nConnect NW's Management:

Scott Keeney, Board Chair
nConnect NW’s founder, and Chair is Scott Keeney. Scott is co-founder and President/CEO of nLIGHT Corporation, a leading semiconductor laser manufacturer with operations in Vancouver, Washington, Hillsboro; Oregon; and Shanghai, China.

nLIGHT has raised over $80 million from leading venture capital investors and employs over 200 people. nLIGHT has been named the fastest growing technology company in the Pacific Northwest in Deloitte and Touche’s Rising Star category in both 2005 and 2006.

In 2006, Scott was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Technology in the Pacific Northwest.  Previously, Scott was a consultant with McKinsey & Company and began his career in manufacturing and quality assurance in the textile industry. Scott holds an M.B.A. from Harvard and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington where he graduated summa cum laude and won the Dean’s

Medal for the top graduate in Arts and Sciences. Scott grew up and attended public schools in Bellevue, WA.

 

Natalie Pacholl, Program Director
Natalie Pacholl works closely with businesses and schools to recruit, train, and provide ongoing support to volunteers, mentors, teachers, students and schools involved in nConnect NW. She is also involved in fundraising and in developing new program initiatives, including the creation of the STEM mentoring program and the BizConnect program. Prior to this position, Natalie coordinated Washington Reading Corps, an AmeriCorps program in multiple elementary schools throughout Southwest Washington. She also taught English as a foreign language for two years in the country of Benin (located in West Africa) with Peace Corps. A native Minnesotan, Natalie graduated Magna Cum Laude from the College of St. Catherine with a French major and biology minor.

To contact Natalie send her an email at: natalie.pacholl@nconnectnw.org
 

 Molly Schmitz, Program Coordinator

Molly comes to nConnect with a background in informal science education.  During several years at OMSI, Molly filled numerous positions including coastal ecology instructor at OMSI outdoor school, teacher educator for a grant focused on earthquake science and safety, and logistics coordinator for high school students in an archaeology field school.  Molly most recently served as the director of Saturday Academy’s ASE Program, which places high school students in summer science and engineering internships.  Molly graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a philosophy major and environmental studies minor.  

To contact Molly send her an email at: molly.schmitz@nconnectnw.org

 

 

 

Lucy Warren, Outreach Coordinator
 
Lucy comes to nConnect with a background in non-profit business management working with at risk populations.  Lucy most recently served as a Business Outreach Coordinator from the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce, where she recruited businesses and volunteers to work with high school students to access Career Related Learning Experiences and the YouthWorks, summer jobs program in Oregon.  Lucy graduated from Marylhurst University, with a MS in Business Management. 
 
To contact Lucy send her an email at: lucy.warren@nconnectnw.org
 
 

 

Manlio Castillo Rios, STEM Coach 
 
Manlio was born in Monterrey, Mexico and at the age of 13 his family moved to Texas.  It was there where he graduated from high school and went on to study Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas.  During his junior year of college, Manlio studied abroad at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM).  After receiving his Bachelor’s degree, he continued his studies in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, obtaining a Master’s Degree.  Since graduating, Manlio has worked with The Boeing Company and for Hewlett-Packard for the last eight years.  Currently, he is the STEM Coach for Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum counties in Washington, and Columbia county in Oregon.  He is married and enjoys spending time with his wife and two young sons, as well as photography and soccer
 
To contact Manlio send him an email at mcastillo@esd.wa.gov 
 

Logan Binder, Program Assistant 

Logan works part time building and maintaining social networking sites and also helps with outreach and admin support. Logan graduated from Evergreen High School and is currently attending Clark College. She is working on her associate’s degree and plans to transfer to WSU to get her masters degree in sociology. Logan was born in Texas but has lived in Vancouver Washington most of her life.

To contact Logan send her an email at: logan.binder@nconnectnw.org

 

nConnect NW Board of directors: