Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: LEGO Education’s Dr Jenny Nash On The 5 Leadership Lessons She Learned From Her Experience
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Share knowledge and do not assume others have it — I have held back so many times because I would think, “Well, this is obvious, everyone must know it.” But, I have actually found that many times others do not know that specific detail. The knowledge you bring to the table is powerful, and nobody wins or can move forward when you hold back.
As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Jenny Nash.
Dr. Jenny Nash serves as the Head of Education Impact for LEGO Education in the United States, where she provides direction and leadership in delivering meaningful education opportunities for students. LEGO Education works with teachers and educational specialists to deliver playful learning experiences that bring subjects to life in the classroom and make learning fun and impactful. Its solutions for teaching and hands-on learning inspire interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM), targeted at preschool, elementary and middle school. Dr. Nash has experience as a middle school teacher, professional development provider and educational specialist. As an advocate for hands-on learning for students, Dr. Nash aims to build confidence in students and teachers to build academic and 21st-century skills that will create active, collaborative, lifelong learners.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
While I did not begin my career in education, I quickly found myself here. My goal was to make a difference and have a meaningful impact, and I found education to be my passion. I was really excited to pursue science education because of the opportunities it creates for students to learn through experience. Unfortunately, I did not have many hands-on science classes growing up. As a teacher, I was able to change that for my students.
Fast forward a few years, and I was first introduced to LEGO Education while teaching STEM outreach programs and after-school programs at a university. I saw first-hand the incredible impact LEGO Education solutions have on students and teachers. Inspired to help teachers use these solutions, it was a no-brainer to join the LEGO Education team. I saw an incredible opportunity to extend the impact of hands-on learning to thousands of students and teachers around the world!
Today, I see my passion for purposeful play reflected in my work and can honestly say I am passionate about what I am doing. When I first started my career, I never thought I would be where I am now. That is why it is important to look for what you are most passionate about in life and chase it — no matter what your journey looks like!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?
LEGO is such an iconic brand, and it is rewarding to hear so many people share their own experiences and positive reactions when they learn that I work for LEGO Education.
Recently, we partnered with NASA (yes, that NASA!) to bring to life a free digital series, Build to Launch: A STEAM Exploration Series. Together, LEGO Education and NASA worked to design the 10-week curriculum specifically to engage and excite students about STEAM learning and careers by connecting the lessons to the real world through NASA’s Artemis I program. One of the exceptional aspects of these lessons is how accessible they are; all students can participate using common household or classroom items. The series is an incredible opportunity to bring STEAM concepts to life and introduce a whole new generation to the wonders of space travel. And, more importantly, students are getting exposed to a diverse set of careers at NASA. It really is amazing to see how many career options are open to students in STEAM. This was a great experience, getting to work with the NASA team, to learn how many people are working every day to solve problems and prepare for the Artemis launch.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Finding the meaning in failure is one of my favorite topics, so I love this question. I have made plenty of mistakes along the way and all have been outstanding learning experiences. Early in my career, I was traveling to provide training at a school district and found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I arrived early to set up for the training. I greeted the teachers, as they began coming into the room. Right before we started, I discovered that they were not only the wrong group of teachers, but the teachers I was supposed to be training were in a building 20 minutes away. I used to worry so much about making everything perfect, but these things happen. It turns out there was a last-minute change that someone forgot to tell me. I learned to be flexible in the moment and always do a final check-in. We started a little late, but it was still a great day of training.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Behind everything we do, our key motivation is the belief that students are the future. Most people recognize the iconic LEGO brick but are less familiar with LEGO Education, which brings learning through play to classrooms through the comprehensive LEGO Learning System. Our mission is to enable all students to succeed and to do that we need to rethink learning by providing playful and hands-on learning experiences that are engaging and meaningful. Specifically, we are focused on how to truly impact students by bringing purposeful play into classrooms to allow students to unlock their natural curiosity and get creative with their ideas. We are building their confidence in learning, so they can see themselves in the careers of the future. One example from the NASA and LEGO Education collaboration was a female student who became inspired and wants to be an accountant for NASA, while another now wants to be an engineer — that is the impact we want to have!
