We are pleased to announce that our FY26 Dallas SWE Leadership Team has been elected after verifying results from our election, which ran May 5-26. Thank you to everyone who voted and made their voices heard!
Your FY26 Dallas SWE Leadership Team:
President – Cyonna Holmes
Vice President of Professional Development – Anmolika Singh
Vice President of Membership – Ella Deane
Vice President of Outreach – Lyndsey Bouvé
Treasurer (2-year term) – Claire Jordan
Secretary – Samantha Zellner
Investment Committee Member (3-year term) – Katia Gomez
Your new officers and Investment Committee member will start their terms on July 1, 2025.
Lastly, don’t forget to renew your membership for FY26 at www.swe.org.
Thank you!
Dallas SWE FY25 Nominating Committee
Amanda Alsbrook, Cyonna Holmes, Katia Gomez, Malia Kawamura, and Zaineb Ahmad
2025 Dallas SWE High School Scholarship Recipients
Dallas SWE is excited to award scholarships to each of these seven extraordinary high school seniors from the Dallas area – Zahraa Al-Naami, Macy Soderberg, Jennifer Rayman, Nawaal Shahid, Iris Rattanasinh, Meghan Varshini Vallepu, Mayra Silva. Applicants were evaluated based on need, academics, school and community involvement and plans to become engineers. Thanks to the Dallas SWE Scholarship Committee for taking the time to review a wonderful group of applicants! Congratulations to this year’s recipients: we wish you all the best!
Zahraa Al-Naami – Naami Collegiate Preparatory School
Zahraa Al-Naami will attend the University of Texas at Austin to pursue a degree in Computer Science. She earned both her Associate of Science degree and high school diploma simultaneously through dual credit. For Zahraa, it all started in 10th grade when she became the first student board representative at her school. There she advocated for after-school programming and coding initiatives. During her time as a dual-enrolled student at Collin College, Zahraa earned the Math Excellence Scholarship and served as Vice President of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), President of the Math Club, and Vice President of the Muslim Student Association. There she also worked part time as a student assistant at the school’s Computer Lab. In addition, Zahraa volunteered as a certified academic tutor at UPchieve’s nonprofit tutoring and completed the National Science Foundation Coding Bootcamp. Zahraa was also involved in her school’s FRC 2412 Robotics Team, where they won the regional PNW Chairman’s Award. Recognized for her academic efforts, Zahraa is a Collin College President’s List honoree and a Phi Theta Kappa scholar. Outside of academics, Zahraa dedicated over 200 hours to volunteering, helping support STEM outreach in her community. Looking ahead, Zahraa is excited to continue learning, applying her skills in programming and problem-solving, while supporting and collaborating with peers along the way.
Macy Soderberg – Ursuline Academy of Dallas
The Dallas Society of Women Engineers gives me comfort knowing I have access to a supportive community of women in STEM as I prepare for college. I was once afraid to take computer science, but after enrolling, I fell in love with coding and its power to solve real-world problems. I’m honored to have received the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Award for designing an elementary phonics robot that personalizes early reading development. At school, I was recently named Ambassador of the Year and delivered the keynote address at our Admissions Open House, encouraging hundreds of young women to pursue challenging STEM courses and careers. I’m active in the Computer Science Club, where I chaired this year’s hackathon after earning awards in the previous two years. I successfully advocated for responsible AI use in the classroom and arranged our CS tutoring program. As Treasurer of the Biomedical Club, I help coordinate our annual blood drive. I also tutor students in multivariable calculus through Mu Alpha Theta, helping others find joy in problem-solving, just as I do as an instructor at Code Ninjas. I’ve conducted research in data science and AI at UTD and SMU, work that deepened my passion for building AI tools to improve human processes, like early disease detection, after seeing my brother suffer through a late-stage cancer diagnosis. This fall, I will enter Cornell University as a Computer Science major in the College of Engineering. I’m passionate about empowering more young women to explore STEM, and I hope to one day return to Dallas SWE as a mentor and give back to the community that inspired me.
Jennifer Rayman – Richardson High School
Jennifer Rayman will attend Yale College where she will major in Computer Science. Jennifer is Co- founder and Co-President of her school’s Math and Science Club where she has led the team to advancing in UIL Academic competitions and Science Olympiads. Jennifer is the Vice President of her school’s Computer Science Club where she and her team have won over 20 awards at hackathons and programming contests, notably placing 3rd among university students at Texas A&M’s TAMUhack. Jennifer participated in research with NASA and UT Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering through the STEM Enhancement in Earth Science program this past summer. Alongside research, Jennifer interned at Citibank in Irving where she worked on the mobile banking app. In school, Jennifer is also in the National Honor Society, the social media manager of her school’s Asian Student Union, and a School Student Ambassador. Additionally, Jennifer is President of her area’s 4-H club where she participates in STEM, community service, horse, and photography projects. This past spring, Jennifer attended a national conference with 4-H and spoke to hundreds about club efforts for inclusion of marginalized groups. In the future, she hopes to use her education to develop models to analyse climate trends to better combat climate change.
