Meet Kathy

Kathy Kale Nelson is an author, STEM advocate, and storyteller who creates books that invite children—especially girls—to explore science, technology, engineering, and math in ways that feel approachable, creative, and real. Her coloring book, STEM Super Stars: Women of Today Changing the World, highlights contemporary women working across a variety of STEM fields, pairing bold illustrations with kid-friendly explanations of what these careers look like. She is also the creator and co-host of the podcast Ordinarily Extraordinary: Conversations with Women in STEM, where she has interviewed hundreds of women about their careers, challenges, and everyday work. Her goal is to normalize women in STEM and inspire children to see themselves in that world—one story at a time.

An electrical engineer with decades of experience, Kathy has spent much of her career working in technical fields where women are still underrepresented. Those years shaped her deep belief that representation matters most when it feels normal, visible, and attainable—a conviction that runs through everything she creates.

STEM Super Stars is especially meaningful as a mother–daughter collaboration. The illustrations were created by Kathy's daughter, Emily Nelson, who drew each page by hand. Bringing this book into the world together has been a passion project and one of my life’s greatest joys.