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
At LEGO Education, we are always focused on how we can impact learning and deliver engaging learning experiences for teachers and their students. We aim to infuse joy and play into education so that it generates enthusiasm, motivation, and a lifelong love of learning. You can always trust LEGO Education to rethink learning. I mentioned the Build to Launch series earlier, which is truly going to come to life with the upcoming Artemis I Mission launch. One exciting part of this program that is coming soon is the LEGO Education minifigures Kate and Kyle will be onboard Artemis I as it lifts off. It’s a once in a lifetime example of real-world application for the students who followed along in the series and we can’t wait to hear about their reactions.
Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Are you currently satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM? What specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?
There are many positive efforts underway to close the gap of women in STEM, but there’s still work to be done. Incremental change isn’t enough; it’s disruption that almost always paves the way to evolving the status quo. We need to look ahead to the future that we want, beginning at both the bottom and the top. From the early stages, we need to ensure female students do not feel siloed or limited by their ability or opportunity. With an older brother, I remember always having the mindset that if he could do it, so could I (and likely better). Within education, we need to ensure young students are not seeing barriers to what they can do and feel empowered to try everything.
I truly believe that giving students experiences that let them see what opportunities are out there is key. The saying you can’t be what you can’t see is true, which means students also need to see women and diversity in STEM roles. Educators have a responsibility to nurture student curiosity and get them excited about all the possibilities in STEM.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women in STEM or Tech that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts? What would you suggest to address this?
Unfortunately, I can personally recall many situations where I may not have been perceived as being as capable as my male colleagues, despite having more experience. I often had to prove my ability by highlighting my experience or working harder compared to my male colleagues. There have also been times where I have challenged an idea or shared feedback only to be labeled as “opinionated” and have had to go an extra step to prove myself just because I’m a woman.
These barriers are unacceptable, and unfortunately, they can start very early on. Whether it is a perception that girls are not good at math, the many STEM experiences that lean into the male experience rather than female, or another stigma that women have to push back against. And, beyond the significant challenges women face, there are even more complex barriers present for minorities and marginalized communities. Recognizing it is the first step, and then it’s about being intentional and purposeful when creating curriculum or edtech products that are designed for all students and to create more accessible learning experiences and opportunities — no matter a child’s gender, race, background or interest.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a woman in STEM or Tech. Can you explain what you mean?
There is a persistent myth that women cannot perform well in STEM. It can start early on in school, where someone might say that girls are not good at math or science. These generalizations catch on and become biases, but they are not supported by data or research. The research actually shows that girls not only are good at math and science, but girls will even outperform their peers in some areas.
What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in STEM or Tech” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)
You are never too old to be playful or curious — It is important to always have a growth mindset. You are never too old to ask questions or be curious. In fact, by continuing to ask questions, throughout your life, you can promote lifelong learning. There will never be a way to know everything there is to know. I encourage everyone to be curious and make their learning playful whenever possible.
Lean into meaningful failure — You do not have to do everything perfectly on the first or second try. If you do not trip along the way, it can be difficult to learn. When we fail, we learn so much about where things went wrong, and we have the opportunity to develop new solutions. Women in particular often worry about having everything perfect. I recommend seeing failure as a chance to try a new solution, as opposed to becoming discouraged when everything does not work out. And, finally, it’s important to be open about failure so others can see that it is ok and help us all fail forward faster.
Productive sparring is okay — When your team engages in idea sharing, pushing back, and bringing in opposing viewpoints, ideas become stronger. Challenging an idea is an important piece of working as a team. Teams that allow for real sparring around ideas end up with a strong direction forward and great new initiatives to try.
Ask for help — I struggle with this one a lot. It is not a weakness to ask for help. We all have our strengths, and the benefit of a team is having the strengths of others. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn from someone else. The first step is to admit you need help and ask for it.
Share knowledge and do not assume others have it — I have held back so many times because I would think, “Well, this is obvious, everyone must know it.” But, I have actually found that many times others do not know that specific detail. The knowledge you bring to the table is powerful, and nobody wins or can move forward when you hold back.
