As a teacher and experiential education trainer for over 30 years, I have been on the cutting edge of efforts to engage young people in STEM studies and sustainability efforts. My passion is to motivate others through inventive project-based learning to join the crucial work of caring for our planet. When we create environments in our schools and communities that promote and value responsible action, youth are encouraged to become leaders in this work.
My work has garnered many state and national awards, and I have been recognized at the White House twice for my work in education. I was gratified to be nominated as Science Educator of the Year for developing Green Scholars, a curriculum that grew from one school into a national program for training students to be environmental leaders in their communities.
Since leaving my position as a public school teacher, I have founded and am now director of two organizations, Seaside Sustainability and the National STEM Honor Society. Both have the ultimate goal of infusing more STEM and sustainability into education systems all over the globe.
In addition to two Master’s degrees in education, I hold a Project-Based Learning Certificate from the University of Pennsylvania, a Leading Sustainable Innovation Professional Certificate from the University of Vermont, and a Sustainability Graduate Certificate from Harvard University.
I was born in the year of the first Earth Day to parents who instilled in me an appreciation of the fragility of our environment and our obligation to protect it. Growing up on the ocean and mountains of New England, I became passionate about being a steward of our earth. I like to educate others with a simple mantra: Never underestimate your power; be an informed consumer; think globally and act locally.
Ken Hecht
President
Ken Hecht
STEM had an enormous impact on my life even before it was called STEM.
Being one of five children from the south side of Chicago, the son of a Chicago Firefighter and carpenter, I was lucky. I did well in math and science in high school and was accepted to the Civil Engineering program at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. Illinois turned out to be a top engineering school. Who knew? That lit the fire.
Today that passion for science and math that set me on my way still burns as I have the great honor and pleasure to have been named the President of the National STEM Honor Society by my partner and dear friend, Eric Magers, its CEO and Founder.
Our mission is to inspire and recognize excellence from K to Career in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
We believe that STEM needs to start early, from the very start. And to continue through all levels of education and into rewarding careers that can change the trajectory of people’s lives… as it did mine.
We are seeking educators, students, parents, and organizations who believe what we believe. If you believe that STEM education enhancement is vital for our students, our teachers, our parents, our nation and our world, please feel free to reach out to me personally.
After an early engineering career of building power plants and control towers, I formed my own company aimed at goal setting and time management consulting, teaching a 16 week course in goal setting and an 8 week course in time management including many motivational speaking engagements.
After several years, I veered again, moving to a long career in commercial real estate brokerage and eventually ownership of a portfolio of office, R&D and lab buildings.
Educationally, in addition to the undergraduate experience at Illinois, while an engineer traveling for projects, I attended the MBA Programs at both Washington University in St. Louis and Northeastern University in Boston.
On a personal basis, I had the pleasure of coaching 13 years of youth soccer and baseball and 1 year of being the strength coach for the high school wrestling team. In our now home city of Gloucester, Massachusetts I was appointed to the Planning Board and was then elected to the Gloucester City Council.
My passion and enthusiasm for helping as many kids in STEM across the country and the world as quickly as we can runs deep. We do this by having schools open National STEM Honor Society Chapters at their schools. We have Chapters from coast to coast and now internationally. Please feel free to reach out to me personally for more information on starting your Chapter!
Patricia Kitchens
Director of Chapter Services
Patricia Kitchens
I’m Patricia Kitchens, and my journey in thefield of education expands over a span of 33-years. When the Covid-19 lockdown disrupted the world, I seized the opportunity to embark on a transformative path. Choosing to pursue a Masters degree in Communications and Media at Notre Dame of Maryland University; this became a turning point that reignited my professionalflame.
In 2023, I stepped into a new adventure with an internship at the National STEM Honor Society (NSTEM), marking the beginning of an exciting chapter in my career. Working hand in hand with Member Care, Human Resources, and as Eric’s Strategic Assistant, I have learned so much.
As my journey unfolded, I had the honor of taking on the role of Chapter Services Director. This new responsibility allowed me to bring my passion for education and communication to the forefront, further enhancing the support and services provided to our chapters. It’s a role that brings together my years of classroom experience with the fresh perspectives of what I have learned at NSTEM. It’s incredibly rewarding to leverage my experience to assist and guide these dedicated teachers to the success of their respective chapters.
