STEM Funders Network Names New Executive
Errika Moore serves as the inaugural executive director for the STEM Funders Network, a membership organization committed to ensuring diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in STEM investments.
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As executive director, Moore is responsible for drafting the inaugural strategic overview, identifying new initiatives, and establishing strategic partnerships for the organization. She is working to ensure that historically marginalized and underserved communities in STEM have more equitable access to funding and workplace development opportunities. The STEM Funders Network, established in 2021, helps philanthropic institutions consider inventive ways to shift how they identify, evaluate, and invest in STEM activities and programs across the continuum.
Previously, Moore worked for IBM, BMC Software, and Southwire. Seeking a role with more direct impact, she joined the not-for-profit IT Service Management Forum in 2012 as the vice president of member services and external affairs, increasing representation in the Black technology pipeline. She also served as the executive director for TAG-Ed, an organization focused on K-12 STEM advocacy, and later worked as the senior program officer at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.
Moore currently serves on several STEM education and technology advisory boards, including Florida International University’s Honors College, the Georgia Department of Education Computer Science Industry advisory council, and Project Scientist, among others.
Moore, who holds a B.S. in industrial engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, has 30 years of experience as a STEM professional and advocate. She is on target to complete an M.A. in sociology in STEM education this fall from the Georgia Tech School of History and Sociology. Thereafter she will begin a doctoral program at Georgia Tech focusing on the sociology of STEM education. (Moore is also featured in Career Pathways.)
SWE Member Receives Key Industry Award
In recognition of her work focused on industry collaboration and technology development, the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, or INSA, has honored Jennifer Finley with the 2024 Edwin H. Land Industry Award.
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Finley, an electrical engineer at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and a member of the Society of Women Engineers, was commended for leading the development of communications technologies in support of U.S. Department of Defense, or DOD, initiatives and for her leadership and mentoring.
The award celebrates the accomplishments of early- to mid-career professionals who work on intelligence, defense, homeland and national security issues. It is named for Land, a noted scientist, inventor, and co-founder of the Polaroid Corp., who led the development of the first instant photography system in the late 1940s.
Finley helps manage the science and technology program in APL’s Cyber Operations Mission Area and assists in leading the lab’s Communication and Networking Systems Group. She spearheads teams of researchers in finding solutions to operational communications challenges for specially tailored missions and the intelligence community. She also manages a portfolio of communications technologies applied to DOD initiatives and oversees the execution of multiple projects under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, known as DARPA, and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
Playing an integral role in overseeing testing, evaluation, integration, and transition of novel communications technologies, Finley has been particularly critical in helping translate the team’s work into actionable, executive-level briefings and recommendations for government sponsors. On her DARPA project, she worked closely with the agency to transition the technologies to other government organizations, determined gaps in performer capabilities, and collaborated with colleagues to further the work — including the creation of new interfaces.
Her expertise built critical trust between APL and its external sponsors and partners and was instrumental in securing APL’s role in a groundbreaking program under DARPA’s Adaptive Capabilities Office, according to Jason Mok, APL group supervisor, who nominated Finley for the award.
She was lauded by her supervisors as a role model for APL staff members, taking time to build connections with colleagues, identify their goals and needs, and serve as an advocate on their behalf. In February 2022, Finley represented APL at the Society’s WE Local conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and presented on 5G technologies.
Finley joined APL in 2016 as part of a two-year rotational Discovery program for recent graduates who work on various assignments that reach across different technical domains. She has held a multitude of roles that enabled her to apply her experience in testing and evaluation, network and protocol analytics, link-layer analytics, and 4G and 5G systems.
Finley has a B.S. in electrical engineering from Lehigh University and an M.S. in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
Kelly Angel Named President of Colorado Construction Firm
Kelly Angel, P.E., has transitioned from employee to one of three owners of the LS Gallegos firm following the sale of the 35-year-old company by founder Lawrence Gallegos. Angel is the new president and is joined by co-owners Meanie Urso, who will serve as chief executive officer, and Seth Joraanstad, who will serve as chief financial officer. Gallegos will become president emeritus and assist with the transition and growth of the company. Based in Englewood, Colorado, LS Gallegos is now a woman-owned firm.
