School of Engineering Dean's Advisory Council

Portia Child is a Director in Strategy and Planning for the $7b Electronic Systems Sector of BAE Systems, Inc. Her primary responsibilities include strategic integrated business planning, driving synergies, and supporting other strategic business needs including M&A. Over her 16 years with the company, she has a track record of success in various leadership positions in capture, program execution, innovative product development, and cross-business collaboration. Portia holds degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology and systems engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She is currently enrolled in an executive MBA program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she represents her class as their elected Senator and serves on the Woman’s Committee. She lives in Hollis, New Hampshire with her husband and son.

Portia is a graduate of BAE Systems’ Emerging Leaders, Sponsorship, Growth Leader Development and Engineering Leadership Development programs. In addition, Portia is a co-founder of Gen AI based PolicyMind, a 2024 finalist in the legendary MIT $100k Launch competition.

Portia grew up as a Lobsterman’s daughter in Portland, ME. In her free time, Portia enjoys being with her family, taking on new challenges, fresh air, and participating in regional volunteer opportunities.

Irene McSweeney, Chief of Operations at Boston Water and Sewer Commission, has served the City of Boston for 34 years at the Boston Water and Sewer Commission as Director of Construction, Chief of Operations and Chief of Special Operations. Irene earned an Associate’s Degree in Building Construction,  Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology and a Master’s in Environmental Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Her work spans all types of major infrastructure, from cleaning and lining of water mains, to major sewer separation projects to clean up Boston Harbor, as well as numerous trenchless projects.  As COO, she oversaw the Commission’s emergency response and maintenance of the Commission’s 1500 miles of Sanitary and Storm Sewers and 1008 miles of water mains.  Prior to joining the BWSC, she worked at Allen and Major Associates as a Senior Project Manager, overseeing site development projects and residential and commercial subdivisions.  

John began his career at GE Aerospace in Lynn on the T700 Program as an engineer. After GE, he continued in the Aerospace and Defense sector, with positions at Johnson Electric, L3Harris, and HDT Global, where he worked in roles with increasing responsibility focused on Operations and P&L. 

Over the past decade, John has been focused on improving operational efficiency through sustainable organizational transformation. As a division president and multi-division head of operations at L3Harris, VP of global operations at HDT Global, and Executive Director at GE Aerospace, he has focused his efforts on improving Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost, prioritized in that order. 

Currently, John is the Site Leader of the Lynn, MA campus of General Electric. This 135 acre location is the home of more than 2500 talented individuals delivering more than 80% of the defense and military engines for GE Aerospace as an enterprise. 
John attended Wentworth Institute of Technology for Electromechanical Engineering and has an MBA from Boston University. He was born in Lynn, MA and currently resides in Swampscott, with his wife and 3-year-old twins. When he is not working, he is usually spending time with family and friends. 
 

As the Engineering Manager at Leidos, where I have proudly worked for the past 10 years, I lead a dynamic, multidisciplinary team of energy professionals focused on delivering substation physical designs and protection & control systems for local utility clients. My role encompasses team engagement, project execution, client relations, and business development, all aimed at fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment. 

I graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Applied Math. During my time at Wentworth, I was not only dedicated to my studies but also actively involved in campus life and community service. My participation in various student organizations and initiatives allowed me to connect with peers, give back to the community, and develop leadership skills that have been invaluable in my career. I furthered my education with a Master’s in Engineering Management from UMass Lowell in 2018. I also hold a Professional Engineer license and a PMP certification, which enhances my ability to drive successful projects and mentor my team. 

In 2014, I was nominated to participate in Leidos' Emerging Leaders program, where each year 26 leaders across the division embark on an eight-month journey culminating in a team presentation competition. This experience provided exposure to various resources and tools within the company, as well as introductions to stakeholders from different sections. 
In addition to my work at Leidos, I am a member of the IEEE Worcester chapter, where I connect with peers in the Power & Energy Society (PEC) chapter, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing within the industry. 

Having started my journey at Leidos right after college, my experience has evolved significantly from my initial internships at a local utility company. Throughout my career, I have prioritized the importance of connection and culture within the team. By leveraging my social skills, I’ve built strong relationships that enable us to support one another and excel in our individual growth areas, regardless of titles. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling to new destinations and taking on home renovation projects, which allow me to express my creativity and appreciation for design. 
 

Jeffrey T. Borenstein, PhD, is Director, Biomedical Engineering Center at Draper, where he leads programs in microphysiological systems for disease modeling, medical countermeasure screening, and organ assist devices.  His work is supported by the DoD, BARDA, and NIH.  He has a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Albany and over two decades of experience in the application of microfluidics in medicine.  He holds 80 issued patents and has over 120 peer-reviewed journal articles.  He is a member of the National Academy of Inventors and has served continuously for over a decade as a panel reviewer for the NIH and VA.

Norman (Norm) provides strategic leadership and oversight for the Applied Science & Research Center at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), managing its physical testing, materials science, and research programs. He advances the role of the center at SGH and in the industry by expanding testing capabilities and encouraging team members to explore creative project approaches. Norm brings previous experience as a practicing engineer and researcher to SGH, including roles in a wide variety of civil, mechanical, environmental, structural, and fire protection engineering projects around the globe.

