Dr. Norman L. Fortenberry is an executive leader with 30 years’ extensive experience in the public, nonprofit, and academic sectors addressing such issues as program design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Norman is a creative coalition builder able to bring together diverse constituencies to achieve common goals, and is an innovative and pro-active problem solver with demonstrated abilities to 1) recognize specific requirements and opportunities in organizational and programmatic challenges, 2) devise high quality cost- effective, and timely solutions, and 3) implement solutions strategies by identifying, organizing, and deploying the requisite human, technical, and financial resources. He is a strategic visionary known for building, maintaining, and enhancing highly effective organizations that often exceed their goals. Norman is strong administrator with proven skills in recruiting, selecting, training, supervising, motivating, and evaluating professional and technical personnel.
Norman served for a decade as executive director of the American Society for Engineering Education managing a $40M annual budget, and previous decade as the founding director of the first operational center of the US National Academy of Engineering where he built the annual budget from $200K to $2M. He previously served in various executive positions focused on institutional and workforce development at the US National Science Foundation with responsibility for annual budgets of almost $300M. Norman has also served as director of organizations (GEM Consortium and Great Minds in STEM) devoted to enhancing access, participation, success, and recognition in STEM careers by members of underserved communities. Norman began his career as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Florida A&M University.
Norman has served as a board member of the National Alliance of Partnerships for Equity Education Foundation (including a term as board chair), the Prometheus Consortium (including a term as treasurer), and the United States Senate Youth Alumni Association (including terms as treasurer and board chair).
Norman earned a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a Certified Association Executive, and an Advanced Certified Nonprofit Professional.