Who We Are

We are Science Fair Fun! We are passionately dedicated to creating opportunities for students to enter the STEM-workforce pipeline, particularly those who are under-represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM), namely girls and students of color from low-income families.

Each of Science Fair Fun’s diverse team members is a trail blazer and making their mark in this world, together. Each team member brings a unique perspective to the table and actively contributes to guiding the direction of the organization. We are equipping under-served students with the tools and skills they need to tap into economic opportunities all around them. Often for the first time, these students experience what it is really like to be a scientist or engineer and to believe in themselves – so they can know “Hey, I can do it!”

Executive Director + Founder

Wendy Wempe, PhD

About Wendy

As a mother, research scientist, and educator, Wendy is driven to the core to level the Science & Engineering Fair playing field. Having dedicated 20+ years to STEM research, teaching, and mentorship, she recently ditched her career as a geophysics research professor to pursue this passion. This mission brewed over several years while she:

Mentored dozens of children on their Science Fair projects
Judged school-wide, regional and state Science & Engineering Fairs
Helped schools implement fun and innovative Science Fairs

So, what inspired this passion? A couple of weeks after helping a teacher at a Title 1 to school to organize an inclusive and skills-based Science & Engineering Fair, this teacher had reached out to her to share a story. She explained how one of her most at-risk students had come to her the day after the fair and had declared that he was going to be an engineer when he grew up. From that point forward, he had totally turned around his behavior in class. He was focused. He was dedicated. He had found something that he connected with. He believed in himself and knew “Hey I can do this!” This experience not only changed this student’s life – it also changed Wendy’s life. This marked the birth of Science Fair Fun.

She is driven by purpose while feeding off advice from the pros – teachers, students, parents, and the whole Science Fair Fun team. She received a BS in Earth Sciences from UC Santa Cruz and a PhD in Geophysics from Stanford University.

In her spare time, Wendy revels in her children’s inquisitiveness and loves to explore this amazing world with them and her very supportive husband. At the top of her list of other passions are exploring new places and ideas, mountain biking, road riding, touring by bike, trail running, hiking, and geeking out on the latest in STEM.

Founding Board of Directors

Juan Carlos Madeni, PhD

President

Governance Committee Chair

About Juan Carlos

Dr. Madeni is a Scientist and Engineer with extensive experience in technological innovation in materials for the energy, petroleum, microelectronics, glass processing, and aerospace industries. He has worked in projects for NASA, NIST, and Sandia National Laboratories. He served as Director of Technology and Innovation and later as a Non-Executive Director for GMB, he was affiliated with Diamond Materials Technology, a Meyer Burger Company, and is currently with Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway Company. Dr. Madeni is also a Research Professor at the Colorado School of Mines. He has authored numerous publications, his work was presented in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Juan Carlos is a leader in different professional organizations, such as ASM, TMS, NACE, and AWS from which he has received awards for his Scientific Research, Aerospace Education, Leadership, and Service. He is an advocate for and promotes higher education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by hosting students from elementary schools through college in the scientific laboratories where he works and by organizing free symposiums as part of AWS Colorado Section for technical school, community college, and university students focused in Materials Joining Science. Juan Carlos serves in the Board of Directors at Science Fair Fun.

Dr. Madeni obtained his BSc and MSc in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, and his PhD in Materials Science from the Colorado School of Mines. He is a graduate of the Latino Leadership Institute at the University of Denver.

John Jenkins, JD/MBA/BSME

Treasurer

Operations Strategy Committee Chair

About John

Jenkins, now retired, holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctor from the University of Denver. He was admitted to the Bar in 1978. His professional career includes a broad range of senior executive management experience in technology centric companies. These include roles as Division President, Executive Vice President and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for public, private, domestic, and international companies. He served as a non-executive director of several smaller public and private companies, and has extensive professional experience in areas important to SFF, such as organization modeling, financial planning, and Board and Organizational Governance among others.

He has traveled extensively and has used those opportunities to better understand the different cultural approaches to learning and management processes. Since his retirement in 2016 he has served as a partner in the Denver Affiliate of Social Venture Partners (SVP), an organization of volunteers that works to provide necessary but many times missing expertise to smaller, early stage non-profits or those in significant transition. As part of SVP he has worked closely with two local organizations providing a variety of consulting services and coaching that included, in one case the addition of STEM curriculum to a bicycle training program serving low income communities. Also while at SVP he has become very interested in the topic of micro-financing for not for profit organizations and is currently engaged in developing an underwriting program for a local organization engaged in providing entrepreneurial training for low income individuals.

