My ISA Story: From Shrimp Boil to Section President

Summary

Back in 2022, I went to the ISA Wilmington Section’s annual Shrimp Boil. At the time, I wasn’t an ISA member; I went to represent ACE, enjoy good food and meet new people. I didn’t realize the giant pot of shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes would also mark the beginning of my journey with ISA. I ended up speaking with a few of the Wilmington Section leaders that night, including former ACE engineer Shawn Coughlan, and suddenly ISA was on my radar.
 
Not long after, Shawn passed my name to the section president, and I was quickly “voluntold” to join the executive board. Before I knew it, I became the Membership Chair. For the next two years, I focused on welcoming new members and keeping our community engaged.
 
One of the highlights during this time was traveling to Colorado Springs for the Automation Leadership Conference in 2023, which was my first time seeing ISA at a national level. Between the technical sessions, the career development talks and a volunteer workshop full of fresh ideas, I returned energized thinking about what we could do in Wilmington. It was also a great opportunity to network and meet people who are passionate about the organization. I was even able to reconnect with an engineer who I originally met while working on my first ever project in the industry.
 
In 2024 I stepped into the Program Chair role—planning meetings, lining up speakers for technical presentations and helping organize events. This role also included taking a larger role in coordinating the beloved Shrimp Boil. It’s funny how my ISA journey started with that event, and now I can carry on the tradition that so many people look forward to each yar. For us, it’s more than just shrimp and corn—it’s the one night every year when people from all corners of our community come together to learn and connect.
 
Earlier this year, I learned that our section president was relocating, and I was asked to step up as Secretary/President-Elect. I’ll admit that at first, I was a little nervous to become next-in-line for the section presidency. But then I realized: if we don’t step up, the section fades. By summer 2026, I’ll be serving as president, and I’m excited to keep building on what we’ve started.
 
What makes me most proud right now is who’s sitting around the table with me. Our section board is young, energized and—perhaps unexpectedly—we have three women in leadership. That’s not common in automation, and I love being a part of that change. We’re also making stronger connections with students at the University of Delaware, and it’s already paying off. Last semester we had our first student member join the section, and had other students attend a section meeting. Seeing that kind of impact firsthand is what it’s all about.
 
When I think about why ISA matters to me, it’s simple: it’s where my world of automation and my world of community come together. ISA develops the standards I use every day, but it also gives me a space to grow, learn and give back.
 
And to think, I don’t even like shrimp!

_{As the International Society of Automation (ISA) celebrates 80 years of advancing the field of automation, we asked the automation community to share their personal experiences and stories. You can view all the submissions here.}