What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?
First of all, lead by example. The culture and power you want your team to have will only happen if you are part of it and model the behaviors and actions you want to see from the team. Then, lead with confidence.
What advice would you give to other women leaders about the best way to manage a large team?
Lead from strengths. As a leader, you know your team and what they need to be successful. What are the unique superpowers that each person brings to the team? Rather than focusing all your energy on only developing the team’s areas of weakness, focus instead on making areas of strength even stronger. This will build a culture and working environment where everyone can thrive.
Great leaders take that knowledge and shape the environment to play to everyone’s strengths. Leading how you would want to be led will not work for everyone on the team. You need to think about what each person needs. And, if you aren’t sure — do not be afraid to ask!
With larger teams, it can be difficult to connect individually with everyone. However, you can influence the culture to allow for open communication and encourage a willingness to ask for feedback. By becoming a team where everyone is ready to support each other, the team will not be afraid to admit their flaws or weaknesses because they know that someone else on the team has strengths that will complement their weaknesses.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
There have been many influential people that I cannot thank enough for their support. One particular professor that I worked with early in my education career was Dr. Jane McKee. I look back at how she empowered me to lead from my position and think about where I can make a difference even as a graduate student. Many of the experiences I had working with her still hold true today. I often say that if you want a certain student outcome, then you better plan for how to prepare the teachers. The importance of ongoing, embedded professional development was instilled in me from her belief that we are always developing and that there is always more to learn about best practices. She ensured that no matter the number of years you were teaching, there was an opportunity to learn more from other teachers and to hone your practice. She truly instilled the importance of lifelong learning in me, which is important whether you are teaching or leading.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
It is so special to see the “aha” moment when kids “get” a STEM concept. That moment when a student discovers how to solve a problem. They are so proud of their solution, and I love that moment of “Look, look, look what I did!” I feel lucky that I get to see this reaction often.
Having the opportunity to see students solve a problem, think critically, and collaborate with classmates using the hands-on LEGO Education solutions is the most rewarding part of my job. Given the same challenge, no two students will solve it in the same way. Children always give us a diversity of ideas and are always so excited about their creative solutions. This is exactly what we need in the world — more diverse ways of thinking. I measure my own success by these moments when students are coding something that is working or bringing unique ideas to life. Even when I have to ask what it is because I am not sure exactly what they have built! There is this amazing moment when the student will explain it, and I get to see their thinking come to life. It’s an honor to be part of creating learning that allows students to turn their unique ideas and thinking into reality. And, to make learning fun.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would love to inspire a movement where women — and anyone, regardless of background — can have the opportunity to see themselves in careers in STEM. I have always tried to mentor and support women who are interested in STEM careers and inspire them. To me, mentorship is inspiring people to find what they love, and helping them pursue the career that fits the thing they love. Many people are unsure what they want to do when they first get out of school or enter their first job. I would love to see more people investing in mentorship — and this can spark a movement to open doors for more diversity in STEM and show individuals unique and different paths to success.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Don’t grow up!”
I think I find ways to not grow up every day… from finding opportunities to be playful in my day to just keeping a growth mindset. I feel like when I get playful, maybe just taking a brain break to build something with bricks, I let my mind wander for a minute. That is when I start asking questions like, I wonder… or what if. Also, I want to keep the curiosity that we have as kids alive. I want to stay open to always learning new things, and learning from other people. Even when I have a good idea, getting curious about it with others is what makes it great! I try to always stay curious and let myself wonder.
We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
Someone that I would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with would be Ashley Eckstein, the actress as well as Founder and fashion designer of Her Universe. Her Universe is a groundbreaking fashion brand that encourages fangirls, and she has always been an advocate for women to be their authentic selves. I find it very inspiring! In addition to her fashion brand, Ashley built a forum for fans to engage online. As the victim of online bullying from fans over her role in the Star Wars series, she stands against bullying and ensures that the fan forum is stringently moderated to create a safe space online. I would love to chat about how we can continue to spur movements like this and to expose girls to strong role models.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: LEGO Education’s Dr Jenny Nash On The 5 Leadership Lessons… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.