Heather Benoit

Heather Benoit is the co-founder of Austin Women in Engineering, a professional engineering society helping to develop a social network for women in Austin, Texas, as well as a speaker and professionally trained futurist with an expertise in innovation and foresight. As SGR's Executive Vice President of Strategic Foresight, she utilizes her passion about strategically creating better futures and finding solutions to the world's most complex challenges to serve local governments. Heather has been issued several patents for novel invention and regularly gives lectures to collegiate engineering programs.

Previously, Heather served as Senior Mechanical Engineer for M3 Design, leading the development of products ranging from delicate surgical devices to ruggedized industrial equipment. As the Futures & Insights Lead at M3, she led futures research in technological development, social and political trends, and environmental sustainability. She used this research to assess business model opportunities and inform product architecture and design.

Prior to M3 Design, she was the lead Project Engineer at Arthrex California Technology, where she worked cross-functionally to deliver the world's first 4K arthroscopic camera. She's also worked as a Mechanical Engineer for ValenTx Inc., a medical device start-up developing innovative solutions to treat obesity.

Heather received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Baylor University, where she serves on the Baylor Mechanical Engineering Strategic Council. Heather has also received an MBA from the Quantic School of Business & Technology and is currently completing a Master of Science in Strategic Foresight at the University of Houston.