Entrepreneurship within engineering takes many forms — from consulting and startups to technical services and product development. The SWE Entrepreneurs Affinity Group (AG) brings together members who are exploring or actively building businesses while leveraging their engineering expertise.
Behind the scenes, a dedicated leadership team helps guide the group’s programming, community building, and outreach efforts. Their backgrounds span industries, technical disciplines, and entrepreneurial journeys, but they share a common goal: supporting SWE members interested in entrepreneurship.
Meet the leaders helping drive the SWE Entrepreneurs AG forward.
In Part 1, we introduced members of the SWE Entrepreneurs AG leadership team who support programming, content development, and professional development opportunities. In Part 2, we highlight leaders focused on community engagement, advocacy, and the continued growth of the group.
Brianna Correnti
SWE Entrepreneurs AG Lead-Elect
Professional Background:
Brianna is a sustainability-focused consultant for Fortune 1000 companies. Currently, she is employed as a consultant engineer at FM, where she helps clients understand and reduce complex risks across industrial facilities and critical infrastructure, including climate resilience such as flood, wildfire, and freeze threats. Her background spans small modular nuclear reactor manufacturing, rocket science, and industrial engineering.
Entrepreneurial Work:
Brianna focuses her entrepreneurial work in projects outside of her full-time role. Some examples include a safety navigation app for urban settings and investigating the feasibility of new businesses.
Role in the SWE Entrepreneurs AG:
Brianna serves as the lead-elect, focused on learning the current structure of the SWE Entrepreneurs AG. She hosts events collaborating with professional female-empowerment organizations.
Advice:
Ensure there is a genuine need and cashflow prospect to starting your own business. Talk to leaders who have more experience and learn from them directly. A business does not need to be a full-time role, but another avenue to career aspirations, learning new skills, helping change the world and increasing personal wealth.
Joyann Hernandez
SWE Entrepreneurs AG Advocacy Chair
Professional Background:
Joyann has 16+ years of engineering experience across companies, including Intel, Freeport-McMoRan, and Raytheon, working in environmental compliance, industrial hygiene, and EHSS programs. She now owns and operates Sunflower Environmental, where she provides consulting and regulatory training services.
Entrepreneurial Work:
Joyann founded Sunflower Environmental in 2020 and has led the company for the past five years, providing environmental compliance and training services to industrial and public-sector clients.
Role in the SWE Entrepreneurs AG:
Joyann serves as an advocacy manager and board member for the SWE Entrepreneurs AG, supporting initiatives that promote women in business and leadership. She contributes to advocacy efforts, community engagement, and organizational strategy.
Advice:
I truly believe that starting my own company was the best career path for me and my family, and that, as long as you set SMART goals, define what success looks like for the company you want, and execute, anyone can achieve their own success. It is hard to not compare to others in corporate jobs, but having flexibility and true working for projects you love gives a sense of freedom that is not easily achieved otherwise.
Melissa Branch
SWE Entrepreneurs AG Facebook Coordinator
Professional Background:
Melissa is a civil engineer specializing in site development. She began her career at a large local, multidisciplinary engineering firm, where she had the opportunity to explore a variety of civil sectors. It was there that she discovered her passion for site design. She enjoys collaborating with architects and fellow engineers to create sites that not only support the intended building use, but also connect thoughtfully with the surrounding community.
Entrepreneurial Work:
Melissa is the owner and principal engineer of Big City Engineers, LLC, a civil engineering firm focused on site development. Her work includes research, planning, grading and drainage design, water and wastewater systems, and permitting assistance. With a strong understanding of the many steps required to bring a project to construction, Melissa supports her clients beyond design — helping guide projects from concept to completion. Her work spans communities across Alaska — from large cities to smaller, rural areas.
Role in the SWE Entrepreneurs AG:
As the facebook coordinator for the SWE Entrepreneurs AG, Melissa stays actively connected with the group and shares valuable information and opportunities with its online community. This includes promoting newsletters and blog posts developed by Victoria (communications and resource chair), as well as fostering engagement by initiating discussions. She encourages collaboration by openly sharing her own challenges and successes so others can learn and grow alongside her.