He is a strong believer in the importance of STEM based learning experiences as critical to the future success of students and our economy, and is personally dedicated to addressing the challenges that deprive low income or other demographic groupings of this opportunity.

He lives in Golden, Colorado, with his partner, Mary Ann, and is an avid cyclist and skier.

Stephanie Geyer, MBA

Secretary

Marketing Strategy Committee Chair

About Stephanie

“A long-time higher education marketer, I am inspired by the opportunity to support the mission of STEM Generation through focus on elementary school children. We must help kids from all backgrounds, and especially girls, see themselves as scientists, mathematicians, engineers…anything they can dream of, really. I love pivoting my experience to support this goal.”

Stephanie Geyer has worked in higher education marketing for nearly 30 years first serving a small private university and then as a consultant with Ruffalo Noel Levitz. In her 20+ year tenure at RNL, she visited more than 500 college and university campuses in the United States, Canada, Brazil and Italy. She created the Digital Marketing division for the company and now also leads the Creative Services team. In addition to her client work and team leadership, Stephanie also headed up the national e-Expectations® research study which examines the habits and preferences of college-bound high school students in their use of digital resources to investigate their college options and facilitate enrollment. She is often called to share her findings and recommendations from the study at national conferences and via webinars and video blogs.

A graduate of Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Stephanie earned a BA in Mass Communications and briefly dabbled in business school earning an MBA Certificate from Tulane University. She believes strongly in the transformative power of education and is grateful for the opportunity to support an organization that enhances STEM education opportunities for the students of Colorado and beyond. Prior to her work in higher education she was an ad agency account executive, publicist and television news producer.

Stephanie resides in Boulder County, Colorado with her husband and three daughters. She is an artist, cowgirl, gardener and cyclist.

Carol Weber, PhD, PE

Financial Strategy Committee Chair

About Carol

Carol Weber is an accomplished and mission-focused technology and strategy leader for Gates Corporation, where she has transformed the business by spearheading the development of industry-changing innovations. Her global team has succeeded where previous teams could not, delivering new product lines that have not only increased market share for Gates, but have also disrupted the entire supply chain of the industry with groundbreaking technological achievements. Dr. Weber is passionate about inspiring and engaging more girls in STEM careers. She sees untapped resources in underserved students that hold the key to future breakthroughs for our communities.

Complementing Carol’s remarkable career, she holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Operations Research & Energy Economics from the Colorado School of Mines, as well as a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Central Florida and Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida. She is a registered Professional Engineer in Colorado and Florida and was named an Outstanding Woman in Business by Denver Business Journal in 2015.

Michelle Moorman Applegate

About Michelle

Michelle Moorman Applegate has 15 years of experience in the energy industry working with various electric and natural gas utilities spanning power generation, regulation, and renewable energy, as well as natural gas transmission, distribution, and transportation. In her roles, Michelle has championed change in electric and natural gas regulation, engineering, pipeline integrity, and operations with an emphasis in strategic planning. In her current role with Sargent & Lundy Michelle is responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of the utility sector of the organization as well as regulation, compliance and pipeline integrity programs.

Michelle is a proud mother of four, wife, and champion for women in the STEAM fields. She is passionate about introducing science and engineering to women and girls of all ages.

Timeri Tolnay

About Timeri

Timeri is on a personal mission to create opportunity for females of all ages, which includes breaking down the barriers that currently stand in the way of women pursuing STEM and leadership growth opportunities.

Advisory Board

Violeta Garcia, PhD

About Violeta

If it’s related to STEM, Dr. Violeta García knows all about it. Dr. García stays on top of cutting edge research, methodologies, and anything amusing and educational in the teaching and learning space. She is a leader in STEM in Colorado, and across the nation. Her passion is to advance students historically under-represented and under-served in STEM fields through meaningful and engaging learning experiences. She has created numerous programs that serve students directly or that build capacity for educators to create fun, engaging, educational learning opportunities. She is a systems thinker, she loves disrupting outdated ways of thinking, and believes that all students should have access to high-quality, culturally relevant and culturally responsive learning experiences. Violeta is a world traveler, a lifelong learner, and a lover of all things related to sustainability. She has bridged her passion for science and education in her educational endeavors and is a graduate of California State University–Fullerton, UCLA, and the University of Northern Colorado.

