Describe any previous branch positions and years you served.
I have served on the La Mesa and California online Tech Trek committee since 2019.
Describe any AAUW California positions and years you served.
I have served as the Tech Trek Program Director since 2022, which serves the branches. I was on the national Nominating Committee from 2021-2024.
Talk about any AAUW National or California events you attended or participation in peer groups or webinars in the last five years.
I have been a non-voting member of the AAUW California leadership team since 2022 as the Tech Trek committee chair and program director and have only been able to attend virtual annual events and 2-3 in-person leadership team meetings or retreats, mostly due to COVID and follow-on cancer treatment since 2023.
Talk. about any pertinent community activities or connections and their corresponding dates.
I have been a member of AAUW since 2016, but only got involved in California Tech Trek in 2019 when I stepped in as San Diego camp director-in-training, followed immediately by COVID, during which time I developed and delivered Virtual Tech Trek Camp (VTTC) to nearly 650 middle school girls. After we returned to in-person camps in 2022, I was a[ppointed as the program director and have been working with the branches since then to continue to deliver the signature program and amplify our alum and volunteer initiatives.
Describe your employment/professional experience, including current employment.
I am semi-retired in that I no longer collect a paycheck, but spend an average of 1000 hours a year on Tech Trek and AAUW biz. I retired early at 52 and went back to school to get my masters to teach tech ed, followed by my PhD in education; my undergrad was in mechanical engineering and I was also an apprentice machinist. My employment background with the same company for 28 years (GE Energy) is varied, most recently in executive customer relationship management at the ‘C’ level, but starting in manufacturing and wending my way through installation and service, marketing, risk management, sales, and general management.
Describe any other special skills or experience.
Highly proficient at most computer-based tools.
Explain how you will incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion in your plans.
Tech Trek is ALL about giving girls exposure to STEM communities and activities to hopefully engage them in pursuing studies and careers in STEM fields, which are currently (still) predominantly male. Our program draws 65% of its campers from Title I schools and we encourage branches to look for girls who otherwise might not get the opportunity, whether due to location, socio coordinators, alums, and other TT advocates whose charter is to efficiently serve the branches to facilitate the WHOLE TT process, including the five years post-camp when back in their community. We have a virtual camp available for campers who otherwise could not attend an in-person camp due to health limitations or other reasons. We have adopted clear anti-bullying and volunteer conduct policies and associated training & onsite procedures to ensure equity, along with annual camper and staff feedback with respect to camp values.
Give your reasons for running for this office.
I have been observing the leadership for several years and next year will be my fifth year in Tech Trek, which is the last per the P&Ps. I am busy this year identifying the person who will be an understudy for me as the Tech Trek Program Director next fiscal year, but I would like to stay involved in a voting capacity to ensure that the board has a good understanding of Tech Trek moving forward as she comes up to speed into the 2027-2028 fiscal year.