What is your current role and area of oversight on staff?
As the Membership and Chapter Administrator for the IEEE Photonics Society, I play a key role in driving both membership growth and retention. A key part of my role is keeping current members engaged, active, and continuously recognizing the value of their involvement. This involves overseeing member acquisition, recruitment, and retention efforts, as well as addressing day-to-day needs and any concerns that arise. Additionally, I handle the distribution of chapter newsletters, updates, and reminders, keeping members informed about the latest news, events, and opportunities.
In addition to membership management, I’m heavily involved in organizing and coordinating chapter events and development, including affinity and local groups. Daily, I work to ensure that the goals of each local chapter are aligned with the broader mission of the IEEE Photonics Society and the IEEE Member Geographic Activities (MGA) organization unit as a whole. This requires continuous collaboration with chapter leaders and members to ensure that their activities reflect the Society’s strategic priorities. I also act as a key resource for our local chapter members, addressing their concerns, facilitating networking opportunities, and helping to create an environment conducive to collaboration and growth.
What is your background and how long have you been with the IEEE?
I’ve had the privilege of working with the IEEE Photonics Society for nearly 17 years, during which I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to various key initiatives within the organization. Before stepping into my current role, I played an integral part in the production of the IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology, managing paper submission workflows and overseeing the publication reporting processes. This experience provided me with a solid foundation in editorial management and a thorough understanding of the academic publishing process, enabling me to streamline operations and ensure the timely and efficient delivery of high-quality content to our community.
Throughout my time with IEEE, I’ve gained a deep appreciation for the impact our work has on the global scientific and engineering communities. It has become clear that the contributions we make are not only advancing knowledge and technology but also towards the benefit of people and communities. The collaborative efforts within IEEE have consistently inspired me, and I remain committed to furthering our mission.
What inspired you to join the IEEE and IEEE Photonics Society team?
Joining the team was an incredible opportunity, and I was thrilled to be part of such a vibrant and dynamic group. I had the privilege of knowing several individuals already involved with IEEE, and they consistently spoke highly of the organization’s impact and mission. With many of my family members working in engineering, they were all familiar with IEEE’s contributions to the field and fully supported my decision to join.
What’s been especially rewarding is how much I’ve grown from working with volunteers. It’s a benefit I never truly understood until I started this job. Their perspectives, creative ideas, and dedication have been a constant source of inspiration. Working alongside volunteers has expanded my understanding of leadership, problem-solving, and the power of collective action, which has ultimately enriched both my professional and personal growth.
What do you enjoy most about your work and/or working with volunteers?
I absolutely love connecting with members and volunteers from all over the world and at the grassroots level! It’s incredibly exciting to learn about their expertise, backgrounds, and activities. Every day, we receive a flood of emails and messages, and many of these have blossomed into truly meaningful relationships and friendships. What started as simple exchanges often grows into something more—regular conversations, check-ins, and deeper connections. Through these interactions, I’ve had the honor of meeting some amazing volunteers, and I’m continually inspired by their passion and commitment. The ongoing dialogues we’ve established not only foster a growing sense of camaraderie, but also remind me how powerful and enriching these global connections can be. Every connection adds a little more focus and perspective to the projects and programs we lead!
From your perspective, what is a challenge that our community is facing?
All the incredible photonics activities happening around the world, supported by our local chapters and the Society, often go unshared — which is such a missed opportunity! If you’re hosting an event or activity that’s meaningful to you, you never know who else might be out there, interested in the same thing. By not sharing, we might be preventing others from finding something they could learn from. Best practices, exciting events, and successful initiatives could be benefiting the entire community if they were shared more widely through the Society’s Newsroom. Let’s make sure that the amazing work our chapters are doing is visible to everyone—it could spark new ideas, foster collaboration, and inspire even more amazing activities globally!
Tell us about your favorite IEEE memory and/or describe an IEEE experience that has had a lasting impact on you.
Attending my first IEEE conference was truly an eye-opening experience—it provided a snapshot of just how much larger the world of photonics is, and how essential it is to daily life. From the moment I stepped into the conference, I felt an immediate connection, not just to the volunteers but to the incredible work they do. It inspired me to become more involved and contribute to the vibrant community.
Photonics fascinates me because it’s the science behind technologies that power everything from telecommunications to medical devices, renewable energy, and beyond. Despite its far-reaching impact, it’s often not front and center in public awareness. The work of our volunteers, who drive innovation in photonics, is crucial to solving global challenges. By helping the general public better understand photonics and the significance of these contributions, we can ignite curiosity and inspire the next generation of researchers and engineers to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
Tell us something fun about yourself !!!! (Hobby, secret talent, what you do for fun, etc.)
I have two sons, 21 years apart, and it’s been nothing short of a win-win for me—I essentially have a built-in live-in nanny! We love to embark on road trips together, go camping, hike through nature, and explore amusement parks. Disney holds a special place in our hearts, so we make sure to visit every year and soak in the magic.
As a boy mom, I’ve fully embraced the world of Pokémon, participated in epic Dungeons and Dragons battles, and can name all the Power Rangers in a heartbeat. Some may say that my husband and I are now the bigger fans and collectors. They got us hooked! The joy they bring is something that spans generations, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
