Swann received this award for her work in health & humanitarian response, a field with significant challenges including disrupted infrastructure, limited resources, and a variety of disconnected decision makers. A worldwide expert in this area, Swann takes a systems approach whether she is working to effect change locally, nationally, or globally, developing models and methods that can improve quality of life.

Developing educational and outreach programs, Swann, along with Co-Directors Ozlem Ergun and Pinar Keskinocak, hosts an annual conference on health and humanitarian logistics where she brings participants from all over the world in to discuss opportunities, challenges and successes in the field.  In April, she was a discussion leader at the World Economic Forum.

Swann has worked with the Atlanta Food Bank on improving distribution processes and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta on an obesity project.  She has also worked with the American Red Cross and the state of Georgia on modeling influenza pandemic and strategies for food distribution. Additionally, Swann has collaborated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Salvation Army, the World Food Programme, and the World Health Organization.

In her role as professor, Swann advised a team of ISyE students on a project to improve bus assignment and scheduling logistics for the Gwinnett County Schools that resulted in an estimated recurring savings of $2.6 million a year.

As a recipient of this prestigious award, Swann was profiled in a special section published by the Atlanta Business Chronicle highlighting her achievements, contributions, and demonstrated social responsibility. She is in the company of an auspicious group of individuals who were selected for the award from more than 550 nominations, more than double the number of nominations received last year.

For more information about the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 Award, click here.