Keynote Speakers
Join us at the upcoming WE Local conferences for an exceptional series of keynote sessions featuring distinguished speakers who are pioneers in their industries. Each speaker brings a unique perspective and a wealth of experience, ensuring that you leave inspired and equipped with actionable insights. Don’t miss the chance to learn from these influential voices and engage in meaningful discussions that will shape the future of our profession!
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- Dublin
- Opening Keynote
Audrey McCormack
- Senior Director Research & Commercialisation Facility Lead
- MSD Ireland
- Crafting Careers from Failure: Reframe, Rise and Lead
- Turn your setbacks into superpowers. In this powerful keynote, Audrey Mcormack shares how reframing life’s toughest moments sparked resilience, strategic growth, and unexpected leadership opportunities. Walk away inspired to own your story, rethink failure, and rise with confidence—because your greatest challenges may be the very thing that propels you forward.
- Dublin
- Closing Keynote
Deirdre Connaughton
- Site Head
- Takeda
- Acknowledging the Saboteurs - Leading with Courage, Vulnerability, and Vision
- The story charts a journey from technical success to personal struggle, revealing how inner saboteurs—imposter syndrome, overachievement, and perfectionism— shaped behaviour during professional and private challenges. It culminates in a pivotal moment of vulnerability that unlocked resilience and a commitment to lead with empathy, psychological safety, and authenticity. Key Takeaway #1 Understand yourself: Self-Reflection and Personal Growth. Emphasis on the importance of self-reflection and recognizing personal saboteurs. It encourages individuals to name and call out these saboteurs when they try to hinder progress. Key Takeaway #2 Leadership and Managerial Influence: Empowerment & Psychological Safety: Creating environments where openness drives growth. The presentation highlights the significance of quality conversations with managers, building individual development plans, and finding mentors to support career growth. Key Takeaway #3 Systems to Support Growth: The presentation outlines strategies to engage and transform the workforce, ensuring they are future-ready and digitally enabled. Key initiatives include the Future Ready Workforce Program, Career Pathways, Mentorships, Engagement Teams, and Gender Parity Networks.
- Opening Keynote
Shveta Arya
- Managing Director
- Cummins India Limited
- The Power of Pivot: When to Leap and When to Lead
- Many women engineers feel the pressure to follow a rigid career path. Shveta to share her experience of pivoting from consulting to manufacturing. She can discuss how to identify when a career pivot is a strategic move for growth versus a lateral shift. She will highlight the importance of adaptability and the courage to take on roles outside one's core discipline, reflecting on her career. Learning Objectives: Strategic pivoting is a growth catalyst: Be willing to apply your engineering skills to new industries and challenges to broaden your career horizon. Lead with courage: Don't let the fear of the unknown hold you back from pursuing a role that will challenge you and lead to greater opportunities.
Shveta Arya is the Regional Leader for Cummins in India and Managing Director of Cummins India Limited (CIL). She also heads the Power Systems Business for the India region, driving growth, transformation, and innovation. She has over 20 years of experience across automotive, travel, financial services, and telecom sectors. Shveta joined Cummins in 2016 as Head of Strategy and has since led multiple businesses, including Distribution and New & Recon Parts. Under her leadership, Cummins India launched the CPCB IV+ range for the Power Generation market, meeting some of the world’s most stringent emission standards. A strong advocate for diversity and women’s empowerment, she sponsors the Cummins Powers Women program in India. Recently, Shveta was recognized in the 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List.
- Closing Keynote
Vinita Gera
- Independent Advisor and Former President
- SEAP
- Human Elements in a World of AI
Vinita Gera is an Independent Advisor, Board of Director, Leadership coach, Mentor and a DEI Champion.
She is the ex-President of SEAP (Software Exporter’s Association of Pune) which is a forum for tech organizations of Pune. In her term as president of SEAP – she has doubled the number of members and led more than 50 events for the Pune Tech ecosystem. She continues to be an executive committee in SEAP
Before Vinita took the path of an independent journey, she worked for Global Technology organizations for 27+ years in various leadership capacities.
Her last corporate role was with Dell Technologies, where she was the GM for the India Centre of Excellence across Bangalore and Pune. Vinita has varied experience in 3 distinct areas – Product Engineering, IT Infrastructure, and Centre Leadership. Her specialization is in providing leadership across large-scale global teams, driving change, and navigating organizational dynamics while keeping business goals as the primary objective. Other organizations that Vinita has worked for are Veritas and BMC Software.
Vinita is a prolific speaker on various topics of leadership, Personal Brand building, Networking, Gender nuances, Inclusion, and Courage, to name a few.
She is a computer engineer from Pune University and has additionally acquired several certifications from IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Kolkata, Scrum Alliance, Pragmatic Product Management Institute, and International Coach Federation.
- Portland
- Closing Keynote
Amber Kemmerling
- Associate Technical Fellow | Airplane Systems Engineering Process Architect and Strategist
- The Boeing Company
- Our Choices, Our Stories
- Our professional and personal lives are not solely defined by our technical knowledge or credentials; they are shaped by the choices we make, some we choose deliberately, others are chosen for us. Some challenges we face are more overwhelming than others. Transformation often comes from choosing the harder path: stretching us so going forward we can move faster and have more impact than we ever imagine. In a rapidly changing world growth doesn't happen by default, it happens by embracing our choices. By deliberately celebrating and reflecting on our pivotal decisions we can accelerate our growth and strengthen our ability to move forward with greater momentum that multiplies our impact at work, in our lives, and the lives of others. Choices shape career trajectories Embracing the harder path promotes growth and builds capability Reflection and celebration build momentum going forward
Amber is an Associate Technical Fellow at Boeing, specializing as an Airplane Systems Engineering Process Architect and Strategist within one of the Boeing company’s largest engineering organizations. She leads advancements in airborne Electrical and Electronic Systems and promotes best practices in Systems Engineering and Technical Integration across Boeing. Dedicated to innovation and leadership, she actively mentors and inspires STEM professionals, fostering their growth and helping them realize their full career potential.
Amber is an Associate Technical Fellow in one of the largest engineering organizations within the Boeing Company, with over 30 years of experience in aviation product certification. Starting as a project engineer, she advanced to lead engineering and FAA-appointed roles, earning recognition in the Boeing fellowship as a top tier technical expert, value creator, mentor, and leader within the technical community.
As first-generation STEM graduate, Amber earned her B.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Washington after transferring from Bellevue College. She holds multiple technology and business certifications including a Certificate in Global Technical Leadership and is a John Maxwell Certified Coach, Trainer, and Speaker.
Passionate about mentoring; Amber actively speaks at Society of Women Engineers and Women in Aviation International events delivering impactful sessions. She takes pride in navigating a nearly 30-year marriage to another STEM professional and raising two daughters in successful STEM careers.
- Portland
- Opening Keynote
Carolina Caro
- CEO, Leadership & Culture Keynote Speaker
- Conscious Leadership Partners
- Leveling Up Communication: Unlearning the Golden Rule at Work
- We all communicate from a narrative shaped by our background, experiences, and what once helped us succeed. That story gives us a voice, but it can also become a default. Leadership maturity is knowing when that story is serving you and when it’s getting in the way. The Golden Rule, treat others the way you want to be treated, reinforces this pattern by centering our own preferences. High-impact leaders unlearn this reflex and practice the Platinum Rule: meet people where they are and communicate in the way they can best receive. Your story gives you a voice. Adaptability gives you range. This shift changes everything: how feedback lands, how praise motivates, how decisions gain commitment, and how meetings create alignment instead of resistance. This session builds the awareness and adaptability to recognize communication patterns, release what no longer serves, and intentionally choose how to show up so intent translates into impact and influence. Learning Objectives Participants will: - Recognize their communication preferences and how it shapes interactions with others - Strengthen adaptability by expanding their communication range - Apply the Platinum Rule to feedback, recognition, decision-making, meetings, and everyday interactions
- Columbus
- Opening Keynote
Susan Ipri-Brown
- Principal Consultant
- Empowerment Levers
- Be Empowered! The ‘Inclusion’ Conversation is Still Ours to Control
- Together, let’s empower our efforts towards equity, as women engineers have enabled for decades. Nationally, the words ‘include everyone, equally’ are now stated to exclude and shut down equity programs. Instead, let’s reframe the situation into an opportunity to discuss and define truly inclusive and equitable engineering workplaces. We still all have powerful levers of control to continue our collective push. We all remain committed to equality. Let’s reframe the conversation to focus on our individual and collective actions within our spheres of influence.
