Dr. Marie Steckelberg, received a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from The University of South Dakota and has a wide-range of experience in program and curriculum development, professional development, project/program development and grant writing.

Dr. Steckelberg has over 40 years of being a life toucher in youth and adult education.  She has taught in both the K-12 and informal education settings, taught teacher education at The University of South Dakota, served as the state director for Science Olympiad and education coordinator for two non-profit health organizations.

Dr. Steckelberg has developed and provided extensive professional development to both informal and K-12 educators, primarily in the area of STEM. She is currently providing STEM professional development to 21st Century Learning Centers across the State of South Dakota. Recognized as a leader in STEM professional development, NASA Johnson Space Center, Office of STEM Education, invited Dr. Steckelberg to be a member of the Network of States advisory committee.

Dr. Steckelberg has a keen ability to work with and develop relationships with a variety of local, state, regional and national agencies. This is demonstrated by the successful organization and facilitation of two statewide NASA funded programs, the Rising Star Educator Program and the SD NASA Summers of Innovation Program, for the SD Discovery Center.

The skill to develop collaborative relations contributes to Dr. Steckelberg’s success in grant writing and managing grant funded programs. Marie’s ability to write successful grant applications is evident in that she has secured nearly $5,000,000 in grants from federal, state, foundation, and private sources.

Dr. Steckelberg has served on various statewide committees, including the South Dakota State Science Standards Workgroup and co-facilitated the SD Science Standards Translations for Instruction and Assessment Workgroups. She served as a member of the Early Childhood Care and Education Stakeholder Group.

Dr. Steckelberg’s portfolio includes evaluator for the SD Space Grant Consortium and the Vermont Space Grant Consortium, organizing and facilitating STEM and grant writing professional workshops, presentations to non-profits, and identifying grant funding sources and writing grants for non-profit agencies.  She also is a certified teacher trainer for the Engineering is Elementary and GLOBE programs.

Marie lives in Yankton, SD, served on the Business Development Committee (chair) of the Yankton Chamber of Commerce and Yankton Interchange Board of Directors (secretary), was a STEM mentor at the Boys & Girls club of Yankton, and is a Big Pal/Little Pal School Mentor.  She enjoys gardening, the outdoors, and family, especially her grandchildren.