STEMming in Stilettos
By Dr. Natoshia Anderson
STEMming in StilettosAug 04, 2020
Meet Erina Haile: Being a Black Woman in STEM, Taking Your Opportunities, and Following Your Own Path
Episode Main Points:
1) Follow your passion, but learn how to use your skills and talents towards
2) Confidence comes from perseverance
3) STEM is still dominated by white males; but we have a place
4) Take every opportunity to be the change you seek.
Erina Haile Bio:
Erina is passionate about several causes, one of which is empowering and supporting women in technology. She spent 16 years working in the tech space, spectrum ranging from Software Engineer, Technical Project Manager, and Software Quality Coordinator. She crossed the pond to take a large project doing IT consulting. She is now a Certified High Performance Coach, focusing on women in technology where the roles demands that we show up as high performers beyond academics. She utilizes principles of High Performance, a holistic process that certainly adds the emotional intelligence needed to excel in our careers and life in general.
Meet Dr. Valerie Bennett: Understanding the Game; The Necessity of Not Competing, and The Importance of Seeing IS Being
Episode Main Points:
1) There is a game that you need to understand when entering into the engineering profession. Its still the white man's game.
2) Black women need not compete with each other. We have to learn how to support each other, especially in these spaces where we are few and far between.
3) It is still necessary for our children to see us in these professional settings doing the job. We are still the minority and therefore it is incumbent on us show our kids examples.
Dr. Valerie Bennett Bio:
Dr. Valerie Bennett is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She received a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Mechanical Engineering, from Vanderbilt University and received her Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Mechanical Engineering, both from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Bennett then worked as a software consultant for Manhattan Associates then joined Morehouse College as an Assistant Professor where she taught Engineering and Physics courses as part of the Dual Degree Engineering Program for four and a half years. She then joined the faculty at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta where she taught Physics and was one of the two founding Coaches of the Robotics Program. As the Head Coach of the award-winning High School Robotics Team, the team has won several Regional Competitions and has been recognized on the International Level. She has also served on the Georgia FIRST Robotics Regional Committee in the planning of Regional Events and was Co-Coordinator of the Georgia FIRST Robotics Mentor Advisory Council. To expose student to the excitement and importance of STEM, she worked as the Physics Research Coordinator for the TRIO Program as part of the Upward Bound Initiative. She was also awarded the Innovative Teacher award by the Georgia Independent Schools Association and received an Innovation Grant by the Georgia Education and Technology Conference. After teaching at Westminster, she then was an Engineering Professor and Regents’ Engineering Transfer Program Advisor at Georgia Perimeter College. Afterwards, she taught Advanced Placement Physics, IB Physics and led the Physics Professional Learning Community at Westlake High School where she served on the Fulton County Vanguard Team while also completing research with students at Georgia Tech as part of GIFT Program.
Dr. Bennett has been a Research Coordinator for the Peach State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program and has been awarded the Innovative Teaching Award by the Georgia Independent Schools Association. She has served as the Morehouse Coordinator for the Dual Degree Engineering Program and Faculty Advisor for several student Organizations such as National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Physics Students, Society of Women Engineers (Spelman College), and Packard Scholars. She has served as a Board Member and STEM Advisory Board Member of the Atlanta Cares Mentoring Organization, which was established by Susan Taylor, former editor of Essence Magazine. In the Greater Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, she has organized several community projects. In 2014, she established STEM Compass, Inc., a non-profit organization whose mission is to navigate, educate, and motivate young people in STEM-focused careers and entrepreneurship. The three pillars of the organization are skill-building, mind-building and visioneering through which they have served nearly 1000 students each year. STEM Compass has garnered partnerships with individuals, companies and organizations such as Google, Clorox, City of Atlanta, ATLRead, PPG, LMS Engineering, Georgia Tech, Atlanta Science Festival and FIRST Robotics.
website: http://stemcompassinc.org/
Meet Octavia Howell: Cybersecurity, The Ingenuity of kids, Recognizing Your Gifts and Talents, and Blessings!!
Episode Main Points:
1) Being true to yourself starts early
2) Having a mentor to guide you is healthy
3) There is so much that we don't understand about cybersecurity, more education is needed
4) Being a black unicorn is important to acknowledge and embrace and bring other black unicorns together is need for our collective good.
