What Is STEAM?
STEAM transforms traditional STEM education by integrating the Arts — creating innovators who think both analytically and creatively. It's the difference between building functional solutions and building breakthrough innovations that change industries.
Empowering the Next STEAM Women XR Entrepreneurs
Companies need suppliers who don’t just deliver products — they need partners who innovate, adapt, and solve problems creatively. STEAM entrepreneurs bring innovative technical expertise through XR technology and creative thinking to reimagine and stabilize entire industries. They’re not just building better widgets; they’re designing better ways of working, communicating, and connecting with customers. It’s why now matters.
The Inclusive Sourcing Revolution
The future of your inclusive sourcing process is being shaped today. Will you be part of creating that future, or will you be left trying to catch up? The Gen Z entrepreneurs whose critical education initiatives you support today could be your suppliers in 2035.
New Supply Chain Ecosystem Built With Intention
The traditional supplier pipeline is aging, fragmented, and slow to adopt emerging technologies. New pathways for girls and young women to become STEAM XR entrepreneurs are being intentionally established that connect these young XR women to the existing (legacy) suppliers as entrepreneurs not employees.
Positive Disruption = Long-Term Supply Chain Sustainability
Support and equip girls and young women to visualize their futures as XR STEAM entrepreneurs who partner with legacy suppliers to mitigate disruption through succession plans that build sustainability for global supply chains.
Innovation Pipeline
STEAM entrepreneurs learn through pathways designed to accelerate virtual business. New global suppliers gain a deeper understanding of the value of cross-cultural partnerships. They bring innovative technical expertise through cutting-edge technology and creative thinking. This strengthens long-term sustainability and mitigates disruptions.
Certification Highlights & Activities
Expert panels discussing inclusive sourcing challenges and opportunities in business partnerships that inspire collaborative innovation.
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SHORT, 90-DAY TRAINING CYCLES
Power-packed STEAM and business learning modules keep student momentum high and young minds thriving.
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YEAR-ROUND LEADERSHIP EVENTS
Virtual Reality (VR) events keep innovation exciting and maintain local and global community.
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BOOK OF THE MONTH
Reading is a core competency and a vehicle to transfer knowledge. The book of the month builds literacy, ideation and identity.
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BIZ TECH ROUNDTABLES
Veteran business and tech leaders share lessons on becoming change makers who co-create innovative solutions.
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PHOENIX WREN
The symbolic Phoenix Wren, woven throughout the curriculum and program serves to create strong bonds and emotional continuity through certification badges.
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VIRTUAL DISCOVERY AND DELIVERY
Removing geographic barriers to create global communication channels that enable shared learnings and business journeys.
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TECH XR LABS
Hands-on labs for youth explore innovative ideas in extended reality technologies to develop curiosity, creativity, systems-thinking and early entrepreneurship.
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INCLUSIVE PROCUREMENT TRAINING
Expert panels discussing inclusive sourcing challenges and opportunities in partnerships that inspire collaborative innovation.
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MENTOR MATCH
Graduates of NextGEN Entrepreneurs meet with legacy suppliers who lack XR expertise to explore joining their team as Tier I or Tier II suppliers as entrepreneurs not employees.
Empowering the Next Generation of STEAM Entrepreneurs
Meet our amazing lineup of distinguished faculty who will be sharing their experience designed to spark young imaginations.
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BILLIE B. SCHUTZ
GSI Board Member & Advisory Group
A longtime visionary advocate for women entrepreneurs, Billie co-founded CESCO Inc. decades ago and helped raise awareness among Fortune 500 companies about the need for greater access to markets and opportunities for women-owned businesses. As a founding member of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), Billie continues to champion entrepreneurship and support the success of women and girls.
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AMANDA ONG
GSI Board Exec. Committee & Advisory Group
GSI leader since 2016, Amanda holds a degree in Computer Science and works at Microsoft as a software engineer. She mentors female students.
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KATE EDWARDS
GSI Board Chair & Advisory Group
Award-winning geographer, culturalization innovator, Forbes 50 Over 50, former IGDA director, Geogrify CEO, game industry veteran.
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KIMBERLY ONG
GSI Advisory Group
Kimberly is an active participant in GSI as an award-winning STEAM VR entrepreneur since 2021. She serves as a STEAM advocate and a mentor for the new GSI Explorer Group for 10-12 year olds. Kimberly is a Freshman at University of Washington studying computer science.
