Sally M. Benson, who joined Stanford University in 2007, is the Precourt Family Professor in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

She studies technologies and pathways to reducing greenhouse gas emissions including geologic storage of CO2 in deep underground formations and energy systems analysis for a low-carbon future. From 2021 to 2023 she was on leave from the University to serve as the Energy Division Director and Chief Strategist for the Energy Transition at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Prior to this, she served as the Co-Director of the Stanford Center for Carbon Storage and the Stanford Carbon Removal Initiative. From 2013 to 2020, she served as the Director and Co-Director of the Precourt Institute for Energy. She also served as the Director of the Global Climate and Energy Project from 2009 to 2019. Prior to joining Stanford, Benson was Division Director for Earth Sciences, Associate Laboratory Director for Energy Sciences and Deputy Director at LBNL.

Professor Benson currently is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Innovation Council and a Board Member of the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute. In 2023 she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She has previously served on the Board of Directors for Climate Central and from 2008 to 2020 on the Board of Directors of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. She also served on the Advisory Boards for Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Argonne National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Princeton’s Carbon Mitigation Initiative, Princeton’s Adlinger Center, Japan’s Initiative for the Cool Earth Forum, Climate Vault, and the Lahore University of Management Science in Pakistan. Over the past several years she participated in many National Academy of Sciences, Secretary of Energy, and National Petroleum Council research needs assessments related to carbon management. She also is on the Editorial Board for Energy and Environmental Sciences.

Topic: Engineering a New Era of Chips

Rose Castanares is a 26 year veteran of TSMC and is currently President of TSMC Arizona. With a $65B investment representing the largest foreign direct investment in US history, TSMC Arizona will produce the most advanced semiconductor technology on American soil. In Rose’s distinguished career in the semiconductor industry, she has consistently achieved exceptional results and strengthened customer relationships. Rose previously served as senior vice president of Business Management for TSMC North America, where she contributed to TSMC’s leadership in the semiconductor sector through her collaboration with many of the company’s valued U.S. customers. Her career includes leadership roles in engineering, quality, and sales at Chartered Semiconductor, GTE, National Semiconductor, and Siliconix. Rose earned her Bachelor of Science in Material Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Topic: New Possibilities in the Era of AI

Ya is a leading AI expert who currently serves as VP of Research at Google DeepMind, where she focuses on developing cutting-edge Generative AI models with the goal of achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).  Her impressive career includes leading AI efforts at LinkedIn, where she oversaw AI product development and research as Head of Data & AI.

Ya’s expertise is widely recognized. She co-authored the influential book “Trustworthy Online Controlled Experiments” and was named to Fortune’s 40 under 40 in tech.  A sought-after speaker, she has delivered numerous impactful talks, including a commencement speech to Stanford’s Class of 2019 in Mathematics, Statistics, and Mathematical & Computational Science. Ya holds a PhD in Statistical Machine Learning from Stanford.

Tamika currently works as a Modeling Engineer at ACTUAL, a Bay Area-based start-up focused on building a capital planning software for large-scale sustainability and resilience investment projects. She brings a multi-disciplinary background in structural and seismic engineering, data science, machine learning, and climate risk and resilience. Prior to joining ACTUAL, she developed models to simulate the impacts of climate and natural hazard phenomena on the built environment, including buildings, infrastructure, and supply chains, as an analyst at Arup as part of their San Francisco Risk + Resilience team. She holds a BS degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MS degree in Structural Engineering from Stanford University.

Sravani “Savi” is a seasoned leader with over 16 years of software engineering experience, currently driving innovation in AI and IT Service Management at ServiceNow. She is at the forefront of building cutting-edge GenAI and Agentic AI features, delivering impactful solutions that transform the way teams and customers interact with technology. As a Partner in Excellence, Savi has led initiatives such as the Empower onboarding program, fostering inclusivity, collaboration, and excellence across the organization. Passionate about mentoring and advancing women in technology, Savi brings her expertise and vision to the Women in Engineering Conference, inspiring others to push boundaries and boldly innovate.

Kush is a dynamic professional with extensive expertise in board level Analog/Mixed Signal Design focused on High-Speed and Low Power. Currently serving as Lead Electrical Engineer at Apple, Kush leads initiatives in iPhone Camera Design. With a passion for innovation and empowering communities, Kush has published several papers and articles and has been recognized with awards. Kush holds a M.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from San Jose State University. Beyond work, he actively engages in mentoring, advocating for diversity in STEM, and advancing technology for social impact. Kush is excited to share industry insights and collaborate with the inspiring community at the 2025 Silicon Valley Women in Engineering Conference.

