Tracie Dean Ponder is an entrepreneur, educator, equality advocate, writer and filmmaker. She’s the youngest of 11 born and raised on the south-side of Chicago.
With an ardent commitment for educating and empowering emerging talent, in 2016 Tracie founded B~STEM Project (B~STEM). The organization’s primary goal has been to create free educational opportunities for young girls and women. The aim of the programs and events is to ensure that participants are able to engage, learn and grow around business and STEM disciplines across industries. B~STEM also provides extension programming for both boys and girls through strategic partnerships with organizations, academic institutions and corporations. The organization has impacted over 3K participants and remains committed to providing foundational support to help foster awareness, aspiration and innovation. B~STEM has partnered with leading companies such as; Google, CBS Entertainment, YouTube, Microsoft, Motorola, Samsung, RobertHalf Technology, VidCon and the like as well as organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, Girls Who Code, EmpowHer and Girls Inc.. Tracie is driven by the vision that B~STEM will become a gateway to unlimited possibilities.
Most recently B~STEM Project partnered with Level Forward, a company co-founded by Abigail Disney, to lead in the reimagining and development of an online platform that focuses on supporting and fostering aspiring, emerging and established female talent across the media and entertainment industry. In addition to co-founding this dynamic platform, Tracie is completing development on several online community-based educational platforms that will educate and empower youth as well as young girls and women around business and technology. With Tracie’s deep passion for developing tech for good, she aspires to make an even greater impact when it comes to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Tracie is a long-time advocate for diversity and equity particularly when it comes to race, culture and gender. Through her work as the founder of Genius In Motion (GIM), she has documented and curated 100’s of hours of interviews capturing the stories of Oscar and Emmy winning talent of color working across the media and entertainment industry. Tracie has partnered with leading advertising agency, Leo Burnett Chicago, to spotlight trailblazing talent of color within the advertising industry. She’s worked intimately with Women In Technology International as a consultant helping to drive issues around access, equity and advancement.
Tracie is also an award-winning filmmaker that has worked as an independent writer, director and producer as well as for entertainment companies such as Warner Brothers, Lifetime, Harpo Studios, Fox Sports and BET. The founder of Ponder This Productions, she has partnered with leading companies and national organizations spearheading the development and production of independent short and feature films, television pilots as well as digital and corporate content. Tracie is a prolific writer and has produced a variety of literary works; poetry, collections of essays, stage plays, short and feature screenplays as well as educational curriculums and guidebooks.
Tracie graduated from NYU, as a Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar, receiving a BA in Philosophy and English. As a President Scholar at DePaul University Tracie received an MA in Liberal Studies with a specialization in writing. Awarded a scholarship through the Black Screenwriters Organization, she studied at UCLA receiving certifications in Film, TV, Video and New Media. Tracie has also had the distinct pleasure of studying abroad in Senegal, Morocco, Greece, and France.
Tracie’s mother, Carrie Beatrice Ponder, was an uncompromising advocate for education and service to the community. With her mother as a source of inspiration, she remains passionate, determined and committed to education, equity and community advancement.