About the Founders
The Virginia STEAM Academy emerged from the vision of co-founders Judy Stewart, PhD, and Caroline Martin, RN, MHA. Stewart is an independent education consultant and President of Taylor Education Consulting, Inc. Her work in the area of education policy research has led to extended contracts with federal education research and development agencies, state departments of education, and local school divisions around issues related to educator quality and quantity. Locally, she has served on the boards of the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, Suffolk Partnership for a Healthy Community, and was a member of the Civic Leadership Institute, Class of 2013.
Martin is the retired Executive Riverside Health System/ CEO, Riverside Regional Medical Center. Some of her major accomplishments during her tenure include serving as the executive of the Schools of Professional Nursing and Allied Health Education, the creation and management of Riverside’s Wellness Division, Human Resource Development, Child Care and Learning Centers, and oversight of the risk management, safety and protection and accreditation programs. Since her retirement she has served in leadership positions on many nonprofit boards and was named Suffolk Citizen of the Year, 2012.
The Co-founders bring strong expertise in education, operations, and non-profit board leadership.