Executive Council

Dr. Tracy Nguyen is an optometrist, proud first-generation refugee, a dedicated mentor, and a passionate advocate for women in engineering. Inspired by her own experiences, she is committed to empowering women and expanding opportunities in engineering and technology.

As SWE San Diego Vice President (FY24 and FY25) and former Outreach Chair (FY22 and FY23), Dr. Nguyen transformed SWE SD Outreach from quarterly events to leading more than 100 annually. She spearheaded and expanded signature initiatives such as Meet Up with Engineers, the Women in STEM Forum, the SWE STEM Leaders & Innovators Series, Engineering Exploration, and SWE SD flagship outreach, Girls in STEM Inspiration Day. These initiatives have created lasting mentorship opportunities and meaningful community engagement. As Outreach Chair, she set a visionary goal to establish SWE Affiliates at all seven community colleges in San Diego County and is well on pace to achieve it this FY.  Believing that cross-organizational collaboration is key to advancing SWE’s mission, she strengthened partnerships with groups such as SHPE, NSBE, #LatinaGeeks, Fleet Science Center, UCSD CREATE, and Latinas in Tech, fostering diversity, inclusion, and community impact. These efforts earned SWE San Diego back-to-back SWE Mission Recognition awards at WE23 and WE24.

Dr. Nguyen's leadership and unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging have been recognized nationally with the WE23 SWE Spark Award, WE Local Engaged Advocate Award, and the WE24 and WE25 DEIB Individual Recognition Awards. Yet, she considers her greatest achievement to be seeing her mentees not only make it to college but thrive at prestigious universities such as UC Berkeley, Stanford, MIT, UC San Diego, UCLA, and Cal Poly, a testament to her passion for mentorship and empowering the next generation of engineers. 

Now serving as SWE San Diego President, Dr. Nguyen is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and thriving professional network. Her priorities include expanding professional development opportunities through monthly skill-building workshops, mentorship programs, and networking events. By leveraging her industry relationships, she aims to connect members with professionals and open pathways to internships, leadership growth, and career advancement.

Beyond SWE, Dr. Nguyen’s impact extends across STEM education and advocacy. She has been honored with the 2025 NCWIT National Educator Award for her dedication to inspiring students and advancing equity in computing and engineering. A mother, mentor, and leader, she embodies perseverance, empathy, and excellence, and continues to build bridges that empower future innovators. Through her vision and service, Dr. Nguyen is shaping a more inclusive, collaborative, and inspiring future for women in STEM. 

Cassidy Thornbury is a water resource engineer with a B.S. degree in Environmental Engineering and an M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from SDSU. She works at Carollo Engineers, a consulting firm that specializes in the planning, design, and construction of water and wastewater facilities. She started at Carollo as an intern while attending SDSU and has been with the company for 8 years. She grew up with an interest in engineering but also has a passion for water and the environment, making her a perfect fit at Carollo!

During her time at SDSU, she was involved in the SWE collegiate section along with other engineering organizations, including Chi Epsilon, AWWA, ASCE, and Engineers Without Borders, where she took on several officer positions to build leadership skills. Her favorite events were always the ones involving outreach and socializing, as she got to interact and connect with peers as well as the community. Being able to share her love for engineering and inspiring others to pursue their dreams has always been an important part of her life.

Since college, she has been actively involved in SWE San Diego and has served as the FY21 Community Outreach Chair and K-12 Outreach Co-Chair, the FY24 Recording Secretary, and the FY25 Treasurer. She also serves as the office ambassador for Carollo Cares, a community outreach program at her work, and has led fundraising events for Water for People to help provide clean, safe drinking water for people in other parts of the world. Along with her passion for water engineering, Cassidy has great attention to detail, organizational skills, and maintains transparency, all important traits of treasury. Having served two years in the Executive Council and most recently as Treasurer, she has experience with the operations and requirements in keeping the section in good financial standing. She is excited to continue as the FY26 Treasurer and looks forward to another great year with the SWE San Diego community!

Emerald Trejo brings over six years of industry experience, holding dual master’s degrees in computer science and engineering management. Her dedication to the engineering community has earned her recognition, including the 2023 SWE Volunteer of the Year Award. As the current Outreach Co-Chair for SWE San Diego, Emerald has played a pivotal role in organizing impactful initiatives and volunteer events that foster engagement and mentorship. He leadership extends beyond SWE, as she actively contributes to Lockheed Martin’s engineering leadership program and serves as a lead for a business resource group within the company and the local STEM council. Her experience in these roles has strengthened her ability to collaborate, organize, and lead with purpose.

Emerald’s commitment to inclusivity and effective communication makes her well-suited for the role of Recording Secretary. She understands the importance of capturing key discussions, ensuring transparency, and facilitating well-informed decision-making. With her meticulous attention to detail and ability to synthesize complex information, she will work to make sure that all voices are heard and that critical questions are addressed. Leveraging her leadership experience and passion for SWE’s mission, Emerald aims to enhance communication and documentation processes, ensuring that SWE San Diego’s initiatives are well-recorded and accessible. Through her dedication and strategic mindset, she will help strengthen the section’s operations and support its continued success. Emerald Trejo is excited for the opportunity to serve and continue contributing to the growth of SWE San Diego.