5) a herd of unicorns is called a blessing.
Octavia Howell Bio:
Octavia is an experienced technical leader who specializes in Networks, Cyber Security, and building operationally excellent, motivated cross-functional, multi-cultural teams. She is focused on career growth and helping everyone she encounters reach their career goals. Octavia is not your typical leader. She is highly technical and prides herself on understanding, solving problems, and discovering secure solutions for her business partners. She currently serves as an Information Security Officer for Equifax’s largest business unit. She is also the Founder and CEO of Augustus Redefined, an organization focused on the advancement of Black Women in Cyber. Octavia believes that a security leader should mentor, motivate trust, and lead their teams to act with integrity and openness. She often says, “A team is only as strong as their leaders and each leader casts a shadow that they will be held accountable for.”
Octavia received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Spelman College and holds CISSP, GISP, GCWN and GSLC GIAC certifications. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF), Women in Technology (WiT), Women in Cybersecurity (WiCys), the International Consortium for Minorities and Cyber Professionals (ICMCP), the International Information Systems Security Consortium (ISC2), the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), and serves as a mentor to several participants within Year-Up Greater Atlanta.
In her spare time, Octavia enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and mentoring.
She truly believes that we are placed on this earth to help each other achieve greatness (whatever that may be).
Website: www.augustusredefined.com
Meet Brittany Rhodes: A Math Love Story
Episode Main Points;
1) Math is the foundation to all other STEM subjects
2) Mom knows best
3) The subscription box works because it can be customized for the girl.
Guest Bio: Brittany Rhodes
Brittany Rhodes is the Founder of Black Girl MATHgic (BGM), a movement dedicated to increasing math confidence, awareness, enthusiasm, identity, fluency and persistence in children, with a focus on girls and black children. BGM’s flagship product is the Black Girl MATHgic Box, which is the first and only subscription box designed to increase math confidence and decrease math anxiety in girls on a 3rd-8th grade math level. Brittany received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Spelman College and her Master of Business Administration in Marketing, Communication and Organizational Behavior from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. Brittany is a proud native of Detroit, where she lives with her husband, Oscar.
website: linktr.ee/blackgirlmathgic
Instagram: @blackgirlmathgic
Facebook: Black Girl MATHgic
Twitter: blkgirlmathgic
Meet Bejanae Kareem: Spotlight on the digital divide, the Importance of Parental Engagement, and Thanks COVID!
Episode Main Points:
1) STEM has shown up in a big way during COVID-19.
2) The spotlight on the digital divide is only going to get bigger as we navigate going back to school in the fall
3) Parental engagement in schools has never been more important.
4) Teacher professional development is vital especially if schools are looking towards a hybrid model or online model of educating kids.
5) We should listen to the kids. Have them tell us what they would like to see. They have a perspective on what's happening also. It needs to be honored.
Where to find Bejanae Kareem?
Email: bejanae@bkconsultancy.org
Facebook: facebook.com/bkconsultancy
Twitter: twitter.com/bkconsultancy
YouTube: youtube.com/bkconsultancy
Instagram: @bk_consultancy
Meet Shazia Imam: The Bond of Womenhood, Engineers ARE Passionate People, What Are the Stats
Episode Main Points
1) Engineers are Innovative, Creative, and passionate about their work
2) The Bond of womenhood is key to success in a lot of cases
3) Battling the stats about women in STEM is tiring but needed.
Guest Bio:
Shazia Imam, The Life Engineer, is an award-winning speaker, and host of the Top 12 Podcast - Feminine & Fulfilled. Shazia is a Certified Life Coach and holds an Industrial & Systems Engineering degree from Virginia Tech. Recognized as Woman of the Year in her Engineering department, Shazia went on to become an award-winning Management Consultant with 20 years of experience at companies including Disneyland, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Accenture, and Booz Allen Hamilton. In 2012, Shazia was awarded the coveted Technology Rising Star for Women of Color in STEM.