Norm graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology with the highest honors in Civil Engineering Technology in 1996 and has held many technical and leadership positions in the field of engineering. He is a licensed professional engineer in multiple states and currently chairs and actively participates in several standards committees. Norm has published numerous articles and given presentations in the United States and Europe. 

He looks forward to sharing his experience as a lead engineer in multiple disciplines, as a chief operating officer, vice president, and committee chair for the School of Engineering Dean's Advisory Council. Norm is excited to help shape the future of education and set the strategic direction of the school.  
 

Reed Brockman is a licensed structural engineer with 34 years of experience.  As a Vice President at AECOM, where he has worked for over 20 years, he runs the bridge and tunnel inspection program.  He perennially looks forward to bringing Wentworth interns to AECOM and working with them, many of whom will become permanent employees after graduation.  He is a Past President of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers (BSCES) and has been long involved in the Committee on Pre-College Outreach; he has for many years been the chair of the BSCES Public Awareness & Outreach Committee, the two largest activities of that group being hosted by Wentworth (the 34th Annual Model Bridge Contest will be February 1, 2025 at Watson Hall, and the 27th Annual New England Regional Future City New England Regional Finals will be in Watson Hall on January 25, 2025). While he may have graduated with his Civil Engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1988, he is very proud to be a member of this advisory council, just as he is so appreciative of the Wentworth alums on his staff and all the volunteers from Wentworth that have made the STEM events he coordinates such a success. 

Umair Zia is the Vice President of System Operations, Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). 

In his past role at Eversource, Umair has worked on numerous initiatives including; major reliability and resiliency improvement projects; Mobile batteries for Utility operation; led workforce development initiatives, including enhanced collaboration with local academia; led the development of multiple data analytics and machine learning tools including multi award-winning state of the art tool that provides insights and analysis on sustained and momentary outages as well as a health index on major distribution assets; Prior to joining Eversource, Umair worked for Potomac Electric Power Company in Washington D.C. where he held several leadership positions in Electric Operations and Engineering. Umair holds a master’s degree in Systems Engineering, a graduate certificate in Mechanical Engineering, and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, all from the University of Maryland. He also has a certificate in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School-Online. Umair serves as a member of the board of directors for the Discovery Museum of Acton, MA. 

Brian C. Wadell is a 30+ year veteran of microwave instrumentation, an IEEE Fellow, and the author of the Transmission Line Design Handbook. Brian holds 13 patents in high frequency packaging, ATE, and multilateration including the patent for the industry’s first RF ATE channel, a design still used in RF testers today. He lead the team that won a Popular Science Best Technology award in 2000 and co-authored the Best ATE Paper of 2022.  In 2023 he won the Teradyne Innovation Award for work that developed a 60 GHz over-the-air test solution.  He is a graduate of Cornell University with a master’s degree in electrical engineering.  

Brian has been an active volunteer with the IEEE including stints as Boston I&M Chapter chairman, Instrumentation and Measurement Society President, TAB Finance Committee, and Arrangements for IMS/ARFTG.  He volunteered in his community as an MIAA-certified soccer coach, as a USA Swimming national-level official, and in the school system where he worked with Reading school teachers to develop a syllabus teaching “waves” using equipment donated by Teradyne.  He has been an Engineering Capstone mentor for three cycles of WIT students.  During CoVID-19 outbreak he formed a small team that 3d printed and donated PPE for health care providers experiencing shortages.

Brian is currently in Teradyne’s Innovation Laboratory working on breakthrough ATE concepts for future high volume devices. Previously he was Chief Mm-wave Systems Architect where he worked with semiconductor customers to create Teradyne’s microwave and millimeter wave instrumentation, including the first production 5G instruments operating in FR2.  He is Teradyne's representative to the ATIS/3GPP/6G groups that are creating the next generation 5G and 6G standards extending into the sub-THz frequency range. 
 

Sadaf Qazi is a distinguished Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, renowned for her expertise as a Digital Systems Engineer with a focus on data analysis and domain knowledge in radar and communication systems. Her holistic approach to problem-solving and her status as an enthusiastic continuous learner have earned her recognition across multiple cross-functional opportunities.

In her current capacity as Chief Engineer for the US DoD Aerospace Account, Sadaf Qazi is instrumental in program execution and business development, with a strong emphasis on DevSecOps and Digital Transformation efforts. She has successfully led several large Air Force projects, including a $20M Air Force sustainment program. Additionally, she holds the role of Digital Engineering market lead and serves as the deputy chief engineer for a $600M space program, showcasing her extensive expertise and leadership in the field.

A passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Sadaf has undertaken numerous leadership roles, both within her organization and in the broader community. In 2021, she was selected to join a leadership group working with the Aerospace Account Executive Leadership Team and the Global Defense Group Executive Leadership Team. Their mission was to foster transparency, serve as a sensing mechanism, and support the implementation of DE&I priorities within GDG.

Prior to her tenure at Booz Allen, Sadaf contributed her expertise as a Systems Engineer at Raytheon Surveillance Radar Systems, where she provided subject matter expertise for concept development, architectural design, and software requirements for a variety of radar system features.

An active member of the Society of Women Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Sadaf holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering (Summa Cum Laude) from Wentworth Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering (Cum Laude) from Tufts University