FY14 Region H Collegiate Team
Region Collegiate Representative (RCR)
Your Region Collegiate Representatives (RCR) are two collegiates elected by you—the region
membership—to represent our region on a national level.
The RCRs make sure that your section is the best it can be. They keep the Region Governor and Board of
Directors up to date on the needs of collegiates in our area. They also run meetings at the Annual
Conference and Regional Conference, attend a summer leadership training conference, and network with
SWE leaders from across the country!
Your RCRs are your best resource for questions about anything SWE-related. They can find you help with
membership issues, financial problems, or report deadlines. If your section needs help, email them at rcrh@swe.org
Erin Westerby
Erin Westerby is a senior in Civil Engineering at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. She has been involved in
the Bradley SWE section since her freshman year, including being the Secretary, Engineer Sphere Chair,
Vice President, and President. She is also involved in Engineers Without Borders, Tau Beta Pi, and Chi
Epsilon. For engineering internships, she has worked at UTC Aerospace Systems in Rockford, IL and Case
New Holland in Goodfiled, IL.
Savannah Goodman
Savannah Goodman is a senior in Civil Engineering with a focus in sustainability and minors in Electrical
Engineering and Technology and Management at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has
been involved in the UIUC SWE section since her freshmen year. Savannah started off as the Relay for
Life Chair and as a Team Tech official member, and then became the Team Tech Director her sophomore
year, and the section President her junior year. She is also involved with U.S. Green Building Council,
Engineering Council, CARE Tutoring, and her sorority Pi Beta Phi. Over the last three summers,
Savannah worked at Kraft Foods and San Diego Gas and Electric for engineering internships, and studied
abroad in Germany.
Region Collegiate Communications Editor (RCCE)
Your Collegiate Communications Editor is a collegiate elected to improve communication between
sections within our region. Primarily, she manages this blog!
The RCCE helps share best practices within our region and also helps the RCRs with their role, such as
running the collegiate meetings at National and Regional conferences. She is your best resource for massdistributing information, such as events or deadlines. If your section has an event you want publicized
regionally, or a great idea (or event, social, workshop…) they’d like to share with the rest of the region,
email the RCCE at rcce-h@swe.org
Alison Bergmann
Alison Bergmann is a senior studying Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Math at Valparaiso
University. She has been involved with Valparaiso University SWE since her freshmen year. She served
as Treasurer and Vice President her sophomore year and President her junior and senior years. At
Valparaiso University, Alison is also involved in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Student
Alumni Association, Education Policy Committee, Dean Search Committee, and her sorority Sigma Alpha
Iota. Alison gained practical fluency in Spanish after studying abroad in Leon, Spain with the Indiana
University Honors Program in 2008. The last three summers she has interned at John Deere in both
Design and Manufacturing Engineering.
Region Collegiate Senator
According to the Article V, Section 2 of the SWE bylaws:
The senate shall be responsible for charting the strategic direction of SWE by developing and adopting
the long-range goals for the Society. The senate shall also be responsible for developing statements of
external policy on issues or positions that have broad implications for the professional environment and
the Society as an organization. To these ends, the senate shall conduct essential dialogue on long-term
trends and issues of common interest, and may appoint subordinate units to assist in the creation of
these strategic directions or policies. The senate shall communicate the outcome of such dialogue to the
board of directors.
Ashley Stroup
Ashley Stroup is a senior in Chemical Engineering at Purdue University. Ashley has been involved with
the Purdue section of SWE since her freshman year. As a member of the PSWE Executive Board, Ashley
served as Day With Industry Chair, E-week Chair, and President. Ashley is also involved with the
Professional Practice Ambassadors, Women in Engineering Program, and has studied abroad in China.
She has worked a 5 term Co-Op at Tate and Lyle in Lafayette, IN.
Region Governor
Your Region Governor is a professional member. She runs and represents our region. She also advises
region leaders, keeps us updated on SWE issues, reports on our needs, and ensures the health of your
section and the region as a whole.
