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2020 Professional of the Year Award Winners!

AISES Announces the 2020 Professional of the Year Awards

All of the professional winners will be celebrated at a virtual awards ceremony hosted by AISES at the 2020 National Conference on October 15 -17.

 

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Professional Awards for 2020. These honors are part of the AISES Professional Awards program, which celebrates the contributions of Indigenous innovators and professionals in six award categories - Executive Excellence, Technical Excellence, Most Promising Engineer or Scientist, Blazing Flame, Indigenous Excellence, and the Professional of the Year.

 

The award recipients are Kathleen Jolivette, Brendan Kinkade, Dr. Serra Hoagland, Laura Smith-Velazquez, Frances Dupris, and Sandra Begay.

 

"AISES is delighted to announce the Professional Award winners who are experienced leaders from across multiple sectors and industries," said Sarah EchoHawk, AISES CEO. "They are true business professionals who lead by example, drive positive change, and advocate for a more inclusive world."

Meet the 2020 Award Winners!

 

Professional of the Year

Kathleen Jolivette (Rosebud Sioux)
The Boeing Company

 

Kathleen Jolivette learned at a young age about determination, overcoming obstacles, and personal accountability. Raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, her single-parent mother modeled a strong work ethic who instilled in Kathleen a drive to succeed and in helping others.

 

After high school, Kathleen served eight years in the U.S. Army as a Supply Sergeant until honorably dischargec in 1993. Following her military service, Kathleen earned a undergraduate degree in Finance/Accounting and an executive Master of Business Administration from Washington University.

 

Kathleen is currently the vice president of Attack Helicopter Programs and senior site executive for The Boeing Company in Mesa, Ariz. She leads more than 4,600 Boeing employees who support numerous businesses and functions, including the design, production, and delivery of the AH-64 Apache and AH-6 Little Bird helicopters for the U.S. Army and allied defense forces around the globe.

 

Prior to her current role, Kathleen was director of the United States Army Services for Boeing Global Services and the director for V-22 Domestic Programs. She previously served as the chief of staff for the Office of President and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security and during her time with the company has held several roles which have allowed her to travel around the world.

 

Kathleen actively promotes diversity and inclusion and finds opportunities to serve others specifically in support of the Native American community. She volunteers and supports the Native American Heritage Association, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, AISES, and the Boeing Native American Network.

 

Executive Excellence Award

Brendan Kinkade (Choctaw Nation)
IBM

 

The Executive Excellence nominee must be an experienced upper-level manager or a well-established engineer, scientist, professional, or academician who has significant department and budget responsibilities.

 

The 2020 Executive Excellence Award is presented to Brendan Kinkade (Choctaw) who is the vice president of Strategic Partners for IBM Cloud & Cognitive Software and who leads the global IBM organization focused on developing and establishing high value strategic partnerships with global technology partners, large, complex ISVs, and hybrid cloud ecosystem partners as mutually relevant routes to market and strategic growth enablers for IBM’s portfolio of Cloud and Cognitive technologies and services.

 

In this role he leads a diverse team comprised of 24 executives, managers and individual contributors to define and execute mutually relevant routes to market and enable strategic growth for IBM’s portfolio of Cloud and Cognitive technologies and services. He lives and breathes diversity & inclusion with nearly 50% of his organization being minority or women.

 

Partnerships managed by Brendan's organization has resulted in over $1.4 billion dollars in revenue for IBM in 2019 with IBM Cloud partnership revenue growing by 85% year over year. His organization is driven by a desire to build mutually beneficial relationships with partners, peers and employees.

 

He serves on IBM’s Executive Native American Diversity and Inclusion council, leading initiatives around societal impact and IBM employee engagement. On the local level he is committed to success of native youth providing mentoring through Open P-TECH and serving as chair of the LA School District’s Title VI Indian Education Program Parent Committee.

 

Brendan frequently presents at conferences and customer events on the topic of artificial intelligence and cloud computing and he was recognized as a CRN "Channel Chief" in 2011 and 2012. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA). Brendan is a proud member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and is an AISES Sequoyah Fellow.

