Chairman of the Board, Siemens Foundation
Sr. Vice President, Communications & Marketing Siemens Corporation
As Sr. Vice President of Communications and Marketing for Siemens Corporation, Jim Whaley is responsible for the strategy, direction and management of this global technology company’s corporate communications in the United States. Ranked 30th on the Fortune Global 500, Siemens has more than $22 billion in annual U.S. sales, exports $2.1 billion from the U.S. and employs over 60,000 employees in all 50 states. Jim is currently leading the execution of the U.S. Answers Campaign, the largest marketing investment in the company’s history. This includes the next phase of the Answers advertising campaign that will run in all major media outlets.
It positions Siemens as the leader in environmental and sustainable technologies such as renewable energy, healthcare IT, energy efficient buildings and Smart Grid.
Jim joined Siemens in 2004 as Vice President of the Siemens Foundation. He became President of the Siemens Foundation in June 2006 and continued to serve in that position until March of 2010 when he became the Foundation’s Vice Chairman.
Under his tenure, the Foundation expanded its Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement program to all fifty states, recognizing students, teachers and schools for exceptional achievement in AP math and science courses nationally. The Foundation also launched Siemens Teacher Scholarships in collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and United Negro College Fund. This initiative awards college scholarships to encourage minority students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to pursue teaching careers in science and math. He also initiated Siemens Science Day, a national program created to captivate young students’ interest in math, science and technology.
Previously, Jim served as Director of Communications at the United States Military Academy at West Point. In that position he executed an innovative communications plan in celebration of West Point’s 200th anniversary. This plan resulted in 24 books, eight network television documentaries, and won the 2003 Public Relations Society of America Award of Excellence and the 2003 PR Week Public Campaign of the Year.
Jim has more than 20 years of management experience that includes integrated marketing, strategic communications, media relations, internal communications, crisis communications, and community relations. He is a graduate of Lock Haven University where he received his undergraduate degree. He completed his MBA at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He also attended the Defense Information School (graduate level management), Ft. Meade, MD, and completed the U.S. Army Helicopter Instructor Pilot Course at Fort Rucker, AL. He was a Master Aviator and was awarded the Legion of Merit as well as numerous other awards.
He serves on the boards of the New York American Heart Association, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, The New York Hall of Science and the US Chamber of Commerce’s Business Civic Leadership Center.
President, Siemens Foundation
As President of the Siemens Foundation, Jeniffer Harper-Taylor leads one of the nation’s preeminent nonprofit organizations dedicated to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. During more than a decade of service she has impacted students, teachers and schools on a national scale, introducing tens of thousands of young people to opportunities in STEM. Today she oversees an annual investment of more than $7 million in innovative education programs that support, recognize and encourage the scientists and engineers of tomorrow.
After working in Human Resources for over a decade, Ms. Harper-Taylor joined Siemens in 1999 as a university recruitment manager. She then joined the Siemens Foundation as Program Manager in March 2000, subsequently serving as Program Director and Vice President before being named President in March 2010. Throughout her tenure she has spearheaded partnerships with such education leaders as the College Board, Discovery Education, the National Science Teachers Association and Oak Ridge Associated Universities to broaden the reach and impact of the Foundation’s programs. These include the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology, Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement, Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, Siemens STEM Academy and Siemens Science Days.
Ms. Harper-Taylor is active on a number of fronts to close the minority gap in STEM. She is a charter member of the Advisory Board for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Office for Access and the Advancement of Public Black Universities. She also serves on The Conference Board’s Contributions Council, a group dedicated to advancing the practice of corporate philanthropy. Previously, she served as the Diversity Council Chairperson for Siemens Corporation, USA.
Ms. Harper-Taylor is considered a leader in STEM education outreach advocacy and appears regularly in the media. She has been interviewed by U.S. News & World Report, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg Radio, among many other newspapers, television programs and radio shows.
A frequent public speaker, Ms. Harper-Taylor delivered the keynote address at the College Board’s national Dream Deferred conference on issues that affect African American students. She also keynoted the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics’ 2011 MLK Day celebration. The Network Journal named Ms. Harper-Taylor to its 14th annual list of “25 Influential Black Women in Business” in 2012. Ms. Harper-Taylor was invited to serve as a panelist for the release of the 2011 Grade 8 Science Report of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, widely known as “The Nation’s Report Card.” Most recently, she was profiled in a salute to the extraordinary STEM leadership of women across all sectors in the book, 100 Women Leaders in STEM.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Harper-Taylor has played an active role in various community organizations in her hometown, including the Atlanta chapter of Big Brothers and Big Sisters and membership in the NAACP and Urban League. She takes pride in the legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a graduate of Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree. Prior to joining the Foundation, she worked as a journalist for a TV station in Rochester, New York. She is based at the Foundation’s headquarters in Iselin, New Jersey.
June 2012
Program Specialist
Kiesha Boykins is Program Specialist for the Siemens Foundation. She is responsible for managing the partnership with Discovery Education. The programs include the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, a K-12 sustainability challenge, and the Siemens STEM Academy, a professional development program for teachers. Kiesha is also responsible for managing the Siemens Merit Scholarship, an internal scholarship program for Siemens employees and manages our external Scholars scholarship distribution program.
Kiesha joined Siemens Foundation in 2006 as Program Coordinator and provided administrative support for the Siemens Foundation team. She was also responsible for assisting with coordination of Siemens scholarships and awards programs.Prior to joining Siemens, Kiesha was a Chargeback Analyst for Merrill Lynch. She also has several years of administrative and customer service experience.Kiesha received a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
March 2011
Program Specialist
Laura Schneebacher is Program Specialist for the Siemens Foundation, where she manages the Siemens Scholars program, Siemens Competition, Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement and Siemens Science Days. In addition to these programs, she focuses on communications projects such as the Siemens Foundation website and various writing assignments for the Foundation.
Laura has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Media Studies and a Master of Arts degree in Communication and Information Studies from Rutgers University. She has experience working in communications and corporate social responsibility at Johnson & Johnson in Brussels, Belgium. She has also worked in television production, marketing and public relations.
