Carrie Lynne Draper is the Founder and Executive Director, of Readiness Learning Associates, a national STEM readiness organization growing children’s learning processes using science, technology, engineering and mathematics, from Birth through College. Serving in multiple leadership and instructional capacities, focusing on the development of scientific dispositions through STEM and pedagogical design of equity-oriented STEM learning environments, Carrie has worked in STEM education for more than thirty years.
She was an early childhood, elementary and middle level classroom teacher and received national recognition and elected to the Board of the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association. Prior to teaching, she was a legislative staff member with the US House of Representatives, working for STEM equity for women and minority students.
Carrie contributed to the design of the first children’s engineering program for Arlington, Virginia, Science-Focus Elementary school; KW Barrett NASA Explorers School; and NASA’s National Student Involvement Programs (NSIP). She has administered national STEM programs for the National Coalition for Advanced Teaching and Learning in STEM Education and taught at the University of Toledo.
Her understanding of STEM on multiple levels, bridging gaps in organizations seeking to elevate their STEM programs, serves as a consultant to: Los Angeles County Office of Education, Los Angeles Unified School District, Purdue University, California State University Los Angeles, California State University Northridge, East Tennessee University, NASA, Virginia Space Grant Consortium, YMCA, The Children’s Center at Caltech, ECSTEM and several science centers.
Draper received her B.S. American University, MEd Marymount University and PhD studies in STEM Education, University of Toledo. Gifted Education Endorsement (PK-8), University of Virginia.