NextFlex Announces 2023 Fellows Awards

NextFlex, America’s Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) Manufacturing Institute, presented the annual NextFlex Fellow Awards to two deserving individuals in recognition of their exceptional commitment to both advanced manufacturing and the flexible and additive electronics member community.

This is the eighth group of NextFlex Fellows that have been recognized for their outstanding contributions in support of the NextFlex mission.

This year’s Fellows include:
• Zachary Kiehl, CEO and founder, Sentinel Occupational Safety

Sentinel is an important commercial partner with NextFlex and AFRL, and Kiehl has been a driving force in development of unique and needed platforms such as the Confined Space Monitor that creates safer working environments both in military and industrial settings.

He is a strong supporter of NextFlex, and has actively participated in important engagements with the Department of Defense and recently was a thought leader panelist during an Education and Workforce Development Summit supported by the Department of Labor and the White House. In addition, Kiehl is an able spokesperson and has participated in media interviews on behalf of NextFlex about technology and the education and workforce needs of the advanced manufacturing sector.

• Emily McGrath, senior fellow and director of workforce policy, The Century Foundation

McGrath recently departed her role as director of education and workforce development at NextFlex to join the Century Foundation, where her span of influence has expanded to include policy development that will improve people’s lives in education, health care, and in the workplace.

In her new role, she will focus on workforce policy for the manufacturing sector, which will enable her to continue to work with NextFlex and the other Manufacturing USA institutes across the country. Under McGrath’s leadership, she expanded FlexFactor to 13 states, reached more than 15,000 participants through NextFlex education and workforce programming, and created new education and learning programs that span K-12 to colleges and universities, and to the incumbent workforce.

“As with all our previous Fellows, we cannot overstate the positive impact that this year’s recipients have had on the hybrid electronics community,” said Dr. Malcolm Thompson, NextFlex executive director. “The lives that Zach has bettered through his team’s work on health and safety solutions and the number of students that Emily has reached through her exceptional education and workforce development programs is a testament to how much they deserve this recognition.”