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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Ashraf Habibullah — Anchor Sponsor
He/Him
CEO - Computer and Structures Inc.
Ashraf is the President and CEO of Computers and Structures, Inc (CSI). He has led the development of CSI's industry-leading structural engineering software tools, including SAP2000 and ETABS, since the company's founding in 1975. Today, the skyline of almost every major metropolitan city is defined by buildings that have been designed or retrofitted with CSI's software. Ashraf has a keen passion for the arts and social causes. He is co-founder of the critically acclaimed Diablo Ballet and is the founder of the Engineers Alliance for the Arts. He regularly donates his time to speak in support of humanitarian organizations, hospitals, and educational institutions worldwide, always wearing his signature LED-illuminated jackets. The jackets are part of his mission to make structural engineering more recognized and appreciated in popular culture and reflect his own creativity, innovation, and personality. Ashraf is also the publisher of a comic book series that aims to present structural engineering concepts as fun, entertaining and relatable to broader audiences and has recently launched a fine jewelry line that showcases the ways in which concepts of art and engineering can be blended with stunning results. Ashraf has donated software to thousands of institutions worldwide to ensure that the technology necessary to produce seismically-sound structures reaches everyone. He has a deep personal interest in the study of human psychology and human behavior and how they can be leveraged to help people from all walks of life reach their maximum potential. Ashraf Habibullah is a registered Civil and Structural Engineer with a bachelor's degree from NED College in Karachi, Pakistan, and a master's degree from the University of California at Berkeley.
Babatunde Onadele Jr. — Opening Keynote
He/Him
Project Executive - CORE Builders
Babatunde (Tunde) Onadele Jr came into the AEC industry after receiving his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from San Jose State. He brings over a decade of experience operating within construction teams and currently serves as a Senior Project Manager for CORE Builders, a South Bay multifamily general contractor. In his role he is responsible for leading project operations from design through completion and mentoring team members through their career journey. Outside of his operations he is passionate about DE&I within the construction workforce, specifically senior and executive leadership. Tunde is currently serving as the Board Chair for Associated General Contractor of California’s (AGC CA) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee and was honored as a 40 under 40 award recipient from the Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2023. Tunde takes pride in helping others and his greatest attribute is helping others reach their goals.
Inyong Kim — Lunch Keynote
She/Her
Vice President of People - Autodesk
Inyong Kim is a Vice President of People at Autodesk, a global leader in Design and Make software. She leads the HR Business Partner team for Platform & Industry Solutions and the Organizational Effectiveness Center of Excellence. In these roles, Inyong drives key organizational and people strategies to foster business and employee success across Autodesk’s global R&D organizations, impacting over 5,000 employees. With over two decades of HR leadership experience in the high-tech industry, Inyong has been enabling organizational growth and transformation to support business strategy in a number of organizations. Prior to Autodesk, she served as the Vice President of Employee Experience at Adobe and held HR leadership positions at Yahoo!, VMware, and Interwoven. Inyong is known for her ability to craft innovative solutions to people challenges and for leading with agility in complex organizational environments. Her expertise lies in developing and scaling exceptional talent, building high-performing teams, and executing enterprise-wide initiatives with strong, strategic partnerships. Inyong earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in HR Management from San Jose State University. She immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea at a young age, spending her initial year in a small town in Oklahoma before relocating to San Jose, California. A proud Bay Area native, she continues to reside in San Jose with her family.
Dr. Sheryl Ehrman — Welcoming Ceremony
She/Her
Dean of the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering - San Jose State University
Dr. Sheryl Ehrman is the Don Beall Dean of the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering at San Jose State University. She previously served as Keystone professor and chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, at the University of Maryland, College Park, having worked at that university since 1998 as a faculty member. As chair, she oversaw an expansion of tenure-track faculty, development of two new BS/MS programs, the growth of the transfer student pathway, initiation of a multidisciplinary research center for advanced battery technology, and development and implementation of strategies to engage alumni and industrial partners.
