About STEM Salem

Antoinette Stanley brings a rare convergence of credentials: a Bachelor of Science from Johns Hopkins University, a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and 25 years of professional experience as a website developer. Her cross-disciplinary background — spanning healthcare, technology, and nonprofit leadership — directly models the STEM-to-career pathways we want to illuminate for our K–8 students. As the Lead Lady of Harvest-Time Worship Center in Salem, Antoinette is also embedded in the fabric of the community she serves. Her training as a Certified Ambassador for the Chalmers Center, which equips leaders to develop community ministries that foster lasting change, reflects her commitment not just to programming, but to systemic, community-centered transformation.

Jason Coffer is a transformational educational leader with more than 25 years of experience serving students and families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Currently serving as an Assistant Principal in the Philadelphia School District, he is committed to fostering learning environments that promote academic excellence, equity, collaboration, and character development. Jason holds a Master of Education in Administration and a Master of Arts in Special Education & Behavioral Disorders, and he is passionate about supporting students with diverse academic and behavioral needs while partnering with educators, families, and community organizations to improve student outcomes.

Minister Wadiya K. Davenport is a Salem native and U.S. Air Force veteran whose career has spanned logistics management, elementary reading and math intervention, culinary arts, and nonprofit leadership. A graduate of Salem High School, she has remained deeply invested in her hometown, currently serving as both the Salem City Community Ambassador — leading initiatives focused on safety, nutrition access, and civic connection — and as Director of Food and Nutrition at St. Johns Pentecostal Outreach Church. Her firsthand knowledge of Salem's families, combined with her background as an educator working with young students, makes her a grounding and invaluable voice on the STEM Salem Advisory Board.

Candace Powell Kinard contributes a lens that is essential to any STEM program with college and career aspirations for underserved youth: higher education access and financial literacy. As the founder of EduDreamer and a Certified Financial Educator and Certified College Access and Success Advisor, Candace brings 35 years of experience working specifically with underrepresented and low-income students in communities like Salem's. Her work has spanned Philadelphia and Delaware — geographies with demographic overlap with our target population — and includes managing college access centers, developing college readiness programs, and serving on advisory councils including Villanova's Undergraduate Advisory Council and the Philadelphia College Prep Roundtable. Her presence on our board signals that STEM Salem's vision does not end at a fun science experiment — it extends toward the futures our students deserve.

Pastor DaTonja "DT" Stanley serves as Senior Pastor of Harvest-Time Worship Center in Salem and brings technical expertise that mirrors what we hope to inspire in our students. He holds an MBA in Management Information Systems from Temple University and works professionally as a Software Engineer, Project Manager, Financial Advisor, and AI Basics Instructor. His combination of faith community leadership and technology-sector experience is especially significant in a program designed for a community where trust is relational and word-of-mouth matters. As a longtime leader in Salem, Pastor DT also served as Treasurer of the Bucks County NAACP, reflecting a sustained commitment to equity and civic engagement.