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Dr. Danielle Sweeney

WOMEN IN STEM – Dr. Danielle Sweeney

Executive Director @ IVUmed

Dr. Danielle Sweeney tackles global health issues as the executive director of IVUMed.Her love for mentorship leaves an impact on local doctors in their respective communities around the world as she carries on the philosophy of teach one, reach many. We are so honored that she has chosen to speak with us today about her career and the ways in which she uses her skills to impact the world.

What sparked your interest and made you want to volunteer with Girlstart?

I’ve been in the Austin community for many years and have loved the impact that Girlstart is making in our community. Mentorship is so important, especially if pursuing a career that is new (among your family or friends) or where you might be the only girl (or one of few) in the room. (I know I benefited from mentorship in my own career.)

What would you like to tell girls who are interested in pursuing a STEM career? What words of encouragement would you share with them?

Go for it. There are so many rewarding vocations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Girls can do hard things and thrive and achieve in worlds that aren’t always open to them.

Was there a specific person, program, or event in your life that led you to your STEM career?

I have dreamed of being a doctor since I was 13 years old and was driven since that time to achieve that goal. That I was the first female resident in over a decade at my six-year urologic surgery residency didn’t dissuade me. Medicine always has been my passion. After working in a private medical practice for many years, I found a new way to pursue the vocation I love as executive director of IVUmed. Our organization helps train doctors in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia that don’t have access to specialized medical training for urologic diseases. The work is very meaningful — we really are changing the lives of adults and children.

What are your favorite things about your career?

Parents came to us with their babies in their hands, having lost nearly all hope that their child’s condition would improve. We were able to successfully treat their children and teach local doctors how to continue these patients’ medical care. There are so many conditions that are easily treated or repaired in the U.S. but in medically underserved countries doctors don’t have the specialized training or resources to help people in their own communities. Our philosophy is to teach one, reach many – that is, train local doctors to treat and care for adults and children in their own communities. I love the mentorship. I love the camaraderie. I love helping changes adults’ and children’s lives in a meaningful and sustainable way.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

I was appointed Executive Director in August 2020, the point in the pandemic where we knew onsite training in partner countries in Africa, South America, and Asia would not be possible in the foreseeable future. But the pandemic did not put an end to global health issues. We had to find new ways to train local doctors that didn’t require traveling. Virtual surgical training was an idea that hadn’t yet gotten off the ground and, like most other industries, we knew we had to get online and try it. I’m so proud to report that in two years, IVUmed has provided 89 virtual lectures and trained 1740 health care providers in 40+ countries. Each trained clinician has the potential to continue providing medical care to thousands of children and adults in need. I’ve always felt that great leaders help others step up, that they inspire people to dream more and do more. In our own way, IVUmed is leading the way by giving skills and resources to local doctors to become the medical leaders that they want to be.

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Nikki Merrill

WOMEN IN STEM – Nikki Merrill

Project Engineer @ Williams

Nikki Merrill’s life changed after applying to one engineering scholarship in high school. Since then, her love for Civil Engineering led her to become an esteemed project engineer for Williams. We are so honored that she has chosen to speak with us today about her career and the ways in which she uses her skills of solving complex problems in the natural gas pipeline business!

What sparked your interest and made you want to volunteer with Girlstart?

I think it is a great program that introduces STEM in a fun way at the formative years which is so crucial and beneficial.

What is your favorite Girlstart memory?

I really loved when we asked the girls to shout out some female role models and they were naming Mae Jemison, Maya Angelou, and Miley Cyrus! I thought it was so cool that young girls knew Mae Jemison!

What would you like to tell girls who are interested in pursuing a STEM career? What words of encouragement would you share with them?

Just do it like Nike says. I truly believe you are the author of your life and you can do anything if you want it bad enough.

Was there a specific person, program, or event in your life that led you to your STEM career?

My high school biology teacher. He encouraged me to fill out an engineering scholarship application for Texas A&M. At that point, I was planning on going to community college or the U.S. Navy because I did not have any money for college and my parents were not in a situation where they could help monetarily. I ended up being awarded the scholarship and it allowed me to attend Texas A&M where I majored in Civil Engineering.

Tell us about your STEM field?

I work in the natural gas pipeline business where we build out the infrastructure to transport natural gas. It is critical infrastructure needed to provide energy to businesses, manufacturing, and homes. We build pipelines and compressor facilities to compress natural gas all over the USA.

What are your favorite things about your career/field?

I really enjoy solving complex problems. Each project is trying to achieve the same result but there are always new and interesting challenges in each project. I enjoy working on a team with other engineers and non-engineers to solve problems and drive these projects to completion. It is really rewarding to be a part of our energy industry.

What projects/programs you have worked on?

I have worked on many projects where we build pipelines to transport natural gas to business, refineries, and homes. I have also worked on building compressor stations where we use natural gas-powered turbines to compress natural gas on the pipeline and send it along.

Why is confidence in STEM important for girls?

Girls need to cultivate a positive inner talk track and they need to protect that and maintain it for the rest of their lives. A positive mindset will lead to confidence and that is so crucial because you need confidence to take risks and do things that seem scary at first.

This blog was written by Caroline Onwuzu. During the spring 2022 semester when she was a senior at The University of Texas Austin majoring in Human Development and Family Science, Caroline served as a Volunteer & Community Relations Intern at Girlstart. In this role, she helped volunteers connect in meaningful ways to Girlstart. At UT, she was also the president of the African Student Organization.