Jenny Morikawa
Jennifer (Jenny) is a Life member and a part of the SWE-Detroit Section, where she served as the FY05 &
FY06 Section President, Vice President of Outreach, Section Representative, Secretary, and Fund
Development Chair. On the Society level, she has served on the Awards & Recognition Committee since
2006 including Chair in FY12, Student Activities Committee from FY04-FY05, and the Program
Development Grants Committee from FY09-FY11. Jenny has been active in Region H as Secretary, Region
Council, Lt. Governor and currently the FY13&FY14 Governor. She received the honor of SWE
Distinguished New Engineer in 2008.
Jenny has an MS degree in Intedisciplinary Engineering with a minor in Engineering Quality, Reliability,
Durability from Purdue University and a BSE in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan.
She has worked for General Motors for over 10 years and is currently a Sr. Manufacturing Engineer
serving as business manager for Manufacturing Engineering’s Global Vehicle Systems.
Jenny lives in Livonia, MI (Metro Detroit) with her husband Robert and 3 year old, Jason. She enjoys
scrapbooking and photography.
Region Lieutenant Governor
The Lt. Governor is the organizer of the Region Collegiate Team. She facilitates information-sharing
between us. She also serves as Region Governor if the Governor is temporarily unable to serve.
Samantha Johnson
Samantha is a part of the SWE-Central Indiana Section, where she served as the FY12 & FY13 Section
President, Vice President, Treasurer, Publicity and Professional Development Chair. She currently holds
the role of both Social and Strategic Planning Chair for the section. This is Samantha’s first role with
Region H as the FY14 Lt. Governor.
Samantha has a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Enterprise from Michigan
Technological University and is currently pursuing a MBA with Notre Dame. She has worked for
Cummins Inc. for over 8 years and is currently a Design Integrator for the MidRange Engine Business.
Samantha lives in Scipio, IN (Central Indiana) with her husband Jim and their assortment of
animals. She enjoys travel, movies, music, reading, and working with her horses.
Collegiate Leadership Coach (CLC)
The CLC works with collegiate sections to help them improve. Specific section issues (money,
membership, recruiting, etc.) can be coached individually. A CLC can travel to visit your section! If your
section needs help, ask!
Heather Wiest
Heather Wiest is a graduate student at Purdue University, and she is studying Aerospace Engineering,
focusing in Propulsion. Heather graduated from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 2011 with a
dual degree in Mechanical Engineering and Economics. While being an active member in SWE at RoseHulman, she served as Section Treasurer her senior year. Heather has continued her involvement in SWE
by joining the Region H Collegiate Leadership Coaching Committee in 2011, and she now serves as Team
Lead for this committee.
SWE Future Leader (SWEFL)
SWE Future Leaders are underclassman who have potential to be a SWE leader for their section,
region, or the society.
Amber Koeune
Amber Koeune is a sophomore Mechanical Engineering student with a minor in Business Management at
Milwaukee School of Engineering in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is Amber’s second year in SWE, and she
is the Secretary of the MSOE SWE section. She is also involved in MSOE Women’s Soccer, Circle
K, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and Our Next Generation. Amber has spent the
summer working as an intern with the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium where she is designing and
building a high altitude balloon which will travel to the outer edges of the atmosphere.
Ashlee Janczak
Ashlee Janczak is a junior in Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University. Ashlee has been involved with
the Purdue section of SWE since her freshman year. As a member of the PSWE, Ashlee served as an office
assistant and as the Job Fair Chair on the PSWE Executive Board. Ashlee has also been involved in the
Women in Engineering Program and the Camp Riley team for Engineering Projects in Community
Service. This fall she is starting a three term Co-Op with Kimberly-Clark in Roswell, Georgia.
Brittany Kaiser
Brittany Kaiser is a junior in mechanical engineering at Purdue University. She been involved with
Purdue’s SWE section since her freshman year. She has held the role of social competitions chair
(intramural sports) and is currently serving as the programs director. Outside of SWE, Brittany is also
very involved with Women in Engineering at Purdue (WIEP) through both volunteer mentoring and
through her job as a tutor for freshman women in engineering. Brittany has spent the last two summers
working for General Electric Appliances in Louisville, KY. Outside of work, she enjoys playing fast pitch
softball with her travel team, the Louisville Magic.
