FY Antelope Valley Section Officers

President - Ellen McIsaac

Ellen McIsaac is a materials and structures engineer at Lockheed Martin, where she also manages the college intern program.  She has a passion for promoting STEM education and giving back to her local community.  In addition to volunteering with SWE, she is an active volunteer with FIRST Robotics and the MIT Alumni Association.  Ellen holds a BS in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from UConn, and is currently pursuing an MS in Management Science & Engineering at Stanford.  This is Ellen's second term as SWE AV President, having previously served in the role in FY16.

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Vice President - Shawn Parsons

Treasurer - Joanne Ghika-Budesti

Joanne Ghika-Budesti has an MBA from California State University Northridge and is a Certified Quality Engineer for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, in Palmdale, CA.

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SWE Next Chair - Claudine Phaire

Claudine earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering from the SUNY at Buffalo, an Airframe and Powerplant certificate from Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University and a Masters degree in Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Claudine has worked in various engineering capacities at General Motors, Raytheon (Missiles and Aircraft) and Lockheed Martin (Sikorsky and Skunk Works).
Claudine is very passionate about encouraging young people to enter careers in Engineering and Aviation. She was has held various positions in the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc, Girl Scouts of Connecticut and is a member of the American Helicopter Society. Claudine served as the Chair of the Sikorsky African American Council of Excellence and is the Palmdale Site lead for the Lockheed Martin Women’s Impact Network.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, traveling, reading and dancing and hopes to finish her pilot’s license soon.

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Secretary - Wendy Schneider

Wendy has been a SWE member for 4 professional years and has held the positions of Secretary and Section Representative. She is very active in the community volunteering with SWE events at the Boys and Girls Club, with companies that support The Painted Turtle, and STEM events.  She's been in the Engineering field for the last 12 years at a local Aerospace company and enjoy working various projects.  She's looking forward to an exciting year with SWE and encouraging young minds around the Antelope Valley!

Webmaster - Cheron Buggs

Scholarship Chair - Alexandra Ortiz

SWE Next Chair - Michelle Courtney

Girl Scout Outreach Chair - Elizabeth Gollnick

Membership Chair - Sonal Shah

Professional Development Chair - Carol Aragon-Smith

Carol Aragon-Smith is an Engineering Systems Program Manager with multiple decades of aerospace experience.  Currently, Carol Aragon-Smith is a lead Engineering Manager for Northrop Grumman Corporation.  Responsibilities include establishing standard Software System of System solutions across all programs and platforms. Solutions management toward large scale Engineering Software and Systems Solutions, System Operations Service Level Agreements and Engineering Career Escalations. Carol has supported multiple Aircraft, Defense, Commercial, NASA and Space pursuits.
Ms. Aragon-Smith was responsible for over 100 + System Integrators and Administrators managing critical system platforms, communications and security models spanning across multiple states and unclassified / classified programs  on a variety of operating systems and cloud based technology platforms.
Ms. Aragon -Smith holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and a Master’s Certificate in Global Strategy from Pepperdine University, Malibu, California.  Most recently Ms. Aragon-Smith received Cal Tech University Aerospace Sciences Certification in Program/ Project Management.
Ms. Aragon-Smith currently resides in Southern California, served as the 2009/2010 Women in Aerospace Washington D.C. Professional Development Vice-President, Society of Women Engineers Regional Committee Chair Region B, volunteer for multiple local FIRST and STEM High School Events and long term supporter of Mentoring Matters, Navigator and other employee resource groups. 

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Social Media Chair - Kelsey Sack