My heart isfirmly rooted in education, and my mind is enriched with the latest insights into NSTEM. Being part of the NSTEM team allows me to contribute to the growth of the organization. I am fully committed to the success of this company.
Blending decades of teaching experience with the fresh perspectives gained from my master’s journey, I’m excited about the future! Advocating for education and innovation, I strive to leave a lasting impact on the educational landscape, making a difference in the lives of students and educators alike.
Zuzana Urbanova
Senior Director, Human Resources Director
Zuzana Urbanova
My name is Zuzana, and I currently live in Omaha, Nebraska. Originally, I am from the Czech Republic in Europe. I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and am pursuing a graduate degree in Business Administration with a minor in Human Resources at the University of Northern Colorado.
As a driven and passionate individual, I am thrilled to have accepted a leadership position at NSTEM, where I can effectively apply my academic knowledge and gain valuable leadership experience. I recognize that the role demands an adept and versatile individual capable of nurturing and supporting interns while simultaneously ensuring the organization thrives in a highly competitive environment. I aim to effectively balance these interests while maintaining the highest ethical and legal standards.
I am dedicated to NSTEM’s mission of empowering students to succeed in STEM fields, which I believe is pivotal to shaping the future. My communication, problem-solving, organizational, interpersonal, and adaptability skills are key assets that I will leverage to further the HR department’s objectives and promote Level 5 leadership. I believe I can contribute meaningfully to NSTEM’s success and positively support all interns who will shape our future.
Advisory Council
Dr. José Morey
Advisory Council
Dr. José Morey
CEO and Founder of Ad Astra Media LLC and an Eisenhower Fellow with the 2020 ZHI XING Fellows Program. He is a health and technology keynote speaker, author, and consultant for NASA, Forbes, MIT, and the White House Office of Science and Technology. He is considered a leader in exponential technology innovation and excels at leading multidisciplinary teams that sit at the epicenter of biotechnology, AI, and aerospace.
He is considered the first Intergalactic Doctor and is often featured on Forbes, Univision, CNBC, and NASA360. His latest essay “The Future Shock of Medicine: How AI will Transform Disease, Death and Doctors” was recently reviewed by The Wall Street Journal along with other contributions by contemporary thought leaders. He serves as a technology and business advisor for MIT, NASA, UVA, African Innovation Alliance, US-Polish Alliance for Innovation and has served as special envoy to the Polish Space Agency.
His expertise in big data and innovation has made him a sought-after consultant in many industries. As Chief Medical Innovation Officer for Liberty BioSecurity, he helps drive innovation in genetic intelligence, national defense, biotechnology, precision medicine, and augmented human performance.
As Chief Engineering Council in charge of Innovation for Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, he directs international engineering teams in technology and intellectual property development.
As the Medical Technology and Artificial Intelligence Adviser for NASA iTech, he helped evaluate research initiatives that would develop novel technology to meet the 2030 Mars Mission objectives and deep space exploration.
Dr. Morey has previously worked with IBM Watson Health as their Associated Chief Health Officer where he helped develop global AI medical technologies.
Morey has also consulted with many companies to help create and train their deep learning algorithms and neural networks to develop intelligent systems in healthcare and aerospace.
Morey sits on several AI advisory boards and has over 100 peer-reviewed publications, articles, presentations, and lectures. He also has a seat on the Informatics Leadership Council for the American College of Radiology.
He has given talks to NASA360, the Radiologic Society of North America, HIIMS, Academy Health, Health Datapalooza, Tech.Co, Frost & Sullivan Executive MindXchange, Stifel Nicolaus Healthcare Investment Conference, the Chinese Medical Association, and the Senate of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Morey holds an adjunct professorship of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at the University of Virginia and at Eastern Virginia Medical School. And he is a guest lecturer at Singularity University. Morey is also an advisor with MIT Solve, Ideas MIT, Tampa Bay Wave, and I Corps Puerto Rico.
Dr. Morey is a Senior Advisor with the NASA Space Breathing Initiative, where he helps direct an international team of hardware and software engineers to develop a blockchain-based data platform pipeline in collaboration with NASA and NetApp for COVID-19 rapid response utilizing the hybrid cloud. Identified and guided hardware and software parameters well as edge device integration and clinical AI development for prescriptive analytics and integration with the US National Emergency Broadcasting System.
