Phyllis Baca is an engineering faculty member who also serves as the Director of STEM Initiatives at Santa Fe Community College. Coupled with grant funding, her tenure as faculty as well as her chemical engineering background has allowed Phyllis to provide a unique perspective to her students.  She has served on a variety of STEM committees including the Santa Fe Community College’s President’s Diversity Task Force, The Santa Fe Alliance for Science Advisory Board,  NM Innovate-Educate Education Advisory Board as well as the NM Alliance for Minority Participation Advisory Board,

One of her professional goals includes doubling the number of minorities and women graduating in STEM from her college. To this purpose, she has revitalized the Engineering and Engineering Technologies Degree programs through clear career pathways tied to State and National career clusters. With a primary focus on high school learners, she hopes to gain an understanding of the “exit” and “entry” points for minorities and young women in STEM. Phyllis has this to say: “My passion is to present STEM opportunities to low-income, Hispanic students through high school dual-enrollment and eventually retain them as first-generation college students.”