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Angel is an accomplished transportation engineer and program/project manager with experience leading multidisciplinary teams, addressing funding, planning, design, coordination, implementation, and evaluation activities for large and complex transportation projects exceeding $400 million. Clients have included the Metropolitan Planning Organizations, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, and private railroads.
Her expertise includes transportation program and project management, policy development, planning, contracts management, safety engineering for multimodal transportation systems, including high speed intercity passenger rail, freight rail, bicycle/pedestrian, and roadway engineering.
She joined LSG more than 10 years ago as a senior transportation manager, responsible for business development efforts and program/project management.
Angel is a licensed professional engineer in both Ohio and Texas. She earned a B.S. in civil engineering at the University of Dayton, Ohio, and is a certified project management professional.
SWE Collegiates Among Tau Beta Pi Fellows
The fellowship board of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, has selected 31 engineering students from 417 applicants for graduate fellowships for the 2024-25 academic year. All but one of the recipients will receive a $10,000 cash award for advanced study.
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Of the fellowship recipients, four are Society of Women Engineers collegiate members active in their institution’s section. All Tau Beta Pi fellowships are awarded on the competitive criteria of high scholarship, campus leadership and service, and promise of future contributions to the engineering profession. All fellows are members of Tau Beta Pi and may do their work at any institution of their choosing. These graduate-level awards bring the total to 1,830 fellowships granted since the program began in 1929.
This year’s fellows are:
- Class of 2022 Jehan L. Shalabi holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and is a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering at Purdue University.
- Class of 2023 graduate Dorian A. Bobbett earned a B.S. in chemical engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is now a Ph.D. student in engineering education research at the University of Michigan.
- Class of 2024 graduate Kaitlyn I. Butler studied mechanical engineering at the University of Missouri-Kansas, Kansas City, and is a Ph.D. student in space systems engineering at the Missouri Institute for Defense and Energy.
- Class of 2021 Firaol S. Midekssa holds a B.S. in biomedical engineering from the University of Rochester and is a Ph.D. biomedical engineering student with a concentration in cell and tissue engineering at the University of Michigan.
Medical Technology Entrepreneur Among ‘Women of Note’
A pain-free existence is a baseline expectation for most people, but disease and injury can make suffering a constant presence. Yet, agony is not inevitable, thanks to a medical device co-created by entrepreneur Maria Bennett.
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Bennett is the founder, president, and CEO of SPR Therapeutics, a 260-employee company with offices in Cleveland, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This year the health care technology enterprise secured $85 million to finance expansion of its SPRINT PNS System, a non-opioid, minimally invasive pain treatment option.
Bennet’s singular work in health care technology recently garnered her recognition as one of 13 Northeast Ohio “Women of Note” honored by Crain’s Cleveland Business for their outstanding work, leadership, and impact on their communities.
Bennet’s SPRINT PNS provides relief from chronic discomfort, particularly for patients with shoulder, knee, back or postoperative pain. Unlike a pacemaker or other permanent implant, the SPRINT system is an externally worn nerve stimulator. A tiny wire placed next to the inflamed nerve emits a mild electric pulse, blocking pain signals before they reach the brain, Bennett said.
The FDA-approved device is used for knee and lower back discomfort, although SPR Therapeutics is also seeing improved results in individuals with neck issues and chronic headaches.
SPR Therapeutics is now in 45 U.S. markets, a number set to grow as more people pursue pain management without a permanent implant or opioid addiction risk.
Hospitals comprise about half of the company’s clientele, a portfolio that also includes orthopedic practices and pain management surgery centers.
