January 3, 2014. The Society of Women Engineers announced it is beginning the new year by welcoming its new executive director and CEO. Karen Horting, the former deputy executive director of SWE, on January 1 filled the position held by Betty Shanahan.
“Karen’s leadership and nearly 10 years of experience at SWE will provide a seamless transition for our growing staff and worldwide membership,” said Stacey DelVecchio, SWE’s president. “Coupled with Betty remaining onboard in an advisory role in the coming months, we look forward to a smooth transition.”
Horting joined SWE nine years ago and has transformed the organization through her many contributions. She has been tasked with overseeing all aspects of fund development for the global organization, building the Corporate Partnership Council into a thriving panel of more than 70 influential organizations within the industry. Horting was also instrumental in molding much of the society’s portfolio of offerings for those in the engineering industry, including professional development, K-12 outreach, the SWE Annual Conference, and SWE’s international expansion.
In addition to her contributions to SWE, Horting brings more than 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, and fund development. Prior to joining SWE, she served as the director of strategic planning at New York Academy of Sciences where she oversaw development activities and long-range organizational planning. Her experience also includes time at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). There, she managed both marketing and fund development on a global level for Science’s Next Wave, a ground-breaking career development website for graduate students and postdocs in science, math, and technology. Her previous experience also includes more than 10 years in the paint and coatings industry in a variety of technical-service and marketing functions.
Horting holds a bachelor of science in biology from Northern Illinois University and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, she earned a Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the CAE Commission of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).
“While we’re saddened to bid Betty farewell, she is leaving SWE in a position for global growth and in the hands of a seasoned professional,” DelVecchio said. “The future for women engineers and our organization is very bright indeed.”
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), founded in 1950, is a not-for-profit educational and service organization. SWE works to establish engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. SWE empowers women to succeed and advance in those aspirations and receive the recognition and credit for their life-changing contributions and achievements as engineers and leaders.