As a first step, the ambassadors will connect with middle-schoolers both in person and through online platforms to serve as their personal mentor. Using the $5,000 ambassador stipend, Paula will work with teachers to create solutions to identify and access STEM corporate outreach programs like those offered through DuPont. "Growing up in a family of engineers, I was constantly surrounded by examples of how those who worked in STEM improved the lives of others," Garcia Todd says. "That inspiration led me to the pharmaceutical space, and as an IF/THEN ambassador, I hope to introduce young women to the magic that happens when the impossible is met with innovative solutions." The IF/THEN initiative was created by AAAS and Lyda Hill Philanthropies to empower innovators to use their firsthand experiences in the field to inspire and motivate middle-school girls to seek STEM careers.