Advice:
You’re an engineer — use those skills. Do your homework. Define the services you want to offer and determine whether there is a market for them. Identify what you truly need to get started, such as equipment, resources, and licensing, and what can be scaled over time. Take advantage of available resources, including your local small business center, your professional network, and groups like this one. People want to see you succeed, and many are willing to help — if you just ask. Starting a business can feel intimidating, but it’s also an exciting opportunity. Be brave — the rewards are worth it!
Veronica Schlegel
SWE Entrepreneurs AG LinkedIn Coordinator
Professional Background:
Veronica first started her career in packaging engineering at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and then successfully transitioned to many different functions, including finance, marketing, strategy, and global development. After gaining more than two decades of leadership experience at J&J, she took the leap to become an entrepreneur and started her own business.
Entrepreneurial Work:
Veronica is the founder and president of Strategic Impact Consultants LLC, an SBA-certified Women-Owned Small Business dedicated to empowering mission-driven organizations with strategic insights and sustainable growth solutions. As a business and strategy consultant, she leverages her diverse expertise to serve a mix of for-profit and nonprofit clients with projects in business development and strategic partnerships, marketing and communications, and new product development and commercialization.
Role in the SWE Entrepreneurs AG:
As the LinkedIn program coordinator for the SWE Entrepreneurs AG, Veronica manages the LinkedIn group where members can check out monthly newsletters, hear about different events, and share relevant news/updates for the group. Be sure to join the group if you haven’t yet!
Advice:
Don’t be afraid to try something new and ask for help along the way. Connecting with others is one of the best things you can do as an entrepreneur. There are so many resources available — locally, nationally, and globally. You just need to start connecting with others and ask questions to find them. The SWE Entrepreneurs AG is one of those resources that you can leverage — whether you’re just thinking about going out on your own or have already made the leap. Making new connections is a great way to learn and also give back to others.
Cassie Leonard
SWE Entrepreneurs AG Special Program Coordinator
Professional Background:
Cassie is an aerospace engineer with 16 years of experience at Boeing, growing from structural analysis into senior integration leadership on commercial derivative aircraft programs. Her work focused on connecting complex technical teams and delivering large-scale systems in high-stakes environments.
Entrepreneurial Work:
Cassie is the founder of ELMM, LLC, where she coaches mid-career professionals in STEMM and leads ELMM Press, a publishing imprint supporting women’s voices in leadership, engineering, and career transitions. She is also the author of STEM Moms and lead author and editor of Beyond the Pipeline.
Role in the SWE Entrepreneurs AG:
Cassie supports special projects and initiatives across the group. She co-authored last year’s Spotlight Month blog on being an author and has served as a speaker and moderator for the Engineers to Entrepreneurs panel at multiple SWE conferences.
Advice:
Start before you feel ready, but start intentionally. Test ideas in public, pay attention to what resonates, and let the business grow alongside your clarity and confidence. Like modifying a 747, it’s valuable to have a vision and goals, but you don’t need every part yet. Just-in-time progress is powerful.
Supporting SWE Entrepreneurs
The SWE Entrepreneurs AG leadership team works together to:
- organize events and discussions focused on entrepreneurship
- highlight SWE member founders and business leaders
- provide resources and tools for starting and growing a business
- create opportunities for members to connect and learn from one another
Ways to Get Involved
- Join the SWE Entrepreneurs AG Facebook group and LinkedIn group
- Opt-in to the SWE Entrepreneurs AG email list. This can be found in the membership portal under communication preferences.
- Volunteer with the SWE Entrepreneurs AG
- Join the SWE Mentor Network and choose SWE Entrepreneurs AG
More Information
Connect with us on our various platforms! Membership in any SWE Affinity Group is open to all SWE members interested in participating.
Check out our AG resources! This folder hosts the AG’s business directory, past entrepreneur/member highlights, notes/references from programming activities, and other information that may be helpful to support members’ entrepreneurial journeys.
If you would like more information about the SWE Entrepreneurs AG, please email Tricia Drake at entrepreneursag@swe.org.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we highlight additional leaders supporting community engagement, advocacy, and the continued growth of the SWE Entrepreneurs Affinity Group.
