Karen Marshall

Karen N. Marshall is the Founder and CEO of Innovative STEM Solutions, where she designs transformative science education experiences that bridge the classroom and the real world.

Growing up in Kansas City, Marshall saw firsthand how unequal access to quality science education shaped what students believed was possible for their futures and decided to change it. That conviction led her to Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, a city that would become both her home and the heart of her life's work.

With nearly 20 years of pioneering work in inquiry-based, hands-on learning, she has reached more than 50,000 students and 10,000 educators across the greater New Orleans area and beyond. Before launching her firm, she held leadership roles with Ripple Effect NOLA and the Louisiana Marine Consortium (LUMCON), where she expanded field-based learning and introduced students to environmental science careers. Today, she partners with schools and organizations to equip educators and inspire the next generation of problem-solvers, including the American Heart Association, where she serves as a partner for their national Go Red STEM initiative.

Marshall's impact has earned recognition from the National Science Teaching Association, the American Petroleum Institute, and the Urban Conservancy of New Orleans. She has also served as a judge for the Aspen Challenge, presented by the Bezos Foundation.

Now expanding her influence internationally, Marshall is leading K-12 Science Education in the integration of artificial intelligence into STEM education, preparing students not just for the careers of today, but for a future we are only beginning to imagine.