Speakers

Over 50 speakers, mentors, and STEMbassadors will take part in the 2025 National STEM Festival. From top scientific researchers to tech leaders, from astronauts to policymakers, these are the creative thinkers and problem-solvers driving innovation for a more sustainable future. Sign up for updates as more speakers are announced.

Expert Mentors

  • A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a black blazer and white earrings, smiling brightly with red lipstick. The background is a plain, light-colored wall.

    Adria Marquez

    Adria is a social impact exec with 15 years in entertainment, government, and philanthropy. She has worked with the Obama Administration and the Motion Picture Association, and led DE&I communications.

  • Portrait of Andrew Zimmern with a grey beard and glasses, wearing a brown blazer, a pink shirt, and a pocket square, smiling slightly against a grey background.

    Andrew Zimmern

    Andrew is an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, writer and social justice advocate.

  • Bobak Ferdowsi

    Bobak is a flight engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He served on the Cassini–Huygens and Mars Science Lab Curiosity missions.

  • A woman with short curly hair, wearing glasses, turquoise earrings, and a grey jacket over a black top. She is smiling with red lipstick against a plain white background.

    Clair Koroma

    Clair is a digital services expert who works with the U.S. Digital Service procurement team at the White House and the strategic operations team at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

  • A professional portrait of Lloyd Whitman, senior advisor and fellow for science and technology policy at the Atlantic Council.

    Lloyd Whitman

    Lloyd is a senior advisor and fellow for science and technology policy at the Atlantic Council. He has a distinguished federal career in S&T research, policy, and planning.

  • Megan Wilkerson, Ph.D.

    Dr. Wilkerson serves as a Chief Scientist at Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) , aiding small-farmer resilience and community development.

  • A professional portrait of Phaedra Boinodiris, an expert in Data and AI Ethics and a leader in IBM’s Responsible AI consulting grou

    Phaedra Boinodiris

    Phaedra, IBM's Responsible AI consulting leader, guides ethical AI practices. She authored "AI for the Rest of Us." Co-founder of the Future World Alliance, she advocates for K-12 AI ethics education.

  • Sirisha Bandla

    Sirisha is Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations for Virgin Galactic. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in astronautical engineering and holds an MBA.

  • Tracy Fanara

    Dr. Fanara is a Coastal Modeling Portfolio Manager for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the creator of “Inspector Planet.”

STEMbassadors

  • A young woman with long brown hair holding a magnifying glass in one hand and a beetle in the other, smiling playfully. She is wearing a white tank top, and the background is a plain, light-colored wall.

    Aly Moore

    Aly, a leading advocate in insect agriculture, educates on the benefits of eating bugs. She’s on a mission to inspire others to open their minds and mouths to this sustainable protein source.

  • A woman with long black hair styled in a braid, wearing turquoise earrings and a black and white patterned top. The background is outdoors, with a snow-covered tree visible.

    Charitie Ropati

    Charitie (Yup'ik & Samoan) is an education and environmental activist. She has advocated for accurate, inclusive Indigenous curricula in Alaska and champions Indigenous representation in STEM fields.

  • Chemical Kim

    Chemical Kim, a chemistry professor and award-winning science education influencer, makes science accessible and exciting through hands-on experiments. Her mission is to make science inclusive and accessible for everyone

  • Danielle Boyer

    Danielle Boyer is a 22-year-old Indigenous (Ojibwe) robotics inventor and advocate for youth who has been teaching kids since she was ten.

  • Hillary Coe

    Hillary is an Emmy award-winning hands-on design leader utilizing bold, disruptive multi-platform innovation to solve the world's greatest challenges.

  • Justin Shaifer

    Justin "Mr. Fascinate" Shaifer is the award-winning Science Communicator, TV Host, producer and STEMbassador on a mission to make science cool.

  • Kevin J. DeBruin

    Kevin is a former NASA Rocket Scientist turned Entrepreneur. His mission is to inspire and educate people about the wonders of space exploration and its importance to us here on Earth.

  • A man in a white lab coat with "Hip Hop MD" embroidered on it, wearing glasses, a bow tie, and headphones around his neck, stands against a green background.

    Maynard Okereke

    Better known as the Hip Hop M.D., Maynard graduated from the Univ. of Washington with a degree in Civil Engineering. He’s an award winning Science Communicator.

  • Nick Uhas

    Professional stunt skater turned science educator, Nick makes science fun through his YouTube channel, TV shows like “Blown Away,” and his company, the Science Factory.

  • A young man with short black hair, smiling and wearing a white shirt. The background is blurred, suggesting an indoor setting with diffused lighting.

    Dr. Owais Durrani

    Dr. Durrani is a STEM education advocate, medical analyst, speaker, and practicing board certified emergency medicine physician in Houston, TX.

  • A young woman with long dark hair smiles at the camera, set against a colorful, abstract background of brushstrokes.

    Xyla Foxlin

    Xyla, an award-winning mechatronics engineer turned YouTube creator, shares the creativity and joy of engineering through her visual storytelling. Specializing in long-form content, her channel has over 22 million views.

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