Our Story

STEM Skool was created to give students a place to explore science, design solutions, and develop confidence as thinkers and problem solvers.

STEM Skool began with a simple belief: students learn best when they are encouraged to ask questions, investigate ideas, and explore how science connects to the world around them.

Founded by engineer and educator Dr. GeAndra Imoudu, STEM Skool was created to provide a learning environment where curiosity, creativity, and rigorous scientific thinking go hand in hand. Students explore biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and creative design through interdisciplinary programs that emphasize investigation, collaboration, and discovery.

At STEM Skool, students are not just learning scientific facts. They are learning how to think like scientists, designers, and problem-solvers. By combining strong academic foundations with meaningful exploration, STEM Skool helps students develop the confidence and curiosity that support lifelong learning and future opportunities in STEM fields.


Our Team

Meet the dynamic and robust team of scientists, engineers, educators, and community leaders who make our STEM education programs possible.

Dr. GeAndra Imoudu (Dr. Ge.)

Founder | Executive Director | Science + Engineering Facilitator

Originally from New Orleans, LA, Dr. Ge. is a mom of three, an artist, and an engineer-turned-STEM educator living in Charlotte, NC. Dr. Ge. holds a B.S. in Science, Technology, and Society with a Concentration in Chemistry from Stanford University, an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Tulane University, a graduate certificate in Design Thinking from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and a doctorate in education from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Ge was an engineering project manager for 10 years before creating and leading K-12 STEM education programs across the Carolinas.

Proud Member Of:

National Science Teaching Association
American Association for the Advancement of Science

Rebecca Hopkins

Program Manager

Rebecca Hopkins holds a B.A. in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology. Rebecca spent many years in Africa, serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer, collaborating with regional educators to build curriculums, write grants and secure international funding used for community development and youth programs. She also designed and facilitated workshops for aspiring teachers in the US and abroad. Rebecca spent 5 years teaching at Carolina International School before launching a career as an ESL instructor and becoming an active member of the Charlotte homeschool community. Rebecca loves spending her time enjoying nature and exploring new cultures with her family.

Ebony Simpson

Art Director

Ebony Simpson holds a Bachelor's of Fine Arts and Liberal Arts Studies from Mars Hill University. She has served as the art director for STEM Skool for over three years and has also been an art instructor at The Holt School of Fine Art for over six years. Ebony is deeply dedicated to education and is passionate about teaching students the fundamentals of art as it relates to the world around them. By combining art and STEM elements in her lessons, Ebony creates a classroom environment that educates and inspires students to create.

Punam Roy

Engineering + Global Studies Facilitator

Punam Roy holds a B.E. in Biomedical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and spent 12 years a patent examiner for the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She was also a member of the 8th cohort of the City of Charlotte Civic Leadership Academy and, in addition to extensive academic and professional experience in science and engineering, fosters a sense of community, collaboration, problem solving, and creativity in the classroom.

Whitney Hargett

Early Elementary & Spanish Language Facilitator

Whitney Hargett is a mother of 3, born and raised in Charlotte, NC. She grew up attending Spanish Immersion schools and is fluent in Spanish as a second language. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and Spanish and a M.A. in Early Childhood Administration. As a homeschool educator, Whitney is passionate about meeting children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical needs. When she's not teaching, you can find her at the gym working out and coaching CrossFit!

Coach Darnell Hall

Physical Education

Coach Darnell Hall, known as Coach D., has over 20 years of experience coaching youth in basketball and fitness across AAU, recreation leagues, and school programs. He holds certifications in coaching philosophy, health sciences, and youth sports safety. Coach D. coached at Catskill Middle School in New York, where he developed training programs to build skills, confidence, and discipline on and off the court. Since moving to Charlotte in 2020, Coach D. has offered private coaching and volunteered at the Mallard Creek Recreation Center as a homeschool P.E. instructor. He is also the founder and owner of Hoops Evolution, a Charlotte-based basketball training, conditioning, mentorship, and coaching program.

Genette Imoudu

Content Creation Intern

Genette Imoudu is a dually enrolled high school student at Dwight School (NYC) and STEM Skool. In addition to art and graphic design, Genette enjoys running, Taekwondo, and cooking.

Daniel Imoudu

Science + Engineering Facilitator

Daniel Imoudu is a chemical engineer and plant operations superintendent living in Charlotte, NC. Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Daniel earned his bachelor's degree from Penn State and master's degree from Florida Institute of Technology. A dedicated STEM Skool parent and volunteer, you may catch Mr. Daniel leading cool chemistry experiments in his Nittany Lions t-shirt any given day!

Gina Johnson

Math + Financial Literacy Facilitator

Passionate about children's education and possessing a true gift for teaching, Gina Johnson has planted foundational seeds for learning in the minds of young children for over 20 years. Her mission is to be a space where children can learn freely in a supportive and engaging environment without anxiety caused by academic demands. Her extensive educational background gives her the insight needed to prepare your child for college and beyond. Gina is a veteran of the United States Air Force. She holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Pepperdine University. She also participated in study abroad programs at the University of Antwerp in Belgium, where she studied Business in a European Context, and at Oxford University in England, where she completed studies in Global Enterprise Management, Organisations, Environments, and Political Economy through the Department for Continuing Education.

Brett Q. Tempest, Ph.D., P.E.

Faculty Advisor

Brett Tempest is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNC Charlotte. His research is related to the development and performance evaluation of concrete and masonry construction materials, particularly from the standpoint of sustainability. He is also active in engineering education research related to building student diversity and integrating service learning into the engineering curriculum.

Matthew Justice

Guest Lecturer, Software Engineering

Matthew Justice previously worked at Microsoft for 17 years in various roles, from debugging the Windows kernel to developing web applications. He’s a hobbyist musician who enjoys playing saxophone and arranging music. Matthew has a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee. Matthew grew up in Kingsport, TN, where he met his lovely wife, Suzy. They now have four children and live in Charlotte, NC. In 2021, Matthew released How Computers Really Work: A Hands-On Guide to the Inner Workings of the Machine, which is the go-to resource for anyone interested in learning about circuits, software, operating systems, and programming languages.

Naomi Winfrey

Guest Lecturer, African Studies

Naomi Winfrey, founder of Nubian Moon, is a renowned Charlotte-area African African American Studies scholar. Winfrey is the former Program Director of LATIBAH Collard Green Museum, where she created, collaborated, and executed African-Centered projects. She is an active participant in local community programs and is an advocate of cultural education, with a special emphasis placed on educating children. Prior to founding Nubian Moon, Winfrey worked with several community organizations across New York, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Nairobi, Kenya.

Yanira Castro

Community Liaison

Yanira Castro, Founder and CEO at Humanity Communications Collective, is a marketing and public relations powerhouse who has worked with numerous brands, social justice organizations and non-profits across the U.S. An avid traveler and advocate for self-directed education, Yanira has been a long-time supporter of STEM Skool and our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Ratna Singh

Design Thinking + Product Management Advisor

Ratna Singh is a senior software engineer and product manager living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ratna holds a master's degree in computer science from North Carolina State University and a graduate certificate in Design Thinking from the MIT Sloan School of Management.


STEM Skool, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 30101 Charlotte, NC 28230-0101