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SANA SHAH
GSI Advisory Group
MIT Sophomore and Innovative GSI STEAMer leader since 2021, developing solutions for better medical testing operations using mixed reality technologies.
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CANDICE PHILLIPS
GSI Advisory Group
Founder of BIO-MED Testing Service and two other firms, championing women-owned businesses and earning national awards including the Athena Award.
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DR. THOMAS A. FURNESS III
GSI Board & Advisory Group
Air Force Super Cockpit creator, Founder of the Virtual World Society and Luminara Institute, University of Washington professor, 24 patents, 50+ years pioneering VR/AR. Dr. Furness, as the grandfather of virtual reality, speaks globally of the importance of using technology as a tool for human connection and self-identity.
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PRABHLEEN KAUR LAMBA
GSI Advisory Group
Award-winning STEAM leader since 2017 who has participated in numerous business challenges as a team member and as a mentor. She is an author of "She Plays to Win" and a graduate of computer science/AI from Carnegie-Mellon.
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PRASHANT SHAH
GSI Advisory Group
Executive Director, Head of Strategy & Education for Digital & Data, Takeda Pharma. Previously, CTO for Federated AI and Confidential Computing and Global Head of AI for Health & Life Sciences at Intel. NIH Advisor, All of Us Research (Precision Medicine Initiative).
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Bruce Stewart, PGA
GSI Advisory Group
As a PGA Golfer and Teacher for decades, Mr. Stewart has helped over 107 boys and girls receive golf scholarships, which has led to three of his students playing on the PGA Tour today. In 2024, he received the Northwest PGA and Oregon PGA Teacher of the Year. One of his key teaching messages is that learning the game of golf is also learning the game of life. Discipline and dedication are keystones for life.
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Robin Billups
GSI Advisory Group
Robin Billups, a former banker, developed a national inclusive procurement program that created more business opportunities for women and minority businesses, has spent years in opening doors for small businesses. She also spent years working with women-owned businesses to help them access global procurement markets through WBENC national certification programs. Robin and her company, The Billups Group, continue to help small businesses grow through access to procurement networks.
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Lorenzo Bell
GSI Advisory Group
Founder & CEO of Renzolo Enterprises LLC, a venture development and capital infrastructure firm supporting early- and growth-stage businesses. Former ESG leader at Ernst & Young, 20+ years leading inclusive procurement across 50+ countries, expanding contracting opportunities for diverse businesses. U.S. Navy veteran, partnering with corporations and advocacy organizations providing thought leadership and driving economic impact in diverse communities worldwide.
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Don McKneely
GSI Advisory Group
Don McKneely is a lifelong champion of diversity and inclusion. A veteran newspaper, magazine and radio communications leader, McKneely is the founder, chairman, and CEO of TexCorp Communications, Inc., which publishes Women's Enterprise magazine.
A diversity thought-leader, McKneely sits on a variety of boards including the Women’s Business Council – Southwest's Board of Directors. He is also the founding chairman of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, which recognizes companies annually purchasing in excess of $1 billion with women- and minority-owned businesses, and the founder of the WBE Hall of Fame, a nonprofit organization that recognizes the contributions of women entrepreneurs.
The Journey Starts Here
The Student Certification track: Programs begin with students as young as 10-12 years old, advancing to Teens: 13-18 years old and equipping Next-Gen Entrepreneurs: 19-30 years old. Sponsorship Partners, Corporate Inclusive Procurement professionals, women-owned businesses and volunteers are a crucial part of the initiative — educating and developing the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders by supporting the only program of its kind to connect future business leaders with Corporate Inclusive Sourcing sustainability goals.
Why Now Matters
This isn’t about just checking diversity boxes — it’s about building sustainable business relationships that fuel innovation and growth. The Gen Z entrepreneurs whose critical education initiatives you support today could be your suppliers in 2035.
Ready To Ignite The Spark?
Website: https://girlsteaminstitute.org
Email: GSILeader@outlook.com
Social: www.facebook.com/girlsteaminstitute
The greatest promise of XR and AI is their ability to turn information into shared understanding. When people across a global supply chain can see challenges together, rehearse solutions, and draw on one another’s expertise, they can innovate faster, operate more efficiently, and respond more effectively to disruption.
The future of your inclusive sourcing process is being shaped today. Will you be part of creating that future, or will you be left trying to catch up?
Learn More