WORKSHOP SPEAKERS
Rocco Tam — NXP
He/Him
Rocco Tam received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2003, 2008, and 2009, respectively. From 2008 to 2010, he was the founding member of an early-stage millimeter-wave semi-conductor company, Keyssa, Los Angeles, CA. In this position, he successfully demonstrated and developed the first ultra-short-distance millimeter-wave (60 GHz) contactless connector system. Currently, he is a Fellow at NXP Semiconductors, San Jose, CA, where he leads various RFIC research and development, such as the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, UWB, RFID and mm-wave CMOS SoC RF transceiver design. He is an IEEE Senior member and a member of technical program committee in IEEE RFIC symposium. He was the recipient of the 2nd place best industry paper award in IEEE 2023 RFIC symposium.
Julia Salgueiro — Preston Companies
She/Her
Julia Salgueiro is a prominent figure in the construction industry, currently serving as the Director of Operations Technology at Preston Companies. With a career spanning over 17 years, she has dedicated ten of those years to Preston, where she began in field operations and has since advanced to oversee construction technology company-wide. Her journey began with an internship that led her to forgo other educational pursuits in favor of immediate hands-on experience in construction management, which she describes as the most enjoyable work she's ever done. Salgueiro's passion for problem-solving and her commitment to her team are the driving forces behind her daily motivation and success.
Dr. Andrew E. Coats — Lockhead Martin
He/Him
Dr. Andrew E. Coats has been a Senior Research Manager at Lockheed Martin Space’s Advanced Technology Center since 2020. There he manages 30+ AI/ML researchers and engineers who work on a broad array of projects in sub-fields ranging from Computer Vision to Large Language Models. Andrew earned Masters and PhD degrees from the University of California, Riverside, after graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. All of his degrees are in Philosophy and Formal Logic, with a focus on the Philosophy of Language. Prior to Lockheed Martin, Andrew worked in various technical industry roles in different domains: application development for finance, bio-informatics for plant genetics, and data science in the information technology and national defense sectors. He spent 14 years with Cisco Systems, earning a variety of certifications in Data Science and AI/ML training offered there. He also helped to win one of the largest Cisco Services contracts with the Department of Defense, after providing multiple briefings at the Pentagon. Finally, Andrew spends most of his evening hours as a working singer/songwriter/guitarist, through live performances, recording, and teaching. He has released six albums to date; details may found at www.andycoats.com.
Jorge Quezada — Granite
He/Him
Jorge, the Chief Inclusion Officer at Granite Construction, is a champion of Inclusive Diversity. His innovative strategies foster creativity and innovation by embracing diverse backgrounds. With over 25 years of experience, Jorge has held various leadership roles at Allstate Insurance, Northwestern Mutual, and Kraft Foods. His commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) extends beyond Granite, as he actively contributes to community organizations and serves on several DEI committees, including the Associated General Contractors of America. Jorge’s influence also reaches the construction industry through his co-hosting of the Construction DEI Talks podcast, where he shares insights on building a more diverse and inclusive sector. His extensive involvement in civic initiatives and his leadership in DEI make him a pivotal figure in driving positive change in the construction industry.
Ken Forward — PG&E
He/Him
Kenneth T Forward is currently the ERG/ENG(Employee Resources Group/Engineering Network Group) & DEIB (Diversity Equity Inclusion Belonging) Program Manager. He drives and supports internal/external community/coworker engagement for cultural, career development, service, equity and inclusion by operationalizing the PG&E PVS(Purpose Virtues & Stands). As a co-founder of PG&E’s SALT (Strategy Allies Leading Transparency) Task Force. Ken and colleagues, are responsible for operationalizing the PG&E Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging strategy, by focusing on human values; PG&E’s Speak-up, Listen-up, Follow-up culture, and DEIB principles by building trust and affinity. They take a white glove service approach, meeting teams/individuals where they are, to supporting them by providing human empowering service programs and coaching.
