Martha McCabe named KC STEM Executive Director

Martha McCabe named KC STEM Executive Director

 

Kansas City, MO (Jan. 22, 2016)–Martha McCabe has been named Executive Director of the KC STEM Alliance, a collaborative network of educators, businesses and related organizations working together to inspire interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

Since the organization launched in 2011 with funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, its model for increasing STEM awareness, education, outreach and events has been replicated in other regions of the United States and in this school year alone the Alliance will reach more than 24,000 students through STEM-based programs it oversees.

McCabe, who joined the Alliance in 2013, has been instrumental in many KC STEM initiatives, including serving as project lead for ecosySTEM KC; chairing the regional Girls in STEM Committee; serving as co-state leader for the Missouri-Kansas Million Women Mentor initiative; and coordinating outreach and advocacy as a liaison to the national Project Lead the Way organization.

McCabe also led the effort to secure a $2.5 million grant from the Office of Minority Health’s National Workforce Pipeline Program, which is bringing new opportunities in biomedical sciences to students in seven area school districts.

Before joining KC STEM Alliance, McCabe focused on healthcare advocacy and workforce initiatives, including opening a federally and state-funded Area Health Education Center in Wisconsin. During her tenure with AHEC, she received national recognition for developing new programs in K-12 education and for undergraduate/graduate health professions training programs.

McCabe has extensive experience in community collaboration, interdisciplinary program development and student mentoring as well as non-profit leadership and management. She received both her graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Kansas.

KC STEM Alliance is an independently operated program of University of Missouri-Kansas City’s School of Computing and Engineering. The school’s Dean Kevin Truman said UMKC will continue to support KC STEM Alliance’s work to increase the number of students who are excited, engaged and enthused about STEM education and careers.

“Under Martha’s leadership, I am confident that the Alliance will continue to achieve at the highest level and will continue to be seen as a leader in STEM based education, recruitment, outreach and civic engagement,” Truman said.

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