What are the goals of the Women in Government Affinity Group?
The SWE Women in Government (WIG) Affinity Group provides support and addresses the career-specific demands of SWE members who work for or are interested in careers in the public sector. There is a series of meetings planned for this year on various 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 pm ET (4 pm CT, 3 pm MT, and 2 pm PT). Our next meeting is September 25th, and we will be discussing WE22 and how to prepare for the Conference. If you are attending WE22, you can join us in Affinity Group Rooms to network with members in person and to discuss tips and techniques for improving the diversity in your organization. Check the conference schedule for days and times!
Dates for upcoming events:
September 25th – Prepare for WE22 – How to get the most out of the Conference
October 30th – Book Discussion – Looking Up: How a Different Perspective Turns Obstacles into Advantages by Michele Sullivan (a WE22 Keynote Speaker!)
November 20th – Diversity Discussion
January 29th – Winter Celebration
February 26th – Budgeting and Financing – How SWE can help gain this critical skill
March 26th – Celebrating Women’s History Month
April 30th – Environmental Justice
June 9th – End of (Fiscal) Year Celebration
How can I join?
To connect with us, please join our mailing list (you can sign up via the Communication Preferences in your member profile) or Facebook page.
Want to volunteer as a leader for the WIG Affinity Group? Reach out to Jenna Lynn Henderson or Jenni Dalzell for more information!
Meet our leaders:
Jennifer Dalzell (she/her), Technical Assistant for the Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, joined the NRC in 2007 in the Nuclear Safety Professional Development Program (NSPDP). Jennifer started her career in the Division of Reactor Projects in Region III, where she completed qualifications to be a Resident Inspector. She has also served as Incident Response Specialist and a Materials License Reviewer in Region III. Most recently, Jennifer was an inspector for Dry Cask Storage and Reactor Decommissioning.
Jennifer recently served as the Secretary for the NRC’s Federal Women’s Program Advisory Committee and was awarded the 2020 Meritorious Service Award for EEO Excellence and 2020 Federal Women’s Program Advisory Committee Women’s History Month Award. Jennifer graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Jenna Lynn Henderson (she/her) has always lived by Sheryl Sandberg’s quote “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on.” Consequently, talents as a civil engineer have led her into a career as a professional in the public and private sector.
As a national co-lead for the SWE Women in Government Affinity Group Jenna will work across industry borders to link experts with similar goals and interests and provide mentoring for engineers.
Jenna is honored to serve on the Fort Worth Mayor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities which provides her with opportunities 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 inclusivity. Since Jenna received her degree in Civil Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo, she has had a love of the discipline. Her continued thirst for knowledge and improvement has led her to enroll in a Master’s 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 is exploring new ways to monitor City infrastructure using AI and ML.
