Women in Government Affinity Group Part 2

What are the goals of the Women in Government affinity group?

The SWE Women in Government (WIG) Affinity Group provides support and responds to career-specific inquiries from SWE members working or interested in careers in the public sector. A series of meetings are planned for this year on a variety of topics, including professional development, diversity and inclusion, and networking.

When does the WIG Affinity Group meet?

We WIG plans to meet once a month, on Sunday afternoons at 5:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. CT, 3:00 p.m. MT, and 2:00 p.m. PT). Our next meeting is September 25e, and we’ll discuss WE22 and the preparation for the conference. If you’re attending WE22, you can join us in Affinity Group Rooms to network with members in person and discuss tips and techniques for improving diversity in your organization. Check the conference schedule for days and times!

Dates of upcoming events:

September 25 – Get ready for WE22 – How to get the most out of the conference

October 30 – Book Discussion – Looking Up: How a Different Perspective Turns Obstacles into Advantages by Michele Sullivan (WE22 keynote speaker!)

November 20 – Discussion on diversity

January 29 – Winter Celebration

February 26 – Budgeting and Funding – How SWE can help you learn this essential skill

March 26 – Celebrating Women’s History Month

April 30 – Environmental justice

June 9 – End of year celebration (fiscal)

How can I join?

To contact us, please subscribe to our mailing list (you can subscribe via the communication preferences in your member profile) or on our Facebook page.

Want to volunteer as a leader for the WIG affinity group? Contact Jenna Lynn Henderson or Jenni Dalzell for more information!

Meet our leaders:

Jennifer Dalzel (elle), Technical Assistant for the Nuclear Materials Safety Division, joined the NRC in 2007 as part of the Nuclear Safety Professional Development Program (NSPDP). Jennifer began her career with the Reactor Projects Division in Region III, where she earned the qualifications to become a Resident Inspector. She has also served as an incident response specialist and materials license reviewer in Region III. Most recently, Jennifer was an inspector for Dry Cask Storage and Reactor Decommissioning.

Jennifer most recently served as Secretary of the NRC Federal Women’s Program Advisory Committee and received the 2020 Meritorious Service Award for Excellence from the EEO and the Women’s History Month Award from the NRC. 2020 Federal Women’s Program Advisory Committee. JEnnifer graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Jenna Lynn Henderson (she) has always lived by Sheryl Sandberg’s quote “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket, don’t ask which seat!” Go for it. Consequently, her talents as a civil engineer led her to a professional career in the public and private sectors.

As National Co-Lead of the SWE Women in Government Affinity Group, Jenna will work across industry boundaries to connect experts with similar goals and interests and provide mentorship to engineers.

Jenna is honored to serve on the Fort Worth Mayor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities, which provides her with the opportunity to give back to the community. Here, she uses her unique perspective as a licensed engineer to promote equity in infrastructure and highlight the benefits of inclusiveness. Ever since Jenna graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo in civil engineering, she has loved the discipline. Her continuous thirst for knowledge and improvement led her to enroll in a Master of Science in Leadership Technology at Brown University. Although Brown University’s engineering program is the oldest in the Ivy League, this new technology program positions industry professionals in emerging and changing fields like #GovTech where she explores new ways to monitor city infrastructure using AI and ML.