Dr. Cresawn has been director of the JMU STEM Center since 2018. She earned her Bachelors in Biology from James Madison University in 1998, and her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Florida in 2004. After a post-doctoral fellowship in Cell Biology at the University of Pittsburgh, she joined the faculty of JMU's Biology department from 2007-2018. During her time in the Biology department, Dr. Cresawn primarily taught courses for first and second year Biology majors and pre-service K-8 teachers. It was the future elementary and middle school teachers in Dr. Cresawn's Spring 2011 "biology for teachers" course that inspired her to seek out science outreach opportunities in the local schools. This quickly led to a passion and in 2014, she started a formal K-5 traveling science program that engaged >1000 children each year.  In 2018, she had the opportunity to turn this passion into a career as director of the STEM Center. Dr. Cresawn credits the Center's success to the JMU students who engage the K-12 guests with compassion and enthusiasm and the faculty who donate their time, expertise, and creativity.