The SME Member Council was created in the fall of 2003 to lead the member engagement activities of SME's volunteer networks. It is responsible for assisting SME in recognizing and meeting the needs of its membership in a rapidly changing environment, building on the long-term SME strategic goals, strengthening local activities and formulating recommendations relative to SME membership recruitment, retention and engagement.

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Chair

Matthew Clegg
Matthew Clegg, a community and user advocacy manager at Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS, leads three global user advocacy programs with over 500 members. Originally from Washington, he now resides in Ohio. Matthew graduated from Central Washington University with dual degrees in music performance and industrial engineering technology. His ten years of industry experience cover a wide range, including SOLIDWORKS certification, additive manufacturing, reverse engineering, foundry operations, machining, metal fabrication, construction and forestry equipment, and marine design. Aside from his role on the SME Member Council, Matthew co-chairs the SME Chapter Funding and Award working group and has previously served on the SME Emerging Professional working group. In 2021, Matthew was honored with the SME International Award of Merit. He served two terms as chair of SME Seattle Chapter 39, focusing on enhancing local college engineering programs, establishing the SME Seattle Memorial Endowed Scholarship, and expanding the Seattle senior chapter. He now serves as chapter advisor and enjoys mentoring new members. In his leisure time, Matthew plays trombone in local orchestras and jazz bands. Matthew remains dedicated to revitalizing, growing, and sustaining local SME chapters. SME Member Since 2014

Chair–Elect

Susan Kolinski
Susan Kolinskiis Director of Sales at Sherex. Since joining SME in 2022, Susan has become an increasingly active member. She has served on the Membership Council for two years, chairs the 2025 DEIA task force and serves as membership chair in her local chapter 069. Susan attends and coordinates various events with the local chapter. She mentors through the SME Mentorship Program, volunteers for student initiatives with the Brightminds program, and supports the local FIRST Robotics team. These activities and more inspire her to continually look for connections in the manufacturing sector aiming to raise awareness about SME. With over 30 years of technical sales experience in the global Automotive and Commercial Vehicle industries, Susan works within the industry focusing on making connections with people and products. Her career has been a commitment to learning, discovering the value of a person, product, or technology, and collaborating with others to put that to practical use. Susan began her career as an applications engineer, moved into technical sales and now focuses on new business development in her current role. She holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Material Science & Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University. SME Member Since 2022

Immediate Past Chair

Dan Braley, CAMT, FSME
Dan Braley served as the Chief Technology Officer for both Precision Additive Solutions and Magnesium Innovation Group. Dan is a Fellow of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and an Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) Distinguished Innovator Operator (DINO). He has more than 20 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 has served as the Boeing Global Services additive manufacturing technical focal leading advanced manufacturing sustainment of all Boeing military, commercial and derivative aircraft platforms. He has also held positions with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, L-3 Communications ESSCO and the Air Force Research Laboratory at Eglin AFB. 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 85 U.S. and international patents. Dan 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 (CAMT), is currently serving as the SME Member Council Chair, and is a technical advisor for SME's RAPID + TCT and AeroDef events. SME Member Since 2015

Gicell Aleman
Gicell Aleman is a Manufacturing Engineer at Valmet Flow Control, specializing in optimizing electric and pneumatic actuator production through continuous improvement and streamlined processes. Outside of her professional work, Gicell has served as Chair of the SME C025 Chapter since 2024, with a mission to revitalize the chapter by restructuring its foundation and expanding outreach to students and professionals. She has also contributed to several committees, including the Member Council, Student Relations Committee, EP Task Group, and Student Funding and Awards Group. Gicell recently earned her Master's degree in Engineering Management from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, where she honed her project management skills. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering from Indiana Tech (2021), where she was actively involved in the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), served as Chair of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and led the student chapter of SME. Passionate about leadership and growth, Gicell is committed to making meaningful contributions to both the engineering community and the organizations she is a part of. She also dedicates her time to volunteering in low-income neighborhoods, where she supports and mentors women, especially in STEM education, helping them build confidence and pursue opportunities in science and engineering. SME Member Since 2020

Michael Bell
Michael Bell is a Sacramento State University mechanical engineering graduate turned systems engineer. Mike has 13 years as a university and college professor, 10 years as a product and manufacturing engineer, 5 years in creating talent pipeline management programs, and a lifetime as a community builder. Through the culmination of that experience, Mike started a system integration company called Synbyo in 2019. Synbyo specializes in labor and machine system integration for all manufacturing industries. In his free time, he enjoys riding his Triumph Daytona, playing video games, and spending time with his wife and four bunnies. SME Member Since 2010

 

 

 

 

