The GROklahoma Podcast Show | From PTA to Powerhouse – The One with Cheron Henry and Dr. Lurdes Queimado: Episode 21 (2025)

What happens when a powerhouse in fintech and a molecular biologist walk into a PTA meeting? Magic, in the form of STEM nights, community grants, and generational impact.

In this heartwarming episode, Dr. Lurdes Queimado (MD, PhD), a physician-scientist whose journey began in a rural Portuguese village under dictatorship rule, and Cheron Henry (MBA, MIS), a fintech leader and equity advocate born and raised in Oklahoma, share how their unlikely partnership sparked a transformation at Red Oak Elementary in Oklahoma City. What started as a casual conversation at a school PTA meeting turned into a powerful collaboration rooted in shared values, volunteerism, and an unwavering belief in the power of education.

Together, they brought STEAM—Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math—out of textbooks and into Oklahoma students' hands through interactive experiences like banana suturing and bridge-building. Their story is a testament to how grassroots action, even amid personal and professional challenges, can lead to meaningful change. Lurdes shares how she balanced academic life while caring for a loved one undergoing cancer treatment. Cheron reflects on impostor syndrome and the strength it takes to lead as a Black woman in Oklahoma’s tech industry, all while raising her family and staying present in her community.

This episode isn’t just about STEM. It’s about showing up, doing what you can with what you have, and believing that your presence matters, especially in schools across Oklahoma. Whether you're a researcher, parent, mentor, or someone wondering if the PTA is worth your time, this conversation will move you. It’s a call to action for anyone who has ever doubted the ripple effect of small efforts or wondered whether they had enough time to give. (Spoiler: you do. And the impact is bigger than you think.)