TRSA Staff
Get to know the Nerd Herd
Xan Black is the Executive Director of the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance (TRSA). Xan’s drive, passions, and leadership of the Alliance support all aspects of STEM education. She aligns the experience and wisdom of community partners with the need of educators and schools. She is responsible for project management, strategic planning, program implementation and more. Xan graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from Texas Tech University in 1981. She worked for eight years in the energy industry in Oklahoma. In 2007, Xan earned a Master of Education degree with an emphasis in Middle and Secondary School from Southwestern Assemblies of God University. She taught secondary math and science for 11 years at Mingo Valley Christian School. Xan and her husband, Jeff, have five adult children and have lived in Tulsa since 1990.
Emily Mortimer is a rural Missouri native with a B.S. in Biology from Missouri State University, M.S. in Teaching, Learning and Leadership from OSU and currently pursuing a PhD in Curriculum and STEM from OSU. Her professional experience includes 14 years in informal education at the Tulsa Zoo and Dickerson Park Zoo. Over the years, her main job duties included behavioral training for various bird and mammal species, volunteer management, community partnerships, program development, curriculum writing, and education department management. Ten years ago she was a member of the founding team for the teacher professional development program, SENSEsational Science, which is now a TRSA program and has served over 400 Oklahoma teachers and given out over 32,000 hours of PD.
When not at work, Emily enjoys spending time with her husband and young son building and exercising on American Ninja Warrior Obstacles in their backyard, hiking, gardening, baking, swimming and running.
Kristen received her B.S. in Elementary Education from Northeastern State University and has 12 years experience in the classroom, most recently as an elementary STEM teacher. She has a passion for STEM education, working with and encouraging teachers, and helping students broaden their horizons and change the future. She has been married to her husband for 22 years and they have two amazing daughters. They love to travel and visit National Parks. When she’s not attending one of her daughters’ many band events, you can probably find her pulling weeds in the yard while dreaming of her next hiking and road trip.
Jaime Christensen is the Office Manager and Events Coordinator for TRSA. She has a strong sense of devotion for the nonprofit sector and is excited to join in TRSA’s efforts to develop STEM in the Tulsa area. She previously worked as a marketing and public relations professional at a trade association in Dallas. She has a strong background in events and communications. Jaime graduated from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah with a Bachelor of Business in Event Planning and a minor in marketing. She is an active member of Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
Josh Walton has joined the TRSA team as the Data and Evaluation Coordinator. Josh is focusing research on program effectiveness and impact within organizations as he pursues his graduate degree in human relations at OU-Tulsa. Since moving to Tulsa three years ago, he has been active in nonprofits benefiting Tulsa education. He hopes to continue this passion within the STEM field, further strengthening youth education in the process.
Away from work, Josh enjoys running, disc-golf, hiking, and playing with his dog, Iris.
Aleia McNaney is the Communications Coordinator for TRSA. Originally from North Carolina, she moved to Tulsa in the fall of 2016 to serve for two years as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Alliance. Aleia has a BA in Communication from Regent University. Her experience includes an internship in her congressman’s D.C. office as well as a communications internship with a nonprofit working to fight human trafficking in Virginia Beach.
In her free time, Aleia enjoys hiking, laughing at her own puns, and bread.