Stephanie Ogilvie Seagle combines her experience with daily journalism, design thinking, and community colleges to amplify the Lab’s impact and emerging ideas as Communications Director.

She has been following her creative spark since her first cohort in New Century College (now known as the School of Integrative Studies), the trailblazing undergraduate program at George Mason University focused on 21st century skills and experiential learning. 

Stephanie spent most of her career at The Roanoke (Va.) Times, a daily newspaper and website, where she founded and edited the innovative Inside Out entertainment section; became the paper’s first social media editor; and served as the “Shoptimist” shopping columnist and blogger (she loves a good bargain!). While working at the newspaper, she completed a master’s degree in liberal studies; her final thesis focused on designing a journalism internship program that fosters creativity.

Prior to joining the Lab, Stephanie served as a grant specialist for Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) in Roanoke, where she helped secure and manage over $3 million in grants each year, including a Title III/SIP project focused on adult learners. She also engaged the campus community through a blog exploring innovation in higher education, earning her the honorary title, “Chief Joy Officer.” In 2019, Stephanie led a planning grant for VWCC, which is how she first started working with the Lab to design stackable credentials as part of Virginia’s G3 (Get Skilled, Get a Job, Get Ahead) tuition assistance program. 

Stephanie holds a MA in Liberal Studies with a specialization in Social Sciences from Hollins University; and a BA in Integrative Studies with a specialization in English and Media Studies from George Mason University. 

She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia with her husband, young daughter, and multiple chihuahuas and hamsters. She crafts jewelry inspired by Roanoke (the “Star City of the South”) in her free time — and her obsessions include nonfiction books, Halloween, and community wealth building.