Cynthia Ramirez
Cynthia Ramirez is a sophomore in Chemical Engineering at Purdue University. She has been involved
with Purdue SWE since her freshman year. For the 2013-2014 year, she will be the SWEetie Sidekick
Chair, which helps mentor incoming freshman by pairing the freshman with upperclassmen. She has also
been the Social and involved with the Women in Engineer Program at Purdue. She graduated from Queen
of Peace High School in Burbank, Illinois, understanding the importance of community, which is why she
joined SWE. She looks forward to bringing what she learns from the Conference back to Purdue SWE
especially when it comes to mentoring and guiding freshmen.
Elizabeth Lafond
Elizabeth Lafond is going into her junior year at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois as a Biomedical
Engineering major. Elizabeth is from Romeoville, IL. She has been involved in SWE since her freshman
year and took the role as the Outreach Chair sophomore and is continuingthis role for the upcoming
school year. As a SWE Future Leader, Elizabeth hopes to share the knowledge she gains with other SWE
members as well as young girls in her community. She hopes to inspire others to pursue a rewarding
career in the engineering field.
Hannah Lyons
Hannah Lyons is a junior studying Civil Engineering at Michigan Technological University. SWE has been
an important part of her life since freshman year. She served served as Social Chair her sophomore year.
This year, she is the Outreach Director, Fundraising Chair and will be coordinating as Head of City
Relations for the upcoming SWE Region H conference in Houghton, MI next February. At Michigan Tech,
Hannah is also involved in Blue Key Honor Society and Delta Zeta National Sorority. This summer,
Hannah just completed my first internship with Skanska USA Building, Inc. focusing on construction.
Jamie Sanderson
Jamie Sanderson is a junior at the University of Michigan, majoring in Industrial and Operations
Engineering and minoring in German. She has been involved in the U of M SWE section since her
freshman year and has served as the College Relations Co-Chair, including the Mr. Engineer co-director
role, and is currently Vice President of the section as well as co-chair for 2013 Career Fair Receptions. She
is also active in the Engineering Global Leadership Honors Program, Tau Beta Pi, Epeians, Alpha Pi Mu,
and the MECC Michigan Engineering Consulting Group. This past summer, Jamie volunteered at Carl
Duisberg in Berlin and interned for Daimler (Mercedes) in Stuttgart, Germany.
Jillian Montalvo
Jillian Montalvo is a senior studying Computer Science with a minor in Engineering Corporate Practice at
the University of Notre Dame. She has been involved with Notre Dame SWE since her freshman year. She
served as the Recruiting and Mentoring Chair her sophomore year, the Executive Vice President her
junior year, and the President her senior year. At Notre Dame, Jillian is also a member of Upsilon Pi
Epsilon, the Computer Science honors society. Last summer she interned with Sprint in Overland Park,
KS, and she currently has an internship position with Cerner in Kansas City, MO.
Patricia Thompson
Patty Thompson is a third year student at Michigan Technological University from Red Bank, New Jersey.
She is a civil engineering major with a minor in structural materials. Patty has been a member of SWE
since her first year. She enjoys the opportunities that SWE provides for professional development and
networking, both professionally and socially. Other organizations Patty is involved in include Chi Epsilon
and soon Tau Beta Pi. Patty enjoys playing video games and reading in her free time, scarce though it may
be. She expects to graduate in Spring 2015 and hopes to have a successful career from then on!
Rachel Beck
Rachel Beck is a junior studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
She has been an active member of SWE since her freshman year and is excited to be External Vice
President of her section this year. In the past she led the community service committee. She is looking
forward to getting involved at the SWE Regional level. Outside of school and activities, Rachel enjoys
cooking, writing calligraphy, and watching movies.
Tara Cullerton
Tara Cullerton is a sophomore at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying Materials
Science & Engineering and is planning to concentrate in Polymers with a minor in Chemistry. She became
involved with UIUC SWE her freshman year as the Special Events Coordinator for the Community Service
Committee. She was awarded Community Service Member of the Year for her work on UIUC SWE’s first
annual Mr. Engineering Pageant to benefit Relay for Life. She is also involved in Alpha Lambda Delta
Honor Society and Material Advantage. Tara has spent the last four summers working at Mill Creek Golf
Club in Geneva, IL.