A longtime Society of Women Engineers member, Bennet launched her company 15 years ago after working for several medical equipment manufacturing companies. She holds a B.S. in engineering management from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and an M.S. in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
World Engineering Day Founder Honored
Marlene Kanga, Ph.D., founder of World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, was recently honored with the Ada Lovelace Medal at the University of New South Wales. The medal recognizes the outstanding achievements of women engineers. It is named for Lovelace, a pioneering mathematician who is credited for writing the first computer program to calculate Bernoulli numbers in the 19th century.
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The award acknowledges Dr. Kanga’s leadership and impact on engineering in Australia and internationally — as a former president of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations and former national president of Engineers Australia, as a board member of some of the largest organizations in Australia in water, energy, aviation, and innovation, and as chair of the international IChemE Safety Centre for systematic approaches to process safety.
She was also recognized for her success as WFEO president, leading the proposal for UNESCO to declare March 4 as World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, and for her success in initiating and leading the review of the international engineering education benchmarks with the International Engineering Alliance that is transforming engineering education to meet future challenges. Additional nods acknowledged her efforts in capacity-building in Africa and Asia in engineering education and leadership and establishing and growing the WFEO Academy.
Dr. Kanga currently serves as director of Rux Energy in Sydney, Australia, a company that commercializes new technologies for hydrogen storage systems. She holds a B.Tech. in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, an M.Sc. in chemical engineering from Imperial College London, and a Ph.D. in finance from Macquarie University.
She attributes her success in engineering to her ingenuity and experiencing tangible results as an engineer. She noted that there is nothing inherent in engineering that should make it male-dominated.
“Engineers have the skills and the capacity to make the changes we need and to address the challenges we face. At university and in my early career, the biggest obstacle was being the only female in the group. This meant that I had to be resilient, and I learned to do most things on my own,” she said in an interview with Engineers Australia.
Engineering Design Firm Names New President
Donna Mertes, P.E., is the new president and civil engineering department manager of GLHN. In her new role, she will lead the engineering design firm as it enters its 60th year and develop a strategic plan designed to cultivate growth, retain talent, and drive innovative and sustainable design solutions for clients in Arizona and beyond.
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Mertes has worked in the engineering and architecture profession for more than 28 years. She began her career in highway and roadway design and transitioned to site and underground utilities. She uses her skills and experience in her work with GLHN’s mechanical, electrical, and design engineers.
Mertes is a certified professional engineer and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, accredited professional. She holds a B.S. in civil engineering from California State University Sacramento. Before joining GLHN in 1995, Mertes worked for several years as an engineering designer for Greiner Engineering.
During her time with GLHN, she led the design team for the University of Arizona’s Environment and Natural Resources building, incorporating a 52,600-gallon underground rainwater collection system for irrigation of the building’s interior slot canyon. The building represents the university’s commitment to sustainability and interdisciplinary research.
GLHN is a 100% employee-owned company with offices in Tucson and Phoenix. It is an integrated architecture and engineering design collaborative that offers multidisciplinary solutions for clients working in the built environment.
Reilley to Head ASME Publishing
Christine Reilley is the recently appointed managing director of publishing for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, or ASME. ASME offers thousands of titles including some of the engineering profession’s most prestigious peer-reviewed research journals, conference proceedings, and ASME Press e-books.
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Reilley began her tenure with ASME more than 20 years ago as an editor in the publishing department overseeing the production of codes and standards from manuscript to final bound and digital product. In 2012, she moved to the emerging technologies unit, leading the development of content and conferences in the areas of bioengineering, nanotechnology, thermo fluids, and materials. She also served as staff lead for the bioengineering and health care team and the engineering sciences segment. Her most recent role was as the managing director of strategy and innovation for ASME.
Reilley earned a B.A. in journalism from Rutgers University, Douglass College and an M.S. in biomedical engineering with a concentration in tissue engineering and biomaterials from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She also holds a project management professional certificate from the Project Management Institute.