Reine Ntone Sike — Blue Origin
She/Her
Reine Ntone Sike started as an Aerospace Systems Engineer III at Blue Origin in March 2022. She focuses on the GS2 Payload Accommodation Systems for New Glenn. Previously, Reine Ntone Sike was an aerospace systems engineer employed by Millennium Engineering and Integration. Reine was a contractor at NASA Ames Research Center, where she supported the Technology Education Satellite team in the development, testing and implementing of an exo-atmospheric passive deorbiting system called Exobrake in four CubeSats (TechEdSatellite 7,8, 13, and 10). With a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from San Jose State University located in San Jose, California, Reine started her professional career in August 2018 as a part-time engineer while finishing her master’s degree project on Ablative Thermal Protection Systems, with an emphasis on thermo-chemical ablation. Her master’s degree report is devoted to investigating ablative material’s behavior during Earth re-entry conditions and presents two different computational approaches for space missions APOLLO-4 (AS-501) and 10. Prior to that, Reine studied at the University of Paris in Paris, France graduating with a bachelor’s degree in System Engineering in 2016. In 2014 she earned a second bachelor’s degree in Engineering Sciences from Catholic University in Lille, France. Reine was born and raised in Cameroon, Africa where she completed her primary education and became passionate about science. Reine speaks multiple languages, including French and English. A life-long learner, Reine has had the opportunity to live and work in multiple countries. Through these global experiences, Reine is grateful to her mentors and the women who came before her in Aerospace Engineering. She dreams big and is inspired to make a difference in her field, where she can give back to girls and young women pursuing engineering or their life dreams. When not breaking barriers professionally, Reine is breaking records on the tennis court, winning multiple USTA singles titles. Reine lives in Los Angeles, California.
Daniel Flores — Braven x MLT
He/Him
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Daniel comes from Mexican roots and is proud of it! /Daniel is a proud Spartan who obtained his B.S. in Business Administration in 2009. During his time at SJSU he was actively involved in the Latino Business Student Association (LBSA) on campus. He served on the board all 4 years, while holding a board position on the National Hispanic Business Association. Eventually, Daniel obtained his M.S. in Leadership and Doctor of Business Administration degrees from Walden University in 2012 and 2017, respectively. /With over 14 years of professional experience in Higher Education, Recruiting, Non-Profit, and Entrepreneurship, Daniel loves helping students think outside the box and pursue their dreams. Most importantly, he is passionate about leadership, influencing change, promoting collaboration, and empowering others to explore their leadership potential.
Aleeza Huraira — Society of Women Engineers
She/Her
Aleeza Huraira is a third year student at SJSU pursuing a degree in computer engineering with a minor in engineering management. Outside of her academics, she is involved in SJSU's chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, serving as President this year. Aleeza is also a peer advisor at the MESA Engineering Program.
Emily Harvie — Society of Women Engineers
She/Her
Emily Harvie is a third year student at SJSU pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Outside of her academics, she is involved in SJSU's chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, serving as Secretary this year. In addition, Emily works part-time to provide care-giving services in her community.
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Kidus Alemu — Black Alliance of Scientists and Engineers
He/Him
My name is Kidus Alemu, and I am a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Mechatronics. I am the president of the Black Alliance of Scientists and Engineers (BASE). I have had the great privilege of serving BASE for 3 years as Public Relations, Secretary, and Treasurer. I strive to increase inclusivity within our community and create comfort through networking and career advancements. Through my organization, I’ve had the opportunity to attend conferences, network with professionals, and make lifelong friends which have all helped strengthen my confidence and highlighted my areas for growth. Through these experiences, I've had opportunities to intern as a Robotics AI intern for Circuit Launch and as a project engineer intern for Southland Industries. As I progress through my remaining semesters at San Jose State University, I am hopeful for the positive changes I can bring to the people around me.
Fernanda Palacios — Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists
She/Her
Fernanda is pursuing a degree in Engineering Technology with minors in Computer Science and Business at San Jose State University. Passionate about both her Mexican heritage and academic aspirations, she serves as the Treasurer for the Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists (SOLES). In addition to her role in SOLES, Fernanda is the Technical Development Director for Girls Who Code, where she leads a team responsible for organizing and hosting technical workshops for SJSU students of all coding levels.
Fernanda also works as a research assistant, where she codes applications designed to bring connectivity to disconnected areas by leveraging accessible Android phones. With a deep love for coding and a drive to make an impact in the tech industry, Fernanda aspires to become a software engineer, using her skills to solve complex problems and help innovate in the field.
Jaime Salinas-Romero — Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists
He/Him
Jaime is pursuing an Aerospace Engineering degree at San Jose State University with a strong foundation in leadership and collaboration. He has been actively involved in leading initiatives within the Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists (SOLES), where he promotes community engagement, fosters partnerships with industry leaders, and supports professional development for STEM students. A dedicated advocate for diversity in STEM, Jaime drives initiatives that empower students by providing exposure to new opportunities and encouraging professional growth. His contributions to aerospace projects highlight his passion for innovation and his commitment to shaping the future of space exploration through hands-on work and interdisciplinary collaboration