He also serves as a Special Advisor with the White House Office of Science and Technology Kaggle CORD19 Project. He advised the Director of Research of CORD19 which is a collaboration between the Allen Institute for AI, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), Microsoft, and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health to create AI platform to review scholarly literature about COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and the Coronavirus group. Advised director on how to transform research content into machine-readable form, making the corpus ready for analysis and study.
Maxine Cain is an award-winning People Leader changing the way women business leaders and entrepreneurs, live, work, and play by doing work that matters in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
Maxine is the Founder & President of STEM Atlanta Women, Inc. A non-profit 501c(3) organization created to Enlighten, Educate, and Empower women and girls about the advantages and global opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math and the future skills needed to compete and succeed in the 21st Century.
Maxine is a Senior Human Resources leader and entrepreneurial personality known for innovative approaches to business, strategy, diversity, and inclusion, and Emerging Technologies.
Maxine is a visionary leader focused on disrupting the unconscious bias in Tech and bridging the gender gap in STEM. She provides STEM Education, Training, and STEM Consulting Services that include program evaluation, professional development, project management, curriculum development, and capacity building.
Maxine is also the Founder & CEO of Mathis, Griffin, Cain, Consulting provides consulting and advisory services to women business leaders and Entrepreneurs in the following practice areas: Business Strategy & Development, Emerging Technology, Talent, Pipeline Development, Organizational, Operational and Technological Advisory Services, New Skilling, Upskilling, and Reskilling the Workforce in the Digital Era.
As an educator with over 25 years of experience as a Computer Science & Communications teacher and school administrator, I have always introduced or enhanced STEM programs in my schools. I was hooked on STEM when I got involved in my first Robotics competition with my high school students. I live and work on Long Island, in New York, and am therefore connected to schools on Long Island and New York City. As part of the Catholic School Administrators Association of NY, I am also involved with schools around the state.
Erricka Moore
Advisory Council
Erricka Moore
Errika serves as the inaugural Executive Director for the STEM Funders Network committed to ensuring DEIA in STEM opportunity investments from cradle to career.ShebelievesweCANensurethathistoricallymarginalizedand underrepresented communities in STEM have more equitable access to funding and opportunities.
Previously she worked for IBM, BMC Software, and Southwire. In 2012 she decided she was committed to changing the things she could no longer accept. Since then, she’s served as the Vice President of Member Services and External Affairs for ITSMFincreasingtherepresentationintheblacktechnologypipeline,the Executive Director for TAG-ED focused on K-12 STEM advocacy, and the Senior Program Officer at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta focused on creating equity in education through workforce development for over 980,000 students.
As a servant leader, she currently serves on the Advisory Boards for Florida International University’s Honors College, Georgia Tech’s Industrial Engineering department, and Georgia DoE’s Computer Science department. She also serves on the national boards for Project Scientist and Ferst Readers, the strategic planning committee for the National Center for Family Math, the Georgia CTAE Industry Advisory Council, and as the state lead for the National Million Women Mentors initiative. In every role, she’s committed to DEIA, system-level change, challenging the systems that have created both disparities and inhibitors to equitable access, and being a voice for the voiceless.
Errika has been recognized as an Education Policy Fellow, a Trailblazer by Million Women Mentors, an Outstanding Georgia Citizen by the Secretary of the State, a Woman of the Year by Atlanta’s Women in Technology, and an Ecosystem Builder by multiple organizations.
She’s a published co-author, a Forbes Nonprofit Council member, and a former STEM magazine editor.
Kelli List Wells
Advisory Council
Kelli List Wells
Prior to her experience in corporate philanthropy, Kelli was a licensed financial advisor, holding her Series 7 and Series 63 Investment licenses with Charles Schwab where she designed and created seminars on financial planning. She continued her work when she joined GE in 1995 as an Investment Representative. In 1996, she was appointed to Quality where she became a Black Belt in Six Sigma.
After my role in Quality, Kelli managed International Marketing for GE’s Retail Services Division. In 2001 she joined the corporate citizenship team at GE Capital where she held responsibilities around global programs. In 2004, she was appointed to the GE Foundation as the Executive Director for Education and Skills. Kelli has extensive training in strategic planning and Fastworks training, it is all about design thinking to shift from talk to action.
