CHICAGO, September 1, 2026 — The Project SYNCERE Board of Directors today announced that Adrianne Wheeler Ball has been named Executive Director, effective immediately. The appointment follows a careful leadership transition and search process.
Ball has served Project SYNCERE for 15 of its 18 years. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer, and since earlier this year she has led the organization as Interim Executive Director. In each role, she has strengthened Project SYNCERE’s programs, operations, and partnerships, as well as its capacity to serve students across Chicago.
Her leadership as Interim Executive Director made the Board’s decision clear. Ball brings a deep understanding of the organization, its students and families, and the communities it serves, along with a clear vision for where Project SYNCERE needs to go next.
Under Ball’s leadership, Project SYNCERE will build on the foundation laid over the past 18 years while pursuing new opportunities to expand its impact. The organization remains committed to high-quality, hands-on STEM experiences and to real pathways into engineering, technology, college, and careers.
“After eighteen years, our work continues to grow,” said Ball. “I’m stepping into this role focused on three things: strengthening our core programs, building our infrastructure and community, and widening the door for every student who has never been told engineering was for them.”
The Board is grateful for Ball’s continued leadership. It looks forward to working alongside staff, partners, volunteers, families, and supporters as Project SYNCERE enters its next chapter.
Project SYNCERE Board of Directors
Sandor Williams, Interim Chair
Dr. Cherie Meador, Vice Chair
Shaun Garrison, Treasurer
Seun Phillips, Co-Founder and Secretary
Andria Winters, Director
Adrianne Wheeler Ball on Project SYNCERE’s Next Chapter
In a short video, Ball reflects on a year in which more than 1,500 young people discovered what they’re capable of, and shares where Project SYNCERE goes from here.
About Project SYNCERE
Founded in 2008, Project SYNCERE (Supporting Youth’s Needs with Core Engineering Research Experiments) is a Chicago-based nonprofit whose mission is to prepare the minds of underrepresented students and create pathways for them to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Through hands-on programs such as E-CADEMY, STEM in Motion Workshops, and the annual ENpowered Games, Project SYNCERE helps students build the skills and confidence to excel in STEM. Learn more at www.projectsyncere.org.
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Jessica West
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