Embedded Files
Mission
Mission
STEM Savvy will provide students, with a special focus on girls and those in under served communities, with programs that will introduce them to careers in STEM fields.
STEM Savvy will provide students, with a special focus on girls and those in under served communities, with programs that will introduce them to careers in STEM fields.
STEM Savvy partners with non-profits and schools in Elgin, other NW suburbs and Chicago to expose students to coding, robotics and engineering career programs. We provide programs in after school, summer camp and workshop formats.
Executive Director
Executive Director
Lydia J Gillus
Lydia J Gillus
About the Executive Director
About the Executive Director
Lydia received her degree in Computer Engineering from the Univ. of Michigan and her MBA from Loyola University Chicago. She worked for 17 years as a Solutions Engineer for Sprint where she designed WAN networks for business customers and trained engineering interns.
Lydia received her degree in Computer Engineering from the Univ. of Michigan and her MBA from Loyola University Chicago. She worked for 17 years as a Solutions Engineer for Sprint where she designed WAN networks for business customers and trained engineering interns.
She has been involved with engineering outreach programs for youth, since she was an undergraduate student. Over the years, while working with such organizations as National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), & Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), she has coached BDPA High School Computer Competition & FIRST robotics teams, led the Chicago NSBE Jr TryMathALon program, served as chapter advisor for Chicagoland NSBE Jr chapter, and developed the NSBE Chicago Engineers Week (E-Week) program. In addition to STEM Savvy, Lydia serves as the STEM chair for the Elgin chapter of AAUW, is on the board for the POP-UP Youth Center and is the middle school STEM teacher at Cambridge Lakes Charter School.
She has been involved with engineering outreach programs for youth, since she was an undergraduate student. Over the years, while working with such organizations as National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), & Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), she has coached BDPA High School Computer Competition & FIRST robotics teams, led the Chicago NSBE Jr TryMathALon program, served as chapter advisor for Chicagoland NSBE Jr chapter, and developed the NSBE Chicago Engineers Week (E-Week) program. In addition to STEM Savvy, Lydia serves as the STEM chair for the Elgin chapter of AAUW, is on the board for the POP-UP Youth Center and is the middle school STEM teacher at Cambridge Lakes Charter School.
She founded STEM Savvy to devote her time to increase the number of students going into STEM fields, encourage youth to not fear math and science and help them seek out other engineering opportunities to further their dreams.
She founded STEM Savvy to devote her time to increase the number of students going into STEM fields, encourage youth to not fear math and science and help them seek out other engineering opportunities to further their dreams.
Board and Staff Members
Board and Staff Members
Ramona Blair
Ramona Blair
Board Member
Board Member
Ramona believes reading and problem solving are two critical pieces in the foundation of learning. She has been a gifted/talented teacher, taught 3rd, 5th and 6th grades; served as Math Olympiad & Future Problem Solving Coach; District Science Fair Coordinator. She currently serves as the SuperKids Implementation Coach in Bellwood School District 88. She helps implement the core literacy curriculum that integrates reading and language arts.
Ramona holds degrees from Northwestern University, and National Louis University. She is active in her church, is married and has a teenaged son.
Timothy May
Timothy May
Board Member
Board Member
Timothy began his career in IT support, moving through implementations on to consulting. He currently directs and manages resources in the strategic delivery of global solutions. My background includes strategic planning, project management, business and process design, application design, implementations, vendor negotiations and management. He has over eleven years of consulting experience, managing relationships & projects, strategic initiatives, clients and vendor relationships.
Today he grows talent and helps them to discover their abilities as leaders
Courtney Powell
Courtney Powell
Board Member
Board Member
Courtney holds a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and a Master’s in Human Resources Management. She spent over fifteen years working in HR at several corporations where she honed her skills for providing career & life guidance to employees.
She currently serves alongside her husband, Eric, as the co-founder of Stay In Love For Life, focused on marriage readiness education for dating and engaged couples. Courtney has two children and she is also a contributing author in the Overcoming Mediocrity book series.
Rene' Yarborough
Rene' Yarborough
Program Planning
Program Planning
Rene' is a Senior Manager for Global IT. She has worked in IT and Project management for such companies as Baxter, Boeing, Hospira, Merck & Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, OH.
She has a love for "people, processes and technology". This leads her to volunteer for a diverse group of organizations. Her volunteering history includes ARA, Habitat for Humanity BDPA and of course STEM Savvy.
She is a graduate of the IT Senior Mgmt Forum (ITSMF), a lifetime member of BDPA, a member of the Project Management Institute - Chicago Chapter and holds degrees from University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University.
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