Zara is an AI scientist, entrepreneur, and mom with a passion for using technology to make a difference in women’s lives. She holds a PhD in machine learning, with her dissertation focused on applying ML for preventive healthcare. Zara spent six years at Apple as a tech lead and AI scientist, driving innovation and delivering impactful projects. Inspired by her personal experiences and driven by her passion for women’s health, she founded Cybele Health, an AI-powered platform designed to help women proactively manage their health and well-being.

Cecily Hastings is the Account Director for the California State University and California Community College Systems, where she focuses on comprehensive university partnerships to assist students, faculty, and staff with maximizing their value through LinkedIn’s platform. Prior to joining the education team, Cecily spent five years with state and local government clients on their LinkedIn, assisting local workforce boards with upskilling and outreach strategies. Cecily began her career on Capitol Hill where she worked as a legislative aide before transitioning to a bi-partisan think tank managing congressional relations. Cecily is passionate about workforce development and ensuring equal access to opportunity through the use of LinkedIn.

Sanjana is a Senior Software Engineer at NVIDIA, specializing in designing and developing cutting-edge tools for data center compliance. With a background in machine learning from her master’s studies at Carnegie Mellon University, Sanjana spends much of her leisure time catching up on the fast-evolving world of ML and building applications. She is committed to fostering inclusivity in technology and actively supports initiatives aimed at increasing representation in STEM fields. Outside of work, she enjoys badminton, hiking, and cooking.

Kristin Keller is a Career Counselor at San Jose State University with expertise in career exploration, job search strategies, and leveraging AI for career advancement. She is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with over 10 years of experience in career counseling, recruiting, and human resources, providing a unique perspective on the evolving job market. Kristin is known for her innovative approach to career education and her commitment to student success.

Viji Krishnamurthy is VP of Generative AI Solutions at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. With a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, she’s led AI service products, served as Chief Data Scientist for Oracle IoT apps, managed Industry 4.0 IoT applications, and spearheaded ML projects for recommendation features across SCM, ERP, HCM, and CX Cloud. Viji also holds multiple patents in AI/ML applications.

Lea Mak is the Propulsion Analysis Lead for Special Programs and an Associate Fellow at Lockheed Martin Space with over 17 years of technical experience. Over her tenure at LM, she has supported numerous national security and civil space programs, including Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), and Fleet Ballistic Missiles (FBM). Lea started at LM Space in 2005 as a summer intern while completing her Bachelor of Science at California Polytechnical State University at San Luis Obispo.

Kelly Masegian is the SJSU STEM Undergraduate Career Counselor, Career Liaison to College of Engineering and College of Science, and former Internship Coordinator with the Foothill/DeAnza Internship Program at NASA Ames.  She received her MS in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Career Counseling from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX.  She also received a Career Development Facilitator certification from the National Career Development Association as a supplement to her degree.  She is passionate about helping students with career development and is a proponent of lifelong learning.

Renee joined Earth Systems in 2021 after several years as a senior level geotechnical engineer inthe San Francisco Bay area. As a senior geotechnical engineer Renee is responsible for client communication, development of project scopes, cost estimates and proposals, scheduling and coordination of project teams, oversight of projects in progress, and budget management. She oversees field work, personnel and equipment, laboratory testing and analysis, and is responsible for engineering analysis and report preparation. She has performed geotechnical investigations for public works, commercial and residential projects throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Central California and Southern California. She has experience in earthwork and mass grading operations, foundation design, soil stabilization, pavement design and rehabilitation, ground improvement, surcharge, and slope stability. Her foundation design experience ranges from design and observation of shallow and deep foundations, conventional and post-tension mats, augercast piles, drilled displacement columns and stone columns. She completed her B.S. in Civil Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Her favorite memories from undergraduate studies were winning back to back National Concrete Canoe championships. She completed her M.S. in Civil Engineering at San Jose State University while working full time as a staff engineer. It was an honor for her to return to San Jose State in 2021 for a semester as an adjunct professor to teach CE 140–Geotechnical Engineering. She is a registered Civil Engineer (P.E.) and Geotechnical Engineer(G.E.) in the state of California.

