Barbara Melvin

South Carolina Ports Authority

As Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Melvin oversees terminal operations, carrier sales, information technology and support services, intermodal, inland ports, crane and equipment maintenance, engineering, environmental, Port Police, procurement, the logistics solution center, and cruise operations.  Ms. Melvin also serves as the SCPA’s lead staff person on the Charleston Harbor Post 45 Project. 
On July 1, 2022, Ms. Melvin will become president and CEO of South Carolina Ports 1. Melvin will be the sixth leader in the history of the port and the first woman to lead a top 10 U.S. operating container port. 
She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Georgia Southern University with a minor in international relations and a Masters in Business Administration in Global Supply Chain from the University of Tennessee Haslam School of Business. 

Dr. Mary Thornley

Trident Technical College

Dr. Mary Thornley has been president of Trident Technical College since 1991. She truly believes in the transformational power of education and is passionate about the community college’s role in making our communities and our nation stronger, more adaptable, and better able to face the challenges of the future. Dr. Thornley holds a doctorate of education in curriculum and instruction from the University of South Carolina; a master of arts in teaching English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and a bachelor of arts in English and French from Mars Hill College, North Carolina. 

Speak at Women in Industry Day 2021

If you have a great topic to share, we want to hear from you. The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is currently accepting applications for our 2021 virtual Women in Industry Day conference scheduled to take place Friday, June 18. Proposals must be submitted online by April 5. We look forward to reviewing your application!

Apply to Speak!