Today we’d like to introduce you to Ty Gabriel
Hi Ty, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My mother was a day care center teacher. She took this job so she could be home for me before I arrived home from school, and she kept this job until I was old enough to stay at home by myself. I distinctly remember evenings (what felt late to me at the time) where she helped me recite my multiplication tables and practice long division. When I was 12, I would help her at the day care center, until she transitioned to becoming a public-school teacher for the rest of her career. In the summers, she would take me to all the museums in NYC from the Children’s Science center in Queens to the Hayden Planetarium (now known as the Rose Science Center) in Manhattan. For as long as I could remember, math and science were fun. These subjects were fun because someone cared about me enough to provide the attention and support necessary for me to explore these subjects sparking the innate interest inside of me.
I grew up in Crown Heights Brooklyn in the 1980s. While my mother cultivated the innate motivation to learn, in going to these museums I had always wished there were better local educational opportunities available to me. Museums were an oasis, but not a source for constant nourishment. Camps at that time in NYC were few, and poorly managed. The ones that were available did not have a mechanism to assess my aptitude (as I was advanced in math and science for my grade) so I could continue to be challenged. Summers were a step backward for me. I often had to look for my own for low-cost solutions. These efforts led me to both my junior high and high school; both were magnet schools. My zoned schools had challenges not only with academics, but with basic safety. While my story educational story ended well, I knew at the time that other children would not be so fortunate.
Much later in my life I saw a documentary on Sears owner Julius Rosenwald. He dedicated some significant portion of his wealth to philanthropy in the area of education. In addition to the commissioning of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, his work with the YMCA, and his contributions to numerous universities through his $70m philanthropic fund, he also commissioned the construction of 5000 schools throughout the south. The “Rosenwald Schools” were responsible for producing many of the artists of the Harlem Renaissance from Langston Hughes to Maya Angelou. I knew at that point based on my personal journey, that I wanted to do something to provide the educational resources to the community – resources I wish I had had access to when I was growing up. It was this insight many years ago that lead me to Stemtree.
In addition to being a retired naval officer, I have a MBA from Hong University of Science and Technology and a MS in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a retired naval officer who joined the service after 9-11, 2001, I have a MBA from Hong University of Science and Technology and a MS in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University. In addition to Stemtree, I am also head of operations for a biotechnology start-up that is developing a functional cure for type 1 diabetes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stemtree.com/coralgables/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stemtree_coralgables/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Stemtree-of-Coral-Gables/61555639465228/
