IEEE WIE Distinguished Volunteer and Mentor series highlights a dedicated WIE volunteer who is well known for his/her notable contribution to IEEE WIE.

In this issue, we feature Susan Delafuente.

IEEE WIE: How has your experience with IEEE WIE shaped your career and personal growth?

Delafuente: My IEEE volunteer roles were key in my transformation from an individual contributor to a career in project/program management. I started my professional career as a Satellite Engineer and grew into a Technical Program Manager within top tech companies such as Lockheed Martin, Avaya Inc., Intel Corp., Equinix Inc., and more.

At first, I volunteered for IEEE WIE individual contributor roles such as 2019 Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section Webmaster & SCV WIE Webmaster, 2018 Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section Webmaster & SCV WIE Webmaster, 2017 Host of International Women’s Day at the Computer History Museum, and as 2016 Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Women in Engineering (WIE) Treasurer.

In my early volunteer roles, I was impressed by and partnered with fellow confident, accomplished women in both engineering and leadership roles. I met leadership role models at the local IEEE SCV WIE level, the IEEE SCV Section level, the IEEE Region 6 level, and at the IEEE WIE National level. I witnessed an unexpected level of enthusiasm and spirit of collaboration. This gave me the encouragement and confidence to seek and secure more IEEE leadership volunteer roles which include:

• 2025 Co-Chair, IEEE 2025 WIE ILC Website Committee
• 2025 Treasurer, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Aerospace & Electronics Systems Society
• 2025 Webmaster, SCV Aerospace & Electronics Systems Society (AESS)
• 2025 Elections Officer, SCV Aerospace & Electronics Systems Society (AESS)
• 2025 Elections Officer, Society on the Social Implications of Technology (SSIT)
• 2025 Webmaster, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section & SCV WIE
• 2025 Senior Advisor, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Women in Engineering (WIE)
• 2024 Treasurer, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Women in Engineering (WIE)
• 2024 Elections Officer, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Women in Engineering (WIE)
• 2024 Webmaster, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section & SCV WIE
• 2023 Secretary/Treasurer/Webmaster, SCV Women in Engineering (WIE)
Coordinated SCV WIE March Lightning Sesson: Women in Artificial Intelligence
• 2023 Webmaster, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section & SCV WIE
• 2022 Webmaster, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Women in Engineering (WIE)
• 2022 Webmaster, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section
• 2021 Treasurer, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Women in Engineering (WIE)
• 2021 Webmaster, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section & SCV WIE
• 2020 Chair, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Women in Engineering (WIE)
• 2020 Webmaster, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section & SCV WIE
• 2019 Chair, Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Women in Engineering (WIE)

During this same timeframe, I progressed professionally from satellite/software engineering roles to leadership supervisory/project management/program management roles in top Silicon Valley telecommunications and networking companies. In IEEE WIE volunteer roles, I was able to grow my professional and personal skills in a safe and supportive environment. Also, I continued to invest in my career by earning a postgraduate engineering degree. In addition to my BS Engineering, I earned a MS – Systems Engineering. Also, I was able to seek and secure globally recognized certifications to include PMP, ACP, certified SCRUM Master, and CCNA.

IEEE WIE: What innovative projects or initiatives are you currently working on that you believe will make a significant impact?

Delafuente: 

1. IEEE WIE International Leadership Conference on May 14-16, Co-Chair Website Committee and web developer to address change requests from the WIE ILC 2025 Planning Committee. Note: I am working on post conference activities such as lessons learned, helping to follow up on outstanding financial fees, archiving websites, etc.
2. IEEE WIE and IEC – Virtual Career Fair as IEEE WIE Co-Chair of Industry and Business Subcommittee. Note: This is its initial stage but has huge potential benefits for IEEE / IEEE WIE members. My role is Co-Chair IEEE WIE Industry Subcommittee.
3. Project Manager for IEEE Region 6 project to create a new website.
4. IEEE Santa Clara Valley WIE (SCV WIE) AI Summit 2025 to be held at and in partnership with Intel Corporation. Planning Committee member in my role as Co-Chair IEEE WIE Industry Subcommittee and Senior Advisor to the local IEEE SCV WIE.
5. IEEE Santa Clara Valley Aerospace & Electronics System Society (SCV AESS). As SCV AESS Treasurer, establishing this newly approved SCV Section chapter (i.e., bank account, website, WhatsApp group, event planning, etc.)

For more details and examples, see my publication noted in my LinkedIn profile:
IEEE Women in Engineering – Series Book #13: An Engineer in the Making
IEEE-USA · Jan 13, 2017.

IEEE WIE: Can you share a moment when you overcame a significant challenge in your professional journey and what you learned from it?

Delafuente: Early in my career as a Satellite Engineer, I worked at a Satellite Center known as The Blue Cube, and because this location was a military base for highly sensitive satellite operations, I was required to obtain a security clearance, so I could handle—and have access to—classified information.

But I was not prepared for the two culture shocks that awaited me.

