Cindy Wallis-Lage, President of Black & Veatch’s water business and a long-time advocate for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, has been honoured by the Society of Women Engineers. The group chose Wallis-Lage to receive its Suzanne Jenniches Upward Mobility Award, recognising her capable leadership of one of the world’s leading providers of water infrastructure.
Adriana Porter, another strong advocate for women in STEM at Black & Veatch, was also honoured by SWE with its Distinguished New Engineer Award, recognising women actively engaged in engineering in the first decade of their careers. Wallis-Lage and Porter will be recognised at WE18, the world’s largest conference and career fair for women engineers, held from the 18th to the 20th of October, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States (U.S.).
Wallis-Lage, the first woman president of an operating business unit at Black & Veatch, is an established STEM leader through her dynamic leadership of more than 100 water projects around the world and long-time advocacy of STEM education, careers and initiatives. In 2012 she served as an executive sponsor for Kansas City’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED). IGED’s mission encourages and educates girls who have shown an aptitude in science, engineering, technology and math.
“Helping to illuminate the path for all people in the STEM disciplines is an obligation I take very seriously,” said Wallis-Lage. “The Society of Women Engineers is a vital partner in celebrating and advancing the role women play in connecting our world, improving and empowering our communities and safeguarding our most precious resources. I’m humbled and grateful for SWE’s recognition.”
Porter is a Transmission Line Project Engineer for Black & Veatch whose duties include design and supervision of overhead transmission line projects. Her work involves managing the engineering design throughout the planning, design, and construction of rebuild and rerates of transmission lines. Porter is currently the chair of the Black & Veatch Women’s Network and has also been actively engaged with supporting IGED.
“Looking at SWE’s roster of honourees this year, I’m proud to stand with an impressive group of women making a difference and blazing a trail that will lead to more women in engineering and the STEM field,” Porter said. “Our industry, perhaps more than any other, benefits from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to solve our world’s various infrastructure challenges.”
The Society of Women Engineers, founded in 1950, is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. Its annual conference will gather more than 14,000 professional and collegiate men and women in engineering and technology for professional development, education and networking.
