Officers & Advisors

SWE 2025-26 President: Sonali Fernando (she/her)

Sonali is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a focus on hardware security. She has been involved with Society of Women Engineer for the past few years and priorly served as the Secretary. She brings both collegiate and society-level SWE experience, having organized events that support student success and well-being. Her work has focused on creating inclusive spaces, fostering leadership and building a strong community for women in STEM. As this years President she is committed to continue paving the way for growth, connection, and opportunity. 

Email: narmada@pdx.edu

SWE 2025-26 Secretary: Yara Hussein (she/her)

Yara is currently a post-bacc student studying Data Science. She currently is working at Office of Information Technology at Portland State. Originally she was pursuing a pre-medicine degree and found that a Data Science Degree would align better with her long term career goals. She seeks to use her background in health and science to use a data driven approach to improve the overall quality and treatment in healthcare. 

When not working or studying Yara enjoys playing trumpet, dancing with the PSU ballroom team, baking treats and hanging out with her cat Weasley. 

Email: yarah@pdx.edu

SWE 2025-26 Treasurer: Stella Gaisford (she/her)

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Stella came to Portland to attend Portland State University to pursue a degree in Enviromental Engineering. Stella enjoys rollerblading, hiking, doing yoga and bouldering. She has a cat named Goblin and many houseplants. Stella loves learning because it inspires her to create change. She strongly believes that equity, inclusion and diversity are essential for the future of our communities, society and planet. 

Email: gaisford@pdx.edu

SWE 2025-26 VP of Professional Development : Deshna Maharjan (she/her)

Originally from Nepal, Deshna came to PSU to pursue a Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering. During her free time Deshna enjoys painting, doing arts and hiking. She is a passionate and self-motivated student who takes every opportunity to grow, get involved, and contribute as much as she can. Deshna is here to learn, explore, and make the most of her college experience by engaging in activities that align with her goals. She tries to take full advantage of the opportunity she receives and always gives her best effort. She believes that every path she takes is part of the learning process that helps her see herself as a better person. She loves connecting with people, being involved on campus, and attending events to build community and expand her perspective. 

Email: deshnam@pdx.edu

SWE 2025-26 Communication & Social Media: Destiny Stepp (she/her)

Destiny is currently pursuing a bachelors in Data Science. She is currently working at a Veterinary Hospital and in the IT department at Portland State University. She is passionate about the ever growing use of data to shape real world decisions. Outside of school and work Destiny can be found relaxing with her cats, balloon sculpting, going on walks and cooking. 

Email: desti@pdx.edu

SWE 2025-26 Faculty Advisor: Yuchen Huang (she/her)

Yuchen is an Assistant Professor of Practice and Director of Computer Architecture graduate program track in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. She worked at Intel Corporation for 21 years before joining PSU. Teaching is her passion. She loves teaching and finds teaching intellectually stimulating and thinks teaching is the most rewarding job.

“I am honored to be the Faculty Advisor for the PSU SWE organization. I will do my best to support this organization, help grow the organization and help this student section to be a success.” 

Email: yuchen@pdx.edu

SWE 2024-25 President: Elizabeth Burnham (she/her)

Elizabeth is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Business and Mathematics. Born and raised in Ukraine, she relocated to the US in 2015. Currently, she’s enthusiastic about smart buildings and HVAC systems.

As a dedicated member of the Society of Women Engineers, Elizabeth served as Vice President for a year before stepping into her current role as President. Leading this incredible organization is an honor, allowing her to bring her unique perspective and passion for diversity, inclusion, and the empowerment of women in engineering. Now finishing her junior year, she’s focused on inspiring others and building a legacy of excellence as she heads toward graduation within a year.

Email: burnhame@pdx.edu

SWE 2024-25 Vice President: Minh Le (she/her)

Minh Le is a senior in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Business. She joined PSU in the fall of 2022. She hopes to work in the robotic field after graduating. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking with her dog, trying to cook new recipes, and art projects. 

"I am excited to work with SWE team members at PSU. I love to meet other people, especially in the field of STEM. SWE gave me this opportunity to interact with many different talented people and I could explore and learn more from other people." 

Email: minhl@pdx.edu 

SWE 2024-25 Secretary: Sonali Fernando (she/her)

Sonali is currently a Ph.D. student studying electrical engineering. Her journey at PSU began in 2018 as a Master's student. Looking ahead, her aspirations revolve around working on computer architecture's hardware security.

SWE has been an incredibly enriching experience, providing a platform where I could take up diverse societal and local leadership roles. These roles have allowed me to actively engage with the community, organize fun activities, and facilitate professional workshops. I am looking forward to contributing to the PSU SWE chapter.

Email: narmada@pdx.edu

SWE 2024-25 Treasurer: Sneha Ramiyah (she/her)

Sneha is a graduate student at PSU with a strong background in Electrical and Computer  Engineering. As an active member of the engineering community, Sneha is passionate about fostering innovation and collaboration. Beyond academics, she also dedicates time by participating in extracurricular activities, where she showcases her leadership and collaborative spirit. She also represented her peers as an SFC member in ASPSU, demonstrating her dedication to contributing meaningfully to her university. 

Email: sneharam@pdx.edu

SWE 2022-23 President Emeritus: Olivia Garcia (she/her)

Olivia is a first year Civil Engineering student pursing her bachelors of science. She has been part of SWE since Fall 2022. She plans on working in project management in a structural engineering firm in the future. 

Email: og7@pdx.edu

SWE 2023-24 Professional Liaison: Mimi Shang (she/her)

Mimi is a senior mechatronics manufacturing engineer at Daimler Trucks North America. She received her BS and MS in mechanical engineering from Portland State University. Her past SWE involvement includes section president at P.S.U. and regional senator. She is passionate about air quality and environmental justice and is a founding member and lead mechatronics engineer for AirWear Devices.

"SWE showed me that I could be successful and thrive in this male dominated industry. We must set examples and create better equity for the next generation of underrepresented STEM students and colleagues."

Email: mimigshang@gmail.com

SWE 2023-24 Professional Liaison: Anushka Bhardwaj (she/her)

Anushka is a PH.D. student at PSU in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department specializing in Semiconductor Physics and Devices. She wants to work on creating an environment for PSU students where they feel comfortable in exploring their ideas and sharing with people who could promote them. One of her goals as a part of the SWE team is to bridge the gap between the academic world and life outside and after that. She will strive to prepare students for the challenges in the STEM world and thus make the transition easier for them. She plans to do this through organizing activities and events that help members explore, learn, discover and network with experienced professionals and with people who would like to be a part of this journey.

“I believe that there is a science behind everything in life, so I would like to invite everyone at PSU to explore this concept and discover new things in their respective fields of interest. If I am not occupied with my research and coursework, you will find me exploring places, doing yoga and learning to play violin. I cherish human values and aspire to be a better human being everyday by putting my empathetic abilities to better use."

Email: anbh2@pdx.edu