For December’s Member of the Month, we are recognizing four of our amazing members who received awards at the SWE WE25 Conference in New Orleans in October!
Hanusha Durisety – SWE Rising Technical Contributor Award Recipient (WE25)
Hanusha Durisety is a rising leader in AI-driven product innovation. Originally from Hyderabad, India, she is the first-generation master’s student in her family and now serves as a Product Manager at Iron Mountain. In her role, she spearheads the adoption of AI-powered solutions across both the energy sector and Global Business Services (GBS). Her work focuses on building intelligent agents, automating document-heavy workflows, and unlocking insights from legacy data, flag risks, and surfacing insights hidden across large data sets. Her work helps organizations reduce manual effort, strengthen compliance, and make faster, more informed decisions.
Before joining Iron Mountain, Hanusha worked for Accenture and a couple other projects, like for Dr Pepper and Danfoss. These roles gave her strong foundations in product development, systems thinking, and operational innovation, shaping her transition into product management and her passion for building scalable, human-centered solutions.
Hanusha’s academic journey reflects both excellence and ambition. She graduated with distinction in Chemical Engineering from CBIT (India), earning the Gold Medal for academic merit and the Padmasri B.V. Raju Best Student Award from IIChE (Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers) for her research contributions. She later pursued her master’s in Engineering Management at Johns Hopkins University, where she further explored innovation and entrepreneurship. During her time at Hopkins, she won 1st place at the HopStart New Venture Challenge among 50 teams and secured 2nd place at the Technion Medical Hackathon in Israel, demonstrating her ability to blend technology, systems thinking, and creativity to solve complex real-world problems.
A strong believer in giving back to the tech and engineering community, Hanusha actively mentors students and evaluates emerging talent on global stages. She has judged major hackathons at Harvard (HackHarvard), Yale (YHacks), UC Berkeley (CalHacks), Georgia Tech’s AI-ATL, and the University of Austin, helping guide aspiring innovators as they bring new ideas to life.
Committed to uplifting women in STEM, Hanusha devotes significant time to mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement, reinforcing her commitment to uplifting the next generation of leaders. She served both as mentor and mentee on SWE and AnitaB.org and mentored graduate students through OneHop Mentoring. She is also fostering supportive networks by involving in multiple product and AI-related communities like PDMA, Dallas AI.
Hanusha is also proud to contribute locally as the Scholarship Committee Chair for Dallas SWE, where she helps uplift future women engineers through educational support and community engagement.
Outside of her professional and community work, Hanusha is an avid traveler. Exploring different countries and cultures fuels her creativity, broadens her perspectives, and deepens her appreciation for the diversity that shapes both her work and her worldview.
What award did you receive at the WE25 conference?
The award I received was the Rising Technical Contributor Award at the WE25 conference, which honors early-career engineers who are already making a significant impact through their technical work, innovation, and leadership. The award recognizes professionals who are advancing engineering through meaningful contributions, driving new ideas forward, and demonstrating strong potential to become future leaders in the field.
What was your experience like going through the application process?
The application process was a very positive experience for me – the committee was incredibly friendly and responsive over email, which made everything feel smooth and supportive. If you’re planning to nominate yourself or someone else, I highly recommend giving yourself at least 30 days to gather thoughtful responses and secure strong recommendation letters. Honestly, I didn’t expect to receive the award, but this experience reminded me how important it is to have confidence in your own work. Everyone’s journey is unique, and each story deserves to be recognized and celebrated.
Any highlights from attending the WE25 conference?
I attended WE25 primarily to receive the award, since I had other commitments during the conference, but even in that short time it left a strong impression on me.
As a PM working in AI and someone who has often encountered skepticism around emerging technologies, the biggest highlight was seeing how positively this community approaches AI’s potential. I attended a powerful session on how AI is being used to identify and track child traffickers, along with another talk on using AI to boost personal and professional productivity. It was refreshing and inspiring to see conversations centered on responsible, meaningful, real-world impact rather than fear or hesitation.
Katia Gomez – SWE Esteemed New Professional Member Award (WE25)
Katia I. Gomez, P.E. earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). She is a Licensed Professional Engineer through the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS). Katia currently serves as a Project Manager for the City of Richardson’s Capital Projects & Engineering Department.
Prior to joining the City of Richardson, Ms. Gomez worked as a Structural Engineer, designing commercial structures across the continental United States in seismic, hurricane, and heavy snow regions. Her design experience includes projects utilizing wood, steel, concrete, and masonry materials.
Ms. Gomez joined the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) during her freshman year at UTA. As a collegiate member, she held several officer positions and received the UTA College of Engineering Outstanding Student Leader Award, earning her name on a plaque in the Nedderman Hall Atrium. As a professional member, she has served on multiple committees at both the local and national levels and has also served as Vice President and President of Dallas SWE.
Her philanthropic passions extend well beyond SWE. She has served as a Wish Granter and Ambassador for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a Mentor at the Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, and an ESL Teacher for the Vickery Meadow Learning Center. Additionally, she led a team in the Girl Scouts Cookie Box Competition. Since 2014, Ms. Gomez has been an active member of the Coordination Committee for the North Texas Future City Competition, where she currently serves as the Junior Competition Coordinator, a 4th& 5th grade modified version of the middle school program that is offered in select regions throughout the U.S. In her community, she has been a member of a local HOA Board since 2016 and currently holds the position of President.
