“Much of my career has been spent in the nonprofit sector, where I’ve become passionate about building and revitalizing programs that make a meaningful impact,” said Charity Johnson, the Director of STARBASE Minnesota, Inc.’s Duluth branch. “I originally started my professional journey in biology and environmental consulting, but I quickly realized that my strengths and interests were better aligned with mission‑driven work.”
“STARBASE Minnesota, Inc. is an education nonprofit dedicated to inspiring youth through hands-on science, technology, engineering and math learning,” Johnson said of her employer, which partners with the Minnesota Air National Guard to bring STEM education to students in the state. “I was hired in 2017 to build and launch programming at the Duluth location, which now proudly operates with a team of 10 staff members. Since our launch in 2017, we have served more than 16,000 students in Duluth and more than 100,000 since the program’s inception. The national STARBASE program is offered at more than 85 locations across the country.”
“As we enter our eighth year of serving students across the region,” Johnson said, “our team’s focus is on continued support as they move through middle and high school. We are expanding our middle-school outreach through an afterschool STEM club, and we’re developing new pathways in collaboration with our industry partners to provide high-school students with hands-on STEM experiences, including internships, job shadowing and other career‑connected opportunities.”
“I absolutely love what we do at STARBASE,” Johnson said. “I’ve witnessed firsthand how transformative this experience can be for young learners. My goal is to continue building strong foundations so that STARBASE alumni are equipped with the confidence, skills and curiosity they need to thrive in whatever career paths they choose.”
