A Note from Shane Woods, Executive Director – Girlstart

This week marks the beginning of my second month as Girlstart’s Executive Director. As we embark on this journey together, I wanted to share some background on what inspires and motivates me.

I accepted this position because I believe in Girlstart. It embodies all that I wish to do as a Black woman who is a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a leader. I knew there was no better nonprofit to join if I wanted to make a difference.

Engaging the girl in the back of the room who didn’t know STEM was the key to her dreams is why I am here and the foundation of my career, which has spanned from the Fort Worth Independent School District to the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas STEM Center of Excellence.

As a child, I always operated from a space of curiosity. “Why? What? How?” are the questions that led me to take this form of Shane you see before you (someone who also loves anime, true crime, and hikes). Those questions encouraged me to sign up for honors courses in middle school, which led to AP courses in high school. Then, great mentors helped me see the possibilities of majoring in Biology in college.

Outside of the classroom, the TV show Mr. Wizard’s World (here I am dating myself!) inspired me and set me on the path to STEM through home science demonstrations that showed kids who looked and sounded like the kids in my own neighborhood. The Magic School Bus book series introduced me to one of my all-time favorite women in STEM, the unforgettable character of Professor Valerie Frizzle, PhD, who gave me important ideas on how to facilitate inquiry learning and keep “boring” out of the classroom.

I bring all of me to Girlstart—an organization that has an extraordinary, twenty-five year history. This track record and impact is a testament to all of you—our volunteers, school and district partners, the young women who make up our STEM CREW, the inspiring girls we serve, generous philanthropic supporters, and our wide community of friends and champions.

What do we do next? Where do we go from here? I am learning our Girlstart language, traditions, culture, and seeking system-wide alignment towards our mission. I want to be able to tell our story well and make us a national name. I am helping the team launch Girlstart Summer Camp this summer at 37 sites across the country, as well as planning for our 25th anniversary Game Changers Luncheon (Friday, November 4th in Austin, TX) that will raise crucial funds for Girlstart After School.

I plan to host virtual stakeholder conversations this fall to engage with you further. And, if you are interested in a one-on-one meeting, please fill out this request form or email me at executivedirector@girlstart.org.

I am beyond excited to work with you to build the future of Girlstart! It is an honor to be here.