TyeConnects Technology Youth Empowerment
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Diverse students engaged in learning

Our Mission

Technology Youth Empowerment is committed to providing quality, curiosity-driven STEM education in a world that often prioritizes test scores over true understanding. We create hands-on learning spaces where students feel confident asking questions, exploring ideas, and building knowledge through experience.

Management

Rida Karim

Rida Karim

Chief Executive Officer

Read bio: Rida Karim

Rida is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Technology Youth Empowerment. She is studying data science and business, with a strong interest in using technology and data to solve real-world access gaps. Rida oversees partnerships, curriculum development, and organizational operations to ensure TYE delivers impactful, hands-on learning experiences for students. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in project management. Outside of her work, she enjoys playing golf, poker, and time away from screens.

Jack Brady

Jack Brady

Interim Chief Financial Officer

Read bio: Jack Brady

Jack serves as Interim Chief Financial Officer for TYE, overseeing financial planning, budgeting, and strategic decision-making to support workshops and organizational growth. He is a student at the University of Virginia planning to major in finance, with strong interests in organizational strategy, operations, and community-focused work. Outside of school, he plays on the UVA Club Baseball Team, enjoys hiking, visiting the beach, and organizing group workouts.

Finn Kearns

Finn Kearns

Associate Chief Operating Officer

Read bio: Finn Kearns

Finn is the Associate Chief Operating Officer of Technology Youth Empowerment. He is studying Finance and Management at the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia, with strong interests in real estate, education, and entrepreneurship. He hopes to pursue a career in management consulting, real estate private equity, or eventually starting his own business. At TYE, Finn oversees outreach, volunteer retention, lesson planning, and communication between the executive committee and volunteers, working to ensure the organization runs smoothly and that everyone is on the same page. Outside of his work, he enjoys running, volunteering, exploring the outdoors, travelling, and good food.

Nate Demile

Nate Demile

Chief Technology Officer

Read bio: Nate Demile

Nate leads the technical direction of Technology Youth Empowerment. He designed and built the organization's website from the ground up and continues to manage, maintain, and improve it through ongoing updates and feature enhancements. He oversees and coordinates web developers by distributing tasks, reviewing work, and ensuring technical quality and consistency across all digital platforms. With a strong foundation in full-stack development and systems design, Nate brings both creative problem-solving and technical rigor to every project. He is passionate about building tools that make STEM education more accessible and believes technology should serve people first. Outside of his work with TYE, Nate enjoys track running, studying medicine, and exploring the intersection of software engineering and healthcare innovation.

Mehad Abdi

Mehad Abdi

Regional Coordinator — Northern Virginia

Read bio: Mehad Abdi

Mehad serves as Regional Coordinator for Northern Virginia, where he manages program logistics, outreach, and team coordination to ensure workshops and events run smoothly. He plays a key role in recruiting volunteers and mentors, building relationships with local schools and community organizations, and maintaining consistent program quality. Mehad is a student at Woodson High School and plans to major in computer science, with a strong interest in using technology for social impact and community development. He is driven by a commitment to making STEM accessible to underrepresented students. In his free time, Mehad enjoys working out, playing board games with friends, and snowboarding.

Hans Teme

Hans Teme

Chief Strategy Officer

Read bio: Hans Teme

Hans serves as Chief Strategy Officer, leading strategic planning and translating TYE’s mission into goals. He works with teams to establish priorities, track progress, and identify opportunities for growth. Hans is passionate about expanding pathways into competitive fields for students who may lack professional networks and industry exposure. He is committed to supporting underserved communities by helping provide essential resources. In the future, he hopes to become an investor. Outside of TYE, he enjoys staying active and following financial markets.

