Women Trailblazers Across Disciplines - Women's Leadership Panel With Wismer Professor

Hear from inspiring women leaders in the Pacific Northwest on how they succeeded in primarily male dominated spaces. From healthcare to engineering, venture capital to sports communications, engage the shared wisdom of women who have ascended to positions of influence. This hour of positive reflection will offer insights into how key elements of success transcend career paths. Learn about both overarching mindsets and practical advice from extraordinary industry leaders.

Panelists:

Agnieszka Miguel, Professor and Department Chair of Seattle University Electrical Engineering Department:

Dr. Agnieszka Miguel received her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in 2001 from the University of Washington, and MSEE and BSEE from Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Miguel's professional interests involve image processing, machine learning, and engineering education especially active learning, diversity, retention, and recruitment. Her teaching interests include MATLAB, circuits, linear systems, and digital image processing. She is a member of the IEEE, ASEE, SWE, and Tau Beta Pi. Currently, Dr. Miguel is the Chair of the ASEE Professional Interest Council I, a position that gives her a seat on the ASEE Board of Directors. She is also the ASEE Pacific Northwest (PNW) Section Chair (2015 - 2017). Dr. Miguel has held several other officer positions across the ASEE including: Division Chair and Program Chair of the ECE and New Engineering Educators Divisions, and ASEE Campus Representative. Dr. Miguel is also a member-at-large of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association (ECEDHA) Board of Directors. She has been a member of the ECEDHA Annual Conference Program Committee since 2013 and is serving on the Editorial Board for the ECEDHA Source monthly newsletter.

Jen Mueller, Emmy award winning producer and sports broadcaster

Jen Mueller is an Emmy award winning producer and sports broadcaster based in Seattle. A 25-year sports broadcasting veteran with two Super Bowl rings, she currently serves as the Seattle Seahawks radio sideline reporter and spent 19 years as part of the Seattle Mariners television broadcast team on ROOT SPORTS. She was honored for her work in the industry in 2022 as the recipient of the Keith Jackson Media Excellence Award presented by the Seattle Sports Commission. In 2025 she was named a Woman to Watch by 425 Magazine and South Sound Magazine. In addition to her work on the sidelines, Jen is an established business communication expert and the founder of Talk Sporty to Me.  She’s published three books that outline her approach to conversations and effective communication. She is also the executive producer, host and creator of “I Cook, You Measure” a hit internet cooking show.

Renee Rassilyer-Bomers, Chief Nursing Officer for Providence Swedish North Division and a nationally recognized nursing leader

Dr. Renee Rassilyer-Bomers, DNP, EMBA, CENP, CMSRN, RN-BC, FAAN, is Chief Nursing Officer for Providence Swedish North Division and a nationally recognized nursing leader with more than 24 years of experience advancing healthcare quality, patient safety, and organizational excellence. As a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Associate Teaching Professor at Seattle University, and healthcare executive, she has successfully navigated leadership roles where women have historically been underrepresented in executive decision-making. From leading one of the nation's largest civilian COVID-19 vaccination operations at Lumen Field to shaping the next generation of nurses through education and mentorship, Dr. Rassilyer-Bomers is passionate about empowering women leaders and sharing lessons on resilience, influence, and success across disciplines.

Julie Sandler, Venture investor, educator, speaker, board director, and longtime community and civic leader

Julie Sandler is a venture investor, educator, speaker, board director, and longtime community and civic leader based in Seattle. She is a venture partner at Pioneer Square Labs (PSL) and co-founder of PSL Ventures. She served as a managing director of the firm for nearly a decade, investing across AI, productivity, and the future of work, with an interest in technology that expands opportunity for women and underserved communities. Earlier in her career, she led digital marketing for Amazon’s Kindle ebook business, and founded the Seattle Entrepreneurial Women’s Network. Julie has taught entrepreneurship at the UW Foster School of Business since 2014, where she has been named a multi-time “Star Teacher”. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology, and earned her MBA with honors from Harvard Business School.  She has spent two decades in leadership and board roles across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including as Chair of the Washington Roundtable in 2025 and as a board director for the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship. She is a Presidential Leadership Scholar, and her recognitions include PSBJ’s “Women of Influence” and “Power 100,” and GeekWire’s “Geek of the Year.”

Panel Sponsor:

Erin Vernon, PhD (Albers School of Business & Economics)

Dr. Erin Vernon is a health economist who teaches courses in the undergraduate, Early Career MBA, Professional MBA, and Executive MBA programs. She has led numerous seminars across the country on the topics of the economics of the US medical care system, the economics of palliative and hospice care, racial and ethnic disparities within healthcare, and the impact of informal caregiver support policies. Her research, which consistently includes student co-authors, is published in multiple outlets including the Hill, Social Science & Medicine, Age & Ageing, Applied Health Economics & Health Policy, Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, Journal of Gerontological Social Work, Health Education Journal, and Contraception.

Prior to joining Seattle University, Dr. Vernon was an analyst at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C. A former collegiate student athlete, Dr. Vernon serves as a volunteer coach in her community. She also serves on the Board of Directors of SOUND Behavioral Health