My guest on today’s podcast is an accomplished engineer, teacher, and advocate for traditionally underrepresented groups in STEM. Melissa Villegas Drake is a graduate of New Mexico State University, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

She has held multiple roles as an engineer, including working on the Space Shuttle Program, and had a second career as an educator teaching engineering to high school students aspiring to a career in engineering. One thing that has been consistent for Melissa is her advocacy for minority representation in engineering. While in school, she became involved with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and after starting her career, she continued her involvement and eventually became the National President of that organization. Melissa’s newest adventure is her efforts to get more girls and women into tech careers. She and another colleague revived the Girls in Tech chapter in Phoenix, as her main goal is to inspire individuals to begin a career in tech. Being a coach to a FIRST robotics Girl Scout team, she is a formal volunteer for Girl Scouts. She is an ambassador of the Google Group Women Techmakers and was recently recognized as one of Phoenix Magazine’s Great 48 Phoenicians.

Melissa is such a wonderful ambassador for the engineering community, and I’m so grateful that she has offered her time to share her journey here on the podcast