Officers

The Executive Council is available to answer any questions you may have about the section and the programs we offer. Click on the officer's photo to contact them. We look forward to meeting you at an upcoming event!

Rachael Lomax, President

Rachael currently works as an Account Executive for SoCalGas, where she works on energy efficiency for large commercial and industrial customers. Rachael received her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from UCR and her M.S. in Engineering Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Rachael has been involved with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) since her undergraduate years at UCR, and has received recognition from SWE as a future leader. Rachael joined the section in 2014 and helped in various committees, and at the conclusion of the year she was presented the "Member of the Year" Award. She is also involved with SWE at the region level as a Collegiate Leadership Coach and at the Society level as a Scholarship Judge. Her favorite part of SWE is reaching out and teaching about the various disciplines of engineering to young and eager minds.

Rajani Bansal, Vice-President

Rajani Bansal is a recent graduate in Chemical Engineering from UCLA. She was an active member of the SWE-UCLA section with roles ranging from Publicity Chair to Company Liaison to President. After graduation, Rajani moved to Orange County to work with AECOM as an Environmental Engineer and will have been there for one year in July 2016. After moving to Orange County, she joined the SWE-OC section and chaired the 2016 Professional Development Conference.

Bianca Acciardo, Secretary

Bianca Acciardo is an engineer with the Boeing Company, specializing in Service Engineering for commercial aircraft. She received a Bachelor’s of Science in Aerospace Engineering from The University of Akron in 2014. There she was heavily involved with her SWE chapter, serving as Vice President and Treasurer in separate years. As Vice President, with the help of committees, she was responsible for organizing social, fundraising, and outreach events throughout the school year, and attending Regional and National Conferences. During the WE14 Conference in Los Angeles is where Bianca connected with Boeing to obtain her current position. Because of this, she understands the importance of staying involved in the organization, knowing it can do great things for women in STEM. Currently, Bianca serves as academic advisor to Santa Ana College, and as a member of the Girl Scouts, Outreach, Programs, and Professional Development Conference committees. In the coming years, Bianca hopes to become more involved with SWE on a Regional and National level, starting with taking on more responsibility in the SWE-OC Section as a member of the Executive Committee.

Molly Martens, Treasurer

Molly currently works at The Boeing Company in Seal Beach as a Flight Operations Engineer. She is responsible for supporting engineers at airlines worldwide with technical guidance on flight operations planning, dispatch and performance for all Boeing models. Prior to her time with Boeing, Molly worked in Ride Engineering at Walt Disney Imagineering. Molly graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a MS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California.

Molly joined SWE-OC last year as a transfer from the SWE Pacific Northwest chapter. This past year, she was a part of both the Girl Scout and Professional Development Conference committees and was actively involved in a number of outreach activities hosted by the Seal Beach Boeing SWE members. Molly is looking forward to serving the SWE Orange County Section as treasurer this year.

Kathleen Monk, Section Representative / Membership Director

Kathleen Monk has been active in SWE-OC since 2005 and has served as Outreach Chair, Vice President (FY12), President (FY13), and most recently Treasurer (FY16). She credits SWE with helping to develop her leadership skills and stays involved because of the great camaraderie in the section. Kathleen also started the SWE-OC Mom's Club and organizes quarterly meet-ups on the weekends throughout the year for the SWE-OC moms and kids.

Kathleen received her Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame. She was hired by Fluor Corporation after graduation to work in their process engineering department and she currently works for Fluor in project management.

Outside of work, Kathleen enjoys running, spending time at the beach, and being with her family. She and her husband have two active boys who them them very busy!

Paola Chavira, Section Representative / Collegiate Relations Director

Paola obtained her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2008 and her M.S. in Engineering Management in 2011, both at Cal Poly Pomona. She began her SWE career in college back in 2004. Paola has been active in the Orange County Section since she became a professional member in 2008. She has served as Professional Development Conference Co-Chair, Section Representative from 2009 to 2015, Vice-President and President. She enjoys events that are Outreach and Career Guidance oriented and received the STEM service award in 2013 and the Young Engineer Award in 2015 from the Orange County Engineering Council. Paola works as a project manager at SoCalGas helping to maintain customers online while gas line projects are in progress.

Nadia Bess, Section Representative / Community Affairs Director

Nadia has been a member of SWE-OC since 2011 and a member of SWE since 2007. She has served as the Orange County Social Chair, Collegiate Liaison, Section Representative, Vice President, President, Co-Chair of the 2014 Sonora Region Conference, and Region B Nominating Chair. Nadia has received the SWE-OC Member of the Year and Advance awards, the Orange County Engineering Council Outstanding Young Engineer Award, the Sempra Energy Diversity Ambassador Award, the Junior League of Orange County, California’s Star Among Stars and the Jodi Palmblade Spirit of the League Award, and the YMCA Greater Los Angeles Phenomenal Woman Award. Nadia graduated with her B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California. In addition to SWE, Nadia is also involved with the Junior League of Orange County, currently serving as the Fund Development Vice President. Nadia currently works at the Southern California Gas Company as a Senior Account Executive in the Commercial & Industrial Services department, where she also earned her Certified Energy Manager certification.

Roxana Carrillo, Alternate Section Representative / Outreach Director

Roxana Carrillo has been a member of the Society of Women Engineers - Orange County (SWE-OC) section since 2014. Roxana was the Programs Chair in FY15 and FY16, organizing 9 dinner meetings featuring professional development speakers with over 130 attendees (cumulative). She was also an active committee member for the 2015 and 2016 Professional Development Conferences. She has led outreach activities at the Girl Scouts Engineering Day, such as building miniature bridges and making water bottle filters with the students.

Roxana is a Sr. Staff Engineer at Avocet Environmental, Inc., where she contributes to remediation, groundwater monitoring, waste management, and other various projects. She attained her B.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Irvine in 2012

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