First, because of the classified nature of our jobs, we worked in an ultra-secure environment. Every day, I walked through what looked very much like the door on a bank vault to get to my office. We spent our time in rooms with thick, reinforced walls, under artificial lights, and with no windows. I felt like I was working in a bunker and looked forward to leaving the building for a walk during lunchtime and breaks. This environment was very difficult for me, and it took a few months to get used to it, if I ever did.

In addition, our employer warned us to be on the alert for spies in nearby restaurants, bars, stores and movie theaters, who would prey on us to obtain classified information. In this highly secret work environment, we could discuss our day only with people who had the necessary clearance and need-to-know. As a result, my personal life overlapped greatly with my work life. I enjoyed time outside of the office with a group of fellow co-workers, and given my love of sports, I also played on the co-ed company softball team. The other culture shock was how my employer treated women. The ratio of men to women was very much like the college ratio had been. We worked on a military base where there were two to five women for every 30 men. My job required that we work 24-hour shifts during the two- to three-day dress rehearsal exercises, or “simulations.” It was especially difficult whenever I was the only woman on a shift.
Inappropriate jokes and comments about women were commonplace.

I was raised a traditional Catholic girl, so I’d blush and would leave the room whenever the conversation became too cheeky for me. Other times, I moved my seat to be as far away as possible—and stared at the floor, although I just wanted to disappear!

The life lesson I learned from this experience is (1) Value the fresh air, the open space, and natural light in your everyday life, and (2) Whenever you’re applying for a job in an organization you know nothing about, or for that matter, confronting the possibility of a drastic change in your life, seek out someone who has lived it and is willing to talk to you about it. I wish I’d been better prepared to understand how working in such a classified environment would affect my ability to share any part of my work life with my family and friends.

I overcame this experience by playing on the co-ed softball team and socializing with fellow female and male coworkers from adjacent Satellite Center departments. I was the co-captain and pitcher of my high school team as well as co-captain and point guard for my high school basketball team. When I played as well or better than some of my male teammates, I gained high respect from male teammates who later stood up for me in the workplace. In time, the workplace became a much safer, comfortable, and friendly place to be!

IEEE WIE: How do you stay updated with the latest trends and advancements in your field?

Delafuente: There are two aspects to my career where I stay updated on the latest trends and advancements: Technical and Leadership / Management.

I am a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Agile Certified Professional (ACP) certified through the Project Management Institute (PMI). PMI is highly recognized worldwide. Its purpose is to “maximize project success to elevate our world”. This is PMI’s reason for being and the force that guides everything we PMPs/ACPs do. The world needs more projects to succeed. We need Project Professionals to take ownership of project success and successful implementation of critical projects. To maintain my certifications, PMI requires that a PMP or ACP earn professional development units (PDUs). PDUs are earned through continuous skill growth. PMP or ACP holders are required to earn and submit 60 PDUs in each 3-year cycle to maintain their PMP or ACP certification. Each PDU represents one hour spent: learning/training, teaching others, presenting, independent reading, volunteering, and content creation. I earned my PMP on July 23, 2005, and my ACP on June 25, 2021. I have maintained my certifications since.

In the second aspect of my career, I stay updated on the latest technical trends and technical advancements by attending, planning, executing, and engaging as an IEEE volunteer sponsoring IEEE WIE event such as the International Leadership Conferences, local AI Summits and other webinars, panel discussions, workshops, etc. These events explore deep into the latest and next gen trends to include Networking, Cloud, AI, Security, 5G/6G, etc.

By attending and sponsoring conferences and other events, I have discussions with my fellow colleagues to include thinking outside-of-the-box”, leading edge ideas, and next generation what-if scenarios.

IEEE WIE: What role do you think mentorship plays in the success of young professionals, and how do you approach mentoring others?

Delafuente: I played a key role in modernizing the IEEE Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section website and supported over seven SCV-affiliated societies and affinity groups in building or upgrading their websites—many as part of joint student-industry projects with San Jose State University. These efforts not only showcased the IEEE’s local presence but also provided students with real-world experience in web development, project management, and leadership.

Mentorship involves my commitment to learning which is equally matched by sharing knowledge and experience. In my 10 years as an IEEE volunteer, I have been involved in various roles within the local IEEE WIE group. I look forward to mentoring young professionals and fellow officers, facilitating the adoption of IEEE tools, IEEE practices, and IEEE policies, while promoting technical and soft skills development across the IEEE community. This helps fellow IEEE members to avoid the mistakes I and others have made, provides a sense of confidence in knowing what’s expected within the IEEE community, and allows a safe environment for the mentees to ask questions and challenge the status quo, and make profound improvements.

As a mentor, my goal is to teach or give help and advice to a less experienced fellow IEEE member. As a mentor in the various IEEE WIE volunteer settings listed earlier in this piece, I was able to influence the personal and professional growth of a mentee. Typical mentorships involve having a senior mentor, more junior IEEE members; however, I’ve mentored more senior and fellow IEEE members; not just younger IEEE WIE members. What matters is that mentors have experience that others can learn from.