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Building a future-ready STEM workforce powered by industry, grounded in research and guided by data.

OUR TEAM

The STEMconnector team brings together experienced leaders from industry, education, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector who share a deep commitment to building a stronger talent ecosystem. United by a shared passion and sense of purpose, we contribute our unique expertise in strategy, research, program design, and stakeholder engagement to support our members and special projects to turn insights into action and drive measurable impact across the STEM pipeline.

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TED WELLS - President

Ted is a founding member of STEMconnector and an operationally focused business leader with demonstrated leadership experience. He has overseen the launch and growth of STEMConnector as a public-private partnership and coalition program to engage diverse stakeholders at the Corporate, State, Local and Federal levels to support equitable STEM education. Ted's expertise and leadership has been instrumental in establishing STEMconnector as a national leader in advancing the nation’s innovation capacity and societal equity through sustainable and impactful employer engagement in education. Ted has a demonstrated track record and strategic leadership in public policy initiatives relating to education, economic policy, and corporate governance strategy with significant professional experience in the fields education, workforce planning and development, public policy, and business. Ted's Educational background is in Economics and Romance Languages and graduate in International Affairs.

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DREW GLASSFORD - Director of Strategic Initiatives

Drew is an innovative nonprofit and business leader with a passion for building industry partnerships to expand technical and professional STEM talent pathways. He excels in working with corporations, educational institutions, and nonprofits to drive effective workforce development solutions. Hi prior roles include CEO of a youth development organization serving five communities in the suburbs of Chicago recognized as a top Midwest performer by The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and a national director of philanthropy and partnerships with the Boy Scouts of America Foundation. Notable experience includes serving on national and state-level committees for STEM education and workforce advancement; securing significant government grants and program funding; participating in White House convenings on Youth Workforce Readiness; and buidling impactful relationships with Fortune 500 companies, major donors, and industry innovators,

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KYLIE MESSIER

Director Client Relations & Events

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MIGUEL SOLER 

Marketing and Client Relations

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CHRIS WARWICK

Chief Marketing Officer

KEY NATIONAL PARTNERS

Our key partners are key collaborators who provide strategic leadership to co-design, test, and scale innovative solutions that align education with rapidly evolving workforce needs, and expand opportunities for underinvested communities.

WORKFORCE INNOVATION & ACCELERATOR COLLABORATIVE MEMBERS

EVENTS, RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROJECTS

STEMconnector’s events, research, and special projects are designed to connect insight with action and accelerate progress across the STEM education-to-workforce continuum. Through national and regional convenings, applied research, and co-designed initiatives with partners, STEMconnector helps stakeholders test, scale, and share solutions that strengthen the STEM talent pipeline.

 

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EVENTS

STEMconnector hosts flagship gatherings such as the STEM Innovation Forum, which brings together leaders from industry, education, government, and nonprofits to explore emerging trends and advance collaborative STEM talent strategies in regional markets. These events feature interactive sessions, site visits, and networking that surface promising practices and give attendees tools they can adapt and apply in their own organizations and communities.

RESEARCH

Our organization produces research and reports—such as the State of STEM series and work-based learning studies—that map the STEM ecosystem, identify talent gaps, and highlight effective practices for employers and educators. These research products provide common language, data, and frameworks that members use to align strategies, make investment decisions, and embed STEM efforts within core business and institutional priorities.

PROJECTS

STEMconnector leads and supports collaborative projects with partners to design and implement scalable STEM pathways, including efforts focused on internships, work-based learning, skills development and access in STEM education. Many initiatives are developed with corporate and education partners and generate blueprints, tools, and case studies that can be replicated to expand opportunity and meet our goal to have effective, sustainable, industry-driven STEM education programs accessible to every learner.

HISTORY

STEMconnector was founded in 2011 as a consortium focused on linking all things STEM, connecting companies, nonprofits, government entities, and academic institutions concerned with STEM education and human capital in the United States. In its first five years, STEMconnector developed comprehensive web-based resources, built an extensive cross-sector network, and published multiple reports and white papers in partnership with key members to map and address STEM workforce needs.

STEMconnector expanded to become the premier network of stakeholders committed to developing and sustaining a diverse STEM workforce. The organization positioned itself as both a resource and service provider, offering research, data, and convenings that connect stakeholders at national, state, and local levels and highlight effective approaches in STEM across the country. As a research-driven professional services firm, STEMconnector supports members in developing, executing, and scaling sustainable, equitable STEM talent strategies that respond to emerging workforce demands. We have launched and supported initiatives such as Million Women Mentors and Day of Design, which aimed to increase interest, confidence, and pathways into STEM careers, particularly for underrepresented populations.

In 2018 STEMconnector issued its seminal State of Stem report titled “Defining the Landscape to Determine High‑Impact Pathways for the Future Workforce”, which laid out our comprehensive framework addressing five critical STEM talent gaps—skills, beliefs, postsecondary education, geography, and demographics. The goal of the study was to help stakeholders move beyond fragmented discourse and build a shared language and ecosystem for cross‑sector collaboration for enhanced practice to improve outcomes for the STEM talent pipeline in the United States. “State of STEM” has served as a valuable resource and guided the development of meaningful strategies and solutions to bridge the gaps identified, including our Innovation Task Force, STEM Innovation Labs and Summit, and content series.

 

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JOIN OUR MISSION

We invite you to become a catalyst for change for developing industry-led, innovative and sustainable STEM talent solutions to create a better future for our nation, our communities and our children.

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