Nita Patel, P.E., is the Senior Director, Engineering at L3Harris Technologies responsible for design and development of advanced electro-optical systems. Nita has been an active IEEE volunteer for over 20 years. She is a Director of the IEEE Foundation and, in the past, the founder of the IEEE Women in Engineering International Leadership Conference (WIE ILC), Women in Engineering International Chair, 1st VP of the Computer Society, member of the Computer Society Board of Governors, member of the Eta Kappa Nu Board of Governors and 2010-12 IEEE-USA VP of Communications & Public Awareness. Outside of IEEE, she is active volunteer with Toastmasters International and a senior director with the United States Chess Federation. Nita was named the 2014 L3 Engineer of the Year and the 2011 New Hampshire Engineer of the Year award for her technical contributions to the engineering profession. Nita received her MS Computer Engineering (1998), BS Electrical Engineering (1995) and BS Mathematics (1995) from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.