Advisory Councils
Our six Advisory Councils are divided into specific groupings so individuals can collaborate and make the most impact as they work alongside those who have similar STEM experiences. Each group is identified below, except for our Teen Advisory Council, whose identities are private.
This group includes formal and informal educators in public school systems, higher education, or informal learning centers such as museums, zoos, etc.
Members meet four times a year from September through May.
Name | Title | Organization | Council | Sub-Council |
Karen Leonard | Director of Education Technology and Computer Science | Oklahoma State Department of Education | Education | Administration |
Pamela Jones | Teacher | Education | Formal | |
Tammy J Will | High School Science and STEM Educator | Morrison High School | Education | Formal |
Shawn Beard | Assistant Superintendent | Sand Springs Public Schools | Education | Administration |
Angela Parks | Teaching and Learning Coordinator | Owasso Public Schools | Education | Administration |
Jaime Walton | STEM Strategist | Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma | Education | Informal |
Brian Bovaird | Program Director | Tulsa Garden Center Inc. | Education | Informal |
Natalie Bird | STEM / Science Teacher | Owasso 8th Grade Center | Education | Formal |
Stacey Elghadi | Science Teacher | Union Public Schools | Education | Formal |
Kylie Nicholson | Regional Ag Literacy and STEM Specialist | Oklahoma State University Extension / Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development | Education | Informal |
Chip Lindsey | Director of Education | Discovery Lab | Education | Informal |
Todd Dixon | STEM Facilitator | Inola Public Schools | Education | Formal |
Sarah Van Zandt | Director of Education and Programming | Gathering Place | Education | Informal |
Gail Ciancio | Secondary Science Coordinator | Owasso Public Schools | Education | Formal |
Morgan Elliott | Public School Educator | Stone Canyon Elementary | Education | Formal |
Dana Hamersley | Science Teacher/ Robotics Coach | Verdigris Public Schools | Education | Formal |
Jason Arant | Founder/Director of OSIEL | Oklahoma School of Innovation & Experiential Learning (OSIEL) | Education | Administration |
Dr. Jennifer Miller | Academic Content Manager – Secondary Science | Tulsa Public Schools | Education | Administration |
Kaitlyn Beard | Program Associate | Up With Trees | Education | Informal |
Rhonda Bennett | 5th Grade Educator | Math, Science, Social Studies | Country Lane Intermediate, Broken Arrow Schools | Education | Formal |
Stephanie Watkins | Media Specialist | Broken Arrow Public Schools- Spring Creek | Education | Administration |
Shawn Beard | Assistant Superintendent | Sand Springs Public Schools | Education | Administration |
Maryann Donahue | Executive Director | Global Gardens | Education | Informal |
Jacqueline Lanning | STEM Teacher | Mitchell Elementary | Education | Formal |
Ali Kalenak | Educational Outreach Manager | The Metropolitan Environmental Trust | Education | Informal |
Emily Collins | Community School Coordinator | Jenks East Elementary | Education | Administration |
Paige Bergin | Instructional Coach | Union Public Schools | Education | Administration |
Crystal Jackson | Teacher | Olive Public Schools | Education | Formal |
This group includes college students and industry professionals.
Members meet once every quarter.
Name | Title | Organization | Council | Designation |
Ina Agnew | Vice President for Student Services | Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology | Workforce and Higher Education | |
Sasha Townsend | Assistant Professor of Mathematics | Tulsa Community College | Workforce and Higher Education | |
Jeff Cushing | Workforce and Higher Education | |||
Jovette Dew | Director, CEAT K-12 Programs | Oklahoma State University | Workforce and Higher Education | |
Steven M. Tipton | Professor of Mechanical Engineering | The University of Tulsa | Workforce and Higher Education | |
Norma Tenna | Finance Manager – Western Hemisphere | T.D. Williamson | Workforce and Higher Education | |
Xan Black | Senior STEM Consultant | TIES | Workforce and Higher Education | |
Randy Fleming | Hardware Operations Manager | Workforce and Higher Education | ||
Cara Cowan Watts | CEO | Tulsa Pier Drilling | Workforce and Higher Education | Council Chairperson |
Dusti Sloan | Clinical Associate Professor of Physiology | Oklahoma State University – Center for Health Sciences | Workforce and Higher Education | |
Vidhyashree Nagaraju | Assistant Professor | University of Tulsa | Workforce and Higher Education |
This group includes those who fund STEM and STEM efforts.
Members meet once every quarter.
Name | Title | Organization | Council | Designation |
Barbara Wollmershauser | Community Volunteer | Tulsa Engineering Foundation | STEM Supporters | |
Katie Tillery-Merk | CEO | Green Acorn LLC | STEM Supporters | |
Martha Rongey | Senior Events Manager | Junior Achievement of Oklahoma | STEM Supporters | |
Annie Tomecek | Supervisor, Global Community Relations | T.D. Williamson | STEM Supporters | |
Josh Walton | Program Associate | Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies | STEM Supporters | Council Chairperson |
This group includes people engaging in research or data focused on STEM education or areas of STEM either at higher education institutions or related businesses/organizations.
Members meet once every quarter.
Name | Title | Organization | Council | Designation |
Rose Pixley | Research and Data | Council Chairperson | ||
Ann Money | Executive Director, Oklahoma Aquarium Foundation | Oklahoma Aquarium | Research and Data | |
Amy L Anderson | Deputy Director | The Opportunity Project | Research and Data | |
Prakash Subramaniam | Managing Principal | Code Ninjas Tulsa | Research and Data | |
Patrick Hosford | Partnerships & Data Associate | InTulsa | Research and Data | |
Carolyn Brackin | Business Analyst III | ONEOK | Research and Data | |
Carrie Engelbrecht | Program Manager | Cox Communications | Research and Data | |
Diana Varnes | INTENT Programs Lead | OU Innovation Hub | Research and Data | |
Conor Godfrey | Portfolio Manager | Tulsa Innovation Labs | Research and Data |
Family and Community Council
This group includes retired individuals, volunteers, community advocates, and parents of STEM students, to name a few.
Members meet once every quarter.
Name | Title | Organization | Council | Designation |
Jahaziel Hiriart | Executive Director | Oklahoma Partnership for Expanded Learning/The Opp | Family and Community | |
William Lowe | Speaker of the Muscogee (Creek) National Council | Muscogee Nation | Family and Community | |
Morgan Allen-White | Development Director | OCCJ (Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice) | Family and Community | |
Nate C. Todd | Dean of Student Success and Equity | Tulsa Community College | Family and Community | Council Chairperson |
Nidhi Koul | MD | Bixby pediatrics | Family and Community | |
Bracken Klar | ahha-Director of Programs & Engagement, Tri-City- Vice President, Focus: Black Oklahoma- Executive Producer | ahha Tulsa | Family and Community | |
Matthew Robert Coakley | Commercial Specialist | ONEOK | Family and Community | |
Nancy McDonald | Community Volunteer | Family and Community |