Ep 382: Defying Gravity and Finding Your Voice With WE26 Keynote Evelyn Cortez-Davis

Evelyn Cortez-Davis, WE26 closing keynote and director of strategic initiatives for the water system at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, watched the film “An Inconvenient Truth” as a new mom. At that moment, she made a promise to her young daughter that she would have a “damn good answer” when asked what she did as climate change unfolded. In conversation with FY27 SWE President Kerrie Greenfelder, Evelyn shares how that commitment shaped her engineering career. As a first-generation immigrant from El Salvador, Evelyn also reflects on being an English learner and an undocumented student during her first two years at UCLA, and how learning to use her voice shaped her STEM path. Hear what it means to be the first in the room, why engineers need to stay creative as technology reshapes the world, and how stepping outside your comfort zone can open unexpected doors. Evelyn also previews her closing keynote at WE26, the world's largest conference for women and allies in engineering, taking place Nov. 5-7 in Boston. Find the full conference schedule and register at we26.swe.org — The award-winning Diverse podcast from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is now Global Voices in Engineering! With nearly 45,000 members in 90+ countries around the world (and growing), we wanted a new name that perfectly captures what both SWE and the podcast are all about: bringing together engineering stories from around the world, because every engineer has a story. SWE is the world’s largest advocate and catalyst for change for women and allies in engineering and technology. To join and access all the exclusive benefits to elevate your professional journey, visit membership.swe.org