SWE CM is inviting to join for an in-person volunteer event:
Litter Cleanup AND MORE at Mason Wallace Park – EARTH DAY 2024

Where? Mason Wallace Park, 7301 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28212
When? April 20th 10am-12pm EST

March is Women’s History Month! Please join us for a relevant topic with Jill Tietjen!

When: March 20th @12pm EST

Title: Amazing Women in STEM

Summary: The square bottom paper bag. The first effective childhood leukemia drug. The computer compiler. The field of industrial engineering. Water quality standards. What do each of these have in common? A woman championed or invented each one. Unfortunately, few members of the public know these women’s names or know of their accomplishments. Ms. Tietjen will discuss these amazing and diverse STEM women through history and bring their accomplishments to light. The presentation will close with a Q&A session.

Presented by: Jill S. Tietjen, P.E.

Speaker Bio:

Ms. Tietjen is the President and CEO of Technically Speaking, Inc. An electrical engineer, she has spent more than 45 years in the electric utility industry here she provided planning consulting services to electric utilities and organizations comprising the electric utility industry and served as an expert witness before public utility commissions and other government agencies. In 2015, she served as the CEO of the National Women’s Hall of Fame, based in Seneca Falls, New York (the birthplace of women’s rights). Today, she is a worldwide advocate for telling women’s stories and writing women into history.

An author (14 books published to date) and international speaker, Tietjen is the co-author of the award-winning and bestselling books Her Story: A Timeline of the Women Who Changed America and Hollywood: Her Story, An Illustrated History of Women and the Movies. Her latest award-winning book (2022) is Over, Under, Around, and Through: How Hall of Famers Surmount Obstacles. Her introduction to engineering textbook, Keys to Engineering Success, was published by Prentice Hall in 2001. Her ebook for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Women in Engineering series titled Recognizing and Taking Advantage of Opportunities was published in 2016. She is the series editor for Springer’s Women in Engineering and Science series, has written two volumes in the series and has served as co-volume editor for three volumes. She blogged for The Huffington Post from 2014-2018.

Tietjen has received numerous awards and honors including Women eNews 21 Leaders of the 21st Century (2016); the 2001 Woman in Technology Award from the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, Subaru, and News4; Tau Beta Pi’s Distinguished Alumna Award; and she was named a Woman of Distinction by Girl Scouts – Mile Hi Council. In 2017, she received the Advocate for Women and Girls Award from Girl Scouts of Colorado and the General Palmer Award from ACEC-Colorado. She served as the 1991-1992 National President of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). She was the first woman president of the Rocky Mountain Electrical League, the trade association in the West serving the electric utility industry. Tietjen is a member of the Board of Directors for Georgia Transmission Corporation of Tucker, Georgia and served as an outside director for Merrick & Company of Greenwood Village, Colorado from 2010-2021. She has been inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, the Colorado Author’s Hall of Fame and the National Academy of Construction. Her story, titled “Engineering Women Back into History,” was aired on Rocky Mountain PBS as part of the Great Colorado Women film series and is accessible through the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame web site film library. 

Tietjen graduated from the University of Virginia (Tau Beta Pi, Virginia Alpha) with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics (minor in Electrical Engineering) and received her M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina – Charlotte. She is a registered professional engineer in Colorado.

Join us for an informative meeting about AI!

When: Feb. 22nd, 12pm EST

Title: “From Hype to Confidence: Navigating AI in Your Daily Life”

Summary: This presentation aims to demystify artificial intelligence (AI) for non-practitioners by removing technical jargons and focusing on practical applications. Beginning with a gentle introduction to AI and its evolution, the discussion progresses to recent advancements in Generative AI. Practical tips for using Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Midjourney etc are shared, empowering the audience to confidently integrate AI into their personal and professional lives. The talk also addresses the importance of Responsible AI usage and mitigating associated risks.