Lisa Y. Henkel

About Lisa

After almost 35 years with Gates Corporation and a year with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Lisa Henkel consults on Sales Effectiveness and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Her experience tends toward the combination of technology with sales and marketing influences, including market research, sales operations, marketing, and CRM. She has led industry associations and worked with many non-profits helping children and under privileged adults.

As a leader on Technology teams, she has seen first-hand the imbalance of minority team members in the workplace. She has strived to change the metric to a more balanced team, and recognizes this mindset must be transformed early in a person’s life.

A world traveler, Lisa has seen the incredible poverty all over the world affecting the faultless children. She delights in the “aha” moments kids have with new experiences and empowerment. Getting involved with STEM Generation is a culmination of all her interests from giving children new experiences to helping children (and adults!) change their perspectives around balance. Lisa’s hope is to expand a child’s visibility of options and to empower them to pursue their chosen interests!

Eric Miller

About Eric

Engineer, speaker, writer, and small business co-owner, Eric loves to explore and share all things technology.

Jessica Noffsinger, MS

About Jessica

Jessica Noffsinger has been an educator for 18 years and has spent the past 8 years teaching science and engineering at the STEM Magnet Lab School in the Adams 12 Five Star School District. She currently teaches 8th grade Science and Engineering.

Creating learning experiences that are engaging and thought provoking is Jessica’s specialty. Students in her classroom have engaged in several problem-based learning activities that have challenged students to use their understanding of scientific concepts to solve problems, ranging from replacing fluorescent lights in the classroom to landing 40,000 kilograms of cargo on Mars.

Jessica also sponsors a variety of extracurricular activities and serves on numerous school and district committees. Jessica has presented sessions on engineering, scientific literacy, and problem-based learning at regional and national conferences. She has also served as a facilitator for the past five years during the summer institute to train new teachers in the STEM-inspired model. Jessica served on the state committee tasked with writing the Colorado Academic Standards for Science to embed twenty-first century skills and various assessment teams.

Jessica earned a B.S. in chemistry from the Colorado School of Mines and a M.S. in educational leadership from the University of Denver. She is certified in secondary science education.

Steve Parry

About Steve

Steve Parry is President of Sales Productivity Consultants (SPC), a 20 year old sales strategy consulting firm. Steve works with leaders who recognize that sales are the constraint to their company’s growth, aren’t sure why or what to do to driving profitable revenue.

An entrepreneur at heart, Steve left public school teaching to start his own business, and has spent nearly 40 years as a business owner and in industrial relations, operations, quality management, mergers and acquisitions, training, marketing, sales and sales management.

His various roles have provided him the opportunity to speak and train before diverse groups across this country, as well as in Mexico, Canada, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden and Japan.

Suzie Schuckman,
MS, MPA

Suzie Schuckman has been working to support nonprofits for over two decades. Through a variety of volunteer and resource development positions, Suzie has demonstrated a passion for advancing missions in education, health and human services, and the arts. She believes the work done by nonprofit organizations is essential for ensuring a bright future for the entire community. Having raised over $7 million for a variety of organizations demonstrates her abilities to successfully build relationships with donors and find the support necessary for nonprofits to succeed.

Suzie graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. She has earned a Master of Science from the University of Central Missouri and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Suzie holds a Professional Certificate in Nonprofit Fundraising from UMKC and a Certificate of Corporate Social Responsibility from the University of Colorado. She works with organizations focused on building equity for women and communities of color. She is an active volunteer with Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Womxn’s March Denver, COLOR, and the Northwest Missouri State University Alumni Association.

Matt Sodnicar

About Matt

“I am committed to making sure other students have the same opportunities my children did.”

Ken Thibodeaux II

About Ken

Ken Thibodeaux is an IT and Modern Workplace Professional and Strategist that works with all scopes of businesses, non-profits, and educational organizations to evolve in an ever-changing technology landscape. After spending nearly two decades working in technology on projects that range from five thousand dollars to multi-million dollars, Ken prides himself on seeing solutions that provide additional technology and operational efficiencies. With the current movement to the cloud and the modern workplace, Ken continues to support companies’ need to understand the transaction. With a personal development around leadership through EQ, he continues to bridge the gap between technology and people. Ken also has a passion for development of all kids through martial arts and technology. Ken believes that every kid on the planet has the power to impact the world!