This year, the 2025 SWE Awards Program have recognized 22 professional Latina engineers for their leadership, innovation, and dedication to STEM. Though they make up just 8% of this year’s awardees, their influence reaches far beyond the numbers. When representation matters the most, these trailblazers have turned challenges into opportunities, redefined leadership in engineering, and opened doors for future generations to dream bigger.
We spoke with four of these inspiring honorees — Doris Moreno Maldonado, Katia Gomez, Mariel Cisneros, and Melissa Venedicto — and heard their stories firsthand. What they shared goes beyond technical achievements: it’s about courage, community, and a vision to shape a more inclusive future in STEM. Get ready to be inspired by their journeys, their impact, and their unstoppable drive to change the world.
Doris Moreno Maldonado: Innovating for a Sustainable World
Born in Mexico City and raised in Mexico’s smallest state (Tlaxcala), Doris Moreno Maldonado, a recipient of the Emerging Global Leader Award, has built a “delicious” career that spans continents. She has brought to life food and packaging innovations that millions enjoy daily. For Doris, engineering goes beyond shelves; it’s about creating a better, more sustainable world and inspiring others to dream beyond borders.
“For a girl who got her first passport at 21, I didn’t imagine living abroad in different continents — let alone traveling often to do what I love most: innovating,” she reflects with pride. Since moving to the United States in 2018 for a global assignment, Doris’ work ranges from gut wellness and high-fiber snacks designed for children in underserved communities to sustainability across the value chain. Her work blends innovation with purpose. As she puts it with a smile, “There’s a 99.9% chance you’ve eaten at least one of these snacks.”
On receiving news of her SWE honor, Doris recalls with excitement, “Pegué un grito de emoción! Followed by tears of joy”. She dedicates this award to her mother, a single parent and economist who taught her to dream boldly, as well as to the mentors and advocates who have guided her along the way.
To future Latina engineers, Doris offers this powerful reminder, “Nunca dejes que el miedo a fracasar te impida seguir en el juego; si es necesario hazlo con miedo, pero hazlo.” (Never let the fear of failure stop you from staying in the game; if necessary, do it with fear — but do it.)
Katia Gomez: Building Dreams into Reality
Civil engineer Katia Gomez, recipient of the Esteemed New Professional Member Award, has a gift for turning ideas into lasting realities. Born in Mexico City and raised in Dallas, Texas, her career already spans an impressive range of projects — from seismic retaining walls in California to reconstructed alleys in Richardson, Texas. Even the TV frame at Buffalo Wild Wings on the Las Vegas Strip bears her design signature.
For Katia, this SWE recognition represents more than an award — it’s the realization of a goal she has worked toward since becoming a professional member. She credits her family’s unwavering support as the foundation of her success and dedicates this milestone to them.
To the next generation of Latina engineers, Katia shares a message of empowerment, “Never doubt that you belong in a space where innovation thrives. Your presence is powerful; you pave the way for others to dream bigger and reach higher.”
Mariel Cisneros: Soaring Beyond the Stars
Born in Mexico City and raised in Long Beach, California, Mariel Cisneros has spent nearly two decades at the forefront of some of the world’s most ambitious aerospace projects. As the recipient of the Esteemed New Professional Member Award, her career has touched milestones that define human achievement — the James Webb Space Telescope, lightning protection systems for the F-35 combat aircraft, and radio systems that powered the X-47B, the first unmanned aircraft to launch from an aircraft carrier.
Yet, when asked about her proudest accomplishment, Mariel doesn’t point to spacecrafts or fighter jets — she points to people. Through mentorship, she has guided countless individuals, helping spark careers and opportunities that ripple across families and communities.
Her SWE award is especially meaningful. After five years of applying, Mariel says with a smile, “It was about time! It’s incredibly validating to finally gain this recognition. It’s important for Latinas to receive the acknowledgment we deserve.” She dedicates it to her 7-year-old self — “Marielita” — who dared to dream big even when the path ahead was uncertain.
Her message to aspiring Latina engineers is clear and bold, “We’re ‘chingonas,’ and we have what it takes to make a difference. Let’s lift each other up, share our stories, and prove we belong. It’s our moment to shine — and we’ll do it together.”
Melissa Venedicto: Engineering With Heart and Innovation
A proud Miami native with Cuban, Syrian, and Italian roots, Melissa Venedicto, recipient of the Rising Technical Contributor Award, has built her career at the intersection of sustainability, health care, and advanced materials.
As the first in her family to earn a master’s degree and become a licensed professional engineer, Melissa also holds a U.S. patent for integrating nanomaterials into solar applications. Inspired by her grandmother’s struggles with metal implants, she earned the NSF Fellowship for her research on plant-based polymer composites for orthopedic implants, underscoring her ability to push the boundaries of science and engineering.
Transitioning into industry, Melissa is improving usability in medical devices, streamlining compliance systems with Python-driven automation, and leading supplier engineering initiatives that ensure sustainability and cost-effectiveness in health care technology. When learning about her award, Melissa admits she was stunned, “I had to read the email multiple times. This moment proved to me that anything is possible with hard work and determination.” She dedicates it to her grandfather, José Antonio Venedicto, who always reminded her that with effort, “lograr lo que quieras” (achieving whatever you set your mind to) — is within reach.
Her message to future Latina engineers is both powerful and personal, “Jamás permitas que alguien te haga sentir que no mereces estar aquí. Tú tienes el poder y el talento para lograr todo lo que te propongas.” (Never let anyone make you feel that you don’t deserve to be here. You have the power and talent to achieve everything you set your mind to.)
Yesica Martinez: Esteemed New Professional Member Award
Rounding out this remarkable group is Yesica Martinez, also recognized with the Esteemed New Professional Member Award. While her reflections are not shared here, her contributions stand shoulder to shoulder with her peers in advancing engineering and representation in STEM.
A Collective Legacy
While each of these women’s paths is unique, their stories converge on resilience, pride in heritage, commitment to mentorship, and an unwavering belief that Latina engineers belong in STEM and can change the world.
Together, Doris, Katia, Mariel, Melissa, and Yesica — as SWE 2025 Awardees — are redefining what it means to be successful engineers while inspiring future generations to dream bigger, reach higher, and innovate fearlessly. Because when Latina engineers rise, the world rises with them.
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