SWE Member Highlight of the Month
A brief biography:
I grew up on a farm in south central Nebraska outside of a small town. Growing up on a farm was an invaluable experience that taught me to not only work hard, but also learn hands on by doing manual labor. Growing up in such a small community, I never knew any engineers. My high school science teacher approached me about a summer engineering camp at Kansas State University. After attending it, and working on some hands on projects with friends I made there, I had decided I wanted to become an engineer.
In my 10 year career with Caterpillar, I have held various roles in supply chain and manufacturing including a manufacturing engineer and operations supervisor. I also have experience leading cost savings projects within purchasing, and in my current role, leading the development of new supply chain tools using data analytics.
Why did you join SWE?
I first joined SWE my freshman year of college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I saw it as a way to meet new friends, who were in the same circumstance as me (a female in a male dominant field). During my junior year, I had the opportunity to serve as our collegiate chapter President, which was one of my first leadership opportunities.
After graduating college in Industrial Engineering and starting my career with Caterpillar, I was part of the Manufacturing Professional Development Program (MPDP) known today as LTDP. Moving around was challenging to be fully involved in SWE, but I enjoyed volunteering with local chapters including the Solar SWE chapter. Working in Decatur, IL for a few years, made it even more challenging because of the distance. I was so excited to get back into SWE again after moving to the Peoria area a few years ago.
This past year I joined the Outreach Committee because I like being able to help others learn through hands on activities. Even though some events are as little as a 30 minute activity, I often remind myself it is still more impactful than nothing. I also enjoy sharing these activities with my nieces, who especially enjoy science.
Current interests: Hiking, traveling, yoga, my nieces and nephews, college football, craft beer, and SWE Outreach!
I grew up on a farm in south central Nebraska outside of a small town. Growing up on a farm was an invaluable experience that taught me to not only work hard, but also learn hands on by doing manual labor. Growing up in such a small community, I never knew any engineers. My high school science teacher approached me about a summer engineering camp at Kansas State University. After attending it, and working on some hands on projects with friends I made there, I had decided I wanted to become an engineer.
In my 10 year career with Caterpillar, I have held various roles in supply chain and manufacturing including a manufacturing engineer and operations supervisor. I also have experience leading cost savings projects within purchasing, and in my current role, leading the development of new supply chain tools using data analytics.
Why did you join SWE?
I first joined SWE my freshman year of college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I saw it as a way to meet new friends, who were in the same circumstance as me (a female in a male dominant field). During my junior year, I had the opportunity to serve as our collegiate chapter President, which was one of my first leadership opportunities.
After graduating college in Industrial Engineering and starting my career with Caterpillar, I was part of the Manufacturing Professional Development Program (MPDP) known today as LTDP. Moving around was challenging to be fully involved in SWE, but I enjoyed volunteering with local chapters including the Solar SWE chapter. Working in Decatur, IL for a few years, made it even more challenging because of the distance. I was so excited to get back into SWE again after moving to the Peoria area a few years ago.
This past year I joined the Outreach Committee because I like being able to help others learn through hands on activities. Even though some events are as little as a 30 minute activity, I often remind myself it is still more impactful than nothing. I also enjoy sharing these activities with my nieces, who especially enjoy science.
Current interests: Hiking, traveling, yoga, my nieces and nephews, college football, craft beer, and SWE Outreach!
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