Jackie Schirmer, President of Congruex Network Services, Named Chair of STEM Next Board of Directors
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STEM Next Opportunity Fund has named Jacquelyn “Jackie” Schirmer Chair of its Board of Directors, beginning a new chapter of leadership for the organization as longtime Board Member and Chair, Gwynn Hughes, concludes nearly two decades of involvement with STEM Next and the Noyce Foundation.
Schirmer, division president of Congruex Network Services, brings more than 20 years of global leadership experience across engineering, construction, infrastructure and other industries. She was elected to a three-year term as Board Chair.
For Schirmer, the role builds on a commitment to helping young people discover where their interests and talents can take them — one rooted in her own career journey.
Growing up in the small mountain community of Buena Vista, Colorado, Schirmer remembers tinkering with radios at the fire station where her father worked and building dams and forts in her backyard long before she knew those interests could translate into a career pathway. Experiences outside of school, including Space Camp and flight camp, helped her explore those interests, but it wasn’t until a career fair during her junior year of high school that a recruiter first suggested she consider engineering.
That experience has stayed with her throughout a career that has included engineering and business leadership as well as a longstanding commitment to creating opportunities for young people to explore STEM and STEM-connected careers. It is also part of what draws her to STEM Next and its work to help young people connect what they are learning today with the possibilities ahead of them.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people who helped me recognize my own talents and connect them to opportunities I didn’t know existed,” Schirmer said. “That’s what I love about STEM Next. We help young people see their own potential, explore their interests and connect those experiences to real careers and possibilities for their future.”
Honoring the Legacy of Gwynn Hughes
As Schirmer steps into the role, STEM Next is also recognizing the extraordinary contributions of outgoing Board Chair Gwynn Hughes, whose involvement with STEM Next and the Noyce Foundation spans nearly two decades.
Hughes has been a longtime champion of afterschool STEM and a trusted leader as STEM Next has worked to expand STEM opportunities for young people nationwide.
Her leadership was especially consequential at pivotal moments. In early 2020, STEM Next was preparing to launch the Million Girls Moonshot to engage more girls in STEM when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, creating enormous uncertainty for young people and afterschool programs. As the Board considered postponing the initiative, Hughes advocated successfully for its launch, recognizing that the afterschool field needed support, resources and a shared goal more than ever.
STEM Next’s Million Girls Moonshot initiative went on to mobilize partners across the country around expanding STEM opportunities for millions of young people. In just four years, the initiative reached 5.5 million young people, including 2.6 million girls, across all 50 states.
For Schirmer, Hughes leaves both a strong foundation and an example of what leadership can accomplish.
“Gwynn has opened so many doors for STEM Next and the field, and she has set a high bar for all of us who follow,” Schirmer said. “What I admire most is her ability to turn passion into something actionable, something that can make a real difference. I’m proud to build on that foundation as STEM Next continues to evolve to meet the opportunities and needs ahead.”
Looking Ahead to What’s Next
As science and technology continue to reshape the world of work, STEM Next is focused on helping afterschool and summer programs not only excite young people with STEM, but connect those experiences to the skills, careers and possibilities ahead of them. That includes strengthening connections among programs, educators, employers and other partners so more young people can see where their interests and talents can take them.
Ron Ottinger, executive director of STEM Next, shared why Schirmer’s leadership is particularly well matched to the opportunities ahead for the organization.
“Jackie brings an extraordinary combination of business leadership, STEM expertise and a deeply personal commitment to creating opportunities for young people,” he said. “She understands both the possibilities ahead and what it takes to turn ambitious ideas into action at scale. That perspective will be invaluable as we continue expanding what’s possible for young people through afterschool STEM. Jackie builds on the leadership foundation that Gwynn bequeathed.”
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