Saundra Lamb
Advisory Council
Saundra Lamb
Accomplished Attorney and an accredited college professor with a demonstrated history of working in Corporate leadership, Non-Profit, and Academia. Strong community and social impact professional skilled in Organization Management, Project Planning and Management, Government Relations, Event Management, Marketing, and Board Management and Development.
Mrs. Lamb is Co-Founder and C.O. O. of Semforex, Inc., which designs and manufactures innovative ballistic apparel and body armor for the law enforcement, first responder, and private security community. She served as Administrator of Corporate Affairs and as General Counsel, before being appointed to her current roles with the company in 2013 and 2017.
Mrs. Lamb currently serves as an appointed member of the Governor’s Maryland Manufacturer’s Advisory Board and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Thurgood Marshall Center Trust in Washington, D. C. She is the Advice Counsel and was formerly the Associate Director of the Community Center for Social Advocacy (CCFSA) in Houston, TX. She is a Lector at the Basilica of the National Shrine for the Immaculate Conception, and an ACUE accredited Adjunct Professor at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, D. C. She is a native of Chicago, IL, and a graduate of the University Of Iowa College Of Law, and a retired member of the Bar. She currently resides with her family in the Washington Metropolitan Area.
Executive Assistants/Fellows/Senior Directors
Aisha Makama
Senior Director, International Expansion Director
Aisha Makama
I am a senior at Niagara Falls high school with a strong passion for STEM. I plan to attend university with hopes of majoring in Computational Biology with a minor in History. For most of my high school career, I have tailored my extracurriculars towards my STEM interests, leading me to conduct biology-based research at the Institute for Systems Biology over the summer.
I accepted a leadership position at NSTEM because I wanted to involve myself with challenging tasks and broaden my horizon on the systems needed to run a successful company. I started as Ken’s Strategic assistant and was soon promoted to Senior Director. As senior director, I work on higher-end tasks with a team of like-minded individuals to bring STEM where it is most needed. Having a leadership position at NSTEM made me develop many skills such as time management which I will need to succeed as a student and employee in the future.
Alyssa Ren
Web and Tech Department Fellow
Alyssa Ren
Hi, I’m Alyssa, a graduating senior from the University of South Florida. I accepted a leadership position to both hone my leadership skills and be able to interact with more interns at NSTEM. Working as a co-director has improved my organization, management, and communication skills, which will help me at both NSTEM and beyond.
Bill Liu
Data Analytics
Bill Liu
I am from Riverside, California. I graduated from UC Davis with a BS in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology. Last year, I decided to change my path into the data analytics field. Having the opportunity to intern at NSTEM provides me a great chance to enhance my skills and make a potential impact on STEM fields for future generations. I assumed the role of co-director of the Data Analytics department because I seek personal and professional growth, as well as a desire to make a positive impact on both the department and NSTEM as a whole.
Derek Desrosiers
Chapter Media and Communications
Derek Desrosiers
Derek lives in southeastern Massachusetts and is a student at the Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPI, graduating in May 2025. While he does not yet have an advanced educational degree, he is very excited to join NSTEM’s leadership team. Being a STEM-oriented student allows him to give insight on what a traditional classroom may be for students and how NSTEM can improve students’ educational journey. Derek has been a co-director for Chapter Media and Communications before he started as a Senior Director and is confident that he will be able to fulfill the responsibilities required. He is a dedicated, passionate, and driven STEM-oriented student and is committed to furthering NSTEM’s goals now and in the future. He is looking forward to working with future interns and directors of the many different NSTEM departments.
Nehal Bajaj
Director of the Annual NSTEM PBL Showcase
Nehal Bajaj
My name is Nehal Bajaj. I am from Somerset, NJ and will be an junior in the 2022-23 school year. After working as an intern in the Business department for about 7 months and working as Ken’s Strateigc Assistant for 3 months, I was thrilled to accept the Business director position! As a youth deeply involved in education advocacy, getting to be part of an organization that has the tools to limit the inequity surrounding STEM education is amazing to be a part of. Being involved in both the internal and external strategy at NSTEM, my leadership skills have evolved massively from learning the most efficent organization skills and what it takes to lead a team with clear goals. While not the most passionate about STEM, I loved the atmosphere that the NSTEM internship program creates, offering real world leadership experience. I have met many passionate educators and experts that have helped me reaffirm my connection to STEM. This position has made me a much better student and I look forward to applying these skills as a puruse my interest in finance and public policy.
