Challenger Center Announces Chair-Elect and New Board Member

Legal Expert and Social Impact Veteran Elected to Board Positions

Washington (January 23, 2023) – Challenger Center has announced the election of Josh Izenberg as Chair-Elect of the organization’s Board of Directors. Izenberg will work alongside the current Chair, Warren Boley, Jr., until his role begins in August 2023.

With more than 25 years of professional experience, Izenberg is the co-founder and General Counsel of Off-World, Inc., a revolutionary off-Earth infrastructure company. He has spent six years on Challenger Center’s Board of Directors, with more than a year as the Development and Governance Committee Chair. He is also a member of advisory boards for three technology startups.

“Josh has demonstrated his commitment to Challenger Center through many years of dedicated service as a board member and supporter,” said Boley. “His experienced leadership and passion for supporting our STEM education mission will ensure the organization reaches its goals of inspiring students to reach for the stars.”

Additionally, the organization has elected Michelynn “Miki” Woodard, President and CEO of Texas Women’s Foundation, to the Board.

“It is my pleasure to welcome such an incredible pair of talented individuals to these roles the Board,” said Lance Bush, President and CEO of Challenger Center. “Their diverse career experiences will be particularly helpful as we continue to strive to make STEM education opportunities available to all students across the country and globe, regardless of socio-economic status.

Michelynn “Miki” Woodard is a 25-year business and social-impact veteran, and a respected national voice who has dedicated her career to championing equity, cultural diversity, and social justice. As the leader of one of the largest women’s funds in the world, the Texas Women’s Foundation, Woodard works alongside a talented group of multicultural and multigenerational leaders to drive the organization’s enduring focus on its mission to raise funds for statewide research, advocacy, and grantmaking to unlock economic and leadership opportunities for Texas women and girls. Most recently, she served as Head of Social Impact, Diversity, and Inclusion for Bad Robot Productions, Inc., and Senior Advisor of the Katie McGrath and J.J. Abrams Family Foundation. In 2016, Woodard co-founded The Artemis Agency, one of the first 100% women-led social impact agencies.

To see a complete list of the Challenger Center Board of Directors, please visit challenger.org

# # #

About Challenger Center

As a leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, Challenger Center provides more than 250,000 students annually with experiential education programs that engage students in hands-on learning opportunities. These programs, delivered in Challenger Learning Centers and classrooms, strengthen knowledge in STEM subjects and inspire students to pursue careers in these important fields. Challenger Center was created by the Challenger families to honor the crew of shuttle flight STS-51-L. For more information about Challenger Center, please visit www.challenger.org or connect on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Contact

Sara Espinosa, Director, Communications
sespinosa@challenger.org
202-827-1575