Susan Ipri-Brown is the principal consultant at Empowerment Levers and served as the 2024-2025 President of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Prior to starting her consulting firm, Susan served as the Strategic Initiatives Manager at the National Institute of Standards and Technology Office of Advanced Manufacturing. Susan additionally worked as the founding Associate Dean for Educational Outreach and as an Associate Professor of Engineering Instruction at Hope College. She has also held positions with the Northwestern University Office of STEM Education Partnerships, several North Carolina school districts, Delphi Automotive Systems, and the Michigan Legislative Service Bureau. As an ASME Federal Fellow, Susan served a year at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Susan earned her master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Princeton University.
- Columbus
- Closing Keynote
Dr. Lisa Hinkelman
- PH.D. I Founder/CEO
- Ruling Our eXperiences, Inc. (ROX)
- Beyond the Pipeline: Understanding the Psychology Behind Girls' STEM Decisions
- Drawing from the largest national study of girls' STEM experiences, discover why traditional approaches to increasing female representation in engineering can fall short—and what actually works to cultivate lasting STEM identity and confidence in the next generation of women innovators and leaders. The Critical Confidence Gap: When and Why Girls Step Away from STEM: Participants will understand the precise moments during middle and high school when girls make pivotal decisions about their STEM futures, and how declining confidence—not lack of ability—becomes the primary barrier to engineering career pursuit. Drawing from The Girls’ Index™: Girls & STEM research, learn to identify and address the psychological factors that influence girls' self-perception of their capabilities. Evidence-Based Strategies for Building STEM Identity: Gain research-backed approaches from the ROX Empowering Girls in STEM Toolkit to foster authentic STEM identity in girls, including how to leverage diverse role models, create collaborative problem-solving environments, and design experiences that build both technical skills and the self-efficacy essential for STEM persistence. Transforming Engineering Culture for the Next Generation: Discover actionable steps to create more inclusive engineering environments—from classroom to workplace—that don't just recruit girls into STEM, but nurture the confidence and leadership skills they need to thrive as future innovators and leaders.
Dr. Lisa Hinkelman is a counselor, researcher, best-selling author and founder/CEO of Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX), dedicating nearly two decades to understanding girls’ development and empowering the next generation of female leaders. Under her leadership, ROX has transformed the lives of over 50,000 girls across 44 states through evidence-based programming that builds confidence, leadership skills, and the foundational competencies girls need to pursue their aspirations.
Lisa’s expertise in girls’ development provides critical insights to STEM educators and industry professionals working to increase female representation. Her Girls’ Index™ research, studying 17,500+ girls, reveals nuanced patterns in girls’ confidence, aspirations, and the barriers they face—particularly the concerning confidence drops during middle school that impact their willingness to pursue challenging fields like STEM. Her work has been featured in NBC News, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and, most recently as a thought leader at the UN General Assembly.
