Lee Ann Kline

(Tashia Peterman)

President & Founder
STEM Advantage
Education/Nonprofit/Government

Lee Ann Kline founded STEM Advantage in 2012 to bridge gender and racial gaps in STEM through education and career development, empowering underserved, primarily first-generation college students for careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Offering scholarships, internships, one-to-one mentorship and professional development, STEM Advantage helps students from eight California State University campuses graduate and secure careers with starting salaries averaging $75,000. The impact is significant: 975 graduates, 87% students of color and 52% women, creating a generational change in economic mobility. Kline’s partnerships with 50+ corporations, including Google and Disney, provide paid internships, workshops and career panels, while more than 225 mentors guide students. An AARP Purpose Prize Fellow, she also established the ALO Cultural Foundation and has supplied millions of meals to Lebanon.