Presented by: Balaji Chandrasekaran

Speaker Bio:

Seasoned professional in the field of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. He is currently employed as the Lead Data Scientist for Digitalization at Schaeffler, where he also proudly serves as the company’s Ambassador for Data Science & AI Digitalization. Balaji’s contributions to AI were recognized in 2023 when he was honored with the Top 50 AI Contributor award by the CDAO circle in both North and South Carolina. His expertise has been honed over 15 years in the industry, during which time he has served as the technical lead for wireless communications and the medical devices industry.He holds a Master of Science in Signal Processing and an MBA in Digital Transformation and Data Analytics from the University of California, Irvine. His educational background has equipped him with a deep understanding of the digital landscape, enabling him to spearhead innovative initiatives and drive digital transformation in his roles. Beyond his professional commitments, Balaji Chandrasekaran is a strong advocate for diversity in the workplace. He firmly believes in the importance of diverse perspectives and inclusivity in fostering innovation and productivity. In his leisure time, enjoys playing tennis.

The Society of Women Engineers has been part of this conference since it’s inception.  Please join SWE, PENCE, WTS and WIN for a great day of networking for women.

Registration link is here.

We have an exciting event planned for January 18th @ 12pm EST!
Special guests from WOMEN Unlimited, a world-renowned organization focusing
on developing women leaders in major corporations – Dr. Rosina Racioppi and
Amy Gonzales – will present The Art of the Ask.

“I really love self-promotion”…. Said no one we’ve ever met!

While we know that positive self-promotion is necessary, there is a real and
difficult double bind for women.

If we don’t speak up and showcase our work, we are overlooked. However,
women who do self-promote are often labeled as too arrogant or self-serving.

In this session, Rosina and Amy will identify the key practices that will enable you
to be recognized as strong contributors, advocate for opportunities, and increase
confidence and effectiveness in asking for – and getting – what you want.
Focus includes:

• Articulate your value and contributions, in a positive way;
• Increase confidence in effectively asking for opportunities;
• Practical strategies to overcome the “double-bind” for women who self-
  advocate; and,
• Tips for remote visibility.

Speaker Bios:

Rosina L. Racioppi, Ed.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer

As President and Chief Executive Officer of WOMEN Unlimited, Inc., Dr. Rosina Racioppi spearheads her organization’s initiatives to help Fortune 1000 companies cultivate the talent they need for ongoing growth and profitability. Under her leadership, WOMEN Unlimited, Inc. successfully partners with organizations across a wide range of industries to develop their high-potential women and to build a pipeline of diverse and talented leaders.

By overseeing the management of programs and services nationwide, Dr. Racioppi is actively involved in helping organizations meet the challenges of a continually changing global economy. Additionally, she analyzes and develops new business opportunities; works with current Fortune 1000 partners to assess and update offerings to their high-potential women; and ensures that WOMEN Unlimited, Inc. is in sync with the needs of its present and potential partners.

Dr. Racioppi’s past experience makes her singularly qualified to understand the needs of partner organizations. Prior to joining WOMEN Unlimited, Inc., she held executive management positions in human resources at Degussa Corporation, Nextran (a division of Baxter Corporation) and Beechwood Data Systems. She has over 25 years’ experience in Organization Planning and Development,
Compensation and Benefits, Training and Development, Safety, Quality Management, Staffing and Employee Relations.

Dr. Racioppi earned her doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania. Her dissertation, “Women’s Mentoring Wisdom” focuses on how women use and fail to use mentoring at the all-important mid-career level. She earned a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University and is certified in the Hay Job
Evaluation Process and the Crosby Total Management System.

Additionally, Dr. Racioppi serves on the Advisory Council for the University of
Pennsylvania CLO Alumni Network and the Advisory Board of the New Historia.

Amy Gonzales
Vice President of Global Learning and Development

Amy Gonzales is Vice President of Global Learning and Development for WOMEN Unlimited, where she oversees the development and management of programs globally to ensure they align with and support the corporate partners’ strategies to advance women in a continually changing environment. In addition to her work with WOMEN Unlimited, Amy runs a consulting practice, AG Leadership, which focuses on executive presence, leadership effectiveness and communication, challenging leaders to have broader impact and build stronger relationships.

Amy has worked with thousands of individuals and dozens of global companies and organizations in the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific. She has a special interest in women’s leadership, which includes research studies on the glass ceiling, mentoring, and career advancement for women. She has been honored by Lifetime Television for Women in recognition of her commitment to achieving parity in the workplace, and serves as a board member for Mercy Beyond Borders.

Worth Noting: Amy possesses the ability to build rapport and powerful dialogue with both new managers and senior executives, quickly creating an environment for real growth. Her coaching style is direct, perceptive, and always practical. She holds degrees in Organizational Behavior and Management from Lasell College and the University of San Francisco.