Global Philanthropic Veteran Joins BEST Robotics as Executive Director

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BEST Robotics has named Michael Steiner as its new executive director. An accomplished entrepreneur, Steiner has more than 20 years of experience as an executive promoting inclusion and access to education within multiple industries across several continents.

Prior to joining BEST, Mr. Steiner was president of consulting firm Your Global Strategy, which trains and counsels international organizations on business development, strategic planning and management. As BEST builds new relationships with schools and donors across the country, his global expertise will be a critical asset in moving the organization's mission forward.

"It's an incredible opportunity and one that I am truly grateful to have," he shared. "I believe in the tremendous impact that the BEST Robotics program has and find it incredibly rewarding to serve such a critical mission and an organization that's in the process of amazing growth."

Prior to being appointed executive director, Steiner also served on the BEST Robotics board of directors.

"Michael's wide breadth of experiences have served our mission well," said BEST Robotics Board of Directors Chair Jennifer Holm. "His knowledge from working in STEM and education on a global level has provided invaluable insight in guiding our organization to be what it is today."

BEST Robotics is the pathway that connects students to careers in STEM. The nationwide, hands-on program, coupled with ongoing collaboration with higher education and corporations, creates a direct pipeline for student success. By incorporating coding, programming, math, engineering design, and creativity, robotics gives students a tangible result of the STEM applications they are using. Free to schools and students, the BEST season starts in September and lasts only six weeks, culminating in a Hub-level competition. Top performers from Hubs are invited to compete in one of three championships across the country. 

About BEST Robotics
BEST Robotics is a national 501 (c) 3 that delivers a free STEM education program and competition to middle and high school students. The BEST Robotics mission is to make STEM education accessible and inclusive and to engage and excite students about engineering, science and technology, inspiring them to pursue higher educational and career opportunities in these fields.

Founded in 1993, BEST Robotics operates more than 40 licensed hubs across 13 states, serving approximately 900 schools and almost 20,000 students annually. Through partnerships with industry, higher education, tech schools and other community groups and nonprofits, BEST Robotics' hubs manage local delivery of the program with the help of 4,500 volunteers from local neighborhoods and national corporations.

SOURCE BEST Robotics