 

Most Promising Engineer or Scientist Award

Dr. Serra Hoagland (Laguna Pueblo)
USDA Forest Service

 

The Most Promising Engineer or Scientist nominee must be a professional engineer or scientist with less than five years’ experience after earning his/her degree. The candidate’s early technical contributions should already indicate a promising career.

 

The 2020 Most Promising Engineer or Scientist is Dr. Serra Hoagland (Laguna Pueblo). She serves as the Liaison Officer/Biologist for the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) Fire Sciences Lab to Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana.

 

Prior to joining the RMRS, Serra worked as a Biological Scientist and the Tribal Relations co-point of contact for the USDA Southern Research Station in Asheville, North Carolina. As the first Native American to graduate from Northern Arizona University with a PhD. in forestry, Serra studied Mexican spotted owl habitat on tribal and non-tribal lands in south-central New Mexico. She holds a masters in Environmental Science & Management from UC Santa Barbara and a bachelor’s of science in Ecology & Systematic Biology from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. To date, Serra has published 10 peer-reviewed scientific publications, contributed to 8 books, and has provided numerous podcasts, guest lectures, newspaper interviews, plenary speeches, magazine articles and scientific presentations.

 

To sustain our communities and culture, Serra believes Indigenous teachings can be used as a moral compass and direct approaches to natural resource management. “When our environmental management is backed in tradition, long-term stewardship and maintenance of our resources is possible."

 

She has been an AISES since 2003 and has served in various capacities from regional conferences, reestablishing student chapters to hosting plenary sessions on behalf of the USDA Forest Service. She is also heavily involved with the Intertribal Timber Council, the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society, and The Wildlife Society.

 

Technical Excellence Award

Laura Smith-Velazquez (Cherokee Nation)

 

The Technical Excellence nominee has made a significant contribution to science, engineering, or technology by having designed, developed, managed, or assisted in the development of a product, service, system or intellectual property.

 

The Technical Excellence Award is presented to Laura Smith-Velazquez (Cherokee Nation).

 

Laura served as a Human Factors and Systems Engineer at Collins Aerospace in the Advanced Avionics Technology department developing Supersonic flight technology. Laura’s work at Collins Aerospace focused on intelligent automation design in both flight deck and unmanned systems to include human autonomy teaming. She served as the Principal Investigator on the NASA Sonic Boom Display program to enable commercial supersonic transport over land. She holds five patents on supersonic flight deck technology as well as vehicle systems safety intelligent flight deck technology.

 

Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science, a Master of Science in Human Factors & Systems engineering and minor in Meteorology & Flight Safety from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She holds commercial pilot, sUAS, and aircraft dispatcher certificates.

 

Laura is passionate about STEM education. She has been a volunteer STEM educator for over 15 years as an Aerospace Education Officer in Civil Air Patrol, a NASA STEM educator for the Sally Ride Program, a Girl Scout Troop Leader, and a mentor for the Rosie Riveters STEM program. She is an advocate for women and Native Americans in STEM through her work as the Native American Affinity Group Champion for the Society of Women Engineers. She is an AISES member, and Commander of Mount Airy Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol. She is an astronaut candidate for the Mars One program for the first human mission to Mars.

 

Blazing Flame Award

Frances Dupris (Lakota/Northern Arapaho)
U.S. Air Force

 

Inspired by the AISES logo, the Blazing Flame Award is presented to an individual who blazes a path for Indigenous people in STEM.

 

The Blazing Flame Award winner is Master Sergeant Frances Dupris who is the Operations Superintendent for Space Delta 7; however, during the award period she was Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Cryptologic Engagement for the Cryptologic Services Group in the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command at Peterson-Schriever Garrison, Colorado. As an intelligence analyst, she was part of a binational joint military and civilian team that provides specialized intelligence support to the commands. She also served as Co-Chair of the National Security Agency/Central Security Service American Indian and Alaska Native Employee Resource Group for hundreds of joint military and civilian personnel.

