STORYTELLING WOMEN in STEM: ASPIRE and INSPIRE – by Deborah Levine

WOMEN GROUNDBREAKERS (WGB) was created in 2001 as the Women’s Council on Diversity in Chattanooga TN. The group hosted cutting-edge programs and resources. In 2007, we launched both the American Diversity Report,  the Global-Southern Leadership Class. and the  WOMEN GROUNDBREAKERS STORYTELLING celebrating Women’s History Month by hosting an annual storytelling event.. The 2015 storytelling theme was Women in STEM and our year-round goal is to ASPIRE & INSPIRE!

The 5th annual WGB Storytelling event took place at the downtown Chattanooga Public Library. Chattanooga’s then Mayor Andy Berke  introduced the public celebration  that combines Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day. “Chattanooga’s ground-breaking women are STEM pioneers. They will inspire, engage, and stimulate the innovator in you,” reports Deborah Levine, editor of the American Diversity Report.

These were the STEM Storytellers and their stories. Videos of their stories will be available shortly.

DR. NESLIHAN ALP, Interim Dean: UTC College of Engineering & Computer Science. “The Vision of an International Woman in STEM Education.”
LAKWESHIA EWING, Co-owner: Biz Boom Apps, LLC. “LIFE APPlications: Owning your Legacy.”
HEIDI HEFFERLIN, Architect & President: Hefferlin + Kronenberg Architects, PLLC. “The Passion to Build Things.”
ALYSSA J. MONTAGUE, Document Control Manager: Hutton Construction, Inc. It’s a Man’s World: The Commercial Construction Industry.”
JEMILA MORSON, Owner: MorSocial Media. “The Power of We.”
SONYA REID, Process Improvement Engineer: Erlanger Health System. “My Non-traditional STEM Journey.”
TAMRA VAN ALLEN, Assistant Vice President & Pricing Actuary: Unum. “Applying My Math Skills.”
DR. RUTH WILLIAMS, PsychoBiology Professor: Southern Adventist University. “At Least She Was Never Bored.”

WGB Emcee SHEILA BOYINGTON is National Sr. Advisor to STEMconnector®, Athena Award winner, and Chattanooga Engineer Entrepreneur of the Year.

Thanking our Sponsors: Platinum: Humanities TN, Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, Gold: EPB Fiber Optics, Volkswagen Chattanooga, UTC College of Engineering & Computer Science, Chattanooga Writers Guild, Nashville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Million Women Mentors, Southern Adventist University, ThreeTwelve Creative, Excellerate!

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Thanking WGB  planners for this event: Earl Berkun, Finn Bille, Sheila Boyington, Jessica Broadnax, Linda Murray Bullard, Natalie Dewhirst, Lisa Diller, Laura Hessler, Gay Morgan Moore, Linda Moss Mines, Carrie Stefaniak, Sue Stohlmann.

Editor-in-Chief

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