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The podcast episode features an interview with Dr. Ava Mason, executive director and founder of Treobytes, a nonprofit dedicated to creating career pathways in engineering and technology for students from fourth grade through high school. Ava shares her inspiring journey from studying biochemistry at Purdue University to working in biotech, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences, before ultimately pivoting to entrepreneurship and nonprofit leadership.

In this episode, Ava reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped her career, from realizing she wanted work with tangible impact to founding Treobytes in 2014. Motivated by her daughter’s learning experiences, Ava recognized the missed opportunities in STEM education and set out to build a program that bridges schools, corporations, and communities. She opens up about the systemic barriers women and underrepresented students face in STEM and how Treobytes works to break them by fostering hands-on learning, mentorship, representation, and a strong sense of belonging.

Ava also discusses the challenges of building and sustaining a nonprofit, the importance of corporate partnerships, and the lessons she carried from her years in corporate America into leading a mission-driven organization. Passionate about giving back to the community, she offers insights into leadership grounded in compassion, collaboration, and vulnerability, while highlighting how diversity of thought and perspective drives true innovation.

Her story is a powerful testament to resilience, creativity, and the courage to step off the traditional path to create change. Through her work, Ava calls for reimagining STEM education to be more personal, inclusive, and future-ready, ensuring that the next generation of scientists and engineers not only succeed but thrive.

Treobytes Website: https://www.treobytes.org/

Are you interested in sharing your story on the DASL Podcast? Nominate yourself or someone you know to be a guest by filling out our intake form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdMipiFRpxpWj_IEDte8mBAKA9n7BCe2ylBLNNY_H6zTE5Ogg/viewform.
We’re excited to feature voices that inspire, empower, and contribute to our diverse community.