Dr. Natoshia ("Dr. Toshia") Anderson, is a Mechanical Engineer-turned award-winning ​STEM educator and STEM advocate​, STEM leadership consultant, and dynamic and informative, ​in-demand​ STEM motivational speaker, podcast host, and author. Dr. Toshia offers intensive professional and leadership development coaching and training for STEM entities, educators, and school system staff, and mentorship for young minority women and girls in STEM. She also offers STEM keynote/motivational speaking services to organizations, associations, corporations, ​conferences, ​and educational systems nationwide.  In her spare time, Dr. Anderson can be found reading a good romance novel or binge-watching Netflix shows. 

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Every day, Dr. Toshia is partnering with local businesses to bring more opportunities to students across the Metropolitan Atlanta area. She believes that all students, but especially minority students should have the opportunity to be engaged in STEM. She sits on the boards of several organizations that match her drive to see an equitable and equal opportunity for minority students in STEM. She has developed programming for organizations across the United States including LOV Chicago, Girls of Virtue, Inc., HYPE Atlanta, the Atlanta Girls School, Impact Church Gwinnett, and others. Her podcast, STEMming in Stilettos, is designed to showcase and highlight the stories of minority women in STEM. Her desire is to use the podcast as a sort of mentoring program for young minority women and girls in STEM. The podcast can be heard anywhere podcasts are available. Her most recent endeavors include the formation of a critical mentoring program for young minority women STEM professionals. Additional emails about the program can be found on her website. She is committed to using her voice, experience, her knowledge, and expertise to help minorities in general, but specifically, minority women and girls, excel and succeed in the STEM environment. She can be found on international stages and local stages including SCWIST conferences, Microsoft, Homeschool networks, WOC in STEM conferences, Women’s Conferences, and Women’s Networks.

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Dr. Anderson's expertise in STEM coupled with her desire to see an increase in the number of minority students in STEM led her to write her future best-seller children’s book ABC Engineering (2020), which is geared through our very young. She is featured in the gender equity/diversity and inclusion compilation books, If Her Purse Could Talk (2018); Gumbo for the Soul: Liberating Memoirs to Inspire Females of Color (2016); and, R.A.C.E Mentoring Through Social Media: Black and Hispanic Authors Share Their Journey in the Academy (2017).

 

As a former Dean of the industry-progressive Georgia Piedmont Technical College (an entity member of the extensive Technical College System of Georgia), and former Director of STEM Initiatives, Dr. Anderson's days were filled with building relationships with community partners and STEM businesses and corporations to provide equitable opportunities for students in STEM majors at the college. She worked to bring funding to STEM programming by writing and winning grants to would support the mission of the office. She designed programs that would increase dual enrollment opportunities for minority students at the local high schools in the college’s service area. She designed summer programming for the college that would provide minority middle school students the opportunity to learn unique STEM skills during a week one-of-a-kind program by partnering with STEM programs on campus and local businesses and industries. 

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As a Mechanical Design Engineer, she was charged with designing HVAC, piping, plumbing, and fire alarm systems for business, educational, and military installations all throughout the Southeastern states. She has also worked with outreach organizations (SWE and ASME) and clubs to increase awareness of STEM and specifically engineering opportunities for minority youth. She left the engineering profession in 2004 to become a full-time High School Mathematics Teacher. She served as the Team Lead for the Freshman Academy while being a 1st-year teacher. She also worked to achieve the gifted certification, while teaching advanced students over the next two years. While teaching high school math, she started Homework Help for Parents. This Saturday program assisted parents in being able to help their student(s) in mathematics at home. The program gave parents simple tips and refreshers on simple mathematic techniques and procedures. 

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Dr. Toshia holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University, and both an MBA and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Phoenix. In her off hours, she also tirelessly assists numerous outreach organizations and youth clubs with increasing awareness of STEM opportunities for minority youths. Dr. Anderson’s laser-focused mission is to expand her efforts to increase STEM awareness and opportunities, especially for female minority students and women professionals of color, worldwide.

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So many young, talented girls are discouraged from pursuing their STEM dreams and aspirations before they have even had a chance to excel. Dr. Toshia is here to change that at all levels of the educational process through mentorship and consulting, innovative educationally appropriate curriculum and simply providing a voice to young girls and women who need encouragement and a role model who made it despite ALL odds!  

 

To reserve Dr. Anderson for staff STEM leadership and professional development, especially around equity, diversity, and inclusion; STEM consulting or training for your school or school district, or organization; or STEM motivational/keynote speaking for your educational institution, organization, or association, or conference; or for media inquiries, kindly submit your request via her convenient electronic form.

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Dr. Toshia...changing the STEM environment one minority girl at a time and creating opportunities where there were none before!  To recommend Dr. Toshia to speak/train at your organization, corporation, or nonprofit, please contact her at natoshia@drtoshia.com or visit her website at www.drtoshia.com.