New Mexico Network for Women in Science and Engineering
PO Box 51926, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87181 USA
https://archive.nmnwse.org
2015 NMNWSE ELECTIONS FOR Oct 2015 - Oct 2016 Board
Candidate Profiles

 
nmnwse.org
 

The NMNWSE Board's only position on the candidates is that we feel all the declared candidates are qualified, and we encourage all members to vote for the declared or write-in candidates of their choice.

 Voting Notes and Instructions         Online Voting Form


PRESIDENT

 Rebecca (Becca) Galves
Rebecca Galves is a motivated leader in outreach and broadening the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in computing, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). With degrees in Information Systems, Geography, and Business, Rebecca is responsible for extensive program development, management, and expansion of initiatives across New Mexico. In her five-year tenure at NMSU, Rebecca and her team of outstanding young women have provided out-of-school computing and STEM programming to over 14,000 K - 12 students throughout the state, such as the very successful Young Women in Computing (YWiC) summer camps. Rebecca is also the state lead for the NM Girls Collaborative, and coordinates or is otherwise involved in several other initiatives to empower, celebrate, and acknowledge the work of professional and young women, following her passion to bring together and support women in their chosen fields, through collaboration, leveraging of resources, and community involvement.
 Click here for Becca's full profile.
Southern Chapter Member, Las Cruces and NMNWSE State EYH Chairs


VICE-PRESIDENT / PRESIDENT ELECT

 Sarah Vance
Sarah Vance grew up in Santa Fe and went to college at Iowa State University where she received a BS in Chemical Engineering. She began her professional career as an Environmental Engineer at Cambrex Charles City, a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Iowa. She then moved to Pittsburgh to work for Montauk Energy, a green energy company. She's recently returned to Albuquerque to work for the GCC Rio Grande cement plant in Tijeras. Sarah is passionate about young women pursuing engineering careers in New Mexico. She realizes that our young women need role models and an awareness of what the career can offer and would like to be Vice-President of the New Mexico Network for Women in Science and Engineering to continue their mission along these goals.
Central Chapter Member.


SECRETARY

 Barbara Torres
Ms. Barbara Torres received her BS and MS degrees in Physics from the University of New Mexico. She worked many years in the corporate sector and upon her retirement from Northrop Grumman, she established Barbara Torres Consulting, a small, woman-owned business providing professional technical consulting services in the areas of business development, ethics programs, and other regulatory areas. At Northrop Grumman and its legacy companies she held leadership positions in Ethics and Business Conduct, Business Development, and project management for various scientific programs. Her primary professional activity currently is teaching as a substitute at St. Pius High School.

Ms. Torres is also active in the community. She served for many years as a member of the United Way Community Fund Review Panel, and judged in local, regional, state, and international Science and Engineering Fairs. She is an active member of the New Mexico Network for Women in Science and Engineering, serving on the Board of Directors for many years. She is a 35-year member of the American Business Women's Association (ABWA) where she was recognized nationally as one of their Top Ten Business Women in 1983 and in 2006 and served as a national officer of the association for two years.

She and her husband, Jim have lived in Tijeras, NM for for nearly 38 years. Their two sons, James and Bill, and their families reside in Albuquerque.
Current NMNWSE At-Large Board Member, previous NMNWSE Treasurer. Central Chapter since 1985.


AT-LARGE

 Rajaa Shindi
Dr. Rajaa Shindi is Systems Administrator and an expert in SharePoint migration and management technologies, and a faculty member at Dona Ana Community College (DACC) teaching computer science and information technology courses. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from NMSU where she worked on the research and development of a novel system for enhancing attention among children with Attention Disorder.

Facing many obstacles growing up, Rajaa is now a strong supporter of STEM, and is Co-PI on a 2015 STEM grant to promote STEM among Middle, High School and DACC students. The grant is also to encourage the students to "think computationally" across disciplines to empower female students' capability and encourage them to major in STEM. She also helps with the Las Cruces EYH, volunteers at science fairs, and looks for other ways to help children with specific needs such as ADHD, physical handicapped, mental disorders, etc.
 Rajaa's full personal statement on her motivation to be on the NMNWSE board.
NMNWSE Southern Chapter. Member since 2015.

 Cheri Burch
Cheri Burch has been very active helping NMNWSE integrate our efforts with other organizations doing STEM Outreach in New Mexico. Cheri recently spoke at a Central Chapter Meeting about the 2015 Tech Trek, held Jul 12-18 in Las Vegas, NM - an AAUW program gaining momentum with 8th grade girls in NM. Cheri's presentation showed this program is a great opportunity for the girls, and encouraged NMNWSE members to volunteer to help with the 2016 Tech Trek.
Current NMNWSE STEM Outreach Liason. Central Chapter Member.

 Dana Roberson
Dana is a Computer Science/Software Quality Assurance Engineer working for the NNSA. She holds CMMI Instructor certificate, is a certified Scrum Master, and recently sat for and obtained a "Project Management Institute - Agile Certified Professional", one of very few in New Mexico. Dana was selected to be one of the 2015-16 Top Ten business women in America by the American Business Women's Association (ABWA). Dana was recognized this past January as the Project management Institute, Rio Grande Chapter (http://www.pmirgc.org) Volunteer of the Year (2014). In 2013, Dana was honored by being selected as "2013 Woman of the Year" for the La Luz Chapter of the American Business Women's Association, and was one of three women awarded an "Outstanding Citizen" Certificate by the Tijeras Chamber of Commerce for work done by the Charity "East Mountain Friends for Families."
Past LAWIS EYH Chair, NMNWSE EYH Chair, and Membership Chair. Current NMNWSE Central Chapter Member and EYH Albuquerque Committee member, and NMNWSE At-Large Board Member.

 Claudia Barreto
I was a curator of paleontology at the Milwaukee Public Museum. I left my job to earn a Ph.D. in cell biology. I became a professor at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee where I was the Science Education Specialist. I was very active in the UW System Women & Science Program (= Board Member 1997-2005, Co-Chair for 2 years and presented numerous presentations & workshops at our meetings). I was also the UWM Representative to the Committee on Institution Cooperation Women in Science & Engineering consortium (CIC WISE). I became a professor at UNM Valencia Campus so I could devote more of my efforts to enhancing teaching and learning.
Departing NMNWSE Secretary. NMNWSE Central Chapter. Board Member since 2007.

 


Continuing & Departing Board Members

Continuing Executive Board members:
    Phyllis Baca, Central Chapter, changing from President to Past-President
    Jeanne Banks, Central Chapter, continuing as Treasurer and Central Chapter President

Continuing At-Large Board Members:
    Tinka Gammel, Central Chapter, continuing At-Large and Webmaster
    Barbara Torres, Central Chapter, continuing At-Large, running for Secretary.
    Karmen Lappo, Central Chapter, continuing At-Large

Departing Board members running for re-election:
    Claudia Barreto, Central Chapter, departing Secretary, running for At-Large
    Dana Roberson, Central Chapter, departing At-Large, running for At-Large.

Departing Board members not running for re-election:
    Nan Founds, Central Chapter, departing Past-President
    Mary S. Campbell, Northern Chapter, departing At-Large Board Member, continuing as Archives Chair

Please visit the board webpage for current Chapter Presidents, EYH Chairs, and Ad-hoc and Standing Committee Chairs, who are not elected by NMNWSE statewide Elections and are presumed to not be changing unless they have notified the board.

And a big THANKS! to all our current and past board members and EYH and committee chairs!

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