Ahsaki Benon

Ahsaki Benion is IEEE’s General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. As leader of the IEEE Legal and Compliance Department, Ahsaki manages an array of legal, compliance, and governance matters for the organization. Ahsaki previously served as the Deputy General Counsel for the IEEE Standards Association.

Ahsaki began her career as a corporate associate at the multinational law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Prior to joining IEEE, Ahsaki served as Deputy General Counsel of Arabella Advisors LLC, where she provided guidance on complex nonprofit tax, regulatory, and governance matters for the largest 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsorship organizations in the U.S. Ahsaki also served as Counsel in the Tax-Exempt Organizations group at the law firm of Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP, where she advised all manner of complex nonprofit organization clients, including IEEE. Prior to that, Ahsaki was the Deputy General Counsel at The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), one of largest public charities in the U.S. Ahsaki earned her bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and is a graduate of Yale Law School. She is a member of the New York State and Washington D.C. Bars.

Mojdeh Bahar

Managing Director, Technical Activities

Mojdeh Bahar is the Managing Director, Technical Activities. She oversees the strategic direction, activities and business operations of the organizational unit relating to forty seven technical societies and councils as well as technical communities of the IEEE.
Mojdeh comes to IEEE from the US Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where she served as the principal executive responsible for federal partnerships with industry on key strategic initiatives. At NIST, her portfolio included the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Manufacturing USA, the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, and Technology Transfer. She also worked on the implementation of the CHIPS Act.

During her career, Mojdeh has had the opportunity to work in many different technology areas ranging from biotech and pharma to agtech, from plant genetics to emerging technologies. Mojdeh is a patent attorney, registered technology transfer professional, and a certified mediator. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law, MD, USA, and received a Master of Arts degree from New York University, NY, USA, and a Bachelor of Science with honors in Chemistry and French from Dickinson College, PA, USA.

Dalma Novak

Chair, S&C Congress; Past TA VP

Dalma Novak is the past VP of IEEE Technical Activities and VP of Engineering at Octane Wireless. She is an IEEE Fellow and a recipient of the IEEE Photonics Society Engineering Achievement Award. Her previous volunteer roles also include Division X Director (2021 – 2022) and IEEE Photonics Society President (2014 – 2015).

Mike Kelly

IEEE Executive Director

Mike has served as an IEEE Executive Director for fifteen years, supporting PELS, SSCS, TEC, CIS, and other organizational units. He has contributed to a range of TAB and IEEE initiatives and subcommittees, including the STEM Portal, TryEngineering, IEEE App, AI pilot systems for Publications, and Collabratec. In his role, Mike works closely with major IEEE organizational units and colleagues across the Institute to advance cross-functional priorities and member-focused programs.

Don Tan

VP, IEEE Technical Activities

Dr. Tan’s leadership/services include IEEE VP & TAB Chair, Division II Director, IEEE Fellow Committee Chair, President of PELS, Founding President of TEC, Founding Editor-in-Chief of IEEE JESTPE, General Conference Chair of APEC (4th largest), IEEE/Google Little Box Challenge Chair, IEEE/DoD P1515/1573 Standards Working Group Chairs, and PELS LAC Chapter Chair.

Stephanie Hunsinger

Sr Director, Volunteer Engagement & Cross-TA Collaboration

Stephanie Hunsinger is a seasoned executive leader with more than 20 years of experience driving strategy, governance, volunteer engagement, and organizational transformation within mission-driven and nonprofit organizations. As Senior Director of Cross Technical Activities Collaboration & Volunteer Engagement at IEEE, she partners with volunteer and executive leaders to cultivate a culture of volunteer excellence, expand engagement and leadership pathways, and advance technical initiatives that deliver value to a global community of more than 200,000 members.

Throughout her career, Stephanie has built a reputation for collaborative leadership, strategic communication, and operational excellence. She previously served as State Director for AARP New Jersey, where she led statewide operations, advocacy, and engagement initiatives impacting 1.3 million members. Her experience also includes leadership roles with ProCure Proton Therapy Center and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, where she developed innovative programs that expanded stakeholder engagement, advocacy efforts, and organizational impact.

Stephanie is recognized for her ability to build strong partnerships, lead high-performing teams, navigate complex governance challenges, and create meaningful volunteer and member experiences that advance organizational missions. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Virginia Wesleyan College.

Rakesh Kumar

Dr. Rakesh Kumar is a semiconductor industry veteran, an entrepreneur, and an educator. He is an IEEE Life Fellow and is in the TA Hall of Honor. Currently he Chairs IEEE’s Future Directions and DataPort, is an SSCS Past-President and has held numerous other leadership positions.

Mojdeh Bahar

Managing Director, Technical Activities

Mojdeh Bahar is the Managing Director, Technical Activities. She oversees the strategic direction, activities and business operations of the organizational unit relating to forty seven technical societies and councils as well as technical communities of the IEEE.
Mojdeh comes to IEEE from the US Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where she served as the principal executive responsible for federal partnerships with industry on key strategic initiatives. At NIST, her portfolio included the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Manufacturing USA, the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, and Technology Transfer. She also worked on the implementation of the CHIPS Act.

During her career, Mojdeh has had the opportunity to work in many different technology areas ranging from biotech and pharma to agtech, from plant genetics to emerging technologies. Mojdeh is a patent attorney, registered technology transfer professional, and a certified mediator. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law, MD, USA, and received a Master of Arts degree from New York University, NY, USA, and a Bachelor of Science with honors in Chemistry and French from Dickinson College, PA, USA.

Tom Monaco

Sr Manager, IEEE Technical Activities

Thomas Monaco has spent 17 years at IEEE, beginning as an intern and serving in roles supporting PELS, CIS, and the Technical Activities Board. He helped launch and manage IEEE Entrepreneurship for seven years. Today, he leads seven staff in IEEE Technical Activities Direct Services, supporting eight IEEE Societies.