Twisha

Twisha

Regional Coordinator — Blacksburg

Read bio: Twisha

Twisha serves as Regional Coordinator for the Blacksburg area, where she supports outreach, volunteer recruitment, and program coordination to help ensure workshops and events run smoothly. She works with local schools, students, and community partners to expand access to STEM opportunities and strengthen engagement within the region. Twisha is a student at Virginia Tech double majoring in Statistical Data Science and FinTech and Big Data Analytics, with strong interests in data visualization and quantitative finance. She is passionate about bringing educational and STEM opportunities to underrepresented communities and creating greater accessibility for students. Outside of school, Twisha is involved in club tennis, enjoys reading business books, and spends time watching the IPL.

Alex Frohlich

Alex Frohlich

Regional Coordinator — Charlottesville

Read bio: Alex Frohlich

Alex is the Regional Coordinator for the Charlottesville area, where he supports outreach, chapter recruitment, and day-to-day operations to help ensure workshops and events run smoothly. He works closely with UVA students, local schools, and community partners to grow the chapter’s reach and connect more students with hands-on STEM opportunities.

Alex is a student at the University of Virginia studying Economics & Global Commerce, with a strong interest in strategy consulting. He hopes to continue serving communities in need as he pursues his professional career.

Outside of TYE, Alex enjoys the culinary arts, fantasy football, and building bonfires.

Vision

A world where every student has the confidence, tools, and access to explore STEM through curiosity-driven learning.

A TYE mentor helping younger students with a coding lesson on laptops
Our Story

How We Started

Technology Youth Empowerment began after seeing how many students felt excluded from STEM spaces. Too often, learning focused on performance instead of understanding, leaving curiosity behind.

TYE was created to change that. Our founders built programs centered on exploration, questions, and hands-on discovery. By removing cost barriers and lectures, we created spaces where students learn by doing.

Today, TYE reaches students through workshops, mentorship, and take-home kits, remaining rooted in accessibility, curiosity, and student-centered learning.

Our Values

Accessibility

Free, inclusive STEM programming ensuring every student can participate regardless of background or resources.

Curiosity-Driven

Learning powered by exploration, experimentation, and questions rather than memorization or test performance.

Student-Centered

Peer-led environments where students teach, inspire, and grow confidence together.

Our Approach

Three pillars that guide everything we do

Student experimenting with hands-on materials at a workshop 01
Pillar One

Curiosity-First Learning

Our Curiosity-First approach revolutionizes how students engage with STEM. Instead of starting with abstract concepts, we begin with real-world challenges that spark natural curiosity. Students explore, experiment, and discover before diving into technical details.

This methodology differs from traditional education by prioritizing questions over answers, exploration over memorization, and understanding over test scores. Students gain confidence through hands-on discovery, leading to deeper learning and genuine enthusiasm for STEM subjects.

The benefits are clear: increased engagement, improved retention, and a lasting love for learning that extends far beyond our workshops.

Diverse group learning together 02
Pillar Two

Breaking Down Barriers

We believe cost should never be a barrier to quality education. That's why 100% of our programming is completely free. From workshops to take-home kits, every student has access to the same high-quality STEM education.

Our STEM Without Walls initiative addresses transportation and scheduling barriers by bringing learning directly to students' homes. With interactive kits and peer-led videos, students can learn at their own pace, on their own schedule.

Accessibility is at the core of everything we do. We work to remove every barrier—financial, logistical, or educational—so that every student can discover their potential in STEM.

Peer mentoring in action 03
Pillar Three

Empowering Through Mentorship

Our student-led instruction model creates a unique learning environment where older students become teachers and role models. This peer-to-peer approach builds confidence, leadership skills, and a supportive community.

Mentors develop teaching skills, deepen their own understanding, and gain valuable leadership experience. Mentees benefit from relatable role models, comfortable learning environments, and peer support that makes STEM accessible and engaging.

This model creates a cycle of empowerment: students who learn become students who teach, building a community of learners who support and inspire each other.

Our Impact

4,891
students reached
500+
workshops delivered
129
instructors trained
75+
institutions reached