Winnie Karanja is driving change that empower children and prepare them for success in a diverse and evolving world. By making educational equity and workforce development a reality, her innovative programs go beyond learning—they inspire the next generation of thinkers, creators, and leaders
“ Winnie Karanja will persist in leading social change marked with intentionality and ingenuity to disrupt the gap in representation in STEM fields.”
Satya Rhodes-Conway, Mayor of City of Madison, Wisconsin
Speaking at companies and conferences nationwide, Winnie is stirring industries with her presence, unique voice, and nuanced perspectives on equity in STEM.
Speaking at companies, academic institutions and conferences nationwide, Winnie Karanja captivates audiences with her insights and expertise on equity in STEM workforce development. Her thoughtful perspectives are driving meaningful change on systematic structures and fueling transformation across industries. Her work in educational equity, innovative STEM education design, and strategic workforce planning resonates deeply, propelling tangible change and fostering a more inclusive future.
Lauded as a Forbes 30 under 30 Social Entrepreneur, Winnie Karanja continues to drive social change with fresh ideas.
Grounded in the pursuit of racial and gender equality in the STEM fields, she launched Nakira’s World, an award-winning collection of products, educational STEM curriculum and animated series catered to fostering curiosity and STEM literacy for children in preK-2nd grade.
Winnie is the Founder of Maydm, an organization focused on teaching 6-12th grade students computer science and placing them in paid tech and engineer based internships.
Driving change at the intersection of STEM, Winnie is sought out by like-minded partners to collaborate and improve access and equity for women and BIPOC.
In all her endeavors, Winnie brings with her unwavering excellence, capacious energy, and impeccable implementation. She has collaborated with organizations such as Exact Sciences, Northwestern Mutual, Rockwell Automation, and higher education institutions to accomplish creative, non-traditional, early career, and pre-college talent development programs.
“When faced with a confounding problem such as racial disparities in society or the lack of women in STEM, many of us might throw up our hands, wonder what we can do or donate to a cause-related non profit. Not Winnie Karanja – she tackles problems at the root cause.”
“Winnie’s work develops accessible and experiential curriculum for all ages disguised in collaborative ways of working that address critical areas like problem-solving and technical skills.”
“Our city is a better overall community thanks in large to Winnie’s excellent work.”
“She is driven by a fierce commitment to the future health and leadership of girls of color – and knows better than most what the path looks like and how to navigate it successfully.”
“Winnie is a person I am blessed to have met professionally and come to know more personally. Her unwavering commitment and strength in perseverance to this cause [STEM equity] is remarkable.”
“I got to see Winnie meet the inevitable challenges of building a nonprofit. She did so with grace, authenticity and an acute perspicuity I had not seen before.”
