Techbridge Girls Founder Dr. Linda Kekelis Honored with Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Award for Lifetime Achievement

TBG proudly announces Dr. Linda Kekelis is selected for the Roy L. Shafer Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC).

OAKLAND, CA, UNITED STATES, September 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Techbridge Girls is incredibly proud to announce that Dr. Linda Kekelis, the visionary founder of our organization, has been selected as the recipient of the Roy L. Shafer Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). This esteemed award recognizes her decades of groundbreaking leadership in STEM equity and her unwavering dedication to creating inclusive pathways for underserved youth.

Since founding Techbridge Girls, Dr. Kekelis has been a pioneering force in reengineering STEM education to uplift girls and gender-expansive youth. She embedded family engagement as a cornerstone of her work by recognizing the critical role caregivers play in sustaining young people’s passion for STEM. After her tenure at TBG, she continues to shape the field as an advisor at STEM Next Opportunity Fund, where she supports strategic initiatives to advance equitable STEM learning for all children, especially those from underrepresented communities STEM Next.

“Linda’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to equity in STEM have left an indelible mark on countless young lives,” said Savita Raj, CEO of Techbridge Girls. “We are honored to celebrate her well-deserved recognition and to carry forward her legacy of inclusion and innovation.”

Dr. Kekelis holds a master’s degree in Linguistics from the University of Southern California and earned her doctorate in Special Education from the University of California, Berkeley. Her approach to STEM learning remains deeply rooted in research and compassion, as she continues to empower families, educators, and youth with strategies that foster curiosity and belonging.

Techbridge Girls invites its community—supporters, educators, and change-makers—to join in celebrating Dr. Kekelis’s receipt of this distinguished award. Her legacy inspires us to keep pushing boundaries and building a future where every young person can discover, persist, and lead in STEM.

About Techbridge Girls
Techbridge Girls (TBG) is a national nonprofit on a mission to transform STEM education so that all girls—especially Black, Latina, Indigenous, and gender-expansive youth—can see themselves as leaders, innovators, and change agents in STEM.
Now celebrating 25 years of impact, TBG designs joyful, rigorous, and culturally relevant programs that equip educators and ignite girls’ confidence and brilliance. With a systemic approach that reaches across classrooms, communities, and institutions, Techbridge Girls is not just expanding opportunity—we’re rewriting the STEM narrative for the next 25 years and beyond.

Learn more at www.techbridgegirls.org.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Stancil, Chief Development Officer
jstancil@techbridgegirls.org

Jennifer Stancil
Techbridge Girls
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