Shelly Gruenig PhD
CEO
Dr. Shelly Gruenig specializes in working with families to pursue excellence in emerging technologies and is co-host of the STEM Southwest Podcast and a STEM segment on CBS, KRQE. She is a speaker, author, STEM entrepreneur, award-winning robotics coach and homeschool mother.
Her passion is to help kids find their people and launch their lives. Her team, R4Robotics, is 12-time state champions, 5-time regional champions and has won the prestigious Google Community International Award with VEX robotics. While life is consumed by her passion in STEM, spending time with her family, exploring and rafting the river keep her grounded.
She graduated from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Park Administration, followed by a Master of Education in College Student Personnel from Loyola University Chicago. In 2008, she completed her PhD in Workforce Education at Southern Illinois University.
Dr. Gruenig coaches both youth and their parents to plan and achieve their life goals and pursue their competitive advantage. In addition to working with thousands of young learners, she has worked with corporate clients including the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Sun Microsystems, as well as the Brunswick Corporation. in 1998-1999 she led the career centers to transition workers at Levi Straus & Co into new careers and establish businesses leveraging private and public resources.
She believes that kids can do hard things and that most problems can be solved through prayer and a well brewed cup of tea.
Other Members
Melissa
Social Media & Mentor
Karena Omdahl
Director of Operations