The Elizabethtown College Women in Business and Women in STEM clubs recently collaborated to host their annual Women in Business and STEM Panel. Held in conjunction with Women’s History Month, this year’s panel topic was “Celebrating the Pursuit of Equity.”

The event, which was open to all members of the campus community, provided participants with the opportunity to network with one another before listening to a guided Q&A with several accomplished panelists. The panel featured six leaders in Business and STEM-related fields, including three Etown alumnae. The panelists shared stories and advice about their experiences navigating their careers.

Kathy Schwab ’90 – Elizabethtown College Adjunct Professor of Marketing
Schwab, an alumna of Etown, is a life coach, consultant, writer/editor, and motivating leader who served as the head of marketing for the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club for nearly 15 years. Schwab also founded her own company called “What’s Your Story?” to help others courageously live out their most authentic stories.

“It’s so important to find someone in your life that can help you grow and champion you in your field,” Schwab said, when asked about the importance strong female mentors have played in her life. “Find women who really spark something for you and reach out to them. You don’t have to be in the working world yet – do it now. They will be so honored and humbled that you asked them. I owe so much to the women mentors in my life.”

Dr. Sharmin Maswood – Elizabethtown College Psychology Adjunct

Dr. Sharmin Maswood – Elizabethtown College Psychology Adjunct
Maswood is a trained neuroscientist who has been teaching and completing research focused on the impact of female hormones on anxiety/depression and memory in rodent models for the past 20 years.

Brianna Carden ’17 – PwC Deals Manager, Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory Services
Carden majored in accounting during her time at Etown. She is currently a consulting manager in PwC’s deals practice where she regularly helps clients address complex accounting matters under US GAAP.

“Always be willing to learn and have an open mind,” Carden emphasized when asked what advice she would give to anyone just beginning their career. “Take every opportunity you can to build your network. In every interaction you have, be sure you’re investing in that relationship not just from a professional standpoint but from a personal standpoint as well.”

Vanessa Philbert ’16 – Chief Executive Officer for the Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County
Philbert received her master’s degree in Strategic Leadership and Organizational Development from Etown, and she has been engaged in community-building and nonprofit work in Lancaster County for the past 20 years.

“Equity starts with truth-telling,” Philbert said when asked about the changes she believes need to be made to provide equity for all women. “There is also a lot of power in realizing that we are on a journey of learning. Creating space for the voices of others is so important; you don’t always have to be the one to speak.”

Chelsea Allen – Scientist I – Viral Clearance Services at Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Inc.
Allen graduated in 2018 from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in biomedical sciences and a minor in psychology. She currently works as a scientist with Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Inc. within their Viral Clearance Services department.

Colleen Fabriziani – Chemical Engineer for the Naval Surface Welfare Center
Frabriziani has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Villanova University. She currently works as a Chemical Engineer for the U.S. Navy.