Meet the Board
President - Bridget Dixon
Bridget is in her fourth year serving as the President of the Greater Syracuse Area Section of SWE. Previously she served as the Vice President for two years. She has also Co-Chaired the Scholarship Committee.
Bridget has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Syracuse University. She also has a minor in Engineering Business Management and added Education courses to her Master’s program to better understand how to teach and explain concepts.
She has previous experience with Schneider Electric in El Paso, Texas working to design switchboards and switchgear for industrial applications. Bridget currently works for Lockheed Martin, Syracuse.
Bridget has a young daughter who loves to be outside. She has a cat, Tango, that is the boss of house and a German Shepard that loves being outside with the rest of the family Bridget loves the Syracuse area and enjoys exploring all the parks and activities Central NY has to offer.
Last updated: 8/19/21
Bridget is in her fourth year serving as the President of the Greater Syracuse Area Section of SWE. Previously she served as the Vice President for two years. She has also Co-Chaired the Scholarship Committee.
Bridget has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Syracuse University. She also has a minor in Engineering Business Management and added Education courses to her Master’s program to better understand how to teach and explain concepts.
She has previous experience with Schneider Electric in El Paso, Texas working to design switchboards and switchgear for industrial applications. Bridget currently works for Lockheed Martin, Syracuse.
Bridget has a young daughter who loves to be outside. She has a cat, Tango, that is the boss of house and a German Shepard that loves being outside with the rest of the family Bridget loves the Syracuse area and enjoys exploring all the parks and activities Central NY has to offer.
Last updated: 8/19/21
Treasurer- Ariel Judd
Ariel is currently the Treasurer of the Greater Syracuse Area Section of SWE, previously she has served as the Treasurer and Vice President.
Ariel is an Engineer in Training at GHD in Cazenovia, NY. During her time at GHD she has worked on projects relating to wastewater engineering. Her experience includes the design of wastewater treatment upgrades and modifications, hydraulic evaluations, and preparing operation and maintenance procedures for sewer collection systems.
She has her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Resources Engineering from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), and an Associate of Science degree in Environmental Science from SUNY Broome Community College (BCC). While at BCC, Ariel was a captain on the soccer team and a member of Phi Theta Kappa, a National Honor Society for Junior Colleges. As a student at ESF, Ariel was a member of the soccer team. She was also involved in projects for Engineer’s Without Borders, and Alpha Xi Sigma, the College’s Honor Society.
In her free time, Ariel enjoys playing with her puppy and going on outdoor adventures.
Last updated: 8/31/20
Secretary, Communications Chair / Webmaster -
Kara DiNatale
Kara DiNatale joined the Greater Syracuse Area section of SWE in late 2015 and immediately took up the mantels of Communications Committee Chair and Webmaster. FY22 will be her seventh year in this role and her third year as section Secretary. She also serves as the Application Coordinator for the section's scholarship program.
Kara works as a Process Engineer for Novelis at their Oswego, NY facility. Prior to this role she also worked there as a Quality Engineer while completing their Engineer Development Program. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Professional Certificate in Materials Engineering from Clarkson University, where she graduated from in 2014. In addition to working full time at Novelis, she recently completed a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics through Kansas State University's Global Campus. She also volunteers as a goalie coach for the Oswego High School girls' lacrosse teams.
While at Clarkson Kara was very involved in SWE, serving as the Public Relations Chair and the Director of Membership during her time there. She also played goalie for the varsity women's lacrosse team and was involved in the honors program.
Kara enjoys camping, reading, watching hockey, and working on the never-ending list of projects on her 120-year-old house.
Last updated: 8/19/21
Vice President and Outreach Chair- Valerie Countryman
Valerie is in her third year serving as the Vice President for the Greater Syracuse Area section of SWE. She has also served as the Outreach Chair and on the Scholarship Committee. Valerie is a Rochester native and graduate of the University of Rochester, with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
Valerie currently works as a Mechanical Design Engineer at IPD Engineering in Syracuse, New York. While she primarily works in HVAC design, she also performs plumbing design as needed. She has previous experience with Argus Engineering (Syracuse, NY) and LaBella Associates (Rochester, NY). Valerie is currently an EIT and will be pursuing licensure as a P.E.
While in engineering school, Valerie was on the board for the University's chapter of ASME. Through ASME, she worked to organize events for her peers as well as for local high school students, her favorite of which was the annual "Pumpkin Launch" competition. She also worked for the University's Medical Center. Her interests outside of work include fishing, reading, and traveling.
Last updated: 8/19/21
Valerie is in her third year serving as the Vice President for the Greater Syracuse Area section of SWE. She has also served as the Outreach Chair and on the Scholarship Committee. Valerie is a Rochester native and graduate of the University of Rochester, with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
Valerie currently works as a Mechanical Design Engineer at IPD Engineering in Syracuse, New York. While she primarily works in HVAC design, she also performs plumbing design as needed. She has previous experience with Argus Engineering (Syracuse, NY) and LaBella Associates (Rochester, NY). Valerie is currently an EIT and will be pursuing licensure as a P.E.
While in engineering school, Valerie was on the board for the University's chapter of ASME. Through ASME, she worked to organize events for her peers as well as for local high school students, her favorite of which was the annual "Pumpkin Launch" competition. She also worked for the University's Medical Center. Her interests outside of work include fishing, reading, and traveling.
Last updated: 8/19/21
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