Her resume may include extensive experience in Fortune 500 companies, but her soul's calling is to help women unleash their authentic self and live purposefully. As a recovering people-pleasing perfectionist, Shazia knows all too well the empty feeling even when you seem to, quote/unquote, “have it all.” After experiencing her own life fall apart after losing her son and then husband, Shazia realized it was a Divine push to begin living her REAL life. This blossomed into finding her soul mate, discovering her soft feminine power, and living her deep purpose...One which involves women unleashing their WHOLE selves to feel fulfilled, happy and whole. Isn't life more fabulous that way?!
How To Combat Impostor Syndrome
Impostor Syndrome is real and could be becoming more prevalent as we get deeper into the pandemic. How do women, women of color, combat this so that we can work towards becoming our best.
Main Points:
1. Ask Questions
2. Find and Be Supportive of Others
3. Fail Forward
4. Stop Apologizing
5. Celebrate the Small Wins
6. Know Your Self (Worth)
Meet Phylecia Jones: Being Pretty, Smart, & Creative and the Lonely Journey Through STEM
Interview Main Points:
1) You can be pretty, smart, and creative and STILL be in STEM.
2) Oftentimes for students of color and especially women of color in STEM, the journey is one we have to take alone.
3) Messaging for girls around Math has to change to something positive. Girls can do Math.
Phylecia Jones is a two-time TEDx speaker, national TV financial contributor for Daily Blast Live, women in STEM advocate and Founder of iFind You Close helping speakers research and book more speaking engagements around the world.
After being featured on hundreds of stages in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, Phylecia realized the power of using the stage as a way of marketing to grow a business and brand. As the Founder of iFind You Close, she is bringing over 18 years of research, analytics and entrepreneurship experience to those who want to want to use public speaking to share the message of their company, business or brand.
Phylecia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, a Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering and is a former scientist for the US Navy. She has had the honor of presenting on such platforms as NPR’s TED Radio Hour, NBC 9 News, FinCon, iThemes and a host of organizations that trust her ability to educate, inspire and transform. iFind You Close launched in 2019 with the goal of employing more women in tech and using that knowledge to take the guess work out of doing the research of sorting through over 5000+ events that happen daily that are looking for keynote speakers, breakout sessions and expert panels. When Phylecia isn’t deep into researching the internet, she blogs about her eclectic list of ever-growing life experiences including travel, baton twirling, performing with a circus, RVing across the USA, being a professional cheerleader and achieving 100hrs towards being a yacht captain.
Meet Dr. Janelle OD: Perseverance, Mentoring and Being the First
Interview Main Points:
1) Perseverance does pay off.
2) Mentoring is important for girls showing interest in STEM. Its often not the skillset that deters women from continuing in STEM, its the environment.
3) Its okay to be the first and only. We still need those who are willing to take the first step and be a role model for other girls and women to follow.
Dr. Janelle OD received her undergraduate degree in biology from the Xavier University of Louisiana. Following her undergraduate studies, Dr. Janelle OD matriculated to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry where she received her Doctorate in Optometry in 2006. Her passions include Dry eye disease, Ocular aesthetics, Diabetic eye disease, and specialty contact lenses.
Dr. Janelle is the Founder and CEO of Brilliant Eyes Vision Center and Premier Dry Eye Spa in Marietta, Ga. Dr. Janelle OD and her office have been featured in numerous national optometric publications, she was featured on the 2011 Cover of Women in Optometry magazine. Dr. Janelle is a STEM advocate and mentor. Her office is also a current internship site for the Work-Based Learning Program at McEachern High School, providing over 5000 hours of mentorship and healthcare experience for junior and senior students, since 2011. She also serves as a CTAE Healthcare Board Advisor for Cobb County Schools.
Dr. Janelle is a STEM champion for minority youth. Co-founding S.C.O.R.E., INC. 501c3 non-profit with her younger sister, Dr. Joya DDS. Their nonprofit aims to expose, empower and encourage minority high school girls to pursue STEM careers. Since establishment in 2017 the organization has awarded $10,000k in scholarship and 15 high school juniors have matriculated through the healthcare summer internship programs.
Dr. Janelle OD is a highly respected industry leader serving as a Key Opinion Leader for Lunovus and served as a Georgia Optometric Association Board of Trustee for the greater Atlanta District in 2014. She is a proud member of the National Optometric Association and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Rho Zeta Omega Chapter.
