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Five MITRE Employees Recognized for STEM Achievements FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MITRE Contacts: Karina H. Wright Eryn L. Gallagher MCLEAN, Va., November 13, 2012 — Five employees of The MITRE Corporation were recently honored for their technical and leadership accomplishments at the 17th annual Women of Color STEM Conference held in Dallas in October. Geetha Elengical received a Special Recognition award; Sheetal Brahmbhatt and Kimberley Branch were named Technology All-Stars; and Christine Custis and Anuja Mahashabde, Ph.D., were named Technology Rising Stars. Sponsored by Career Communications Group, Inc., the national conference honors women of color who demonstrate excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields (STEM); leadership in their workplace and communities; and a commitment to encouraging young women to pursue science and technical careers. "These five individuals exemplify the extraordinary talent and expertise that MITRE brings to its government sponsors and customers," said Karen Quinn-Quintin, vice president and chief human resources officer at MITRE. "They're helping solve some of the nation's most complex technical challenges while shaping the next generation of STEM leaders." Geetha Elengical Elengical is a principal information systems engineer with more than 30 years of experience in information technology, systems engineering, cyber security, enterprise architecture and project management. She works in MITRE's Center for Enterprise Modernization, which supports the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs in advancing the technology infrastructure of our nation's civilian government agencies. As a project lead, Elengical supports MITRE's efforts to help the IRS' Enterprise Services to transform the enterprise and to mature processes and integrate technologies. Previously, she supported enhancements to the world's largest biometric system, the Department of Homeland Security's United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT). Prior to joining MITRE in 2007, Elengical provided engineering and technical leadership for projects in air traffic management, air defense and various IT projects at Lockheed Martin Corporation and Westinghouse Corporation. She holds master's degrees in computer science and systems engineering from the Johns Hopkins University. Sheetal Brahmbhatt Brahmbhatt is a lead software systems engineer with MITRE's Command and Control Center (C2C), one of two operating centers within the Department of Defense-sponsored National Security Engineering Center (NSEC). With MITRE since 2007, Brahmbhatt is the lead engineer and technical adviser for all Special Mission Air Combat Command battle management platforms, including the U.S. Air Force's Airborne Early Warning and Control System, the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS), the Advanced Airborne Command Post and the tactical weapon system called Compass Call. Recently, she helped develop a Take-Off and Landing Data tool for the Joint STARS. Earlier in her career, Brahmbhatt worked at the Kennedy Space Center, where she supported the replacement of the shuttle's existing check out and launch control system. She holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Central Florida and is pursuing a master's degree in systems engineering at the Johns Hopkins University. Kimberley Branch Branch, who has more than 25 years of experience in government service, is a principal information systems engineer with MITRE's Center for Connected Government. Since joining MITRE in 2009, Branch has assisted senior leadership at the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services with the acquisition of IT-enabled capabilities critical to their mission success. She recently worked with a MITRE team to draft a memorandum of understanding between the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) and MITRE to establish a strategic partnership between the two entities in the areas of acquisition research, knowledge management, curriculum and education. This partnership is one of only two that the DAU has with an FFRDC. Prior to joining MITRE in 2009, Branch was a program control officer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration, where she established the acquisition strategy for security equipment deployed at U.S. airports. Branch is an active member of her community and church, volunteering in various capacities. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2005, Branch supports others with the disease by participating in and raising funds for the Capital Challenge Walk for MS. She also volunteers for the MS National Day of Service. She holds a master's degree in procurement and acquisitions management from Webster University. Christine Custis Custis has 14 years of experience in technical planning and project administration. She is a lead information systems engineer with MITRE's Enterprise Business Transformation department in the company's Center for Connected Government. Custis' responsibilities have included providing technical consulting services in support of the Food and Drug Administration, the IRS, the Department of Homeland Security, the Census Bureau and National Nuclear Security Administration. Recently, she developed documentation regarding three technical options designed to increase electronic filing of tax forms. Earlier, Custis prepared a working plan, risk assessment and mitigation strategies for the 2010 Census. She is currently engaged in business analysis activities for the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation. Prior to joining MITRE in 2008, Custis was director of architecture for BearingPoint, Inc. She is a member of the Ph.D. Project, a nonprofit organization that helps African, Hispanic and Native Americans attain doctoral degrees. Custis has a master's degree in computer science from Howard University. She is a Ph.D. candidate in business administration at Morgan State University. Anuja Mahashabde Mahashabde is a senior multi-discipline systems engineer in MITRE's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD), the Federal Aviation Administration-sponsored federally funded research and development center. She is currently the principal investigator on a MITRE internal research project focused on integrating simulation tools with environmental models to enable system-wide analysis of aviation environmental impacts. She has also supported a range of projects in CAASD, including human-in-the-loop simulations for the N.Y./N.J./Philadelphia Metropolitan Airspace Redesign project, cost analysis for the Next Generation Air Transportation System, initial benefits assessment for the National Special Activity Airspace Project and developing guidance for screening new flight procedures for potential community noise impacts. Mahashabde joined MITRE in 2009. She is a volunteer tutor with Chicago Lights, a community outreach organization that serves low-income students in grades one through twelve. Additionally, she is the secretary of the Transportation Research Board's Committee on Environmental Impacts of Aviation. Mahashabde holds a doctorate and a master's degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT. About The MITRE Corporation The MITRE Corporation is a not-for-profit organization that provides systems engineering, research and development, and information technology support to the government. It operates federally funded research and development centers for the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, with principal locations in Bedford, Mass., and McLean, Va. To learn more, visit www.mitre.org. About the Women of Color STEM Conference Sponsored by Career Communications Group, Inc., the Women of Color STEM Conference offers recruitment and networking opportunities and workshops that cover a variety of technical and managerial skill sets. The event also provides opportunities for STEM students and professionals to cultivate career mentoring relationships.
Page last updated: November 13, 2012 | Top of page |
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