Nawaal Shahid – Centennial High School
Nawaal Shahid will attend the University of Texas at Dallas where she will major in Biomedical Engineering. Nawaal is an active member and competitor in her school’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA). She is president of the Muslim Student Association at her school and participates in the National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society. In her free time, she enjoys creating art and has placed in the top level of the Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE) at a regional level for three consecutive years. Her participation in her district’s health science clinicals and health practicum programs has allowed her to rotate at different hospitals while shadowing nurses and attending grand rounds. Through her work in these programs, Nawaal received the Clinical Skills Excellence award from Collin College. Outside of school, she is involved at her mosque as one of the leads in her mosque’s Youth Council and at her local library as a volunteer. In the future, Nawaal wants to create an impact on healthcare technologies by merging her interests in healthcare and engineering.
Iris Rattanasinh – The Colony High School
Iris Rattanasinh will attend the University of Texas at Dallas where she will major in Software Engineering. Iris is a member of The Collegiate Academy where she earned an Associates Degree in General Science through Collin College. Along with taking Dual Enrollment classes in High School, she served as a field operator and coder on the Robotics team, helping lead them to 5th place in the U.I.L state competition as well as 13th place in the FTC North Texas League competition. During her summers she spent time as a Youth Technology Intern at Ericsson, where she collaborated with peers in developing ideas for future sustainability projects using 5G communication products and participated as a member in the Girls Who Code Program where she created video games in JavaScript and helped debug peer code. In school she served as Vice President and Co-Founder of the CADThinkers chapter, where she coached Elementary School students in coding and CAD as well as served as the secretary of DECA, where she competed and qualified for the state competition in the Marketing Management Team Decision Making Event. Outside of school, she teaches at Kumon, working to help students struggling in school a chance to learn English and Math in a way they understand. Iris wants to serve as a role model for the youth to inspire them to be strong and passionate about their identities and interests, whilst still pursuing her own dreams of becoming the first queer Engineer in her family.
Meghan Varshini Vallepu – Coppell High School
Megha Varshini Vallepu will attend University of Texas at Dallas, where she will major in Computer Engineering, with plans to specialize in the semiconductor field. As President and co-founder of the Coppell High School Mental Health Club, Megha has led numerous initiatives, including donation drives that collected over 75 books for Dallas ISD and school supplies for underserved students. She also served as the Community Relations Chair for the Technology Student Association (TSA), organizing drives that raised over 100 toys for Baylor Scott & White. Additionally, Megha hosted a panel event featuring the Dallas Formula Racing team, connecting students to real-world engineering applications at the 2025 TSA Regionals Competition. As Vice-President of her school’s National French Honor Society, Megha worked to promote French culture and language through events and other programs. Her commitment to community service is further shown through her volunteer work with organizations such as the City of Irving, Child & Family Guidance Center, and her school’s National Honor Society. She has also dedicated her free time to tutoring kids and engaging in charity efforts inspired by her experiences growing up in India, where she witnessed social divides that motivated her to make a difference. Academically, Megha has demonstrated excellence and curiosity. She maintained a perfect grade in college-level courses like Data Structures and Algorithms, participated in robotics and engineering programs, and earned awards for her STEM achievements. Fueled by her passion for computer science, she has learned programming languages such as Java, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and Python. In the future, Megha aspires to contribute to advancements in semiconductor design and engineering, bridging the gender gap in the STEM field, and using her education and dedication to create innovative solutions that address global challenges.
Mayra Silva – Townview TAG
Mayra Silva will attend the University of Texas at Austin, where she will major in Civil Engineering. Mayra is the community service captain of her school’s robotics team, where she has set up booths at local elementary schools to inspire the youth and introduce them to STEM. Mayra is a member of the Academic Decathlon team, where her team has been recognized at a national level. She has been recognized as an AP Scholar with Distinction by College Board and as part of the National Hispanic Recognition Program by Big Future. She was also the President of the club Girls for Change, which focused on helping homeless women. Their project focused on distributing feminine hygiene products and other necessities to local shelters in their community. In the future, Mayra wants to make a difference for the future of minority ethnicities in STEM by combining her interests in engineering and helping others, as well as being a role model for younger girls to bridge the gender gap in STEM.
2025 Dallas SWE Annie Colaço Scholarship Recipients – Collegiate Leaders
The Dallas Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is delighted to announce the recipients of the Annie Colaço Scholarship for local college students. The scholarship is named in honor of Annie Colaço (1899- 1991), the grandmother to SWE lifetime member Nandika D’Souza. Annie Colaço epitomized selfless service and lifelong learning, which is reflected in the SWE mission.
