Gregory A. Harris, PhD, PE
Auburn University

Gregory Harris is the department chair and associate professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering at Auburn University where he teaches courses in advanced manufacturing and systems engineering; the director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Advanced Manufacturing Systems; and the associate director for digital strategy for the National Center for Additive Manufacturing Excellence. Before joining the ISE faculty at Auburn, Harris was with the U.S. Army, Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center and served as the government program manager for the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute, a presidential initiative to increase innovation and competitiveness in U.S. manufacturing. His work includes research and application in advanced manufacturing systems, model-based enterprise, Industry 4.0, continuous improvement, sustainability and supply chain. Harris is the former director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He has more than 30 years of experience as an industrial engineer, quality engineer, operations manager, plant manager, director of operations and consultant in manufacturing and supply chain. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University, an MBA from St. Edwards University and his doctorate in industrial and systems engineering from UAH. He is a registered professional engineer. SME Member Since 2017

Gabriela Darras
Microsoft Corp.

Gabriela Darras is an industry executive – manufacturing at Microsoft Corp. Prior to her current role, she was a manufacturing engineering manager at Kemper Valve and Fittings Corp., a Caterpillar Inc. company. While there, Darras worked extensively in developing manufacturing at Kemper; she has led end-to-end value chain projects, manufacturing excellence workshops and evaluated opportunities to implement new technologies. Previously, as a director of operations at ITC Inc., Darras led a team of engineers and technical experts delivering integrated business solutions that helped customers improve their manufacturing operations and adapt to industry changes. She also led strategic initiatives that contributed to the development of ITC and the expansion of manufacturing solutions, including cutting-edge manufacturing software that was crucial to their customers’ increasing effort to thrive in their transformation toward flexible and digital manufacturing. Prior to ITC, Darras worked as a consulting manager at CGN Global where she led and provided support to numerous cost reduction, business strategy and transformation projects. Darras holds a master’s degree in manufacturing engineering, a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Bradley University and a bachelor’s of degree in production engineering from the Universidad Privada Boliviana. She was a recipient of the 2020 SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award. Darras, who is passionate about manufacturing, has been an active committee member and chapter officer for SME’s Greater Peoria Chapter 31 from 2013-20, holding different positions and serving as chair in 2014. She also served as the co-chair of SME’s Chapter Enhancement Committee in 2020 and has served on the SME Member Council since 2021. Throughout this time, Darras worked alongside SME teams and chapter leaders to enhance SME chapters, develop their leadership, engage members and support the development of member communities. SME Member Since 2010

Jennifer Fielding, PhD
Air Force Research Laboratory

With over 17 years of experience at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Jennifer Fielding has performed research and program management in diverse fields such as polymer composites, multifunctional materials and additive manufacturing. Fielding is currently the chief of the Composites Branch, leading a team of over 120 scientists and engineers performing research and development on materials, processing and performance of polymer and ceramic-matrix composites. She previously served as the technical advisor for the Structures, Propulsion and Manufacturing Enterprise Branch. Fielding launched and managed America Makes, the first manufacturing institute within the Manufacturing USA network. She served for five years as the deputy program manager for the Defense-Wide Manufacturing Science and Technology Program. Fielding has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence and has been named a Dayton Business Journal 40 Under Forty. She is currently active in SME as the immediate past chair of the Member Council and has contributed to the SME AM Technical Community Leadership Committee. Fielding has also been very active in SAMPE and currently serves as the chair of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. SME Member Since 2014

Gicell Aleman
Valmet

Gicell Aleman received her bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Indiana Tech in 2021. She began her career as a manufacturing engineer at Valmet (formerly Neles Corp.). At Indiana Tech, Aleman served as the chair of SME's student chapter, Indiana Tech S345, leading chapter activities and a highly successful member recruitment program. She began serving on the SME Student Relations Committee in 2020 and served as its chair in 2021. Aleman is also a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, serving as a chapter president for three years, and the National Society of Black Engineers. She will also be serving her first year on the Member Council. SME Member Since 2018

Matthew Clegg
Dassault Systèmes Solidworks

Matthew Clegg is the community and user advocacy manager for Dassault Systèmes Solidworks. He leads over 700 elite brand-advocate users from around the world in the Solidworks Champions Program and manages over 50 content creators in the Solidworks Influencer Program. Clegg graduated from Central Washington University with dual degrees in music performance and industrial engineering. His decade of industry experience includes extensive Solidworks certification, additive manufacturing, laser scanning, reverse engineering, foundry, machining, metal fabrication and marine design. Clegg proudly serves on the Central Washington University Technology Education Program Advisory Committee, the CWU Alumni King Country Hub Leaders Board, the SME Emerging Professionals Task Group and is a member of the American Institute of Steel Construction. During two terms as chair of SME Seattle Chapter 39, he focused on bolstering local college engineering programs by supporting five student chapters, forming the SME Seattle Memorial Endowed Scholarship and growing the Seattle chapter to be one of the largest in the nation. Clegg now serves as Chapter 39 treasurer and mentors younger chapter members. SME Member Since 2014

Dan Braley, FSME, CAM-T
Boeing Global Services

Dan Braley is a Boeing associate technical fellow and the Boeing Global Services additive manufacturing technical focal and initiatives leader. In this role, he serves sustainment of all Boeing military, commercial and derivative aircraft platforms through use of additive manufacturing technologies. Braley has more than 17 years of aerospace program and R&D experience in additive manufacturing, technical program management, materials and process engineering, composites, electromagnetic product development and manufacturing technology development. Prior to his current role, he was a USN/USMC air vehicle technical integrator with Boeing focusing on F/A-18 Flight Control Surfaces, wings, complex spares and repairs. Braley has held positions with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, L-3 Communications ESSCO and the Air Force Research Laboratory at Eglin AFB as well. He is a past recipient of the SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award, the Boeing Meritorious & High Honors Invention Awards, the Northrop Grumman Innovation Award, the F-35 Lightning Rod Award and currently holds 28 U.S. and international patents. Braley received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Florida State University as well as a master’s degree in engineering management from Drexel University. He was elected an SME Fellow in 2022, is an SME Certified Additive Manufacturing Technician (CAM-T) and an advisor for SME's RAPID + TCT event. SME Member Since 2015