She is an award-winning optometrist receiving the 2018 Xavier University of Louisiana 40 under 40 award, 2019 National Coalition 100 Black Women: Women of Impact Award for Health, and 2019 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Cluster V Eva Bonner Youth Mentoring Award.
Her charitable contributions include annual donations to Must Ministries, Optometry Gift of Site, the Lions Club and S.C.O.R.E., INC.
Dr. Janelle is a native of Detroit, Michigan and is a proud wife and mother of two children.
Dr. Janelle is available for speaking engagements, health panels, Advisory Boards, career days as well as internet, media and radio opportunities. If interested in booking Dr. Janelle contact, her at eyecare@drjanelleod.com
Meet Dr. Marcia Allen Owens: Black Unicorns, The Civil Rights Movement & Doing the Work
Main points of interview.
1) If you are a Minority Woman working in STEM, in particular Black Women, you are a unicorn!!! There aren't that many of us but we are actively working on changing that.
2) The fight for Gender Equity is happening everywhere, even at HBCU's. We have more work to do in the at large communities but also within our own.
3) We've been taught to believe that selfishness is a bad habit, when in fact it is a life saving habit we should all adopt.
4) Dr. Owens is a badass both in person and on the podcast. She will be back on.
Dr. Marcia Allen Owens is a Biochemical researcher, environmental lawyer, ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, Dr. Marcia Allen Owens has had a lifetime of being first and only, an intersectional minority among minorities. The first Black woman to earn tenure in the Florida A&M University (FAMU) School of Environment, she still hears from students that she is the first Black woman to teach them in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) class (K-20). An interdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Owens earned degrees from Jackson State University and Emory University (J.D., Ph.D., M.Div.). Combining her scientific and legal training, she practiced with the Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Atlanta. Using her academic and career expertise, she serves as Associate Professor of Environmental Science & Policy at FAMU, where her current and past impact as major professor is resulting in nearly 20 Black students earning the masters and Ph.D. in Environmental Science. She also actively mentors undergraduate students via the FAMU Office of Undergraduate Research. The dearth of Black women professors and students in STEM shifted her research focus to gender equity. In 2019, with Owens as Principal Investigator, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded FAMU the five-year, $2.97 million NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation grant (HRD-1824267). As director for the newly created Center for Faculty ADVANCEment at FAMU, Dr. Owens is leading the effort to examine and change institutional policies and practices that impact the recruitment, retention and promotion of women in STEM and the social and behavioral sciences. The existence, persistence and efforts of Dr. Marcia Allen Owens as a role model at FAMU expand the presence and possibilities of students from underrepresented groups in STEM professions.
Meet Dr. Andrea Bowen-Jones, WOC in STEM, Speaker, Trainer, Coach
Dr. Andrea is a former Procter & Gamble (P&G) Research & Development Section Head. She has managed multi–discipline teams of scientists and engineers to drive technology, formulation, and process development for top personal care brands such as Secret, Old Spice, and Gillette. A polymer chemist by training, Dr. Andrea cares deeply about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education and inspiring the next generation of technical leaders. In 2004, she developed the Resident Scholar Program (RSP) while at P&G. RSP is a unique job shadowing program for minority youth interested in careers in STEM. Dr. Andrea continues to impact diversity in STEM as a consultant working with organizations such as Women In Technology (Atlanta, GA) and the National Center for Women & Information technology (Boulder, CO).
After over 15 years, Dr. Andrea left her corporate job to pursue her passion. As President/CEO of IDG Vision, LLC and Certified John Maxwell Coach, Speaker, and Trainer, Dr. Andrea leverages her experiences to inspire, develop, and grow the vision inside of all her clients. She has worked with a mix of organizations both non- and for- profits companies, such as Piedmont Hospital (Rockdale), Evans Tools & Die, Valspar Corporation, Gwinnett Health Department, March of Dimes, Women of Life, Inc., Internal Revenue Service, Rockdale Community Resource Network, and Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce, just to name a few.