Xinyi Zhang
Founder/Director of the Annual NSTEM PBL Showcase
Xinyi Zhang
I am from South Brunswick, New Jersey, and am currently a first-year at Harvard College planning to pursue a concentration in neurobiology. I have had the wonderful opportunity of being an intern at NSTEM since August 2020 and serving as a Senior Director for over a year and a half.
In 2022, I founded NSTEM’s Annual Project-Based Learning (PBL) Showcase, which allows NSTEM chapters from all across the nation to connect and share their students’ STEM projects made during the school year. Together with Nehal, we organized the First Annual NSTEM PBL Showcase, which occurred in March 2023 and included 16 fantastic student-led projects.
Moving from an intern to a fellowship position, I will focus my efforts on being the Director of the Annual NSTEM PBL Showcase to help highlight NSTEM chapters’ passions for using their STEM knowledge to make a real-world impact. I am so grateful to be a part of this amazing organization that is expanding opportunities for students to excel in STEM.
I was born in the uber-educated city of Boston, Massachusetts, where innovation and technology bear many fruits. Growing up surrounded by the various technologies, innovations, and trends shaping the modern digital world, my curiosity for STEM was sparked at an early age. My desire to learn has shaped my educational journey by pursuing a deep dive into advanced STEM classes and engaging in internships and collaborative initiatives, where my leadership skills were born. My academic pursuits and hands-on experiences solidified my passion for STEM. Motivated by my love of STEM, I eagerly accepted a leadership position at NSTEM. Throughout my life, STEM has been a constant companion, guiding my intellectual growth and shaping my perspective on problem-solving. From being in charge of my local library to collaborative research endeavors, I have honed skills in communication, writing, researching, and teamwork – essential for effective leadership. As a director at NSTEM, I am excited to leverage my skills and experiences to build and maintain an excellent, positive public image for NSTEM through blogs and relationship management and further position NSTEM’s mission for success.
Haram Jamil
Web and Tech
Haram Jamil
Hi, My name is Haram Jamil. I have recently graduated with a BA in Digital Media and Design focusing on Web and Interactive media. I accepted a leadership position at NSTEM as I want to help in the advancement of STEM education and empower future innovators such as interns. I also want to gain further experience and be able to help other interns reach their fullest potential.
Josilynn Barney
Data Analytics
Josilynn Barney
I have spent a great deal of my life in my home state of Ohio before moving to North Dakota in the United States. I’m currently finishing up my bachelor’s in Data Science at Minot State University, with an already completed minor in Computer Science. I accepted my leadership position with NSTEM to expand my skillset in coordinating projects, as well as sharpening my communication and problem-solving skills through helping our interns complete their designated project. This position has allowed for me to truly explore my potential as a leader by working on collaborative projects and guiding others through my existing knowledge and skills as I continue to learn innovative methods of studying data in university. I enjoy organizing various metrics and visualizations for our data analyses while also incorporating boundaries specific to nature of our projects. I look forward to continuing to grow in the field I am most passionate about here at NSTEM!
Libbey Kwok
Chapter Media & Communications
Libbey Kwok
Hi! My name is Libbey, and I am one of the Chapter Media and Communications directors at NSTEM. I reside in the Bay Area and love serving others and impacting the next generation, which is why I decided to become an intern at NSTEM. Working here has been a very uplifting and educational experience and I’m extremely glad to do so. Things that interest me include STEM and business and in my free time, I like to go on runs, volunteer, and hang out with friends and family. I’m looking forward to working with chapters as NSTEM becomes international and supporting them in the best way that I can!
William Norboe
Web and Tech
William Norboe
I am William from Alameda, California, currently attending UC Davis. I accepted the position of Web & Tech Co-Director at NSTEM because I enjoyed my internship there and wanted to further my skills in managing a website. I have experience working on personal websites in the past, including one with WordPress. My skills with websites will help me excel in this position. I am excited to contribute my knowledge and passion for web development to the team at NSTEM. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues to enhance the NSTEM’s online presence.
