I work to change lives and improve society, by working to change the culture and build an ecosystem that will provide universal access to robust STEM education opportunities. Working with people and institutions, together, we can improve educational outcomes, reduce poverty and crime, improve health care, increase national security, and the general welfare.
I am a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Public Policy in the Ivan Allen College (MSPP); a graduate of the College of Engineering at the University of South Carolina(BSECE); A graduate student in the school of History and Sociology of Technology in the Ivan Allen College at the Georgia Institute of Technology; formerly an Affiliate for STEM Engagement for the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering at Kennesaw State University; the Founder and President of the STEM Leadership Foundation; former Director of Kell Robotics, a FIRST Robotics Competition Hall of Fame team a participant in the FIRST Robotics Competition.
I have spent over 40 years in product design and development in aerospace, telecommunications, and energy management fields, over 7 years in higher education, and 15 years in the social enterprise sector. I am employed as an engineer at the Space and Airborne Systems division of L3Harris which specializes in space satellites, payloads and sensors, optical and wireless networking, avionics, and situational awareness solutions.
Additional Activity and Honors include:
- FIRST Hall of Fame, FIRST Championship Chairman’s Award – Head Mentor
- NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) Faraday Science Communicator Award
- U.S. Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics & Engineering Mentoring – 2017 Nominee
- FIRST Woodie Flowers Award Finalist Award, named after Dr.Woodie Flowers, MIT Emeritus Professor
- National Center for Women & Information Technology Mentor Award
- National Judge, Discovery Education / Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge
- 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Inspiration Award
- MIT K-12 Strategic Alliance Committee, Past Member
- United States Congressional Robotics Caucus briefing
- White House Science Fair, Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams, team mentor
- SeaWorld Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence Award, team mentor
- Founder and President: STEM Leadership Foundation
- Graduate: Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Public Policy
- Graduate Student: Georgia Institute of Technology, School of History & Sociology
- 2018 NSTA National Conference Forum Host and Speaker
- 2015-2018 NSTA Informal Science Directorate Committee Member.
- Videos, Working Papers, Articles, Publications
- …. Video: About The STEM Teacher Shortage, 5 minutes
- …. Video: Creating the NEXT: Generation of Teachers
- …. The STEM+CS Teacher Production Gap
- …. The STEM Pipeline is Broken
- …. Georgia FIRST Factbook
- FIRST Conference Presentations
- …. Beyond FIRST – Real World Applications
- …. MIT Mentorship Initiative video project
- …. Students Perception of Engineering
- …. Social Networking & Cultural Change
- …. Women in Engineering
- …. Beyond Advocacy: Growing FIRST® in a New 21st Century Education Model