- Facebook:/DrAndrea.IDG
- LinkedIn:/in/abowensjones
- Instagram:/drandrea_idg
- Twitter:/DrAndrea_IDG
- To join The Coffee Break Club w/ Dr. Andrea (FREE virtual coaching club) - www.idgvision.com/coffeebreak
Throwback Episode: Woman of Color and Self Care
What is self care and why is it important? Self Care is literally how we as women are taking care of ourselves in our daily lives. Are you spending time developing yourself and your interests? Are you relaxing and doing things for yourself. It is not selfish to take care of yourself, it is NECESSARY. Women of color in all walks of life are notorious for being bad at doing this. This throwback episodes with my former co-hosts and I gives some really good and still relevant advice about how to take care of yourself. I sincerely hope that you enjoy this one!!
Dr. Toshia
Meet Dr. Nicole Michelle Joseph: Mentoring is key for Women in STEM
Meet Dr. Nicole Michelle Joseph. She is an assistant professor of mathematics education in the department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Joseph is the recipient of the 2018 AERA Scholars of Color Early Career Contribution Award and the 2018 AERA Division G Early Career Award. Her research explores two lines of inquiry, (a) Black women and girls, their identity development, and their experiences in mathematics and (b) whiteness, white supremacy and how they operate and shape Black women’s and girls’ underrepresentation and retention in mathematics
Dr. Joseph is a BAD woman in STEM and her advocacy work speaks for itself. If you would like to connect with Dr. Joseph please see below.
twitter: @profnicolej
Google: nicolejoseph
Facebook: Nicole Josephs
Throwback Episode: Engaging Students of Color in STEM
This is a throwback episode from 4 years ago. My guest is Dharma Stevens, Founder of Yell Academy. She is a dedicator educator whose focus is on engaging students in meaningful STEM activities. Our conversation was about how to make sure that, not only are we providing STEM exposure, but also providing quality, meaningful opportunities for students of color to learn and discover more about what STEM is and isn't AND how they might fit into STEM.
Meet Sylika Camacho: Owner, PTKL Tutoring; Igniting the Fire for Learning STEM while Black
Sylika J. Camacho is a former middle school math teacher and elementary school principal with a passion to inspire a love for all things STEM. It was her experience teaching lower level students as well as those with learning disabilities that ignited the application of a holistic approach to teaching. By incorporating academic teaming, project-based learning, and technology integrated instruction, students of all learning abilities became more engaged and excelled at math. As an educator, she believes it was both her liberal arts education and finance background that made her approach to teaching and learning vastly different from her experiences as a student. Her STEM story and background add to her desire to see that education in general is well rounded and that we are able to give ALL students access to STEM.
Ways to Engage with Your Child(ren) using STEM
Hey everybody!!! This is a different time and I know many of you are at home with your child(ren). You may be ready to pull out your hair or have drink or both. I have compiled a list of some fun STEM activities that you can do with your child(ren) or have them do that could provide you with a needed break. The activities are fun, interactive, and educational and they can be done with materials that you may already have at your house.
Advice From a Woman in STEM: Meet Erica Cooper, Technical Leader at Cisco Systems
Erica Cooper is a Technical Leader at Cisco Systems based in the Washington DC metropolitan area, where she provides technical solutions for various government and non-government customers. The technologies that she focuses on are DataCenter, SDN, Cloud, Virtualization, and Security. She graduated from Keller Graduate School of Management (MS. Telecommunications and Business) and she also has a bachelor of science in Electrical Engineering. She holds several industry certifications including the following:
- CCIE Data Center
- CCNP Routing and Switching
- VCP- NV Network Virtualization
In her spare time she enjoys traveling with family, watching and participating in sports and listening to EDM/House music. She is a phenomenal woman in STEM who believes that telling our stories is vitally important to the future of the STEM.
Why is Mentorship in STEM So Important: Meet Myela Paige
Myela Paige is a young woman in STEM. She is a Ph. D. student at Georgia Tech in Mechanical Engineering. Her story is compelling because of the great mentors that she had and continues to cultivate during the course of her academic and professional STEM journey. The work that she is already doing in STEM is amazing and we want to she her continue to shine.
If you would like to connect with Myela or just give her a shout out she can be found here:
Linkedln: LinkedIn.com/in/myelapaige
Instagram: mautumn
Email: myelapaige@gmail.com
More information about the program she talked about can be found here.
STEMming in Stilettos is BACK: Who is Dr. Toshia
Dr. Toshia, host of STEMming in Stilettos, discusses her own experiences in STEM and gives the audience a glimpse of who she is and why she is passionate about minority women in STEM have a voice.