Dallas SWE is excited to recognize these outstanding SWE collegiate leaders and encourages each recipient to continue to be a SWE member upon graduation. The Society of Women Engineers, founded in 1950, is a not-for- profit educational and service organization. SWE is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. SWE empowers women to succeed and advance in those aspirations and be recognized for their life-changing contributions and achievements as engineers and leaders.
Prabhjot Kaur Rehlan – University of North Texas
Prabhjot Kaur Rehlan is pursuing her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Texas, with minors in Mechanical & Energy Engineering and Mathematics. As Head of Internal Relations, she coordinated several SWE events by collaborating with other campus engineering organizations to create events, managing timelines, leading icebreakers, and co-leading fundraisers. Through these efforts, she demonstrated teamwork, clear communication, effective project management, and represented UNT SWE at the STEM Career Fair. Now incoming President, she is overseeing the chapter’s trip to WE25. As President, she will give back to the SWE community by leading with professionalism, kindness, and a strong work ethic; building a supportive and engaged membership; inviting industry professionals for networking events; and deepening our chapter’s connection to Dallas SWE. After graduation, she plans to remain active in SWE, especially with UNT SWE, and continue contributing to the organization’s growth and impact.
On April 12, 2025, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Dallas Section hosted its annual Professional Development Day, welcoming members and guests to an energizing and impactful event centered around the theme “Mastering Workplace Dynamics.” Organized by the Professional Development Committee under the leadership of Vice President of Professional Development Nicole and Professional Development Chair Anmolika Singh, the event offered attendees an opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, expand their networks, and gain fresh perspectives on thriving in today’s complex work environments. The Professional Development Committee’s meticulous planning and dedication ensured a smooth and enriching experience for all who participated.
The day featured a thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Stepping Into Influence: Driving Change Without the Title,” moderated by Anmolika Singh. The panel brought together a distinguished group of professionals: Suzy Dorsey, who shared her experiences in building trust and driving change through relationships and collaboration; Mara Schwartz, who highlighted how technical expertise and interpersonal skills can be leveraged to create meaningful influence; Claire Jordan, who emphasized the importance of resilience, communication, and authenticity in leadership; and Dr. Ben Zoghi, PhD, PE, who provided valuable insights on the role of emotional intelligence in becoming an effective leader without relying on formal authority. Their collective experiences and advice made it clear that leadership is less about titles and more about consistent action and presence.
Attendees were also inspired by two Listen & Learn sessions. In “Talk Isn’t Cheap! What Do Your Language Choices Cost You?”, speakers Barbara Read and Zaineb Ahmad led an engaging conversation about the profound impact of everyday word choices on professional image, confidence, and relationships. Their interactive session offered real-world examples and practical strategies for using language more intentionally in professional settings.
The second Listen & Learn session, “If Not Me, Then Who? Owning Middle Management,” featured Amber Kreceman, M.S. and Corey Pitts, PMP. They explored the critical role middle managers play as the connective tissue of organizations, driving strategy, execution, and culture. Drawing on their extensive leadership experience, they shared insights into building influence across all levels of the organization and techniques for navigating the unique challenges of middle management.
In addition to these outstanding sessions, the event provided professional headshots, engaging networking activities such as “2 Truths & a Lie” and “Networking Bingo,” a delicious lunch, and raffle prize opportunities.
The SWE-Dallas Section extends its heartfelt appreciation to all the speakers for sharing their expertise and to the Professional Development Committee members for their hard work behind the scenes. A special thanks goes out to all the attendees for bringing their energy, curiosity, and engagement, helping make Professional Development Day 2025 a tremendous success.
This event was a powerful reflection of SWE-Dallas’s commitment to empowering its members to lead, inspire, and make an impact — no matter their official title. The section looks forward to hosting more transformative professional development opportunities in the future.
Join Dallas SWE at the STEM Day hosted by the Collins Aerospace! During this event, Collins Aerospace will be open for students of all ages to explore hands-on activities, interactive booths, and the opportunity to meet real Collins Aerospace engineers!. Collins Aerospace is located at 3200 E. Renner Rd. (Outside in the north parking lot).
Dallas SWE will have a booth where we will do a simple hands on STEM activity for students that visit our booth. Sign up as a volunteer where you will guide students through a hands-on activity. The event will be held at the Collins Aerospace on Friday, June 6th from 3 – 6pm. Registration closes June 2nd.
Join Dallas SWE at the annual Family Science Night hosted by the Frisco Library! During this event, the library will be open for students of all ages to explore STEM concepts by visiting booths from various companies and organizations. Dallas SWE will have a booth where we will do a simple hands on STEM activity for students that visit our booth. Sign up as a volunteer where you will guide students through a hands-on activity. The event will be held at the Frisco Public Library on Thursday, June 5th from 4:30 – 8pm. Registration closes June 2nd.
