ST. LOUIS, MO, September 25, 2024 – After an extensive search, The Academy of Science of St. Louis has named Katherine Polokonis as the next Executive Director.
“After a rigorous search, we are looking forward to Kate’s transformational leadership of The Academy of Science,” said Toni Kutchan, PhD, president of the Board of Trustees of the Academy and member emerita, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. “Kate's comprehensive experience in STEM education and passion for social equity make her an outstanding new leader of the Academy.”
Polokonis, currently Executive Director of STEMSTL, will step down from that role into her new role as Academy Executive Director on October 14, 2024. She replaces Mary Burke, who led the Academy for the past 19 years.
Polokonis is a dynamic leader in STEM education, known for her innovative approach to fostering systemic change in the realms of education and workforce development. With a deep-rooted passion for equity and a commitment to improving educational outcomes, Polokonis leverages her extensive experience as an educator and non-profit executive to drive meaningful impact in her hometown of St. Louis.
As Executive Director of STEMSTL, St. Louis’s STEM ecosystem backbone and part of the BioSTL portfolio of programs, she has been instrumental in developing a regional strategy for career pathways in key STEM industries. Under her leadership, STEMSTL launched a Community of Practice for K12 STEM programs, established St. Louis’s STEM Celebration Week, and developed the Educator Resources Portal. Additionally, Polokonis led STEMSTL to support regional workforce development by producing a work-based learning landscape analysis, hosting the region's inaugural Work-Based Learning Summit, and becoming the new home for the Regional Youth Employment Coalition.
Polokonis's career began as a teacher in the St. Louis Public School District. Her experiences in the classroom ignited her commitment to educational equity, leading her to pursue advanced studies at The Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. Her graduate work, culminating in an MSW with a concentration in Domestic Social and Economic Development, focused on workforce development, an area where she has since made significant strides.
At Starkloff Disability Institute, Polokonis project-managed the expansion of the DREAM BIG program, a career-exploration camp for teens with disabilities. At Ready by 21, she supported the Regional Youth Employment Coalition and spearheaded research on short-term credentialing programs, laying the groundwork for the Blueprint4Careers online portal. As a Tomorrow Builder Fellow at WEPOWER, she led efforts to improve governance and coordination within St. Louis's early childhood education system.
“I am so honored and excited to join an institution with such an extensive history and important mission—to connect the community with science,“ said Kate Polokonis. “St. Louis is going all in on STEM industries. For our region to thrive, we have to improve educational outcomes in STEM education. Looking at the broader picture, we are at a critical point for science literacy: we’re facing large, complex problems that will require critical thinking, collaboration, and political will, which means we need a well-informed and meaningfully engaged populace that embraces the tenets of the nature of science. I look forward to leading The Academy of Science as it addresses these challenges.”
Polokonis’s work reflects her commitment to promoting racial, gender, and economic equity at the intersection of K-12 STEM education and workforce development. She is dedicated to helping St. Louis grow as national model for leveraging its ecosystem of STEM industries to create prosperity for all.
“During her tenure at STEMSTL, Kate brought a systems-change expertise that advanced the foundation for STEMSTL, driving toward collective impact in St. Louis’s STEM education and workforce ecosystem,” said Ben Johnson, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations, BioSTL. “After four years of partner engagement, capacity building, tool development, and celebrating St. Louis’s STEM initiatives, STEMSTL is positioned well for its mission to advance STEM learning and career opportunities that empower the growth of diverse problem solvers, innovators, and critical thinkers, enabling them to thrive in a globally connected world. BioSTL houses and helped launch STEMSTL because we recognize that the continued growth of St. Louis’s bioscience industry, along with other innovation industry clusters, requires a highly skilled, diverse, home-grown talent pool; and we are committed to continuing the important work of STEMSTL within BioSTL. We are excited for Kate and her new opportunity and for furthering our collaboration with The Academy of Science.”
Media Contact: Toni Kutchan | tmkutchan@academyofsciencestl.org
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The Academy of Science of St. Louis’s mission is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science. Since 1856, the Academy has been a regional leader in the advancement and integration of science and technology into contemporary society. Learn more at https://academyofsciencestl.org.