Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas announced Jennifer Makins has been appointed as executive director of the STEM Center of Excellence at Camp Whispering Cedars, a year-round, hands-on learning environment that provides students from kindergarten through 12th grade with an opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through family events, girl-focused programs, and field trips. It serves more than 4,000 students annually.
The Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas said that Makins is a pioneering educator with a proven track record of strategically launching and growing large-scale initiatives.
In this role, Makins will lead a team of program coordinators, specialists, and AmeriCorps volunteers as they address gender parity in STEM careers and inspire the next generation of female innovators.
“Jenn’s depth of knowledge, passion for STEM, and wealth of experience in the curricular and funding milestones critical to non-profit work make her the ideal candidate for this role,” GSNETX CEO Jennifer Bartkowski said in a statement. “I am confident she will utilize her expertise, creativity, and fearless ambition to take the center to new heights!”
Before joining the Girl Scouts, Makins served the Parish Episcopal School in Dallas for 13 years and under her leadership, the school established an award-winning Pre-K through eighth-grade robotics program, a STEM elective middle school program, and the ParishSTEM Summer Academy. Makins also founded the Parish Rover Challenge team, which won back-to-back World Championships and was recognized by NASA with awards in 2014-2022. In recognition of all her outstanding contributions, she was recently honored with an Excellence in Leadership Award from the Parish Episcopal and a Haddaway Award from the Frontiers of Flight Museum.
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