Dana Emswiler
Dana Emswiler graduated from the University of Pittsburgh as an Industrial Engineer in 2021. After graduation, she joined Eaton – a global power management company – in their Operations Management Leadership Development Program and had roles in St. Louis, Connecticut, and Texas. Upon completion of the program in 2024, she began her next and current role as a High-Performance Work Team Lead at Eaton’s plant in Beaver, PA which makes circuit breakers. At Eaton, Dana serves as one of the global co-leads for their Society of Women Engineers (SWE) team and supports numerous early talent recruiting initiatives. A 2017 Coca-Cola Scholar, Dana loves to volunteer with the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, as well as with SWE and SME. Dana has served on the Emerging Professionals (EP) Working Group since 2022 and has chaired the group since 2023. Dana enjoys running, traveling, cooking, and reading. SME Member since 2017

 

 

Sampson E Gholston, PhD
Sampson E Gholston, PhD is Chair and Professor at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in the Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Department. He also holds the title of Professor Emeritus at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, reflecting his lasting impact on industrial and manufacturing engineering education and research. Dr. Gholston's expertise spans applied statistics, quality engineering and management, and organizational performance. His work has significantly contributed to advancing industry standards and optimizing process efficiency. Early in his career, he gained valuable experience as a Supplier Quality Engineer at General Motors' Saturn Corporation, where he developed a strong foundation in manufacturing and quality assurance. His influence extends beyond academia, as he has provided consulting and contractual expertise to major organizations, including Delphi Automotive, General Motors, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and several others. He holds a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and has trained and certified hundreds of technicians, managers, and engineers in Lean Six Sigma. Dr. Gholston is also an expert in assessing and improving overall organizational performance. He is currently a Senior Examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence Award and a Master Examiner for the Sterling/Oglethorpe Performance Excellence Award. SME Member Since 2022  

Allison Ledford, PhD
Allison Ledford, PhD is an assistant research professor in industrial and systems engineering at Auburn University. Her primary research is in digital engineering with the Interdisciplinary Center for Advanced Manufacturing Systems (ICAMS). She recently completed her Ph.D. at Auburn University, and her dissertation work in data element mapping and analysis is patent pending, with two additional patentable inventions in the works. During her undergraduate years, she was a founding member and first president of the SME chapter at Auburn University. She is very thankful to SME for introducing her younger self to the world of manufacturing and inspiring her to do the work she loves. She currently sits on the SME Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Task Group. Allison is passionate about introducing manufacturing to young and underrepresented communities. She recently served as an academic advisor to a team of middle school students who won honorable mention in the 2024 SME Digital Manufacturing Challenge for a device that enables communication between deaf and hearing individuals. Allison's position is based out of the Auburn University Research and Innovation Campus in Huntsville, Alabama, where she works extensively in enabling digital engineering and digital manufacturing for the U.S. Army. SME Member Since 2024 

Zachary Loeb
Zachary Loeb is an Environmental Engineer with over a decade of experience in advanced water and wastewater treatment processes, renewable energy, and air pollution treatment. Their area of specialty includes participating in engineering, research, and quality management activities to process municipal and manufacturing waste streams, aiming to prevent highly persistent pollutants from entering the aquatic environment and contributing to the development of inventive sustainable energy solutions. Zachary has also been recognized for award-winning research at the international level and for high-value innovation. SME Member Since 2013

 

 

 

Tara Thomasson
Tara Thomasson is a Technical Fellow at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company and a current representative on the SME Member Council. She is a subject matter expert in advanced materials and processing, thermoplastic additive manufacturing, and manufacturing technology and strategy. Thomasson's dedication to promoting manufacturing extends to her adjunct professorship at Texas Christian University in the College of Science & Engineering, where she teaches Manufacturing and mentors aspiring engineers. In her role as an SME Members Council Representative, Thomasson serves as the Technical Community Committee liaison, focusing on strengthening SME outreach to early career members through initiatives such as Career Forums and mentorship. Over the past seven years, she has also contributed as an AeroDef Conference advisor and a scholarship reviewer for SME. SME Member Since 2018 

 

 

 

Brock T. Strunk
Brock T. Strunk is currently chief engineer at Epic Aircraft, working on the FAA certified E1000AX all composite aircraft. He joined SME in 1999 as a student at Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT). He currently serves on the board of directors for the Oregon SME Chapter 423. Additionally, he has held multiple leadership roles as a SME member on both the international and chapter level including, co-chair of the Technical Community Network, chair and vice-chair of the Member Council, vice-chair of the Plastics, Composites & Coatings Community; an advisor for the Composites Manufacturing Tech Group, vice-chair and treasurer of the Denver Senior Chapter, and vice-chair of the OIT Student Chapter. In 2008, Strunk was awarded SME's Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award. He has presented at multiple SME conferences on composite repair and manufacturing. Strunk has worked on numerous aircraft certification programs during his tenure in the aerospace community. Previously, he worked as a senior engineer at Erickson Helicopters, a level three engineer at Spirit AeroSystems, an engineering manager at Adam Aircraft and a senior engineer at Lancair Aircraft. Strunk earned a bachelor’s in manufacturing engineering and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from OIT. SME Member Since 1999