Heather Kleiner

Director, Northwest Lastem Innovation Center @Bossier Parish Community College

Bossier City, LA, US

The Center aligns with the goals of the Louisiana Regional STEM Center Initiative. These include but are not limited to the following goals and objectives: • Meet with the LaSTEM Advisory Council Committee and create the Strategic Plan. Community input will be sought. Focus groups with community partners will be held to gain insight.• Prioritize communication. All stakeholders throughout the region must be made aware of the LaSTEM initiative. Digital billboards will be considered for marketing purposes.• Plan events such as the Manufacturing Day, either Energy Day or the Shreveport-Bossier Maker Faire (alternate years), and events to ensure LaSTEM is visible to the community. Invite stakeholders and media to participate.• Hold meetings with teachers to understand needs in the education system and to understand the gaps in workforce. BPCC can use its best strategy for LaSTEM: engagement to education to employment.• Re-evaluate all STEM programs. Look at what we do best and community needs. Seek a comprehensive approach to funding.• Improve relationships with community stakeholders by co-hosting events.• Plan long-term projects in advance. This includes statewide expansion of the Bars without Barriers prison outreach project. If there is still demand for the Watershed to the Red Environmental Education program, we will implement it too.• Consider implementing programs that other Regional STEM Centers are conducting including Code.org, eSports, and rural STEM.• Include students as near-peer mentors when possible. Include pre-service teachers as well.

The University of Texas at Austin

Ph.D., Pharmacology & Toxicology

The University of Texas at Austin

B.A., Biology, minor in Chemistry

American College of Education

Student at-Large, Education-Secondary