White House Author

Seven years ago, Tamara Brown led the founding of the AAUW Buffalo, New York Tech Savvy program, endeavored to inspire middle school girls to pursue STEM careers. With close partnership with industry, academia, and community stakeholders, Tech Savvy has grown to inspire thousands of girls and the adults in their lives. Tech Savvy girls gain practical knowledge and build confidence during fun, hands-on workshops led by role models and learn “savvy” success skills such as ethical decision-making and negotiation. Parallel adult sessions equip parents with tools for early college preparation while teachers attend training classes to gain new techniques for STEM education. Tech Savvy has helped to inform attendees’ academic choices; past attendees have pursued college studies in engineering and other STEM fields. Tamara’s own career in medical device development and project management spurs her passion to encourage STEM to women, minorities, and underserved populations. Tamara earned her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University, double majoring in chemical engineering and biomedical engineering. She holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo and is completing a Master’s degree in Business Administration. She is currently working to expand Tech Savvy to other regions of the country, including her home state of Mississippi.