MAYDM ANNOUNCES DR. SHAKKIAH CURTIS AS NEXT CEO
Maydm
203 S. Patterson Street, STE 400
Madison, WI 53703
608.819.6616
Key Media Contact – Lisa J. Smith - Board Member
608.395.5275
ljsmith@smithcous.com
MAYDM ANNOUNCES DR. SHAKKIAH CURTIS AS NEXT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Madison nonprofit closes successful four-year chapter under Dr. Christina Outlay, names new leader to advance 2026 strategic plan and expand STEM opportunity for girls and youth of color
MADISON, Wis. — June 9, 2026 — Maydm, the Madison-based nonprofit today announced that Dr. Shakkiah Curtis will become the organization's next Chief Executive Officer, effective June 8, 2026. Dr. Curtis, succeeds Dr. Christina Outlay, who has led Maydm since January 2022.
Under Dr. Outlay's leadership, Maydm grew its annual student reach to approximately 470 students per year, expanded its paid high school internship program into its sixth cohort, deepened partnerships with Madison-area corporate employers including Exact Sciences, TruStage, First Business Bank, and Bank of America, and built new programmatic partnerships with Madison College's STEM Academy. The organization has now served more than 3,500 students since its founding in 2015.
“It has been an honor to serve as Maydm’s Executive Director and to work alongside our team, board, students, families, and community partners. Together, we strengthened Maydm’s operations, expanded programs and partnerships, increased student participation, and created more paid internships and experiential programs for girls and youth of color in STEM. I am so pleased to welcome Dr. Shakkiah Curtis as Maydm’s next leader, and I am excited to see where she takes Maydm next.” – Dr. Christina Outlay
It was a fast paced and extensive search that was overseen by the Board of Directors. "The board ran a deliberate, community-centered search because we understood there is a lot at stake. Maydm has spent eleven years building something rare: a pipeline of confident, capable young people who are changing the face of STEM in Madison. We owed it to them, to their families, and to Christina's legacy to find a leader who could honor what's been built and grow it.
We have found that leader. Dr. Shakkiah Curtis not only has a deeply personal connection to our mission, but she also brings a wealth of experience leading and scaling non-profit organizations, a strong business and entrepreneurial acumen, and connections across our Wisconsin tech ecosystem to leverage for partnerships. The entire board and Maydm staff could not be more excited to start working with her.”- Jennifer Ilk, Chairman of the Board
Dr. Curtis joins Maydm most recently from the Milwaukee Tech Hub where she served as Director of Growth Engagement Manager, overseeing technology ecosystem programming, stakeholder partnerships, and community initiatives across Milwaukee's growing tech sector. In addition, she is the Founder and CEO of the Pink Hustle Consulting Firm where she leads her consulting and coaching company helping female entrepreneurs scale businesses using her proprietary SCALE Framework™ and Curtis Method™.
She holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and Emotional Intelligence, From Colorado Technical University a MA in Educational/Instructional Technology from Alverno College and an MBA from Cardinal Strich, and a B.A. in English from Tennessee State University. She is also deeply connected to the community leading and engaging across several organizations. She founded the Black Women in Tech Awards Breakfast in Milwaukee, Hosted the InnovationHer Tech Summit at the Madison Black Business Hub as well as, the Latinas in Tech awards Breakfast. She is passionate about and deeply connected to Maydm’s mission.
"When I think about what drew me to Maydm, three things come to mind immediately.
The first are the students. My daughter, Ashlynne - 16, holds a 4.0, and wants to be an architectural designer. She is exactly who Maydm is built for. When I walk into this organization, I don't see a program. I see her future. And I refuse to lead that mission with anything less than everything I have.
The second is the proof. In 2024, Maydm served 542 students across 28 programs, placed 26 paid interns, and generated over $100,000 in direct student earnings. Thirty-one alumni are now pursuing STEM degrees or careers. That is not potential. That is a proven model — and my job is to scale it.
The third is the legacy Dr. Christina Outlay leaves behind. She built this organization into something real and something lasting. I do not take that lightly. I step into this role with deep respect for her leadership, her vision, and the foundation she has laid for every student, family, and partner who has walked through Maydm's doors.
To the families, the students, the partners, and the Madison community — I am ready. I am grounded. And I am inviting every single one of you to walk into this next chapter with us. The best of Maydm is still ahead." - Dr. Curtis.
This transition arrives at a moment of significant momentum for both Maydm and the broader Madison STEM ecosystem. Madison was named a federal Tech Hub by the U.S. Department of Commerce, and local employers project approximately 22% job growth in the technology sector over the next five years. At the same time, Dane County experiences profound, persistent disparities in economic and social advancement for Black and Brown residents. Maydm's mission addresses both realities directly: connecting underrepresented young people to the careers that drive Madison's economic future.
Maydm's summer 2026 programs are launching June 16th and the sixth cohort of high school interns have been placed with corporate host companies. The organization will hold its annual Internship Celebration on August 14, 2026, at TruStage corporate headquarters in Madison, where Dr. Curtis will join the Maydm community in honoring this year's interns and the partners who made their experiences possible.
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About Maydm
Maydm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 with a mission to provide girls and youth of color in grades 6-12 with the skills, experiences, and connections to pursue careers in and change the face of STEM. Through year-round educational programs, summer immersives, and a paid high school internship program, Maydm serves as a hub connecting students, schools, businesses, and community organizations across the Madison region. Maydm has served more than 3,500 students since its founding. Learn more at maydm.org.