Nithya Nair, a seasoned cybersecurity professional, is currently serving as a Principal Technical Specialist on Cybersecurity at Microsoft. Born and educated in India, I hold a Bachelor’s in Engineering and a Master’s in Management of Information Systems. My career journey spans impactful roles at Wipro, HP, and Robert Half, where I gained valuable experience in technology and security. For the past 6.5 years, I’ve been thriving in the Bay Area, leveraging my technical expertise and strategic acumen to deliver innovative security solutions and drive customer success.

Thuy is a Career Counselor at San Jose State University dedicated to empowering students and alumni to explore their authentic selves and navigate the professional world with confidence and curiosity. She is known for combining life design mindset, creative strategies, and tech to make career development tasks engaging and impactful.

Thuy earned her Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling from Loyola Marymount University-School of Education in Los Angeles, California. She is a certified MBTI® facilitator and an active member of the National Career Development Association.

Margaret Paulin is a Lockheed Martin Campus Relations Manager. An experienced leader, she has more than 27 years of tenure in university relations and recruiting. In this capacity, Margaret has partnered with campus career centers, university programs and student organizations to increase interest in careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). She also has partnered extensively with faculty and staff to help develop and maintain early career STEM talent.

Before joining Lockheed Martin, Margaret served in university relations roles at Northrop Grumman and Conexant. Margaret is a known leader in the advisory board space and has served on career services and diversity engineering advisory boards at USC, UCLA, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly SLO, UCI, VA Tech, and MIT. She is also a founding member of the Summer Student Leadership Workshop for engineering diversity organization e-board members. Margaret is also a member of the Mountain Pacific Association of Colleges and Employers (MPACE) and National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and has served in various leadership roles within these organizations.

Margaret has a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Education from California State University, Bakersfield. She is no stranger to university life and began her career managing residence halls and student activities.

Rosa is a design engineer with Ashley & Vance Engineering. She is part of the structural team in their Oakland office where she prepares building framing and foundation plans for construction blueprints. She grew up in Oakland and earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Cal Poly Pomona. She served as an intern with the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute after college. Before landing her dream job in structural design, she worked in construction management and then in forensic structural engineering.

Krystle is a Sr Technical Recruiter at ServiceNow with over 10 years of experience in Talent Acquisition. Over the past four years, she has supported ServiceNow’s growth by recruiting top-tier talent for both technical and non-technical roles, contributing to the company’s mission to improve the world for everyone by making it work more efficient and accessible. Prior to ServiceNow she worked at major tech companies including LinkedIn, Facebook/Meta and Roblox. As a first generation graduate from SJSU she has a deep commitment to helping students break into the tech industry. She has a passion for demystifying the recruitment process and enjoys empowering students and job seekers by providing them with insights and guidance on what they need to succeed in their careers.

Charu Sardana is a distinguished Senior Program Manager at TSMC. With her expertise, she empowers customers to successfully drive various semiconductor products from concept to volume-production. Before her tenure at TSMC, she worked at Altera/intel as an FPGA specialist. She has over 20 years of experience in process technology, device innovation & high volume IC manufacturing. Charu has in-depth understanding of semiconductors & advanced CMOS technologies. Her academic background from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (India), fuels her expertise in Si design rules, scaling, reliability, failure analysis and yield enhancement. Beyond the realm of semiconductors, Charu is an avid music enthusiast and culinary explorer, experimenting with cuisines from around the world.

Elnaz Sarraf is a successful entrepreneur and CEO, renowned for her innovations in the field of EdTech, AI, and Robotics. She is the founder of ROYBI® Robot, an AI-powered smart toy that teaches children language and STEM skills. This groundbreaking product has won several prestigious awards, including being named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions in Education and winning the World Economic Forum smart toy award. With over 15 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur, Elnaz has established herself as a leader in the industry. As the CEO of ROYBI, an investor-backed EdTech company, she has raised millions in funding to focus on early childhood education and self-guided learning through artificial intelligence. Elnaz’s journey to success has been shaped by her early experiences growing up as a woman in Iran, where opportunities were limited. However, her drive and passion for entrepreneurship led her to the U.S., where she has significantly contributed to the tech industry. Her achievements include being selected as Inc. Top 100 Female Founders, Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center Milestone Maker, named the Woman of Influence by Silicon Valley Business Journal, and Entrepreneur of The Year in Silicon Valley. As a board member of the Consumer Technology Association Small Business Council and a member of Forbes Technology Council, Elnaz continues to play a crucial role in shaping the future of education and technology. She has also been invited to speak at various conferences, such as the Mobile World Congress, ASU GSV Summit, LEAP, and Consumer Technology Association.