Gladys has 7+ years of industry experience specializing in new product introduction (NPI), and process engineering, such as sustaining/improvement of processes and product/processes validation in manufacturing settings for medical devices, printed circuit boards (PCBs) and alternative energy systems. She earned her M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2014 and an M.S. in Engineering Management in 2016 both from University of Arizona. She earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the Institute of Technology of Sonora from Mexico.
In her current position as Advanced Manufacturing Engineer at ESS Tech Inc., Gladys acts as liaison between R&D, engineering and operations to release robust processes to production while working towards Operational Excellence. As the President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Oregon Chapter, Gladys is focused on empowering her team to work cohesively to reach their full potential. With her team she works to create a psychologically safe environment where all can bring their authentic selves to allow creativity to flourish and to better support the Hispanic community in STEM. She serves for a second term as President of SHPE OR where among many duties, she chaired the 2022 Regional Leadership Development Conference for region 1 (RLDC1) that brought together 211 engineering students from northern CA, NV, WA and OR. Under her leadership, SHPE OR Chapter has won for the first time ever the 2022 Blue Chip Award and the 2022 Region 1 Professional Chapter of the Year.
Gladys is an active community member and a strong advocate for STEM. She has served as judge in the Clean Tech Challenge and as a mentor for the InventOR at Portland State University (PSU). She also served as a judge for the InnovationX at Oregon State University (OSU). Her passion is to motivate and support our next generation of STEM professionals and entrepreneurs to reach their full potential while navigating the challenges of a globalized economy.
Also, Gladys is a strong advocate for racial and gender equity. She is committed to bringing awareness about biases, bullying and micro-aggressions in the workplace, and to contribute in eliminating these negative behaviors by sharing her personal experiences as a woman of color in engineering. Her passion is to help create a kinder society in which the BIPOC community can bloom and feel safe at work. DEI is close to her heart and hence she has served as a speaker to support the DEI efforts of local companies, by sharing her story that has given her a fulfilling life and career - through resilience and perseverance.
She also serves as a board member for the Lake Oswego Transitional Shelter Ministry (LOTSM) and it is part of the Catholic Social Justice Initiative from Our Lady of the Lake in Lake Oswego, OR. Nature is her happy place; it cleanses her mind & spirit after long work weeks. She loves hiking, backpacking, and camping in beautiful OR & WA and scuba diving in warm tropical places. Community engagement, D&I at work and paying it forward are close to her heart.
