who we are
Meet the Nerd Herd
A small but mighty team of people building STEM pathways for students across Oklahoma.
Leadership
Levi Patrick
Executive Director
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Levi is a lifelong Oklahoman with over 20 years of experience in education. He has worked in various roles, including as a teacher, instructional coach, curriculum writer, and state education leader. As the Executive Director of the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance, Levi is dedicated to promoting STEM education and ensuring all students have access to quality STEM opportunities. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education and a master’s degree in instructional leadership.
Development & Operations
Katie Burk
Development Director
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Originally from rural Wisconsin, Katie has called Tulsa home since 2005. She joined the Society of Exploration Geophysicists and spent more than 17 years developing strategic fundraising plans and cultivating donor relations through the SEG Foundation. Katie received a Certificate in Fundraising Management from The Fund Raising School at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and has a strong passion for connecting individual and corporate donors to the meaningful missions of charitable organizations.
Kurt Holmes
Finance & Operations Director
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Kurt is an Oklahoma native with a deep background in geology, finance, and energy analysis. He holds degrees from SMU, the University of Utah, and Oxford, and has built a career spanning equity research, hedge fund management, and alternative investments. Kurt has led utilities-focused hedge funds in London, served as a Senior Vice President in wealth management at Bank of Oklahoma, and worked with several New York–based investment firms.
Jaime Walton
Senior Manager
Communications & Impact
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Originally from Colorado, Jaime has proudly made Tulsa her home. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a minor in marketing and has over a decade of experience in strategic communications, program development, and community partnerships. Jaime is a member of the inaugural board of Outdoor Classroom – Tulsa, a nonprofit organization focused on STEM and outdoor education, where she contributes her expertise in nonprofit development.
JaQuitta Bailey
Operations Coordinator
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JaQuitta Bailey is an experienced operations professional with a background in meteorology, organizational management and nonprofit leadership. She previously served as a Weather Communications Specialist at Weathernews, is the owner and operator of The AMB Projects and co-founder of Speaks 4 You, Inc., a nonprofit focused on scholarships and financial literacy.
Programs
Melissa May
Program Director
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Melissa received her B.S. in Secondary Science Education and M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Oklahoma State University. She has 9 years of experience teaching high school Environmental Science, Marine Science, and STEM. Before becoming an educator, she worked as a Medical Laboratory Technologist. Melissa is passionate about supporting teachers and helping students overcome barriers, making STEM education more accessible to all. Melissa enjoys traveling, reading, and training her dogs in competition agility.
Allison Bailey
Program Manager
Competitions & Mentorship
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Allison is a seasoned community relations professional with over a decade of experience in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. Previously, she managed community partnerships and executed impactful programs, including strategic STEM initiatives impacting K-12 students. She holds an MBA in Leadership and Organizational Development and is advancing her expertise with certifications in Project Management and Data Analytics. Her career is marked by a commitment to building and sustaining strategic relationships and driving community engagement.
Amanda Fisher
Program Manager
Professional Development Curriculum & Resources
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Amanda holds a B.S. in Secondary Science Education with a minor in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma. She spent five years with Outdoor Classroom – Tulsa, developing and facilitating outdoor STEM programs for Pre-K through adult learners and working closely with schools and educators to create meaningful learning experiences. Amanda is passionate about creating engaging, experiential learning opportunities and supporting educators in connecting students to STEM through meaningful, real-world experiences.
Mike Thomas
Program Manager
Partnerships & Volunteers
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Mike is a native Oklahoman with over 15 years of experience in youth development, nonprofit leadership, and education. Throughout his career, he has served at multiple organizations, including the YMCA of Greater Tulsa and Reading Partners. Mike has a strong passion for working with young people, as well as serving adults who are working with young people. Mike is certified in the Weikart Center’s Youth Work Methods and Social-Emotional Learning practices, and he is passionate about equipping staff, volunteers, and community partners with the tools they need to create meaningful, engaging experiences for youth.
Abigail Vensel
Project Manager
Me & My Math Mentor
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Abigail (Abbey) is originally from Upstate New York. After graduating from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo with a B.A. in Mathematics, Abbey moved to Tulsa to join the 2018 Corps of Teach for America. She spent the next four years in the classroom, teaching 7th grade math and 8th grade Pre-Engineering. Abbey has a strong passion for math, STEM, and encouraging youth to explore interests relating to STEM, as well as providing teachers meaningful opportunities & resources to help their students be exposed to all things STEM.
Déja White
Program Manager
Out-of-School Time
Data Systems
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Déja White is a workforce development and education strategist with a multidisciplinary background spanning media, tech, and sports. She has worked across nonprofits, startups, and public initiatives, designing programs and tools that help young people and adults build clarity around careers, skills, and next steps. Her experience in fast-paced, performance-driven environments informs her approach to career readiness, systems thinking, and applied learning. Her work focuses on making emerging technologies, especially AI, accessible and practical for learners, educators, and workforce systems. She loves to build tools and learning experiences that support career exploration, economic mobility, and lifelong learning. Deja is passionate about helping people recognize their potential earlier and navigate education and career pathways with greater confidence and alignment. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, a good puzzle, and getting pulled into the latest TV drama.
Our board of directors
The volunteer leaders who set our direction and steward our finances.
Open roles
Benefits, salary ranges, and what our hiring process actually looks like.