Ms. Gomez’s professional excellence and community involvement have earned her numerous recognitions, including:
- 2025 SWE Esteemed New Professional Member Award
- 2024 American Public Works Association Ronald Riddings Community Involvement Award
- 2024 Regional Hispanic Contractors Association Luna Regional Awards Outstanding Professional of the Year Nominee
- 2019 Dallas Society of Women Engineers Volunteer of the Year
When she’s not volunteering or working, Katia enjoys spending quality time with her family and pets.
Robyn Broniewski – SWE Pathfinder Award Recipient (WE25)
Robyn Broniewski (she/her) was honored with the SWE Pathfinder Award at the Society of Women Engineers WE25 Conference, recognizing her steadfast dedication to advancing SWE’s mission of empowering women to achieve their full potential in engineering and leadership. This distinction, part of SWE’s Ascent Award category, celebrates women with 10–15 years of experience who demonstrate excellence in technical achievement, professional leadership, and community engagement. Robyn’s career embodies SWE’s vision of a world where diversity and inclusion drive innovation and global progress.
As a Supplier Project Manager at Johnson & Johnson MedTech – Heart Recovery, Robyn supports life-saving technologies that restore hearts and save lives. She combines her engineering expertise with empathy-driven leadership to drive innovation, collaboration, and quality within the medical technology space. Certified in Project Management (PMP) and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, she approaches every challenge with a mindset of excellence and continuous improvement.
Receiving the Pathfinder Award was both humbling and transformative. The nomination process encouraged deep reflection on her decade of growth, resilience, and the collective power of women who lift one another.
For Robyn, this award symbolizes not only personal achievement but the shared success of a community united by SWE’s mission—to advance equity, champion inclusion, and open pathways for future generations of women engineers.
A former Vice President of Outreach for Dallas SWE, Robyn led hallmark programs such as Design Your World: Girls in STEM and #IAmRemarkable workshops, reaching hundreds of students and professionals. These initiatives empowered young women to see themselves as innovators, creators, and leaders in engineering. She also mentored young engineers, building a culture of confidence, belonging, and collaboration that reflects SWE’s core values of integrity, inclusion, and mutual support.
Beyond SWE, Robyn embodies the spirit of service that SWE encourages among its members. As a Hero Care Network Caseworker for the American Red Cross, she provides emergency support to military families and applies her project management expertise to strengthen the organization’s international disaster response. As a Programming Lead for the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA), she develops leadership programs that advance women in healthcare and was recognized as the HBA Honored Volunteer for January 2025 for her outstanding contributions.
At WE25, surrounded by thousands of engineers from around the world, Robyn found inspiration in the power of collective ambition—the spark that defines SWE’s community. Connecting with the SWE Entrepreneurs Affinity Group, the Global Women Engineers network, and her new Johnson & Johnson colleagues reaffirmed her belief in SWE’s purpose: to empower every woman engineer to lead boldly, innovate fearlessly, and shape a more equitable future.
Robyn holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Management and Material Science from Vanderbilt University. Her journey—and this recognition—represent her unwavering commitment to SWE’s vision of a better world powered by women engineers leading with courage, compassion, and purpose.
Lindsey Henry – SWE Pathfinder Award Recipient and Patent Recognition (WE25)
Attending the SWE WE25 Conference in New Orleans was an unforgettable experience for Lindsey Henry. She was profoundly honored to accept the Pathfinder Award and Patent Recognition in person, surrounded by an incredible group of award winners, colleagues from Cummins, and members of the Dallas SWE section. Having her husband by her side made the moment even more special.
Lindsey was nominated by Cummins, recently recognized by Forbes as one of the Best Engineering Companies to Work For. Her nomination was supported by heartfelt letters of recommendation from her manager and co-workers, along with a dedicated sponsor who submitted all documentation to SWE. This recognition reflects Lindsey’s significant professional leadership and community engagement over her 12-year career. The Pathfinder Award, an Ascent-level honor, celebrates women with 10–15 years of experience who demonstrate technical excellence and leadership in both their profession and community.
Conference highlights included connecting with inspiring engineers from around the globe, engaging in technical sessions, and participating in networking events that showcased the power of diversity and collaboration in STEM.
Professionally, Lindsey serves as Aftertreatment Design Engineering Manager at Cummins Emissions Solutions, leading a team that designs advanced aftertreatment systems for on-highway, mid-range, and heavy-duty diesel trucks. Her work spans catalyst canning, sensor integration, thermal and flow performance, and DEF delivery—critical to reducing emissions and creating a cleaner environment. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville with a B.S. in Engineering Physics, Lindsey has earned multiple patents, including a legacy DEF deposit mitigation design that won Cummins’ Julius Perr Innovation Award, and previously received the Chairman’s Quality Award for NOx Sensor Warranty Reduction.
Beyond engineering, Lindsey is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion. She actively supports SWE, WEN, and helped lead the Cummins Women in Technology conference. She also volunteers with STEM programs and community initiatives, inspiring the next generation of engineers.