GirlPowered 2023 Celebrates Women in Engineering

PTS hosted Girl Powered, an event that introduced students to women working in engineering. Organized by faculty member Ms. Susy Chu and Palmer Trinity’s SWENext club members, the event also welcomed students and faculty from other schools.

Guest speakers were UM student Alexandra Bothe, Palmer Trinity alumnae Elizabeth Vallejo ‘18, Kelly Pearlson Fraind ‘01 and PTS parent Helida Dodd.


Alexandra Bothe [UM SWE]
Alexandra Bothe is a junior studying mechanical engineering at the University of Miami. She is also the president of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at the University of Miami. She is from North Bergen, New Jersey, and she decided to come to the University of Miami because of its commitment to diversity in engineering. One of her biggest passions is advocating for more women in engineering, a field that is still, to this day, incredibly male-dominated with only 13.6% of mechanical engineers in the United States being women.

Elizabeth Vallejo ‘18
Elizabeth Vallejo is a PTS class of 2018 graduate. She attended the University of San Francisco and graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in International Business in 2.5 years. While in school she held Luxury retail sales positions. After graduation, she began working for a data startup in San Francisco as a Business Development Representative. Now she is at her third data startup as Business Development Lead for the United States.

Kelly Pearlson Fraind ‘01 [and PTS Parent], CEO, Pearlson Shiplift Corporation
Kelly Pearlson Fraind, the granddaughter of Raymond Pearlson and the daughter of Douglas Pearlson, joined the Pearlson Shiplift Corporation (PSC) team in 2008. Kelly holds bachelor's degrees in Industrial Engineering and Finance from the University of Florida and spent five years working for Walt Disney World helping to master plan their theme parks before switching industries and joining the family business. Over the last 15 years, Kelly has overseen the Project Management and Engineering efforts for ten (10) new build shiplift drydocks, including Marina Barcelona 92, RMK Merrill-Stevens, and is presently directing the company in the construction of two of the largest Shiplifts in the World, specifically designed to launch and repair the US Navy’s new class of destroyers.

Helida Dodd [PTS Parent]
Helida Dodd, a proud Palmer Trinity Parent, is a Perfumer for lovers of beautiful fragrances who can’t tolerate traditional perfumes. Through her carefully curated ingredients, she shows you how luxury + nature mix perfectly in a bottle. Helida is a speaker for organizations and groups and uses perfume as a sensorial component to teach critical thinking, create new habits, and form cohesive teams. She’s a former Industrial Engineer who spent many years in healthcare, logistics & supply chain management. Now she uses her engineering and chemistry background to create intricate perfumes and showcase the relationship between art & science. When she’s not concocting her formulas or speaking, you can find her spending time with her husband and two teenagers, volunteering at Palmer Trinity, biking, doing yoga, or daydreaming about traveling.