- Austin
- Opening Keynote
Dale Wilsher
- Executive Life & Leadership Coach, Keynote Speaker, Award Winning Author
- Your Authentic Personality
- Navigating the Double Bind: Leading with Authenticity, Presence, and Influence
- Women in technical and male-dominated environments often face a double bind: lead with warmth and risk being overlooked, or lead with authority and risk being judged. This tension isn’t a confidence issue—it’s a leadership reality shaped by gendered expectations. In this session, Dale Wilsher shares her own journey of learning to lead from authenticity instead of expectation, after years of shrinking a naturally strong leadership style to fit unspoken norms. That turning point revealed a different kind of confidence—one rooted not in being more like others, but in understanding and owning her unique strengths. Participants will explore how the double bind shows up in everyday leadership moments, identify whether they naturally lead from warmth or strength, and learn how to be strategic—not performative—as they grow their presence and influence. The result is a practical, empowering approach to leadership that allows women to embrace their story while leading with impact.
- Austin
- Closing Keynote
Rita Munarwi
- Director Technical Program Manager | Azure Hardware
- Microsoft
- Queen Without Crown: The Silent Politics of Quiet Leadership
- In engineering and technical spaces, leadership is often measured by visibility—titles, accolades, and authority. But what about the women who lead without any of those? Queen Without Crown explores the emotional and political dynamics of quiet leadership: the kind that shapes outcomes, mentors across generations, and builds ecosystems without ever being formally recognized. This keynote honors the women who lead from within, who rise without rivalry, and who redefine influence not by volume, but by resonance. Attendees will learn to: Reframe emotional delays in recognition as quiet power, not failure Recognize and navigate the subtle dynamics that shape women’s influence Build legacy through boundaries, clarity, and authentic impact
Rita Munarwi is a quietly transformative leader who believes in leading from within and empowering beyond. Her leadership is rooted in emotional clarity, intentional pacing, and the belief that resonance outlasts volume. As Founder and CEO of Unspoken Wisdoms, she distills executive insights through her micro-podcast and book Fun Facts for Success: Tech Edition, to empower others in tech career journey.
Currently serving as President of the SWE Columbia River Section and Chair of Women at Microsoft Oregon, Rita fosters inclusive communities and mentorship-driven leadership for women in engineering. She has spoken at leading industry events including the Silicon Tech Summit, Global Women in Tech Summit, WE Local and WE National conference, where she invites audiences to embrace leading from within, an often-underrated leadership style, especially in male-dominated environments.
Rita Munarwi is Director Technical Program Manager of Azure Hardware at Microsoft, driving silicon-to-system integration for hyperscale cloud computing. With 20+ years in semiconductor engineering, she ensures reliable, scalable solutions from chip design to cloud delivery. Recognized as an SWE Advance Power User award winner, Rita exemplifies lifelong learning and technical mastery.
- Bengaluru
- Opening Keynote
- Friday, 10 April
- 9:30 - 11:00
Jaya Jagadish
- Country Head & SVP Design Engineering
- AMD India
Jaya Jagadish is the Country Head of AMD India and Senior Vice President of Silicon Design Engineering, leading one of AMD’s largest global design centers. Under her leadership, the team has grown from a small engineering team to a design center of over 9,000 strong engineers.
Jaya stands as a transformative leader in the global semiconductor industry landscape. At a time when engineering design work in India was limited, Jaya was a trailblazer, assembling and mentoring a high-performance team at AMD. Under her leadership, the India design center has expanded significantly, playing a pivotal role in AMD’s global product roadmap across CPUs, GPUs, SoCs, and AI.
Today, AMD is well positioned to address the AI market with a comprehensive portfolio offering end-to-end solutions that integrate both advanced hardware and optimized software to power AI infrastructure at scale. Under Jaya’s leadership, there is a strong focus on upskilling employees in AI and emerging technologies, ensuring the workforce is future-ready and aligned with the evolving demands of the industry.
Beyond AMD, she has been actively working with the GoI in shaping India’s semiconductor policy and ecosystem. As Chairperson of the Semiconductor Talent Building Committee under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), Jaya collaborated with government and industry stakeholders to position India as a global semiconductor talent hub.
- Bengaluru
- Thursday Opening Keynote
Ipsita Dasgupta
- Senior Vice President & Managing Director, India Market
- HP Inc.