Farhad Ghadamli
DM3D Technology

Farhad Ghadamli is a mechanical engineer who has devoted his professional career to advanced manufacturing, more specifically, the additive manufacturing industry. He has experience with numerous OEMs, as well as large corporations like Eaton doing 3D printing with metals, plastics, composites and sand. Ghadamli was the chair of the largest SME professional chapter, Oakland-Macomb Chapter 69. He has participated in SME technical and nontechnical committees. In 2021, Ghadamli was the chair of SME’s Additive Manufacturing Certification and Oversight and Appeals Committee. He has a huge passion for leadership and a drive for supporting the U.S. manufacturing sector and plans to continue being involved. In 2021, Ghadamli received the SME President’s Award for his service to Chapter 69. He has a master's and bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Davis. In 2013, Ghadamli started the SME student chapter at UC Davis, and soon after, led an additive manufacturing competition sponsored by Sandia National Labs, Livermore. He was recognized in 2015 as an SME 30 Under 30 Future Manufacturing Leaders and is one of the recipients of the 2021 SME Aubin AM Case Study Award. SME Member Since 2012

Stephen Marth, CMfgE, LBC
Precor Inc.

Stephen Marth is a senior manufacturing engineer on Precor Inc.'s manufacturing team, a division of Peloton Interactive. Marth works to develop Peloton’s U.S. manufacturing base through NPI (new product introduction) and automation projects. Before joining Precor, he worked for a diverse range of organizations, including Energizer and Honda of America Manufacturing. In addition to his work at Precor, Marth is passionate about lean manufacturing and has served on the executive boards of both SME Seattle Chapter 39 and SME Northern Piedmont Chapter 82 in North Carolina. As chair of Chapter 39, Marth hosted a Pacific Northwest Chapter regional meeting in 2016 and helped the chapter receive/achieve its second Platinum Award for the SME Annual Chapter Recognition. Marth served on the SME Chapter Enhancement Committee and the Chapter Revitalization Committee. He is an SME Certified Manufacturing Engineer, Lean Bronze Certified and holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. SME Member Since 2007

Jacob Rahdarian, CMfgE
Precision Urethane & Machine Inc. 

Jacob Rahdarian is a manufacturing engineer at Precision Urethane & Machine Inc. Previously, Rahdarian was an account manager at Navasota Industrial Supply where he leveraged nearly 15 years of industry expertise to maintain and develop business relationships — effectively growing market share and managing seven figures worth of annual sales. In 2006, an interesting set of life circumstances led to Rahdarian forfeiting a full academic scholarship in physics, working on a goat farm and ultimately finding employment as a machinist in 2008. Since that time, he has held titles such as senior CNC programmer, machining coordinator, supervisor, machine shop manager and owner of a digital marketing agency. Rahdarian later established himself as an industry expert by obtaining his SME Certified Manufacturing Engineer (CMfgE) certification, was selected as an SME 30 Under 30 honoree in 2018, elected as chair for SME Houston Chapter 29 in 2019 and named an SME Connect VIP in 2021 for his contributions to the platform. Throughout Rahdarian’s career, he has had over 100 direct reports, traveled the nation as a key supplier to Boeing, Caterpillar Inc. and NOV, and obtained five manufacturing-related certifications from SME, AMT, CNC Software and Dassault Systemes. Rahdarian is continually driven to uplift others in their manufacturing/leadership journey. SME Member Since 2015

Tara Thomasson
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.

Tara Thomasson is a fellow at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. She is a subject-matter expert in the areas of advanced materials and processing, thermoplastic additive manufacturing and manufacturing technology and strategy. In Thomasson’s current role as aeronautics operations digital transformation lead, she is focused on collaborative efforts across the Lockheed Martin Corp. design to bring the benefits of operating in a model-based environment to manufacturing. Previously, Thomasson served as the manufacturing technology contract research and development/small business innovation research manager where she was responsible for collaborating with Navy ManTech and Air Force ManTech organizations to shape development programs to solve manufacturing challenges while enabling forward-thinking innovation on future production systems. In addition to Thomasson’s work at Lockheed Martin, she serves as an adjunct professor at Texas Christian University in the College of Science & Engineering, teaching manufacturing and mentoring up-and-coming engineers. Over the past five years, Thomasson has supported SME as an AeroDef Conference advisor and as an SME Education Foundation scholarship reviewer. She is passionate about increasing formal mentoring of college students to broaden their knowledge of opportunities in manufacturing. SME Member Since 2018

Krishna Vuppala
John Deere Foundry

Krishna Vuppala is a lead manufacturing engineer at John Deere Foundry where he oversees new product introduction programs, capital equipment acquisition, project management, strategic sourcing, continuous improvement, production planning and control, OSHA and EPA regulations, quality control and customer relationship management. Vuppala was previously the co-chair of the SME Chapter Enhancement Committee, past chair of SME Waterloo (IA) Chapter 186 and is the bulletin/advertising volunteer lead for Chapter 186. He obtained his MBA from the University of Northern Iowa in 2016, master’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2011 and bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in 2008. SME Member Since 2017