About Us
All Aboard!
We connect talent to possibility, fueled by a team driven to expand pathways and economic prosperity in each community we serve.
Our Vision
Powering Pathways to
Prosperity for All
We’ve spent decades uncovering what helps communities achieve sustained health and prosperity. That experience powers STEAMe’s technology.
Experience Runs Deep
Over a decade building and deploying multi-sided technology taught us how to connect people, partners, and programs to drive systems-level change.
We Mean All Aboard
We problem solve at scale, deploying solutions that support entire cities and states, flexing to meet organizations of every size, sector, and digital fluency.
Success is Proving Impact
Data infrastructure is as essential as digital infrastructure. We focus relentlessly on outcomes, not just outputs, so every dollar invested shows meaningful impact.
not just another start-up
Multi-Sided Tech & Community Systems Expertise
We’re the team behind NowPow, one of the nation’s most recognized social care referral platforms, now part of Unite Us after our acquisition in 2021. Our multi-sided technology connected over 13 million people to vital services across major cities and states, proving that technology creates lasting impact when built with precision and passion to tackle hard problems.
We’ve managed millions of sensitive files in HIPAA-compliant environments. We’ve powered complex frame-in-frame integrations and bi-directional data exchange with the largest health systems in the country, supporting the rigorous reporting needs of federally funded grants.
Now we’re bringing that expertise to STEAMe. With a proven track record in high-volume, high-stakes community ecosystems, we’re designing enterprise solutions that unlock opportunity and help organizations move in sync to deliver it.
Our core values
Together, We Can Prosper
At STEAMe, our values shape our culture, solutions, and partnerships. They align our work around one purpose: creating connected pathways to prosperity.
Our Team
STEAMe is a Chicago-based, women-owned-and-led technology company united by a shared vision for community prosperity. Our team brings decades of cross-sector technology experience across education, community, and social impact.
Rachel
Kohler
STEAMe Co-Founder & CEO
NowPow CEO & Co-Owner
MAPSCorps Board Member
LinkedIn ↗
Stacy Tessler
Lindau
MD, MAPP at UChicago
STEAMe Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer
NowPow Founder & Co-Owner
MAPSCorps Founder
LinkedIn ↗
Nichole
Pinkard
PhD at Northwestern University
STEAMe Co-Founder & Chief Systems Officer
Cities Learn & Digital Youth Network Founder
LinkedIn ↗
Mike
Wolf
Chief Technology Officer
LinkedIn ↗
Kelly
Velasquez-Hague
Chief Marketing Officer
Operations Lead
LinkedIn ↗
Leslie
Paith
Chief Product Officer
LinkedIn ↗
Emmanuel
Noel
Chief Revenue Officer
LinkedIn ↗
Agnes
Shore
Chief Data & Analytics Officer
LinkedIn ↗
Our Promise
We believe the power of technology lies not in what it does, but in what it enables.
Evidence-Based
We build what we can prove. With scientist-founders and a culture grounded in research, every STEAMe solution is designed, tested, and measured for impact, not assumption.
Impact-Driven
We don't just ship features, we solve problems. Every innovation is intentional, built to remove barriers, create access, and power prosperity that lasts.
Prosperity-Focused
We design for shared success. Every product, partnership, and process at STEAMe expands opportunity and accelerates prosperity, so individuals, organizations, and communities can thrive together, over time.
Community-Minded
Our mission begins and ends with people. We believe mobility, prosperity, and resilience are collective outcomes, built through collaboration across systems, sectors, and communities.
Integrity-Led
From data privacy to alignment, we uphold transparency and trust in everything we do, because lasting impact depends on accountability.
