About
The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Puget Sound Chapter (SHPE PSC) is a WA State 501(c)3 registered non-profit organization based in Seattle, WA. SHPE PSC was incorporated in 1986 by the three initial serving Board of Directors compose of Mr. Frank R. Sánchez (President), Mr. Victor Elizondo (VP), and Mr. José R. Bolaños (Treasurer & Legal Representative).
2023-2025 Board of Directors
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Andreína Vivas Thomas
President
Hometown: Caracas, Venezuela
Alma Matter: New York University
Company: Lenovo
Why SHPE: “I believe building community is crucial to have the right foundation to weather the many storms we face as Hispanics in STEM: imposter syndrome, lack of representation, discrimination, and just the innate technical challenges that our jobs require of us! SHPE makes us stronger together.“
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Isabel D'Elia
Vice President
Hometown: Weston, FL
Alma Matter: University of California, San Diego
Company: Amazon
Why SHPE: “I joined SHPE when I was in college, and found my people there. But it wasn’t until I joined the workforce and noticed a lack of diversity that I realized I had to get more involved. I am excited to see my Latino and Latina gente leap forward and make great memories in the process!“
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Jessica Flores
Treasurer
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, FL
Alma Matter: University of South Florida
Company: The Boeing Company
Why SHPE: “I joined SHPE originally for the events and opportunities they had to offer. I soon realized that SHPE had more to offer than just this. From the welcoming familia feeling to seeing your impact create change in the community, SHPE has become a huge part of my life. I’m excited to continue the growth and change SHPE brings to the Puget Sound area!”
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Javier Franco
Secretary
Hometown: Pembroke Pines, FL
Alma Matter: Duke University
Company: The Boeing Company
Why SHPE: “During both my time as an undergrad and after moving to Seattle, SHPE helped me find a Latino community where I was able to build genuine connections while growing professionally and finding opportunities to give back to the community.”
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Faraón Torres
Director of Governance and Sustainability
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Maggie Navarro
Director of Audit
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Gabriela Preciado
Director of University Outreach
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Marjorie Blanco
Director of K-12 Outreach
Click here to view the Bylaws of the
SHPE Puget Sound Professional Chapter
Frequently Asked Questions
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SHPE Puget Sound is a community-oriented organization, which promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) and is open to anyone who believes in its mission.
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Yes, it is a Washington State 501(c)3 non-profit organization in good standing. It is also an organization that promotes transparent decision-making and good governance.
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The number of events varies per year but are focused on empowering students, career development for professionals, and community engagement.
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Not at all! Most of our events are open to everyone, and we will make sure to be explicit whenever there is an event that is members only.
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Hispanic, Latinx, and ally volunteers who are STEM professionals in Seattle.
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There are 200+ paid SHPE professional members in SHPE PSC.
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We partner with local university chapters at University of Washington, Seattle University and Washington State University as well as high school chapters like Royal High School and Pullman High School.
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The organization relies on membership dues and donations, which include corporate gift matching by companies like Boeing and Microsoft.
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See how you can support us here.
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SHPE Membership
The best way for you to reap the most benefits from being involved with SHPE Puget Sound is through a paid SHPE Membership. This is $65 paid annually through the SHPE Connect platform, where you officially self-register as a SHPE Puget Sound Professional (Region 1) member and unlock scholarships, discounted registration for conferences, voting privileges for elections, ability to run and hold office on the SHPE Board, and more!
How to score a FREE SHPE Membership?
The Industry Partnership Council is the cohort of corporate sponsors that make the SHPE National Convention happen. One of the perks for these corporate sponsors is that their employees can become SHPE Members for free. This means that if you work at any of these 84+ companies you automatically are eligible for a free SHPE membership.
Verify if your employer is an IPC Sponsor and reach out to your local employee resource group/affinity group to get your unique promo code to redeem your free SHPE membership today! If you need help locating your internal IPC contact, email us at eboard@shpepsc.org.
For more information on the endless benefits of being a paid SHPE member, learn How to Become a Member.