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Heading to Texas for SWE 2012!

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Note from the editor: We have the pleasure of featuring a guest blogger today to share her experience with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Intel is getting ready for SWE 2012 taking place in Houston, Texas from November 8 - 10, 2012. 

LisaDepew.jpgHi all! My name is Lisa, and I’m a people-centric technical female at Intel with a passion for helping people achieve their personal and career- best. I started with Intel as an Intern, spent a year in the Rotational Engineering Program (REP), then spent a decade supporting successful implementation of our processor and chipset products via various Technical Marketing and Program Management roles. I am currently a Business Operations Manager in Intel’s Business Client Platforms Division, responsible for infrastructure development and support strategy. (Check out the vPro Expert Center to see what great things we’re up to!)

I have traveled the world for work, connecting with amazing individuals in Germany, China, Taiwan, Japan, Costa Rica, Kenya, and throughout the U.S. I am forever inspired by the amazing people around me and the opportunities for us all to learn and grow. I was a mentoring coordinator for the fabulously inspiring “Stay With ItTM” campaign this summer, have a passion for inspiring & mentoring youth, and regularly coach men and women inside and outside the company. Nothing makes me happier than helping others, especially in connecting with people to find their passion & achieve it.

It’s that time of the year again. No, not Halloween. Not crisp fall weather. Time for the National Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Conference! I get so excited this time of year because it’s the most amazing opportunity I’ve found, to connect to other women in technology. I’ve been to on-campus events, attended local professional development conferences, watched webinars, and the like, but the SWE conference is the only place I’ve ever been where I’m surrounded by 5000 other professionals. Just. Like. Me.

The first thing you notice at the conference (besides more women than you may have seen in a single place in a very long time) is the excitement. The energy. The passion for learning and growth. From speakers to workshop leaders, mentors to career booths, everyone is there to inform and support other women in technology, to achieve their career best. When I walked around last year, connecting with women from various companies, engineering disciplines, geographic areas, ages, etc.—I noticed how diverse the group was, while still appreciating the common thread that ran between us. These are ladies who are going through (or went through) similar experiences as women in technology. Being the lone female in the room, working to balance a career and kids, learning to speak up and go toe-to-toe with men in the workplace—they’ve been there and have amazing stories and advice to share. Whether you have education, motherhood, or workplace growth and development on the brain, this conference offers it all. Join us in Houston November 8-10 and see for yourself! The National SWE conference is an opportunity to interact and engage with a myriad of people all inspired to excel—and help you excel—in the field of technology, as women.



Not only is this a great personal opportunity for me, I’m proud to see my company have such a tremendous presence at this conference each year as well. In addition to corporate sponsorship and hosting a career booth (meet a recruiter and drop off a resume at booth 609! You can also submit a resume in advance by applying to req 624294), Intel sends many technical professionals to the conference to learn, share and grow. In 2011, Heather Monigan-Berger’s class “Engineering with the Customer in Mind” was tremendous, and very eye-opening.  And the panel of Intel women who’d balanced work and kids, endured breast cancer, navigated part-time employment, and climbed the career ladder was hugely inspirational. At the 2012 Conference, many Intel females are again teaching seminars. Check out Jennifer Graeber’s “Writing Effective Self-Evaluations” class on Friday at 1:30pm at GBCC in room 342or Catherine Spence’s “Possibility Thinking About Cloud Computing” Saturday at 10am in GBCC in room 342DE. Are you looking for sage advice from experts who’ve been there? Join Allison Goodman’s “Speed Mentoring” session on Thursday at 3:30pm at GBCC in room 361AB to talk to a host of experts. Excited about corporate outreach? Come meet me in person, and sit in on Renee Defeo’s and my Lightening Session Thursday at 10:30am in GBCC in room 340 where we recount our experiences teaching computer literacy in Vietnam and Kenya through the Intel Education Service Corps (IESC). Struggling with presenting to management and/or technically-minded audiences? Check out my class on “Communicating Effectively in a Data-Driven Workplace” on Thursday at 2:45pm in GBCC 320AB.  Whatever your passion and areas of interest, SWE has a broad range of tracks to serve your career development needs. Check out the conference schedule for more details!

It’s going to be an amazing and infectious three days. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to meet and celebrate women in engineering. From the inspiring keynote speaker, to lectures, to workshops on everything from time management to leading without authority, join the discussion. Come down and celebrate amazing things happening for women in engineering!