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A Note from Shane Woods, Executive Director

A NOTE FROM SHANE WOODS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

June 8, 2022

This week marks the beginning of my second month as Girlstart’s Executive Director. As we embark on this journey together, I wanted to share some background on what inspires and motivates me.

I accepted this position because I believe in Girlstart. It embodies all that I wish to do as a Black woman who is a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a leader. I knew there was no better nonprofit to join if I wanted to make a difference.

Engaging the girl in the back of the room who didn’t know STEM was the key to her dreams is why I am here and the foundation of my career, which has spanned from the Fort Worth Independent School District to the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas STEM Center of Excellence.

As a child, I always operated from a space of curiosity. “Why? What? How?” are the questions that led me to take this form of Shane you see before you (someone who also loves anime, true crime, and hikes). Those questions encouraged me to sign up for honors courses in middle school, which led to AP courses in high school. Then, great mentors helped me see the possibilities of majoring in Biology in college.

Outside of the classroom, the TV show Mr. Wizard’s World (here I am dating myself!) inspired me and set me on the path to STEM through home science demonstrations that showed kids who looked and sounded like the kids in my own neighborhood. The Magic School Bus book series introduced me to one of my all-time favorite women in STEM, the unforgettable character of Professor Valerie Frizzle, PhD, who gave me important ideas on how to facilitate inquiry learning and keep “boring” out of the classroom.

I bring all of me to Girlstart—an organization that has an extraordinary, twenty-five year history. This track record and impact is a testament to all of you—our volunteers, school and district partners, the young women who make up our STEM CREW, the inspiring girls we serve, generous philanthropic supporters, and our wide community of friends and champions.

What do we do next? Where do we go from here? I am learning our Girlstart language, traditions, culture, and seeking system-wide alignment towards our mission. I want to be able to tell our story well and make us a national name. I am helping the team launch Girlstart Summer Camp this summer at 37 sites across the country, as well as planning for our 25th anniversary Game Changers Luncheon (Friday, November 4th in Austin, TX) that will raise crucial funds for Girlstart After School.

I plan to host virtual stakeholder conversations this fall to engage with you further. And, if you are interested in a one-on-one meeting, please fill out this request form or email me at executivedirector@girlstart.org.

I am beyond excited to work with you to build the future of Girlstart! It is an honor to be here. 

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Press Release: Girlstart’s New Executive Director, Shane Woods

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2022

Contact: Anna Berns, anna@girlstart.org

GIRLSTART NAMES DYNAMIC STEM LEADER SHANE WOODS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Following a comprehensive national search for a visionary new leader, Girlstart, an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit organization in its 25th year, welcomes Shane Woods as the third executive director in the organization’s history. Ms. Woods brings twenty years of experience to leading Girlstart’s programming across Texas, as well as California and Massachusetts, continuing and strengthening its work to engage thousands of girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math each year. Despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce and holding as many undergraduate degrees as men overall, women are still vastly underrepresented in the STEM workforce and among STEM degree holders, making nurturing early involvement and interest in STEM a critical need across the United States. Ms. Woods notes:

“I firmly believe in being an active ancestor for our youth and those coming behind them who dare to make this world a better place. As a self-proclaimed ‘social justice architect’ my passion lies in preparing, nurturing, and sustaining spaces that welcome all girls so that they can prepare to take on the role or roles of their life.“

Most recently, Ms. Woods served as the Senior Director of the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas STEM Center of Excellence, a 92-acre living laboratory where kids of all ages can explore and develop their competence and confidence in science, technology, engineering, and math – all while cultivating essential skills such as confidence, resilience, leadership, risk taking, and problem solving. She began her career as a middle school science teacher in the Fort Worth Independent School District. In her seventeen years with the district, Ms. Woods was able to make her mark in every position she held, from Department Chair to leading the entire district as the K-12 Science Director overseeing curriculum and assessment development while also supporting teachers in honing their skills through professional learning opportunities.

A scientist at heart, Ms. Woods holds a B.S in Biology from Xavier University of New Orleans and an M.S.Ed. in Middle Level Science and Mathematics from Walden University. She is a nationally recognized and award-winning leader and speaker in science education. Ms. Woods also holds volunteer leadership positions with the National Science Education Leadership Association, American Camp Association, and the Women Leading Technology Sorority.

Ms. Woods began her new role with Girlstart on May 2, 2022, noting:

“As Girlstart celebrates its 25th year, I cannot express what an incredible honor it is for me to serve as the Executive Director. I look forward to building upon the great foundation that has been laid so that we can inspire more youth who never knew STEM was for them.”

About Girlstart:
Girlstart is an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit organization celebrating 25 years of engaging girls in informal educational opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce and holding as many undergraduate degrees as men overall, women are still vastly underrepresented in the STEM workforce and among STEM degree holders. Through its comprehensive programming of After School, Summer Camp, and Community STEM events, Girlstart provides a year-round, intensive suite of STEM education programs for thousands of K-12 girls each year. Girlstart’s core programs foster STEM skills development, an understanding of the importance of STEM as a way to solve the world’s major problems, and self confidence, as well as an interest in STEM classes, majors, and careers. For more information, visit www.girlstart.org, or follow us on social: @iheartgirlstart, https://www.facebook.com/Girlstart/, and https://www.linkedin.com/company/girlstart.

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