Cathi Rodgveller developed IGNITE Worldwide in Seattle Public Schools, starting in 1998.

She ran the program in the school district for 18 years while also running the non-profit beginning in 2007. Cathi Rodgveller now runs the non-profit full time.

The reason we have so few women in technology careers starts early. Girls see boys in the computer labs at school, or on the robotics teams. They assume technology is for boys.

IGNITE changes the thinking and the culture that is sustained in schools, that only boys like or can be good at technology, because we change the way girls participate in these classes and clubs at school. When we change girls perceptions starting in 6^th grade when the problem begins, then girls will expect themselves to be in these computer labs and robotics clubs. Being an educator for 35 years, Cathi created IGNITE to change the climate and culture for girls in school. If we can change this for girls in school both boys and girls will expect girls to be in the world of technology. Girls participate in IGNITE at school with their friends, so they are not the only girl in the class or the room. They begin together, in the safety of a group of girls where they can explore technology together. Then they sign up for classes together and the problem begins to get solved. We need to start earlier in the pipeline for this to really change. Once girls get to college and have already experienced this culture where women don’t belong, it will take much more effort to change her mind. In IGNITE girls get excited early about technology and take these classes and then think about what STEM field they want to study.

That is how IGNITE changes the culture and the statistics of women in STEM permanently.