and relationships.  They are actually providing us with information that we can use to fix what needs fixing and do a better job.  Looked at in this way, we can almost begin to welcome problems (well almost).  Because people are born problem solvers, the biggest challenge in problem solving is to overcome the tendency to immediately come up with a solution.  Putting a solution at the beginning of the process can be a mistake, when what we need is a solution at the end of the process.  This workshop will explore a structured process to problem solving.

Danette Hilton, Intel Corporation  – An  Engineering Technician  in Server Platform Group of Intel Corporation,  Danette has contributed to the Engineering and Technology fields since 1995.  She completed a Bachelors of Applied Science in 1999 and joined Intel shortly thereafter.  Currently working in Intel's Enterprise Power Conversion group, Danette completed 6 years supporting the High End Server Board Design group.  Prior to Intel, her experiences varied from Medical Information Technology support at a community hospital, to Cabin Systems and On Board Entertainment at Boeing Corporation, to AT&T’s Passenger Air to Ground Communication Division.

Renee Defeo, Intel Corporation – A Plastics Engineer/MBA working for Intel Corporation as a Commodity Manager in the Technology Manufacturing Engineering - Intel Test Organization, Renee obtained her BS in Plastics Engineering from University of Massachusetts at Lowell & MBA-TM degree from University of Phoenix.  Renee has been with Intel since 2000 working as a program manager in various areas’ with projects including handling media development, substrate development, product/packaging definition and now commodity management.  Renee started her career working at The Tech Group in their medical manufacturing division and also held positions at Plastican as the Materials & Quality Manager and at Warner Lambert-Schick as the Molding & Maintenance Engineering Manager.  Renee is currently the SWE Phoenix Section President. 

Suzanne Jewett, Intel Corporation – Currently a Manufacturing Engineer in Intel Corporation’s Desktop Boards Division, Suzanne obtained her MS/BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Colorado at Boulder.  Suzanne has worked at National Instruments and Motorola as a manufacturing and mechanical engineer.  She has been with Intel since 2000 has worked as a Fab Process Engineer, Failure Analysis Logistics Manager and Fab Industrial Engineer.  While working as a process engineer she was daily faced with new problems and regularly worked through the 7-Step process to develop new processes, solve defect issues and determine equipment failure root causes.  She is married and has an 8-year-old stepson.

Any questions regarding breakout session descriptions and speakers can be directed to: 

Alison Ratliff, 702-544-6595 or 425-941-7630, alratliff@earthlink.net