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IEEE Senior Member Vickie Ozburn has been a very active member of IEEE for nearly 20 years. In fact, she has been an active volunteer even before she was a member! Vickie began her involvement with IEEE by attending her local section’s professional development conference. She joined the conference’s planning committee the following year, before she even became an IEEE member.

“The local section leadership made me feel very welcomed, and they supported me as I learned various roles,” explains Vickie. “I continued to serve as conference chair for 12 years.”

Vickie was asked to serve as a section officer, and she began helping the section’s Women In Engineering (WIE) affinity group—she’s been the WIE affinity group chair since then. Once she earned her computer science degree from Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids, IA, USA, Vickie joined the IEEE Computer Society.  

As she became more involved in her section, she was grateful to be mentored by previous IEEE Region Directors who were well-versed in all things IEEE. 

“I was so lucky because they were the ones who mentored me and helped me move into a Region position as the membership development chair under then Director Karen Pederson,” remembers Vickie. “I was in that role for 8 years supporting various Region ad hoc committees before being asked to run for Region Director.”

Vickie became the Region Director-Elect in 2021 during COVID and did not attend her first in-person meeting until the end of 2022. She shares that she was somewhat overwhelmed by the size of IEEE at this meeting, but true to character, she launched right into getting involved. While trying to learn everything she could, she actively sought out other elects and directors to learn more and volunteer where she could. 

As the Region Director from 2023-2024, the opportunities to get more involved became more apparent. She learned more about the Humanitarian Technologies Board (HTB) from then-chair Sampathkumar Veeraraghavan, and this year, she’ll be joining the HTB.

“One of the keys to navigating IEEE’s vast offerings is to find something you are passionate about and begin small,” Vickie shares.  

One of those things that Vickie is passionate about goes back to her section involvement with the WIE affinity group. She has since grown that passion and become a WIE donor and the Vice Chair of the IEEE WIE International Leadership Conference in 2025. This conference offers an opportunity to inspire, engage, and advance women and technologists, whether in industry, academia, or government. Our vision for the conference is to provide attendees with the opportunity to create communities that fuel innovation, facilitate knowledge sharing, and provide support through highly interactive sessions designed to foster discussion and collaboration. IEEE WIE ILC aims to support and sustain women leaders and technologists, especially those in mid- to senior-career roles.

“WIE was just a perfect fit for my passion,” Vickie explains. “I think the main thing that motivates me as a leader is to help others achieve their goals. It is important for me to pay it forward and share what I have learned with others to help them grow.”

Vickie feels that being connected to IEEE has opened so many doors for her. The various volunteer roles she’s held allowed her to grow her leadership skills in a safe environment. And she wants this for the next generation of engineers and technologists.

“I have met so many wonderful people from around the globe and seen so many places I would never have had the opportunity to visit if not for the IEEE,” reminisces Vickie. “But more and more, I have learned that many of our student members do not know about the breadth of IEEE and think it is just a school academic club. I think it is critical we provide them with more information and guidance on what IEEE can offer for their career development.”

Vickie isn’t just expressing this opinion, but once again acting as a volunteer. She was on the 2024 Sections Congress Ad Hoc Committee investigating how IEEE can improve communication between the local section and the student branches. Her work led to this identified need to become a Member of the Geographic Activities Priority Project in 2025. She’s excited to see what will come from the recommendations.
“You really get more back than you give. When you help someone accomplish a goal or dream, the feeling you get goes beyond words,” concludes Vickie. “Sharing your knowledge can make a big difference in another member’s journey.”

Become connected like Vickie and contribute time, talent, or treasure to innovate impact, and elicit change among your IEEE community by going to our webpage and starting initiatives like those of a steadfast supporter and leader like Vickie!