For as long as she can remember, Teneka Steed, PhD has felt inclined to be and do more in life. Growing up as a minority in a small-town in North Carolina with few positive influences, Dr. Teneka’s younger self quickly assigned importance to education after realizing that learning was not only a way to alleviate the struggles she faced but it also fueled her passion for service.
A brilliant scholar, Dr. Teneka attended North Carolina Central University from 2001 until 2007 where she graduated twice with honors, obtaining both a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and her Master’s Degree in Sociology. Not one to take no for an answer, she persevered despite an initial admission rejection to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and before the age of 30 earned her fourth degree from the institution – a doctorate in research methodology – in only four years.
Showcasing her talent within all three fields, Dr. Teneka’s work experience includes several competitive positions at companies such as NASA, the College Board, Duke University and the Department of Education to name a few.
Her call to exercise complete compassion towards others and give back, however, led Dr. Teneka to trade in her lab coat and office cubicle to strategically support her visions and dedicate her time to giving back to her community. She started The Steed Foundation to share her knowledge and experiences with young women just like her from her own hometown.