 

Master Sergeant Dupris advanced to leadership and role model positions early in her Air Force career and has served as an unwavering advocate for indigenous persons, from colleagues in uniform to the civilian communities around her, including classrooms shaping the next generation. Most recently, she was recognized by the Air Force 93rd Intelligence Squadron as the 2020 Lance P. Sijan USAF Leadership Award winner; and selected from the 543rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group as the 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Award winner, both nominated to higher headquarters for broader competition across the Air Force.

 

ln 2019, she coordinated the publishing of a half dozen biopic pieces on Native Americans who had risen to the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force, and published a ten-page newsletter to thousands of military and federal employees on activities and opportunities in the American lndian and Alaska Native American Employee Resource Group.

 

Master Sergeant Dupris has earned over three dozen military awards and decorations in her 19 years of service, including a Meritorious Service Medal for professional leadership, citing - among other accomplishments - the advancement of the American Indian and Alaska Native Employee Resource Group and leadership of multiple cultural appreciation events.

 

She holds a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from Argosy University. She hails from the Black Hills of South Dakota with parents of Lakota and Arapaho descent, and is an enrolled tribal member of the Northern Arapaho in Wyoming. She is married to her hometown sweetheart, Chris, who is an enrolled tribal member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. Both Frances and Chris are AISES Sequoyah Fellows.

 

Indigenous Excellence Award

Sandra Begay (Navajo Nation)
Sandia National Labs

 

The Indigenous Excellence Award acknowledges individuals who have done substantial work to advance program and opportunities for Indigenous students and professionals in STEM education and careers. Professionals with over 10 years of experience working within/his/her tribal/Indigenous community and/or in support of American Indian/Indigenous people at the national level will be recognized. The nominee may or may not have a technical background.

 

Sandra Begay is the 2020 Indigenous Excellence Award winner. Sandra, the daughter of a Navajo tribal leader and a public health nurse, is a member of the Navajo Nation and she has been an engineer for 32 years.

 

Sandra earned an Associate of Science degree in Pre-Engineering, a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico, and a Master of Science from Stanford University in Structural Engineering with an emphasis in Earthquake Engineering.

 

Sandra has worked at Sandia National Laboratories for over 27 years where she is a research and development engineer. In 2019, Sandra worked for Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller as the City’s Environmental Health Director. Sandra has worked at leading research and development laboratories like Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

 

From 2002 through 2018, Sandra mentored American Indian interns through the Sandia/Department of Indian Energy Program, which she created. Sandra inspires new generations of Native students and professionals to not only consider pursuing engineering studies but to explore research and work in the energy sector. Many of her interns have become highly regarded technical professionals, staff members, and leaders within tribal organizations, industry, academia, and nonprofit groups.

 

Sandra has enjoyed 16 years of unique work focused on providing technical assistance to U.S. tribes. She is featured in the American Society of Civil Engineers book Changing Our World: True Stories of Women Engineers. Included in the chapter "Women in Power," Sandra’s efforts were described as providing electricity through solar panels to hundreds of Navajo members and their families.

 

Sandra has been affiliated with AISES in various capacities for more than three decades. She has served on the AISES board of directors (1988-91, 1993-1997), led the organization as Executive Director (1998-2000), and been recognized with the highest AISES honor, the Ely S. Parker Award (2009).

About the AISES National Conference

The AISES National Conference has become the premier event for Indigenous STEM professionals and students, attracting over 2,000 members and attendees from the U.S. and Canada, and as far away as Alaska and Hawai'i. The annual AISES National Conference is a one-of-a-kind, three-day event focusing on educational, professional and workforce development! Attendees include Native high school and college students, educators, professionals, tribal nations and tribal enterprises, universities, corporations, and government agencies. The National Conference works towards achieving the AISES mission by providing students and professionals access to career pathways, professional and leadership development, research, and networking that also meaningfully incorporates Native culture into this signature event.

 

The 2020 AISES National Conference is an all-virtual event with registration ending on October 5. Register now at

 

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American Indian Science & Engineering Society

4263 Montgomery Blvd NE, Suite 200

Albuquerque, NM 87109

 

 

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