KIMBERLY A. SCOTT, Ed.D.
Alexandria
Summary
Executive strategist, scholar, and institution builder with more than two decades advancing women's opportunity, philanthropy, STEM ecosystems, and systems-level change. Skilled at managing complex cross-sector ecosystems and sustaining strategic relationships across federal agencies, industry, philanthropy, and nonprofit organizations while helping leaders translate vision into coordinated action and measurable public impact.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Staff Associate Outreach and Engagement (IPA)
National Science Foundation
Alexandria, VA
01.2025 - Current
- Advise and serve on senior leadership team in the Directorate of STEM Education's Office of Assistant Director in strategic planning efforts to conduct outreach and engagement initiatives across the nation.
- Spearhead cross-directorate project team tasked with strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of STEM educational outreach.
- Lead strategic initiatives across directorates to establish policies and procedures streamlining outreach and engagement activities.
- Develop strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate effective communication about NSF-funding opportunities.
- Conduct thorough research on outreach and engagement efforts to inform strategic planning and decision-making processes.
- Implement new strategies for program officer professional development on best practices related to STEM outreach and engagement.
- Collaborate with business operation and science analysts to construct sustainable systems for agency-wide outreach and engagement.
- Participate in senior leadership efforts providing directorate-wide guidance on and creation of notices of funding opportunities supporting STEM education and workforce development in the U.S.
Strategic Partnership Officer (On Detail)
National Science Foundation
Alexandria, VA
05.2025 - Current
- Provide strategic counsel to senior leadership in the Technology, Innovation and Partnership Directorate's Strategic Partnership Hub regarding partnerships, engagement, and high-priority initiatives supporting foundational science and STEM workforce priorities.
- Advise senior leaders on strategy and policy implications aligned with agency and administration priorities.
- Develop and sustain strategic relationships across federal agencies, industry, nonprofit organizations, and stakeholder communities while interpreting executive directives and assessing implementation implications supporting leadership decision-making and engagement strategies.
- Navigate complex policy ecosystems and align diverse stakeholders around shared institutional priorities.
- Organize meetings and workshops to facilitate collaboration among industries, nonprofits, and federal agencies.
- Lead efforts to implement new software tools for tracking project milestones and deliverables effectively.
- Mentor junior staff members, helping them develop their skills and advance in their careers.
- Serve as an ambassador and champion of all NSF directorates with potential and current industry, nonprofit, and federal agency partners.
Professor & Founding Executive Director
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ
08.2006 - Current
- Senior professor in Arizona State University's School of Social Transformation teaching, mentoring, and engaged in service activities particularly in the Women and Gender Studies unit.
- Founded and led the nationally recognized research center, Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology (CGEST) focused on women and girls of color in STEM, computing, and digital innovation.
- Through CGEST and related initiatives—including COMPUGIRLS—advanced ecosystem-building, research, and educational access supporting historically underrepresented communities while cultivating nationally visible partnerships and stewarding more than $13M in support.
- Leadership combined scholarship, coalition building, and institutional strategy to advance sustainable systems of opportunity.
- Supported multidisciplinary research teams focused on scholarly publication using qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods.
- Initiated interdisciplinary collaboration among colleagues that resulted in grant-funded research projects.
- Increased research grant acquisition for the School of Social Transformation and the College of Liberal Arts and Science, meticulously preparing and submitting proposals to nonprofit, federal and industry funding organizations.
Senior Equity Strategist
Henry Luce Foundation
New York, NY
08.2022 - 08.2023
- Developed and implemented strategic initiatives to enhance organizational effectiveness and grant-making processes.
- Conducted in-depth research to inform decision-making on funding priorities and program strategies.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to design and execute evaluation frameworks for funded projects.
- Provided actionable insights based on data-driven analysis, enabling informed decision-making across all levels of the organization.
- Facilitated training programs, upgrading team skills and supporting professional development.
Senior Faculty Fellow
Arizona State University Foundation
Tempe, AZ
01.2022 - 12.2022
- Led bridging efforts between academic projects and fundraising efforts
- Networked and built strong presence with peers to facilitate professional relationships.
- Successfully ed an inaugural fundraising campaign that fostered community involvement and increased donor participation.
- Analyzed fundraising data to inform strategic decisions and optimize campaign effectiveness.
Education
Ed.D. - Social And Philosophical Foundations of Education
Rutgers University
Master of Science - Curriculum And Instruction
Long Island University
High Potential Leadership -
Harvard Business School Executive Education
B.A. - Art History And French Literature
Smith College
Skills
- Executive Strategy
- Agency & Stakeholder Management
- Policy Interpretation & Analysis
- Executive Communications
- Women's Power & Gender Equity
- Research & Evidence Synthesis
- Governance & Trustee Leadership
- Cross-Sector Partnerships
- Coalition Building
- Public Influence
- Institution Building
- Airtable CRM
Timeline
Strategic Partnership Officer (On Detail)
National Science Foundation
05.2025 - Current
Staff Associate Outreach and Engagement (IPA)
National Science Foundation
01.2025 - Current
Senior Equity Strategist
Henry Luce Foundation
08.2022 - 08.2023
Senior Faculty Fellow
Arizona State University Foundation
01.2022 - 12.2022
Professor & Founding Executive Director
Arizona State University
08.2006 - Current
Ed.D. - Social And Philosophical Foundations of Education
Rutgers University
Master of Science - Curriculum And Instruction
Long Island University
High Potential Leadership -
Harvard Business School Executive Education
B.A. - Art History And French Literature
Smith College
GOVERNANCE, TRUSTEE and ADVISORY
- Smith College Trustee, Executive governance member supporting institutional excellence and strategic priorities.
- Girls Inc.Trustee, Leadership supporting girls' opportunity and leadership development.
- Bennington College Trustee, Governance and institutional leadership service.
- Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Committee of Scholars, Counsel on virtual exhibitions and organizational establishment
- National Science Foundation STEM Education Advisory Panel, Academic guidance on cutting-edge STEM education topics
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & PUBLIC SCHOLARSHIP
Author and contributor to nearly 100 publications, peer-reviewed articles, white papers, and policy reports reaching national and international audiences. Scholarship and public engagement connect research, public influence, and actionable systems-change strategies and include both scholarly and policy-facing work.
NATIONAL INFLUENCE & SPEAKING
Frequent keynote speaker, invited advisor, and public scholar engaging leaders across philanthropy, government, higher education, and nonprofit sectors. Public leadership and speaking have focused on women's leadership, technology equity, STEM ecosystems, AI and education, and strategic systems change.
RECOGNITION
- Top Women in Higher Education
- American Educational Research Association's Distinguished Contributions to Gender Equity in Education Research Award
- White House STEM Access Champion of Change (Obama Administration)
- World Technology Award in Education
SELECTED SCHOLARSHIP
- Scott, K. A. (contracted). The URG movement: Why Disparity for women of color in technology persists. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
- Scott, K. A. (2021). COMPUGIRLS: Becoming ourselves in the digital age. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press.
- Elliott, S., Simeone, M., Scott, K. A., and Wentz, E. (2023). Practices and data typologies for identifying potential allies for equity, diversity, and inclusion within institutions. International Journal of Leadership in Education https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2023.2272157
- Hammonds, E. M., Taylor, V., & Hutton, R. (Eds.). (2022). Transforming trajectories for women of color in tech. The National Academies Press. Consensus Committee Member Scott, K.A. (2023). Promising practices, programs, and philanthropic opportunities for women in STEM. For Henry Luce Foundation, New York, NY